Public Company News

Neometals’ innovative program of metallurgical test work has recorded a significant breakthrough in the processing of ores from its Barrambie vanadium-titanium project. The company has generated high-quality ilmenite samples from a simple flowsheet utilising gravity separation, low-temperature roasting and a final phase of magnetic separation, clearing the path for a move into production.

Blue Star Helium has picked up significant additional acreage across two leading prospects and other prospective ground at its Las Animas helium project in the US as it champs at the bit to kick off a highly anticipated maiden drill campaign comprising three and up to five wells in early 2021. The company has more than doubled its lease holdings around the historic high-grade Model Dome helium field this year.

ASX-listed oncology innovator, PharmAust, has received Government ethics approval to recommence a trial treating pet dogs suffering from cancer with its oral drug, Monepantel. PharmAust previously announced the first set of trial results had exceeded expectations by demonstrating that MPL tablets can make certain cancer lesions disappear and the recommencement of the trial is the next step on the pathway to commercialisation for the biotechnology specialist.

Si6 Metals looks set to stock up Santa’s sack with a mass of gold-rich results following first-pass exploration across the company’s Monument project in WA. High-grade grab samples from the project returned assays of over an ounce per tonne gold, setting the scene for a move into drilling early in the new year.

Taruga Minerals has upped the ante at its Mt Craig project in South Australia after it identified a 34-kilometre-long copper bearing structure at the project. The ASX-listed junior explorer has identified five priority targets along the extensive Worumba Anticline with surface sampling adjacent to historic mine workings returning grades of up to 12 per cent copper.

Impact Minerals can revel in the festive season after earlier-than-anticipated results from drilling at its Rockwell prospect in NSW delivered a timely Christmas present, unwrapping encouraging sniffs of platinum group elements over at least 400m. Better assays include 61m at 0.4 g/t 3PGE from 31m including 12m at 1.4 g/t 3PGE from 73m, which in turn includes 1m at 2.3 g/t 3PGE from 73m and 1m at 2.6 g/t 3PGE from 79m.

ASX-listed Cobre Limited’s largest shareholder, Metal Tiger, moved to maximise its shareholding in the budding base metals explorer this week. The savvy investment fund ploughed a further $310k into Cobre in a placement that will see Metal Tiger holding 19.99 per cent of the company as it ramps up exploration across the revered Kalahari Copper Belt in Botswana.

ASX-listed clinical-stage oncology company, PharmAust, has achieved a further annual extension to its current contract with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, or “DNDi”. The extension marks the 13th year that PharmAust’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Epichem, has been engaged by DNDi. The contract is expected to generate up to $1.02 million in revenue during 2021.

ASX-listed agribusiness developer, Alterra’s sale of the final sections of its “non-core” Dambadgee Springs farming property in Dandaragan north of Perth has gone unconditional. The final tranche of the overall transaction, which incorporates the rights to income from the nearby Yandin wind farm, comprised two blocks of land that fetched $2.8 million. The property was sold to a local farmer for a total price of $4.4 million.

St George Mining is set to hit the ground running in 2021 with ongoing exploration at its Mt Alexander project continuing to identify a swag of new EM targets. Geophysical surveying at the project has lit up a grab bag of new sulphide targets for drill testing whilst the company’s program of metallurgical test work has delivered excellent recoveries of both nickel and copper from the Strickland ore body.

Neometals and its giant JV partner, German-headquartered SMS group have delivered on key design, procurement and permitting milestones, paving the way for its lithium-ion battery recycling demonstration plant to be built. The innovative pair recently received approvals to build the demonstration plant at SMS’s manufacturing centre in the German town of Hilchenbach as they look to commercialise their joint recycling technology in Europe.

Origin Energy has given Buru Energy a significant shot in the arm by farming into seven of Buru’s oil and gas permits in the onshore Canning Basin in Western Australia. The farm-in significantly strengthens Buru’s planned 2021 exploration program, including drilling of the highly prospective Rafael 1 oil well. Origin will spend $35 million inclusive of a two-well drilling program and seismic work.