ANACONDA NICKEL (30 MARCH 2001)

Anaconda Nickel Limited announced the appointment of Mr Ian Delaney to the Board as a non-executive Director. Mr Delaney is Executive Chairman of Sherritt International Corporation, developer of the high-pressure acid leach process in use at the Murrin Murrin Nickel and Cobalt Project, and a substantial shareholder in Anaconda with just under a 10% holding.
The appointment of Mr Delaney results from the retirement of Mr Allan Coogan who, as foreshadowed at the last Annual General Meeting, has decided to stand down.

AUSTPAC RESOURCES (30 MARCH 2001)

In the interests of a fully informed share market, Austpac Resources NL wishes to clarify statements made yesterday by its joint venture partner in the above project, Ticor Limited during an Open Briefing interview. In the briefing Ticor's Managing Director', Rod Ruston was asked about progress of the Austpac (37%) - Ticor (37%) - Indian Rare, Earths Limited (IRE - 26%) joint venture, AusRutile India Private Limited. He replied:

"We are currently working with Indian Rare Earths to finalise the joint venture agreement and to secure tenure over the mineral resource. The design of the 10,000 tpa pilot plant is nearing completion. Construction of this plant in Orissa is expected to start in the second half of 2001 if all tenure issues are resolved by that time."

Austpac is concerned that this statement does not accurately reflect the current status of this project and its progress towards production, which is expected to start in 2002.

The position is as follows:

1. BACKGROUND: IRE holds the mining rights over the Chatrapur (OSCOM) heavy mineral deposit, which contains over 23 million tonnes of ilmenite. Austpac, Ticor and IRE have agreed that the joint venture company, AusRutile, will initially purchase ilmenite from Indian Rare Earths for the 10,000 tpa synthetic rutile plant. They have further agreed that when AusRutile increases its synthetic rutile capacity by at least 100,000 tpa, AusRutile will have direct access to sufficient heavy minerals to feed the AusRutile synthetic rutile plants through a sub-lease of part of IRE's Mining Lease. This is an integral part of the AusRutile agreement.

2. CURRENT STATUS: The Parties are now finalising the detailed arrangements which cover all aspects of the project and allow for its future expansion. These arrangements, including the Mining Sub-lease agreement, are on track, and are expected to be completed within the next two months. It is this sublease that was mentioned as the "tenure issue" in the Open Briefing comments by Mr Ruston.

As a normal and expected part of the project's progress, government approvals are required. The approval of the Mining Sub-lease by the Orissa State Government is the next step after all the above project agreements are in place. The final design and costing report will be completed in July 2001, and as the State of Orissa is a strong supporter of the project, AusRutile aims to have all necessary approvals in place so that construction can start in the second half of 2001.

The project is proceeding to plan with excellent results using the ERMS and EARS technologies on Orissa ilmenite in our recently upgraded Newcastle pilot plant. Ausenco are incorporating these results into the design for the 10,000 tpa plant, and are on schedule to complete this stage in July 2001.

BEACH PETROLEUM (30 MARCH 2001)

Beach Petroleum NL's strategy to boost its Otway Basin gas reserves takes another step forward with the anticipated spudding of the Croft-1 wildcat exploration well yesterday.
Croft-1 is only seven kilometres southwest of last month's successful McIntee-1 commercial gas discovery in which Beach Petroleum has a 10% interest.

DIORO EXPLORATION (30 MARCH 2001)

The following summarises the exploration activity of Dioro Exploration NL for the quarter ended 28 February 2001:

GOLD

FROG'S LEG PROJECT (Mungari East Joint Venture)
Dioro holds a 49% interest in the Frog's Leg Project, located 22 kilometres west of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The remaining 51% interest is held by the Joint Venture operator, Mines and Resources Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cogema group.

During the quarter the joint venture carried out a program of drilling which comprised 4,360 metres of RC drilling and 5,605 metres of diamond drilling at the Frog's Leg project, plus a further 4,500 metres of aircore drilling to test the interpreted southern extension of the "Raleigh Trend". This drilling forms part of a $1,800,000 program (Dioro's share $882,000) that commenced late in November 2000 and is scheduled for completion in early April 2001. Geochemical and geophysical surveys were also carried out to determine the prospectivity of the project tenement outside the areas already tested.

Drilling at Frog's Leg is testing the mineralised zone to vertical depths of up to 400 metres below surface. The Hornet project located on the adjacent East Kundana Joint Venture project (Goldfields 51%), immediately to the north of Frog's Leg and on the same geological structure, has previously been extended to a vertical depth of 500 metres.

Frog's Leg is the first major project or prospect to be identified within the Mungari Joint Venture tenements. These tenements include an 11 kilometre long section of prospective stratigraphy, lying immediately adjacent and along strike from the interpreted Raleigh and ABC lines of mineralisation on neighbouring ground, that is at an early stage of exploration evaluation. This prospective stratigraphy is an extension of the same rock sequence that hosts the Kundana orebodies and the recently defined Raleigh and Hornet-Rubicon-Pegasus deposits.

COMMENT
As the program is incomplete the implications of the excellent drilling results highlighted above cannot be fully evaluated, but it is clear that they will have a positive impact on the resource upside at Frog's Leg to a significant, but as yet unqantified, extent. At the commencement of the current program Frog's Leg had an inferred resource of 339,000 ounces to a depth of only 180 metres, and remained open along strike to the north and south, and at depth. Deeper drilling is being carried out in the current program, with the deepest mineralised intersection to date being at 468 metres down hole (approximately 380 metres vertical depth), and the indications are that the mineralisation still remains open at depth and along strike in a number of areas, notably at the northern end.

A revised resource estimation taking into account the latest drilling results is likely to be commence at the end of the present program (tentatively scheduled for completion in April) following the completion of a revised geological model.

DOMINION MINING (30 MARCH 2001)

The company's current cash position remains strong at $18.0 million and Dominion is well positioned to capitalize on exploration success.
The next six months will be a particularly active and interesting time as we move ahead with the feasibility study on Challenger and progress exploration programs in the south west Yilgarn region of Western Australia and at the Yumbarra project in South Australia.

GREENSTONE RESOURCES (30 MARCH 2001)

Greenstone has commenced a drilling program at its North Bullfinch gold project. The 2500m RC program will cover the Violet, Pioneer and Colreavy prospects where earlier drilling yielded intersections such as:

• 3.0m at 23.2 g/t and 3.Om at 19.7 g/t (Violet)
• 6.0m at 9.77 g/t (Colreavy)
• 2.0m at 23.45 g/t and 4.0m at 12.50 g/t (Pioneer)

MINERAL DEPOSITS (30 MARCH 2001)

Mining to Proceed on Fullerton Extension

The New South Wales Government made a major announcement in relation to Stockton Bight last month balancing protection of the environment, a local Aboriginal land claim and the plans of industry while taking account of developmental concerns. The package of measures approved paved the way for the creation of a new 4,200 hectare national park/conservation area whilst, at the same time, facilitating concurrence by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning with the company's Development Approval for the right to continue mining at the southern end of the area. The land claim in favour of the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council over 5,002 hectares was approved on the basis that the park/conservation sections be leased back by the State Government in consideration for which all annual fee is payable to the Land Council and Worimi people are employed as rangers. For details, click here.

MOLOPO AUSTRALIA (30 MARCH 2001)

Molopo advised that the Company has concluded a Farm-In Agreement with Oil Company of Australia Limited ("OCA") to earn a 50% interest in Authority to Prospect 564P, with an option to earn a 50% interest in the northern portion of the adjoining Production Lease 94.

Both areas are located in the Bowen Basin in Queensland and adjoin OCA's existing production lease (PL94) where OCA has already established a commercial coalbed methane ("CBM") operation.

Under the terms of the agreement, Molopo will fund a total of 5 CBM wells over 5 separate prospects identified by OCA, to be completed by the end of the current financial year.

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (30 MARCH 2001)

Following the successful takeover of the company by Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Ltd, we advise the following appointments to the Board.

* Mr Thaddeus S A Grobicki Executive Chairman
* Mr Bernard Swanepoel Non-Executive Director
* Mr Peter McKenna Non-Executive Director

We also advise the resignations of Mr Eduard Eshuys as Managing Director, Director and Chief Executive Officer and Mr Mark Pitt as a Director.

Dr Wyn Davies has stepped down as Chairman, but, like Mr Nicholas Limb continues as a Non-Executive Director.

The company expresses its thanks and appreciation to the outgoing Directors and welcomes the new Directors to the company.

NORTHERN GOLD (30 MARCH 2001)

In relation to an off-market bid by Pilatus Gold Corporation Pty Ltd ACN 096 149 496 to acquire up to 70% of your shares in Northern Gold NL ACN 009 620 937 for 13 cents cash for each Northern Gold fully paid share and 5.5 cents cash for each Northern Gold 8 cent partly paid share paid to 0.5 cents and 0.1 cent cash for each Northern Gold 25 cent partly paid share paid to 0.5 cents

NOVUS PETROLEUM (30 MARCH 2001)

Novus Petroleum Limited, has announced that the PQ-5 exploration well on the NN-North prospect, Qatar has been spudded.
The NN-North prospect is located in Novus' Block 8, offshore Qatar approximately 5km northeast of Najwet Najem (NN) field. The well was spudded on Monday, 26 March 2001.

PACMIN MINING CORPORATION (30 MARCH 2001)

Northern Gold NL ("Northern Gold"), a 51% listed subsidiary of PacMin Mining Corporation Limited ("PacMin"), has today received an off-market cash takeover offer from Pilatus Gold Corporation Pty Ltd ("Pilatus") to acquire up to 70% of Northern Gold's fully and partly paid shares.

Pilatus, an Australian company controlled by a group of professional investors, is offering 13 cents cash for each fully paid Northern Gold share.

The Board of PacMin will consider the offer for its 51% Northern Gold shareholding in due course once relevant takeover documentation has been forwarded to shareholders.

PETSEC ENERGY (30 MARCH 2001)

Petsec entered into agreements with three companies allowing them to bid for five leases at the Mineral Management Service ("MMS") sale of Federal leases in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico, USA held in New Orleans on 27th March.
The bids were the highest for each of the respective leases and if approved by the MMS, will be awarded.

Under the bidding arrangements, Petsec will hold overriding royalty interests in the leases ranging from 4% to 7%.

The five leases are
* Main Pass 89
* Ship Shoal 184
* Ship Shoal 191
* West Cameron 462
* West Cameron 480

RAND MINING (30 MARCH 2001)

Diamond drilling on the Golden Hind project within the East Kundana Joint Venture (EKJV) has returned some high grade drill intersections.
The project is located approximately 2km to the south along the same structure as the million ounce Raleigh deposit.
Diamond drilling designed to intersect the vein structure at 50-100m vertical depth returned best gold values of 0.6m at 29.8g/t and 0.55m at 19.5g/t gold in holes CFDD003 and CFDD004 respectively. Deeper diamond drilling intersected high gold grades with a best intersection of 1m at 41.1g/t gold from 150m in hole CFDD005 and 0.5m at 23.5g/t in hole CFDD009.

ROC OIL (30 MARCH 2001)

Activity Update

1 APPRAISAL DRILLING

1.1 UK ONSHORE: ESKDALE-13: (ROC: 5% FREE CARRIED)
As of 29 March 2001, (UK time), the Eskdale-13 appraisal well in PEDL 002 was at a depth of 2056 metres after recently completing wireline logging operations. The programmed Total Depth of the well is 2220 metres.

1.2 UK NORTH SEA: CHESTNUT OIL FIELD (ROC: 29.75% CARRIED)
As of 29 March 2001, (UK time), the Chestnut Field appraisal well, 22/2A-11, in UK North Sea licence P 354, was preparing to drill ahead in a side track hole at a depth of 2489 metres, several hundred metres above the anticipated reservoir.

2. DEVELOPMENT

2.1 UK NORTH SEA: KYLE OIL FIELD (ROC: 12.5%)
Final preparations are underway for the start of full-scale oil production from the Kyle Field via the Curlew Field's floating production facilities. First oil is expected to flow next week.

3. SEISMIC

3.1 ONSHORE UK: SOUTH HUMBER BASIN (ROC: 100% AND OPERATOR)
A 50km 2D seismic survey in PEDL 76 in the South Humber Basin has been completed. It was possible to carry out the survey despite the Foot-and-Mouth disease restrictions in the UK, because it only used roads and non-agricultural paths. These restrictions, however, continue to cause the postponement of the planned 400 sq km 3D survey, and, with no sign of an end to the disease or the associated restrictions, it is not possible to forecast when this survey will commence.

3.2 EQUATORIAL GUINEA: RIO MUNI BASIN (ROC: 60% AND TECHNICAL PARTNER)
The 100% ROC-funded, 1380 sq km, 3D seismic survey in Blocks H15 and H16 in the deep water offshore Equatorial Guinea is essentially complete except for the acquisition of some infill lines which is expected to be completed within the next day or two.

VICTORIA PETROLEUM (30 MARCH 2001)

Victoria Petroleum NL, as Operator for the Eagle Project Joint Venture, advises that the Eagle-1 exploration well is currently being prepared for drilling by plugging back the existing Mary-Bellocchi #1 wellbore and setting sidetrack equipment.

The sidetrack will be commenced at 3490 metres (11,500 feet) and drilled to a measured depth of 4557 metres (14,950 feet). A horizontal well bore of up to 300 metres (1000 feet) in length between 4252 - 4557 metres (13,950 - 14,950 feet) is programmed.

The commencement of drilling the sidetracked Eagle-1 is forecast to commence late April-early May, subject to rig availability.

Eagle-1 is testing the oil and gas development potential of the Eagle Prospect, San Joaquin Basin, California.

BEACONSFIELD GOLD (30 MARCH 2001)

HERALD RESOURCES (30 MARCH 2001)

Herald's 71% owned subsidiary, International Annax Ventures Inc. (IAX) reports as follows:

The Company is pleased to announce that it has commenced the year 2001 drilling program at the Dairi project in Sumatra, and will achieve cost savings in positioning the drill rig, by sharing a helicopter under contract to the nearby Anglo/Normandy joint venture project.

The year 2001 drilling program will be focused toward expanding the previously announced Anjing Hitam indicated resource of 7.5 million tonnes grading 16.7% zinc, 10.3% lead (27.0% combined zinc-lead) and 14g/t silver, plus an additional inferred resource of 2.5 million tonnes grading 11.3% zinc, 6.8% lead (18.1% combined zinc-lead) and 13g/t silver. These resources were defined by 24 diamond drill holes along an 800 metre length of the zone between section 9457N and 10100N.

This year's initial hole, SOP46D, is collared on section 9470N and will test the extension of high grade zind-lead sedex mineralisation approximately 120 metres down dip of hole SOP41D that assayed 15.6% zinc and 9.1% lead (24.7% combined zinc-lead) over 6.6 metres.

The Anjing Hitam zone, which remains open in several directions, is located at the southern end of the 3.5 kilometre-long Sopokomil sedex horizon. North of the Anjing Hitam zone, 8 widely-spaced exploratory drill holes collared over a 2.7 kilometre strike length have intersected significant sedex-style zinc-lead mineralisation. This drilling has identified the previously reported Base Camp and Bongkaras zones. Notable was hole SOP45D, the last hole drilled in the
Year 2000 program, with a 5.5 metre intersection grading 14.6% zinc and 8.5% lead (23.1% combined zinc-lead) in the Bongkaras zone, located in the northern most exposure of the Sopokomil horizon.

QUEENSLAND GAS COMPANY (30 MARCH 2001)

Brokers Report - Wilson HTM issues a "BUY RECOMMENDATION"

ANGLO PACIFIC GROUP (30 MARCH 2001)

PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2000

RESULTS
Group profits before tax were GBP2,653,000 compared to GBP300,000 for the previous year after excluding mineral asset write down, provision reversals and loss on disposal of subsidiaries. Group turnover, including royalties as well as discontinued operations, was GBP5,124,000 compared to GBP5,222,000. The retained loss after tax, interest payable and write down of mineral assets and loss on disposal of subsidiaries for the period was reduced to GBP1,775,000 (1999:GBP3,827,000 loss).
There will be no dividend this year due to the Group having insufficient distributable reserves.

In Australia, coal royalty receipts from the Kestrel and Crinum mines, operated by Rio Tinto and BHP respectively, increased by 332% to GBP3,069,000 (1999:GBP710,000).

BHP (30 MARCH 2001)

BHP announced it would write-off its equity investment in the Venezuela Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) facility, cease any further investment and raise provisions to support BHP's total financial obligations in relation to the asset.
The Orinoco HBI plant is operated by Orinoco Iron and is a joint venture between International Briquettes Holding (IBH) and BHP.
The decision follows completion of a detailed review of the future economic value of the asset - initiated as a result of a poorer than expected commissioning performance - a deterioration in the market for HBI and a requirement for significant additional capital and other expenditure.

DELTA GOLD (30 MARCH 2001)

Perpetual Trustees Australia Limited increased its relevant interest in Delta Gold Limited on 28/03/2001, from 19,833,274 ordinary shares (7.44%) to 23,701,802 ordinary shares (8.89%).

HILLCREST RESOURCES (30 MARCH 2001)

Further to the Prospectus lodged on 20 February 2001 the Company advises that at the closing date of 28 March 2001 the number of options subscribed for by the shareholders was 23,318,987. Accordingly the shortfall on this issue was 17,229,849 options.

JOHNSON'S WELL MINING (30 MARCH 2001)

The Northern Territory Minister for Resource Development Daryl Manzie, the Central Land Council, Gutnick Resources NL and Johnson's Well Mining NL today announced that Minister Manzie had granted Exploration Licence No's 10239, 10241 and 10251 to Gutnick Resources NL and Exploration Licence No's 10268 and 10270 to Johnson's Well Mining NL.

MOSAIC OIL (30 MARCH 2001)

Woodside, as Operator, is preparing to plug and abandon the Delilah 1 well after circulation problems and related safety issues were encountered over several days. The well depth was 2857 meters and short of the deeper primary target and planned TD of 3010 meters and a possible extended TD of 3,900 meters. Of the three possible targets in the well only one sand was penetrated (which was devoid of hydrocarbons) prior to the Joint Venture decision to plug and abandon.

OIL SEARCH (30 MARCH 2001)

Drilling activities have commenced in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This is part of the contracted exploration, appraisal and development drilling programme that will continue through 2001 and 2002.

The northern drilling programme involves sequential drilling of a development well in Kutubu, an appraisal well at Moran, exploration activity at Bakari and further development activity at Kutubu and Moran.

The programme has a range of low risk development wells, mitigating production decline at Kutubu, significant production holes at Moran, as part of the Moran Central development, and high impact exploration well at Bakari.

The order of drilling for the southern drilling programme in the Gobe, Saunders and PPL219 areas is now being finalised. and will be announced when the rig is contracted. This programme is due to start in June and continue into 2002.

ROMA PETROLEUM (30 MARCH 2001)

Roma announced that it and Guinness Peat Group plc the holders in equal shares of Exploration Permit NT/P56 in the Bonaparte Basin, Timor Sea offshore Darwin, have entered into a farmout agreement with King Resources Inc of Mississippi, USA. Under the terms of the agreement King will carry out at its cost an 860 km 2D seismic survey and drill four wells to test the Plover Formation.
This formation is the reservoir for the large Greater Sunrise gas condensate fields to the north and west in adjoining petroleum titles.
The seismic survey is due to commence in May and the Initial Well in October this year.
Roma and Guinness Peat will each have an overriding royalty of 2(1/2)% and a working interest of 7(1/2)%.
King Resources will recover the cost of the Initial Well from production of that well prior to Roma and Guinness Peat participating in the proceeds of production from that well. Roma and Guinness Peat can contribute on a well by well basis their respective 7(1/2)% of the costs of wells 2, 3 and 4 or alternatively pay a 500% penalty to King Resources from production of each well for their share of the cost that well.

