Mining

Wesfarmers has confirmed it engaged in discussions with the Malaysian government in regards to its takeover target, Lynas Corporation, as the rare earths miner revealed it may set up processing operations closer to its Mount Weld mine near Laverton.

Swick Mining Services has announced $210 million of new work, but failed to extend three contracts at Australian gold mines.

ASX-listed Maximus Resources has reached a sale agreement for its Burbanks gold processing plant in the Coolgardie region to privately owned, Perth-based Adaman Resources.

Subiaco-based SRG Global has won a drill-and-blast services contract extension with Evolution Mining at several of its gold mines in Australia.

Listed companies Battery Minerals, Cassini Resources and First Graphene have completed share placements, with the proceeds to help fund their projects in the battery metals sector.

Perth-based lithium miner Galaxy Resources has announced the appointment of Iluka Resources' Simon Hay as chief executive, commencing on July 1.

Gold aspirant Capricorn Metals has announced a $10.1 million rights issue, while the company assess sale options, including being acquired.

Mineral Commodities (MRC) has acquired Norwegian company Skaland Graphite, which the Welshpool-based miner said was the owner of the world's highest grade flake graphite operation.

Shares in gold explorer Matador Mining closed nearly 40 per cent higher today after prominent industry figures Mark Clark and Nick Giorgetta backed a $5 million share placement.

A London-based private equity fund has agreed to a conditional cornerstone equity investment of $20.8 million in Kalium Lakes, giving it a 19.99 per cent holding in the aspiring potash producer.

NRW Holdings has been awarded about $72 million in contracts through its subsidiaries Golding Contractors and RCR Mining Technologies.

The Perth District Court has found former C&G Group Industries director, Christopher Edward Eric Skelly, guilty of a fraud charge brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Dyno Nobel has been fined $250,000 and ordered to pay costs of $30,000 in the Perth Magistrates Court, following the death of one of its employees at the Telfer gold mine in May 2015.

BHP Group said today it expected its Pilbara iron ore production to be reduced by between 6 million tonnes and 8mt this year because of the impact of flooding on its rail network and Port Hedland operations..

Fortescue Metals Group and joint venture partners Formosa Plastics Group and Baosteel Resources have approved the $US2.6 billion ($3.7 billion) development of the Iron Bridge magnetite project in the Pilbara, with the iron ore miner assuring the market it will not repeat the mistakes of earlier magnetite projects.

Fortescue Metals Group has awarded a major component overhaul and replacement services (MCORS) contract to three contractors with Port Hedland workshops, with Fortescue saying the contract would result in 17 full-time, local jobs.

Rio Tinto has revealed its full-year Pilbara iron ore shipments are expected to be at the lower end of its 338 million to 350 million tonnes guidance, after Tropical Cyclone Veronica damaged its Cape Lambert port.

Construction has officially commenced at Albemarle Corporation's Kemerton lithium plant, which is expected to cost in excess of $1 billion and create 500 construction jobs and another 500 operational jobs in the south-west of Western Australia.

Pilbara Minerals has announced it is considering selling between 20 per cent and 49 per cent of its Pilgangoora lithium project, as it declared commercial production from the processing plant.

Monadelphous has won a second contract for BHP Group's South Flank iron ore project, just over a month after it secured an $108 million contract at the site.

Struggling gold miner Gascoyne Resources has announced a share placement and rights issue at a 50 per cent discount to its previous closing price, as it seeks to pay down some of its mounting debts.

Geopacific Resources has raised $4.3 million via a share placement, with the funds set to advance due diligence in relation to the financing of its $198.5 million Woodlark gold project.

The independent directors of Sydney-based Riversdale Resources have urged shareholders to reject the $2.20 per-share offer lobbed by Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting last month.

Tropicana gold project joint venture partners AngloGold Ashanti and Independence Group have approved the development of a new underground mine at a cost of $105 million.

Gascoyne Resources has written down the value of its flagship Dalgaranga gold project by $33.5 million, as the company's half-year results revealed its liabilities are greater than its assets.

Mondium, a joint venture between local contractors Monadelphous and Lycopodium, has secured an early start engineering contract at Mineral Commodities' (MRC) Munglinup graphite project.

Lynas Corporation said it will not engage with Wesfarmers' $1.5 billion indicative takeover offer, after the conglomerate launched the bid for the rare earths miner yesterday.

Western Australia's resources industry experienced record sales in 2018, up 16 per cent from the year prior, thanks largely to a rise in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

Perth-based Westgold Resources has agreed to sell its Higginsville gold operation to RNC Minerals, in a cash and scrip deal worth $50 million.

Wesfarmers has made a $1.5 billion indicative offer for rare earths miner Lynas Corporation, its first takeover bid since its ill-fated $705 million purchase of Homebase in the UK in February 2016.

Sandfire Resources has announced an earn-in and joint venture option agreement with ASX-listed White Rock Minerals for a stake of up to 70 per cent in the multi-commodity Red Mountain project in central Alaska.

Dacian Gold has lowered its full-year production forecast at its Mt Morgans gold project by up to 16 per cent, due to an equipment shortage at the mine.