Mining

Perth-based Encounter Resources, Predictive Discovery and Trek Metals have each launched capital raisings, with the proceeds to go towards gold projects in Australia and Guinea.

Decmil Group has secured an $8.7 million contract with Rio Tinto for work at the iron ore miner’s Mesa A site in the Pilbara.

Iluka Resources spin-out Deterra Royalties has completed its first day of trading on the ASX with market capitalisation in excess of $2.4 billion.

Russian mining giant Nordgold alleges its takeover target Cardinal Resources has acted deceptively towards shareholders, with the matter escalated to the Takeovers Panel.

Mineral Resources has surprised the market by purchasing an iron ore project from Australian Aboriginal Mining Corporation, and also bought into a legal fight with Fortescue Metals Group.

Aspiring goldminer Miramar Resources has made a strong ASX debut with its share price doubling ahead of plans to begin exploration in WA.

Resolute Mining has reported slow gold production during the September quarter, less than a week after John Welborn's departure.

Fortescue Metals Group has contracted Veris subsidiary Aqura Technologies to supply telecommunications at the Iron Bridge project in the Pilbara.

Gascoyne Resources has relisted on the ASX, following a $125 million recapitalisation that helped the embattled goldminer repay its creditors and continue mining operations.

Expansion plans are in the works for some of WA’s biggest exporters, but commodity prices and projects face uncertainty.

Russian miner Nordgold has continued its fight for Perth-based Cardinal Resources, having matched an offer to buy the gold explorer for $1 per share.

Perth-based Macmahon Holdings has been named the preferred contractor to provide equipment hire and maintenance services at a coalmine in Queensland.

Perth-based GBM Resources is paying $3 million to buy a gold project in Queensland, close to its flagship Mount Coolon asset.

This month’s Diggers & Dealers was notable as much for what didn’t appear on the official program as what did.

BHP has posted a 7.2 per cent rise in first-quarter iron ore production, supported by stable demand from China, the world's top consumer of the steelmaking ingredient.

Resolute Mining has begun its search for a new leader after managing director and chief executive John Welborn stepped down from the role.

Fenix Resources is moving ahead with its iron ore project in Western Australia after appointing MACA as its mining contractor.

CIMIC Group has confirmed the 50 per cent sale of its mining contractor, Thiess, to an entity based in the UK.

GR Engineering Services has secured new work with Canada’s Novo Resources Corp for its Nullagine goldmine in the Pilbara.

Elmore has won a federal court battle launched by its former chief operating officer, who was dismissed for misleading the board about the viability of iron ore projects in India.

Traditional owners have accused Rio Tinto of exaggerating the safety risk involved in removing explosives from the ancient Juukan Gorge rock shelters.

The spinout company of Cassini Resources is seeking to raise $6 million from its initial public offering, with an ASX listing targeted for November.

Red 5 will begin open pit production at its Great Western satellite deposit early next year, as the company ramps down operations at its King of the Hills goldmine.

Gina Rinehart has made history, becoming the first woman to win the GJ Stokes Memorial Award at Kalgoorlie’s Diggers & Dealers mining forum.

De Grey Mining managing director Glenn Jardine says the explorer’s heady market valuation is a fair reflection of the potential scale of its Hemi discovery.

Bellevue Gold boss Steve Parsons has played down speculation his company’s namesake gold project is in the crosshairs of some of WA’s most prominent gold miners.

Regis Resources head expects the current strength of the gold sector to last for a few years.

Prospect Resources is raising $6 million from a share placement to go towards its lithium project in Africa.

Shareholders of Victoria’s Boadicea Resources have approved the $7 million sale of its Fraser Range tenements to nickel miner IGO.

Labour costs make the construction of downstream processing plants a challenge in Australia.

Rockingham-based WA Kaolin has kicked off a capital raising to fund the scale-up of its WA operations; it joins several companies planning to mine the specialist industrial mineral.

A rush to consolidate mines could herald a flurry of mergers.