Public Company News

Stargroup look set to make that elusive transition from money gobbling, fast growing start-up, to a fully franked dividend paying stock that will at least cover an investor’s interest bill. The company looks like paying a maiden dividend this financial year that will represent a 6.67% return to an investor at the current share price after posting its 11th record quarter.

ASX-listed MGC Pharmaceuticals says it is on schedule to commence production of research grade cannabis by mid-2017 after harvesting its first crop at its Slovenian facilities. In a strong finish to 2016, the company has also confirmed the execution of its deal to acquire Czech-based medical cannabis company Panax Pharma on more favourable terms.

Lithium Australia’s Sileach process has successfully passed its first trial using Lithium ore from Pilbara Minerals’ giant Pilgangoora project near Port Hedland. The positive results are the first step towards a potential Sileach plant being built at Pilgangoora that could add millions of dollars in value to the project by way of reduced processing costs. 

Medical device company Analytica has received a $1.2 million boost from the Australian Government as the company develops its breakthrough treatment for women suffering from incontinence due to pelvic floor muscle disorders.  The incentive is aimed at companies like Analytica that are researching and developing innovative new products

There’s nothing like the hint of a good conductor to get the base metal bulls hoofing at the dirt and Legend Mining haven’t disappointed in that regard. The company announced this week they had identified a number of conductors, which followed the identification last month of the right rocks for a Nova/Bollinger style deposit at their Rockford project.

The clean energy boom has opened up opportunities for Aussie Lithium and Graphite explorers. Now you can add the heavy rare earth “Dysprosium” to that list. Northern Minerals is quickly carving out a dominant position in that market place and this week finalized a $60m engineering contract with Chinese giant Sinosteel MECC that will allow $12m to be deferred.

Lithium Australia and Pilbara Minerals are trialing a breakthrough Lithium processing technology on concentrates from Pilbara’s Lithium deposit at Pilgangoora. The marriage between one of the world’s largest Lithium deposit owners and a game-changing processing technology has the potential to turn great swathes of uneconomic tonnes into economic tonnes at Pilgangoora. 

In a move that is likely to ramp up its production and research capabilities, MGC Pharmaceuticals has signed a new, renegotiated, binding heads of agreement to acquire Czech-based medical cannabis company Panax Pharma. Under the deal, the Perth-based company will gain access to world-leading facilities in the Czech Republic for its medical cannabis research.

Hammer Metals’ success at the Millennium project that was aquired for a song has opened the door to another acquisition that looks to be equally well priced in Mt Isa. The company announced this week an agreement with Chinalco Yunnan Copper Resources to acquire highly prospective tenements in the Mt Isa district for the issue of 1.5m Hammer shares, which closed at 3.9c on Wednesday.

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.