Fraser Beattie

Engineering group UGL has been awarded a $120 million contract to provide plant services for the operational phase of Santos’s Curtis Island LNG facility in Queensland.

Subiaco-based Spitfire Resources has entered into an agreement to buy the White Lion limestone project in Zambia in a deal worth $6.3 million.

BC Iron has moved forward with its cost-cutting initiatives by awarding a $40 million contract to Viento Group to provide crushing and screening at its Warrigal hub, which forms part of the Nullagine joint venture.

Fortescue Metals Group has cited the finer points of the Australian Competition and Consumer Act to justify calls by its chairman Andrew Forrest for Australia's biggest iron ore miners to cap production in order to lift prices.

China-based Citic Group has posted a big slide in full-year profit to $HK39.8 billion ($6.5 billion) for 2014, on the back of a $2.2 billion impairment charge on its Sino Iron project in the Pilbara.

Rio Tinto and Alcoa of Australia have struck an agreement with the state government to terminate a bauxite mining joint venture on the Mitchell Plateau in WA's far north, paving the way for the area to be included in a new national park.

Perth-based IT services provider Empired has secured an agreement to provide managed services to Toyota Australia.

Medical marijuana company Phytotech Medical has entered into an agreement to wholly acquire Canada-based MMJ Bioscience, in a deal worth about $20.7 million.

Shares in copper miner Latitude Consolidated skyrocketed on news it plans to exit the resources sector with a proposed acquisition of consumer services technology company Yatango through a scrip deal valued at about $18 million.

The board of iron ore miner Pluton Resources has regained control of the company after its major shareholder, General Nice Resources, retired KordaMentha as receivers yesterday.

The local division of a global engineering contractor is leading the charge in raising donations for this year’s World’s Greatest Shave.

One year after buying the Thunderbox operations from Norilsk Nickel, Saracen Mineral Holdings has announced plans to develop an open pit gold mine that will double its production to about 300,000 ounces per annum by the 2017 financial year.

Peak Resources has appointed engineering firm Amec Foster Wheeler for its Ngualla rare earth project in Tanzania after locking in a $5 million interim loan.

The state’s peak business body has called for reforms to the penalty rates system, which it says is out of date and causes many Western Australian businesses that open on Sundays and public holidays to lose money.

The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended strict conditional approval of Sinosteel Midwest Corporation’s proposal for exploration drilling at its Blue Hills Mungada East hematite project.

A dispute between Tap Oil and one of its substantial shareholders has escalated after the operator of the company’s flagship Manora oil development served joint operator Northern Gulf Petroleum with a $35 million default notice.

Gulf Minerals Corporation has appointed Perth-based Como Engineers as manager for the construction of its $52 million Kupang smelter project in West Timor.

Trading hours will be extended for retail shops in the metropolitan area on Easter Monday and Anzac Day.

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser has died at the age of 84.

Construction contractors Laing O’Rourke and AECOM have been selected to build the train station and associated railway infrastructure at the new Perth Stadium, in a deal worth $100 million.

The Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute in Nedlands has moved a step closer towards development, with a construction contractor appointed to build the facility.

Woodside Petroleum terminated the contracts of eight employees last year, mostly the result of fraud-related incidents, according to its latest sustainable development report.

Doray Minerals has appointed PCF Capital Group as adviser as the company plans to secure funding for the construction and development of its Deflector gold-copper project near Geraldton.

Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion says Queensland’s looming ban on mining uranium is an opportunity for Western Australia to capitalise on mining the nuclear fuel ore.

Western Australian iron ore producer Karara Mining has cut 15 per cent of its workforce at its mine and port operations and head office in Perth following the continued fall of commodity prices.

Biotech company Admedus has initiated a capital raising comprising a placement and rights issue, with the hope of generating up to $28 million to fund ongoing development of various health care programs.

Aziana was one of three Perth exploration companies to release details today of plans to leave the resources sector behind, through reverse takeovers of businesses in sectors as diverse as artificial intelligence, medical cannabis and e-commerce.

Shares in Perth-based Sunbird Energy finished the day's trading on the ASX up 26 percent at 2.6 cents, after announcing an agreement for the supply of gas from its Ibhubesi gas field in South Africa to Eskom Holdings’ Ankerlig power station.

Galaxy Resources’ $223 million sale of its Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant to a Chinese buyer has received shareholder approval from both parties after multiple delays and timeframe extensions.

Perth-based minerals explorer Talga Resources has received firm commitments for a discounted placement to raise $5.5 million.

Business groups have broadly welcomed the federal government’s approach to improving the 457 visa scheme, but believe more changes need to be made to uphold the integrity and lawful use of temporary skilled migration in Australia.

The Committee for Perth has added to the debate over Perth’s public transport system by releasing research indicating light rail systems attract more passengers, have lower running costs, and travel faster than rapid bus systems.