Mining

Woodside Petroleum has split the front-end engineering work for its Pluto expansion project by awarding dual contracts for trains 2 and 3 to KBR and its existing joint venture contractors FosterWheeler and WorleyParsons.

The Woodside Petroleum-operated North West Shelf Venture today said it was continuing to negotiate with gas retailer Alinta, owned by Babcock and Brown Power, over future gas supplies from the project following an interim ruling by an arbitrator yesterday

Mermaid Marine Australia has scored more work at the Gorgon gas project, today securing a contract worth at least $32 million to provide stevedoring and related services for the operation's supply base.

Wesfarmers has today approved a $286 million expansion of its Curragh coal mine in Queensland after striking an agreement with Stanwell Corporation.

Mid-West magnetite hopeful Asia Iron Holdings is targeting a 2012 production start at its flagship $2 billion Extension Hill project near Geraldton, after securing a major state-owned Chinese partner for the venture.

Sundance Resources has raised $85 million from international institutional investors to complete a definitive feasibility study of its Mbalam Project, including mine, process, transport and port infrastructure and also provide general working capital.

Shares in West Perth-based Regis Resources remained steady in trading today following the announcement of a $45 million debt facitlity the company will use to develop its $73 million Duketon gold project.

Shares in Territory Resources have fallen eight per cent in morning trade after the company announced it has agreed to sell its stake in India Resources, as it moves to cut its debt.

Victoria Park-based Tectonic Resources says it Phillips River gold-copper project near Ravensthorpe will cost $125 million to develop.

Premier Colin Barnett has turned the first sod at Galaxy Resources' new lithium mine site to the delight of neighbouring Ravensthorpe locals who he said were dealt a hard blow earlier in the year by the closure of the BHP Billiton nickel operation.

West Perth-based Northern Iron has further strengthened its relationship with Sinosteel, signing a spot sales contract to sell iron ore to the Chinese market.

The competition watchdog has given its final approval to the Gorgon gas project partners to jointly market gas sales to the Western Australian market, despite protests it will drive gas prices higher.

Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore has today opened the Newman mining hub, a key component of BHP Billiton Iron Ore's $US1.85 billion Rapid Growth Project Four.

PTTEP Australasia says it will wait for expert assessment on damages over its Timor Sea oil leak saga, which is estimated to have cost the company more than $170 million, before deciding on whether it will resume production in the future.

Rio Tinto is rebuilding ship loading infrastructure at its Dampier Salt operation in Port Hedland, which will allow ships to be loaded faster and reduce environmental impacts.

Mirabela Nickel will ramp up production at its Santa Rita operation in Brazil over the next three months as it produces its first nickel concentrate.

Nickel miner Minara Resources has confirmed its interest in BHP Billiton's Ravensthorpe nickel operation and is exploring various funding options.

Engineering and construction company Decmil Group says it is in final stage negotiations over a $70 million contract for the Gorgon gas project while Ausgroup has been awarded $30 million worth of contracts for work on the Pluto operation.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Nedlands-based engineering and construction services company Forge Group has been awarded a $12 million terminal tank refurbishment contract on Barrow Island as part of Chevron's $50 billion Gorgon LNG project.

The Northern Territory government has declared the gas leak detected at Chinese oil giant Sinopec's Puffin oil field in the Timor Sea poses no threat to the environment.

Aviva Corporation has started shopping around its $1 billion Coolimba power project, two weeks after Aviva's plans were cruelled by its failure to win a critical power supply tender run by state-owned retailer Synergy.

Paladin Energy has lowered its production guidance for 2009/10 as the ramp up of its two uranium mines in Namibia and Malawi was slower than anticipated but has outlined expanded growth targets for future production.

Centamin Egypt will delist from the Australian Securities Exchange due to the high costs for a shareholder base that accounts for less than 15 per cent of the miner's share capital.

Miner Mount Gibson Iron has reached a $US30 million settlement with former customer Sinom, after Sinom did not accept scheduled shipments last year.

Troy Resources is forging ahead with capital raising plans, today placing its shares in a trading halt despite protests from former chairman John Jones.

Australian Renewable Fuels has struck a deal with Wesfarmers Premier Coal to supply biodiesel to the miner's coal operation.

West Perth-based Great Western Exploration will team up nickel miner Western Areas to jointly explore the Forrestania project in a $2.5 milion deal.

Japan's Inpex Corporation says production will cease this month at its Griffin oil joint venture off the coast of Western Australia, 15 years after operations first started.

Galaxy Resources has extended its relationship with unlisted public company General Mining Corporation, with the pair forming an alliance to explore for lithium in Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Fox Resources will turn its exploration efforts at several of its Pilbara tenements to gold after metal detectors identified 1,000 ounces of gold.

Bibra Lake-based Mineral Resources will earn a large share of the profits after it struck a farm-in agreement with Reed Resources over the Mount Marion lithium project in the Goldfields region.

Nedlands-based Tox Free Solutions has secured a contract to supply waste management services for the $43 billion Gorgon gas project.