Matt Birney

Metalicity Limited has used open file Government data to generate exploratory base metal targets and stake a new tenement, adjacent to the giant Admiral Bay zinc project in the Kimberley region of WA. The work interprets potential domed structural positions for the trapping of mineralised fluids, enhancing the prospectivity for mineralisation in areas nearer to the surface, than at Admiral Bay nearby.

King River’s decision to investigate acid processing at its giant WA Speewah vanadium- titanium-iron deposit is paying off, with a new engineering study pointing to potential big cuts in the estimated capex for the project. The company has been encouraged by the results and is on track to produce a pre-feasibility study in the September quarter for the project that houses the world’s largest vanadium deposit.

Buru Energy is cashed up, partnered up and has a glint in its eye again as it embarks on a multi-million dollar search for more oil riches in the lucrative Canning hydrocarbon basin in WA’s north. Buru is preparing to drill two production wells to increase production at its Ungani oilfield and up to four exploration wells to test promising oil prospects in the underexplored region. With $64m in the bank and Chinese firm Roc Oil riding shotgun with a $20m farm in agreement, Buru has its chip back on the board.

ASX-listed graphite specialist Blackearth Minerals is shooting for a high-grade target of up to 34 million tonnes at its Ianapera project in Madagascar after final assays from a trenching program produced yet more impressive results. Latest assays include 14m grading 14.0% total graphitic carbon and follow news earlier this month of a whopping 18m intersection going 22.06% TGC.

Caldius Resources does not appear to be resting on its laurels after recently announcing a 1.25 million ounce gold resource in the Pilbara with the ASX junior this week kicking off a drill program to test new targets at its highly prospective Warrawoona project. The program will test three high-priority targets from soil geochemistry that showed the largely unexplored region is still rich with potential.

TNG Ltd is finalising its environmental impact statement and permitting processes for its NT-based, Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project and the proposed TIVAN downstream processing plant facility for refining high-value ore products, located close to Darwin. The company will haul concentrated products to a rail siding facility for transportation to Darwin, where the materials will be refined and then exported to customers in Asia.

Spectrum Metals has drilled high grade extensions at its Penny West gold project near Youanmi in WA, intersecting an 8 metre wide intercept of mineralisation grading 24.2g/t gold from 149m down-hole. The zone at Penny North is directly on strike from a historical open pit, that generated 85,000 ounces at 21.8g/t gold in the 1990s. The company has expanded its drilling campaign to follow up the discovery.

Great Southern Mining has discovered strongly anomalous cobalt and scandium mineralisation in laterite from historical aircore drilling programs completed at its Mt Weld project, near Laverton, WA. Best results were 12m @ 0.19% cobalt from 56m down-hole and 16m at 130g/t scandium from 38m down-hole in separate vertical drill holes. The company is also re-assaying drill samples for their platinum group metal potential.

Infinity Lithium is now better positioned to attract investment for its integrated San Jose mine and lithium hydroxide refining project in western Spain after increasing its ownership to 75% by paying AUD$1.6m to JV partner Valoriza Mineria over 14 months. Valoriza will retain its contractor rights to develop the project, ensuring that the partners remain aligned on their goals and focus on moving the venture forward.