Mining

Poseidon Nickel expects to spend up to $25 million to restart operations at its mothballed Silver Swan mine near Kalgoorlie, according to a definitive feasibility study released today.

Swick Mining Services has raised about $5 million from investors to fund the buyout of minority shareholders in a mineral analysis and measurement technology company in which it already owns a major stake.

Law firms HopgoodGanim Lawyers and Hunt & Humphry will amalgamate from July 1, with the deal designed to boost the combined firm's capabilities to take advantage of increasing activity in the r

Indian coal miner Adani does not need the financial backing of an Australian bank, former Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh says.

A Queensland business that uses sensors to detect unexploded bombs in former conflict zones in South-East Asia and Europe is now using its technology to help iron ore miners find pieces of equipment that have broken off in stockpiles.

Subiaco-based Coventry Resources will be rebranded after completing the $8.3 million acquisition of a gold explorer focused on projects in Alaska, and announcing plans for a $10 million raising.

Perth-based contractor Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has won $25 million in contracts for work on Rio Tinto's Amrun bauxite project in Queensland, bringing to about $150 million the value of contracts earned this month.

West Perth-based Encounter Resources has tapped investors for $3.4 million to fund ongoing exploration at its gold projects in the eastern Pilbara region.

A new Perth-based gold and copper exploration company has closed flat on its first day of trading on the ASX, after completing a $4 million initial public offering.

South African mining giant Gold Fields has spent $64.3 million to increase its stake in Perth-based Gold Road Resources to 10 per cent, as the two companies jointly develop the Gruyere project.

Indigenous group Pindari has won a multi-million dollar contract to provide cleaning, grounds maintenance and associated services at nine of Rio Tinto's mine sites in the Pilbara.

The owner of the $6 billion Balla Balla iron ore project in the Pilbara has entered into an option agreement to acquire the nearby Weelumurra asset from Mineral Resources for an undisclosed sum.

Mineral sands explorer Strandline Resources has completed a share placement to raise $5.2 million for ongoing work at its Fungouni project in Tanzania.

Aspiring potash producer Danakali has tapped investors for $12.3 million as it moves ahead with development of its Colluli project in Africa.

Perth-based Musgrave Minerals has tapped investors for $3 million to fund exploration work at its Cue gold project in the Murchison region.

Mining explosives maker Orica has held on to its cautious full-year outlook after spending cuts and business improvement initiatives helped it offset higher costs in the first half of the year.

Engineering and construction contractor Decmil Group has sold its Osborne Park headquarters to Primewest Funds for $27.5 million.

BHP Billiton will begin dropping the "Billiton" from its name in a process beginning this week, and has signalled a further plan to eventually change its registered name, too.

Rox Resources and Marindi Metals will head to trial to resolve a dispute over the Reward zinc joint venture in the Northern Territory.

Diversified energy company Pan Asia Corporation announced today that it has entered in to a heads of agreement with Glory Merry for the sale of its Innovation West Mantewe subsidiary, which has a 75 per cent interest in Indonesian mining operation Transcoal Minergy.

West Perth-based Australian Potash has completed native title work for its Lake Wells project in the Goldfields, and is expected to commence work on a feasibility study in coming months.

Iron ore miners Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group have announced initiatives designed to assist local suppliers, with Rio establishing a dedicated procurement team and FMG shortening payment terms.

Gold hopeful Impact Minerals is aiming to raise $4 million through a share purchase plan to fund exploration at is Commonwealth gold-silver-base metals project in NSW.

The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies has strongly criticised a federal government decision to abolish the exploration development incentive tax concession, which it warns will have severe consequences in a climate where exploration is already soft.

Westgold Resources expects first production from its Fortnum gold project in the next few weeks following its acquisition of the asset 18 months ago.

Diversified contractor SRG has secured a five-year, $100 million agreement with Perth-based mining and construction firm BGC Contracting.

Altona Mining has received Foreign Investment Review Board approval for a subsidiary of Chinese company Sichuan Railway Investment Group to invest more than $US200 million to set up its Cloncurry copper project in Queensland.

West Perth-based gold miner Beadell Resources has started work on a $US28 million plant upgrade project at its Tucano gold mine in Brazil, with commissioning to get under way in the middle of 2018.

Amani Gold has signed a memorandum of understanding with a little-known Chinese investment group to raise $25 million via a share issue to fund drilling at the Giro Gold project in the Congo.

Pilbara Minerals has been given a final environmental tick for its Pilgangoora lithium project, and is now cleared for construction, but the company will be continuing work on project financing.

South32 shares have dropped as much as 5.5 per cent after the diversified miner said it expected coking coal production from its Illawarra operations to be at least 10 per cent below guidance.

Gindalbie Metals has become the first company to announce plans for the use of a new mineral processing technology developed by Curtin University, with initial focus on its Mount Gunson copper-cobalt project in South Australia.