Mining

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.

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.

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.

In a move that reflects its growing presence in the international mining industry, Perth-based CSA Australia Pty Ltd has changed its name to CSA Global Pty Ltd.

The takeover bid for Herald Resources Ltd has drawn to an end with bidder PT Bumi Resources tbk allowing its $2.85 cash offer to lapse.

Takeover target Ausdrill Ltd has forecast earnings growth in the 2009 financial year of at least 20 per cent after posting a 31 per cent increase in net profit after tax for fiscal 2008.

West Perth-based Mirabela Nickel Ltd will spend a further $68 million on its Santa Rita nickel project in Brazil to increase the production rate by 40 per cent.

Less than a week before shareholders are due to meet, West Australian Metals Ltd has sought legal advice to clear up claims that dissident shareholder Vladimir Nikolaenko could control more than 40 per cent of the company.

Macquarie Bank Ltd has emerged as the biggest shareholder in Perth-based African gold explorer Azumah Resources Ltd after subscribing to shares worth nearly $2 million.

The state government has approved a plan to extend the life of Iluka Resources Ltd's mineral sands processing facility near Geraldton by more than 10 years.

A Western Australian Supreme Court judge has reserved his decision in the battle between Western Areas NL chairman Terry Streeter and a group of businessmen behind unrelated company Western Areas Exploration.