Les Davis

Silver Lake Resources and Regis Resources are in the vanguard of a revival in the state’s gold industry.

Integra Mining has agreed to a $426 million takeover by fellow gold miner Silver Lake Resources in a move that will create one of the nation's larger producers of the precious metal.

WHEN Silver Lake Resources managing director Les Davis and Integra Mining chief Chris Cairns used the first day of the recent Diggers & Dealers Forum in Kalgoorlie to unveil the $1 billion merger of their gold miners, imaginations began to run wild.

While most media attention seems focused on iron ore and the major operators, there’s a number of smaller players offering plenty of potential across a range of minerals. Here’s the WA Business News 10 mining stocks to watch.

Silver Lake Resources has deferred the development of its underground Caustons mine at its Murchison gold operations for approximately 12 months due to a tumbling gold price.

After a grim six months, Western Australia’s gold mining sector is showing signs of flickering back to life.Having plunged earlier this year to lows around $A1,300 ounce, the gold price has recovered to nearly $A1,550/oz.

Silver Lake Resources will place its Murchison gold operations on care and maintenance later this year, saying the project is no longer sustainable at the current gold price.

The significant social and economic benefits generated by Western Australia’s gold mining industry will be highlighted in a public awareness campaign launched today at the 2014 Diggers & Dealers Forum.

Shares in gold miner Silver Lake Resources have dropped on the back of the company announcing a $48 million non-cash impairment.

Silver Lake Resources continues to be buffeted by a low gold price, with operating losses at its Murchison operation and impairments dragging it to a $170 million loss.

FEATURE: If the adage ‘three strikes and you’re out’ applied to the gold mining industry, the curtains would already have been drawn; but some determined locals are fighting on.

FEATURE: Les Davis and Bill Beament are two of the Western Australian gold industry’s most influential people, but the person who has infinitely more power over gold in WA than the chief executives of Silver Lake and Northern Star doesn’t live here.

Silver Lake Resources founding managing director Les Davis will step down from his role in November, leaving current executive director Luke Tonkin to fill his shoes.

Silver Lake Resources has entered into a binding heads of agreement with a private consortium for the sale of its Lakewood Mill near Kalgoorlie for $5.5 million.

The latest numbers from Western Australia’s listed gold miners show they remain under pressure from rising costs and a falling global gold price, with some local producers concerned that changes to the state’s royalty system might erode margins beyond break-even.

Our daily board moves wrap includes Barry Sullivan, Lindsay Franker, Simon Eley, Hedley Widdup, David Quinlivan, Luke Tonkin, Derek La Ferla, Peter Harold, David Riekie, MaoFeng Ding, Les Davis, Brad Drabsch, Toby Wellman, David Morgan, and Robert Cooper.

Our board moves wrap includes Mark Syropoulo, Cathy Moises, Kate Stoney, Bradley Marwood, Peter Bewick, Henko Vos, Abby Siew, Grant Mooney, Les Davis, Doron Nevo, Michael Soucik, Dan Smith, Swee Chen Goh, Osagie Imasogie, Lisa Gray, Oludare Odumosu, Harry Karelis, Mara Gordon, and Stewart Washer.

Our daily board moves wrap includes Douglas Loh, Tim Desmond, Terry Smart, John Baillie, Petar Tomasevic, Leeanne Bond, Will Burbury, John Richards, Kevin Lines, Mark Zeptner, Tim Manners, Richard Jones, James Croser, Nader El Sayed, Les Davis, David Baxby, and Tim Bult.