Mining

Perth-based Atrum Coal has announced it will spin-out its coal exploration assets, with plans to launch an initial public offering for a new company on the ASX later this year.

Phoenix Gold has announced plans to raise up to $18.2 million through a share placement and entitlement offer to fund staged development at its Castle Hill mine near Kalgoorlie.

Gold futures have extended their losses after the Federal Reserve announced another reduction in bond purchases and delivered a more positive view of the US economy than some expected.

Chinese steelmaker Ansteel has taken majority ownership of the Karara iron ore project, lifting its stake above that of Gindalbie Metals after converting shareholder loans to new equity in Karara Mining.

Stockbroking firm Hartleys has been fined by the corporate watchdog over an inadvertent trading error in 2012 which resulted in a plunge in Tanami Gold's share price.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has secured another two contracts with mining giant Rio Tinto, taking the total value of work it has secured at Rio projects this year to $100 million.

Wolf Minerals has arranged final funding for construction of its Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in England after agreeing to a discounted share placement.

US oil prices have surged on news of a key pipeline expansion that will help to draw down bulging crude supplies at the Cushing depot.

Michael Fotios, who made a fortune backing gold miner Northern Star Resources, is heading back to the stockmarket to tap into what he calls “a marked increase in investor interest over the last 3 months”.

Mine site water infrastructure group GFR has become the sixth Perth-based company to call in administrators in as many weeks, citing deteriorating trading conditions and significant contract delays.

Labor senators look set to ignore a plea from business groups to ditch the mining tax after opposition leader Bill Shorten reaffirmed his commitment to vote down the government's repeal legislation.

International engineering and construction company Laing O'Rourke has won a contract valued at more than $200 million for work on the Roy Hill iron ore project.

Ascot Resources has agreed to acquire the Wonmunna iron ore project from Ochre Group, which, in return, will receive a majority stake in the previously coal-focused company.

Oil prices have fallen modestly as markets downplayed fears of disruptions to Western European energy supplies after Crimea voted in a disputed referendum to leave Ukraine and join Russia.

Two years after selling its stake in the failed Oakajee port and rail project, Murchison Metals is set to be absorbed by major shareholder Mercantile Investment Company.

Ramelius Resources will appoint chief operating officer Mark Zeptner to succeed retiring managing director Ian Gordon when he steps down in June after seven years with the gold miner.

Queensland-based infrastructure services company Cardno has bought oil and gas engineering consulting firm PPI Technology Services for $US145 million.

Perth-based The Waterberg Coal Company (WCC) has agreed to a share swap deal with London-listed investment fund Global Resource Investment Trust (GRIT).

Talga Resources has received commitments to raise up to $1.7 million, which has been earmarked for the ongoing development of its graphite projects in Sweden.

Surveyor Fugro Spatial Solutions has been awarded a contract to carry out dimensional control surveys at Inpex's Ichthys LNG project near Darwin.

Gold prices have closed at the highest level in six months as investors remain cautious over the fluid geopolitical situation in Ukraine.

Cash strapped Jacka Resources has appointed two broking firms to assess capital raising options after confirming that a friendly takeover offer from Tangiers Petroleum looks set to fail.

Iron-ore explorer Coziron Resources has raised $2.5 million in equity following the execution of a share placement to sophisticated investors.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has again urged the Labor opposition to support the repeal of the mining tax when parliament resumes next week, describing it as an "anti-WA tax".

Doray Minerals has posted a maiden half-year profit on the back of the commencement of production at its Andy Well gold project in the Murchison region.

Gold futures have edged higher amid heightened concerns about China's economy and instability in Ukraine.

Liquefied Natural Gas has completed a $4.2 million equity raising which will allow it to fulfill the requirements of a recently signed gas transportation contract.

A partnership between oil and gas heavyweights Woodside Petroleum and Chevron, and the University of Western Australia is changing the design of offshore pipelines and cutting construction costs for the expensive infrastructure.

Tight conditions in the mining services sector and a lower Australian dollar have paid dividends for Altona Mining, which has announced a solid increase in net present value and lower revised capital costs at its Little Eva copper project in Queensland.

Nedlands-based gold explorer ABM Resources has outlined plans to raise $19.6 million from private equity fund Pacific Road Capital as it aims to bring its Old Pirate project in the Northern Territory to production.

Gold miner Regis Resources has blamed higher production costs at its Duketon project for a 32 per cent slump in first half profit but says recovery efforts are proceeding in line with expectations after torrential rain caused extensive flood damage to the site.

Gold futures have climbed to a six-month high as investors seek to protect their wealth from the ripple effects of financial troubles in China and geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.