Matt Birney

ASX-listed 88 Energy has received the unanimous support of the board of directors at XCD Energy after 88 Energy increased its off-market, all-scrip offer for the fellow Perth-based and Alaska-focused, small-cap oil exploration player today. If accepted, the improved offer will increase XCD security holders interest in 88 Energy post deal from 15 to 20 per cent.

ClearVue Technologies has boosted the power output of its smart solar window glass panel prototype by a massive 33 per cent to 40 watts per square metre after enlisting help from solar specialist, D2 Solar, based in San Jose in California’s Silicon Valley. The uplift in power output cannot be overstated for the ASX-listed ClearVue and may be something of a game changer.

With platinum group metals pricing reaching near record prices, Impact Minerals has re-analysed previous drilling samples from its poly-metallic Red Hill prospect in NSW and come across some remarkable numbers including 29m grading 10.9g/t 7PGM, which comprises the six platinum group metals plus gold. This near 30m zone includes copper grading 2.3%, 0.4% nickel.

Uranium developer, Deep Yellow, is backing its view that the uranium price is on the move, with significant metallurgical test work at its Namibian uranium play showing positive results that should provide a boost to the project pre-feasibility study. Deep Yellow has deep pockets too, with around $13M in the bank as at the end of Q1.

After thirteen years of research and development in advanced cathodic materials, ASX-listed Lithium Australia, via its subsidiary, the Very Small Particle Company, is about to ramp up its commercial cathode powder production. VSPC is finalising an agreement to produce 1,200 tonnes per of lithium ferro phosphate cathode powders initially in China to supply battery manufacturers to the burgeoning Chinese electric vehicle market.

The Grace prospect has come up with the numbers again for Venus Metals and its managing JV partner Rox Resources at their Youanmi South project in the Goldfields, with new results over 30 gold gram metres clearly defining a high-grade mineralised zone that sits within a wider overall series of repeating gold bearing structures that plunge to the north.

The Australian Government Foreign Investment Review Board’s rejections of Chinese investments into ASX-listed mining and exploration companies is confounding and building a looming dark cloud over a sector that often lives or dies on the back of Chinese investment. Northern Minerals lost $20m Chinese investment is a good case in point after FIRB, who looks to be captured by anti-Chinese sentiment right now, rejected that application.

The results are in for the initial laboratory test work from Lindian Resources’ maiden drilling program at its Gaoual bauxite project in Guinea, with the company declaring that it has a high-grade conglomerate bauxite play on its hands at the Bouba plateau. Lindian said the average grades from the primary Bouba plateau samples were 56% alumina and the “total available alumina” was in excess of 51% when measured at low temperatures.

Adriatic Metals has extended its Rupice high-grade poly metallic deposit in Bosnia another 20 metres at depth with a stellar intercept over nearly 9 metres running at 2.4g/t gold, 398g/t silver, 1.79% zinc, 3.16% lead, 0.35% copper and 45% barite from 368.5m down hole. The company said that this is the deepest massive sulphide intercept at the southern end of Rupice.

Chinese lithium giant Yibin Tianyi will take up a 9 per cent stake in AVZ Minerals by ploughing AUD$10.6M into a 4.5c a share placement. AVZ has also entered into an underwriting agreement to exercise listed options, potentially raising another AUD$5.3M after it tabled a stellar DFS on its giant Manono lithium project in the DRC.

Legend Mining’s Fraser Range play is getting a life of its own now with the company’s newest drill hole punching through another impressive zone of nickel-copper massive sulphides over a combined 13.5 metres, extending the emerging discovery at Mawson to nearly 400 metres in strike. Legend said the mineralisation is open to the south, northeast and east with further drill testing already underway.

Quantify Technology will supply its smart home power-points, light switches and other smart devices via distributor, Fokused, for ten new apartments in Cannington within the Velocity development that is being built under the Australian Government’s National Disability Insurance Scheme. Fokused and the design company have chosen to fit several devices to the new apartments that will effectively automate each apartment.

Private equity backed Barton Gold has emerged with WPG Resources’ South Australian assets after WPG fell over in 2018. They include the Challenger underground gold mine and plant, the Tarcoola Project containing the Perseverance open pit and the Tunkillia gold deposit. Barton says the Challenger underground mine, that was so central to WPG’s story, is not a current focus and the real prize is Tarcoola and Tunkillia.

Middle Island Resources continues to return outstanding results with the drill bit as it aggressively pursues a pathway to production at its Sandstone gold project in WA. The company’s extensive drilling program has uncovered three new discoveries in as many weeks and the Perth-based ASX-listed company has now laid out a strategy to fire up the old mothballed Sandstone plant.

ASX-listed mineral sands miner, Image Resources, is not resting on its laurels, having successfully commissioned its Boonanarring mine north of Perth in December 2018. The ASX-listed company has been systematically banking more ore horizons within a 10km radius on the mine with a view to underpinning and turbo-charging its longevity. 15,825 drill metres have now confirmed northerly and southerly extensions.

ASX-listed agricultural investment and management company, Alterra, has placed a major piece of its strategic puzzle into place after the Perth-based company inked a deal with Sydney-based family office investment platform, CapRaise, to source capital for its ongoing agricultural projects from a pool of up to 114 family offices that CapRaise provides investment opportunities for.

With an estimated A$600m a year in annual EBITDA, the economics at AVZ Minerals’ giant Manono lithium project in the DRC don’t need much turbo-charging, but that is exactly what the Perth-based, ASX-listed company is planning to do after it managed to produce separate, very high grade tin and tantalum concentrates in test work using traditional low cost processing equipment.

