Mining

West Perth-based Emerald Oil & Gas NL has reached an in principle agreement with Capital Investment Partners Pty Ltd to raise up to $2.025 million for exploration and production activities in the United States and Western Australia's Canning Basin.

Almost 99% of Western Australian employers intend to maintain or increase their current staff number during the first three months of 2008 according to the latest Hudson Report Employment Expectations survey released today.

$40bn lost in sub-prime wipeout; Booming China will buck US slowdown: Rio chief; Confidence slides as turmoil hits home; First cut: Rudd razor gang given $3bn head start; Victory to Blackham in lapsed lease pegging row

After a couple of failed attempts earlier this decade, Western Australia is edging closer towards connection to its first new international subsea cable in almost 10 years.

Finding the right people to manage Western Australia’s technology companies is like finding a needle in a haystack, according to Titan Bioventures managing director and Phylogica non-executive director Harry Karelis.

With very little fanfare last month, Northern Iron Ltd managed to successfully conduct the year’s biggest mining float, raising $140 million to fund the development of an iron ore mine in Norway.

Already home to mining giants Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Anglo Gold Ashanti, Argentina is considered to be Latin America’s next worldclass mining region, after Chile and Brazil, with its relatively underexplored but highly prospective gold and silver resourc

Perth-based Patersons Securities Ltd is set to launch a resources-focused fund, the second product for the fledgling asset management business launched late last year.

West Perth-based Transit Holdings Ltd has completed a placement to raise $2 million to sophisticated investors for exploration for haematite mineralisation and working capital.

Rio Tinto Ltd has reported record annual output for key commodities in its fourth quarter 2007 operations review, including a 9 per cent increase in its attributable iron ore output to 145 million tonnes in the calendar year.

Perth-based Montezuma Mining Company Ltd is seeking to raise up to $3 million to fund an accelerated exploration program at its Peak Hill gold mine near Meekatharra.

VDM Group Ltd subsidiary, Wylie & Skene Pty Ltd, has won new contracts with Rio Tinto Ltd and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd in the Pilbara totalling $14.5 million.

Perth-based gold exploration company Scotgold Resources Ltd has made a positive debut on the Australian stock exchange today, after sucessfully raising $4.9 million via its November public offer.

Inspectorate International Ltd, a division of UK-based Inspicio Group, has bought Kalassay Group for $25.6 million, continuing the growing acquisition activity of the major geochemical assaying laboratories in WA.

Cooper Energy Ltd has been formally advised by the Tunisian Department of Energy that the Bargou prospecting permit has been converted to an exploration licence for a five year term.

Henderson-based Nomad building Solutions Ltd has announced today the $40 million acquisition of the construction, property management and modular building business units of Rapley Wilkinson.

Perth-based uranium producer Paladin Energy Ltd says its Langer Heinrich mine in the African nation of Namibia has achieved its production target for the December quarter of 390,807 pounds of uranium oxide.

Avalon Minerals Ltd has announced today that it was granted Lake Barlee exploration licence, which is the first application to be granted within the portfolio of 13 Western Australian uranium exploration licences acquired by Avalon last year.

Dragon Mining Ltd wholly owned subsidiary, Polar Mining Oly, was granted an Environmental Permit by the Supreme Court of Finland for mining operations at the Jokisivu Gold Project in southern Finland.

Iron ore newcomer Fortescue Metals Group Ltd is sticking to its May 15 deadline for its first shipment, denying speculation that its debut delivery could be as late as August.

Mount Magnet South NL has acquired the Curara Well gold mine and other tenements in the Mt Magnet region of Western Australia for $5 million from Equigold NL.

Perth-based iron ore exploration and development company Australasian Resources Ltd has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Stephen Abbott to the newly created position of general manager.

With only 7,000 square metres of office space remaining in the CBD and West Perth, and rents already passing $800 per square metre this year, property analysts expect developers will head for Perth’s fringe suburbs to boost office stock

Delivering big returns for investors was made to look easy this year by tungsten developer, Wolf Minerals.

The Australian Property Institute, in conjunction with Finsia, is holding its fifth annual residential property outlook breakfast, January 31 at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre.

A bit of news late last year aroused my interest – the results of two private companies that had restructured their business with positive outcomes

IN a stock market taking a battering as investors retreat amid fears of a US recession, the stocks that run hot become all the brighter.

As popular commercial suburbs put up the ‘no vacancy’ signs, many businesses have been forced to look to neighbouring areas to find space to accommodate their growing enterprises.

Western Australia’s commercial office market notched up almost $1 billion in sales last year, and while some analysts predict the same heights may not be reached in 2008, market fundamentals indicate that strong growth is likely to continue.

Patersons Securities posted a record $1.26 billion dollars in capital raisings last year, up more than 50 per cent on the previous year and a result that has returned the Perth-based stockbroker to the top position for equity capital raisings during 2007.

Atomic Resources Ltd - Thomas Neff and Patrick Michaels have been appointed as directors. Azumah Resources Ltd - - Non-executive chairman Stephen Stone has been appointed as executive chairman.

COMO-BASED GME Resources Ltd has appointed mining engineer David Varcoe as managing director, replacing Jamie Sullivan.