Public Company News

Estrella Resources has extended its T5 deposit by 300m south after step-out diamond drilling hit semi-massive nickel-copper sulphides. The explorer says its hole, part of the company’s Carr Boyd project in WA’s Goldfields region, intersects 1.8m of semi-massive to globular sulphides from 929m came within a broader 21.2m mineralised zone. Down-hole electromagnetic surveys are set to commence soon at the project.

Godolphin Resources has hit a broad intersection of anomalous copper at its Yeoval South prospect near Orange in NSW, just 350m south of the operation’s existing 12.8 million tonne mineral resource. The broad hit of 276m grading 0.12 per cent copper from 128m came from a two-hole, 900m program aiming to test the southern extensions of the mineral resource and homing in on copper at depth.

CZR Resources has moved swiftly to kick off drilling in order to establish a definitive feasibility study for its Robe Mesa iron ore project in WA’s Pilbara region after receiving heritage approval last month. The company is targeting the northern extension of Rio Tinto’s neighbouring Mesa F deposit as it aims to grow its iron ore inventory and increase production rate up to three million tonnes per annum from 2mtpa as outlined in CZR’s pre-feasibility study.

Perth-based American West Metals has kicked off a maiden drilling program at its Storm project on Somerset Island in Nunavut, Canada, where a number of high-grade copper targets will be tested. The campaign follows up on a raft of solid historical hits including 110m at 2.45 per cent copper from surface and 56.3m grading 3.07 per cent copper from 12.2m.

After a major metal discovery only 200m from its fence line, junior explorer Conico will embark on a 5000m diamond and RC drilling program at the company’s Mt Thirsty project in search of platinum group metals and lithium. With all relevant approvals in order and target generation nearing completion, the maiden program, 16km north-north-west of Norseman in WA, is set to kick off early next month.

Recently renamed Meeka Metals continues to return high-grade gold results at its Murchison project in Western Australia with shallow air-core drilling intersecting thick gold zones at its St Anne’s prospect. The company says its latest results confirmed gold mineralisation over a 1km strike length across a 7km gold shear system that also hosts its nearby Turnberry deposit. Assay highlights from St Anne’s show a 32m intersection going 2.2 g/t from 48m including 20m at 3.31 g/t gold.

ABx Group subsidiary Alcore has completed the commissioning of three laboratory reactors in its efforts to produce a high-value essential ingredient for aluminium smelting from a smelter waste product. If its process is successful, it would deliver the bonus benefit of providing a local supply of the essential ingredient aluminium fluoride in addition to providing a waste disposal solution.

West Perth-based explorer Zuleika Gold has appointed Jonathan Lea as Managing Director, aiming to use his combination of geology and corporate experience of 35-plus years to drive the junior explorer’s pursuit of opportunities. Lea’s career spans gold, iron ore and base metals in open- cut and underground operations in Australia and overseas. Most recently he was Managing Director of Ozz Resources.

Galan Lithium has appointed former SQM Hydrogeology Superintendent Alvaro Henríquez as its new Exploration Manager. Henríquez will be responsible for ramping up the company’s exploration and development efforts at its battery metal projects in Australia and Argentina. He has more than two decades’ experience in the mining sector and will join Galan from one of the world’s largest lithium producers.

ASX-listed Si6 Metals has engaged monitoring platform Socialsuite to streamline the explorer’s disclosure and reporting process for its recently adopted environmental, social and governance, or “ESG” framework. The company says there are increasing expectations on mining and exploration companies to improve ESG performance and believes the framework outlined by the World Economic Forum is the most appropriate for the explorer.

Valor Resources continues to make headway at its Picha project in southern Peru with recent channel sampling at the operation’s Ichucollo target delivering a raft of notable hits, including 12m at 1.1 per cent copper with anomalous silver. Importantly, more than 30 of the 132 channel samples delivered encouraging assays above 0.5 per cent copper with some running up just shy of 8 per cent copper and 100 grams per tonne silver.

Asra Minerals is just weeks away from completing its updated gold mineral resource estimate for its Mt Stirling project in WA’s eastern Goldfields region that will prioritise the site’s open-pit potential. The 74 square kilometre project is 20km north of Leonora and currently has a JORC-compliant resource of about 118,400 gold ounces. Asra says at least 167 holes will be included in its upcoming figure.