Public Company News

Octava Minerals has lit up the market with a suite of eye-catching bioleaching results from its Byro rare earths and lithium project in WA’s Gascoyne. Partner, European biomining specialist BiotaTec, used microbes to extract up to 75 per cent of the key magnet metals and about 40 per cent of the lithium in samples in record time. The results point to serious potential for a rapid, low-cost heap-leach operation.

According to charts and data just trotted out by the Bank of America’s global research chief strategist. we’ve walked back to the dot-com peak on multiple metrics. While the air may be getting a little thin at the top of the market, Dollar Bill reckons it’s still a mighty good time for a climb in the small cap foothills.

Lindian Resources has bagged $91.5 million in new funds from a heavily oversubscribed raising to kick off stage one construction at its world-class Kangankunde rare earths mine in Malawi. Iluka Resources is already on board with an offtake deal for 6000 tonnes of concentrate per year for 15 years and a $20 million construction loan, allowing Lindian to reach first production in late 2026.

Pilot Energy has received a $3.887 million Petroleum Resource Rent Tax refund after oil production ceased at its joint venture Cliff Head oil field. The refund, paid via operator Triangle Energy Operations, was attributed to funds spent on abandoning, decommissioning and rehabilitating the Western Australian offshore production site. Pilot is cashed up after also raising $6.8 million in a recent share and convertible note issue.

Dateline Resources has zeroed in on six new, potentially gold-rich breccia pipes at its Colosseum gold and rare earth project in California, thanks to a 3D geophysics sweep. The anomalies mirror the signature of the mine’s existing pipes, featuring 1.4 million ounces, suggesting a much larger gold system lurks below surface. The company has drill rigs primed to put the theory to the test.

The critical battery mineral – lithium - may be set for sustained higher pricing after a Chinese crackdown on illegal mining activity removed a chunk of supply from the market and triggered a price surge. The price touched its peak for this year of US$970 (A$1485) per tonne of the industry-standard 6 per cent spodumene concentrate, putting a welcome smile on the faces of lithium players.

St George Mining has dual listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange to boost European investor access to the company, driven by its world-class Araxá project in Brazil, which has more than 40Mt at 4.13 per cent total rare earths oxide and 0.68 per cent niobium pentoxide. The move aligns with its global strategy to supply critical minerals outside China. St George is currently drilling to expand the high-grade deposit.

Triangle Energy and its joint venture partner Athena Exploration have substantially boosted gas resources at their UK North Sea permit, marking a significant milestone for the two companies. The marked increase in both contingent and prospective resources positions the partners among the top three holders of undeveloped gas resources in the UK west of the Shetland Islands and in the southern North Sea.

Bulls N’ Bears ASX Runner of the Week is… OD6 Metals, after it unveiled a low capex, lower-cost product from its mammoth Splinter Rock rare earth project near Esperance. Mount Ridley Mines rode the rare earths coattails based on its nearology to OD6 in the rare earths region, ActivePort Group launched an Australian first private cloud superhighway and Energy Transition Minerals shot up on a 60 Minutes story on its monster Greenland rare earths project.

Estrella Resources has shifted its Timor-Leste exploration into high gear after picking up visuals of rich manganese mineralisation running up to 80 per cent at the Ira Miri prospect. The company is also preparing to collect a 30,000-tonne manganese bulk sample at site and planning a drill program at its billion-tonne Werumata limestone target in Baucau.

Buru Energy has discovered a significant new gas prospect beneath its Rafael gas field in WA’s onshore Canning Basin. Buru estimates its Flying Fox target, identified in recent Rafael 3D seismic data, contains 60-614Bscf of gas and 1.2-12.6MMstb of condensate. The discovery mirrors Rafael’s contingent resources and could seriously boost the overall project’s potential. Buru plans to drill next year.

Norfolk Metals’ 70 per cent earn‑in at its Carmen copper project in Chile is now underpinned by a drill plan designed to twin the best historical holes, hit the oxide blanket from surface and push deep into sulphide potential. In a copper market that is starting to get serious attention again, Norfolk’s timing appears to be good.