ANACONDA NICKEL (29 MARCH 2001)

Anglo American plc ("Anglo American") informed Anaconda Nickel Limited ("Anaconda") that it intends to requisition an Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") of Anaconda shareholders to propose a change in the composition of the board, including the removal of the company's chief executive officer ("CEO") and chief financial officer ("CFO").

As part of its proposals, Anglo American will be recommending the Anaconda board undertake a rights issue to raise A$100 million for interim working capital pending a full strategic review of the company, its prospects and financial structure.

At the EGM shareholders would be asked to consider resolutions for the removal of all directors of Anaconda other than Messrs Campbell, Glasenberg, Linegar, Morrison and Stewart.

If Anglo American's proposals are approved and implemented, Anglo American would be prepared to support the rights issue on normal commercial terms and conditions.

If Anglo American's proposals are not approved, Anglo American will not provide any further financial support to Anaconda, unless and until the board and senior corporate management is reconstituted. Anglo American will continue to meet its pre-existing contractual commitments.

The independent directors of Anaconda Nickel Limited (Anaconda) have rejected certain proposals received from Anglo American plc (Anglo) which, they believe, would have delivered effective control of Anaconda to Anglo without proper consideration to other shareholders.

ANZOIL (29 MARCH 2001)

On Friday, 23 March 2001, Anzoil executed an Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) contract with Niigata Engineering for the construction of the Lembak LPG facility near Palembang in South Sumatra.
The contract is for US$15.74 million, which will be funded by a mixture of debt and equity.
Construction is expected to commence in June 2001, with first LPG production around 1 July 2002.

BHP (29 MARCH 2001)

BHP and Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd (Mitsubishi) announced an agreement to move to equal ownership of their interests in the Central Queensland Coal Associates (CQCA) and Gregory Joint Ventures (JVs).

This equalisation is a further step in the metallurgical coal strategic alliance (the Alliance) BHP and Mitsubishi announced at the time of launching the acquisition of QCT Resources Ltd (QRL) last year and follows the successful conclusion of this acquisition and the subsequent announcement of plans to integrate the CQCA Blackwater mine with the QRL South Blackwater mine.

The agreement will result in a transfer of 18.285% of the CQCA JV and 30.325% of the Gregory JV from BHP to Mitsubishi for A$1.005 billion.

CENTENNIAL COAL COMPANY (29 MARCH 2001)

The Company is progressing with plans for an equity raising which will involve existing Shareholders. The proposed size and structure of the equity raising have not yet been finalised and speculation concerning these details is premature. The Company will make a further detailed announcement as soon as it is in position to do so.

COAL & ALLIED INDUSTRIES (29 MARCH 2001)

Rio Tinto Limited announced that since 14 March 2001 it has acquired for cash in the market 1,590,064 shares in Coal & Allied Industries Limited at A$18.30 per share.
The acquisition increases Rio Tinto's shareholding in Coal & Allied Industries Limited to 72.71% from its previous shareholding of 70.88%.

CROESUS MINING (29 MARCH 2001)

Further drilling from the Lady Gladys deposit at Davyhurst has continued to yield high-grade gold intercepts providing the likelihood of a significant reserve boost. Drilling has been completed over a 400m long zone and the mineralisation remains open in all directions.

The ore zones dip shallowly to the east and are continuous along strike and down dip. The very high-grade intercepts show good continuity over a smaller interval, possibly representing individual shoots within the broader mineralised zone.

Ore resource calculations are close to being completed and pit optimisation studies will be carried out following this work.

Croesus Mining, Exploration Manager Michael Fowler said "the results look like supporting an expanded mining operation at Lady Gladys and adding further life to the Davyhurst operation. Our ongoing work will include diamond drilling and further step out and deeper drilling. Most of the intercepts are less than 70 metres deep providing good upside for further extensions to the resource."

HARDMAN RESOURCES (29 MARCH 2001)

The Chinguetti-1 well will test the prospect now named Khede (formerly referred to as Lead 1). This consists of stacked sandstone targets draped over a salt diapir in a water depth of 800 metres. The primary target is interpreted at an approximate depth of 2,365 to 2,500 metres. Proposed total depth (TD) is 2,620 metres below sea level.

The Scarabeo-7 semi-submersible drilling rig is being towed from the Mediterranean to offshore Mauritania. The rig is currently passing the Canary Islands and is expected to arrive on location at Chinguetti-1 site on 2 April 2001.

MATRIX OIL (29 MARCH 2001)

Matrix Oil is pleased to announce the completion of a number of major milestones that will see it become a significant oil producer by end 2001. These include:

• Completion of a US$24.5 million financing package
• Receipt of all requisite Indonesian governmental approvals for oil field development
• Award of the Langsa Floating, Production, Storage and Offtake (FPSO) supply contract to Modec/Itochu, one of the world's largest oil service contractors.

MT GRACE RESOURCES (29 MARCH 2001)

Following shareholder approval given at the 2000 Annual General Meeting, the Company has finalised the balance of the placement of 10,290,000 ordinary shares at an issue price of 20 cents each, to a group of professional investors.
The issue of ordinary shares has raised total proceeds of $2,058,000.
The Company is now well positioned with cash reserves exceeding $3 million.

The subscribers will also be granted a total of 5,145,000 free attaching listed options (on the same terms as the current listed options) to subscribe for ordinary shares in the Company. The options are exercisable at 20 cents each on or before 30 June 2003. The offer to participate in the private placement was made by way of an excluded offer under section 708 to the Corporation Law.

The funds raised will be utilised for continuing the advancement of the MINTEK technology presently being evaluated and trialled with respect to its application on the Company's Batchelor Magnesium Project.
The funding also underpins the future funding requirements to complete the first phase of the feasibility study presently being conducted by the Company.

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (29 MARCH 2001)

Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Limited increased its relevant interest in New Hampton Goldfields Limited on 27/03/2001, from 141,929,428 ordinary shares approx(69.22%) to 151,635,607 ordinary shares approx(73.96%).

PORTMAN (29 MARCH 2001)

Commonwealth Bank of Australia decreased its relevant interest in Portman Limited on 23/03/2001, from 14,745,882 fully paid ordinary shares (8.35%) to 12,568,610 fully paid ordinary shares (7.12%).

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (29 MARCH 2001)

The North West Shelf LNG Sellers announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc for the sale and purchase of 0.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG.
The agreement covers LNG supply for a long-term arrangement starting April 2006.

ZIMBABWE PLATINUM MINES (29 MARCH 2001)

The following directors have tendered their resignation to facilitate the reconstruction of the Zimplats board:

Mr John T Shaw
Mr Kerry Walter Sibraa
Mr Stephen Geoffrey Gemell

Nominations to the Zimplats board from Implats will be considered in due course. Shareholders will be informed of the new appointments.

LAKES OIL (28 MARCH 2001)

EAGLE OIL/GAS DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS - CALIFORNIA, USA

Lakes Oil N.L. ("Lakes") wishes to announce that is has negotiated a 15% interest in the Eagle oil/gas project in California, USA previously called Mary Bellocchi. Lakes originally participated in the drilling of the Mary Bellocchi No.1 well in 1986. At that time the well flowed 223 barrels of 42^o API oil per day and 0.82 million cubic feet of gas per day before excessive water and migrations of fines interfered with the flow of hydrocarbons.

The Joint Venture now believes that horizontal drilling technology, not available in 1986, can solve the engineering problems that occurred. It is now planned to re-enter the original hole and drill out the casing, allowing the drill to enter the "pay" zone (Gatchell Sandstone) horizontally. Should this be successful it should result in a much improved rate of recovery of both oil and gas.

A workover rig is currently on site assessing the well bore’s integrity prior to bringing in a larger rig late in April which will carry out the planned re-entry and horizontal drilling.

ASX participants and equities in the Eagle Oil/Gas Development are as follows:

Lakes Oil NL	15.00 %
Victoria Petroleum NL	32.50 % (Operator)
Sun Resources NL	10.00 % (Reducing to 7.5 % on exercise of back in rights on payout on production)
First Australia Resources NL	15.00 %

QUEENSLAND GAS (28 MARCH 2001)

QUEENSLAND GAS COMPANY COMPLETES RIDGEWOOD No 1 WELL

The Directors of Queensland Gas Company Limited (QGC) are pleased to announce that the company’s eighth well, Ridgewood No. 1 was completed at 1500 hours on Thursday 22 March 2001.

The well is located approximately 23 kilometres east of the township of Tara in the Surat Basin in Queensland, and approximately 65 kilometres southeast of QGC’s Argyle field.

The two upper seams (total of 12.8 metres of coal) have been under-reamed and the well has been completed and shut in as a potential coalbed methane well.

This well is the first of a two well program to earn QGC a 50% interest in the Walloon Coal Measures in ATP 621P.

Interests in the Walloon Coal Measures in ATP 621P when QGC earns its 50% will be:

ALLIED MINING & PROCESSING (28 MARCH 2001)

Allied reported an inaugural profit for the Company in the half year to 31 December 2000. This has come about as a result of the directors using their initiatives to counter the downturn in the mining industry and after many years of hard work by our Managing Director Mohamed El-Ansary and his staff.

As an initiative several years ago, the Company developed a modular mobile mineral processing plant. This project was the subject of a successful R&D Syndicate launched by Rothschild Australia Ltd. Through this fund the construction of the portable plant was completed at a total cost of $9.33 million of non-recourse finance.
The crushing, milling and cycloning part of the plant is now at work at Ravensthorpe where it is being leased to Tectonic Resources NL for the processing of the RAV8 nickel ore. After minor teething problems the plant was successfully commissioned in August 2000 and has since operated well and has on occasions exceeded its design capacity.

There continues to be interest from a number of sources for the gold treatment part of the plant and despite the difficult market it is likely the plant will be put to use in the foreseeable future with an expected substantial contribution to the Company's cash flow.

ANACONDA NICKEL (28 MARCH 2001)

Further to the ASX query regarding this morning's Australian Financial Review report of an Anglo American takeover bid, Anaconda's directors do not understand that Anglo American proposes to bid for Anaconda in the immediate future.

BHP (28 MARCH 2001)

BHP announced the start of contractual gas sales from its Extended Well Test on the Zamzama gas field in southern Pakistan.
The twin-well project initially came on stream on 8 March 2001, less than a year after gaining government approval and just three years after BHP completed its first exploration well on the field in March 1998. The development was completed on schedule, on budget and with no major safety incidents.

BLIGH OIL & MINERALS (28 MARCH 2001)

NEW ZEALAND - PEP38719, TARANAKI BASIN, BLIGH INTEREST: 5.00%
Bligh reported that the Rimu-A3 is currently drilling ahead at a depth of 3351 metres. The Upper Tariki Sandstone, principal target of the well, is expected to be encountered at approximately 3630 metres.
Production tubing has been run in the Rimu B2 and the well prepared for long term production tests from the Rimu limestone zone.

EAGLE BAY RESOURCES (28 MARCH 2001)

PROSPECTUS - For the issue of up to 40 equity units of 1% in petroleum exploration permit VIC/P41 at an issue price of $100,000 through placements to Invitees to raise up to $4,000,000.
Closing date 1 May 2001

Due to the unprecedented demand (including the directors of Eagle Bay Resources NL) we have had to re print the prospectus 3 times.

The oil-drilling rig "Ocean Bounty" has just completed a successful oil discovery ahead of time and is currently under tow to the Northright No-1 location for Eagle Bay and is expected on location in 29 days around April 23, 2001.

The Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment has indicated 10-12 days will be required to register investors on the petroleum title which is important to ensure tax deductibility. Consequently Eagle Bay will be issuing a supplementary prospectus around April 2, 2001 to close the issue by Wednesday April 11, 2001.

ENERGY RESOURCES OF AUSTRALIA (28 MARCH 2001)

ERA is committed to the responsible development of its operations to the benefit of all stakeholders, including all of the Company's shareholders. ERA's commitment to full evaluation of Jabiluka as part of the Company's longer term future, as advised at ERA's Annual General Meeting on 19 October 2000, has not changed.
As outlined at the AGM, the Company has previously agreed that the Ranger operation and the nearby Jabiluka operation would not be in full production simultaneously. In line with this approach, further development of ERA's operations is a matter for the Board of EPA to consider on a progressive basis in consultation with all key stakeholders who have a direct interest in the Company's ongoing business.
As part of this, ERA acknowledges that Aboriginal decision-making processes, as outlined under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 must be respected.
Following completion of Stage One Development in 1999/2000 the Jabiluka mine site is currently on a stand-by, environmental care and planning phase while stakeholder discussions occur regarding the delivery of better commercial, social and environmental outcomes for the region.

IVANHOE MINES (28 MARCH 2001)

Ivanhoe and Duke Energy International (DEI) announced the finalisation of an agreement to supply natural gas to Ivanhoe's iron-pellet plant at Port Latta, Tasmania. The agreement, which will enable Ivanhoe to convert its pellet plant furnaces from oil to cleaner burning natural gas, secures an underpinning load for Duke's Tasmanian Gas Pipeline. The pipeline will be the first to supply undersea gas from Bass Strait to business and residential customers in Tasmania.

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (28 MARCH 2001)

Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Limited increased its relevant interest in New Hampton Goldfields Limited on 26/03/2001, from 114,380,734 ordinary shares approx(55.79%) to 141,929,428 ordinary shares approx(69.22%).

RAND MINING (28 MARCH 2001)

The directors of Rand Mining NL announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement with Tribune Resouces NL, Oretek Limited and the Korean based Kokos International Company Ltd, to establish a new company in South Korea for the purpose of exploiting the Oretek process in South Korea, North Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mongolia and Eastern Russia.

TAP OIL (28 MARCH 2001)

Spudding of Linda-2 Appraisal Well

The well is located in TL/1, 17.5 kilometres north-east of Varanus Island at latitude 20deg32'44.96"S and longitude 115deg41'36.56"E.
As at 6.00am yesterday, the well has drilled ahead to 153 metres measured depth and will continue to drill ahead to the planned total depth of 2,905 metres measured depth.

The Linda-2 well has been designed as an appraisal well to test the lateral extent of a 91 metre hydrocarbon column discovered in Linda-1, and to test the possibility of an oil leg at the base of the column.
The Linda structure is a new stratigraphic play concept comprising Middle Jurassic Biggada fan sandstones sealed by surrounding Dingo Claystone.
The Linda-2 well is expected to take 13 days to reach its projected total depth of 2,905 metres measured depth.

Simpson-2: xtn of Simpson oil field confirmed - Wireline logging has been completed confirming the intersection of 11 metres (gross) of 40deg API oil. The oil water contact and pressure gradients indicate that the Simpson-2 oil intersection is a southern extension of the Simpson oil field.

TITAN RESOURCES (28 MARCH 2001)

Titan announced that it is conducting scientific trials with its proprietary BioHeap(TM) bacterial leaching technology for the worlds leading nickel producer, Inco Limited of Canada.
The metallurgical trials follow excellent laboratory test results and will involve large-scale column leaching tests on ore samples from one of Inco's Canadian nickel deposits. The tests will be conducted in a field environment at the facilities of the Research and Productivity Council (RPC) in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. RPC has been, and continues to be, closely associated with the development of BioHeap(TM).

The trials will be aimed at the successful implementation of bacterial bio-leaching under conditions of extreme cold and will serve to widen the scope of the company's BioHeap(TM) development program.

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (28 MARCH 2001)

Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Operator of the WA-208-P Joint Venture, reports that the Delilah-1 exploration well located on the North West Shelf in the Dampier Sub-basin reached a depth of 2857 metres on 27 March 2001 and is preparing to run wireline logs.
All reported depths are referenced to the rig rotary table.
Woodside's interest in Delilah-l is 29.5%, Santos Offshore Pty Ltd 20.0%, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited 33.0%, Agip Australia Limited 12.5% and Mosaic Oil NL 5.0%.

GIANTS REEF MINING (27 MARCH 2001)

UPDATE ON PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF NORMANDY TENNANT CREEK PTY LTD

Giants Reef is pleased to advise that arrangements for the purchase of all of the shares in Normandy Tennant Creek Pty Ltd (NTC) are progressing satisfactorily.

On 26th of February 2001, Giants Reef announced its successful bid, subject to normal commercial due diligence and formal documentation, for the purchase of all of the shares in NTC for $A7,000,000 from Normandy Consolidated Gold Holdings Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Normandy Mining Limited (Normandy). One of the principal assets of NTC is a 57% joint ventured interest in the undeveloped high grade Chariot gold deposit. The Chariot deposit contains an indicated and inferred resource of 353,000 tonnes at 20 grams per tonne and is open at depth. Metallurgical testwork by AMMTEC Ltd of Perth, indicates that Chariot ore is amenable to processing through Giants Reef’s TC8 gold treatment plant with an expected gold recovery of better than 97 percent.

Having completed its due diligence with a successful outcome, Giants Reef has given notice to Normandy that it is proceeding with the acquisition of the shares in NTC.

Funding for the acquisition of NTC and the development of its interest in the Chariot deposit is to be sourced from a debt and equity package comprising:-

a) A $9 million loan facility and
b) A $3 million equity capital raising.

Debt Facility
Giants Reef has been advised by BankWest that the Bank has approved the proposed loan facility subject to satisfactory completion of the Bank’s due diligence and satisfying conditions precedent normal for a loan of this type.

Equity Capital Raising
The Company proposes to place up to 75 million shares at an issue price of 4 cents each plus 37.5 million free attaching 30th June 2004 options.

A notice of meeting seeking shareholders’ approval of the placement in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 7.1 is planned to be issued shortly.

Giants Reef has appointed Carmichael First Capital Pty Ltd (a subsidiary entity of stockbrokers D.J. Carmichael & Co) to act as its corporate advisor in relation to the equity capital raising and to manage the placement. Giants Reef may seek to have the placement issue underwritten as part of these arrangements

The acquisition of NTC achieves a significant milestone for Giants Reef in that:-

a) It will transform the Company from an explorer to a profitable gold producer and,
b) With the addition of the NTC tenements, Giants Reef will control virtually all of the highly prospective and high grade Tennant Creek mineral field.

AQUILA RESOURCES (27 MARCH 2001)

Aquila advised that Pasminco Limited ("Pasminco") have confirmed that MIM Holdings Limited have exercised its pre-emptive rights over the sale of Pasminco's 49% interest in the Ernest Henry Mine to Aquila.
Under the terms of the Sale/Purchase Agreement with Pasminco, Aquila will receive a termination fee of $3 million in cleared funds from Pasminco by Tuesday, 27 March 2001.

The Directors of Aquila express their disappointment with this outcome and advise that the Company will continue to seek new Corporate opportunities and conduct exploration on the Company's tenements to enhance shareholder wealth.

BHP (27 MARCH 2001)

BHP announced that it had reached agreement with Nippon Steel on iron ore prices for the year commencing 1 April, 2001
- the first settlement by an Australian producer. Negotiations are continuing with other leading Japanese steelmills.

The prices of Mt Newman fine ore will increase by 4.3% to US cents 28.98 per dry long ton unit. The price premium for lump ore will be maintained at 9.05 US cents per dry long ton unit.

A 4.3% increase was also agreed for Mt Goldsworthy fines and Yandi fines products.

AUSTRALIAN WORLDWIDE EXPLORATION (27 MARCH 2001)

Cue Energy Holdings Ltd decreased its relevant interest in Australian Worldwide Exploration Limited on 21/03/2001, from 7,716,977 ordinary shares (6.5%) to 1,323,202 ordinary shares (1.1%).

BEACH PETROLEUM (27 MARCH 2001)

Perpetual Trustees Australia Limited became a substantial shareholder in Beach Petroleum NL on 26/03/2001 with a relevant interest in the issued share capital of 59,604,123 ordinary shares (7.17%).

BRITANNIA GOLD (27 MARCH 2001)

The Board of Britannia Gold NL announced its intention to focus upon its pharmaceutical projects, rather than its mining activities.
As a consequence of the Board's decision, it is proposed that the Company will change its name to Solbec Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Company will also seek to raise a total of $2,637,200 via a placement of shares, and options. The placement will be handled by Paterson Ord Minnett Limited.

