Staff Reporters

Mining contractor Barminco has secured a $100 million contract to provide underground mining services to Aditya Birla Minerals' Mount Gordon operation in Queensland.

WA based Aker Marine Contractors has been purchased by Singapore listed company Ezra for $US250 million.

Coote Industrial has signed a deal to sell 194 container wagons from subsidiary Gemco Rail to Elph, the company's largest shareholder.

Gindalbie Metals chief financial officer David Southam has resigned after two-and-a-half-years service.

Global education services provider Navitas says its Australian colleges are experiencing a downturn in demand from international students.

Murchison Metals has released an update on its Jack Hills iron ore expansion project indicating some of the studies for the project could be delayed as it reviews the project's schedule.

West Perth-based Transit Holdings has announced plans to spin out its iron ore assets into a new company known as Radar Iron.

Houghton winery has secured another award for its Jack Mann Cabernet blend, winning the Rural Finance Trophy for Best Claret Style or Cabernet Sauvignon at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show.

Eight workplace deaths so far this financial year have put the spotlight on workplace safety ahead of Safe Work Australia Week.

The Environment Minister Donna Faragher has given the green light to Perdamam Chemicals and Fertilisers plans for a $3.5 billion Collie urea plant.

A survey of 80 Perth business owners has found 29 per cent believe marketing is their biggest problem.

Sirius Resources has struck a deal with major shareholder Mark Creasy to acquire gold tenements in the Tropicana belt in the north-eastern Goldfields.

Emerging gold miner Phoenix Gold has lodged a prospectus with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission for a $6 million Initial Public Offering.

Pindan has been chosen to develop more than 300 houses on land next to LandCorp's existing Nickol estate in Karratha, while the state government has today also told local businesses they will be given priority at a different estate in the town.

The latest figures from RP Data show Perth has the greatest effective supply of residential houses of Australia's capital cities at 9 months.

New Zealand-based Fonterra has completed the break up of WA business Peters & Brownes, selling Brownes to private equity investment firm Archer Capital, following last year's sale of Peters to Nestle.

Robe River Iron has reached an historic milestone, exporting a billion tonnes of iron ore from Australia, primarily from its Robe Valley in the East Pilbara.

Shareholders in Centaurus Metals are set to receive a priority offer in Southern Crown Resources upcoming $4 million Initial Public Offering.

Rox Resources says it has agreed to key terms for a farm-in and joint venture with Canadian mining company Teck Resources for the Myrtle zinc-lead deposit in the Northern Territory.

The WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned of a two-speed economy emerging within the state.

Mines Minister Norman Moore says he considers allegations of improper dealings by mines inspectors "closed" after an investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers found they acted appropriately on all complaints.

The Shire of Ashburton has rejected Chevron's desire to house its workers for the Wheatstone LNG project outside the town, fearing it will create a "two town scenario".

The state government is amending the Residential Design Codes to provide separate planning controls for high-density housing.

A former director of the Minerals Council of Australia, Damien O'Reilly, has been appointed non-executive chairman of Vector Resources.

International Petroleum has expanded its oil and gas portfolio after acquiring an indirect 75 per cent interest in a Russian company which holds licence rights to explore four blocks in the largest oil producing region of Russia.

IT services provider ASG Group has purchased Sydney and Melbourne-based SAP Services provider Progress Pacific in a $12 million cash and scrip deal.

Chameleon Mining shares have fallen 28 per cent in trading today after the junior miner and Mid West iron ore developer Murchison Metals each claimed partial victory in a Federal Court ruling.

Gold miner Kingsgate Consolidated has launched a friendly $376 million takeover bid for West Perth-based Dominion Mining.

Earthmoving company Emeco has reported strong demand for its services in the first quarter of the 2011 financial year with almost 90 per cent of its equipment in use.

Tox Free Solutions has been awarded a $6 million two-year contract to provide waste management solutions to Apache Energy in the state's north.

Ramelius Resources has announced a "record breaking" opening quarter for the 2011 financial year with gold production increasing to 25,243 ounces.

The state government has fast-tracked a housing development at Henley Brook, north-east of Perth, by three years to provide affordable housing.