Mining

 Fortescue Metals Group said today its proposed joint venture with larger Brazilian miner Vale, for blending their iron ore at key Chinese ports, could fall over.

Sandfire Resources has encountered problems at its $40 million solar farm at the Degrussa copper mine, about six months after an ASX announcement suggested the power plant had been successfully commissioned.

Mining and civil contractor MACA has diversified through the purchase of a 60 per cent stake in Maddington-based Interquip for $8 million.

Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group will next week repay $US1 billion ($A1.4 billion) of its term loan due in 2019.

Bhagwan Marine has been awarded a contract to supply marine vessels and crew to support construction on Rio Tinto’s Amrun bauxite project in north Queensland.

Two Perth-based gold miners have run into trouble, with Troy Resources striking problems at its mine and Kingsrose Mining falling into voluntary administration.

Gold junior KIN Mining has released a pre-feasibility study on its Leonora project with a smaller capital cost estimate than that flagged in a scoping study earlier this year.

Perth businessman Gavin Rezos has announced his retirement from the board of Iluka Resources after 10 years with the mineral sands miner.

In a rare move for the pro-mining Barnett government, environment minister Albert Jacob has sided with the Environmental Protection Authority and rejected appeals by Canadian company Cameco over its proposed Yeelirrie uranium mine in the Goldfields.

Paladin Energy has offloaded its entire shareholding in Deep Yellow, taking advantage of a share price spike after the uranium miner’s former managing director John Borshoff joined the junior explorer.

Perth-based Strike Resources has sold its Apurimac and Cusco iron ore projects in Peru for about $13.5 million, as the company shifts its focus to other commodities.

Holding an even exposure to base metals and gold will be the key to keeping Independence Group’s performance consistent across the commodity cycle, according to managing director Peter Bradford, although the time was not yet right to be looking for new gold projects.

Pacific Energy chairman Cliff Lawrenson will add the top job at Atlas Iron to his list of roles after being appointed chief executive and managing director of the iron ore miner today.

BHP Billiton says production at its disaster-hit Samarco iron ore mine in Brazil could restart in 2017, but only if the joint venture project's $US3.8 billion of debt is restructured and new operating approvals are secured.

Eastern Goldfields will immediately draw down on a new $25 million facility to fund refurbishment work at its Davyhurst gold project near Kalgoorlie.

Clive Palmer has won a battle in his ongoing legal fight with Chinese company CITIC Pacific Mining after a Western Australian Supreme Court judge ordered the company to pay him $US10.7 million ($A14.3 million).

Perth-based NRW Holdings has been contracted to provide more services to Rio Tinto at the mining giant’s Yandi iron ore operation in the Pilbara, in a deal worth $40 million.

Henderson-based Civmec has won $160 million worth of contracts for work at Rio Tinto’s Amrun bauxite project in Queensland.

The first cargo of concentrate from Independence Group’s Nova nickel mine has been dispatched to Kambalda, with the site’s processing plant to reach nameplate production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum in the middle of next year.

NRW Holdings has revealed the price it has paid for the east coast operations of failed company Hughes Drilling, on the same day private equity fund manager Allegro formally acquired Hughes’ Perth-based subsidiary JSW Australia for an undisclosed sum.

A Chinese company’s bid to buy a stake in the Kalgoorlie Super Pit would make it the latest international player to control WA’s most famous gold mine.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources could spend more than $290 million on ramping up production, streamlining operations and improving safety at Sierra Rutile after completing a merger with the Sierra Leone-based miner.

Copper explorer MOD Resources has released a scoping study for an open-pit mine at its T3 project in Botswana, which has an estimated development cost of $US135 million ($A181.7 million).

A proposal to roughly double the royalties paid by the state’s two biggest iron ore miners was divisive and could set a dangerous precedent for fixing budget issues, Fortescue Metals Group chief executive Nev Power told this morning’s Business News Success & Leadership breakfast.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources has revived its $375 million takeover of Sierra Rutile, a week after the deal fell under a cloud due to geotechnical risks at the target's tailings dams.

Recently revived Triton Minerals has made stellar gains on its return to the ASX today, after raising $14.1 million and exiting voluntary administration with a new board and management team.

Local businessman Alan Tough has passed away at the age of 77.

Phosphate explorer Minbos Resources has entered into a new agreement to merge with joint venture partner Petril Phosphate, in a scrip and royalties deal valued at about $20 million.

Perth mining executive Vanessa Guthrie has announced her resignation as managing director of uranium-focused Toro Energy.

Dacian Gold has again reduced the size of its $50 million placement and put its $100 million entitlement offer on ice, in the wake of the falling gold price which hit a 10-month low overnight.

Mineral sands minder Iluka Resources says it has agreed with joint venture partner Vale to end plans to develop a titanium project in Brazil after deeming it unfeasible.

Civil and mining contractor NRW Holdings has announced plans to buy the east coast operations of failed mining services company Hughes Drilling, with the acquisition price undisclosed.