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The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has recommended approval for Western Australia’s first uranium mine.

Toro Energy Limited has been advised by the EPA that approval has been recommended for the company’s Wiluna Uranium Project. The EPA has presented a report to WA’s state minister for environment stating that the Wiluna Project meets environmental approval requirements and should be approved and allowed to proceed, subject to stated conditions within the report.

South Africa’s AVI has acquired footwear manufacturer and retailer Green Cross, it has been announced.

AVI, whose licenced brands include Lavazza and Douwe Egberts Cafitesse in the food and beverage sector; and fashion names including Kurt Geiger and Lacoste, said the transaction represents a rare opportunity to acquire an established, category-leading brand of relevant scale with a solid record of profitable operations.

Google has released a major new study into the use of social tools in the workplace, which gathered opinions from 2,700 professionals across Europe.

The research revealed that 71 percent of senior executives are using social tools at work at least once a week compared to 49 percent of those in more junior roles – going against the stereotype that social media in business is most popular with younger generations.

A major natural gas discovery has been made offshore Mozambique in the deepwater Rovuma Basin.

The discovery was made by London, UK-based Cove Energy together with its partner, Houston, US-based Aanadarko Petroleum, nearly 20 miles north-west of the Prosperidade complex.

The Golfinho discovery well encountered more than 193 net feet of natural gas pay in two high-quality Oligocene fan systems. The well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 14,885 feet in water depths of approximately 3,370 feet.

Rank Group has announced it is to acquire Gala Casinos from Gala Coral Group for £205 million.

Rank will acquire 23 casinos in Great Britain and three non-operating licences. The deal is set to create the largest casino operator in Great Britain by number of casinos, with 58 operating venues and 13 non-operating licences.

Rank said the deal presents a “significant opportunity” for it to continue delivering sustainable value for shareholders through the development of its casino portfolio.

Osisko Mining Corporation reported record production in its Q1 2012 results today, but also issued a warning after a fire at its Canadian Malartic Mill in Quebec, Canada.

A fire occurred in the cyclone separator portion of the mill just before midnight on Wednesday 9 May, most likely started by welding near to the number four cyclone area, and then spread to the mill roof of that sector.

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has announced it will go hostile with its $2.6 billion bid for Human Genome Sciences by taking the offer directly to shareholders.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is refusing to participate in the strategic alternatives review process offered by US-based Human Genome Sciences (HGS), on the basis that it is unnecessary and that there is existing strategic and financial logic to the combination of the two companies. GSK said that HGS shareholders should have the opportunity to decide for themselves on the merits of the offer. 

The green light has been given for an onshore wind farm in Wales, to be developed by Sweden’s Vattenfall.

The 76-turbine Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project was granted development consent yesterday, by Charles Hendry, energy minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The wind farm is located on publicly-owned land managed by Forestry Commission Wales in the south of the country.

Once operational, it is hoped that Pen y Cymoedd will increase Welsh renewable electricity by 37 per cent.

Tullow Oil has announced the discovery of further oil at one of its wells in the Kenya Rift Basin.

The Ngamia-1 exploration well, located onshore Kenya in Block 10BB, has been drilled to an intermediate depth of 1,515 metres, with the total net oil pay encountered so far increasing to more than 100 metres across multiple reservoir zones.

Blackland Aerospace, LP, the aerospace component manufacturing platform of Dallas based private equity firm, Blackland Group, LLC, has acquired Lewis Machine Company.

Based in East Hartford, Connecticut, Lewis Machine specializes in manufacturing complex precision-machined components for clients in the commercial and military jet engine, airframe, missile and power plant industries.

Gatwick Airport has signed a deal with Air China, which is seeking to expand its London network.

China’s national flag carrier will operate a non-stop service from Gatwick to Beijing International Airport four times a week. The Airbus A330-200 aircraft will depart Gatwick at 1300 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, arriving at Beijing airport at 0620 local time the following day. Return journeys will leave at 0135 and touch down at Gatwick at approximately 0550 the same day. Monday’s flight will start operating from the beginning of June.