Fraser Beattie

The state government expects about half of local prospectors’ program of work applications will be fee-free from the start of July, after it substantially increased the size threshold.

A former Western Power boss, the vice-chancellor of Curtin University, and a former Bethanie chief executive are among this year’s local recipients of the Queen’s Birthday honours list.

Former Fortescue Metals Group chief financial officer and director Chris Catlow has joined Subiaco-based Triton Minerals as its new chairman, with Alan Jenks stepping down from the head of the board to take on a director role today.

Global Construction Services has won an extension to its contract to provide all of the onshore and offshore scaffolding works for Woodside Petroleum’s North West Shelf project.

Sirius Resources, which is in the middle of a takeover by Independence Group, has formally awarded GR Engineering Services a $114 million engineering, procurement and construction contract at its Nova nickel mine in the Fraser Range.

Treasurer Mike Nahan has defended legislation he introduced to end the long-running $1.7 billion Bell Group legal story after it was criticised by the Australian and Western Australian bar associations.

West Perth-based Anatolia Energy has announced a friendly merger with a Nasdaq-listed uranium miner, with the two companies planning to focus on developing Anatolia’s Temrezli uranium project in Turkey.

New vehicle sales in Western Australia were down 15.8 per cent in May, adding to a sharp decline in year-to-date activity, though one bright spot was a pick-up in sales of luxury marques.

Four companies have been shortlisted to come up with proposals for the Tonkin Highway upgrade, which forms part of the $1.12 billion NorthLink WA project.

A local oil and gas explorer led by Steinepreis Paganin partner Peter Wall has announced plans to acquire a digital technology company in a backdoor listing.

Atlas Iron plans to resume production at its Mount Webber mine in the Pilbara in July after negotiating a deal with BGC Contracting that is markedly different to earlier agreements with contractors at its two other mines.

Startup studio Atomic Sky has named the nine businesses selected for the first edition of the new Fusion Founder startup program, which will be operating in the Tech Hub co-working space in Northbridge.

The number of applications for university places this year has fallen by 25.4 per cent in Western Australia, as a result of the change 12 years ago in the school starting age.

An independent expert’s report has found private equity group Auctus Chillagoe’s takeover bid for Mungana Goldmines to be both unfair and unreasonable, saying the 13.5 cents a share price was opportunistic and undervalued the business.

Property Exchange Australia has launched its new electronic conveyancing platform in Western Australia, which aims to modernise paper-based transfers with its online model.

A 270 kilometre-long gas pipeline connecting Fortescue Metals Group’s Solomon hub operations to the Dampier natural gas pipeline was officially opened today.

New Zealand miner Newmont Wailhi Gold has ended its contract with Macmahon Holdings almost a year early, following a slip on one of the walls of its Martha open pit, which has delayed production.

Subiaco-based telecommunications firm ZipTel has signed cricket legend Brett Lee as its global brand ambassador as it plans to roll out its flagship mobile application.

The board of gold miner Ramelius Resources has given its approval to begin mining at the company's Vivien project near Leinster, while also announcing a $10 million facility secured with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Programmed Maintenance Services managing director Christopher Sutherland says it’s too early to speculate on what price will be put on its proposed merger with Skilled Group, after announcing a 16 per cent slide in net profit to $25.7 million.

Tap Oil shareholders have lodged a big protest vote, with more than 35 per cent of votes cast against three resolutions at today's annual meeting, with dissident shareholder Chatchai Yenbamroong accounting for a large share of the opposition.

Perth-based explorer Gold Road Resources has appointed GR Engineering Services to undertake pre-feasibility process and mining studies at its Gruyere project east of Laverton.

Nickel miner Mincor Resources has made a number of redundancies as it plans to cut back development of its Kambalda operations near Kalgoorlie, in response to the ongoing weakness in nickel prices.

Ride sharing service Uber is facing increased regulatory battles, with the WA government prosecuting more drivers and the Queensland government moving to protect the taxi industry, which Uber describes as a protected monopoly market.

The redevelopment of Midland is set to begin in the coming months with Planning Minister John Day today releasing the master plan for the area that includes more jobs and community spaces, and 7,000 new dwellings.

Atlas Iron has accepted the state government's iron ore royalty relief program, which will deliver an up-front cash injection of $12.5 million and an expected total benefit of $23 million.

Venturex Resources has signed a conditional term sheet to sell its Pilbara copper-zinc project to a mining-focused investment group for $14 million in cash.

Perth-based gold and base metals miners Metallum and Paradigm Metals have announced plans to raise a combined $3.7 million to fund ongoing work at their respective tenements, while Dynasty Resources announced its intention to raise $2.2 million but then later withdrew its proposal.

Treasurer Joe Hockey has ruled out the federal government initiating an inquiry into iron ore, just one week after Prime Minister Tony Abbott backed the idea.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has been voted as Western Australia’s most attractive employer at the annual Randstad Awards, a title it has won twice in three years.

Neale Fong-chaired Chrysalis Resources has announced its intention to enter the tech market by acquiring a Philippines-based company which operates a mobile banking, payments and remittance platform.

UK-based Bushveld Minerals has launched its second takeover bid for local coal explorer Lemur Resources in two years, this time proposing to acquire all the shares it doesn't own in the business for about $10.9 million.