DELTA GOLD / ZIMBABWE PLATINUM MINES (27 MARCH 2001)

Delta Gold announced the sale of 26.5 million shares in Zimbabwe Platinum Mines Limited (Zimplats) - being marginally less than 30% of the issued capital of Zimplats - to Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) and ABSA Bank Limited (ABSA) at a price of A$1.25 per share. The sale realises A$33.1 million for Delta, which retains an approximate 21% shareholding in Zimplats. Implats/ABSA have been granted a right of first refusal over Delta's retained shareholding, which is exercisable should Delta wish to sell these shares.

Separate from the sale of part of Delta's shareholding to Implats/ ABSA, Zimplats will convene a shareholders' meeting to consider equity and debt funding arrangements proposed by Implats/ABSA for the Ngezi platinum project and other platinum interests. Delta looks forward to working with Implats/ABSA to develop the Ngezi project and commencing production of platinum group metals. Implats is the world's second-largest platinum producer and ABSA is South Africa's largest commercial bank.

DRILLSEARCH ENERGY (27 MARCH 2001)

Drillsearch Energy advises that it anticipates that its contract with OCA for the purchase of certain producing all interests located in the Cooper/Eromange areas of western Queensland will be closed by mid April, 2001.
The delay in closing has been caused by delays in receiving third party legal documentation. There are, however, no impediments to closing.
When the contract is closed, Drillsearch Energy will bring to account net operating revenues and oil inventory, which have accrued since the effective date of 30th June, 2000. These amounts were not brought to account in the financial statements for the 6 months ending 31st December, 2000.

HELIX RESOURCES (27 MARCH 2001)

Helix has completed the three month Scoping Study on its 100% owned Munni Munni platinum group metals (PGM) project near Karratha in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The Scoping Study recommends immediate commencement of a Feasibility Study that will take up to 12 months to complete at an estimated cost of $8 million.

MUNNI MUNNI PROJECT SUMMARY

• IRR of 34% with payback of pre-production capital of $70 million within 5 years
• NPV of $156 million to $205 million with IRR of 34% and capital payback within 5 years
• 1.3 kilometres long "Central Zone" defined, currently containing 13.5 Mt inferred resource at 3.0 g/t 4E PGM (1.3 million ounces). Diamond drilling to increase resource to over 20 Mt in progress
• Excellent potential for further resource identification nearby to Central Zone and along 40 kilometres of projected Ferguson Reef extension
• Planned feasibility to investigate mining at 1.5 Mt per annum via open cut and underground operations

MINERALS CORPORATION (27 MARCH 2001)

Minerals Corporation Limited ("MSC") is pleased to announce that its Skardon River Kaolin subsidiary has formalised a three year agreement with Nissho Iwai for the exclusive distribution of kaolin products to all the Japanese markets, excluding the cement sector.

MOSAIC OIL (27 MARCH 2001)

Production testing on the Downlands East discovery well began on Saturday 24th March 2001. The interval perforated and tested was from 1842.5-1846.8 meters and from 1847.5 - 1851.0 meters. After clean-up, the well flowed at a stabilised rate of 4.5 million cubic ft/day through a 20/64 inch choke with a surface tubing flowing pressure of 1920 pounds per sq inch.
Testing indicates a new field discovery 2.5 kilometers to the north-east of the Downlands gasfield located near the town of Surat in south east Queensland. The Downlands East No 1 well is situated 800 meters from a gas pipeline.
Mosaic's holds a 71.153% interest in the well and Santos Ltd 28.847%

NAMAKWA DIAMOND COMPANY (27 MARCH 2001)

The directors of Namakwa Diamond Company NL (Namakwa) announced that Namakwa has submitted an application to the Corporations and Securities Panel for a declaration of unacceptable circumstances in relation to events leading up to and concerning the proposed takeover bid by Majestic Resources NL (Majestic) for Namakwa.
Under the application, Namakwa is seeking interim orders pending a determination as to whether unacceptable circumstances exist. The ultimate relief sought is for orders requiring Majestic (and its associates) to dispose of or otherwise distribute (in a fair and equitable manner) its Namakwa securities.

NOVUS PETROLEUM (27 MARCH 2001)

The Capital Group Companies Inc increased its relevant interest in Novus Petroleum Limited on 22/03/2001, from 12,919,508 ordinary shares (8.10%) to 15,374,508 ordinary shares (9.64%).

OTTER GOLD MINES (27 MARCH 2001)

Otter, as manager of the Tanami Mine Joint Venture (Otter Gold Mines (60%) and AngloGold (40%), advises that milling operations at the mine have been suspended from today due to flooding in the Tanami region of the Northern Territory. This has cut road access and prevented transport of fuel to the mine site. The plant has been placed on a care and maintenance basis until road access can be re-established. Current estimates for the re-establishment of road access are between four and six weeks. Mining operations at the site continue.

RIMFIRE PACIFIC MINING (27 MARCH 2001)

Rimfire's exploration team have successfully completed initial bulk sampling at Tom and Jerry and Nareena diamond prospects. A 50 tonne sample from Tom and Jerry and a 25 tonne sample from Nareena have been excavated at trap sites targeted from the results of stream sediment samples.
The samples will be processed locally to a heavy mineral concentrate which will then be sent to Independent Diamond Laboratories in Perth for heavy media separation and diamond identification and recovery.

RIO TINTO (27 MARCH 2001)

Hamersley Iron has reached agreement with Japanese customers on price's for Hamersley fine, lump and Yandi iron ore deliveries for the contract year commencing 1st April, 2001.
The price of fine ore will increase by 4.3% to US cents 28.98 per dry long ton unit. The price of lump ore will increase by 3.23% to US cents 38.03 per dry long ton unit. The price of Yandi ore will increase by 4.3% to US cents 27.24 per dry long ton unit.
Delivery tonnage for the year has yet to be finalised.

TECTONIC RESOURCES (27 MARCH 2001)

Tectonic announced that a recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Trilogy gold and base metal deposit 25km south of Ravensthorpe in Western Australia revealed a number of highly significant gold and base metal intersections including:

• 9m from 22m at 5.54g/t gold and 58g/t silver in MYC081.
• 27m from 28m at 1.98g/t gold, 45g/t silver and 3.29% Cu in MYC092.
• 8m from 20m at 347g/t silver in MYC098.
• 20m from 33m at 0.53g/t gold, 68g/t silver and 3.48% Cu in MYC104.
• 15m from 89m at 144g/t silver, 1.44% copper, 9.23% lead and 5.89% zinc in MYC107.
• 24m from 78m at 0.42g/t gold, 95g/t silver, 1.54% copper, 7.93% lead and 5.27% zinc in MYC112.

VICTORIA PETROLEUM (27 MARCH 2001)

Victoria Petroleum NL wishes to advise that Participation Letter Agreements have been entered into with Sun Resources NL, Lakes Oil NL, First Australian Resources NL and private American interests to fund the first stage of drilling operations at the Eagle Oil Pool Development Project, Eagle No 1, the re-entry, sidetrack, horizontal drilling and completion of the 1986 Mary Bellocchi-1, oil and gas discovery well.
Eagle No 1 is the first well in the Eagle Oil Pool Development Project, a horizontal drilling project targeting potential recoverable reserves of 24 million barrels of oil and 62 million cubic feet of gas.

The success of Victoria Petroleum's efforts to secure participating partners to carry out the Eagle Oil Pool Development Project has resulted in the commencement of field operations on Friday 23rd March 2001 at Eagle No 1, the first well in the Eagle Oil Pool Development Project.

ZIMBABWE PLATINUM MINES (27 MARCH 2001)

Directors announced the decision to proceed with the Ngezi opencast platinum-mining project on the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe. Equity participation in the Ngezi project by Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats), and project debt funding by Absa Bank Limited (Absa), have been secured, subject to shareholder approval. The Government of Zimbabwe has given its full support to the project and has provided Zimplats with all the necessary approvals. The South African Reserve Bank has approved the investment and debt funding.

Implats has agreed to acquire from Zimplats a 30 percent participation in the planned Ngezi opencast mine and the Hartley Platinum Joint Venture company for US$30 million. Absa has committed to project debt funding of up to US$30 million on commercially acceptable terms, including political risk insurance. Zimplats and Impala Refining Services (IRS) have also entered into an agreement whereby IRS will buy from Zimplats the smelter matte containing the platinum group metals, gold, nickel and copper which will be produced from the Ngezi opencast mine ore.

GOLDEN CROSS RESOURCES (26 MARCH 2001)

ICON ENERGY (24 MARCH 2001)

Up-date Report

During the past month Icon’s preparation for drilling in Louisiana has continued as planned. Well site building is progressing in spite of heavy seasonal rains. OCS Services, our engineering contractors from Layfayette, and BCI Inc have placed several contracts for well services. Test piles to support the drilling rig in the swamp are due to be driven in the coming week.

No delays are expected on the deep well programme due to start in May and the shallow drilling programme ahead of that. Many shareholders have called Icon recently asking for a "spud date". The exact drilling start date can only be confirmed when the rig is released to Icon, which will be announced immediately.

Prices in the US remain above $US5.00 per mcf for Henry Hub gas and oil prices have remained firm and expected to hold with the latest OPEC production cut.

Shareholders are encouraged to be patient while this complex drilling operation gets underway.

In ATP 620P Queensland Gas Company, as operator, for the CBM gas appraisal programme has commenced drilling Argyle # 4, the last of five wells drilled in the initial gas appraisal. A short break will follow to establish the final development plans for this new gas field. A production licence application has been made over the area to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines from where petroleum exploration and production is now administered under the new Beattie State Government in Queensland.

MACMIN (24 MARCH 2001)

Macmin Ltd has been advised that the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines has recommended the grant of the Mining Lease to the Governor in Council. The Governor in Council is the final approval body, which grants the Mining Lease.

A recently completed Feasibility Study outlined a staged development of the reserves and resources. Mining will be via an open pit with agglomerated heap leach and dump leach techniques being used to extract the silver and gold from the ore.

Negotiations are advancing for financing of the construction component of the mine development at Twin Hills. An exclusive mandate fee was paid to BankWest on 20 March 2001 to allow for due diligence study to be completed prior to a financing package being offered.

QUEENSLANND GAS COMPANY (24 MARCH 2001)

The Directors of Queensland Gas Company Limited (QGC) are pleased to announce that the third appraisal well at the Argyle coalbed methane (CBM) field, Argyle No. 3 was completed on Wednesday as a potential coalbed methane producer. Testing of the well during drilling produced gas at a rate of 850 000 cubic feet per day (24 000 cubic metres per day) and water flow of 1 860 barrels per day.

The well intersected 19.7 metres of coal in the upper Walloon Coal Measures. The main coal interval has been under-reamed to enhance the production potential.

The well is located approximately 900 metres east of QGC Argyle No 1 and approximately 25 kilometres south of the township of Chinchilla in the Surat Basin in Queensland.

The Directors of Queensland Gas Company Limited (QGC) are pleased to announce that the company’s eleventh well, and fourth appraisal well on the Argyle coalbed methane field, Argyle No. 4 spudded on Wednesday 21 March 2001.

Argyle No. 4 is located within ATP 620P and approximately 900 metres north of the successful QGC Argyle No. 1 exploration well and 25 kilometres south of the township of Chinchilla.

Interests in the Walloon Coal Measures in ATP 620P are:

CAPRAL ALUMINIUM (23 MARCH 2001)

Capral announced that, in view of the recent volatile market conditions, the Directors have exercised their discretion under the terms of the proposed buy-back to adjust the Buy-Back Price to ensure that the price better reflects the market value of Capral shares (excluding the effect of the buy-back) at the close of the buy-back.
The Buy-Back Price will be calculated as the higher of:

• $2.19; and
• $2.19 x Closing level of the All Industrials Index on 30 March 2001

This means that, regardless of further falls in the All Industrials Index, the Buy-Back Price will be no lower than $2.19.

CONQUEST MINING (23 MARCH 2001)

The board of directors of Conquest advised shareholders that it will be seeking approval at a general meeting of shareholders to approve a resolution substantially on the terms set out below:

"That, for the purposes of Listing Rule 7.1 of the Listing Rules of Australian Stock Exchange Limited and for all other purposes, shareholders approve the allotment and issue of:

(a) 20,000,000 Shares at an issue price of 17 cents each; and
(b) 20,000,000 non attaching free Options,
and otherwise on the terms and conditions set out in the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Notice."

The 17 cent issue price for the shares represents 85% of the average closing market price for Conquest's shares calculated over the five (5) day period prior to this announcement being made.

It is anticipated that the general meeting of shareholders will be held at the end of April 2001.

DIAMOND VENTURES (23 MARCH 2001)

Diamond Ventures wishes to announce a drill intersection of 7m @ 165g/t gold from 101m in reverse circulation hole DVRC74 on the Champion prospect at Kookynie. The mineralised interval includes 1m @ > 1000g/t at 102-103m with the following 5m at 103-108m averaging 30.5g/t. Applying a top assay cut of 30.0g/t to individual 1m samples reduces the intersection to 7m @ 19.9g/t. This hole was one of two drilled to test the down-dip projection of the Champion workings beneath the lowest mine level at 125m vertical depth.

GOLD MINES OF SARDINIA (23 MARCH 2001)

The directors wish to advise that the company ("GMS Aus") proposes to take steps to move the domicile of the Group from Australia to the United Kingdom. It is proposed that this will be done by restructuring the company by a scheme of arrangement, subject to approval by the requisite majority of shareholders and to approval by the Supreme Court of Western Australia. The effect of the scheme will be to establish a new holding company, freshly incorporated and operated in the United Kingdom, on top of the existing Group.

KIMBERLEY OIL (23 MARCH 2001)

Kimberley Oil announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Kimberley Oil Remediation Pty Ltd. (KOR), has commenced preparation of a formal application for a Core R&D Stan Grant for research and development of its innovative oil spill control techniques. The application will be made through AusIndustry, within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. The company has appointed Mr Chris Koutoulas of Michael Johnson & Associates Pty Ltd, and Mr Denis Taylor of Denis Taylor & Associates Pty Ltd to assist with the preparation of the necessary documentation.

LONGREACH GOLD OIL (23 MARCH 2001)

This is to advise that the closing date for the receipt of applications for shares to be issued under the terms of the Share Purchase Plan has been extended to 30 April, 2001.

MIM HOLDINGS (23 MARCH 2001)

MIM is acquiring an option to purchase the 49% of the Ernest Henry copper-gold mine that it does not currently own.

MIM today its pre-emptive right as a joint venturer in Ernest Henry Mining over Pasminco Limited's 49% interest for an initial outlay of $115 million with a further $35 million payable over seven years commencing in three years' time. Pasminco's interest comprises 49% of the shares in Ernest Henry and a shareholder loan which Ernest Henry owes Pasminco (US$51m - approximately A$100m).

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (23 MARCH 2001)

Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Limited increased its relevant interest in New Hampton Goldfields Limited on 22/03/2001, from 87,934,767 ordinary shares approx(42.89%) to 101,412,684 ordinary shares approx(49.46%).

Harmony's offer period has been extended by 14 days from yesterday. At the earliest it is now scheduled to close on Friday 6 April 2001.

NOVUS PETROLEUM (23 MARCH 2001)

The Capital Companies Inc increased its relevant interest in Novus Petroleum Limited on 21/03/2001, from 9,919,508 ordinary shares (6.22%) to 12,919,508 ordinary shares (8.10%).

AMP Limited decreased its relevant interest in Novus Petroleum Limited on 21/03/2001, from 21,419,457 ordinary shares (13.43%) to 17,945,755 ordinary shares (11.25%).

NUGOLD HILL MINES (23 MARCH 2001)

Nugold Hill announced that it is proceeding with its intention to acquire 100% of Advantage Telecommunications Ltd. (AdvanTel).
This will take place by way of an option to acquire 100% of AdvanTel up to 30 September 2001. This option gives Nugold the right to purchase the remaining 40% of AdvanTel in exchange for NGH shares.

In addition, it is Nugold's intention to proceed with a simultaneous compliance listing of all of its mining assets. Pelican Resources Ltd will acquire all Nugold's mining assets in return for shares that will be distributed to Nugold shareholders. Pelican, which also holds other mineral investments, will then list on ASX. It is intended that Nugold shareholders will be issued approximately 70% of Pelican on the basis of approximately 1 free share in Pelican for every 5 Nugold shares held.

PRESTON RESOURCES (23 MARCH 2001)

Resources in the Boulder Block area have been estimated following completion of programmes of reverse circulation drilling in January 2001. The mineralisation lies some 2.5 km from the plant site, immediately to the south-west of the existing high grade Albion pit. Indications of an extension to the Albion mineralisation were known only through high grade intersections in several wide spaced historical drill holes.

The Boulder Block inferred mineral resource is tabulated below.

CUT OFF GRADE TONNES (Mt) Ni % Co %
0.8% Ni 4.4 1.18 0.07
1.4% Ni 1.1 1.63 0.10
Lithologically the mineralisation is composed of an 8m to 10m thick serpentinite-nontronite assemblage. Similar material has been processed from the Albion pit and which elsewhere has demonstrated excellent processing characteristics.

TAP OIL (23 MARCH 2001)

Simpson-2 Appraisal Well - spudded at 09.00 am hours on 18 March 2001.
The well is located in TL/1, 1.4 kilometres south of the Simpson-1 discovery well and 3.5 kilometres south of Varanus Island, at latitude 20deg 41'15.03"S and longitude 115deg 35'08.84"E.
As at 6.00am yesterday, the well has drilled ahead to a total depth of 2,038 metres measured depth ("MD").
Preliminary log analysis indicates a twelve (12) metre gross hydrocarbon column was intersected at a depth of 1,865 metres MD at the top of the Flag sandstone reservoir.

TRIBUNE RESOURCES (23 MARCH 2001)

Infill reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling on the Rubicon deposit within the East Kundana Joint Venture (EKJV) has continued to return high grade intersections or gold. The drilling confirms the presence and lateral continuity of high-grade mineralisation within the currently identified resource.

The results indicate the presence of substantial, high-grade shoots with gold grades similar to the rich Raleigh deposit located approximately 2km to the north-west.

WERRIE GOLD (23 MARCH 2001)

National Australia Bank Limited became a substantial shareholder in Werrie Gold Limited on 23/02/2001 with a relevant interest in the issued share capital of 8,001,500 ordinary shares (8.15%).

ZIMBABWE PLATINUM MINES (23 MARCH 2001)

Trading Halt - As the Company is unable to respond in writing by 4.00 pm AEDST and as the Company is aware of information which has not been announced and which may affect its share price if the information were in the public domain, the Company hereby requests a trading halt in the Company's securities.

The reason for the trading halt is that an announcement in respect of information cannot be made immediately in view of the fact that it relates to a potential investment in the Company which is conditional upon the approval of a foreign central bank. Such approval has not yet been obtained in writing. Accordingly, the potential investment is not certain to occur.

However, it is expected that it will be possible for an announcement to be made on Monday, 26 March 2001 in relation to the potential investment. Accordingly, the Company seeks a trading halt to last until 4.00 pm AEDST on Monday, 26 March 2001.

The Company is not aware of any reason why the trading halt should not be granted.

As previously announced, the Company has been undertaking lengthy negotiations and discussions with various potential investors and funding parties in respect of its proposed Ngezi/SMC Project. It is considered that price and volume fluctuations such as that reflected in recent trading figures result from speculation that a deal is imminent. At this stage the matter is incomplete and is insufficiently definite to warrant disclosure.

AQUILA RESOURCES (23 MARCH 2001)

The securities of Aquila Resources will be placed in pre-open pending the release of an announcement by the Company.

