Mining

Drilling company Boart Longyear has appointed Richard O'Brien, the outgoing boss of gold producer Newmont Mining, as its new chief executive.

The Reserve Bank of Australia says the mining investment boom will peak sooner and at a lower level than previously expected.

Australian-based miner Perseus is looking forward to improved earnings and production results after its first half profit more than doubled to $32.5 million.

Singapore-listed engineering contractors AusGroup and CivMec have achieved significant increases in half year profit, with both Perth-based companies reporting strong order books and consistent lev

Mining giant Rio Tinto has appointed Andrew Harding to succeed Sam Walsh as its iron ore chief executive.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy has reported a half year net loss of $US193.5 million, with a number of large write-downs and impairments souring a record half year combined production result.

Western Australians are most concerned about future energy needs, rising living costs and the state of the public health system, according to a survey released today.

Shadow assistant treasurer Mathias Cormann says the prime minister and treasurer agreed to the mining tax without understanding its finer detail.

Laing O'Rourke has announced a major contract win with construction and engineering group Bechtel at Chevron's Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project.

Global miner Rio Tinto says it will concentrate on operating low-cost mines and selling non-performing assets after posting a full year net loss of almost billion for 2012.

Power generation group Pacific Energy has announced a record half-year net profit, on the back of a 20 per cent increase in revenue.

Cleveland Mining has secured $7 million in fresh funding to advance exploration and sampling programs at its Premier and Mara Rosa gold projects in central Brazil.

Mineral Resources has booked a 22 per cent drop in half year net profit, on the back of a slump in iron ore prices over the second quarter of financial year 2013.

Nickel miner Mirabela expects to write down the value of its Brazilian Santa Rita assets by at least million ( million).

The supermarket price wars seem far from over, with Wesfarmers chief Richard Goyder looking to increase Coles' sales and cut costs further after reporting a higher first-half profit today.

Chinese government-owned CITIC has taken a 13 per cent stake in Alumina for $452 million, sending shares in the smelter investor to their highest level in almost a year.

Engineering firm Downer EDI's first half profit has grown by 11 per cent and the company has maintained its expectation of improved underlying profit for the full year.

Nickel miner Mincor Resources has shrugged off a first half loss of $2.21 million to declared an interim dividend of 2 cents per share.

Infrastructure services firm Cardno has acquired Bunbury-based Geotech Materials Testing Services in a transaction worth up to $26.7 million.

Northern Star Resources has booked a half year profit increase of 78 per cent, after increasing production capacity at its Paulsens gold mine to more than 100,000 ounces per year.

The mining industry has urged state and federal governments to tread with caution over implementing recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry into fly-in, fly-out work practices, saying some of

Shares in Skilled Group are up more than four per cent after the labour contractor reported a double-digit lift in first half net profit.

Engineering giant WorleyParsons has posted a flat first half profit result and tempered its forecasts for the full year.

Oz Minerals' full year profit has fallen by more than 44 per cent but the company remains on track to meet its copper and gold production targets.

Rio Tinto's Gove alumina refinery will stay open, the Northern Territory government has confirmed.Chief Minister Terry Mills said the mining giant had agreed to keep he plant open.

Leighton Holdings has returned to profit and driven down debt after least year's heavy losses, and forecast further growth in the year ahead.

A Labor MP insists there is no chance a revived mining industry campaign about the resources rent tax could claim another prime minister's scalp.

Mining company KalNorth Gold Mines has begun production from its Lindsay's project near Kalgoorlie, forecasting the production of 40,000 ounces of gold over the next 18 months.

Perth-based miner IronClad Mining claims to have successfully trialled a system loading ore onto ships without the need for deep sea ports.

Junior miners Gold Road Resources, Rox Resources and Nkwe Platinum are raising a combined total of $14.95 million to accelerate exploration programs at their respective developments.

Mining giant Rio Tinto is expected to post a full year net profit of more than $9 billion, driven by the company's iron ore business.

NRW Holdings subsidiary Action Drill & Blast has won a $140 million contract with Fortescue Metals Group at the Cloudbreak iron ore mine near Newman.