Edited announcement

West Perth-based Metex Resources Ltd has raised $6 million to fund development of its subsidiary, underground coal gasification technology developer Carbon Energy Pty Ltd, the company has announced.

West Perth-based Eneabba Gas Ltd has extended its gas swap arrangements with Verve Energy for another 12 months, the company has announced.

Subiaco-based tin and tungsten explorer Wolf Minerals Ltd has announced it is in the final stages of acquiring a major mining and exploration project, with plans to resume trade on the Australian Securities Exchange after completion.

West Perth-based CollTech Australia Ltd has signed a letter of intent with Italian chemical distributor Eico Novachem Ltd for the marketing of its sheep-sources collagen to the Italian cosmetics and toiletries market.

Perth-based coal miner GVM Metals Ltd has raised around $98.2 million through the placement of 65 million shares via its listing on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market, the company has announced.

West Perth-based Shaw River Resources Ltd will acquire the mineral rights to gold, base metals, nickel and platinum group elements on 14 Pilbara tenements owned by Atlas Iron Ltd in a scrip deal worth $1.5 million, the company has announced.

The State Government has named Alcock Brown Neaves Group subsidiary Hale Investments Pty Ltd and a Cedar Woods/St Ives consortium as preferred partners for residential developments at the Kwinana Education Complex and Carine TAFE campus.

South Perth-based oil and gas company Cooper Energy Ltd has completed its $55 million placement to Euroz Securities Ltd after winning the approval of its shareholders, the company has announced.

Subaico-based Salinas Energy Ltd has raised $6.3 million through a share issue, allowing it to pursue further growth in its Southern California oil fields.

West Perth-based energy exploration company Blue Energy Ltd has completed its acquisition of the Cobalt Seismic Survey within its Queensland petroleum exploration tenure ATP 854, the company has announced.

Leederville-based mineral explorer SmartTrans Holdings Ltd has raised $3.1 million through the placement of 83 million of shares to Chinese company China Alarm Holdings Ltd.

The State Government is calling for applications to the 2008 Western Australian Consumer Protection Awards, in particular a new category recognising product safety for children, Consumer Protection Minister Sheila McHale has announced.

Perth-based Eastland Medical Systems Ltd has acquired New South Wales-based Phoenix Medical Equipment Services Pty Ltd in a cash andscrip deal valued at $90,000, the company has announced.

Claremont-based magnetic resonance imaging technology developer Resonance Health Ltd has extended the distribution deal for its liver iron monitoring device FerriScan with Switzerland-based Novartis AG, the company has announced.

Subiaco-based Gondwana Resources Ltd will acquire the Wallal Downs prospect, located 180km east of Port Hedland, for the issue of shares worth around $57,000 to vendor Ausprey Resources Pty Ltd.

West Perth-based metals explorer Azure Minerals Ltd has applied for a mining concession covering an extensive area of surface mineralisation in Sonora, Mexico.

Shares in Belmont-based Ferrowest Ltd were up 14 per cent today after the company agreed to consider a supply deal to South Korean steel manufacturer Dongbu Steel, in exchange for its consideration of investment and other forms of support for the project.

The 40 employees of KFC Rockingham will be relocated throughout the remaining 49 stores owned by Competitive Foods Australia Pty Ltd, as the store closes tomorrow due to a licencing dispute.

South Perth-based gold explorer Oropa Ltd will secure a 90 per cent stakes in two uranium exploration projects in Malawi through the establishment of two independent joint venture companies with the current holders, the company has announced.

A subsidiary of Subiaco-based Vital Metals Ltd, North Queensland Tungsten Pty Ltd, has received a summons alleging breaches of workplace safety laws following a fatality last year at its Watershed Tungsten project.

West Perth-based Antares Energy Ltd's planned acquisition of a 55 per cent stake in the Group A acreage of its Kenedy Ranch properties will not proceed after the project vendor terminated its offer.

Perth-based Alkane Exploration Ltd aims to raise $12.8 million through the underwritten issue of 40.1 million shares to existing shareholders on the basis of one new share for every five shares held.

Scrap metal group CMA Corporation Ltd will acquire the Chicago-based Meretec Steel Recycling Plant from metals recycler Meretec Corporation in a scrip deal worth around $7.7 million, the company has announced.

Spending on mineral and petroleum exploration in Western Australia rose by 39 per cent to $839.2 million in the 2006-2007 financial year, accounting for nearly half of the nation's total, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The Carbon Neutral program run by community organisation Men of the Trees has won the 2007 WA Environment award at a showcase honouring individuals, community groups and businesses who have shown outstanding achievement in protecting the environment.

West Perth-based Atlas Iron Ltd will sell the non-iron mineral rights of its Abydos and Goldsworthy tenements to West Perth gold explorer Shaw River Resources Ltd for $1.5 million in scrip and the issue of 2.5 million options, the company has announced.

Subiaco-based Natural Fuel Ltd has appointed three new directors and implemented an asset optimisation strategy over its Singapore plant, seeking to secure interim revenues while unfavourable market conditions remain, the company has announced.

West Perth-based base metals producer Kagara Zinc Ltd will develop a plan of operations for its Mungana development in partnership with the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, after it concluded an environmental impact statement was not required.

One week after Brazilian mining giant CVRD Inco agreed to fund further studies on Heron Resources' Kalgoorlie nickel project, Heron has done a deal with Australian mining giant BHP Billiton to raise extra capital for a second nickel project.

West Perth-based Straits Resources Ltd subsidiary Straits Asia Resources Ltd has signed a debt financing agreement worth around $257 million to part fund its purchases of additional mine concession areas in Indonesia, the company has announced.

Como-based GME Resources Ltd will commence a trial heap leach program at the Cawse Nickel plant site, near Kalgoorlie, under an agreement with Norilsk Nickel Cawse Pty Ltd, the company has announced.

West Perth-based uranium and iron ore company Apollo Minerals Ltd will acquire an 80 per cent interest in an iron ore project in the Pilbara for up to $1 million under an option agreement, the company has announced.