Latest Headlines

Two weeks after listing on the Australian Securities Exchange, Empired Ltd has acquired fellow Western Australian IT services company Quadrant Group for more than $1.7 million in cash plus 300,000 share options.

Private Brisbane company ERM Power is expected to proceed shortly with a new gas-fired power station at Neerabup, just north of Perth, after gaining environmental approval.

The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended approval for a major expansion of Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd's Super Pit mining operation.

ANZ raising equity in Hong Kong and Singapore; ASA slams calls on AGM; Big drilling program planned after Spitfire $4m float; Macquarie leading $7-billion takeover of US Puget Energy; Labor raises climates stakes as Kyoto row heats up.

This week, as Prime Minister John Howard incurred the wrath of dog-walkers and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd was ticked off by angry choristers, the economy remained the number one issue as the consumer price index was released.

Coogee Chemicals chairman Gordon Martin has backed a recapitalisation of Fremantle-based Frankland River Olive Company Ltd, which is aiming to raise a total of $5.9 million through a placement and rights issue.

Tap Oil Ltd has signed its third gas sales contract in the past two months, lifting its total revenue from the new agreements to $243 million over the coming decade.

East Perth-based company Hydrotech International Ltd will work with China International Engineering Consulting Corporation to promote its Multi Pulse sequencing system in China, the company has announced.

South Perth-based energy company Aviva Corporation Ltd will incorporate emissions technology for carbon capture, desulfurisation and air cooling in its Coolimba Power project, south of Eneabba.

West Perth-based minerals explorer Bass Metals Ltd will raise $5.4 million through a placement to bolster working capital, including development at Que River and the company exploration program.

Wesfarmers Ltd and the UWA Perth International Arts Festival have won the top prize for a business arts partnership at the national Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards, held in Sydney last night.

More enhanced nickel exploration campaigns over greenfields provinces could push Western Australia's nickel production ranking from third place to first, according to Geological Survey of WA project leader Franco Pirajno.

West Perth-based Straits Resources Ltd subsidiary Straits Asia Resources Ltd has entered into a deal to acquire two coal tenements north of its Sebuku Island operations for around $153.8 million, the company has announced.

West Perth-based Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd has announced plans to spin out subsidiary Gas Link Global Ltd after completing a capital restructure on the company and raising $7.5 million.

West Perth-based metals explorer Azure Minerals Ltd will sell its Splinter Magnetite project to Sydney-based Icon Resources Ltd for $2 million, in line with its plans to focus on its Mexican assets, the company has announced.

UWA physics professor and gravity expert David Blair was last night named Western Australian Scientist of the year at the Premier's Science Awards.

West Perth-based Precious Metals Australia Ltd has secured the principal environmental approvals necessary to reconstruct and commence operation of the Windimurra vanadium mine, the company has announced.

Banks predict three interest rates rises until may; Cost of shipping bulk commodities hits all time high; ANZ set aside $1b for Asian investments; Visy CEO claimed full responsability for illegal price-fixing; Jones says he still has shareholders' support

South Perth-based Northern Mining Ltd will raise $2.2 million through a non-renounceable rights issue to raise funds for exploration and drilling programs, the company has announced.

Gindalbie Metals Ltd and Midwest Corporation Ltd could be the losers from a state government review of the Mid West, which has endorsed the big iron ore projects planned for the region but put a question mark over several others.

West Perth-based takeover target Consolidated Minerals Ltd has reported a shortfall in manganese production of 40,000 tonnes during the September quarter, in its quarterly activities report released today.

Western Australian metals explorers Buxton Resources Ltd, of West Perth, and Nedlands-based GBM Resources Ltd traded steady after their debuts on the Australian Securities Exchange.

New nickel projects will inject a further 275,000 tonnes of the metal into global markets by 2013 - but supply-demand dynamics are expected to remain tight, Delta Securities' research analyst Carey Smith told the 2007 Paydirt Australian Nickel Conference

Perth-based financial services provider Cygnet Capital has been named the 54th fastest growing company in the annual BRW Fast 100, the company has announced.

The recently-retired managing director of iron ore hopeful Grange Resources Ltd, Geoff Wedlock, has been appointed to the board of Sundance Resources Ltd as a non-executive director, the company has announced.

Perth-based neurology research company NeuroDiscovery Ltd has invited Queensland-based TetraQ Pty Ltd to market the safety pharmacology services of subsidiary NeuroSolutions Ltd in Australasia, the company has announced.

West Perth-based tungsten-molybdenum miner Thor Mining Plc has signed a native title mining agreement for its Molyhil project in the Northern Territory with the Eastern Arrernte people, the company has announced.

A major artwork which gained international recognition after being installed on a white, salt surface in the Goldfields has been gifted to the people of Western Australia by British sculptor Antony Gormley.

Perth-based oil and gas explorer Strike Oil Ltd has issued 16.9 million shares to shareholders through an entitlements issue, alloting the shortfall of the $10 million capital raising.

Subiaco-based Global Nickel Investments Ltd will acquire a 75 per cent stake in a New Zealand platinum and nickel project for $65,000 and the issue of 2 million shares, the company has announced.

Waste management company Transpacific Industries Ltd has agreed to acquire a 15 per cent shareholding in metals recycling company CMA Corporation Ltd, which has extensve Western Australian operations, for around $25 million.

Iron ore developers Gindalbie Resources Ltd and Sundance Resources Ltd confirmed today they would not be proceeding with their planned $2.4 billion merger after shareholders and institutions rejected the concept.