Public Company News

Mineral explorers often stumble over approvals when it comes to getting into development. Pilbara Minerals however are showing how it’s done with news of several key approvals, including an all-important Native Title agreement this week for their giant Pilgangoora Lithium mine. Project permiting is expected in Q1 2017 with first ore shipped by July 2017.

Blackham Resources have discovered another $1.4b worth of in-ground gold at the Matilda Gold Project in Wiluna since June. Whilst no where near all of this amount will drop to the bottom line, it’s still a staggering statement to make about a company that is still only capped at around $150m. The project has jumped from 5.1m ounces to 6m ounces in six months. 

ASX listed financial payments player Stargroup’s extraordinary run of revenue growth has continued, with the company delivering its 12th consecutive quarter of record revenue after just two of the three months in the December quarter. The company posted a 299% revenue increase compared to the same time last year with the increase led by the ATM division. 

ASX listed Lithium Australia have multiple balls in the air right now. The company recently announced potentially resource grade sampling at their Mexican Lithium play, the awarding of an engineering design contract for their game changing Sileach Lithium process and a priority share entitlement in the exciting upcoming Lithium float of Canadian partner Metals Tech.

It’s hard to believe but there are still millions of people in the world that are technically termed “unbanked”, which means they still do not operate a bank account. They earn their wages in cash and pay their bills in cash but all that could change with Perth ASX listed company Peppermint Innovation's new App set to revolutionize the bill paying experience for the great unbanked.  

Another round of great assay results has Blackham Resources thinking about digging a 1.9km-long super pit at Wiluna to carve out the riches left by previous explorers. Latest drilling by the new gold producer has found extensive mineralisation beyond the existing mine plan that could be accessed by a northern superpit and deeper digging at the existing East and West pits.

Terrain Minerals are a chance to make the leap from junior explorer to junior producer after an injection of new funds from shareholders and management which will fund an immediate drill program at the Great Western Gold project near Leonora. The 21-hole program is one of the last steps before a prefeasibility study on development of the almost 63,000 ounce resource.

In a remarkable display of value adding, Hammer Metals this week released a maiden resource estimate for their copper-cobalt-gold Millennium deposit in Qld, just six months after buying it for $83,000. The ASX junior said Millennium was similar in size and style to other deposits in the area that had been successfully mined, which implied Millennium might already be economic.

Blackham Resources have turned the gold price slump to their advantage by snapping up ounces at low spot prices and turning a quick $6.3m profit on their hedge book. The cash boost follows a string of good news at the recent AGM, where shareholders were told the Matilda mine would produce 25,000 ounces in the March 17 quarter and expansion studies were moving ahead.

Sipa Resources' exploration program in the Paterson district in W.A has been recognised by a grant of up to $300,000 from the State and Federal Governments and the CSIRO. The new funds will provide a boost to the company’s search for a major copper-gold deposit, and follows up some very encouraging results from the company’s maiden reconnaissance drill program in the area.

In what appears to be an endorsement of their latest strategy to secure five highly prospective Lithium leases in Namibia, Auroch Minerals have attracted the attention of Rare Earth Minerals, a London and New York listed fund that takes strategic interests in undervalued Lithium projects around the globe. Rare Earths have taken a $650k strategic placement in Auroch.

Approvals to build Australia’s first heavy rare earths plant are falling like dominoes for Northern Minerals with the Department of Mines and Petroleum giving the green light for the company to develop their Browns Range rare earths project near Halls Creek. Whilst it will be a research and development play initially, there is every chance it will still make money for the company.