Matt Birney

Perth listed Sky & Space Global’s dreams of heading into space are about to be realized, with confirmation of a late-May launch date for the company’s first three telecommunications “nano-satellites”. The company this week reported that the Indian Government space agency had confirmed the launch of the satellites next month, paving the way for maiden revenues to flow within months.

ASX-listed Connected IO continues to blaze a trail in the burgeoning “internet of things” global market with the launch of a new wireless modem device designed to take advantage of the latest low latency broadband cellular network known as “Cat 1”. Cat 1 has been built by major mobile service companies around the world to provide an optimized, cost effective network specifically for the internet of things.

Lithium Australia’s multiple tentacles have found their way into Germany with due diligence now underway on a proposed European joint venture and project farm-in. Interestingly, the project has a Tin recourse however Lithium Australia believe it might also be hosting a major Lithium discovery. 

Northern Minerals look set to get Australia’s first heavy rare earths mine across the line after securing an offtake agreement for all production in the first three years. The sales agreement, with a subsidiary of one of China’s big rare earths companies, includes a $10 million pre-payment and has dramatically boosted the prospects of a development decision.

Medicinal cannabis player MGC Pharmaceuticals remains on schedule for its first commercial production of medical marijuana, with the Perth-based company's European cannabis extraction facility completing construction. MGC expects the initial commercial cannabinoid extraction to commence in Q3. 

Lithium Australia have kicked off a much-anticipated drill program in Mexico with hopes of a discovery to rival the massive neighbouring Sonora deposit, which already has an off-take agreement with Tesla. Drilling began this week at the Agua Fria prospect where recent work identified a thick bed of lithium clays over a strike length of 5km and returned a number of very high assays. 

Legend Mining’s drawn-out settlement of the 2014 sale of a magnetite project in Cameroon is edging closer towards a happy ending. The project buyer, Jindal Steel and Power, has kept faith by making another interest payment this week. Legend reaffirmed that it believes Jindal is still committed to finalising a new payment arrangement for the final $3 million in the first half of the year.

ASX-listed Stargroup delivered a staggering 13th consecutive quarter of record revenue growth in the March quarter. The company is expecting further revenue increases in calendar year 2017 helped by its impending acquisition of Automatic teller machine service provider Indue.

Perth based Connected IO has added another blue-chip client to its expanding US customer base securing a $100,000 purchase order from a leading US wireless solutions provider. The order strengthens the company's growing revenues and adds to its already impressive customer base that includes Coca-Cola, US telcos Verizon and AT&T, Vodafone and The Red Cross.

ASX-listed Alterra has continued its ambitious push into the Western Australian dairy industry with the purchase of a 1,640 hectare property in Dandaragan Shire. The dairy industry upstart and carbon plantation manager is confident the property will suit an innovative dairy farming system known as "System 5".

In an era where major resource developments can take decades to get into production, Pilbara Minerals are defying all odds at their world-class Pilgangoora Lithium project near Port Hedland. The company announced this week they had cleared a key environmental hurdle and were now awaiting just one more bureaucratic sign-off before full-scale construction begins.

Hammer Metals have bagged more exciting copper-gold real estate in the Mt Isa region with the completion of stage one of an acquisition from Chinalco Yunnan Copper Resources. The deal includes an already defined resource with 143,000 tonnes of copper and a host of other opportunities for Hammer to add value by applying its own brand of exploration.

Sky and Space Global’s proposed cutting edge miniature satellite network has received further commercial validation with the company’s wholesale partner securing customers interested in accessing bandwidth from the first three units when they are launched into space. Sky and Space estimates potential initial revenues from the new contracts at circa US$500,000 per year.

Terrain Minerals’ faith in their 100%-owned Great Western gold deposit, 68km north of Leonora has been rewarded by a 58% lift in the estimated open-pitable contained gold resource at the project. The company is now considering a host of options to monetize the project which is surrounded by numerous operating mines. 

They say if you want to go hunting for giants you need to go to the land of the giants. Auroch Minerals appear to have done just that after securing a farm in agreement to earn up to 75% of the Alcoutim Copper, Zinc, Lead, Gold and Silver Project in Portugal. It is just 20km from the massive Neves Corvo mine that has proved up 8mt of copper and zinc concentrates over time. 

Lithium Australia have lifted their stake in the Electra Lithium clay project in Mexico to 49% as they kick off a major drilling campaign. The Electra project is on the southern boundary of a giant Lithium clays project that has already signed a major off-take agreement with revered electric car manufacturer Tesla. 

