Oil drilling began yesterday in Balcombe, West Sussex, where anti-fracking campaigners have been protesting for 10 days.

Rising oil and gas prices will make solar, wind and tidal energy, some types of biofuels, and even nuclear generation more attractive, writes Wayne Cartwright.

Forest and Bird says efforts to rehabilitate the Stockton Plateau after open-cast coalmining has missed the point, with bright green grass sown rather than restoring the natural tussock landscape.

For Tasmania's miners and environmentalists, the devil is in the detail.

The decision by the police not to lay criminal charges against Pike management again shreds the hearts of the victims' families, writes Gerard Morris.

In her judgment against what was in many respects a phantom company on trial, Judge Jane Farish was clear about where the buck should stop, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

One of the Pike River Mine directors says he may consider contributing to the $3.41million reparation ordered to families of the men who died in the mine three years ago.

Troubled state miner Solid Energy doled out more than $15 million to charities in the decade before its parlous financial state was revealed earlier this year.

Pike River does not have the cash to pay compensation to the families of the men who died in its mine because the money has already been spent on legal fees.

Pike River Coal's sentence of millions in fines and reparation has been welcomed by the miners' union, but they say a law change is needed to hold those responsible to account.

The state wants Pike River Coal Ltd to pay massive fines and reparation of up to $125,000 for each of the 29 men who died in a horrific workplace explosion.

Pike River family members shed tears for their loved ones today and expressed anger at Pike River Coal Ltd for not taking full responsibility for the tragedy.

Well-connected lobbyists Saunders Unsworth worked with Solid Energy, Treasury and Cabinet Ministers to thwart questions about the company's problems.

Shares in New Zealand and Australia's largest gold producers have bombed in recent weeks, with Australian giant Newcrest Mining shedding A$9 billion ($10.72 billion) in share value.

Far North Mayor Wayne Brown's prospecting company is one of three that has won gold and silver exploration permits worth up to $13 million to Northland even if they don't result in mining.

Three companies, including one partly owned by Far North Mayor Wayne Brown, have been awarded permits to explore for minerals at five Northland locations

Solid Energy withheld financial information from Treasury when challenged on its business plans in what an independent report says was a pattern of disrespect.

An independent review of events leading to Solid Energy's near collapse has raised questions.

The Environment Court will reconvene tomorrow ahead of its final deliberations on whether to allow an open-cast mine to go ahead on the West Coast's Denniston Plateau.

An independent review of events leading to Solid Energy's near-collapse has raised questions over Treasury's response to early warning signs of trouble.

Conservationists fighting a decision to allow an Australian mining company to dig for coal on the West Coast's Denniston Plateau have suffered a major setback today.