BURDEKIN PACIFIC (23 MARCH 2001)

As part of its rationalisation of its mining assets, BKS has sold its McKinnon's CIP plant under private treaty for $1,050,000, net of all charges and GST. Under the sale agreement, BKS will receive $650,000 by 30 June 2001 and the balance of $400,000 by 30 September 2001. Proceeds received from the sale are in line with the book written down value at 31 December 2000.

ESSENTIAL PETROLEUM RESOURCES (23 MARCH 2001)

Essential Petroleum Resources completed its first month as a publicly listed company with the announcement of highly positive news - the award of an offshore exploration permit in the Otway Basin.

The win capped a busy first month for the company, which included the release of an independent valuation of Essential Petroleum Resource's exploration acreage and an important gas discovery by Santos and Beach Petroleum in the Otway Basin.

The new permit (V00-1) covers an area of 1853 square kilometres, extending about 40 kilometres offshore immediately south of our highly prospective, onshore permit area PEP 151.

GALLERY GOLD (23 MARCH 2001)

Gallery Gold Limited, a WA based exploration company, has today released an inferred resource estimate of 557,000 ounces of gold on its 100 percent owned Mupane Prospect located in the southern African country of Botswana.

Gallery Gold has been conducting a major gold exploration program in Botswana, since late 1996. This program has successfully located a number of significant gold prospects which are currently being evaluated. The prime focus of present exploration is the Mupane Prospect, some 30 kms SE of the city of Francistown.

In February 2001, Gallery Gold Limited commissioned Resource Service Group Pty Ltd ("RSG"), a WA based consulting company, to conduct an independent audit of its Botswana Gold Project and to prepare an initial estimate of gold resources at the Mupane Prospect.

The Mupane Prospect inferred resource estimate is as follows:

LOCATION TONNAGE (MT) GRADE (G/T) CONTAINED OZ (AU)

Area 1 3.74 3.6 438,000
Area 2 1.33 1.8 76,000
Area 3 0.14 1.5 7,000
Area 4 0.63 1.8 36,000
TOTAL 5.84 3.0 557,000

MOSAIC OIL (23 MARCH 2001)

Woodside have informed Mosaic that Delilah 1 (Mosaic 5%) in offshore Western Australia Permit WA 208P was at 2,520 meters meters at 6.00am Sydney time today and drilling ahead. The structure is approximately 3.5 kilometers from the Legendre oil facilities in the adjacent licence and is capable of quick development if the well is successful. Planned total depth is 3,015 meters.

SANTOS (23 MARCH 2001)

Santos, as Operator for the South West Queensland Unit, announced that it has discovered a new gas field in the Queensland sector of the Cooper Basin, 135 kilometres south of the Ballera Gas Facility.

The exploration well, Quasar 1, has a high flow rate of 10.8 million cubic feet per day, the fourth highest flow rate encountered to date in South West Queensland.

Maple-Brown Abbott Limited decreased its relevant interest in Santos Limited on 16/03/2001, from 56,878,652 ordinary shares (9.35%) to 50,899,747 ordinary shares ( 8.32%).

AMITY OIL (22 MARCH 2001)

A Joint Venture agreement has been reached for a gas production project on the Gocerler gas discovery in the Thrace region of Western Turkey. A pipeline licence has been granted and Amity, as operator of the project, has today placed orders for the manufacture and construction of a 15 kilometre gas pipeline from the Gocerler Field direct to an industrial centre near the city of Corlu.

The pipeline route has been approved by the Joint Venture and ground permitting is now in progress. Delivery of the pipe is expected by late April 2001 and construction of the pipeline, gas treatment plant, metering equipment and condensate storage facility is estimated to be completed in June 2001.

ANACONDA NICKEL (22 MARCH 2001)

In response to a query raised by the Australian Stock Exchange Limited, we consider that the market is being materially misinformed by third parties about the financial and operating status of Anaconda Nickel Limited ("Anaconda" or the "Company"). We are also concerned by the sharp decline in our share price that has taken place in the closing minutes of trading on 19 March 2001, 20 March 2001 and this morning and know of nothing relating to the Company's operating or financial condition that would warrant such declines. The Company has requested that the Australian Stock Exchange Ltd undertake an investigation into whether or not there has been manipulation in the price of Anaconda stock and would like to update you on aspects of the Company's activities.

AURORA GOLD (22 MARCH 2001)

Aurora Gold announced an agreement to acquire the Wafi copper/gold project and exploration tenements in Papua New Guinea's Morobe Province, near its 50%-owned Morobe Gold Project.

Under a Heads of Agreement signed today, Aurora will acquire Rio Tinto's interests in the Wafi tenements effective from 1 January 2001, although Rio Tinto will continue to manage the project on Aurora's behalf until all conditions precedent have been met or waived.
These conditions include PNG Government consents, a decision by Aurora to proceed with development of the Morobe Project following completion of the bankable feasibility study, which is currently in its final stages, and signing of final sales documentation.

The Wafi tenements cover some 182 sq kms and are situated 40 kms west southwest of Lae and 55 kms to the north west of the Aurora managed Morobe Project, that includes the Hidden Valley/Kaveroi Creek tenements controlled by Morobe Consolidated Goldfields Limited ("MCG").

The consideration for the acquisition comprises a front end sum, payable should Aurora decide to develop a mine at Wafi, plus a royalty arrangement covering all future gold and copper production.

AUSTRALIAN GOLD COUNCIL (22 MARCH 2001)

THE AGC WELCOMED THE 5% INCREASE IN THE DECEMBER 2000 QUARTER FOR GOLD EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE, UP $5 MILLION TO A$97.5 MILLION. THIS FOLLOWS A SIMILAR INCREASE IN THE SEPTEMBER QUARTER.

AUSTRALIAN WORLDWIDE EXPLORATION (22 MARCH 2001)

AWE advised on behalf of its a wholly owned subsidiary AWE (Argentina) Pty Limited that the Los Barreales-1 well in CNQ-16 in the Neuquen Basin, Argentina commenced drilling operations on March 19 (see attached map for location). As at 2000 hrs on 20 March, operations were preparing to run surface casing at 200m. Proposed total depth of the well is 3400m.
The Los Barreales prospect has the potential to hold approximately 33 million barrels of recoverable oil-equivalent on an unrisked basis.

BLIGH OIL & MINERALS (22 MARCH 2001)

A three zone test programme on the Rimu B1, drilled in the third quarter, 2000, has recently been completed. A test over the perforated interval 3502 - 3522 metres, in the Upper Rimu limestone, flowed after acidizing at a final rate on a 16/64 inch choke of 505 barrels of 46 degree API gravity oil per day ("bopd"), 2.8 million cubic fed of gas per day ("mmcfgpd") and 95 barrels of water per day at a flowing tubing pressure of 2,324 psia.
The well has been temporarily shut in pending longer-term production testing. The successful test of the Upper Rimu limestone in the B1 well follows the discovery of oil and gas in this zone in the Rimu-B2 well, located 336 metres north-northwest of the Rimu-B1, in December,2000. The Rimu limestone in the B2 well flowed at rates up to l384 bopd and 9.4 mmcfgpd without water.

CARNARVON PETROLEUM (22 MARCH 2001)

Carnarvon Petroleum NL's joint venture partner, Pacific Tiger Energy (Thailand) Ltd (PTET), announced that on Sunday, 18 March 2001, it spudded the Thailand onshore well WB-N1. As at 8.00am on Tuesday, 20 March 2001, the depth of the well was at 63 meters within the upper part of the Chaliang Lab Formation.
The well targets the proven productive F-Sandstone unit within the Wichian Buri Unit III Formation at approximately 906 meters true vertical depth (tvd). The well is expected to take approximately two weeks to drill and has a prognosed total depth of 968 meters tvd.

COAL & ALLIED INDUSTRIES (22 MARCH 2001)

CAIL has reached agreement with Ticor Limited for the purchase of Ticor's 20% share of the Warkworth mine in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, for a sale price of $87.5 million, net of debt.
The sale, which is effective from 29 January 2001, is subject to pre-emptive rights held by other shareholders of Warkworth.
If Coal & Allied purchases the total Ticor shareholding of 20%, this will increase the company's interest in the Warkworth mine to 63.75%.

FIRST AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES (22 MARCH 2001)

The operating profit for the year ended 31 December 2000 after income tax was $2,043,776. This result was built on the back of record natural gas prices in the USA and a weak Australian dollar that saw oil and gas sales increase by 43 percent to $3,384,892 the highest level achieved by the company to date.

IVANHOE MINES (22 MARCH 2001)

The company has reached an agreement in principle with Pasminco to acquire the Long Plains magnetite deposit, located eight kilometres south of Ivanhoe's Savage River iron ore (magnetite) mine in Tasmania, Australia. Based on Pasminco's drilling and Ivanhoe's fieldwork, the Long Plains Deposit contains up to 30 million tonnes of magnetite mineralization. Subject to confirmation drilling, the Long Plains Deposit has the potential to significantly increase the resource base of the Savage River Mine.

Ivanhoe Mines will have 15 months to evaluate the deposit. If it proceeds with the acquisition, Ivanhoe will pay Pasminco A$1.8 million (approximately US$900,000) in cash or Ivanhoe shares, at Ivanhoe's option, subject to regulatory approval.

Additional exploration is required to determine whether the Long Plains Deposit contains a mineral resource. Further geological field mapping and ground geophysical work will begin immediately to outline the boundaries of the deposit, and additional resource confirmation drilling will begin in the second quarter.

MOUNT BURGESS MINING (22 MARCH 2001)

Native Title Negotiations - EL 74/196

This is to inform you that the Company has successfully concluded negotiations with the Bullenbuk Native Title Group, in respect of Exploration Licence Application 74/196, situated in the Phillips River Mineral Field, north of Esperance in Western Australia.

The agreement concluded allows the Company to proceed through to mining without further negotiation in the event of discovering a mineable resource.

The grant of the tenement by Minerals Title Division is now only subject to the payment of GST on the rental component.

Exploration Licence 74/196 (The Lort Project) contains a significant isolated magnetic anomaly, which the Company intends to explore once the tenement has been granted.

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (22 MARCH 2001)

Harmony Gold Mining Co Limited ("Harmony") is pleased to announce that Normandy Mining Limited ("Normandy") has accepted Harmony's offer for its remaining 13.2% shareholding in New Hampton Goldfields Limited ("New Hampton") Harmony is now entitled to approximately 38% of the sharer, in New Hampton.

OXIANA RESOURCES (22 MARCH 2001)

Sepon Project - First assay results received from drilling at the Khanong copper resource have returned wide intercepts of near surface high grade copper.

ROC OIL COMPANY (22 MARCH 2001)

1 APPRAISAL DRILLING

1.1 UK ONSHORE: ESKDALE-13: (ROC: 5% FREE CARRIED)
As of 20 March 2001, UK time, the Eskdale-13 appraisal well in PEDL 002 was cutting a core in the Kirkham Abbey Limestone, which is one of the reservoir objectives of the well. After coring, the well will drill to an expected Total Depth of 2,220 metres.

1.2 UK NORTH SEA: CHESTNUT OIL FIELD (ROC:29.75% CARRIED)
As of 20 March 2001, UK time, the Chestnut Field appraisal well, 22/2A-11, in UK North Sea licence P354, was preparing to drill a side track hole after the well had been plugged back to 1770 metres following difficult hole conditions which were encountered just prior to running the 9% inch casing.

2. DEVELOPMENT

2.1 UK NORTH SEA: KYLE OIL FIELD (ROC: 12.5%)
Final preparations are underway for the start of full-scale oil production from the Kyle Field via the Curlew Field's floating production facilities. First oil is expected to flow within 2 weeks.

3. PRODUCTION

3.1 ONSHORE UK: SALTFLEETBY GAS FIELD (ROC: 100% AND OPERATOR)
During February 2001, Saltfleetby gas sales averaged 40.6 MMSCFD, and the average (spot and contract) price achieved was 22.3 pence per therm (A$6.71/MCF) which is the highest average monthly price received since the field came on-stream in December 1999. As previously reported (ROC's ASX Release 1 March 2001) the decline in Saltfleetby production is largely a reflection of the natural decline in production from the Saltfleetby-5 well which produced more than 1 billion cubic feet of gas within four months of coming onto production. During the early part of March, Saltfleetby-5 was shut-in with the intention that the remaining Namurian reserves will be recovered once surface compression facilities are installed. This compression capacity, available at the Thaddlethorpe Gathering Terminal, where Saltfleetby gas is processed, is expected to be utilised by ROC towards the end of 2001 - The other four Saltfleetby wells, all producing from the main Westphalian reservoir, continue to produce according to forecast and current production from these wells is approximately 34 MMSCFD, which is comparable to rates achieved in August and September 2000 although they were partly a reflection of temporary surface facilities constraints at Thaddlethorpe.

3.2 MONGOLIA: EAST GOBI BASIN (ROC: 100% AND OPERATOR)
Production at ROC's field facility in the Gobi Desert has continued through a particularly harsh Mongolian winter. Current production rates approximate 150 BOPD and there is approximately 21,000 barrels of oil in storage awaiting shipment and export sale to China which is expected to occur in 2001.

4. SEISMIC

4.1 ONSHORE UK: SOUTH HUMBER BASIN (ROC: 100% AND OPERATOR)
A 50km 2D seismic survey in PEDL 76 in the South Humber Basin is scheduled to be completed later this week. It was possible to carry out the survey despite the Foot-and-Mouth disease restrictions in the UK, because it only used roads and non-agricultural paths. These restrictions, however, continue to cause the postponement of the planned 400 sq km 3D survey. and, with no sign of an end to the disease or the associated restrictions, it is not possible to forecast when this survey will commence.

4.2 EQUATORIAL GUINEA: RIO MUNI BASIN (ROC: 60% AND TECHNICAL PARTNER)
The 138C sq km 3D seismic survey in Blocks H15 and H16 in the deep water offshore Equatorial Guinea is 8O% complete. The survey, which is 100% funded by ROC, has been essentially trouble-free and is expected to be finished by the beginning of April 2001.

SANTOS (22 MARCH 2001)

Santos announced that it has discovered a new gas field in the Western District of Victoria, approximately 15 km north west of Port Campbell.

The exploration well, Tregony 1, has the longest gas column Santos has encountered in the onshore Otway Basin to date. Based on analogies with existing wells in the immediate area, the well is expected to come on production at 10-15 million cubic feet per day.

AUSTRALIAN WORLDWIDE EXPLORATION (21 MARCH 2001)

Australian Worldwide Exploration and CalEnergy Gas (UK) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company ("CalEnergy") have entered into separate binding Heads of Agreement ("HOA") with Origin Energy Retail Limited ("Origin"), for the sale, of gas from the Yolla gas and condensate field in the T/RL1 licence area Bass Strait, offshore Victoria.

The HOAs are a major step forward in commercialising the gas resources in the Bass Basin. These include interests in T/RL1 (Yolla field) and T/18P (White Ibis field), collectively termed the "BassGas Project."

BEACH PETROLEUM (21 MARCH 2001)

Beach has agreed to the issue of 58 million fully paid ordinary shares at 4 cents each to raise approximately $2.3 million. These shares have been placed to one institutional investor. The placement was managed by Burdett Buckeridge Young Limited.
The funds will provide additional working capital for Beach which will primarily be used to expand its Otway Basin program, following the recent McIntee-l gas discovery. Planning for the construction of a pipeline is already underway to connect the McIntee gasfield to the Heytesbury facility and delivery of gas is expected to begin in June or July.
In addition to the development of the McIntee gasfield, an accelerated program of 3D seismic and drilling has been planned.

BULLION MINERALS (21 MARCH 2001)

Bullion Minerals has committed to a key drilling program, scheduled to commence this week, to test a very strong nickel sulphide target recently identified on its Mt Day tenements, just 6 kilometres north along strike from LionOre (Australia) Nickel Ltd's Emily Ann deposit.
The 2,000-metre RC (reverse circulation) drilling program will provide a definitive assessment of the exciting target, which is at an estimated depth of 115 metres based on computer modelling - providing the first significant re-rating opportunity for Bullion since it listed last year. It is the Company's first drilling program on its tenements.

COEUR D'ALENE MINES (21 MARCH 2001)

Coeur d'Alene confirmed in response to an EPA news release that agreement in principle had been reached with the United States of America, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior and US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the litigation for the cleanup of the Coeur d'Alene Mining District Basin. Under the terms of the settlement,

• Coeur will pay United States $3,871,924 cash.
• Coeur will deed about 80 acres in size which we called the Burns-Yak property to the United States to be used as a waste repository in the cleanup.
• Beginning in five years Coeur will make conditional payments of 2% of net smelter returns on silver if the price of silver exceeds $6.50 an ounce, and in addition, a $5.00 an ounce royalty on gold if the price exceeds $325 an ounce. These royalty payments will end when Coeur has paid a total of $3 million or upon expiration of 15 years.
• Coeur will perform minor cleanup work on two older properties, the old Coeur d'Alene Mines Mineral Point property and at the Calladay property.

MINCOR RESOURCES (21 MARCH 2001)

Mincor is pleased to provide the following information on progress during the first month of production at its Miitel Nickel Mine.
Since commencement of operations on 1 March, both production and development have progressed on budget and schedule. The grade of the ore mined to date is significantly higher than expected.
As of Sunday 18 March, the following production figures had been achieved:

• Ore mined and trucked to surface: Approximately 6,200 tonnes;
• Ore delivered to WMC KNO Mill at, Kambalda pursuant to the offtake agreement: 5,057 tonnes;
• Estimated average grade of ore mined: 6% nickel*

This operating performance, and in particular the grade of the ore mined, compares favourably with budgeted production for the same period of 6000 tonnes at 4.5% nickel.

Mincor considers that the safe and successful start up of production at Miitel is a tribute to the expertise and dedication of all personnel on site, and the robustness of the Miitel ore body itself.

MOSAIC OIL (21 MARCH 2001)

Woodside have informed Mosaic that Delilah 1 (Mosaic 5%) in offshore Western Australia Permit WA 208P was at 2,172 meters at 9.00 am Sydney time today and drilling ahead. The structure is approximately 3.5 kilometers from the Legendre oil facilities in the adjacent licence and is capable of quick development if the well is successful.

NEW HAMPTON GOLDFIELDS (21 MARCH 2001)

Since the Harmony takeover bid was first announced on 19 December 2000, New Hampton has held discussions with a number of local and overseas parties regarding their potential interest in the company.

The potential to attract a higher offer for shares and options has now been fully tested, and proven unsuccessful. Given this outcome and the prevailing financial and operating performance of the company as described in the Target's Statements, the Board is now unanimous in recommending that the Harmony offers be accepted immediately. Also, all Directors intend accepting Harmony's offer for their individual shareholdings.

Shareholders and optionholders who do not accept the offers run the risk of being locked in as minority shareholders.

Any shareholder or optionholder who has not received Harmony's offer documentation ($0.275 cents per share and $0.045 per option) is encouraged to immediately call the Harmony shareholder information line on 1800 555 553.

The revised Harmony offer is scheduled to close at 7 pm (Sydney time) on 26 March 2001.

NOVUS PETROLEUM (21 MARCH 2001)

Novus has announced the commencement of initial gas sales from its West Natuna Gas Scheme into Singapore.
Volumes of between 4.5 and 7.5 million cubic feet per day (MMscfd) have been exported from the Kakap Production Sharing Contract (PSC) into the West Natuna Gas Scheme since regular sales deliveries to Singapore began on 8 March.
Novus has a 25% share in the Kakap PSC, giving the company a 5% interest in the West Natuna Gas Scheme.

SANTOS (21 MARCH 2001)

Maple-Brown Abbott Limited decreased its relevant interest in Santos Limited on 16/03/2001, from 56,878,652 ordinary shares (9.35%) to 50,899,747 ordinary shares (8.32%).

TAIPAN RESOURCES (21 MARCH 2001)

Further to the announcement of Troy Resources NL ("Troy") of 15 March, 2001 of an increase in its Offer to 9.1 cents per Taipan Resources NL ("Taipan") fully paid share, the Board of St Barbara Mines Limited ("St Barbara") has decided to increase the cash alternative of its Taipan bid to 9.2 cents per fully paid share.

