Joint Venture

Australia Post has unveiled a Digital MailBox initiative earlier, such a service allowing customers to access all their confidential letters and bills and to make transactions, through a single trustworthy online location. The service comes as Australia Post seeks to generate new digital revenue streams as its traditional postal business comes under pressure from the rise of electronic media such as emails.

Last week, Qantas (ASX:QAN) announced an alliance with Middle East based Emirates. Here are the relevant summary points of the alliance deal between Emirates and Qantas:

• Qantas signs a 10 year Alliance with Emirates Airlines, the world's largest airline by passenger traffic
• Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said, "We see a path through to this business breaking even by financial year 2015. We do want to make sure Qantas international goes back to profits."

Steel manufacturer, Bluescope Steel (ASX:BSL) have announced news of a deal struck between BSL and Nippon Steel.

• Blue Scope Steel has announced a new joint venture with Japanese company, Nippon Steel Corporation. The deal will give the company access to white goods manufacturing in South-East Asia.
• The two companies will form a new company called "NS BlueScope Coated Products"

Air New Zealand (ASX:AIZ) plans to expand its alliance with Virgin Australia beyond the the trans-Tasman joint venture. The interest was sparked by the US regulator's approval of its other joint venture with Delta Airlines between Australia and the US.

In the wake of Virgin Australia's (ASX:VBA) alliance with Singapore Airlines, Qantas (ASX:QAN) announced its joint venture with American Airlines. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has granted preliminary authorisation to allow a coordinated marketing campaign in the Australia and US.

Qantas (ASX:QAN) shares drop as Virgin Australia (ASX:VBA) enters a long-term partnership with Singapore Airlines. With the joint venture - which still requires regulatory approval - Virgin will gain access to more than 70 destinations worldwide, while Singapore will get access to 30 on its network.

Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) and Chinalco have agreed on a joint venture yesterday to explore copper resources in China. The deal came as Rio’s relationship with China’s biggest Alumina producer gradually improved after four of the miner’s staff was caught for bribing and stealing commercial secrets. The thieves were jailed in Shanghai, which lead to tense pricing talks over iron ore.

In an initial study released yesterday, Aquila Resources (ASX:AQA) said its planned Eagle Downs coking coal project with Brazil-based Vale SA can cost $1.2 billion.

BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP) pulled out of a joint venture with Blackthorn Resources (ASX:BTR), but will retain its right for a 2 percent production royalty on any substantial output mined from the area. The decision will leave Blackthorn with the whole copper mining project in Zambia.

Chinalco and Rio Tinto (RIO) have become joint venture partners for the development of the Simandou iron ore field in west Africa worth US$12 billion. This comes after the failed merger between the two companies last year. Rio Tinto and Chinalco have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding and are now working on a binding agreement which may take up to three months.