Mining

Matrix Composites & Engineering says the worst is behind it after recording a $2.9 million loss for the year ended June 30, a significant improvement on the previous year.

Chilean workers have gone on strike at BHP Billiton's Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, over demands for an annual bonus and better working conditions.

A 10-year old commitment by Fortescue Metals Group to the state government has come back to bite the iron ore miner, after it was told it must commence negotiations for third-party access to its Pi

Tox Free Solutions' full-year profit has dropped by 13 per cent, with a series of one-off impairments souring an otherwise solid year of growth for the Perth-based waste management firm.

The mining sector's slowdown and fewer construction projects have caused a nine per cent fall in annual profit for services and engineering firm WorleyParsons.

Specialist workforce provider SKILLED Group has grown its profits by almost 14 per cent despite a weakening mining sector dragging business down.

The resources sector union has been granted leave to appeal a decision allowing workers at Woodside's Pluto gas plant to be denied accommodation during wage-related industrial action.

Oz Minerals has blamed lower production volumes at a South Australian gold and copper mine and big write-downs for a half-year loss of $268 million.

Toronto-based gold miner Alacer Gold has appointed a new chief executive and will place its Australian operations into care and maintenance over the next 18 months, as it continues to seek a buyer

Mining and construction equipment provider Hitachi will develop a $100 million facility at Forrestdale business park, providing a boost for several other commercial developments in the Armadale are

Diversified conglomerate Wesfarmers has announced it will pitch in to help construct the proposed ANZAC Interpretive Centre in Albany.

Pluton Resources shares leapt on the ASX today after the iron ore junior announced former Grange Resources boss Richard Mehan had been appointed chairman.

Base Metals miner Kagara has cancelled the sale of half its remaining Queensland assets after negotiations with the purchaser, which failed to come up with $6 million in deposits for the projects i

Range Resources has finalised the sale of its producing oil and gas assets in Texas for $US30 million.

UGL will split its shrinking engineering business from its growing property arm to reflect the property division's greater global focus.

Mines Minister Bill Marmion says Toro Energy's acquisition of a uranium project in close proximity to its proposed yellowcake mine at Wiluna is a significant step forward for the sector.

Australia's largest gold miner, Newcrest Mining, has reported an annual net loss of $5.78 billion for the 12 months to June 30.

Metallurgical Corporation of China has been ordered by a Singapore-based arbitrator to place $80 million into an escrow account pending the determination of a dispute with Cape Lambert Resources ov

Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting has invested $13.5 million in Perth-based oil and gas explorer Sun Resources.

Alcyone Resources has secured $7.4 million through a recent entitlements offer and shortfall placement, just scraping over the capital raising's minimum subscription level of $6 million.

Rio Tinto's profit for the first half of 2013 has fallen by 71 per cent to $US1.72 billion ($A1.92 billion).

Mitsubishi and Alcoa plan to support a $100 million funding package for Buru Energy, which the Perth company says will allow it to proceed with further drilling programs in the Canning Basin and de

Gold miner Newcrest will take a $6.2 billion hit to its bottom line from writedowns on its assets in the 2012/13 financial year.

Mining giant Rio Tinto will provide its subsidiary Turquoise Hill Resources with a $US600 million financing package to fund the continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia.

Premier Colin Barnett says he hasn't given up pushing for the Woodside-led Browse gas project to be developed onshore in the Kimberley.

The government plans to take a big step back into the energy market with its gas sector proposal.

Galaxy Resources says it has received strong interest from institutional investors in a shortfall placement, after its entitlement offer fell massively short of its $47 million target.

Sundance Resources expects to sign up customers by the end of the year as it pins its hopes on producing iron ore in west Africa by 2017.

Global demand for resources will soar by up to 75 per cent over the next 15 years, but Australia is facing fiercer competition from rival nations, the head of BHP Billiton says.

Perth-based Mineral Engineering Technical Services has acquired A.A. Wilkie Consulting Engineers for an undisclosed sum.

The High Court has upheld Labor's controversial Minerals Resource Rent Tax, rejecting a challenge launched by miner Fortescue Metals Group.

The gold price is expected to improve over the long term thanks to strong demand in China and India, the World Gold Council says.