Matt Birney

American West Metals could be onto a shallow, high-grade copper at its Storm project in Canada after unveiling strong visual mineralisation from the company’s first two diamond holes at the operation. The explorer launched the probe at a highly prospective area known as “2750N” where historical intercepts include 110m at 2.45 per cent copper from surface and 3.07 per cent copper from 12.2m.

Globe Metals and Mining is one step closer to sealing a mining development deal for its Kanyika niobium project with the Malawi Government after a review and recommendation for approval by a steering committee. The company says it has received confirmation from the Malawi Ministry of Mining that negotiations and the review of the draft agreement have been completed. Globe is aiming to produce high-purity niobium pentoxide and tantalum at Kanyika.

Podium Minerals continues to extend its Parks Reef platinum group metals deposit in WA’s Mid West region, with assays from an additional 4 RC holes sunk as part of its stage 10 drilling program delivering solid intercepts including 14m at 1.65 grams per tonne three-elements platinum-group metals from 133m. The results show the miner has intersected the operation’s mineral-laden orebody every time it has fired up the drill rig.

Junior explorer DiscovEx Resources has improved the prospectivity of its Spartan gold anomaly after a phase 2 infill and extensional soil sampling program added results up to 544 parts per billion gold. The target sits inside the larger Edjudina project about 250km north-east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Junior explorer Godolphin Resources has launched a four-hole diamond drilling program to follow up on high grade mineralisation struck by a previous explorer at its rare earths project near Temora in central-west NSW. The campaign will also focus on delivering core samples for mineralogical analysis, flow-path testing and metallurgical test work.

Estrella Resources has extended its T5 deposit by 300m south after step-out diamond drilling hit semi-massive nickel-copper sulphides. The explorer says its hole, part of the company’s Carr Boyd project in WA’s Goldfields region, intersects 1.8m of semi-massive to globular sulphides from 929m came within a broader 21.2m mineralised zone. Down-hole electromagnetic surveys are set to commence soon at the project.

CZR Resources has moved swiftly to kick off drilling in order to establish a definitive feasibility study for its Robe Mesa iron ore project in WA’s Pilbara region after receiving heritage approval last month. The company is targeting the northern extension of Rio Tinto’s neighbouring Mesa F deposit as it aims to grow its iron ore inventory and increase production rate up to three million tonnes per annum from 2mtpa as outlined in CZR’s pre-feasibility study.

After a major metal discovery only 200m from its fence line, junior explorer Conico will embark on a 5000m diamond and RC drilling program at the company’s Mt Thirsty project in search of platinum group metals and lithium. With all relevant approvals in order and target generation nearing completion, the maiden program, 16km north-north-west of Norseman in WA, is set to kick off early next month.

ABx Group subsidiary Alcore has completed the commissioning of three laboratory reactors in its efforts to produce a high-value essential ingredient for aluminium smelting from a smelter waste product. If its process is successful, it would deliver the bonus benefit of providing a local supply of the essential ingredient aluminium fluoride in addition to providing a waste disposal solution.