Public Company News

Australian Potash has received positive feedback from the EPA who found no material issues or fatal flaws with its over-arching environmental review document for the Lake Wells sulphate of potash project near Laverton. The ASX-listed company will now address issues raised under the staged assessment process and resubmit its environmental document for the final approval stage with a view to clearing one of the largest project hurdles.

Horizon Minerals has kicked off what is shaping up to be a highly anticipated drilling and resource development program at its newly acquired Rose Hill project near Coolgardie in the prolific Goldfield’s region of WA. The project already boasts a resource of some 1.2 million tonnes grading 2.49 grams per tonne for 95,200 ounces of gold and recent excellent intersections include 11m grading 8.79g/t gold from 43m and 10m grading 6.28g/t gold from 28m.

Ardiden Ltd has invited veteran Geologist and its current CEO, Rob Longley, to step up into the Managing Director’s chair as the company sets its sights firmly on its Canadian gold exploration and development assets. Mr Longley recently drove the doubling of Ardiden’s ground position at its Pickle Lake gold camp in Canada where it is sitting on an initial resource of 110,000 ounces grading a respectable 4.4g/t gold.

Black Rock Mining is gearing up to develop its Mahenge graphite mine in Tanzania, having now opened three offices at local villages. The Mahenge graphite project boasts a 212 million tonne resource grading a respectable 7.8% total graphite content and the company says it has now established key relationships with locals and Government, both of which are key requirements for doing business in Tanzania.

AVZ Minerals is on track to deliver its definitive feasibility study in the coming months, with phase two metallurgical test work delivering an exceptional batch of results that reinforce the scalability of its giant Manono lithium and tin project in the DRC. AVZ said that it had produced a lithium concentrate grading 6.3% during testwork, easily surpassing the generally accepted threshold of 5%.

Listed telco innovator, Vonex, has entered into a preliminary agreement with the Canadian company, Silverstream SEZC, to sell its legacy entitlement to future iron ore production royalties from the Koolyanobbing Iron Ore Project. Subject to a definitive sale and purchasing agreement being executed and certain milestones being met, Vonex will receive total consideration of AUD$2.5 million in three instalments.

Podium Minerals has just booked a stellar PGM resource upgrade at its Parks Reef platinum, palladium plus gold project near Cue in Western Australia, that also boasts some copper and nickel credits. A 54% upgrade in the inferred mineral resource has delivered 1.14m oz of contained platinum, palladium plus gold and the copper credits now stand at 37,300 tonnes of contained copper.

The AMA Group has acquired New Zealand’s Fully Equipped Group that will complement its existing automotive component accessory division. The Fully Equipped Group manufactures and distributes automotive spare parts and accessories, predominantly for the off-road and utility market. Fully Equipped is based in Hamilton, NZ and has distribution centres on both the north and south islands. The company said it expects the acquisition to be EPS accretive by FY20.

Neometals has bagged more massive nickel sulphide intercepts at its Armstrong deposit, just 90km south of Kalgoorlie. RC drill assays from holes at the old abandoned pit include 6m grading a serious 8.11% nickel, including 5m grading 9.63% nickel from 206m. Other intercepts in the disseminated nickel zone include 34m at 1.94% nickel from 185m and another 24m intersection grading 1.13% nickel from 237m.

Aurora Labs has executed a framework agreement with a global quality assurance provider to have the spare parts that are “printed” by its unique 3D metal printers certified. The agreement may enhance Aurora’s opportunity to break into markets such as the marine, aviation, and oil and gas industries where down time means money and the ability to create parts on-site is potentially revolutionary.

Novo Resources is upbeat about the latest mechanical ore sorting test results at its Beaton’s Creek conglomerate gold project in WA’s Pilbara region. The crushing and screening tests on one bulk sample have delivered a calculated head grade of 5.72 grams per tonne gold, according to the company. Three size fractions were tested and an impressive 90.2% of gold was recovered in 54.5% of the mass of the +18/-50mm fraction.

Image Resources’ positive 2019 cashflows have provided for a significant expansion to its exploration budget and the company has since ploughed nearly 13,000m worth of drilling into its WA Boonanarring mineral sands project in WA in a bid to add additional reserves to its mining inventory with the out wide possibility of a new discovery. Best numbers include 4m at 27.1% HM from 8m downhole.