Andrew Todd

Meeka Metals has boosted its cash to $50.1M despite a weather-hit quarter at its Murchison gold project. The company produced 6083 ounces in the quarter and is now upping the ante by moving into higher-grade underground ore. The transition will see high-grade ore sources at Andy Well and Turnberry bear much of the heavy lifting, with stoping at Andy Well expected to commence this quarter.

American West Metals has hit a thick 77.65-metre continuous interval of visual zinc and copper sulphides in the first hole of its West Desert campaign in Utah. The hole was a bold 430m step-out from the existing deposit and successfully tested a 4km-long magnetic anomaly, confirming it is associated with mineralisation. The second hole of the program is already underway.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Solis Minerals, which exploded after securing Rio Tinto's Brazil lithium project in Minas Gerais. The project is strategically positioned beside Pilbara Minerals' Colina asset in one of the world's emerging spodumene hotspots. Adisyn surged on validation of its revolutionary graphene-based semiconductor interconnect and a $14 million institutional placement, 333D Limited doubled on improving cash flow from its medical imaging and 3D data platforms and NoviqTech struck a pair of biochar and carbon removal partnerships tied to data centre demand and low-carbon concrete applications.

Fresh from building momentum in the Murchison, Meeka Metals has fired another shot by locking in a strategic gold acquisition at Mt Holland, 110km southeast of Southern Cross in Western Australia. The prize includes a fertile belt with 1.2 million ounces of historic production, multiple known deposits and 24 kilometres of underexplored gold-hosting banded iron formations now primed for an aggressive drilling assault.

Neometals has kicked a big goal in the US, tabling a maiden exploration target for its Utah Brine Project that ranges from 1.9 to 6.5 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent and a bumper 94 to 325 million tonnes of potash. The company says it has leveraged historical oil and gas data to define the low-cost target in the famed Paradox Basin.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Bison Resources, which more than tripled on debut after a heavily oversubscribed $5.5 million IPO to chase gold and silver in Nevada's world-class Carlin Trend. Genetic Signatures charged higher on a major Danish hospital supply contract for its gastrointestinal diagnostic assay, Narryer Metals more than doubled on a premium placement backed by veteran investor Tim Goyder, and Immutep rebounded strongly after securing FDA Orphan Drug Designation for its efti alfa drug for soft tissue sarcoma.

Ora Banda Mining has rung the till in spectacular fashion, banking $76.3 million in free cash flow from a record March quarter, during which it produced 38,766 ounces of gold. The bumper result swelled the company's cash balance to a formidable $231.7 million, underpinned by record throughput at the Davyhurst mill and a massive tenfold resource increase at its Round Dam deposit.

Triangle Energy has provided a $250,000 loan to Pilot Energy, securing a one-year option to acquire a 7.5 per cent stake in the offshore WA-481-P permit for another $250,000. The deal gives Triangle a low-cost entry ticket into the permit as Pilot works to finalise its own funding and strategic initiatives.

Larvotto Resources is on track and on budget for the first production of antimony ingots at its NSW Hillgrove antimony-gold mine by mid-year. The development comes hot on the heels of a decision by Canberra to legislate a national stockpile for the critical mineral and Larvotto is one of only two Australian companies that will be able to supply. Plant refurbishment and underground development are advancing.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Sparc Technologies, after its shares more than doubled on the unlikely spark of a podcast appearance that lit a fire under its graphene coatings story and multi-billion-dollar market ambitions. Resolution Minerals charged on US government backing via coveted FAST-41 status for its Antimony Ridge project, Jindalee Lithium roared back into relevance on a $570 million Nasdaq SPAC deal for its monster US-based McDermitt project and OD6 Metals kept its hot streak alive on high-grade US fluorspar hits as Washington scrambles to lock down critical mineral supply.

Chariot Resources has confirmed the presence of valuable spodumene in all six previously disclosed high-grade samples from its Fonlo and Iganna lithium projects in Nigeria. Independent testwork identified easily processable spodumene, accounting for up to 75.3 per cent of the overall weight. The results provide a crucial technical input for planned metallurgical work and potential future mining scenarios.

