Matt Birney

Wiluna Mining Corporation’s concurrent discovery, resource development and grade control drilling programs have delivered high-grade sulphide gold intersections around current mining areas and new targets across the company’s mining operation in WA’s Mid West region. The onslaught of drilling is expected to translate into inventory growth and increased confidence in production forecasts for both volume and grade up until the end of next year.

Godolphin Resources’ JV partner, Orange Minerals is poised to fire up the diamond drill rig for 1200m of exploration at its Calarie gold project in the Lachlan Fold Belt of NSW after finalising plans for a phase 2 probe. The campaign follows a December RC campaign that delivered a suite of “outstanding” intercepts, including 1m at 48.77 grams per tonne gold from 42m.

Metallurgical testing using a high-pH caustic pre-treating process on Sihayo Gold’s starter project in North Sumatra has the explorer pointing towards a significantly better cashflow than forecast. The company says back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the improved gold recoveries could lift the life-of-mine pre-tax cashflows more than 75 per cent.

Altech Chemicals has executed a framework agreement with Fraunhofer IKTS to accelerate the testing and qualification process for its battery-boosting Silumina Anodes product. The company is looking to lather the silicone and graphite-infused substance over lithium-ion batteries to deliver battery anodes with a 30 per cent higher retention capacity over non-coated items.

Calidus Resources is moving fast towards steady-state production at its Warrawoona gold project in WA’s Pilbara region after pouring 8916 ounces of gold in the June quarter. The company tabled its impressive results just six weeks after pouring the first batch of gold from its carbon-in-leach circuit at its newly commissioned processing plant.

Lithium Australia is celebrating a major milestone after its recently acquired battery recycling company Envirostream received its first rebate from the Commonwealth Government-backed B-cycle scheme. B-cycle is a national battery recycling plan that provides rebates across collection, sorting and processing points to create a responsible battery lifecycle by keeping batteries out of landfill.

Allup Silica has revealed an updated inferred mineral resource estimate at its Sparkler silica sand project in WA’s Great Southern region the company says will help increase the purity of the final product. The updated in-situ resource now sits at 70 million inferred tonnes at an increased grade of 96.84 per cent silicon dioxide and a reduced iron oxide percentage of 0.34.

Biotech company Chimeric Therapeutics has advanced its cutting-edge cancer-fighting work by expanding a licencing agreement with a top US university for breakthrough cancer treatment. The clinical-stage cell therapy company hopes the new agreement, through acquisition of critical know-how, will expedite its ambition to commercialise the treatment. Chimeric plans to use the treatment in a clinical study of patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Buru Energy is set for a bumper payday from the latest lifting from its flagship Ungani oilfield in WA’s Kimberley region. The company is anticipating a $5.5 million cheque from its 50 per cent share of the 75,000 barrels shipped out of the Wyndham port this month. The latest payment is likely to be more than $1m higher than its previous record in February and comes off the back of a very strong Brent oil price that is today sitting at around US$116 a barrel.