Xstrata backs Indophil takeover bid

XSTRATA has given China's Zijin Mining a flying start to its $1.28-a-share takeover bid for Indophil, Xstrata's partner in the Tampakan copper/gold deposit in the Philippines.

Indophil shares leap as mine deal struck

XSTRATA has given China's Zijin Mining a flying start to its $1.28-a-share takeover bid for Melbourne-based Indophil, Xstrata's partner in the world-class Tampakan copper/gold deposit on the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

Huge outback mine promises to deliver in Olympic proportions

BHP Billiton's proposed Olympic Dam copper/uranium/gold mine expansion in South Australia's outback is set to become the group's most expensive undertaking, with analysts estimating an all-up cost of $US15-20 billion ($A23 billion).

All that glitters is Newcrest's golden fortunes

LEADING gold producer Newcrest has been chased higher on the market after posting a better than expected June-year profit and again increasing dividends.

Now the Indians are coming for our coal

YOU don€™t expect success when you invite your neighbour in for some drinks and offer him half price for his house.

Earnings tumble as Rio takes big hit on Alcan

RIO TINTO'S reporting of its March quarter profit got overlooked in last week's about-face on its $US19.2 billion ($24.2 billion) bailout by Chinalco and its replacement with a $US21 billion raising from a rights issue and its iron ore compact with BHP Billiton.

Price slump digs into profit

RIO TINTO's report of its March-quarter profit got overlooked, with last week's aborted Chinalco deal and its replacement with a $US21 billion ($A26 billion) raising from a rights issue and its iron ore compact with BHP Billiton.

Integral Combats Copper Bandits

COPPER cables used to earth electricity are being cut away from power poles in the Illawarra and sold on the black market by thieves looking to make an easy dollar.

Energy Providers Feel The Heat As Copper Wire Thefts Soar

STEALING from electricity providers has become one of the fastest-growing forms of theft in NSW. The soaring price of copper is enticing thieves into increasingly brazen and foolhardy acts in their quest for electrical wire.

Stronger For Longer Is Play Of The Day

The industrial sector of the Australian sharemarket is in the grip of a bear market, but in the resources sector the "stronger for longer" commodity prices driven by China continue to persuade players that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

Copper Price Puts Focus On Disputed Mine

BOUGAINVILLE COPPER is back on Rio Tinto's agenda.

Hot Stock

What's new? Oxiana recently announced production figures for the March quarter, which revealed a strong performance at the Sepon and Golden Grove mines. Both operations achieved record production volumes and, although there was some evidence of cost inflation, this was more than offset by higher copper prices.

Oxiana Gains On Promise Of Prominent Hill Project

REBOUNDING copper prices and confirmation that its game-changing $1.1 billion Prominent Hill copper/gold project was on track to produce its first metal in the December quarter has allowed Oxiana to shake-off its recent share price doldrums.

Falling Copper Price Hits Universal Resources

UNIVERSAL Resources has demonstrated the pitfalls of basing a mining project on boom-time prices.

Thieves Strip Copper, Rain Head, From Cathedral

A RARE copper box used as a rain filter that has sat atop Newcastle's Christ Church Cathedral since 1903 was stolen in the latest spate of thefts believed to be spurred by a rise in copper prices late last year.

Xstrata Gets Bhp's $1bn Copper Prize

BHP BILLITON has served up something of a second prize to the Zug-based Xstrata by selling it the Tintaya copper project in the Peruvian Andes for $US750 million ($A984 million).