Middle Island Resources looks to be onto a third new gold discovery in as many weeks at its Sandstone gold project in Western Australia with the new “Old Town Well” deposit igniting interest following a phase one RC drilling program. The company is looking to translate good results from ongoing drilling into further resource expansions that will eventually support the recommissioning of its mothballed Sandstone mill.

ASX-listed tech player, Aurora Labs’ new board has wasted no time in implementing a cost saving program that is set to reduce annual expenditures by a whopping $6M a year. The cuts, which also include a paring back of executive pays and a lower overall head count, will see monthly overheads at the Perth based 3D metal printing specialist cut by 65 per cent.

Australian Potash has identified a large number of gold anomalies from a regional air core drilling program at its Lake Wells joint venture gold project located approximately 130km north-east of Laverton in WA. Drill intercepts of up to 6m at 0.327 grams per tonne gold have included anomalous levels of pathfinder elements often associated with gold mineralisation.

Norwest Energy has A$3M cash in the bank to help it lock in a rig for the highly anticipated Lockyer Deep-1 exploration well that is only 15kms north of Strike Resources’ huge West Erregulla gas discovery. Norwest said it was working with the operator, Mineral Resources to secure a rig contract after locking in site access with the local landowner east of Dongara in WA.

Perth listed oil company, 88 Energy, has made an off-market, all-scrip offer for fellow ASX-listed Alaskan oil chaser, XCD Energy, with a view to expanding its gross lease foot print on Alaska’s oil-rich North Slope by forty per cent. The offer is subject to a formal bidders statement and 90 per cent acceptances from both XCD Energy shareholders and listed option holders.

Calidus Resources is pulling out all stops to get its Warrawoona gold project into production in the Pilbara after it signed a deal to co-fund an airport upgrade at Marble Bar this week in partnership with the Shire of East Pilbara. The upgrade will enable Calidus to seamlessly deliver its workforce in and out of Warrawoona when it gets going.

Ora Banda Mining’s spread of gold deposits across its Davyhurst project, including an impressive 24 separate resources, will soon receive yet another shot in the arm courtesy of a successful drilling program at the rapidly developing Sand King project. Standout numbers at Sand King include 5 metres grading 13.7 grams per tonne gold from 79m, 4.5m at 10.4g/t from 73m and 6.6m grading 6.1g/t from 5.2m.

ASX-listed Coziron Resources has field plans well underway in preparation for a drill campaign to commence on the first phase of diamond holes at its Top Camp prospect in WA’s Pilbara region. Three holes are planned to follow up the company’s maiden discovery at Top Camp that included 8 metres grading 10.2 grams per tonne gold. Coziron will use the data to understand the mineralisation and plan further drilling.

ClearVue Technologies has signed a Letter of Intent with Beijing Jinmao Green Building Technology Co. Ltd, owned by a subsidiary of China’s Sinochem Group Co, Ltd, to market and distribute its smart solar window glass panels in mainland China. The two companies will complete a trial construction project first by deploying ClearVue’s energy generating window panels ahead of negotiating a formal, possibly exclusive, distribution arrangement.

Ramelius Resources’ friendly takeover bid for ASX-listed Spectrum Metals is gathering momentum with Ramelius’ relevant interest in Spectrum now hitting 77.48%. Ramelius has extended its offer to remaining shareholders until the 29th of May whilst at the same time declaring the offer to be fixed and final. Ramelius also said that Spectrum shareholders who choose not to sell may be disadvantaged by a lack of liquidity.

Impact Minerals has added Apsley and Spicers Creek to its inventory of Boda copper-gold porphyry look-alike prospects near Dubbo in NSW. The new targets are contained within Image’s Commonwealth project that lies south of Alkane’s revered Boda and Kaiser porphyry copper-gold discovery in the Lachlan Fold Belt. The company has received assays from its recent reconnaissance rock chip sampling and the results confirm copper-gold mineralisation.

After navigating a plethora of Bosnian statutory approval labyrinths, Adriatic Metals is nearing the end of the maze after receiving a coveted and positive “record of decision”, or “RoD” from the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism for its Veovaca Environmental Permit which is one of the key approvals required for an Exploitation Permit to be finally issued. The company said the RoD is final and cannot be challenged, which means that the Exploitation Permit theoretically should be forthcoming soon.

A refining breakthrough by King River Resources’ has converted the aluminium oxide from its Central Vanadium deposit into a high value 99.99% high purity alumina, or “4N HPA” product. The company’s decision to refocus on the aluminium content of the deposit has simplified its processing flowsheet ahead of the completion of its prefeasibility study that is looking to generate early cash flows from the Speewah project in the East Kimberly.

Hammer Metals has doubled the strike length of its North Orelia gold target with the latest drill results identifying significant areas of shallow gold mineralisation. Recent intercepts from air core holes at the Orelia Target 1 include 4m grading 3.88 grams per tonne gold from 24m, 8m at 1.93g/t gold from 36m, which includes 4m at 2.5g/t from 40m and 7m grading 0.9g/t.

Legend Mining is hot on the tail of an emerging nickel-copper-cobalt discovery at its Mawson prospect in the revered Fraser Range in WA, with assay results all-but-confirming the presence of economic metal grades within the visual extravaganza of massive sulphides seen in the company’s first diamond hole of the year. The widest zone came back at 12 metres grading 2.76% nickel, 1.36% copper and 0.14% cobalt from 234 metres down hole.