Mining

Softer oil and gas prices punched a $US7.5 billion ($A8.9 billion) hole in half year earnings for US energy giant and Gorgon operator Chevron.

Vmoto has signed a $12 million deal to supply scooters to a South Korean dealer and has secured a $1.5 million facility with the Bank of China.

West Perth-based Triton Gold is planning to list on the local stock exchange next week after its initial public offer was oversubscribed.

INTERNATIONALLY embarrassing.Not the words any government would like to see used to describe the regulatory regime applying to their most important industry.

FOR decades, successive state governments have dreamed of adding value to the millions of tonnes of raw materials mined and exported from Western Australia by moving further down the processing chain.

THE Diggers and Dealers mining forum got under way this week in Kalgoorlie-Boulder with a blast of optimism from a renowned international economist, and the prevailing mood of the delegates reflected the buoyancy in the rising commodities sector.

ANXIETY over foreign investment is compounding the funding challenges created by the global financial crisis, according to the junior mining executives at the recent WA Business News roundtable.

Development of Galaxy Resources' Mt Cattlin lithium project is ramping up with the emerging producer awarding a key contract to the DRA Pacific, Mintrex and BEC Engineering joint venture.

Perth-based Po Valley Energy has relinquished an application over a prospective oilfield in Italy following environmental concerns from locals.

Shares in West Perth-based Metals Australia have plunged today after a Namibian court ruled two of the explorer's prospecting licences be turned over to their original owner.

Shell Australia chairman Russell Caplan has warned the world faces an energy supply crunch by 2015 if solutions are not found soon to the conflicting issues of rapid demand growth, dwindling supplies and the need to lower greenhouse emissions.

Mirabela Nickel has announced a major milestone with production starting at its Santa Rita open-cut nickel mine in Brazil.

A preliminary study has confirmed Extract Resources' Rossing South project would be one of the world's largest uranium mines with an estimated capital cost of $US704 million ($A842 million).

Western Areas has moved to distance itself from chairman Terry Streeter's $65 million court loss last week as the mining identity considers an appeal.

A group of Perth businessmen have won a three-year battle against Western Areas directors Terry Streeter and David Cooper, with the Supreme Court today awarding nearly $65 million to unrelated company Western Areas Exploration.

West Perth-based Navigator Resources plans to undertake trial mining at its Leonora gold project after reaching a deal with St Barbara to treat the gold at the Gwalia mill.

Atlas Iron has approved the development of its Wodgina iron ore project in the Pilbara, which has a capital cost of just under $10 million thanks to a deal with Talison Minerals.

Shares in Dioro Exploration have surged as it urges shareholders take no action on Ramelius Resources' $92 million all-scrip takeover bid, a higher offer to Avoca Resources' recommended proposal.

Mining services company NRW Holdings, in joint venture with the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation, has been awarded a $15 million construction contract by Rio Tinto.

Mining services company Imdex has terminated a $28 million merger with drilling specialist Coretrack after due diligence did not meet expectations.

Avoca Resources' recommended takeover offer for Dioro Exploration has been trumped by Adelaide-based Ramelius Resources, which today launched a superior $92 million all-scrip offer for the gold miner.

MIRABELA Nickel plans to tap the equity market again to help pay for cost overruns at its Santa Rita nickel project in Brazil.

PREMIER Colin Barnett was understandably chuffed to announce this week that Chinese steel giant AnSteel would spend the next 18 months studying the viability of a potential steel mill, at Oakajee.

THE diverse nationalities of foreign students in Perth has become one of the international education sector's major strengths in recent years, and a potential barrier to market downturn.

Subiaco-based resources company TNG says its Mount Peake vanadium project in the Northern Territory is economical despite a $500 million price tag.

Dominion Mining says revenue for the 2009 financial year reached $110 million as a higher gold price offset lower production.

Fortescue Metals Group has released a maiden resource for its Glacier Valley tenement area in the Pilbara, which is subject to a joint venture with China's Baosteel Group Corporation.

Dioro Exploration has capitulated to Avoca Resources' hostile $68 million takeover after the fellow gold miner increased its bid and a rival deal with a Canadian miner fell through.

Dioro Exploration's defence against Avoca Resources' hostile takeover bid has collapsed after its white knight, Northgate Minerals Corporation, terminated talks over the proposed acquisition of Dioro's stake in a key gold asset.

West Perth-based Sipa Resources has signed a $16 million joint venture deal with Malaysian investment company Affluent Net over its two copper projects in the Gascoyne.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy has backed Premier Colin Barnett's suggestion of relaxing foreign worker restrictions with the state potentially requiring an additional 26,000 employees by 2013.

West Perth-based Alchemy Resources has entered an agreement with Barrick Gold over the potential processing of gold from its Hermes project at the latter's Western Australian facilities.