Edited announcement

The Minerals Council of Australia has flagged its intention to pursue exploration and mining reform at this week's Council of Australian Government's meeting.

The acquisition of Easteel Industries Ltd and a tax concession helped boost Welshpool-based RCR Tomlinson Ltd's net profit for the December half year to $7.6 million.

The Federal Opposition's impassioned scrabble for political gain could cost Australian farmers millions with a likely casualty being the Single Desk for wheat exports according to The WA Farmers Federation.

The battle for a major stake in Nedlands-based Axiom Properties Ltd took a new turn today with joint venture vehicle Saramac Nominees and Axiom entering an agreement that would see Saramac paying $11.6 million for a 49 per cent stake in Axiom.

The first stage of tunnelling of the controversial New MetroRail City project has been completed.

Perth-based Vietnam Industrial Investments Ltd has entered into a non-binding expression of interest with an interested party for the sale of Vinausteel Ltd, in which it has a 70 per cent interest, and its wholly owned SSESTEEL Ltd for a total of US$9 mil

West Perth-based mining explorer Sylvania Resources Ltd has received a Letter of Intent from South African miner Samancor Ltd in relation to the recovery of chrome and platinum from a number of Samancor's tailings dams at its eastern chrome and western ch

West Perth mining and exploration company NuStar Mining Corporation Ltd will place 99 million new ordinary shares to a London based institutional investor, raising approximately $7 million.

Western Australian agricultural companies Rinex Technology, Inland Sales & Service and Agtech International will be showcasing their expertise at the upcoming World Ag Expo being held in California from 14 to 16 February.

The year ahead will be another healthy one for the housing and renovation industry in Western Australia, according to the December 2005 quarter HIA Western Australia State Outlook.

Edith Cowan University Business and Law students are currently on a study tour in India as part of their Bachelors and Masters degree programs, the only one of its kind run from Australia.

Jackson Gold Ltd and joint venture partner LionOre Australia Pty Ltd have finalised an agreement to buy into Placer Dome Australia Pty Ltd's Kalgoorlie nickel project adjacent to LionOre's Black Swan nickel project.

The recently formed Department of Water's next Farm Water Grants Scheme round has received a $700,000 boost by the Western Australian government to total $1.9 million in 2005-06.

Mineral explorer Dominion Mining Ltd has entered into an option agreement with South Australian gold, nickel and base metal mineral explorer Southern Gold Ltd.

NuStar Mining Corporation Ltd and Canadian gold and silver explorer, Intrepid Minerals Corporation, have formalised their commitment to merge through the execution of a definitive merger agreement.

Western Australia has recorded a massive $28.3billion trade surplus for 2005, up from $22.2billion in 2004, against an overall national result of a deficit of $17.1billion.

The first-ever export of an oil and gas jacket from Australia is on its way from the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson bound for New Zealand.

Perth-based resources company Minara today announced the appointment of David Pile as its new chief financial officer.

Sphere Investments will assess the exploration potential of its Bou Derga and Tintekrate magnetite deposits in Mauritania, after receiving positive early indications from a feasibility study at the nearby Guelb el Aouj iron ore project.

Perth-based gas producer Alto Energy, one of Australia's pioneers in the lucrative US shale gas market, today announced it had completed a merger with Lach Drummond Resources.

Jenny Seabrook has been appointed a non executive director of West Australian Newspaper Holdings effective from Friday February 3.

Perth-based goldminer Goldstar Resources today announced a 100 per cent expansion at its Walhalla gold drilling program in Victoria.

Syringe manufacturer Unilife Medical Solutions Ltd has completed a limited production run of the 1mL Unitract Safe Syringe at its Australian Production Facility in St Marys, for the purpose of clinical evaluation.

Western Australia will host one of the world's biggest and most important tourism trade shows again in 2008.

Perth drug researcher Phylogica has received Notice of Allowance for a pending patent application covering a high level screening method for isolating Phylomer® and other drug candidates that block disease-related protein interactions.

The Nationals WA agriculture spokesman and Stirling MLA Terry Redman said today that while mandatory state-of-origin labelling could be challenged on constitutional grounds, there were options available to the State Government to support growing public op

Western Australia has a unique opportunity to emerge as a biofuels leader over the next decade, says The Nationals WA leader Brendon Grylls.

Specialist nickel explorer Pioneer Nickel has launched a $1 million exploration at its Golden Ridge Joint Venture after securing an agreement with Australian Mines.

The WA Industrial Relations Commission has granted leave for the Federal Government to intervene in a application for a 4 per cent state-wide wage increase brought by the Trades and Labour Council.

More than 8,500 professional eBay sellers in Australia currently derive their primary or secondary source of income from selling on eBay.com.au, according to ACNielsen research.

Perth-based neurology researcher and developer NeuroDiscovery Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiary NeuroSolutions Ltd have established a co-marketing agreement with UK company Pharmidex Pharmaceutical Services Ltd.

The use of new forests as carbon sinks remains a valuable mechanism for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions according to a study by Ensis - the joint venture between Australia's CSIRO and New Zealand's SCION.