Meeka Metals has shrugged off soggy conditions at its Murchison gold project, lifting mill throughput by a notable 37 per cent to 123,000 tonnes for the March quarter. While the weather impacted gold production, the company still grew its cash position to $50.1 million and says it will now feed the plant with higher-grade ore during the current June quarter.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Cassius Mining, which more than doubled on its explosive $1.32B damages claim against the Ghanaian government in a David vs Goliath mining dispute. Cauldron Energy ran on a mystery share buyer – or two - of its uranium projects, as nuclear returns to prominence, Janus Electric's battery-powered trucks charged amid the fuel crisis and Omega Oil and Gas surged on hopes it can one day bolster Australia's domestic fuel supply.

Lindian Resources has landed a fresh $100 million in funding through a placement to fully fund its stage one Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi and its SARECO processing facility in Kazakhstan. The raise establishes a debt-free path to production and enables the company to accelerate its stage two mine expansion plans, strengthening its position as an integrated rare earths supplier.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Killi Resources, after a boardroom makeover lured in ex-Fortescue boss Nev Power in a bold tilt for its Mt Rawdon West gold-copper play, in Queensland. Amplia Therapeutics more than doubled after delivering another eye-popping complete cancer response in its pancreatic cancer trial, NuEnergy ripped higher in a speculative frenzy amid tightening gas supply concerns, alongside the worsening Cyclone Narelle and 4DMedical charged again after the world-renowned Mayo Clinic deployed its breakthrough CT:VQ lung imaging tech.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Immutep. In a slightly perverse twist, the oncology mid-cap bounced hard from last week's near-death experience, clawing back 53 per cent after a brutal 90 per cent wipeout last week. Blue Star Helium floated higher on mounting anticipation of near-term production from its Colorado-based Galactica project, with helium sales edging closer, and Patagonia Lithium rode a wave of speculation around looming results from its Lithium Triangle projects in Argentina.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… 88 Energy, after the company's shares stormed higher on its Alaskan North Slope oil ground, more than doubling as oil went parabolic. Aguia Resources locked in a key mining permit for its Três Estradas phosphate play in fertiliser-starved southern Brazil, Chariot Resources surged after Nigerian government approvals cleared the transfer of six lithium licences into its JV, unlocking a large undrilled land package. The punters also piled into Torque after the gold explorer poached the ex-Spartan dream team behind the $2.4 billion Never Never take-out.

Ora Banda Mining has expanded its Little Gem prospect in WA, with new drilling uncovering a parallel trend, dubbed Sapphire, that extends the system south to its Sunraysia prospect. The fresh results highlight broader mineralisation potential, hot on the heels of yesterday's tenfold resource boost at the company's Round Dam trend to 1.33 million ounces. A maiden resource eyed for Little Gem later this year.

Ora Banda Mining has delivered a tenfold resource boost at its Round Dam deposit, catapulting the project's inventory to 1.33 million ounces of gold. The massive uplift supercharges the company's global resource to 3.3 million ounces, with the new deposit considered entirely suitable for low-cost open-cut mining. Management says the mineralised trend remains largely underexplored, with more drilling planned.

Dateline Resources has massively expanded its Music Valley heavy rare earths project in California, stacking on an additional 1800 per cent of landholding to create a district-scale landholding of more than 20,520 acres. The move consolidates nearly 9km of prospective ground as the company's airborne geophysics survey and on-ground mapping programs get into full swing.

