Mining

Fortescue Metals Group has called for the phasing out of the state government’s contentious domestic gas reservation policy, which has traditionally been backed by big gas buyers, in favour of stricter application of the ‘use it or lose it’ rules.

Chinese steel giant Baosteel and listed railway operator Aurizon have cleared a key hurdle in their $1.4 billion joint takeover bid for Perth-based Aquila Resources, with the Foreign Investment Review Board giving the green light to the proposed deal.

Alliance Aviation Services has signed a charter flights contract with BHP Billiton Nickel West for a three-year initial term.

Perth oil and gas explorer Rey Resources has agreed to farm into the Dunnart-2 exploration well joint venture in the Perth Basin with Key Petroleum and Caracal Exploration.

The CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp says alternative fuels will grow but that oil will remain the world's leading source of energy for another quarter century.

Engineering contractor Thiess has been awarded a $330 million contract to construct the process plant facilities for the Roy Hill iron ore mine in the Pilbara (with updated list of 36 major engineering construction contracts awarded in past year).

Iluka Resources managing director David Robb says he expects mineral sands sales to rebound after the company's earnings nosedived in 2013.

Programmed managing director Chris Sutherland says the group's annual results show the benefits of its diversification, with its government and property contracts largely offsetting a decline in resource sector work.

Global oil prices have dipped after a successful presidential election in Ukraine over the weekend helped ease some concerns despite continued fighting in the pro-Russian east.

Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion has flagged new industry safety guidelines in the wake of five mining fatalities in Western Australia in nine months.

The resources sector will struggle to find enough skilled workers to drive production on the LNG plants expected to come on-stream in the next few years.

The accommodation squeeze in the north-west appears to be over with at least one Pilbara hotel shutting temporarily amid industry claims construction camps close to major population centres are competing with traditional hospitality providers.

Mining giant BHP Billiton may soon start axing jobs at its Worsley Alumina operations in Western Australia.

The enormous gas supply deal Russia recently struck with China reduces Australia’s advantage as a major liquefied natural gas exporter, according to Australian advisory firm EnergyQuest.

Perth-based potash exploration company Reward Minerals has been served a $33,000 penalty by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and has complied with the infringement notice.

Rio Tinto has committed to plans to develop the $US20 billion Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, signing a deal with the West African nation's government and development partners.

The Gina Rinehart-backed Sun Resources has purchased a stake in oil and gas leases in the prospective Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk shale formations in the American state of Texas.

Fewer offshore oil and gas wells are being drilled and their total cost has increased five-fold in the last decade, a new report has found.

Shares in Subiaco-based explorer Resource and Investment have closed higher on the back of strong drilling results at the company's Grosvenor copper-gold project in the Bryah Basin.

A man has died while working at Stone Resources Australia's Brightstar gold mine near Laverton.

Engineering and consulting services company Logicamms has signed contracts with Samsung C&T Corporation, Chevron Australia and Oil Search for a combined contract value of about $15 million.

Engineering contractor Sedgman says it expects to post a full-year net loss because it is unlikely to complete the sale of surplus assets in time to bolster its results.

Eric Streitberg has taken charge of Buru Energy after chairman Graham Riley resigned, on the same day that shareholders delivered a massive protest vote at the company’s annual meeting.

Kimberley Diamonds has replaced its managing director after a horror month in which the company's share price plunged 75 per cent.

Engineering contractor Lycopodium has slashed its full-year net profit forecast and announced a raft of redundancies as it battles to combat strong headwinds in the mining services sector.

Gold miner Regis Resources has taken a hit on the ASX after it announced significantly lower production forecasts on the back of flooding at two of its mines.

Subiaco-based explorer TNG has flagged a potential financing and construction deal with South Korean steel giant POSCO for its Mount Peake vanadium project.

Shares in Perth-based oil and gas explorer Jacka Resources have been hammered in their first trade on the ASX in more than three months.

Doray Minerals has entered a $4 million farm-in agreement with Alloy Resources to explore the Horse Well Gold project in the north-eastern goldfields.

World oil prices slipped on Thursday as dealers took profits from the previous day's bumper gains that were driven by signs of strong US crude demand.

Perth-based mineral testing company SGS Australia has been fined $5,500 for failing to properly identify the presence and location of asbestos at one of its worksites.

Padbury Mining has appointed Steinepreis Paganin to review the company's corporate governance policies in the wake of its failed equity funding deal to construct a port and rail network at Oakajee.