Mining

West Perth-based Nkwe Platinum has signed exclusive option agreements valued at nearly $A14 million with global mining company Xstrata and Leederville-based International Goldfields Ltd over several African projects.

Domestic air travel to and from Western Australia has increased substantially during the past year, with flights from Kalgoorlie and Brisbane to Perth among the fastest growing routes in the country.

Boutique private equity firm InGlobo Asset Management Pty Ltd is looking for more acquisitions in the mining services sector after its debut purchase of Integrated Industrial Mining Supply Pty Ltd.

Perth-based mining explorer and developer Azure Minerals Ltd has found a wealth of opportunities in Mexico, currently holding 22 base and precious metals mining projects in the region.

I've spent an interesting few days examining the views of a number of business people to understand just where our economy is heading.

Brand New Vintage Ltd Frank Kraps has been appointed non-executive director. Hodges Resources Ltd Lisa Wynne has been appointed company secretary following the resignation of Bryan Dixon.

Nickel producer Mincor Resources NL will place its Wannaway mine on care and maintenance at the end of the week as remnant mining draws to an end.

Cape Lambert Iron Ore Ltd has today completed settlement of the $400 million sale of its namesake project to China Metallurgical Group Corp as it receives the first payment of $240 million.

Atlas Iron Ltd has sealed a port-access deal with Fortescue Metals Group at its new Port Hedland facilities while another agreement has been reached for the iron ore miner to earn up to an 87.5 per cent interest in Atlas' Abydos iron ore project.

Rio Tinto will contribute $5 million towards the establishment of Australia's first emergency jet service for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where jets will be able to fly from Kununurra to Perth in three hours.

Former biotechnology company EQiTX Ltd has completed its transformation into a coal producer and explorer following a name change to Equatorial Coal Ltd.

Billionaire Clive Palmer's Resource Development International Ltd has made a formal bid for Australasian Resources Ltd, which is set to play a key role in the mining of 20 billion tonnes of iron ore from the Balmoral tenements in Western Australia.

Shares in Atlas Iron Ltd have been placed in a trading halt pending an announcement regarding the signing of a material agreement.

The State Government has approved a new assessment system to encourage mine owners to fulfil their tenement obligations for mine closure and rehabilitation, which has been welcomed by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy and the Conservation Council of WA.

West Perth-based Uranium Equities has lodged a provisional patent application in the United States relating to the extraction of uranium from wet phosphoric acid.

Part owner of Australia's iconic gold mine, Newmont Mining Ltd, is reportedly considering selling its stake in the Kalgoorlie Super Pit.

Macmahon Holdings Ltd has jumped the gun in its takeover bid for Ausdrill Ltd, extending the offer period by one month and allowing Ausdrill shareholders the right to withdraw acceptances.

West Perth-based Mirabela Nickel Ltd has drawn down $US50 million of an $US80 million financing facility secured last month to progress its Santa Rita project in Brazil.

West Perth-based EnviroGold Ltd has terminated, by mutual consent, an exclusive mandate for the financing of its Las Lagunas gold project in the Dominican Republic.

Former Clough Ltd chairman Ross Kelly has announced his retirement from the company's board after 12 years in office.

Despite the uninviting conditions stocks face in the market, two resource companies will test their mettle against the doom and gloom when they launch their initial public offers.

Brisbane-based contractor Watpac Ltd is set to acquire JMS Civil and Mining Pty Ltd Group, which counts the state's Water Corporation and the Department of Main Roads as clients.

In a bid to boost future working capital, Henderson-based drilling contractor Brandrill Ltd plans to raise $11.25 million via a share placement.

West Perth-based Convergent Minerals Ltd has secured an option to acquire the Bounty gold mine in the Eastern Goldfields and will embark on a $2.5 million capital raising.

Nedlands-based Integra Mining Ltd will move to feasibility study for its Randalls gold project near Kalgoorlie after an earlier study pegged capital costs at $85 million.

A mining representative body has called on the federal government to reconsider plans to heritage list 17 million hectares of Kimberley land, saying it could seriously damage the future of mining in Australia.

West Perth-based Polaris Metals NL Has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Fremantle Ports that will focus on finalising the best option to export ore from its Yilgarn iron ore project at the bulk berths at Kwinana.

At a time of market volatility, Perth-based Gindalbie Metals Ltd has eliminated the need to raise equity as its Chinese project partner AnSteel contributes a further $123 million to the $1.8 billion Karara iron ore project.

Uncertainty in global markets has prompted West Perth-based Zambezi Resources Ltd to suspend all but one drilling activities in Zambia in a bid to redirect its focus to its main copper discovery.

Just days after shareholders in Cape Lambert Iron Ore Ltd voted to sell the namesake iron ore project, new owner MCC has sold a majority stake in the project to Russian steel making giant Evraz Group S.A.

Apex Minerals NL Todd Bennett has been appointed non-executive director to the board. Automotive Technology Group Ltd Jamie Scoringe has resigned as joint company secretary.

Despite record prices, the gold sector has failed to glitter like other commodities, with the failure of marginal producers having a knock-on effect in the service sector.