Simone Grogan

Wet weather and difficulty accessing workers curbed exploration spending in Western Australia by 13 per cent in early 2022, albeit from record investment in prior quarters.

De Grey Mining has increased resource estimates for the Mallina gold project and its contained Hemi deposit to 10.6 million ounces, boosting its credentials as a major undeveloped gold deposit.

Gold Road Resources has lifted its all-scrip takeover offer for DGO Gold in what it says will be its best final offer to acquire the ASX-listed minerals explorer.

Predictive Discovery is on track to raise up to $60 million to bulk up the mineral resource of its Bankan gold project in Guinea.

National gold production was dragged down during the March quarter by poor weather conditions and pandemic restrictions throughout the sector.

Toll chief executive Christine Holgate says the fact that Scott Morrison is no longer Prime Minister “enables her to sleep at night”.

Resources billionaire Gina Rinehart has been named Australia’s wealthiest person for a third consecutive year, followed closely by fellow Western Australian and iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest.

Aboriginal business Marawar Building Services has been named National Supplier of the Year at Supply Nation’s Supplier Diversity Awards for a second time.

Henderson-based contractor Civmec has won a suite of new work with BHP, Subsea 7, and Roy Hill.

Decmil has appointed civil contracting executive Rod Heale to the top job following the resignation of Dickie Dique last month.

Newfield Resources has suspended operations at its Tongo diamond mine in Sierra Leone following the death of an underground worker.

Chalice Mining has laid plans for a considerable capital raising effort to bankroll the next year and a half of exploration activities across its Julimar and West Yilgarn prospects.

A minerals extraction technology developed in partnership with Curtin University has sold to multinational chemicals business Draslovka.

West Perth-based Wiluna Mining is offering shares at more than a 40 per cent discount to raise a minimum $50 million to bring its namesake gold project up to speed.

Perenti Global has tightened forecast earnings following the death of two workers employed by its Barminco subsidiary at a mine in Botswana last week.

Australian Vanadium is looking to institutional and sophisticated investors to raise cash for a proposed vanadium processing plant in the state’s Mid-West.

Tianqi Lithium and IGO have marked first production of battery-grade product from their Kwinana refinery, bringing the operation closer to full scale output.

Blackstone’s $8.9 billion proposal to buy Crown Resorts has won over shareholders, but the deal still hinges on gaming regulatory approval from Victoria, NSW and Western Australia.

Chalice Mining has been granted final approvals needed to undertake exploration drilling within its famed Julimar project despite concerns from the community over a surrounding forest.

A subsidiary of multinational conglomerate Koch Industries has been selected as Strike Energy’s sole offtake partner for product from a $2.3 billion planned urea project near Geraldton.

A mega-merger between Woodside Petroleum and BHP’s oil and gas business has received overwhelming shareholder approval at an AGM in Perth this afternoon.

Arafura Resources shares are trading higher on the back of a new potential seven-year offtake deal with South Korean-based automotive business Hyundai.

Fringe World Festival’s parent company, Artrage, has pointed to some signs of a recovery from the pandemic in a new report, posting a higher box office spend but overall lower attendance.

Subiaco-based SRG Global has booked a five-year contract providing civil maintenance works at Alcoa’s alumina refinery in Kwinana.

Building materials company Boral has shed $45 million off forecasted underlying earnings on account of heavy rainfall and ballooning fuel prices.

Fortescue has announced a raft of changes at the top end of the business, including Andrew Forrest stepping in as interim iron ore boss.

OZ Minerals will have 18 months to assess Havilah Resource’s Kalkaroo project before deciding whether to acquire the South Australian copper outfit for up to $405 million.

Equinox Resources boss Daniel Taylor has resigned a week after the iron ore junior’s non-executive chair and non-executive director announced their departure.

Pilbara Minerals has been awarded a $20 million federal government grant to develop a new demonstration-scale chemicals facility within its Pilgangoora project.

Woodside is awaiting shareholder approval to crystalise a merger with BHP’s petroleum business following clearance from a government administrator.

Shares in Australian Strategic Materials were up more than 30 per cent during trading after banking its first round of funding from a cohort of South Korean investors.

GenusPlus Group managing director David Riches was named First Amongst Equals at the 2022 40under40 Awards, ahead of a diverse cohort of Western Australia’s young business leaders.