St Barbara's revised cash alternative is 0.1 cents per share higher than Troy's revised offer.

The Company also wishes to advise that the bid period will be extended to the close of business on Tuesday, 27 March, 2001 to enable outstanding shareholders to accept the increased offer.

All other aspects of St Barbara's bid will be the same as previously announced.

St Barbara Mining Limited increased its relevant interest in Taipan Resources NL on 19/03/2001, from 74,374,075 ordinary fully paid shares (31.84%) to 75,062,069 ordinary fully paid shares (32.13%); and changed from 2,056,946 ordinary partly paid shares (0.880%) to 2,408,507 ordinary partly paid shares (0.077%).

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (21 MARCH 2001)

Woodside Energy Ltd, operator of the North West Shelf Venture, advises that it has experienced further operational difficulties with the LNG Train 1 propane compressor, which caused an unplanned shutdown in October 2000.
Woodside had planned a shutdown of this compressor on 30 March to effect permanent repairs. However, excessive vibration has led to this shutdown being brought forward.
LNG processing by Train 1 has been suspended pending resolution of this problem.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd reports that the Montesa-1 exploration well located in the Carnarvon Basin was plugged and abandoned after drilling the 8 1/2 inch hole to a total depth of 2302 metres and running wire-line logs. The Marine 500 drilling rig left Montesa-1 location on 20 March 2001.
All reported depths are referenced to the rig rotary table.
Woodside's interest in WA-271-P is 100%.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Operator of the ZOCA 91-01 Joint Venture, reports that the Kuda Tasi-1 exploration well located in the Bonaparte Basin reached a total depth of 3535 metres on 16 March 2001. On 20 March, preparations were being made to plug and abandon.
Since the last report, the 8 1/2 inch hole section had been drilled to a total depth of 3575 metres and wireline logs conducted over the primary objective. Preliminary evaluation of the log data indicates a 17.5 metre gross oil column has been intersected between 3428.5 to 3446 metres.
All reported depths are referenced to the rig rotary table.
Woodside's interest in ZOCA 91-01 is 40%. Other participants are Inpex Timor Sea Ltd (35%) and Santos (ZOCA 91-01) Pty Ltd (25%).

Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Operator of the WA-208-P Joint Venture, reports that the Delilah-1 exploration well located on the North West Shelf in the Dampier Sub-basin was spudded on 15 March 2001. The operation was drilling ahead at 2172 metres on 20 March 2001.
The Ocean General semi-submersible rig is drilling the well. The location is approximately 4 kilometres west of the Legendre South-1 well. Water depth at the location is 55 metres and planned total depth is 2950 metres.
All reported depths (except water depth) are referenced to the rig rotary table.
Woodside's interest in Delilah-1 is 29.5%, Santos Offshore Pty Ltd 20.0%, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited 33.0%, Agip Australia Limited 12.5% and Mosaic Oil NL 5.0%.

QUEENSLAND GAS COMPANY (20 MARCH 2001)

The Board of Queensland Gas Company Limited ("QGC") is delighted to announce the recruitment of Mr R.D.E. Crook as Managing Director of QGC.

Mr Crook has senior management experience in the Australian petroleum and pipeline industries and over 20 years business management and engineering experience in the energy resources sector. He was formerly Commercial and Finance Manager with Petroz N.L. and Business Development Manager with AGL Petroleum – both roles that have brought him extensive involvement in the Queensland gas market.

The Board considers that Mr Crook’s appointment will be very timely, as QGC steps up its coal bed methane ("CBM") drilling program in the Surat Basin. "QGC is poised to make the transition from an explorer to a developer of its CBM resources, and the talents that Rob Crook will bring to the table will be especially valued at this time" said QGC Chairman, Bob Bryan.

BEACONSFIELD GOLD (20 MARCH 2001)

ANZOIL (20 MARCH 2001)

General Meeting (19 April 2001) :

As well as routine business (confirmation of a Director), approvals sought at this meeting will enable Anzoil to further implement its diversification plans from a pure "upstream" explorer in Vietnam to a more diversified "mid and down stream" oil and gas company.

An important focus of this meeting is to deal with the expansion of Anzoil's share capital in order to raise funds to assist this process. Anzoil wishes to be able to fund its planned Lembak Project, but also wishes the flexibility of being able to take advantage of acquisitions that would complement Anzoil's existing assets and enhance the Company's diversification plans.

ASTRO MINING (20 MARCH 2001)

Quantum Resources Limited became a substantial shareholder in Astro Mining NL on 14/03/2001 with a relevant interest in the issued share capital of 32,868,415 ordinary shares (19.98%).

AUSTRALIAN MINING INVESTMENTS (20 MARCH 2001)

Australian Mining Investments Limited (AMI) advises that it has signed an Agreement to acquire 61% of the capital of Montazhmalikmunai ("MMM") for US$1.6 million.
MMM is a company incorporated in Kazakhstan holding a license for the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons over an area of 947 sq kms in the north west of Kazakhstan (referred to as the Chengiz-Telsu Oil deposit).
The deposit has had considerable exploration undertaken since 1986 when off was first discovered.

The Company has been advised that at present two wells are operational in the area producing 156 barrels per day (bbls/d) which after some minor maintenance work should increase to 326 bbls/d.

The oil identified in the deposit is light (API 42) and presently being sold to directly to local consumers or, after transport by truck, to a nearby refinery.

BHP (20 MARCH 2001)

BHP AND BILLITON MERGE TO CREATE A PREMIER DIVERSIFIED GLOBAL RESOURCES GROUP
The Directors of BHP and Billiton have agreed a merger to establish a premier diversified global resources group, to be called BHP Billiton. The merger will be achieved through a dual listed company ("DLC") structure, creating a formidable enterprise of global scale and diversity, with the capacity and flexibility to pursue international growth opportunities, and with outstanding access to major capital markets.

BHP Billiton will be run by a unified Board and management team, with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, and with a significant corporate management centre in London. The existing primary listings on the London and Australian Stock Exchanges will be maintained, as will the secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (and an American Depository Receipt listing on the New York Stock Exchange).

Based on the closing prices of BHP and Billiton shares on 16 March 2001, the aggregate market capitalisation of BHP Billiton was approximately US$28 billion (GBP20 billion; A$57 billion), and its enterprise value was approximately US$35 billion (GBP25 billion; A$71 billion).

BHP Limited (BHP) also announced its intention to spin-out its complete steel flat products business as part of the Company's active management of its asset portfolio.

EXODUS MINERALS (20 MARCH 2001)

Exodus Minerals Limited (to be renamed Australian Cancer Technology Limited) advises that following its recent announcements on the expansion of its board and management and the acquisition of the p53 cancer vaccine project, it has secured working capital for the prosecution of its exciting project portfolio.
The Company has reached agreement with Johnson Taylor Potter Corporate Finance Limited to place 5.7 million shares at 18 cents per share to raise $1.026 million.

GLENGARRY RESOURCES (20 MARCH 2001)

An exploration licence application for tantalite has been accepted by the Northern Territory Department of Minerals and Energy. This application (EL 23093), referred to as Barrow Creek, is located approximately 200km north of Alice Springs and 15km north west of Barrow Creek in the Northern Territory and has an area of over 350sqkm.
The Barrow Creek EL covers numerous prospector pits and shafts which were worked in the 1950's producing tin and tantalum. This mineralisation is hosted by north trending pegmatite dykes and quartz veins which have been intruded into shear zones. The country rock comprises Proterozoic quartz - mica schists and amphibolites which are surrounded by the Barrow Creek granite complex.

GUTNICK RESOURCES (20 MARCH 2001)

AWI Administration Services Pty Ltd became a substantial shareholder in Gutnick Resources NL on 14/03/2001 with a relevant interest in the issued share capital of 30,539,870 ordinary shares (19.59%).

GATEWAY MINING (20 MARCH 2001)

Gateway Mining NL will conduct an initial reverse circulation drilling program at its exciting Cowra project in the highly prospective New South Wales Lachlan Fold Belt, where the company has identified skarn or calc-silicate hosted replacement style copper-gold mineralisation.

Drilling is scheduled to commence in the last two weeks of March, comprising of approximately 1,500 metres (15 angled holes x 100 metres). This will test the recently delineated Nasdaq prospect to a vertical depth of 85 metres.

Since it picked up exploration lease EL 5114 at Cowra two years ago, Gateway has carried out a range of geochemical and geophysical studies. Much of the recent work has focussed on Kiola; a seven kilometer x four kilometer zone of structurally controlled copper-gold mineralisation and alteration. Superimposed on the area are numerous circular features identified from photogeological work.

Initial soil sampling over a large area of potentially productive host rocks identified the Nasdaq target, an area of up to 1.25 x 2.50 kilometres with encouraging copper-gold mineralisation. A second more detailed sampling program returned localised zones of coincident gold-copper-bismuth covering a zone of 300 x 600 metres. Results of ground magnetics and geological mapping have confirmed the area’s prospectivity.

Lucky Draw, Browns Creek and Junction Reefs are all gold-skarn deposits that are specific to the NSW porphyry setting and it appears that EL 5514 has this style of mineralisation at Nasdaq.

Nasdaq is a unique target in that it has never been drill tested. It has coincident positive stream, soil (copper-gold-bismuth) geochemistry, ground magnetics and radiometrics all hosted within a favourable host rock.

Despite the negative climate for mineral exploration, directors are pleased that Gateway has been able to make substantial progress at its Cowra project. They are highly encouraged with the potential of Nasdaq and other targets in EL 5514. Drilling results will be reported when they are at hand.

MAJESTIC RESOURCES (20 MARCH 2001)

Majestic Resources NL has replied to the claim of Kimberley Diamond Company NL that shares in takeover target Namakwa Diamond Company NL ("Namakwa") are "theoretically" worth more than $1 a share.

Majestic's executive chairman, Mr Robert Wilde, said he found the claim staggering.

He said Majestic on Thursday announced a takeover bid for Namakwa, on a 1:1 share basis, at which time Majestic was trading at 34.5 cents a share.

Immediately before the takeover offer was announced, the share market had valued Namakwa at 26 cents a share.

The Namakwa project was spun out of Kimberley Diamond Company into the new float.

PHOENIX MINING (20 MARCH 2001)

An unconditional agreement has been reached with Hill 50 Gold NL (Hill 50) to sell the Maud Creek Gold Project in exchange for the issue of 3.5 million new shares in Hill 50 Gold NL.
At Friday's closing price 70 cents per share this represents a consideration of $2.45 million.
Subject to shareholder approval, the Hill 50 shares will be distributed in-specie to Phoenix shareholders.

An option has also been granted to Hill 50 to purchase the freehold property on which the Maud Creek resource sits for $700,000 anytime in the next three years. Hill 50 can extend the option for a fourth year with an increased purchase price of $800,000 and for a fifth year at $900 000.

SONS OF GWALIA (20 MARCH 2001)

Commonmwealth Bank of Australia, Commonwealth Bank Group decreased its relevant interest in Sons Of Gwalia Limited on 14/03/2001, from 22,689,984 ordinary shares (19.5%) to 22,011,117 ordinary shares (18.39%).

TAP OIL (20 MARCH 2001)

The Simpson-2 appraisal well spudded at 10.30 am hours on 19 March 2001.
The well is located in TL/l, 1.4 kilometres south of the Simpson-1 discovery well and 3.5 kilometres south of Varanus Island, at latitude 20degrees41'14.63"S and longitude 115degrees35'08.70"E.

As at 6.00am yesterday, the well has drilled ahead to 370 metres measured depth ("MD") and will continue to drill ahead to the planned total depth of 1,984 metres MD.

UNION CAPITAL (20 MARCH 2001)

Union Capital advised that positive assay results have been returned from the first five holes assay from the pre-feasibility drilling program at the Mehdiabad Zinc Project in Central Iran.
Significant results were obtained for 4 of the 5 holes assayed to date.

Union's geologists consider that the results support and confirm the resource estimates previously calculated by Union. Further Union is encouraged by the shallow depths of mineralisation encountered, improving the potential for lower cost operation mining.

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (20 MARCH 2001)

Shell Investments has extended its offer so that it now closes on 12 April 2001.

ANACONDA NICKEL (16 MARCH 2001)

Anaconda has secured USD50million (AUD100m) in committed metal pipeline financing facilities and executed a USD25million (AUD50m) forward sale facility. Offers of further facilities are being evaluated. Since the end of the 2000 Financial year Anaconda has repaid AUD13million of Murrin Murrin Investment notes, USD6million in floating rate notes and fully provided for debt service on its fixed rate notes.

AQUARIUS PLATINUM (16 MARCH 2001)

HALF YEARLY RESULTS 31 DECEMBER 2000

• Six months consolidated group operating profit after tax US$9.96m - up 262% on full year's result to June 2000
• Operating profit is based on pre cash bid ownership of Kroondal Platinum Mines Limited (KPM) of 44%. Full year figures will reflect increase in ownership of KPM to over 87%
• Net profit before tax: 64% of revenue
• First project, Kroondal, debt free in March 2001
• Second project, Marikana, now at start up
• Third project, Everest South, feasibility study commenced in February 2001
• Aquarius on track to achieve stated corporate objective of 500,000 ounces PGM production per annum by 2003
• American Depository Receipts Program (ADR) scheduled to commence in second quarter 2001

AUSDRILL (16 MARCH 2001)

The Directors report a half year loss after tax of $3.635m.
The extremely disappointing result was caused by:

a) A continuing series of problems within the South and Central American operations resulting in a pre tax loss of $3.4m. These have now been addressed in part.

b) Foreign Exchange losses of $2.2m before tax associated with US$ Foreign Exchange Contracts. The position has deteriorated further with the declining value of the A$.

We have completely exited operations in Honduras and Nicaragua, and have ceased operations and taken to account all exiting costs from Peru.

AUSTRALASIAN GOLD MINES (16 MARCH 2001)

DALGARANGA PROJECT
The Dalgaranga treatment plant has successfully completed the commissioning process reaching design capacity of 20 tonnes per hour on 24 February and commenced 24 hour operations on a two shift basis on 4 March. Plant feed has consisted of tailings from the historical operations and recoveries have averaged above 60%, which is in excess of the budgeted recovery of 50% used in the initial plant studies.
The plant was commissioned on low grade tailings material and the head grade of the tailings has varied between 250 and 650 g/t Ta(2)O(5) which is in line with the budgeted grades. Minor modifications have been made to the wet tabling circuit to produce a concentrate containing 8 to 10% Ta(2)O(5) for transport to the mineral dressing plant in Perth.

BINNERINGIE PROJECT
Australasian Gold Mines announced that its 50% owned subsidiary Tantalum Australia Pty Ltd ("TA") has entered into a formal option to purchase agreement whereby TA can acquire a 100% interest in two granted mining leases located near Binneringie in the Coolgardie Mineral Field of Western Australia. The option can be exercised at any time prior to the 21 October 2001. Further details of these agreements are set out in this announcement.
The Binneringie project tenements cover an area of 4 square kilometres located 60 kilometres east of Widgiemooltha, Western Australia. The Binneringie project is considered to have the potential for the discovery of primary pegmatite hosted and alluvial tantalum deposits.

CENTAUR MINING & EXPLORATION (16 MARCH 2001)

Allan Watson and David McEvoy of PriceWaterhouseCoopers have been appointed Receivers and Managers of the Company.

CLUFF RESOURCES PACIFIC (16 MARCH 2001)

17,057 carats of uncut gem quality ruby have been recovered from Trench 2A, which extends for over 200 metres across the river flats of the Gummi River, on the Gloucester Ruby Project. The recovered rubies weigh 3.4 kilograms.

CROESUS MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Croesus Mining NL ("Croesus") announced today an operating profit, before abnormals, of $356,000 for the first half of the 2000/01 year. Abnormal items, related to a provision for foreign exchange losses and the write down of $2.5 million exploration expenditure previously capitalised, brought the loss for the half to $2.9 million.

The profit announcement follows a 5c return of capital made to shareholders in January and the discovery and rapid development of the Davyhurst gold operation purchased in July 2000.

Gold production from Davyhurst is on schedule to commence in early April at the rate of 110,000 ounces per annum adding a second production centre for Croesus. Open pit mining has been underway at Davyhurst since January this year.

Production from Binduli, located 10km west of Kalgoorlie continued to provide a solid earnings base for the Company with 20,530 ounces produced at $350 per ounce for the half year.

Croesus' substantial cash reserves at year end remained high at $18.2 million.

Exploration activity is currently focussed on the Lady Gladys deposit at Davyhurst that is reporting significant high-grade results. A resource upgrade is currently being calculated for Lady Gladys.

Croesus Managing Director Michael Ivey said today "the operating result was pleasing, coming on the back of the capital return and exploration success at Davyhurst. The forecast low cost production from Davyhurst will see us producing on an annualised basis at over 150,000 ounces per annum in 2001."

DIORO EXPLORATION (16 MARCH 2001)

The board of Dioro Exploration NL is pleased to report further exceptional results from the ongoing drilling program at the frog's Leg project being conducted by Mines and Resources Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of the joint venture.

INTERSECTION HIGHLIGHTS
Diamond Drilling

• 50 metres @ 6.07 g/t from 348 metres downhole depth
• (inc 11 m @ 8.69 g/t, 1m @, 19,85 g/t and 3m @ 29.79 g/t)
• 14 metres @ 25.07 g/t from 300 metres downhole depth
  (Inc 9m @37.01 g/t)
• 20 metres @ 3.17 g/t from 112 metres downhole depth
• 19 metres @ 2.53 g/t from 101 metres downhole depth
• 11 metres @ 2.47 g/t from 72 metres downhole depth

EQUATORIAL MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Equatorial Mining advised the market on 23 February 2001 and 7 March 2001 that, as part of its ongoing review of operations and its continuous disclosure obligations, a significant write-down of the Company's Tonopah assets was expected to be made.

The Company advises that the write-down of the carrying value of the investment in the Tonopah Project amounts to A$180.364 million in respect of the year ended 31 December 2000. The write-down is to be disclosed as an abnormal item in the consolidated financial statements of the Company. The write-down is attributable to the ongoing delays in achieving capacity production and due to the construction and start-up difficulties still being experienced at the Tonopah Project.

GIANTS REEF MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Giants Reef Mining Limited advises that BHP Minerals Pty Ltd, (BHP) has withdrawn from the Short Range Joint Venture in Tennant Creek.

The Board sees this event as being to its advantage as the withdrawal will enable Giants Reef to explore, in its own right, the large and highly prospective targets which were the object of BHP's original interest in the area.

These untested targets will add to the prospectivity of Giants Reef's 100% tenement portfolio.

The areas subject to BHP's Exploration Licence applications will pass to Giants Reef.

For information on Giants Reef, click here.

GREATER PACIFIC GOLD (16 MARCH 2001)

RESULTS FROM RC PERCUSSION DRILLING AT THE GABANINTHA VANADIUM PROJECT, MEEKATHARRA WA
In November/December 2000 thirty-one RC percussion holes (GRC018 to GRC 048) were drilled on P 51/2226 owned by Greater Pacific Gold Limited and the "Defined Area" on E 51/843 and E 51/431 covered by the Nowthanna Joint Venture in which Greater Pacific Gold Limited has an 80% interest in any vanadium. The holes were drilled on 15 traverses (average of 2 holes per traverse) spaced along strike at approximately 400 metre intervals at an azimuth of 050deg and a dip of 60deg except for GRC 025, which was drilled vertically because of access problems. A total strike length of 8 km was tested by these drill traverses and 1.5 km remains to be tested within the above areas controlled by Greater Pacific Gold Limited. As there is no outcropping vanadiferous titanomagnetite in the southern part of the area explored, the drill holes were located by carrying out ground magnetic traverses.

