Mining

Mining services company Mineral Resources has reached an agreement with Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting for the start of operations at the Nicholas Downs manganese mine from March next year.

GRD Minproc, a subsidiary of Perth-based engineering company GRD, has been awarded the definitive feasibility study contract by Kentor Gold for its Andash gold-copper project in the Kyrgyz Replublic.

The takeover battle for South Perth-based Rocklands Richfield is heating up, with first bidder Jindal Steel and Power boosting its shareholding through a $2.8 million on-market purchase.

West Perth-based Energy Metals has recommended shareholders accept a proportional takeover bid by China Uranium Development Company.

Global consultancy firm AECOM has been contracted to carry out environmental impact assessment of the liquefied natural gas hub at James Price Point.

Canada's Mega Uranium has stepped up its bid to become the state's first uranium miner with the launch of a $52.5 million capital raising.

Shares in Apex Minerals have surged after the gold miner upgraded its resource estimate at its Wiluna mine in Western Australia.

East Perth-based explorer Westgold Resources says it will press ahead with an exploration program at its Rover project in the Northern Territory, after successfully raising $22 million.

ONE of Russia's richest men has flexed his considerable muscle at Western Australian-based Strike Resources, resulting in a shake-up of the board.

WHERE are all the people? Put simply, Western Australia doesn't have enough of them with the right skills and experience to make the most of the surge in oil and gas development.

FOLLOWING unprecedented growth at Perth Airport during the past seven years, Westralia Airports Corporation's completion of a new financing process worth $882 million will fund long-overdue expansion plans at the domestic and international terminals.

Claremont-based explorer Australia Minerals and Mining Group has added momentum to the re-emergence of companies seeking to list on the ASX, recently lodging its prospectus for a $7.5 million initial public offer.

Nedlands-based explorer Integra Mining has confirmed it has raised $40 million, which will partly be used for the development of its Randalls gold project in the Goldfields.

Gold exploration outfit Chalice Gold Mines has reported the death of one its employees and two contractors in a shooting incident near its gold project in Eritrea.

Lithium producer Galaxy Resources gained as much as 16 per cent in trading this morning after announcing the completion of a $65 million institutional capital raising to be used on its Mt Cattlin mine at Ravensthorpe and a Chinese lithium project.

West Perth-based Emergent Resources will pay up to $6.8 million to De Grey Mining to acquire the remaining 20 per cent interest it does not own in the Beyondie magnetite iron project in the Mid West.

Fremantle-based minerals company Cleveland Mining has secured three mining projects in central Brazil which the newly-formed outfit hopes will deliver significant production levels following detailed geological investigations of the projects.

West Perth-based Northern Uranium has entered into an agreement to combine and advance its rock phosphate projects with Korean-based FSL Resources.

Perth-based Newland Resources has unveiled a "revitalisation" plan that includes three new major investors including Argonaut and Craig Burton, and a refocus on acquiring resource projects.

Takeover target Polaris Metals says there could be another takeover offer in the wings as first bidder Minerals Resources lifts its interest to 22.3 per cent.

Jameson Resources will divest its Ora Banda gold assets near Kalgoorlie to Subiaco-based Winchester Resources, which is planning a $2 million initial public offer.

Newmont Mining Corporation has poured first gold at the $US3 billion Boddington gold mine, and trucked its first shipment of copper concentrate to the port in Bunbury.

GOLD has always been a safe haven for investors in times of trouble and uncertainty.

A newly formed joint venture between Canning Vale-based Electrical Construction and Maintenance and Queensland's Goodline has won $80 million worth of contracts for the new berth in Port Hedland and the Sino iron ore project.

Shares in West Perth-based Advance Energy jumped as much as 60 per cent in trading today following the announcement of its acquisition of ten producing wells covering 1,600 acres in Martin County, Texas for $US2.625 million.

Directors of Herald Resources have unanimously recommended shareholders accept an increased offer of 93 cents per share from its majority shareholder, Jakarta-based PT Bumi Resources' wholly-owned investment vehicle, Calipso Investment Pte Ltd.

West Perth-based Polaris Metals has confirmed it has held talks with its largest shareholder but has not received or is aware of any takeover proposal that may be launched.

Global company Nystar will pay $6.6 million to buy a major stake in Subiaco-based Ironbark Gold, and has agreed to a life-of mine offtake deal for the latter's Citronen lead-zinc project.

Leederville-based Cazaly Resources has failed to wrest control of the Rhodes Ridge tenements, which contain billion of dollars of iron ore, from mining giant Rio Tinto.

The second legal showdown between Murchison Metals and Chameleon Mining is due to start tomorrow over key Mid West iron ore tenements valued at up to $1.5 billion.

Mining company OMH Holdings has secured a $294 million deal to acquire a majority stake in a South African manganese project, and will welcome Brian Gilbertson onto its board.

Michael Minosora has resigned as the chief financial officer of Fortescue Metals Group to take up the managing director position at little known West Perth-based explorer, Atlantic.