Latest Headlines

Treasurer Eric Ripper today announced that former Alcoa Australia managing director Wayne Osborn would be the inaugural chair of GESB Mutual Ltd, which will be the largest financial services company based in Western Australia when launched on 1 July.

A subsidiary of Belmont-based Paladio Group, Decmil Australia Pty Ltd, has been declared the preferred contractor for a $38 million project by BHP Billiton as part of its iron ore expansion program.

Civil construction company Brierty has secured mining and ore haulage contracts with Copernicus Nickel Mines.

Subiaco-based Brockman Resources has advised that it is aware of overseas news wire reports that Chinese iron ore trader Haoning Group is in talks with Brockman to secure an iron ore off-take agreement and to take an equity position in the Company.

Embattled childcare provider ABC Learning Centres Ltd has finally secured a deal to sell 60 per cent of its US business to Morgan Stanley Private Equity.

Spotless Group Ltd expects to despatch a bidder's statement tommorow, and formally present its takeover offer to Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd shareholders.

Subiaco-based exploration company Wolf Minerals has completed a $3 million capital raising, through a share placement of 3 million shares @ $1.00 each, to advance the development of its flagship Hemerdon Tungsten-Tin project in the UK.

Atlas Iron Ltd has resolved to raise up to $100 million through the issue of up to 50 million ordinary shares at an issue price of $2.00per share to clients of Hartleys Limited and existing major shareholders.

Perth-based seafood processing company GSF Corporation Ltd has announced that it has been unable to complete the acquisition of Londoloza Resources Corporation from the vendor Msasa Ltd.

Perth-based Boss Energy Ltd has been forced to dramatically revise its rights issue in the wake of the Opes Prime collapse, which has put its share price under considerable pressure.

GRD glosses over rejection of Transfield bid; Macarthur soars on bid talk; $2.6b issue positions Wesfarmers for deals; McMahon waits to see how far down there Cazaly stock falls; New Sydney chief for listed law firm

A new lobby group, which comprises five small mining companies in the Pilbara, is putting pressure on the Western Australian government to provide better infrastructure for smaller miners in the Pilbara region.

Nedlands company Advanced Share Registry Services Ltd has launched a $5 million initial public offering to expand the share registry business that operates under the same name.

Perth-based uranium exploration company Fission Energy Ltd has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the issued capital of Meteore Metals Ltd, for $8 million.

Darrel Jarvis's Chinese-backed buyout of the operations of failed Palandri Wine Group has won the approval of the administrators in a complex deal thought to be worth at least $30 million.

Subiaco-based Batavia Mining Ltd has signed a Letter of Intent to sell its Gullewa tenements, located east of Geraldton in the Yilgarn Goldfields, to Toronto Stock Exchange listed company, ATW Venture Corporation.

Perth-based emerging mid-tier coal producer Coal of Africa Ltd has welcomed global steel company ArcelorMittal as a significant shareholder via a £66.

Subiaco based Midas Resources Ltd aims to raise $3 million through a renounceable rights issue to continue the company's active exploration programs and for working capital.

Opes Prime administrators probes Merrill mistake; BHP and Rio go in hard on spot prices; Crean may open doors to Chinese money; Goyder poised to unveil debt rejig; Fong forced to postpone listing of metals explorer

Balcatta-based ticketing company ERG Ltd plans to sell half of its business to its major shareholder and lender after reporting a $104.7 million loss for the half year to December 2007.

A total of $21 million will be spent on a broadband development project to facilitate health and emergency services for people living in remote and regional areas of Australia as part of a state and federal government joint initiative.

The directors of West Perth-based Universal Resources Ltd have approved the development of the company's Roseby Copper project, subject to successfully raising around $230 million and gaining governmental approval.

Perth-based diversified resources company RMA Energy Ltd has taken one step closer to finalising negotiations for the joint venture development of two Queensland based assets with Bounty Resources International Ltd and China Rail Engineering Corporation.

West Perth-based biodiesel company Australian Renewable Fuels Ltd has concluded a purchase term sheet for the supply of biodiesel to a Western Australian resource company.

Perth-based global drug delivery company, pSivida Ltd has announced that it proposes to reincorporate in the United States.

West Perth-based gold and base metals exploration company Central Asia Resources Ltd will increase its shareholding in Golden Eagle Resources from 60% to 100%, subject to shareholder approval.

Wesfarmers weighs huge equity raising; NAB facing $600m bill after tax case; Opes probe turns up heat on ANZ; Rio shares up 4% as higher BHP bid tipped; Salting case families lose move on Xstrata

East Perth-based Redstone Resources Ltd has secures an access agreement over significant Iron-Oxide- Copper-Gold (IOCG) prospective exploration area at the Baggaley Hills, in the West Musgrave Region, in Western Australia.

The University of Western Australia has lost a Federal Court battle over the ownership of intellectual property held by its former employee Dr Bruce Gray and the company he founded, Sirtex Medical Ltd.

Chinese-Indonesia consortium Antam Zhongjin has gained shareholder approval for its $2.50 a share, $505 million take over bid for West Perth-based Herald Resources.

Subiaco-based oil and gas exploration company Sun Resources NL has received record revenues from its US operations during March 2008, providing over A$200,000 of net operating revenue for the month.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder Resources Ltd could start producing gold from its Norseman gold project in 2010 following positive scoping study results that have pegged capital costs at $75 million.