The drilling confirmed the continuity of the magnetite bands. The depth of cover in the southern part of the Greater Pacific Gold Limited controlled areas is only shallow, varying from 2 to 8 metres. The average combined width of the vanadiferous magnetite bands intercepted in the drill holes was 23 metres (approximates to true width). The individual vanadiferous magnetite bands had an average true width of 12 metres reaching a maximum true width of 44 metres.

GOLD AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTS (16 MARCH 2001)

The Board of Directors has approved a further 15% expansion of the Macraes Gold Project milling capacity from 3.9mtpa to 4.5mtpa.
Further, pending the successful application by GRD Macraes to vary the existing Reefton access agreement with the Department of Conservation the Macraes autoclave capacity will also be increased to accommodate the additional concentrate feed.
As a result GRD Macraes forecast gold production when sourced from two areas will increase by nearly 50% to approximately 250,000 ounces per annum from 2002.

The total capital costs for:

1. Expanding the Macraes milling capacity from 3.9mtpa to 4.5mtpa;
2. Expanding the Macraes autoclave capacity to include the higher concentrate feed from both projects; and
3. Developing the higher grade Reefton Gold Project;

is expected to be $35 million AUD +/- 10%.

GTN RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

HALF YEAR - HIGHLIGHTS

• Revenue of $4.69 million for the half year compared with $3.59 million for the corresponding half year;
• Operating profit before abnormals of $585,000 recorded for the half year compares to $90,000 for the corresponding half year;
• Continuing strong demand and prices for rough sapphire in international markets;
• Corundum production from the Warrandah mine near Inverell (GTN 50%) of 824kg, up 25% on the previous half year;
• Corundum production from the Subera mine in Queensland (GTN 100%) of 1,447 kg, up 19% on the previous half year;
• The new Weean mine (GTN 50%) is 75% complete with first production expected in March 2001.

HUDSON RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

The directors of Hudson announced that the Company's operating profit after abnormal items and tax for the year ended 31 December 2000 was $296,000, up 118% from the previous year. The consolidated revenue was $4,749,000 for the year. In order to enhance shareholders value, profit will be retained for further consolidation of the business, hence no dividend will be declared this year.

KIMBERLEY DIAMOND COMPANY (16 MARCH 2001)

Kimberley is the owner of 5,400,000 convertible notes in the capital of Namakwa Diamond Company NL (Namakwa), which can be converted into 5,400,000 ordinary fully paid shares in Namakwa at $0.25 each. The Board of Namakwa may at any time give notice of its intention to redeem these convertible notes by paying Kimberley the sum of $1.35 million in which event Kimberley must elect to either accept that amount or convert the notes to shares.
Namakwa commenced trading on the Australian Stock Exchange on Thursday, 15 March 2001.

Majestic Resources NL (Majestic) announced its intention to offer one fully paid ordinary share in Majestic for each fully paid share in Namakwa Diamond Company plus one 20 cent contributing share for each two fully paid shares in Namakwa Diamond Company NL.

If Kimberley elects to convert its notes into Namakwa ordinary fully paid shares, it does not propose to accept the Majestic bid as it is presently constituted as Kimberley does not believe this bid represents fair value for Namakwa.

On information disclosed in the Namakwa prospectus and the Majestic bid announcement, Kimberley believes that Namakwa shares have a theoretical value in excess of $1.00 each.

MURCHISON UNITED (16 MARCH 2001)

Murchison United announced a half yearly profit after tax of $4.2 million.
The result was achieved on sales revenue of $37.0 million generated from the sale of 4,052 tonnes of tin in concentrate from Renison Bell.

The result is lower than the corresponding period last year due to lower tin production from Renison Bell and the absence of revenue and earnings from the Mt Cuthbert Copper Project included in the previous result.

The lower production from Renison Bell occurred during the transition from bench and fill to sub level open stoping mining methods. The Huon open stope has now been successfully commissioned and production continues to steadily increase.

The outlook for the current half is for an increase in production at a lower operating cost.

Managing Director Paul Atherley commented: "Despite the lower production during the half earnings comfortably exceeded our long term earnings forecast at the time of acquisition. Our challenge in the current half is to bring earnings back in line with last years performance.

We expect to be debt free by year end and in a strong position to implement our acquisition growth strategy."

OTTER GOLD MINES (16 MARCH 2001)

HALF YEAR RESULTS

• Otter reported a half year after tax loss of NZ$11.6 million (A$9.2 million), after a significant write down in the carrying value of Beaconsfield Mine (Otter's equity interest: NZ$9.7 million). This compared to a half year profit for the period ended 31 December 1999 of NZ$2.6 million (A$2.1 million).
• Otter's net equity gold production was 65,493 ounces, up from 59,643 ounces (in the half year to 31 December 1999), due to the inclusion of Otter's indirect interest in Beaconsfield Mine production for the first time, however all three mines performed significantly below budget in the December quarter.
• The wet weather in the Northern Territory over the past four months has meant that mining and exploration work has been limited. Otter is negotiating a toll milling contract which could see the Tanami plant milling ore on contract for Normandy North Flinders from its Groundrush tenement.
• Otter's gold sales averaged NZ$678 per ounce (A$522 per ounce) for the period, compared to an average cash operating cost of NZ$558 per ounce (A$430 per ounce).
• Otter raised NZ$11.7 million (A$8.9 million) from a fully underwritten rights issue, which closed 27 October 2000. Debt amortisation and ongoing capital and exploration programmes have contributed to reducing available cash to NZ$3.7 million (A$3 million) by balance date.

PACIFIC ENERGY (16 MARCH 2001)

In the year to 31 December 2000, Pacific Energy made a profit of $1.290m before abnormal items and income tax. This profit compared with $1.277m in the previous year. The result for the year included a currency loss of $321,000.

Pacific Energy, with its major shareholder Energy World International Ltd are making good progress with the plans to expand and develop its power generation and energy activities in the Region.

PAN PALLADIUM (16 MARCH 2001)

Boulder Steel Limited became a substantial shareholder in Pan Palladium Ltd on 28/02/2001 with a relevant interest in the issued share capital of 17,000,000 ordinary shares (35.56%).

PETROZ (16 MARCH 2001)

HALF YEAR - OVERVIEW

BAYU-UNDAN PROJECT

• Contract awarded for hook-up and commissioning valued at US$90 million.
• Seven key supply and installation contracts valued at US$200 million awarded.
• Production facilities design expanded to enable gas export.

TIMOR SEA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Phillips'agreement with Woodside for the joint development of Timor Sea gas resources.
• Letter of intent executed for Bayu-Undan to Darwin as pipeline.
• Route survey carried out by Epic Energy for onshore gas pipeline from Darwin to Moomba

ELANG/KAKATUA/KAKATUA NORTH OIL FIELDS

• Further increase in Recoverable Reserves to 26.6 Mmbbl.
• Production expected to extend into the first half of 2003.
• Production rate approximately 17,000 bopd.
• Petroz is unhedged in relation to oil price and currency.

EXPLORATION

• Seismic survey totalling l465 km acquired in the Browse Basin blocks.
• Two unsuccessful exploration wells drilled in Carnarvon Basin.

FINANCE & CORPORATE

• Revenue totalled $24.000 million
• Cash balance of $17.857 million and zero debt as at 31 December 2000
• Fletcher Challenge Energy (FCE) exercises its option on 29.6 million shares for $12.8 million.
• FCE placement and underwriting agreement rejected at 5 October Shareholders' Meeting.
• Scrip takeover offer by Novus on 16 October.
• Novus takeover offer rejected by Petroz Board on 3 November.
• Cash takeover offer by ENI at $0.56 per share announced on 16 November.
• Cash takeover offer by Phillips at $0.70 per share announced on 8 December.

SANTOS (16 MARCH 2001)

In response to media reports, Santos Limited states that it has approached both Shell Australia Investments Limited and Woodside Petroleum Limited to discuss alternatives to Shell's Revised Merger Proposal.

Santos has raised the possibility that it may be able to play a part in achieving an outcome that would be mutually beneficial for the shareholders of all the companies involved, while satisfying national interest concerns that have been raised.

The discussions held to date are highly preliminary and Santos will inform the ASX should the discussions lead to the formulation of a definitive proposal.

SIROCCO RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

The securities of Sirocco Resources NL (the "Company") will be placed in pre-open pending the release of an announcement by the Company.

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (16 MARCH 2001)

Woodside is aware of media reports concerning possible proposals by parties other than Shell, which would compete with Shell's takeover offer and revised asset transfer proposal.

Since the announcement of Shell's takeover offer on 24 November 2000, Woodside has engaged in discussions with a number of parties concerning possible competing proposals. The objective of the independent directors of Woodside in authorising these discussions has been to provide shareholders with the opportunity to derive maximum value from their Woodside shares.

A number of these discussions were unproductive, but discussions are continuing with certain parties including BHP and Santos.

HERALD RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

EXCELLENT TIN RESULTS CONTINUE FROM HERALD'S BELITUNG PROJECT

AUIRON ENERGY (16 MARCH 2001)

• Demonstration Plant Performance Better Than Expected
• Another Milestone In The Successful SASE Programme
• Trial Coal Pit Excavation Begins At Phillipson

Auiron announced that operations at the Whyalla Demonstration Pig Iron Plant continue to be better than expected. Trials to establish key operating performance parameters of post combustion, heat transfer efficiency, operating temperature, coal and oxygen consumption are progressing well with better than design performance being obtained in some key areas relevant to commercial plant feasibility.

BALLARAT GOLDFIELDS (16 MARCH 2001)

N M Rothschild Australia Holdings Pty Limited ceased to be a substantial shareholder in Ballarat Goldfields NL on 09/03/2001.

CLIMAX MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Since the release of the December quarterly report on 24 January 2001, the political changes in the Philippines and the increasingly negative sentiment towards the gold price has caused Standard Bank London Limited to reassess the markets capacity to generate the required US$90 million senior project debt for the Didipio gold copper project in the Philippines. The bank determined that, to ensure a successful outcome, additional non-debt support is required prior to issue of an Information Memorandum for the syndication process. This additional support is being pursued.

These factors have caused the board to review the carrying value of the project as at 31 December 2000. This review determined that a provision of $51 million should be made against capitalised exploration expenditures. Notwithstanding this provision, the board believes that the development of Didipio will enable Climax to recover all capitalised costs incurred.

The provision against Didipio and a further provision of $3.1 million against the Companys interest in Argentina resulted in an operating loss after tax and extraordinary items of $54.6 million.

Exploration activities in the Philippines during the half-year were confined to the Manhulayan property which was farmed out and is currently being drilled. Farmout discussions continue on a number of the Company's other properties, in particular, the Paco project on the Surigao peninsula, which is favourably located relative to the area of recent exploration success by the Philex Gold Inc and Anglo America Exploration (Philippines) Inc joint venture.

In Australia, at Junction reefs, farminee Newerest has completed a detailed aeromagnetic and radiometric survey and has commenced drilling.

DOMINION MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Dominion announced a spectacular series of drilling results from its 100%-owned Challenger Gold Project in South Australia, underlining the exceptionally high-grade nature of the deposit as it moves closer to launching project development in the second half of 2001.

The in-fill drilling results, which were designed to confirm the initial 100,000 ounce open pit gold resource at Challenger could lead to a future resource upgrade. This coincides with the release by Dominion, of a progress report on the Bankable Feasibility Study on Challenger and the Company's Half Yearly accounts.

The Challenger drilling results included two stunning intersections of 12 metres at 56 g/t gold and 14 metres at 21.3 g/t gold. These results occur at the bottom of the proposed opencut offering considerable encouragement for both the initial feasibility and an eventual transition to underground mining.

The most important feature of the Feasibility Study to date is the delineation of a water supply in close proximity to the proposed site for the Challenger treatment plant, eliminating the last remaining item of uncertainty relating to the infrastructure required to implement the project.

The project is also subject to the successful completion of negotiations with registered Native Title claimants. These are well underway.

Dominion also released encouraging exploration results from its south west Yilgarn Project, a major regional project in Western Australia, following the latest phase of work.

EMPEROR MINES (16 MARCH 2001)

BRIEF SUMMARY OF HALF YEARLY REPORT

• As of 5 January 2001 (after half-year end), the company repaid its Macquarie loan in full leaving the company debt free.
• The grade of 7.90 g/t for the first half of the year, (down 5% on the previous half year) has resulted in a cash cost of US$253/oz (down 9% on the previous half year).
• Gold production for the first 6 months was 57,173 ounces down 6% on the previous half year.
• This resulted in a net loss after tax and before once off significant items of $0.950 million.
• Due to costs associated with the management restructure in November 2000 the net loss after tax and once off significant items was $2.345 million.

GINDALBIE GOLD (16 MARCH 2001)

Gindalbie has secured a $9.5 million finance facility for the development of the Minjar Project from Macquarie Bank Ltd.
The facility consists of $7.5 million direct project finance and $2.0 million as a forward price prepayment. The availability of the prepayment was a function of the higher than expected A$ gold price and the fact that the average spot price exceeded the Company's best expectations arising out of the feasibility study.

The Company has now given the go ahead for development of the Minjar Project to commence in April 2001 with production expected by October 2001.

The Company will relocate the 500,000 tpa Marymia treatment plant to Minjar to treat the initial 140,000 ounces in gold equivalent reserves at a cash cost of A$320/oz.

HARDMAN RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

The Joint Venture partners in offshore Mauritania Blocks 2-6 have reached final decisions on the drilling program scheduled to begin in early April. These decisions were presented to the Mauritanian Government during meetings on 3-8 March. Logistical preparations in-country are already well advanced and the Scarabeo-7 rig is currently on tow to Mauritania with arrival on site expected at the end of March and a spud date on or around 1 April.

Details of the two wells to be drilled during this first drilling phase are as follows:

• The Chinguetti-1 well will target the prospect now named Khede (formerly referred to as Lead 1). This consists of stacked Tertiary targets draped over a salt diapir in a water depth of 800 meters. The primary target is interpreted as Miocene sand at an approximate depth of 2365-2500 meters. Proposed total depth (TD) is 2620 meters below sea level.
• The Courbine-1 well will target the Courbine prospect (formerly referred to as Lead 8). This consists of an interpreted Cretaceous Canyon fill draped over a toe thrust at an approximate depth of 3720 to 3920 meters below sea level, in a water depth of 1200 meters. Base case proposed TD is 4000 meters, however an operationally contingent TD of 4800 meters is carried as an option and would allow a test of a deeper Cretaceous target.

HERON RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

The appointment of Administrators to Centaur Mining & Exploration gives rise to an event entitling Heron to terminate the Strategic Alliance Agreement ("SAA") on 90 days written notice.
Heron has advised the Administrators that it is presently considering its position as to whether or not it will terminate the SAA.

KINGS MINERALS (16 MARCH 2001)

King's Offshore Diamond Exploration Programme on the west coast of South Africa continues to find top quality rough diamonds.
Excellent weather conditions for exploration on Concession 5(a) has allowed our Exploration and Recovery Vessel in South Africa to return with 331 only 20 kg bags of diamondiferous gravels over the past week.

The recovery of 18.37cts of rough diamonds (12 stones in total) was highlighted by a 7.63ct stone. Other stones recovered over 1 carat were, 1 only 2.31ct, 1 only 2ct, 1 only 1.81ct and 1 only 1.l4ct. These diamonds were recovered from an area in Concession 5(a) where on a previous trip a 4.25ct diamond was also recovered. The average size of each diamond recovered in Concession 5(a) is normally 0.5cts. This area currently explored by King's has recovered an average of > 1.5cts per diamond.

The quality of the diamonds recovered from this am are such that we expect the price per carat at auction should be well above average.

KINGSTREAM STEEL (16 MARCH 2001)

Messrs Lawson, Hyman, Saxton and Karpin have resigned as directors. The Board now consists of Mr K Court (Chairman), Mr N Zuks (Managing Director) and Mr R Sirr (Non-executive Director).
The resignations came about due to a difference of opinion on the strategic direction of the company and matters relating to governance of the Company. The Board thanks the departing directors for their contribution during their term of appointment.

METEX RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

CHATTERBOX DRILLING
Metex, together with its 50% equity partner in the Laverton Exploration Joint Venture ("LEJV") Delta Gold Limited announced that the initial program of RC drilling at Whisper has been completed by the Granny Smith Joint Venture ("GSJV") (Placer 60% Delta Gold 40%).
The program comprised 55 holes for 4,508m and had the principal objective of upgrading parts of the Whisper deposit to the status of a measured and indicated mineral resource. A secondary objective was to test for mineralisation below corrently defined pit shells. Better results returned external to current pit shells included 10m @ 11.26g/t from 60m in GWRC348, 13m @ 8.52g/t from 74m in GWRC349, 5m @ 6.23g/t from 76m in GWRC366, 5m @ 10.32g/t from 53m in GWRC367, 3m @ 10.78g/t from 117m in GWRC374 and 7m @ 3.41g/t from 72m in GWRC377.

As previously advised the resources under review total 6.2 million tonnes @ 2.3g/t for approximately 463,000 ounces of gold at Innuendo, Whisper, Rumour and Garden Well. On the successful conclusion of the feasibility study the GSJV will have the right to mine and process ore in return for an escalating two stage royalty payable out of production to the LEJV. Additional oxide resources at Beasley Creek and Gladiator North (for 151,000 ounces) are not included in the current agreement.

On the commencement of mining a two stage royalty will apply. The initial royalty rates apply to the first 75,000 ounces of gold produced, and depending on gold price, range between $28.75 and $60 per ounce. Once 75,000 ounces have been recovered the rates range between $43.80 and $75 per ounce. The lower rates apply for gold prices well less than the current spot prices, with the highest rate applying above $525. All figures are in Australian dollars. The current Australian dollar gold price is in excess of $530 per ounce.

Using the agreed upon royalty rates it is anticipated that Metex's share of cashflow from production will be approximately $3.0 to $3.5 million for each year of production at current gold prices. Subject to the successful conclusion of the feasibility study this cashflow could commence early 2002.

ELKEDRA DIAMONDS NL
The Company has previously announced a new exploration and corporate initiative for diamonds in the Northern Territory. This initiative began early in 2000 and has progressed to the stage where 6 of the 26 applications covering a substantial part of the Aljawarra cratonic nucleus (part of the highly prospective North Australian Craton) have passed all requirements and are awaiting grant. The Aljawarra Craton has geological, tectonic and magnetic features typical of diamond producing cratons, particularly the Siberian Craton that hosts some of the world's largest and most lucrative kimberlite pipes.

This stage of land acquisition and consolidation has occurred during a period of increasing interest in diamond exploration in northern Australia. This interest has in part been facilitated by high quality regional geophysical data being made available by the Northern Territory Geological Survey.

Metex will be a substantial stakeholder in Elkedra, and is currently completing a $600,000 seed capital raising so as to commence field activities during the forthcoming dry season. This is being undertaken with the assistance of State One Equities Pty Ltd. It is anticipated that an IPO prospectus capital raising will be undertaken during the second half of 2001. Metex shareholders will receive a priority entitlement in any proposed raising.

MAJESTIC RESOURCES / NAMAKWA DIAMOND COMPANY (16 MARCH 2001)

Majestic Resources announced its intention to offer one fully-paid ordinary share in Majestic for each fully paid share in Namakwa Diamond Company NL ("NDC") plus one 20 cent contributing share for each two fully-paid ordinary shares in NDC.

The weighted average share price for Majestic during the five days preceding this announcement was 35.3 cents. This value represents a 41% premium to the 25 cents public issue price under NDC's recent prospectus. The contributing shares further enhance the Offer to NDC shareholders.

Shareholders who received their shares under the bonus issue for nil consideration, or those who paid only 3 cents for their shares pursuant to the Offer Information Statement dated 12 October 2000, would receive an even greater benefit.

Majestic will apply to have the fully paid and contributing shares listed on Australian Stock Exchange Limited. The Company expects the contributing shares to be listed by mid May, approximately two weeks after the close of the Offer.

