Public Company News

In a move that brings St George Mining a step closer to becoming a key critical metal producer, the company has raised $20 million in a placement to new and existing investors. The funds will be used to finalise its acquisition of the high-grade Araxá niobium-rare earth (REE) project in Brazil, adjacent to CBMM’s world-leading operations in Minas Gerais, with settlement now due in March.

Aguia Resources is fast approaching first gold pour at the company’s ultra high-grade Santa Barbara gold project in Colombia as it ramps up the mine and its processing plant to treat 50tpd of ore for the shiny yellow metal. The first 25 tonnes of ore has now been mined and loaded into a series of agitator tanks in preparation for the carbon-in-leach solution.

As Meeka Metals moves towards first mining in March, it has jagged more high-grade gold at its Murchison project in WA with 1m at 154.5g/t gold in 6m intercept at 26.47g/t from its ongoing infill RC drilling. Management says the findings have reinforced the company’s confidence in its open pit production strategy, with the first gold pour scheduled for late June or early July.

Galan Lithium has secured phase two permitting for its Hombre Muerto West and Candelas lithium brine projects in Argentina’s world-class Lithium Triangle. The permit allows for expanded production of up to 21,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent and sets the stage for Galan to scale its operations in line with a predicted lithium market bounce back.

This week’s Bulls N’ Bears Runner of the Week is… 5E Advanced Materials, up 86 per cent following a booming price for its dual listed shares on Nasdaq and as it focuses on becoming a vertically integrated and global boron producer. On home turf, Lycaon Resources also stunned the market with a coup of epic proportions landing industry veteran, Tony Rovira, who has joined the company’s ranks as a non-executive director.

Lycaon Resources shares soared 66 per cent to 15c a share after the company bolstered the board and its bank balance by locking in former Azure Minerals managing director Tony Rovira as a new non-executive director of the company. The well-regarded mining veteran has also agreed to invest $360,000 in Lycaon through the issue of four million new shares at 9c a share.

88 Energy has banked a US$1 million payment from its joint venture partner, Texas-based Burgundy Xploration, as part of an outstanding US$4 million cash call, now due in February. The funding is supporting the ongoing development of the company’s massive Phoenix petroleum development in Alaska. Burgundy has reiterated its intention to provide full carry costs to earn an additional working interest in the project.

Meeka Metals is charging along in fine style developing its flagship Murchison gold project near Meekatharra in WA’s Mid West region, with first gold production slated for mid-New Year. Establishment of new milling, processing, administration and camp infrastructure and other earthworks, such as site access and tails retention, continues in tandem with new surface and underground resource development at the company’s Turnberry and Andy Well deposits.

Aurum Resources has delivered a massive 50.9 million tonne maiden resource estimate averaging 1g/t gold for 1.59m ounces of contained gold at its 1037-square kilometre Boundiali gold project in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. The resource estimate includes mineralised zones from its BST, BD and BM tenements, where its systematic drilling campaigns are ongoing.

Pilot Energy has identified a further 27 million tonnes of carbon storage capacity at its Cliff Head carbon storage project following recent technical assessments by the company’s sub-surface consultant. CO2Tech undertook the review of Pilot’s WA 31-L licence area in anticipation of the next phase of regulatory approvals, increasing the 2C/P50 storage resource from its previous capacity of 45.6mt to 72mt.

Lindian Resources has appointed seasoned businessman Robert Martin as chairman to assist with the development of its mammoth Kangankunde project in Malawi, one of the largest rare earth deposits in the world. Martin, who sits on a number of other ASX-listed company boards has a track record of experience across a broad range of sectors, including mining and mining services, manufacturing and capital markets.

BMG Resources has bored three diamond holes at its Wiluna Abercromby project in WA. The company began drilling 19 days ago and has booked 1076m drilled so far in a phase one program on the Capital deposit to expand and upgrade Capital’s maiden 518,000-ounce gold resource. The resource had previous hits of 1.45 g/t gold with high-grade zones up to 5.94g/t gold.