Mining

Gina Rinehart's $US10 billion Roy Hill iron ore project is expected to begin shipping ore in six months and ramp up to 55 million tonnes per annum within 30 months, according to chief executive Barry Fitzgerald.

Tech companies Dubber Corporation and xTV Networks have announced major new deals after completing backdoor listings on the ASX, with investors in Dubber sitting on healthy gains today.

Australian employees of oil and gas service provider Wood Group PSN can expect a salary freeze while contractors will experience rate reductions, a move the company said was in response to cost and efficiency challenges affecting the sector.

Shares in Gulf Minerals Corporation surged on news it had signed a $26.3 million equity funding deal with Sigur Holdings to cover development costs at its manganese smelting project in Indonesia.

Chevron and Shell have singled out high costs as a major challenge facing Western Australia's ability to further develop its globally recognised oil and gas industry.

Perth-based Doray Minerals has posted $4 million in net profit for the six months to December, on the back of lower cash costs and solid growth in gold production.

A stronger dollar has pushed oil prices sharply lower, adding to fierce pressure on the market from a global supply glut.

Gold has fallen to a three-month low, pressured by the US dollar's rise to its highest in nearly 12 years and renewed expectations of a midyear interest rate increase in the United States.

Iron ore rivals BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are united in their forecast more high-cost producers will leave the market, but have stopped short of predicting how Western Australia’s higher-cost producers will fare over time.

Perth-based minerals explorer Rift Valley Resources has signed a deal to wholly acquire the Mtemi Resources Group of Companies after completing a $4 million capital raising.

The state government has fast-tracked legislation into parliament to curb excessive rate rises on some tenements in the mining and petroleum sectors.

Resource Development Group managing director Jeff Brill has stepped down from his executive role as the mining services group looks to cut costs.

Subiaco-based minerals explorer TNG has signed an offtake agreement for vanadium from its flagship Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project in the Northern Territory with South Korean-based Woojin.

Oil and gas modelling software provider Stochastic Simulation has entered into a $5 million deal to acquire modelling technology from Predrill Stresses International.

Atlas Iron non-executive director David Hannon has resigned from the company's board with immediate effect to focus on family matters, with the company yet to announce a replacement.

Australia’s biggest and lowest cost iron ore producer has hit back at claims it has flooded the market with supply, with Rio Tinto pointing the finger at its big Australian competitors.

Sino Gas and Energy Holdings has finalised agreements for the sale of gas from its Linxing Station to a Chinese energy investor, at $US9.62 per thousand cubic feet.

Perth-based PLD Corporation will proceed with acquiring three zinc and nickel projects, including collapsed miner Kagara’s Admiral Bay zinc project, now that it has secured about $10 million from two mining finance managers, including Resource Capital Funds.

Oil prices have finished mixed in a market held back by a strong US dollar and persistent concerns about the global oversupply of crude.

Gold has steadied as the US dollar rally paused and European shares fell, but it remains near a three-month low after a US jobs report boosted expectations that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates soon.

Australia's largest privately owned vessel hire and offshore marine services group, Bhagwan Marine, has launched its own subsea division.

Tensions between WA’s major iron ore producers and their smaller competitors will be on show at a major conference this week.

CI Resources will investigate new investment opportunities in the palm oil, phosphate and fertiliser industries, following its compulsory acquisition of all remaining shares in Phosphate Resources.

Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group is calling on business leaders to create more opportunities for indigenous Australians to end the jobs' disparity.

West Perth- based explorer Sheffield Resources will sell its Oxley potash project, near Geraldton, to South Australian Centrex Metals for $2.5 million.

Gold has fallen nearly three per cent to a three-month low after stronger-than-expected US non-farm payrolls fuelled expectation the Federal Reserve will raise rates sooner rather than later, and the US dollar jumped to an 11-and-a-half-year high.

Alcoa chairman Alan Cransberg has called on businesses to take responsibility for ending domestic violence through workplace initiatives, in an address to the Chamber of Minerals and Energy’s Women in Resources awards today.

Carna Group has been placed into administration after revealing it is fighting the owners of the Griffin coal mine for payment for work done prior to walking off the Collie mine last year.

Fitzroy Resources is set for big changes after winning backing from prominent Perth investors Tony Grist and Rod Jones.

Welshpool-based Mount Ridley Mines has announced a $3.24 million placement for exploration at its Fraser Range nickel-copper project, with the company already receiving commitments in excess of this amount.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation says it will continue to lobby and fight for the Aboriginal Heritage Act Amendment Bill, which is currently before parliament, to be re-drafted.

Listed companies from Western Australia are on the outer in the most recent quarterly reshuffle of the S&P Dow Jones ASX Indices, with high-profile absentees including Iluka Resources, Mineral Resources and Monadelphous Group.