Chariot Resources soared more than 50% after the government approved the transfer of six licences into a joint venture with local partners, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for its Nigerian lithium portfolio. The approvals cover four exploration licences and two small-scale mining leases previously held by Continental Lithium, which will now be incorporated into a new company called C&C Minerals.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… OD6 Metals, after the critical minerals outfit bagged the high-grade Quinn fluorspar project in Nevada to help tackle America's 100% reliance on imported fluorine. Regener8 Resources surged on the back of a savvy deal for a silver-lead-zinc project in Europe's world-class Tethyan Metallogenic Belt and BluGlass Ltd rode an 80 per cent “no-news” run on gallium nitride laser momentum and a looming price-sensitive customer order. Lindian Resources snagged a ready-built A$500 million cracking plant in Kazakhstan for a bargain-basement A$21 million, fast-tracking its Kangankunde rare earths play into an integrated non-Chinese producer.

Great Southern Mining is probing deep at its East Laverton project in Western Australia, kicking off government co-funded diamond drilling to target a platinum group elements discovery. The program has started at the company's Diorite Hill target, with the drill bit expected to reach up to a whopping 900 metres deep.

Terrain Minerals has wrapped up an extensive drilling assault at its Smokebush gold and silver project in Western Australia, completing 7739m of deep targeting across its Lightning and Wildflower prospects. The company says it has been probing for potential repeat Lightning-style systems at geophysical anomalies in previously untouched areas as well.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Hubify Ltd, after it raised $250,000 at a whopping 425 per cent premium to fuel its AI push and managed services partnership. Besra Gold surged on conditional mining lease approval for its Jugan deposit within the monster 2.3-million-ounce Bau gold project in Malaysia, European Resources jumped after smashing high-grade rare earth hits, including 4.5m at 1.4 per cent TREO at its Korsnäs project in Finland and Cosmos Exploration kept the lithium party rolling with a capital raise amid its Bolivian brine bonanza tie-up.

Corazon Mining is ticking off the final regulatory boxes ahead of maiden drilling at its Two Pools gold project in Western Australia's Gascoyne region. With a heritage survey now underway and drilling approvals in hand, the company is preparing to test a sizeable gold footprint that hosts multiple high-grade historical intercepts and has never been systematically followed up.

Augustus Minerals is about to take its first real swing at gold at its Music Well project, with drilling locked in to test a standout surface anomaly near Leonora. Backed by eye-catching rock-chip grades and a prime address in WA's Leonora–Laverton belt, the maiden program will finally put holes into a target that has never been drilled, despite sitting in one of the state's richest gold districts.

As the company presses ahead with its carbon management and clean energy projects in Western Australia, Pilot Energy has locked in new leadership, appointing energy veteran Brian Siddall as chief executive officer to steer its course. The company says Mr Siddall brings more than 30 years of experience in oil and gas, spanning strategy, project development, execution and asset management.

Dalaroo Metals has bulked up its strategic land holding in West Africa by bolting on the Bondoukou gold project in Côte d'Ivoire, boosting its footprint in one of the world's active gold jurisdictions. The acquisition hands Dalaroo control of a fully granted mining lease in the Birimian terrane, about 35 kilometres northwest of the lucrative 4.5-million-ounce Tanda deposit operated by Endeavour Mining.

The Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… Recharge Metals, which snapped up the Sunset Well project in the heart of WA's Leonora district complete with 94,500-ounces of gold. Cosmos Exploration muscled into Bolivia's lithium big leagues via its EAU tie-up with state-owned YLB and exclusive access to Vulcan's VULSORB lithium extraction technology, while King River Resources dusted off the historic Mindoolah goldfield in WA's Murchison belt, chasing high-grade reefs the old-timers left behind with modern rigs and a roaring gold price at its back.

Great Southern Mining is readying the drill bit for its Mon Ami gold project in Western Australia, with the company identifying multiple targets for resource extension at the mine-ready prospect. The company has initiated a detailed technical review of Mon Ami to speed up exploration that could lift the existing 55,500-ounce deposit, grading a handy 1.11 grams per tonne gold.

American West Metals has bolstered its US critical minerals push by hiring a top Washington advisory firm to steer the company's West Desert project into becoming the nation's first end-to-end indium supplier. The newly appointed Ervin Graves Strategy Group is a heavyweight in government relations, a move set to deepen the company's ties with US agencies and potential downstream partners.