AUSTRALASIA

Friedland touch ignites Central Australia gold-copper quest

Monday , 29 Jun 2009
Robert Friedland's Ivanhoe Australia is investing in joint venture exploration programmes with Australian junior Emmerson resources.

Newmont takes over Australia's awakening gold giant

Friday , 26 Jun 2009
Newmont Mining Corporation and AngloGold Ashanti today confirmed that Newmont had taken full ownership of the massive Boddington gold project in Western Australia.

Lion Selection puts all its gold eggs in one basket

Wednesday , 24 Jun 2009
Melbourne-based investment company Lion Selection has come to an agreement with aspiring Western Australian gold miner Catalpa Resources that, if approved by shareholders in both camps, will see the emergence of a new mid-tier Australian gold miner.

Dear Mark & Cynthia

Wednesday , 24 Jun 2009
Xstrata's confidential letter to the board of Anglo American Plc.

Australia investigates claims on China dumping aluminium

Wednesday , 24 Jun 2009
The complaints surface as Chinese exports of raw materials and semi-finished goods face less receptive buyers in countries hard hit by the financial downturn.

Phoenix-like Monarch Gold to become a Swan

Tuesday , 23 Jun 2009
High profile Perth mining identity Michael Kiernan who was at the helm of Monarch Gold Mining Ltd when the company sunk through a mining under-performance and debt issues will be back at the wheel for its planned revival.

Out of chrome in Africa, into gold in PNG

Friday , 19 Jun 2009
After spending more than two frustrating years making slow progress on a chrome mine and plant in South Africa, Perth-based Chrome Corporation has announced it plans to take over Papua New Guinea explorer Pacific Nuigini Minerals.

Downward pressure on uranium price in the short term but fundamentals are strong

Thursday , 18 Jun 2009
A new review by Resource Capital Research (RCR) said that while buyers have been re-entering the uranium market the activity was less fervent than in past months - indicating short term downward pressure towards $US48 a pound in the spot price.

Flat Chinese industrial metals market predicted for 1-2 years

Thursday , 18 Jun 2009
Major Chinese mining and metals group, Minmetals, sees Chinese metals demand flat dampening recovery speculation.

Speculation rife that Lihir Gold may give Ballarat to the morticians

Wednesday , 17 Jun 2009
Major gold miner Lihir Gold Ltd acquired the Ballarat Goldfields for $A350 million ($US279 M) on the basis the deal could see Lihir matching Newcrest as Australia's premier domestically-owned gold producer. Now, media speculation is that the expensive and under-performing Ballarat re-development may be shut down.

Ballarat gold output target slashed by Lihir Gold

Tuesday , 16 Jun 2009
Continuing operational problems at its Ballarat mine has caused Lihir Gold to slash output targets for this year and to take an impairment charge in writing down the value of its investment.

China may impose sanctions on BHP/Rio over iron ore deal

Friday , 12 Jun 2009
If Chinese competition agencies do not approve the merging of Rio and BHP's iron ore interests then trade sanctions could be imposed on the two mega miners according to reports from Beijing.

Exco secures White Dam gold project finance tranche

Thursday , 11 Jun 2009
Australian junior Exco Resources, which is in the Ivanhoe Australia stable, has raised A$7.2 M through a share placement towards its advanced White Dam gold project construction.

Eleventh hour sweetener wins base metals miner OZ Minerals for Minmetals

Thursday , 11 Jun 2009
OZ Minerals shareholders have approved the Minmetals takeover/rescue deal following a last minute upping of its bid.

Rio/Chinalco deal collapse prompts surge in other Australian iron ore shares

Thursday , 11 Jun 2009
Prices rose sharply for Australia's other iron ore miners, developers and explorers on view that China may look to this sector to invest and secure long term supplies.

Macquarie set to make eleventh hour recapitalisation offer to OZ Minerals

Wednesday , 10 Jun 2009
Australia's Macquarie Bank is reported to be going to make a new improved offer to OZ Minerals involving share placement and rights issue as China's Minmetals deal due to close.

Failed gold miner moves into the nickel business

Tuesday , 09 Jun 2009
Croesus Mining, its major shareholder in millionaire prospector Mark Creasy and emerging gold miner Apex Minerals have pooled their nickel assets to create a new Western Australian nickel float.

Western Australian Premier may put a spanner in big Pilbara iron ore merger

Monday , 08 Jun 2009
Western Australia's conservative coalition Premier Colin Barnett iterated today his misgivings over the apparent terms of a proposed merger of the massive iron ore mines in the Pilbara region of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

Two funds emerge as counter bidder for OZ Minerals

Monday , 08 Jun 2009
A day is proving to be a long time in the life of OZ Minerals Ltd, the company now under a takeover bid from China's big Minmetals group.

Junior iron ore lobby calls for open access on Pilbara railways

Monday , 08 Jun 2009
The organisation formed last year to represent the group of junior companies aspiring to develop new iron ore deposits in the Pilbara region of Western Australia has called for open access to railways to prevent a monopoly system.

Harmony Gold's hidden secret

Friday , 05 Jun 2009
Boardroom Talk focuses on the secret everyone knew about but turned a blind eye until illegal gold miners died.

Stunning Pilbara iron ore pact a relief for Australian Government

Friday , 05 Jun 2009
Rio Tinto's $5.8 billion jv deal with BHP over its Pilbara iron ore operations has saved the Australian Government from potentially embarrassing decisions involving China.

Rio's Chinalco deal dead as goes for iron ore jv with BHP and rights issue

Friday , 05 Jun 2009
Mega miner Rio Tinto walks away from Chinalco deal in favour of raising $15.2 bln in deeply discounted rights issue and does deal to set up iron ore jv with rival BHP.

Now it's Chinalco seeking to amend Rio terms

Thursday , 04 Jun 2009
Sources say any changes would address concerns raised by both Canberra and Rio Tinto shareholders over the biggest overseas investment by a Chinese company.

Sino Gold and Gold Fields alter China alliance

Thursday , 04 Jun 2009
Sino Gold Mining, listed in Australia and Hong Kong, confirmed today that the existing exploration agreement it had with South African-based gold mining giant Gold Fields would now change.