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Investigations into Tropicana death

A TROPICANA gold operation contractor was been found dead in the mine's village last week.

Mine operator AngloGold Ashanti said the Macmahon Holdings employee was found last night while off shift.

"Counselling services have been made available to all who have been affected by the incident," AngloGold said.

"The relevant authorities have been notified and the man's next of kin are being contacted.

"No further information is available at this time."

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Safety becomes major industry issue after another fatality in NSW

THE New South Wales coal mining industry has been rocked by another fatality with the reported death of a contractor at Idemitsu's Boggabri mine in the Gunnedah Basin this morning.

The fatality comes as the New South Wales Minerals Council has just completed a two day seminar on maintaining safety standards in the mining industry and after the death of two mine workers at Yancoal's Austar mine underground last month when walls collapsed in a development tunnel.

The deceased mine worker at Boggabri - a construction rigger - did not respond to CPR by ambulance crews after he sustained trauma to his neck and head by "some sort of structure," according to NSW Ambulance.

The deceased man is in his 40s and believed to be working on the extension of the controversial mine which - along with the nearby Maules Creek coal project - has been the subject of several protests because of its proximity to the Leard Forest.

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Newcrest unveils flagship mine

NEWCREST Mining managing director Greg Robinson has spoken of the company's pride as it officially opened the $A2 billion Cadia East mine near Orange in New South Wales yesterday.

"It's difficult to overstate the importance of this mine to Newcrest," Robinson said at Cadia yesterday.

"This is an enormous deal for Newcrest. This is our most significant mine.

"It's taken eight years of both design and structure to deliver it, and it will be the flagship for the company for the next 20 years."

Robinson said the project had been a major part of his life since he joined Newcrest in 1996. He welcomed his predecessor, Ian Smith, and former Newcrest chairman Don Mercer, who were there to help celebrate the milestone.

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Former Moly director sentenced to death: reports

FORMER Sichuan Hanlong chairman Liu Han has reportedly been sentenced to death in China.

According to Bloomberg, Liu, his brother Liu Wei and three others were sentenced to death in the Xianning Intermediate People's Court for crimes including murder and leading an organised crime group in Sichuan.

A total of 36 people were sentenced for crimes associated with Liu.

Rumours of Lui's arrest started circulating in March last year as his company, Hanlong Mining, was trying to wrap up a $A1.4 billion takeover of Australia's Sundance Resources.

The deal collapsed the following month, about two years after he takeover bid was launched.

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Norilsk offloads WA projects

RUSSIAN nickel giant Norilsk Nickel has announced the sale of its Avalon and Cawse mines in Western Australia to Wingstar Investments for an undisclosed sum.

Norislk described Wingstar as a "resource-focused investment company with mining and exploration tenements in Western Australia".

The Avalon (formerly Bulong) nickel laterite deposit and processing plant have been on care and maintenance since 2003, while the Cawse open pit and plant have been suspended since 2008.

"As a result of this transaction the company expects to realise a significant gain, primarily through a release of previously recognised environmental and asset retirement provisions," Norilsk said.

Wingstar will assume all environmental rehabilitation obligations related to the assets.

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