Public Company News

Meeka Metals has played its trump card, revealing its highest rare earths mineralisation to date from the latest resource drill-out at its Circle Valley project near Esperance – Western Australia’s newest rare earths hotspot. The headline hit returned 4m running at 7475 parts per million total rare earths oxides, which will feed into a maiden mineral resource estimate due to be tabled next month.

Infinity Lithium is pushing closer towards mining licence and environmental authorisation submissions for its San José lithium project in Spain following positive government permitting recommendations. The finalisation of the Extremadura regional government’s Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Document, compiled by its General Directorate for Sustainability, classes the project as compatible with environmental and land use requirements.

DiscovEx is hunting an “enigmatic” gold source at its Edjudina project north-east of Kalgoorlie after recent drilling assays confirmed bedrock gold at all three prospects tested and ratified the continuity of mineralisation at the transition between weathered and fresh rock. All three targets displayed elevated gold results close to the bottom of hole and scale potential. The company’s chase for the source continues.

Octava Minerals is putting boots on the ground at its Yallalong nickel-gold project, 220km north-east of Geraldton – and the CSIRO has jumped in with funding to help lessen the impact of the imprint. The “green energy” metals explorer has snared exploration funding from the CSIRO’s Kick-Start program and will employ the agency’s leading-edge technology to optimise sample collection, while simultaneously reducing on-ground activity.

Lithium Australia will fill its coffers to the tune of more than half a million dollars after entering into a binding agreement to sell 70 per cent of its Lepidolite Hill lithium project to Eastern Resources. It will see Lithium Australia collect $550,000 in three tranches and allow it to put further focus on improving technology associated with the battery materials industry.

CZR Resources has cranked up its Pilbara-based Robe Mesa iron ore reserves by a massive 230 per cent to 27.3 million tonnes at 55 per cent iron, or 62.2 per cent iron after calcining. The reserves underpin an initial eight-year mine plan production of 3.5 million tonnes per annum with a cash cost of $57/t. CZR says there is still more scope for project growth.

ABx Group has boosted the mineral resource estimate at its rare earths project in northern Tasmania by 50 per cent, to pass the 20 million tonnes milestone on the back of a 30-hole drill program. The company believes “not all clays are created equal” and says its deposit is different to most others because the process of extraction would be cheaper and cleaner.

ASX-listed Aurumin is set to continue its search for lithium at its Mt Palmer project in the Goldfields after being named a successful applicant for the WA Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme. The explorer has executed an agreement with the Department of Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety, through its subsidiary Aurumin Mt Palmer, to receive up to $150,000 in direct drilling and mobilisation costs.

DiscovEx Resources’ JV partner, Carnaby Resources, continues to rack up high-grade copper hits at the duo’s Burke & Wills discovery near Mt Isa in Queensland, pulling up 12m averaging 2.4 per cent copper from 126m. Drilling continues at the evolving copper find, with results set to feed into a maiden mineral resource estimate for Carnaby’s Greater Duchess project slated for the third quarter of this year.

Octava Minerals’ joint venture partner Future Metals, which operates their Panton North project in WA’s Kimberley region, is set to start exploration drilling on an interpreted extension of the neighbouring 5-million-ounce Panton platinum group metals deposit. Mineralisation was previously traced up to the tenement boundary. Drilling will also target soil and rock anomalies at Panton West, within the joint venture’s ground.

Allup Silica has polished off a 26-hole maiden air-core drilling program at its wholly-owned Pink Bark project, 110km from Esperance in Western Australia. The 421-metre campaign was chasing silica sands and other potential clay-hosted rare earths, with holes drilled to an average depth of 16.5m. Management is expecting results towards the end of next month.

Empire Energy Group has been given the green light to seek production approvals for its gas projects in the Beetaloo sub-basin – a game-changing moment for the area’s development of the vast resource. The company says finalisation of the NT Government’s new industry regulations sets the scene for gas production approval in the region, including for its EP187 Carpentaria pilot project.