Prime Minister Julia Gillard is wary of an economy where the only signs of strength are in the mining sector, after hundreds of jobs were slashed in the banking and manufacturing sectors.

IronClad Mining has inked a sales deal for iron ore from its Wilcherry Hill project in South Australia with Hong Kong-based resources sector investment group New Page Investment.

Mining company Xstrata has confirmed it is in merger discussions with commodities trading giant Glencore International.

Mining giants Rio Tinto and Vale have been criticised by an independent Southern African watchdog for unfair treatment of locals in Mozambique.

A daughter of billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart complained that she was down to her last $60,000 and urged her mum to provide her with a cook and a bodyguard, according to emails tendered as part of the family's ongoing court feud.

Royal Dutch Shell's top executives have dismissed weaker than anticipated fourth quarter earnings as a blip and said Europe's biggest oil company will embark on a new program to boost production, with an eye-catching emphasis on US natural gas.

Clive Palmer said he will consider a tilt at media ownership like his billionaire counterpart Gina Rinehart who has become Fairfax Media's biggest single shareholder.

Australia's richest person, billionaire Gina Rinehart, is also the richest woman in Asia and on the way to becoming the richest woman in the world, according to Forbes' latest rich list.

Rare earths miner Lynas said it has a responsibility to the Malaysian community to operate a newly-approved plant in a safe manner.

BHP Billiton has committed US$779 million ($735.98 million) to a port project that could increase its Western Australian iron ore exports by 100 million tonnes each year.

Rio Tinto's 40-year-old aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point near Bluff on New Zealand's South Island, had its biggest production year ever in 2011.