Mining

West Perth-based junior Avanco Resources has secured agreement for a $US12 million royalty-based investment deal with major resources investor BlackRock World Mining Trust.

Explosives and chemicals manufacturer Orica has appointed former Macmahon Holdings managing director Nick Bowen as executive global head, mining services.

A trial involving Gina Rinehart, her children and a multi-billion dollar family trust fund has been delayed for several hours as a new trustee is appointed.

Gold prices have climbed as jitters over the continued US budget stalemate fanned interest in the haven asset.

Andrew Forrest's philanthropic efforts are as restless as the iron ore magnate himself. Recent changes appear to be part of a restructuring of his various private and charitable interests under the new brand of Minderoo.

Fortescue Metals Group will go to the WA Supreme Court to challenge the Economic Regulation Authority's decision to allow third-party access to FMG's Pilbara railway.

The state government will team up with Woodside Petroleum and Curtin University to develop two new specialist training facilities in the Pilbara as it encourages more people to live and work in the region.

Antares Energy has raised $10 million from institutional investors towards drilling activity at its Northern Star project in West Texas.

Woodside Petroleum has started up its $5 billion North Rankin redevelopment project and exported its first gas to the Karratha gas plant.

Forge Group has won more than $50 million in asset management contracts in the space of four months as it looks to grow its presence in North America.

Gold prices have declined as investors remained upbeat about an eventual resolution to the US budget impasse that has kept the federal government shut down for four days.

Fertiliser producer Yara Pilbara has committed more than $50 million towards housing its growing workforce in Karratha as it works towards opening an $800 million ammonium nitrate plant.

Western Australia's gold sector is rallying against a potential increase in royalty rates, saying such a move would significantly hurt country towns as well as local producers of the precious metal.

Central Systems and McConnell Dowell are the latest companies to secure big contracts at Hancock Prospecting's $10 billion Roy Hill iron ore project.

Toro Energy has received approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board for its $37 million acquisition of the Lake Maitland uranium project in central Western Australia.

Gold has ended lower, but futures pared earlier losses as weaker US economic data helped offset pressure from investors looking to lock in recent gains.

The resources boom is not over and the sector is entering a new export growth phase that will deliver Australia "serious money", Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane says.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy says three workers have been injured at its Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia.

Norton Gold Fields has cashed in on the state government's new mining rehabilitation fund scheme, securing $21.8 million in environmental bond refunds to date.

Gold miner Ramelius Resources has made its first $5 million payment to acquire Goldfields' Vivien gold project in Western Australia and has also achieved record production at its Mt Magnet project.

BHP Billiton has withdrawn from a farm-in agreement with St George Mining over nickel rights attached to the East Laverton project just months after agreeing to proceed with the deal.

Perth-based oil and gas explorer WHL Energy has appointed David Rowbottam as its new managing director.

Oil prices rallied Wednesday, despite a larger-than-expected jump in US crude stockpiles, on news that TransCanada's southern leg of its Keystone pipeline is near completion.

Premier Colin Barnett says Rio Tinto's new port expansion in the Pilbara is a sign of confidence in the resources sector which will allow Western Australia to boost its iron ore exports.

MZI Resources has secured $US41.5 million in funding from international private equity group Resource Capital Funds for the development of its Keysbrook mineral sands project.

Paladin Energy is set to slash its costs by $US23 million over the 2014 financial year and suspend all non-essential exploration activity as it looks to stem losses from a weakening uranium price.

Chevron has signed binding long-term sales and purchase agreements with Japanese utility Tohoku Electric Power Company for gas supplied from the $29 billion Wheatstone LNG project.

Transport and logistics group K&S Corporation has warned investors of a significant fall in half-year net profit, due to a significant slowdown in the company's Western Australian operations.

Macquarie Capital executive director Justin Mannolini has been appointed non-executive director of West Perth-based explorer Jindalee Resources.

Aphrodite Gold's former chief executive and former managing director have each resigned as directors of the company ahead of a planned shareholder meeting today.

Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart wishes to relinquish her role as the trustee of her family's multibillion-dollar trust, a Sydney court has heard.

West Perth-based Chalice Gold Mines has made an offer to merge with Canadian gold developer Coventry Resources as it seeks to find assets to boost its cash flow.