Mining

Wesfarmers is set to acquire a coal development licence worth $70 million from Peabody Energy, in a purchase which the company says will boost its total coal reserves by about 29 per cent.

Paladin Energy managing director John Borshoff says the company's $US190 million sale of a minority stake in its Langer Heinrich mine vindicates a decision to walk away from sale negotiations last year.

Sino-Australian investment house ASF Group will become the single largest shareholder in Perth-based Key Petroleum after agreeing to a 19.9 per cent placement of Key shares as the company expands its interests in Canning Basin oil and gas plays.

Decmil Group has won a contract with Atlas Iron for the design and construction of a major road project in the state's Pilbara region.

Moly Mines has announced another boardroom shakeup in the wake of the arrest in Hong Kong earlier this week of one of the company's major shareholder's senior executives.

Mineral Resources has confirmed the sale price of its Christmas Creek plant, saying Fortescue Metals Group will pay around $300 million for the processing facilities.

Exploration firm Energia Minerals has launched a $2.2 million capital raising plan, to fund evaluation and development of its Carley Bore uranium project in the Carnarvon Basin.

It is the biggest, heaviest - and with a legal tender value of $1 million dollars - the most valuable gold bullion coin in the world.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy's stock has lifted on the ASX after the company announced it had refinanced its debt facilities for its Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera projects.

Four incidents involving worker safety at a Fortescue Metals Group mine site are being investigated by the Department of Mines and Petroleum.

Iluka Resources shares have risen seven per cent after the company reported a sharp increase in quarterly sales revenue.

Shares in West Perth explorer Riedel Resources have skyrocketed after Fortescue Metals Group agreed to farm-in to its Charteris Creek tenement in a deal worth up to $1 million.

BGC has been awarded a contract worth more than $100 million to restart operations at Arrium Mining's Iron Knob mine in South Australia.

Woodside Petroleum has flagged up to $400 million in writedowns ahead of the release of its 2013 full year earnings result next month, with the energy giant reporting lower sales revenue for the year.

Rio Tinto has achieved record iron ore production and shipments in 2013.

Paladin Energy says it is confident of securing the sale of a stake in its flagship Namibian mine as a fall in uranium prices weighed on its December quarter activities report.

Former Exxon Mobil executive Tony Cudmore has been appointed president of corporate affairs at BHP Billiton.

Waste management company Tox Free Solutions has bolstered its order book, securing new contracts with Titan Energy and Rio Tinto's Dampier Salt business.

Oz Minerals shares have jumped 17 per cent after the gold and copper miner said it had realised its production guidance and expects a boost in production and lower costs in 2014.

Fortescue Metals Group has paid back $US1.6 billion ($A1.79 billion) of debt early, lowering its total pile to below $US10 billion.

Australia's largest gold miner Newcrest has extended its debt facility by more than $200 million as it faces a class action from shareholders over its massive financial writedown.

Welshpool-based exploration drilling equipment manufacturer Airdrill says it will reach a broader international customer base after being acquired by global drilling group Schramm, in a deal descri

Woodside Petroleum has inked a deal to supply about 1.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas over three years to Japanese utility Chubu Electric Power.

Core Services Group has completed a long-planned all-scrip acquisition of Marcon Group worth up to $10.7 million, with an over-subscribed capital raising sealing a deal first announced in November 2012.

Regis Resources says gold recovery at its Garden Well operation is likely to be lower than expected until plant upgrades are completed later this year, with quarterly production at the project coming in below guidance.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has paid more than $1.31 billion for 510 million Turquoise Hill shares under a rights issue, clearing the slate as it develops the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia.

Forge Group has announced further cost blow-outs of up to $28 million on one of its power station projects, less than two months after telling the market it had defined the full extent of its problems.

Fortescue Metals Group has assumed "full operational responsibility" at its Christmas Creek mine after two fatalities in less than five months, announcing it has purchased the mine's ore processing facilities from Mineral Resources subsidiary Crushing Services International.

MZI Resources has signed an off-take agreement with major shareholder Tricoastal for the purchase of all zircon concentrate produced at its Keysbrook mineral sands project over a five-year period.

Mirabela Nickel chairman Geoff Handley and directors Colin Steyn and Peter Nicholson have all resigned from the board of the embattled company, which remains in a trading freeze as it works to restructure its $US454 million of debt.

Anti-fraccing campaigners are gearing up for a showdown with unconventional gas explorers in WA's Kimberley region ahead of a series of public hearings next month.

Gindalbie Metals has announced the appointment of former Oakajee Port & Rail executive Wayne Zekulich as its new chief financial officer.