The Company acquired a 13.8% interest in NDC's issued ordinary share capital and intends to exercise 3 million NDC options immediately, taking its interest to 19.4% based on the anticipated expanded capital base.

MOSAIC OIL (16 MARCH 2001)

Delilah 1 (Mosaic 5% working interest) well was spudded at 0045 hrs on 15th March 2001. The Delilah structure is approximately 3.5 kilometres from the Legendre oil facilities in the adjacent licence and is capable of quick development if the well is successful.

PACIFIC MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

HALF YEAR - REVIEW AND RESULT OF OPERATIONS
The net profit of the company for the half-year ended 31 December, 2000 after provision for income tax was $185,537 (half-year ended 31 December 1999: $160,125)

MINING
During the half-year royalty revenue from the company's mining operation at Londonderry decreased by 28.36% when compared to corresponding period last year. The decline in mining profits was due to a downturn in business activity during and post the Sydney Olympic Games.
The result of mining operations for the half-year ended 31 December 2000 was $42,349 (half-year ended 31 December 1999: $58,394).

INVESTMENT
During the half-year rental income from investment properties showed improvement as did the return on other investments.
The result of investment operations for the half-year ended 31 December 2000 was $261,042 (half-year ended 31 December 1999:

PETSEC ENERGY (16 MARCH 2001)

Profit attributable to members for the year after extraordinary items and tax was $44 million (1999: $42 million loss). The extraordinary item was a profit of $49.8 million, resulting from the deconsolidation of wholly owned subsidiary Petsec Energy Inc (PEI) from 13 April 2000, when it filed a petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy code.

The operating results before tax improved to a loss of $9 million compared to a loss of $42 million in 1999. Sales revenue was reduced due to the deconsolidation of the principal operating subsidiary PEI from 13 April 2000.

Petsec Energy held approximately $23 million in current assets at year-end, of which US$11 million was held in US dollar deposits.

On January 16, 2001, Petsec Energy Inc emerged from proceedings under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code as a reorganised entity under the control of Petsec Energy Ltd. The reorganisation results in the settlement of all outstanding claims and discharge of all the liabilities of PEI, allowing PEI to continue in the oil and gas exploration and production business. Accordingly, Petsec Energy Inc will be consolidated into the Petsec Energy Ltd group from January 16, 2001.

Petsec retains five exploration leases in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico, its technical database, computer systems and its office in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The leases are High Island 33 (State) and High Island 33 (Federal, Ship Shoal 180, Vermilion 258 and West Cameron 145.

REEFTON MINING (16 MARCH 2001)

Reefton has proceeded to allot 15,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares and 15,000,000 free attaching 2003 options raising $750,000 before deducting the costs of the issue.

SYDNEY GAS COMPANY (16 MARCH 2001)

The Commonwealth Government has offered Sydney Gas Company N/L research and development grant totalling $4.1 million for a coal gas project that will provide Australia with a major environmentally friendly and clean energy source close to its most populous area.
The project funded under the R&D Start Program, will exploit the gas resources trapped in the coal beds in the Sydney Basin. It will result in a supply that could have significant economic benefits for the population base on the Eastern seaboard.

TAIPAN RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

Troy Resources has increased its offer price for the fully paid shares in Taipan under both its unconditional full bid and its conditional proportional bid to 9.1 cents. Troy has not increased its offer price for the partly paid shares in Taipan under either bid.

Further, Troy has extended the closing date of its full bid for Taipan to 7:00pm on Thursday 29 March 2001. The closing date of its proportional bid has remained unchanged at 7.00pm on Tuesday 27 March 2001.

TITAN RESOURCES (16 MARCH 2001)

Titan has agreed to purchase the Carr Boyd Rocks nickel property from Defiance Mining NL for $800,000 cash.
The purchase will be made by Titan's wholly owned subsidiary, Australian Nickel Mines NL, with payment in two installments, being $500,000 within 14 days of signing the Purchase Agreement and the balance of $300,000 due twelve months from that date.

The Carr Boyd Rocks Ni-Cu sulphide mine is located approximately 80 km north-west of Kalgoorlie, within the Eastern Goldfields region of WA. The tenement package covers approximately 53 square kilometres overlying the Carr Boyd Rocks layered mafic-ultramafic intrusion, including a significant portion of the important, basal intrusive contact. The deposit is hosted by the Carr Boyd layered, mafic- ultramafic complex, which is similar to Titan's Radio Hill and Mt Sholl intrusions. On a global scale layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions host approximately 90% of all known nickel sulphide mineralisation and a large percentage of all known Platinum Group Element mineralisation.

AUSTINDO RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

The Company is pleased to advise that Mr. Pieter Greeff has been appointed to the Board of Directors with immediate effect.

Mr. Greeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Mining) from Pretoria University in South Africa and a Masters of Engineering from McGill University in Canada. He has over 30 years of experience as a mining engineer in Australia and overseas having worked with major mining companies including Rand Mines Limited, Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia, Pancontinental Mining Limited, BP Australia Limited and Mount Isa Mines Limited.

Pieter has extensive operating and development experience in gold, diamonds, base metals and coal. Most recently he held the position of Executive General Manager - Western Australia Operations with Newcrest Mining Limited, where he was responsible for operations as well as new projects in Western Australia. Pieter retired from Newcrest in December 2000.

The Board welcomes Pieter’s depth of experience as it advances its Cibaliung project in Banten, Indonesia and seeks to identify other new opportunities to enhance the Company’s asset base.

For additional information on Austindo, click here.

BEMAX RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

BeMaX Resources announces that it has made the second placement to Sons of Gwalia Ltd ("Gwalia") pursuant to the agreement announced 11 January 2001.

This second placement to Gwalia is for a further 5% of the issued ordinary capital of the Company, being 5,756,142 ordinary shares at 24.38 cents per share for a total of $1,403,347.42.

Gwalia’s interest in the Company is now 17.2% of ordinary capital.

GOLDEN CROSS RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

PLATINUM-PALLADIUM PROPERTIES TO BE DRILLED

ADMIRALTY RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

21,115,000 shares were issued at two (2) cents each to clients of Bell Securities Limited raising a total of $422,300.

ALLSTATE EXPLORATIONS (15 MARCH 2001)

Half Yearly Report - HIGHLIGHTS

• Allstate reported a half year loss after tax and abnormals of A$16.4 million (1999: A$0.5 million), after an abnormal write down of A$14.1 million in its interest in the Beaconsfield Mine Joint Venture (BMJV) due to the plant design and construction problems up to 31 December 2000.
• Allstate's equity production from Beaconsfield Mine was 18,499 ounces (budget 22,793 ounces) for the half year.
• Allstate's gold sales averaged A$539 per ounce compared to average cash operating costs of A$476 per ounce.
• Allstate renegotiated the repayment schedule of its corporate loan facility with Macquarie Bank Limited such that it is not required to repay any principal until 30 June 2001 and the term of the loan is extended to December 2004.

ANGLOGOLD (15 MARCH 2001)

AngloGold is continuing to consider its position regarding certain of its assets in the Free State and discussions are continuing with various parties. Accordingly, shareholders are advised to continue to exercise caution when dealing in AngloGold shares.

BOULDER STEEL (15 MARCH 2001)

Boulder has now formally received 17 million shares, and 12 million performance options in Pan Palladium Limited (PPD) as consideration for the vending out of its Stillwater PGMjoint venture interests to PPD.

CENTAUR MINING & EXPLORATION (15 MARCH 2001)

The securities of Centaur Mining & Exploration will be suspended from Official Quotation from the commencement of trading on Thursday 15 March 2001, following the appointment of Lindsay Philip Maxsted and Stephen Andrew Hawke, Chartered Accountants of KPMG as administrators of the Company.

CREST MAGNESIUM (15 MARCH 2001)

PROSPECTUS - For the issue of up to 113,333,333 fully paid ordinary shares in the capital of the Company to be issued at a price of 1.65 cents per share to raise up to $1,870,000.
The Offer is not underwritten.

EAGLE BAY RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

Northright No-1 Prospectus

The Company is offering up to 40 equity units each of 1% in Petroleum Exploration permit VIC/P41 at an issue price of $100,000, through placements to invitees to raise up to $4 million for expenditure on the drilling of the Northright No-1 structure on VIC/P41 in Bass Strait.
The equity units will not be listed on the ASX. The closing date of the issue is the 1 May 2001. The Prospectus is available upon request.

GOLD MINES OF SARDINIA (15 MARCH 2001)

Gold Mines of Sardinia has disposed of 1,000,000 Ordinary shares of 15p each in Navan Mining plc ("Navan") ("Navan Shares") at a price of 98p per share. These shares have been placed with institutional investors. The sale took place on March 13, 2001.
The net proceeds of the disposal will be used by GMS to reduce bank indebtedness and to strengthen its balance sheet.
Following the disposal GMS's stake in Navan comprises a total of 5,500,000 Navan Shares representing approximately 8.1 per cent of Navan's issued share capital. GMS has no current intention of selling further Navan Shares.

LACHLAN RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF MINORITY SHAREHOLDERS
A special meeting of shareholders of the Company other than Homestake Mining Company (Australia) Limited or Forsayth NL will be held

at: Hotel Inter-Continental Sydney, Level 9, 117 Macquarie Street, Sydney

on: Wednesday, 18 April 2001 at 3.15 pm (EST)

to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following as a special resolution:

"That, subject to approval of the special resolution contained in the Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company dated 9 March, 2001, the share capital of Lachlan Resources NL be reduced by $4,442,714.22, to be effected by the cancellation of 63,467,346 ordinary shares, being those ordinary shares held by shareholders other than Homestake Mining Company (Australia) Limited or Forsayth NL, and the payment of $0.07 to shareholders per ordinary share so cancelled."

MINERAL DEPOSITS (15 MARCH 2001)

Half-Year - Revenue derived from product sales by Mineral Deposits (Operations) Pty Ltd, our wholly-owned rutile and zircon producer in New South Wales, at $6.07 million was some $3.26 million higher than in the equivalent period the previous year.

Mineral Deposits (Operations) Pty Ltd achieved profit after tax of $1.82 million (versus $0.065 million in 1999).

The balance of $1.4 million owed to the former parent company (New Hampton Goldfields Limited) repaid. Other than Convertible Note of $0.81 million (and a number of finance leases), the consolidated entity concludes year 2000 debt free.

All remaining gold exploration and mining interests in Western Australia sold. The once- off loss on disposal amounted to $2.21 million. The consolidated entity totally dedicated to mineral sands as a result but incurs loss on ordinary activities after income tax of $1.61 million. Of this figure, $1.23 million attributable to members ($0.91 million in the prior year).

The company and Iscor Limited ("Iscor"), a major South African resource company, concluded a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") in November 2000 (crystallised in a series of subsequent agreements post balance date) to form a strategic alliance to complete a feasibility study with the objective of developing two world-class mineral sands projects in the southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The terms of the MOU between the parties, which include a subscription of $5.0 million by Iscor for 11.3 million shares equivalent to a 15.4% interest in the company, were approved by shareholders in general meeting on 30 November 2000.

Cash assets were $4.44 million at 31 December 2000 versus $0.25 million the previous year.

For more information on Mineral Deposits, click here.

OXIANA RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

Oxiana Resources has now completed first pass resource evaluation drilling on the five Sepon gold deposits - Nalou, Discovery, Discovery West, Namkok West and Namkok East

Drilling to close off extensions to high grade mineralisation at the Nalou, Namkok West and Discovery West gold resources has been completed. Assays received to date for Namkok West indicate further extensions of higher grade mineralisation to the south and northwest.

Infill drilling to prove up measured resources within priority areas of each resource is in progress.

Preliminary resource modeling of the Nalou, Discovery West and Namkok West and East gold deposits has been completed and preliminary modeling of the largest gold resource, Discovery, is being completed. First pass results indicate a robust global gold resource within which there are a number of discrete near surface higher grade zones.
These near surface higher grade zones will provide strong early cash flows and significantly enhance project economics.

PIMA MINING (15 MARCH 2001)

DIRECTORS' REPORT FOR THE HALF-YEAR ENDED 31/12/2000

CONSOLIDATED RESULT
The consolidated loss for the half-year ended 31/12/2000 attributed to the members of Pima Mining NL was $223,000 (1999: loss of $246,000).

REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
During the half year and to the date of this report the group has continued to progress the development of the Magnesium Project held by controlled entity SAMAG Limited ('SAMAG').

This has been significantly assisted during the half year with the raising in September 2000 of $10.8million upon the exercise of options, and with the acquisition of the remaining 20% of SAMAG previously held by Resource Finance Corporation. This acquisition has resulted in SAMAG becoming 100% owned subsidiary of PIMA with Resource Finance Corporation in turn becoming a significant shareholder in PIMA.
SAMAG continues to target a financial close during the second half of 2001. Gas and electricity supply strategies are in the process of being implemented and the environmental approval process is nearing completion. Other tasks well underway are:

• Negotiation of the Engineering Procurement Construction Contract with a guaranteed maximum price
• Conducting further testwork and engineering to reduce capital and operating costs
• Preparing the Bankable Feasibility Study for project financing

A major achievement during the half-year was the finalisation of a Metal Sales Agreement with Thyssen Krupp Metallurgie GmbH for the proposed output from the Port Pine Plant. This agreement underpins the financing for the project and demonstrates the support of one of Europe's major industrial groups.

Exploration in Pima's gold tenements remains on hold while the SAMAG opportunity is pursued.

STRAITS RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

Straits announced a gross operating profit of A$24.7m for the year ended 31 December 2000, up from A$2.3m in the previous year. For the same period, the company booked a loss after tax of A$3.9m, down from A$13.1m loss in the corresponding previous period.
This was due to significantly improved performances from the company's core operations, the Nifty Copper operation in WA, the Girilambone Copper Mine in NSW and the Sebuku Coal Mine in Indonesia.

Commenting on the result, Straits' Chief Executive, Mr Brian Rear said that the company was pleased with the turnaround and was now well positioned to capitalise on the improved outlook of copper and coal prices. On this basis the Company looks forward to a return to profitability in 2001.

TAIPAN RESOURCES (15 MARCH 2001)

The Company refers to its announcement dated 9 March 2001 relating to the announcement of St Barbara Mines Limited ("St Barbara") that it had decided not to execute with CS First Boston the funding arrangements referred to in its bidder's statement.
Taipan has been informed by St Barbara that it has sufficient alternative funding arrangements for its takeover Offers and that it will issue a supplementary bidder's statement in relation to these arrangements shortly.

At this stage the independent directors of Taipan do not consider that this change in circumstances will alter their recommendation as to St Barbara's offers. However, Taipan will consider the issue further upon receiving St Barbara's supplementary bidder's statement and, if appropriate, will provide further information to the market.

In the meantime the independent directors reiterate their previous advice that shareholders should continue to monitor closely developments regarding the various takeover bids for Taipan.

AMITY OIL (14 MARCH 2001)

In mid February 2001, Thrace Joint Venture Technical Committee meetings and formal Operating Committee meetings were held in Ankara to consider programmes put forward by the Joint Venture Operator, Amity Oil International Pty Ltd ("Amity") to advance the Gocerler gas discovery towards production and for future development and exploration programmes.

Agreement was reached on all programmes, subject to certain conditions. Amity is working on behalf of the Joint Venture to meet the conditions and is confident there will be no delay in bringing the Gocerler gas discovery to production and moving into the next Joint Venture exploration phase.

The Thrace Joint Venture participants are Amity Oil International Pty Ltd, 50% and Turkiye Petrolleri AO, 50%.

AUSTPAC RESOURCES (14 MARCH 2001)

Austpac has completed an initial bulk sampling program from the heavy mineral horizon of the WIM 150 deposit. WIM 150 lies within Exploration Licence No 4521 in the Southern Murray Basin. Over 400 tonnes of ore from the heavy mineral section have been stockpiled for upgrading as required. The sample site will be rehabilitated as a dam for the landowners.
Earlier drilling by CRA indicates the WIM 150 resource contains at least ten million tonnes of ilmenite, six million tonnes of "Hi-Ti" minerals (rutile and leucoxene) and four million tonnes of zircon. The mineralization observed at the sample site appears to be typical of that reported elsewhere in the deposit. It is fine-grained and the heavy minerals will require treatment to produce readily saleable products.

A heavy mineral concentrate will be produced from the bulk sample for processing at Austpac's pilot plant at Newcastle. Bench scale testwork undertaken last year at Newcastle on similar fine-grained heavy minerals from another deposit was successful, and the main focus of the forthcoming pilot plant program is to produce a marketable synthetic rutile product from this large ilmenite resource.

AURORA GOLD (14 MARCH 2001)

SUMMARY - YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2000

• Mt Muro throughput at 1,506,847 tonnes milled, down 3.7% despite severely interrupted mining operations in first half.
• Increase of 5% in unit cash operating cost, to $342 per gold equivalent ounce sold, reflecting the depreciation of the AUD against the USD during the year.
• Bullion production at Mt Muro of 253,250 gold equivalent ounces which represents the second best annual result since project inception.
• Operating profit before income tax and abnormal items of $1.6 million, down from $7.2 million in 1999, primarily as a result of lower realised gold prices.
• Cash on hand at year end $37.8 million, an increase of $28.6 million for the year.
• Improved confidence of the Hidden Valley Mineral Resource (Morobe Gold Project, PNG) and its increase by 800,000 gold equivalent ounces.
• The bankable feasibility study for the Morobe Gold Project extended to permit further consideration of key project issues.
• Identification of an initial Mineral Resource of 6.6 Mt at 2.3 g/t Au at Fortitude (Lake Carey, Australia).

BALLARAT GOLDFIELDS (14 MARCH 2001)

A Farm-out agreement reached with Alliance Gold Limited on 12 December 2000, provided that Alliance had a prescribed period to complete investigations into mining selected mineralised zones from the Harvest Home project, part of the BGF Central Victorian gold tenements.
Alliance has completed its investigations and has advised BGF that it has withdrawn from the farm out agreement.
Discussions are continuing with a number of parties regarding the rational and orderly divestment of BGF's gold assets.

BEACH PETROLEUM (14 MARCH 2001)

A 32% rise in oil sales revenue in the first half of the current financial year has set Beach Petroleum NL for a further improvement in its full year result.
Beach's operating profit before abnormals has nearly doubled, compared with the opening half of the previous financial year.

In its half yearly report released today for the six months to December 31, 2000, Beach Petroleum reported revenue of $4.87 million, a 32% increase on $3.7 million for the previous corresponding period.
The higher revenue was mainly attributable to stronger world oil prices.

The operating profit of $1.43 million (before and after tax) jumped 94% from $740,000 for the opening half of 1999-2000.

Net profit, including abnormals, was down 12% from $724,000 to $635,000 after Beach Petroleum made its final adjustment of $798,000 for costs involved in its now ended damages recovery actions relating to the IRL fraud.
The Company had earlier provided for minimum costs of $3.1 million while awaiting Supreme Court rulings late last year on final costs related to the unsuccessful actions by Beach against a firm of Sydney solicitors, formerly advisors to IRL entities.

BHP (14 MARCH 2001)

BHP advised that it expects to recommence paying fully franked dividends, starting with its next dividend payment.
The next dividend payment would normally be declared at the time of the third quarter financial results, scheduled for 3 May 2001, and be paid to shareholders in early July 2001.

BLIGH OIL & MINERALS (14 MARCH 2001)

NEW ZEALAND - PEP38719, TARANAKI BASIN, BLIGH INTEREST: 5.00%
The Rimu-A3 spudded on 6 March and is currently drilling ahead at a depth of 1374 metres. The Rimu A3 is being drilled from the A pad to evaluate the upper and lower Tariki Sandstone reservoir at a location approximately 370 metres south-southwest of Rimu A1. The well will be directionally drilled to an along hole depth of 4900 metres.

