An executive briefing on mining for March 12, 2010, prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.

AUST MINERS TO MEET QLD GOVT ON SALE OF RAIL COAL FREIGHT ASSETS

BRISBANE - Queensland mining companies and unions will meet on Monday to discuss an alternative proposal to the government's sale of Queensland Rail's coal freight assets.

The government plans to float the company QR National on the stock exchange by the end of the year.

SHARE IN AUST'S CAPE LAMBERT SURGE ON SALE OF COPPER PJT

SYDNEY - Shares in Australian miner Cape Lambert Resources (ASX:CFE) jumped more than 10 per cent after the resources and investment company sold a copper project for A$135 million (US$123.39 million) to a Hong Kong based firm.

The stock rose six cents, or 13 per cent, to 50.5 cents by 1038 AEDT on Friday and earlier rose as high as 54.5 cents, the highest in six weeks.

INDONESIAN GOVT MAY GIVE DUTY-FREE FACILITY TO 4 MORE INDUSTRIES

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is looking into the possibility of granting government-borne import duties to four other industries.

The industries were in the film, fishery, mining and transportation sectors, Head of the Fiscal Policy Board at the Finance Ministry Anggito Abimanyu said here on Thursday.

CORR - AUST MINER CBH ENTERS TRADING HALT AFTER TAKEOVER OFFER

(corrects headline)

MELBOURNE - Shares in zinc, lead and silver miner CBH Resources (ASX:CBH) have gone into a trading halt after the company received a takeover proposal.

The company, which operates mines in New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia, has in the past been subject to takeover speculation.

AUST MINER CBH ENTERS TRADING HALT IN WAKE OF TAEKOVER OFFER

MELBOURNE - Shares in zinc, lead and silver miner CBH Resources (ASX:CBH) have gone into a trading halt after the company received a takeover proposal.

The company, which operates mines in New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia, has in the past been subject to takeover speculation.

CHINA SHOULD PREPARE EARLIER FOR COKE TALKS FOR BETTER PRICE: EXPERTS

BEIJING - It is necessary to make early preparations for international coke negotiations in a bid to have a greater say in the international contracted coke price, experts with the China Coal Distribution and Transportation Association (CCDTA) have suggested.

China, Japan, India and Europe countries have achieved coke contracts with BHP (ASX:BHP), the world's largest coke and iron ore supplier, for the period lasted April-June 2010, announced BHP on Tuesday.

SHAREHOLDERS IN AUST BROADCASTER SEVEN WARM TO WESTRAC MERGER

PERTH - Seven Network Holdings Ltd (ASX:SEV) shareholders are warming to Kerry Stokes' A$3 billion (US$2.739 billion) push to merge the television group with his privately owned mining and industrial equipment business WesTrac, the media mogul's right-hand man says.

Shareholder reaction to the proposal had been "very positive", Seven director Peter Gammell said on Thursday.

CHINA'S MAJOR STEELMAKER LOOKS ABROAD FOR IRON ORE

BEIJING - Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation (WISCO) [SSE:600005], the third largest steel maker in China by output, will meet its iron ore demand through self-supply in three to five years, through acquiring iron ore mines in foreign countries, according to General Manager Deng Qilin.

The Chinese steel giant obtained ownership of 3 billion metric tons (tonnes) of iron ore reserves in Madagascar, Canada, Australia, Venezuela and Brazil in 2009, through purchasing mining rights or equities, setting up joint ventures, buying shares or establishing its solely-owned subsidiaries.

CHINA'S POWER GRID FIRM TO DEVELOP CHILEAN COPPER MINES

BEIJING - State Grid Corp. of China has agreed with Canadian firm Quadra Mining Ltd. to jointly develop copper mines in Chile, a move aimed at securing a steady supply of the metal used to make power transmission lines.

The Chinese state-run company will obtain a 9.9 per cent interest in the Canadian resource developer for about 13 billion yen (US$143.7 million). The two firms will also create a 50-50 joint venture. Investments for copper mine development will likely total 2 billion dollars, or roughly 180 billion yen.