Public Company News

Infinity Mining has a renewed optimism in its search for more lithium-bearing pegmatites and rare earths after positive results in the latest field program at its South Tambourah project in WA’s Pilbara region. The return of eight rock chip samples collected late last year confirm lithium mineralisation of up to 3.86 per cent lithium, 338.5 parts-per-million caesium, 174ppm niobium, 233.7ppm tantalum and 3013.5ppm rubidium.

Classic Minerals has joined the ranks of WA gold miners after hauling the first ore from its wholly-owned Kat Gap gold mine, which sits 170km south of Southern Cross in the State’s Central Wheatbelt. Initial haulage is focused on 6500 tonnes of ore recovered from the bulk sample pit. Kat Gap has a healthy grade of 2.96 g/t gold with near-surface mineralisation.

Surefire Resources has the drill bit spinning again at its promising Yidby gold project in the Murchison district of WA’s Mid West, targeting extensions to gold mineralised intercepts of discovery holes at the project’s three main prospects. The program will also test structural targets generated from magnetic and gravity data and will comprise 24 RC holes for a total of 2800m.

EMU NL has confirmed the presence of both magnetic and heavy rare earths at its Condingup project near Esperance after rock samples returned results of up to 2124 parts-per-million total rare earth oxides. A total of eight samples were collected from a reconnaissance program late last year including three rocks from the Booanya granite complex that all returned results above 1000ppm TREO.

A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey has identified high-priority drill targets for clay-hosted and fresh rock rare earths mineralisation at Venus Metals’ wholly-owned Marvel Loch East project in WA. Hard rock targets include a 25km long magnetic trend and a 3km zoned magnetic anomaly where previous rock chips up to 4365ppm total rare earths were discovered.

Reach Resources has identified four major targets for lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatites within its Critical Elements project in WA’s Gascoyne region after independent analysis from geological experts. The initial phase of the assessment by RSC Consultants focused on Reach’s Morrissey Hill, Camel Hill and Wabli Creek projects that form part of the greater Critical Elements operation.

Everest Metals has achieved exceptional gold recoveries from independent gravity separation test work from its Revere gold project 90km northeast of Meekatharra. Coarse gold hand-picked from the 305 g/t gold bulk quartz vein sample accounted for 47 per cent of the recovered gold and gravity separation recovered 97 per cent of the remaining gold. The company is now planning further bulk testing and resource drilling.

Asra Minerals’ Mt Stirling project near Leonora in WA’s Goldfields has thrown up traces of highly sought-after “heavy” rare earths in addition to lucrative scandium that stretches from only 2m below surface to the bottom of 40m drill holes. Headline drill numbers include 48m at 90 parts per million scandium oxide from 3m and 7m at 669ppm total rare earths and yttrium oxide from 5m.

Xanadu Mines has wrapped up the next two phases of its strategic partnership with Chinese copper goliath Zijin Mining, giving it access to funding for the exploration and evaluation of its Kharmagtai copper-gold project all the way up to a decision to mine. The deal will see US$35 million invested directly into the project and a 50-50 joint venture created between the parties.

88 Energy has spudded its Hickory-1 well at the company’s Phoenix project in Alaska, testing a sweet spot of seismic anomalies in a region that has enjoyed recent drilling success. The Hickory-1 well is permitted to a total depth 3.81 km and designed to appraise up to six conventional oil reservoir targets with a net entitlement prospective resource of 647 mean million barrels of oil.

ASX and Frankfurt-listed Altech Batteries has received A$5.12 million as the first of two deferred instalment payments from Frankfurt-listed Altech Advanced Materials for the purchase of 25 per cent of Aletch Batteries subsidiary Altech Industries Germany GmbH. The final instalment of 1.583 million euros or approximately A$2.5 million is payable in December 2023 completing the deal done in December 2020.

ASX-listed Classic Minerals is making steady progress on its ambitions to become a gold producer and has begun installing a processing plant on foundations at the company’s flagship Kat Gap project in the WA Goldfields. The heaviest parts of the Australian-made Gekko plant are being secured to foundations and work is beginning on ancillary structures, electrical and plumbing scopes.