Public Company News

Metals used for steel alloys, once considered the poor cousins to iron ore, are starting to come into vogue, with both big and small players moving heaven and earth to uncover the next big discovery of metals vital to the massive global steel industry. The coveted group includes manganese, vanadium, molybdenum and others and Australia has rich resources of all of them.

Joint venture partners Firetail Resources and Thunderbird Resources are ramping up work at their Peruvian Picha copper-silver project, following its recent selection in the prestigious BHP Xplor 2025 program. Mapping, gravity surveys and a drilling program targeting large-scale intrusion relation deposits are in full swing and a new target adjacent to the existing prospect has been staked.

Great Southern Mining has kicked off an RC drilling campaign at its Duketon gold project, which spans 178 square kilometres within 13 virtually contiguous leases in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. The program has been designed to unlock the full potential of its promising Golden Boulder prospect which previously produced some impressive results before the rig is moved onto several other high-priority targets.

Terrain Minerals has launched into stage two drilling at its Wildflower gold project in WA's Mid West region, following its recently completed, high-impact sulphide conductor drilling in the Albany-Fraser Belt. The company has turned its focus to the surging commodities of gold and gallium at its broader Smokebush project, ramping up a 1368m RC program targeting gold discoveries and gallium metallurgy research that is currently underway.

In this edition of Bulls N' Bears Big Hits, we examine some notable drill hits revealed on the ASX, including Cygnus Metals' 9.1 per cent copper hit at its Canadian Chibougamau Copper-Gold project. Brazilian Critical Minerals has another interesting drilling program underway at its Ema rare earths project in Brazil, as does Astral Resources at its Mandilla gold project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Buru Energy is putting an updated game plan into play to focus on its flagship Rafael gas project in Western Australia's Canning Basin. It has wasted no time selling off non-core assets by inking a deal to offload its 50 per cent stake in the Barbwire Terrace base metal project to joint venture partner Sipa Resources in exchange for a royalty over future production.

Altech Batteries has been awarded “Dark Green” certification, the highest rating offered by global ratings agency S&P, for its salt battery project, opening the door to funding from the massive green bond market. The company believes the accolade has underscored the project's potential to redefine battery technology and shines a light on what it says is possibly the greenest battery technology available today.

This week's Bulls N' Bears Runner of the Week is… AusQuest Ltd. The company's shares leapt after reporting a stunning copper-gold porphyry discovery in Peru. Hydrix revealed a $2.8 million contract extension with a European medical firm, Pentanet showed improved financials in its 5G and gaming business and Pointerra updated the market with news of improved customer receipts for its digital twin business.

The WA Government has stumped up $175,000 for research into the extraction of rare earths, predominantly within the State's Yilgarn region, with Perth-based geological firm RSC Consulting to lead the study. RSC will work closely with respected WA junior mining firms Terrain Minerals, Dreadnought Resources, Narryer Metals, Pluto Resources and Curtin University's Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer program.

Buru Energy has rolled out a bold plan to focus attention and capital on its flagship Rafael gas and liquids project in WA's Canning Basin, set to begin production in 2027. To ensure Rafael's success as a future cash cow, the company has kicked off a $3 million cost-cutting program and the sell-down of non-core assets, directing capital where it matters most.

Suvo Strategic Minerals has extended for a further three years a major hydrous kaolin supply contract with Tasmanian paper mill operator Norske Skog, which may boost sales by up to 50pc. Suvo also anticipates sales volume growth this year from other existing clients and is awaiting larger batch field trial results for its kaolin products.

It's raining gold! Meeka Metals has produced a veritable shower of significant gold hits from drilling ahead of mining at its St Anne's North zone, with a best intercept of 33m going 3.07g/t gold from 42m. The intercept includes 8m assaying 4.51g/t gold, another 6m running 4.58g/t gold and an additional 1m at 28.50g/t gold.