Mining

Shares in rare earths miner Lynas have plummeted after a Malaysian Court delayed the start of production at its plant to consider an application by opponents.

Perth fashion icon Ruth Tarvydas has blamed rocketing rents, inner-city roadworks and general economic malaise for the collapse of her King Street boutique, which will close in seven days.

Alumina received no dividends from its joint venture partner Alcoa in the three months to September after the US company posted a third quarter loss of $US143 million ($A140.9 million).

Elk Petroleum has completed a $5 million capital raising to fund the expansion of the Ash Creek oil field on the border of Wyoming and Montana in the United States.

The first uranium mine in Western Australia is two steps away from being a reality, with state Environment Minister Bill Marmion granting final environmental approval to Toro Energy'

Fortescue Metals believes iron ore prices will firm in the short term and the company will emerge stronger despite shedding 1000 jobs and shelving its expansion plans. 

St Barbara subsidiary Gold Ridge Mining will pay GR Engineering $2.65 million as part of a settlement of court proceedings relating to an engineering and services contract at the Gold Ridge mine in

Mining equipment and services group ADG Global Supply has been appointed as the exclusive selling agent for Torch off-road tyres in Africa.

Troubled surfwear retailer Billabong has appointed actuary and Rhodes scholar Dr Ian Pollard as its chairman elect.

Explorer Victory Mines made a modest debut on the stock exchange but is hopeful of following in the footsteps of Australian rare earth trailblazer Lynas.

Terry Streeter’s Fox Resources has entered an agreement to purchase a series of coal tenements in Queensland for $2.5 million in cash and shares.

Global miner BHP Billiton is continuing to slash costs in a subdued environment as it meets with workers in Perth this week about likely job cuts.

Ramelius Resources has given the final go-ahead for the development of its Western Queen South gold project near its existing Mt Magnet gold mine in the Mid West.

Helix Resources has signed an agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials Corporation for the development of the Joshua copper project in Chile that could be worth up to $19.5 million.

The mining boom has helped cut unemployment in regions well away from Queensland's coal mines or Western Australia's iron ore deposits, the Reserve Bank of Australia says.

Oil and gas giant Total has signed five licensing agreements with Oil Search to operate for the first time in Papua New Guinea.

Aquila Resources is considering outsourcing infrastructure and services facilities at its planned West Pilbara Iron Ore project after revealing capital costs for the development have blown out to $

Mining services group Ausdrill has refinanced its debts, announcing today it had signed a new three-year, $550 million dual currency facility with a syndicate of banks.

No-one was injured when a small earthquake caused a rock fall at one of BHP Billiton's underground nickel mines in the Goldfields.

Belmont-based Diploma Construction has won a $49 million to expand Rio Tinto’s Wickham accommodation base in the Pilbara.

Work on major LNG projects involving Western Australian companies is progressing with $580 million worth of contracts awarded in the past few days.

Struggling gold miner Navigator Resources has pushed back an already-delayed $16 million rights issue for a further three weeks, announcing today the prospectus would not be lodged with the Austral

Chalice Gold Mines is on the lookout for a new managing director, with incumbent Doug Jones set to step down into a more technical role.

Macmahon Holdings, which recently lost its chief executive after a big earnings downgrade, has blamed a false email chain discussing a supposed Chinese takeover offer, for a temporary trading halt

Earthmoving equipment group Emeco says it is cashed up and on the lookout for “value creating opportunities” after refinancing its $450 million debt facility with a syndicate of banks.

BHP Billiton's chief executive Marius Kloppers has offloaded another $1.8 million worth of shares to help fund a tax bill.

Namibian-focused uranium explorer Deep Yellow has completed a $6.5 million placement to Africa-based specialist mining fund Laurium LP.

Fortescue Metals Group board member Ken Ambrecht will end his nine year tenure with the company later this year.

The fall in iron ore prices will be good for Australian producers in the long term, BC Iron managing director Mike Young says.

Sirius Resources shares jumped more than three per cent today as the popular nickel explorer outlined plans to go into production.

Base Resources has announced a plan to raise $40 million to fund development at its Kwale mineral sands project in Kenya.

The resources boom in Western Australia is showing signs of levelling out rather than bracing for a bust, the state's mines and petroleum minister Norman Moore says.