Public Company News

After raising nearly $1M recently, Classic Minerals has hit the gas on a decent-sized RC drilling program at its Forrestania gold project near Southern Cross having spent the last few months evaluating previous results that saw it book a sizeable resource increase. Classic said the rig will visit the Van Uden West, Matrix and Tangerine Trees prospects, all of which the company says are begging for additional attention.

King River Resources is undertaking further hydrometallurgical test work on the high purity alumina, or “HPA”, that can be produced from its giant Speewah specialty metals project in the East Kimberly. Independent assay results and repeat analysis on the company’s recent breakthrough production of a high value 99.99% “4N HPA” product will be tabled soon.

Perth-based agricultural investment and management company, Alterra, has entered into two contracts to sell 913 hectares of its 1,640Ha “Dambadgee Springs” property near Dandaragan in Western Australia to a local farmer. The total value of the two contracts is $3.1M and the ASX-listed company said it plans to retain $2.0M as working capital with the balance utilised to retire debt.

ASX-listed engineering group, Primero Group has increased its shareholding in unlisted, Gawler Craton-focused Barton Gold with a view to collaborating on enhanced processing opportunities at Barton’s South Australian gold projects when they spring back to life. Primero, Barton’s preferred services provider for the turnkey design, construction and operation of mine processing infrastructure, will focus on the re-start of the Tarcoola mine.

ASX-listed PharmAust Limited has chalked up a remarkable success with its rapidly developing “Monepantel” anti-cancer drug after its latest trial on man’s best friend showed a significant turnaround in the health of dogs suffering from naïve B cell lymphoma. One dog achieved greater than 60 per cent reduction in tumour burden, with one of its tumours regressing completely.

ASX-listed AVZ Minerals has shifted gear into the planning and execution phase of its giant lithium and tin project in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is expected to spit out some $600m a year in EBITDA. AVZ’s technical team is now putting effort into seeking tenders from companies identified in the DFS for various work packages required for the construction phase.

Hammer Metals has received results from the first phase of its JOGMEC joint venture exploration program at its Mount Isa Project in Queensland and they have thrown up some pulse quickening numbers from rock chip samples including 6.7 grams per tonne gold and 28.2% copper. The positive results have now triggered the second phase of work.

ASX-listed Horizon Minerals has broken ground at its Boorara gold deposit just 10km east of Kalgoorlie’s super pit with first gold now expected to be produced at the nearby Lakewood mill in July this year. Horizon said it has now bagged up all necessary approvals and permits and has $4 million in capital ready to deploy with Hampton Transport set and on call to haul the ore.

ASX-listed 88 Energy has released its bidders statement in support of its off-market takeover of fellow Alaskan-focused oiler, ASX-listed XCD Energy. Both boards have given unanimous support recommendations to shareholders for the proposed takeover that was announced last week. The offer is 2.4 new 88 Energy shares for each XCD share held and 0.7 new 88 Energy shares for each XCD Energy listed option held.

In a remarkable move, Deep Yellow has managed to convert nearly 100 per cent of one of its world-class uranium resources at the Tumas 3 deposit in Namibia from “inferred” to the higher confidence, “indicated” category, upgrading just over 24 million pounds of eU3O8 grading 313 parts per million. The uranium developer said that the global Tumas 3 mineral resource now stands at 36.8Mlb grading 328ppm eU3O8.

In an extraordinary demonstration of its aim to “close the loop” on the energy-metal cycle, Lithium Australia has tabled its initial results from test work using recovered alkaline battery metal dust to create a micro-nutrient supplement for plant fertilisers. Lithium Australia conducted “glasshouse pot trials”, growing wheat in a variety of controlled scenarios including using the recycled dust.

Adriatic Metals has expanded its footprint in the Balkans by moving to acquire TSX-listed Tethyan Resource Corp and its basket of in-country poly metallic assets ranging from historical mines and established resources to some very compelling exploration ground in Serbia. The deal will expand Adriatic’s land holdings in Europe to over 301km2 across Bosnia and Serbia.