The United States Department of Justice has given the go-ahead for Caterpillar to acquire mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International, concluding the antitrust review process in the US.

The clearance by the DOJ will allow the acquisition, valued at approximately $8.6 billion (including net debt), to proceed as soon as all other conditions to closing have been satisfied. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2011.

The acquisition is based on Caterpillar's key strategic imperative to expand its leadership in the mining equipment industry.

South African miner Exxaro has made a takeover bid for Australian miner Territory Resources for A$123 million in cash.

Territory has an iron ore operation in Australia’s Northern Territory, with an operating mine at Frances Creek positioned close to rail and port infrastructure serving the port of Darwin. The mine produces approximately 1.6 million tonnes per annum of lump and fine direct shipping ore.

Territory also owns rights to iron ore tenements in the vicinity of Frances Creek.

Georgia-Pacific Chemicals has said it is expanding capabilities at its Lufkin, Texas facility in order to meet growing demand from the energy industry.

The company, which manufactures resins used to coat proppants for oil and gas extraction, said that demand for its products is growing due to the increased use of hydraulic fracturing techniques within the energy industry over the past few years.

Royal Dutch Shell has decided to go ahead with its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project in Australia, which will see it build the world's first FLNG facility.

The platform will be moored around 200 kilometres off the Australian coast and will liquefy gas from offshore fields onboard by cooling.

Shell will now commence detailed design and construction of what will be the world's largest floating offshore facility, in a ship yard in South Korea.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and subsidiaries of Soitec Solar Development LLC have announced the signing of two additional 25-year contracts for a total of 125 MW of solar energy to be generated in SDG&E’s service territory.

The additional energy will be produced using Soitec's concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology, with solar modules manufactured in a new Soitec factory to be built in the San Diego area.

Both of the projects will be located in San Diego County and will be situated near SDG&E electric substations.

Amec, the UK-based engineering and project management company, has agreed to buy the US engineering and environmental services company Mactec for $280 million.

Mactec provides a similar range of services to Amec's Earth & Environmental (E&E) unit, including environmental planning, assessment and remediation, infrastructure engineering, water resources and construction support services. Its clients are those operating in the energy, commercial/industrial, transportation/infrastructure and federal sectors.

Lydian International is focusing all its energies on Armenia this year, where its prospects are looking better with each month that passes.

Having established a solid market position in the downstream and retail oil market in East Africa, MOGAS is expanding aggressively and preparing to diversify. CEO Geoffrey Rugazoora outlined his vision to John O’Hanlon.

African Rainbow Minerals has recently embarked on another phase of expansion – this time mining a new commodity in a new country. Jayne Alverca takes to the copper trail.

Allan Morrison, Central Asia operations manager of BCM Group, West Africa’s longest established surface mining and civil earthworks contractor, talks to Jayne Alverca about what it takes to become the partner of choice to some of the mining industry’s biggest players.