Public Company News

Venture Minerals believes the identification of two new priority nickel-copper-PGE targets by its JV partner Chalice Mining will enhance the prospectivity of its South West project, 240km south of Perth. Two previously-identified soil anomalies have been extended and better-defined during a phase-two program at the project Venture describes as a look-alike to Chalice’s Julimar discovery.

Ora Banda Mining has been given the green light to start mining at its Riverina underground gold deposit near Kalgoorlie after receiving financial investment decision approval from its board of directors. While the mining decision is still subject to the company securing a capital requirement of about $30 million, the approval supports its 2025 financial year production target of 100,000 gold ounces per annum.

Coda Minerals looks set to press the go button on plans to mine its Elizabeth Creek copper-cobalt project in South Australia after positive results from its recently completed scoping study on the operation. The study has revealed a net revenue of more than $5.7 billion over an estimated 14-year mine life at a pre-tax internal rate of return of 26.5 per cent.

Quantum Graphite says it is poised to take advantage of the respective booming markets for battery anode materials and long-duration energy storage after positive flake-sampling tests in South Australia. First-phase flake test-work achieved a purity of 97.59 per cent graphitic carbon and the company predicts increased temperatures will raise that mark to the 99.5 per cent needed for anode production.

AVZ Minerals has unveiled a monster lithium hit, with credible tin additions, from five holes in a wider 54-hole drilling campaign at its Manono project in the Congo. Headline results include 308m at 1.53 per cent lithium oxide and 731ppm tin from 22.5m, with another 176.3m grading 1.67 per cent lithium oxide and 898ppm tin from 23.7m.

North American explorer 88 Energy has revealed deep-diving plans to chase up to 647 million barrels of Alaskan oil in six target zones after successfully drilling its Hickory-1 surface hole to a depth of 1088m. The company has installed casing and a blow-out prevention system at Hickory-1 and will now proceed to the full depth of 3810m.

Octava Minerals believes it may be on the cusp of proving up a significant nickel sulphide orebody in the wake of finding high-grade mineralisation from deep drilling at its JV project in WA’s Kimberley. The company’s project partner, Future Metals, has reported the discovery of high-grade platinum group metals that is believed to extend “well beyond” its 6.9-million-ounce mineral resource.

Askari Metals’ bold vision of identifying a major exploration discovery at its Uis lithium project in Namibia has received a timely boost through the signing of a conditional investment agreement with global giant, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt. The deal, and an accompanying institutional investment raise, would boost the company’s coffers by more than $5.7 million as it aims to beef up exploration.

St George Mining has acquired seven hard rock lithium projects to beef up its impressive WA portfolio and further drive its strategic move into lithium exploration, in addition to its flagship Mt Alexander nickel project. Several of the new projects are located along strike from renowned high-grade spodumene lithium deposits and active mines in WA’s Eastern Goldfields region.

ASX-listed cell therapy company Chimeric Therapeutics has moved a step closer to trialling its treatment for gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine cancers on humans following a successful meeting with the powerful American regulator the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company says the FDA’s feedback was encouraging and its advice supports the company’s proposed phase 1 trial for the cancer-fighting treatment.

Ora Banda Mining looks set to pocket $4.2 million in a three-way deal that includes the sale of four non-core tenements to Beacon Minerals and a new royalty agreement with key investor Hawkes Point. Ora Banda has agreed to sell four of its Lady Ida licences in the Goldfields region of WA to Beacon through its wholly owned subsidiary for $2.5 million while still retaining all non-silver and non-gold mineral rights over the tenements.

Surefire Resources hopes a “unique” high-purity alumina deposit, with returns grading up to 31 per cent aluminium oxide, will lead to lucrative rewards from its flagship Victory Bore vanadium project, 400km inland from the WA port city of Geraldton. The company has appointed Queensland-based consultant Lava Blue to start purification test work aimed at leading to the production of high-purity alumina product.