Once drilling operations on Rimu A3 have been completed, the rig will be moved to the Kauri location. Testing of the Tariki sands in the Rimu A2, and any testing that may be warranted in the Rimu A3, will then be undertaken, utilising a workover rig.

Testing operations are currently underway on the Rimu B1. Following completion of this testing programme, testing of the Rimu limestone zone in the Rimu B2 will be carried out.

Subject to the Operator's approval, Bligh intends to release the results of the testing as each well is completed.

Bligh has now received final payments of 6 cents on 64,267,780 partly paid shares, raising a total of $3.856m. Calls on 227,395 shares ($13,643.70) remain unpaid and these shares have been forfeited.
An auction of these forfeited shares will take place on 28 March 2001 at 10.00am (Brisbane time). The auction will be held at the Australian Stock Exchange, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Queensland.

COPPER MINES AND METALS (14 MARCH 2001)

A recent visit to the Acoje mine site in the Philippines has been made by Copper mines and Metals Ltd (CMML) personnel and consultants.
The ongoing field programme of detailed surface geological mapping of the initial 6,000 metre strike length of the Acoje mine site area is well advanced. Mapping to date has confirmed the presence of at least four (4) parallel nickel sulphide bearing black dunite zones with thicknesses ranging up to 80 metres in outcrop. These were the zones drilled and partially mined for nickel and platinum in the 1970's. One of these zones is that reported to contain a nickel sulphide resource of 2,375,000 tonnes plus an additional 2,500,000 tonnes of potential resource. Estimates of grades were 10 g/t platinum plus palladium (ratio 40:60), 0.4% nickel and 0.3% copper. Averaging 3 metres wide this zone is the priority target for drilling and metallurgical sampling to classify resources to modern standards.

DIAMOND ROSE (14 MARCH 2001)

Diamond Roses' chair person Pnina Feldman has successfully negotiated the first joint venture of its future subsidiary which aims to list on the ASX - Kimberley Rose Ltd.
The Directors deem it a privilege to announce that the joint venture partner on the first of seven major projects in Kimberley Rose Ltd is DeBeers.
The JV covers ELA's 2662 and 2663.

The main terms of the JV are that DeBeers will spend the first $10 million to earn a 51% interest in the first of the 7 (seven) major projects in Kimberley Rose Ltd.
DeBeers will also outlay the capital funds (which could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars) for the building of a mine following their decision to mine.

DRAGON MINING (14 MARCH 2001)

An independent analysis of resources at Dragon's Svartliden Gold Project in Sweden has been completed by Resource Service Group Pty Ltd. The grade of the total resource has increased significantly from that reported in the December 2000 Quarterly Report to the ASX. The current resources including allowance for likely mining dilution are as follows:

i) Mineralisation in volcanic and sedimentary lithologies based on selective mining unit dimensions of 5m east x 2.5m north x 2.5m bench height, and a 1.5 g/t lower cut off*

TONNES g/t GOLD OUNCES

Measured 240,000 8.3 63,000
Indicated 1,220,000 4.4 172,000
Inferred 260,000 3.0 25,000
Total 1,720,000 4.7 260,000

ii) Mineralisation in granitoid rocks based on selective mining unit dimensions of 25m east by 10m north by 5m bench height, and a 1.5 g/t lower cut off*

TONNES g/t GOLD OUNCES

Inferred 152,000 3.2 15,700

Initial pit optimisations and estimates of project economics indicate that the resources would sustain a 50,000 oz per annum operation on an average diluted head grade of 5.9 g/t gold.

EQUIGOLD (14 MARCH 2001)

The operating profit before tax for the half year ended 31 December 2000 was $5.07 million, up 270% on the 1999 result of $1.37 million. The operating profit after tax of $2.65 million, was up 217% on the prior period.
This profit was the result of very strong operational performance at the Dalgaranga Gold Mine (Equigold 50.1%) where cash costs for the half year were $225 per ounce (1999: $323 per ounce). Equigold's attributable production for the half year was 35,197 ounces, up 65% on 1999 production of 21,278 ounces.

FIRST AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES (14 MARCH 2001)

CLEAR BRANCH FIELD, JACKSON PARISH, NORTH LOUISIANA TOLAR NO 1
Gas shows have been reported in mud logs while drilling the Hosston sand series in the Tolar No 1 well. Nineteen (19) feet of gross sand was drilled over the interval from 9,220 to 9,239 feet with drilling breaks and increased background gas readings (46 units).

SOUTH DREW FIELD, OUACHITA PARISH, LOUISIANA POLICE JURY NO 1 WELL
Gas shows have also been reported in mud logs while drilling the Police Jury No 1 well. Forty (40) feet of gross sand was encountered with associated drilling breaks and increased background gas readings (46 units) over the interval from 9,440 to 9,480 feet.

GYMPIE GOLD (14 MARCH 2001)

Gympie announced that a large stockwork gold orebody has been found and drilled in its new Lewis Mine at Gympie in southeast Queensland. It has been named Rands Dyke Stockwork.
It is a wide stockwork zone located within 30 vertical metres of the path of the Lewis Mine decline scheduled to be developed over the next 3 months. It is 65 metres north of the vertical Inglewood Lode that is the initially planned target of the Lewis Mine exploratory development.

A surface diamond drillhole and an underground diamond drillhole from the Lewis Decline intersected the new orebody within a few days of each other. The two similar-looking intercepts are 20 metres apart and both comprise wide zones of thin stockwork veins, some containing visible gold. The drill-core from the underground hole has been assayed first while that from the surface hole is being documented and photographed in detail.

HARDMAN RESOURCES (14 MARCH 2001)

Prospectus - Hardman is offering for subscription by Existing Shareholders approximately 19,841,509 New Ordinary Shares at an issue price of 34 cents each to raise approximately $6,746,000 before costs. Each Existing Shareholder will have the right to subscribe for one New Ordinary Share at an issue price of 34 cents per New Ordinary Share on the basis of one New Ordinary Share for every 14 Shares held as at the Record Date. Shareholder Entitlements are non-renounceable.

IVANHOE MINES (14 MARCH 2001)

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd's Chairman, Robert Friedland, and President, Daniel Kunz, are pleased to announce that the S&K Copper Mine in Myanmar has obtained ISO 14001 certification, the internationally recognized, independent standard for environmental management and protection.

KAGARA ZINC (14 MARCH 2001)

The Company's non-renounceable entitlements issue has closed and that, with acceptances from shareholders and the small shortfall of $818,534 to be taken up by the underwriter to this issue, the Company will raise $3,531,518.10 in cash and issue 11,771,727 fully paid ordinary shares.

KIMBERLEY DIAMOND COMPANY (14 MARCH 2001)

Kimberley Diamond Company NL (ASX: KIM) has further enhanced the potential for development of an integrated mining operation incorporating its Blina and soon-to-be-developed Ellendale Field, with new results confirming the likely existence of a separate lamproitic source for the alluvial diamonds recovered at Blina.
The fast-emerging Australian diamond group is currently undertaking a feasibility study to develop and mine Ellendale Pipes 4 and 9, which it acquired through a landmark agreement with Argyle Diamond Mines last month.
The latest results include the recovery of large (+0.8mm) chromite grains from two upstream tributaries of Blina's main ancient paleao-gravel system known as the Terrace 5 gravels, indicating the likelihood of a proximal primary source for the Terrace 5 diamonds.

MAJESTIC RESOURCES (14 MARCH 2001)

Majestic Resources NL has recovered a stunning 123 carat diamond from its Riet River operations in South Africa.
The diamond, dubbed the "Matilda", is the biggest gem ever discovered by an Australian company since Majestic found the 83 carat "Riet River Royal" late last year at the same mine.

The Matilda was found this week during operations at its Riet River diamond mine.
It rates with the largest diamonds recovered from the richest alluvial diamond field in the world, the Kimberley district of South Africa, where Majestic has established a major presence.

MOSAIC OIL (14 MARCH 2001)

Mosaic Oil is entering a new era. After more than 10 years of operating almost solely with an exploration focus, Mosaic Oil NL has radically re-positioned itself over the past two years as an oil and gas producer. Revenues have increased 500% inside two years and Directors see opportunities to increase that further. Directors intend to revive exploration activity on the back of increased revenues. Mosaic is pursuing oil and gas exploration plays in Queensland, the North West Shelf, the Timor Sea and also Papua New Guinea where Mosaic has been active in the development of foreland geology for over a decade. The Company's first exploration well in 2001 was a success, with a gas discovery at Downlands East in Queensland (Mosaic 71.153%), and our next exploration well will be Delilah 1 (Mosaic 5%) in the North West Shelf which will be drilled by Woodside Petroleum this March-April.
On 31st December 2000, the Company was capitalised at $39 million, the share price was 16 cents, cash reserves were $4.1 million; and there was No Debt.

MOSAIC ANNOUNCES MAIDEN PROFIT OF $1.2 MILLION TO DECEMBER 2000.

Mosaic filed a copy of its financial statement for the six months to December 2000 with ASIC and with the ASX.
The financial statements for the six month period to December 2000 indicate:

• Gross Revenue was $4,977,153 up 900% (six months to Dec 1999 - $534,299).
• Operating Profit before tax and abnormals was $1,626,446 (six months to Dec 1999 a loss of $415,494).
• Operating Profit after tax and an abnormal items was $1,208,532 (six months to Dec 1999 a loss of $797,938).

Directors comment that the result indicates a new era for Mosaic Oil and reflects the re-development of the Surat Basin assets purchased in January 2000 and also sound commodity prices for gas, oil and LPG.

NEW ZEALAND OIL & GAS (14 MARCH 2001)

New Zealand Oil & Gas issued its preliminary half year report, which announced a profit of $2.1 million for the six months to 31 December 2000, a fourfold increase on the prior corresponding period of 1999. The main contributor to the profit result was oil production from the Ngatoro field, near New Plymouth.
On a consolidated basis, oil and gas sales totalled $14.6 million and generated net cash flows of $6.3 million. This improved total cash to $12.7 million at 31 December 2000, on a consolidated basis.

NZOG shareholders'equity improved by $1.8 million to $44 million. This higher figure excludes the increased value of the Ngatoro field, which resulted from oil reserves being re-assessed upwards by 17% during the period. NZOG's share of reserves was 621,000 barrels at 31 December 2000.

ORIGIN ENERGY (14 MARCH 2001)

SHARE BUY-BACK PROPOSAL
Origin Energy has a limited capacity to frank dividends over the next few years. The Board recognises however that many shareholders wish to receive cash returns. As a consequence shareholder approval is being sought to implement an on-market share buy-back. All shareholders will have equal access to the buy=back, which will:

• provide them with a tax effective cash return, if they elect to sell into the buy-back;
• enable those who do not participate in the buy-back to increase their investment in the Company; and
• expand the Company's capital management options.

PRECIOUS METALS AUSTRALIA (14 MARCH 2001)

Engineering Ideas Pty Ltd trading as Quality Piping has issued proceedings against Vanadium Australia Pty Ltd (VAPL), Xstrata AG and PMA in respect of a claim for overruns relating to construction of the Windimurra plant commenced in 1999. VAPL presently have conduct of defending the action and the responsibility for legal costs. They have advised that the claim of $1.24m will be vigorously defended.
The claim was previously announced to the ASX in PMA's Year 2000 Annual Report.

In accordance with the Xstrata Windimurra Sale Agreement, PMA remains responsible for 40% of any contractor's claims relating to the construction of Windimurra. Xstrata is required, however, to meet the cost of claims in the first instance, with provision to recoup PMA's share through future royalty payments otherwise payable to PMA.

RAND MINING (14 MARCH 2001)

The Bank of Western Australia (Bank West) has advanced a further $1,250,000 for a total debt facility to date of $2,500,000 jointly and severally to Tribune Resources NL and Rand Mining NL for continued development of the East Kundana Gold Project and ongoing exploration activities.
The Company has issued to the Bank of Western Australia (Bank West) 200,000 options at an Exercise Price of $1.20 per share with an Expiry Date 30th June 2003.

ROC OIL COMPANY (14 MARCH 2001)

Drilling Activity Update

1. UK ONSHORE: ESKDALE-13: (ROC: 5% FREE CARRIED)
As of 12 March 2001, the Eskdale-13 appraisal well in PEDL 002 had run and cemented 7 inch casing to a depth of 1375 m and the rig was picking up drill pipe to drill ahead in 6 inch hole.

2. UK NORTH SEA: CHESTNUT OIL FIELD (ROC: 29.75% CARRIED)
As of 12 March 2001, the Chestnut Field appraisal well, 22/2A-11, in UK North Sea licence P 354, was preparing to set 9 (5/8) inch casing prior to drilling an extended horizontal section to a planned Total Depth of 3750 m. If the well is successful, an Extended Well Test will be carried out to evaluate fully the long term production potential of the Chestnut Field.

SHIELD TELECOMMUNICATIONS (14 MARCH 2001)

ShieldTel is planning to spin off its West African mineral assets through the ASX listing of its subsidiary company, Okore Mining Limited ("Okore").

ShieldTel will seek shareholder approval to vend the mineral assets into Okore and to make a free in specie distribution of Okore shares to ShieldTel shareholders on the basis of 1 Okore share for each 8 ShieldTel shares held.

After the shares in Okore are distributed to ShieldTel shareholders, it is proposed that Okore will undertake a capital raising of between $2.5 million and $4 million, with a priority allocation for its shareholders. Okore will seek listing of its shares on the Australian Stock Exchange. Details of the Okore capital raising are yet to be finalised. Okore will be required to repay $4 million to ShieldTel from mining activities.

The mineral assets comprise the Abore gold project in Ghana and gold exploration interests in Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

SUMMIT RESOURCES (14 MARCH 2001)

Summit secures up to A$6.0 million (NZ$7.2 million) funding by the placement of shares to test Isa North base metal targets. The package includes conditional project joint venture funding of up to A$16.0 million (NZ$19.2 million) to take discoveries through feasibility to development.

Summit is pleased to announce that it is now finalising negotiations with Noranda Pacific Pty Ltd the Australian subsidiary of Noranda Inc, a leading international mining and metals company, to establish an exploration alliance which is limited to its Isa North ground which will immediately inject A$500,000 (NZ$600,000) into Summit upon signing, A$1.0 million (NZ$1.2 million) within the first year and up to a total of A$6.0 million (NZ$7.2 million) over five and half years.
In the first year Summit will target the funds at evaluation and drill testing its Isa North lead zinc silver targets immediately north of the Hilton and George Fisher mines in northwest Queensland.

SYDNEY GAS COMPANY (14 MARCH 2001)

The Industry Research and Development Board ("IRDB") has awarded SGC a grant to fund SGC's project on Coal Bed Methane Optimisation Techniques under the Federal Government R&D Start program.
The Federal Government's grant is to a maximum of $4,130,000 being 50% of eligible expenditure subject to satisfaction of conditions required by the IRDB and achievement of various milestones by SGC. The grant is subject to execution of a written agreement by 4 June 2001.

WOODSIDE PETROLEUM (14 MARCH 2001)

Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Operator of the ZOCA 91-01 Joint Venture, reports that the Kuda Tasi-1 exploration well located in the Bonaparte Basin was spudded on 7 March 2001. At 0600 hours (WST) on 13 March, the BOP stack was being pressure tested and preparations were being made to drill the 8(1/2) inch hole section.
Since the last report, both 30 inch and 9(5/8) inch casing have been run and cemented. The current depth is 2775 metres.

PAN AUSTRALIAN MINING (12 MARCH 2001)

CONQUEST MINING (10 MARCH 2001)

Conquest Mining has successfully placed 5,400,000 shares at $0.11 per share and 5,400,000 attaching options via Intersuisse Limited.
The funds will be used for general working capital.

The Company would also like to announce that on 28 February 2001 it converted to a company limited by shares and the name of the company is now Conquest Mining Limited.

CONSOLIDATED RUTILE (10 MARCH 2001)

ANNUAL RESULTS TO 31 DECEMBER, 2000 - SUMMARY
Consolidated Rutile Limited earnings before tax and abnormal items increased $5.3 million to $11.0 million in 2000 after 12 months of full production from the Company's Queensland mining operations.

Output for the previous year was restricted during a project to relocate the Gordon mine plant to the Yarraman ore-body on North Stradbroke Island.

Key features of the results to 31 December, 2000 were:

• Sales revenue for the year ended 31 December 2000 of $85.3 million, a 16% increase over the 12 months to December 1999 as market conditions improved for CRL's products.
• Operating profit after abnormal items and tax of $9.6 million compared to $4.2 million for the 12 months to 31 December, 1999.
• A reduction in net debt of $22.3 million over the 12 months to 31 December 2000
• A return to payment of dividends with a one cent per share interim dividend paid on 10th November 2000 and a declared final dividend of three cents per share, payable on 11th May 2001.
• The sale of CRL's 100% interest in CRL China SA and Changzhou Dongao Zirconium Products Limited (CDZP) for $4.1 million in November 2000, generating an abnormal profit on sale of $3.6 million.

EXCO RESOURCES (10 MARCH 2001)

Exco Resources NL (ASX: EXS) is set to become one of Australia's leading base metal explorers after reaching agreement to merge with a privately owned WA-based exploration group - adding to its portfolio a number of world-class potential nickel, copper and platinum-palladium exploration projects.

As a result of the deal, Exco - which already has one of the largest tenement holdings in the Mount Isa region - will acquire eight new exploration projects totalling approximately 2,500 sqm from a private exploration syndicate headed by geologist Alasdair Cooke and Beverley-based prospector Richard Cooke. The assets of the syndicate, held through the Nathanial Joint Venture (NJV), include joint venture projects with mining giants Rio Tinto and WMC.

The terms of the agreement involve the issue to the syndicate of 12 million Exco shares and 20 million options exercisable at 20 cents over five years. A further 2 million Exco shares will be issued conditional upon the vendors arranging a capital raising of at least $500,000 at a price of 12 cents or better, including $200,000 within 21 days of the transaction being approved by Exco shareholders.

The merger will make Exco one of the principal base metals explorers in Australia with a project portfolio spanning large areas of the Mount Isa Eastern Succession (where Exco has been active for the past three years through the BHP strategic alliance), NSW and Western Australia. The joint venture agreements in the new projects will broaden the range of working relationships with major mining companies, which is a significant part of Exco's strategy.

GOLDEN STATE RESOURCES (10 MARCH 2001)

PROSPECTUS FOR THE ISSUE OF SHARES AND OPTIONS
For a non-renounceable pro-rata issue of 36,918,202 shares in Golden State Resources Ltd at a price of 6(1/2) cents per share, together with one free attached option for each new share issued, exercisable at 10 cents each with an expiry date of 31/03/2004, to all registered holders of fully paid ordinary shares in Golden State Resources Ltd as at Wednesday 21/03/2001, on the basis of one share and one free attached option for every two shares held, to raise up to $2,399,683.

ILUKA RESOURCES (10 MARCH 2001)

FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE YEAR TO DECEMBER 31, 2000 - SUMMARY
Iluka Resources Limited has recorded a significant increase in profit for the second year in succession.
The Company's earnings per share (EPS) before abnormals rose 34% in the 12 months to December 31, 2000 following a 34% increase in 1999. EPS after abnormals rose 13.3% in 2000.

Key factors in the result for 2000 were -

• a full-year of benefits from cost reductions introduced in 1998 and 1999,
• increased productivity, based on plant upgrading and rationalisation, and
• improved markets for the Company's titanium minerals and zircon.

The Company has identified opportunities for further revenue and efficiency gains in the Group's global mining and mineral processing operations, expected to generate a further increase in earnings in 2001. In addition, the Iluka is considering expanded production capacity to take advantage of short-medium term market opportunities.

After reviewing the Company's assets this year, the Board has decided to write down the value of its Westlime (WA) Limited quicklime facility by $8 million to $2.5 million.

Directors have declared a final dividend of 12 cents, taking the full year payment to 22 cents - an increase of 2 cents on the full year dividend for 1999. As reported last year, the dividend will be unfranked for the foreseeable future.