Blackham Resources are off to a flying start with their latest round of drilling at the Wiluna gold project, boosting confidence in the potential to expand their production outlook from 100,000 ounces a year to 200,000 ounces a year. The latest drilling has confirmed significant new mineralized zones. 

Technology company Weebit-Nano continues to make big strides in the development of its game changing “Re-Ram” memory storage technology with the announcement of successful electrical testing.  Weebit believes Re-RAM has the capacity to revolutionise memory storage due it being faster, cheaper and requiring less energy than current flash storage methods.

Connected IO has secured a AUD$270,000 purchase order for its wireless “internet of things” devices from a US security firm. The latest order further bolsters its customer base that includes Coca-Cola, US telcos Verizon and AT&T, Vodafone, The Red Cross, Cisco, and some US Police departments. The company recently posted 126% revenue growth for the December quarter. 

Lithium Australia’s graphite spin-off, BlackEarth Minerals, is shaping up for an impressive ASX debut after the addition of a couple of highly prospective exploration projects in Madagascar. The new properties add to a bulging portfolio of graphite projects in Australia with the company set to float on the ASX before the end of June.

Northern Minerals will raise another $10m for their Browns Range heavy rare earths pilot project in a fully underwritten equity placement. It is the second time the George Bauk-led company has raised funds at above-market levels, highlighting the strong level of investor interest in Australia’s first heavy rare earths project.

Medicinal cannabis player MGC Pharma has easily raised $10 million as it looks to fast-track acquisitions and accelerate development of its cannabis-derived products. MGC will use the funds to ramp up its medical R&D program and expand sales of its cosmetics and dermatological cannabis-derived lines with the latter to fund the former.

The Mt Marion Lithium mine has proved it is settling into production with the second shipment of concentrates setting sail for China this week. Neometals and their partners in the project also reported that a third, larger shipment is due to leave Kwinana in early April, which represents a further increase in the pace of production.

Terrain Minerals have picked up the pace with start of another drill program, this time at the Gimlet gold and nickel-copper project in the Fraser Range. The Perth-based junior has been very active and successful in the field since a capital raising in the December quarter and now has Gimlet and the flagship Great Western project generating some excitement for shareholders.

After encouraging results from early exploration, Auroch Minerals have exercised their option on highly prospective Lithium ground in Namibia and will hit the ground running later this month. Early grab samples have returned up to 2.73% Lithium Oxide, a result that would have most Australian explorers sitting up and paying attention. 

Lithium Australia have slammed as ‘false” and “misleading,’ statements about their Sileach Lithium processing technology by takeover target Lepidico. Just weeks after winning a bruising settlement against Lepidico, Lithium Australia have brought back the lawyers. They are seeking to debunk Lepdico’s purported claims that Sileach uses harmful hydrofluoric acid.

Sky and Space Global continues to forge ahead with its narrow-band communications network based on nano-satellites with the Perth company signing an MOU with a leading South American telco. The parties will undertake a joint demonstration of Sky and Space’s first three miniature satellites after they have been launched into space in the second quarter of this year. 

ASX-listed Stargroup is set to share in robust half-year profits at part owned private South Korean ATM machine manufacturer NeolCP. Perth-based Stargroup has an 11 per cent stake in NeolCP, who posted a net profit after tax of AUD$853,705 for the half year ended 31 December 2016. The NeoICP results come on the back of Stargroup themselves posting a record half year. 

It’s all shoulders to the wheel now for Perth based tech play Peppermint Innovation after the Central Bank of the Philippines green-lighted their innovative mobile bill payment and money remittance APP. The company has been sweating on the notoriously hard to get central bank approval to commence a trial of their fully developed technology with their in-country partner.

Wireless technology company Connected IO has produced another imaginative “internet of things” product that looks certain to be a hit. The company has just released its latest wearable body camera for the police and security sectors and they are looking to target markets like the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Dubai and Australia for the cutting-edge device.

Lithium Australia signaled they were serious all along about their takeover bid for Lepidico after launching their bidders statement for the company last week despite settling their IP dispute with them. Lithium Australia say their $21m bid will help both companies capture a once-in-a-cycle opportunity in the booming global Lithium market. 

Auroch Minerals now have $8.3m in liquid assets after the UK-based buyer of their Manica gold project in Mozambique came up with more cash and shares as part of last month’s settlement agreement. Auroch will soon be owed only $US1.2m from last year’s $US12m sale and will have enough financial horsepower to fund an exciting Lithium exploration program in Namibia.