James Pearson

Beetaloo Energy Australia has entered the back half of 2025 with a strong cash position, traditional owner approval and a record-breaking hydraulic stimulation at its flagship Carpentaria-5H well. The milestones pave the way for a pivotal flow test as the company targets first shale gas from the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin – a move that could reshape Australia’s energy future.

Octava Minerals has launched exploration at its Federation copper, zinc, silver and tin project in Tasmania, re-opening historic ground last worked in the 1980s. The company has already tracked down Renison Associated Tin Mines’ old drill holes and adits at the Sweeney’s prospect, where previous sampling lit up with hits including 4.17 per cent zinc, 3.32 per cent tin and 1.23 per cent lead, pointing to untapped potential.

Great Southern Mining has armed its WA Duketon gold project near Laverton with fresh firepower after banking $4 million from Regis Resources for the sale of a mining licence, with another $5m potentially on the table. The cash injection will bankroll up to 15,000m of drilling this half, zeroing in on shallow, high-grade gold at its Golden Boulder and Amy Clarke prospects in Western Australia’s rich Duketon belt.

Horizon Minerals has taken a major step towards becoming a standalone mid-tier gold producer, with its pre-feasibility study at the Black Swan project near Kalgoorlie progressing strongly. The work includes refurbishing the existing crushing and grinding circuit as well as adding a new carbon-in-leach gold plant, setting the stage for a final investment decision in the December quarter and potential construction in 2026.

NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has unveiled positive results from two studies using its stem cell therapy in kidney transplantation. Eight out of 10 patients in a small case series, facing severe organ rejection, retained their donor kidney. A second study showed the treatment was safe and may improve graft function in deceased-donor transplants. The findings have bolstered the company’s plans for a wider clinical development in the multibillion-dollar global market.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dateline Resources Limited has made a significant breakthrough at its Colosseum gold-rare earths project in California with the discovery of several high-priority rare earth element drilling targets. The results from the company’s recent 3D magnetotelluric geophysical survey revealed one particularly promising anomaly, which hinted at the potential for carbonatite-style mineralisation at depth, akin to the famed nearby Mountain Pass rare earths deposit.

Thunderbird Resources has uncovered a string of high-priority gold targets at its Kookabookra project in NSW, with geophysics revealing sulphide-rich anomalies that correlate with past mineralisation. The company’s drill rig is now poised to hit the ground in the fourth quarter, with strong geological cues pointing to untapped gold systems similar to the nearby Hillgrove antimony-gold deposit.

Horizon Minerals has expanded its footprint in Western Australia’s famed Goldfields with a strategic $2.81 million acquisition of Yandal Resources’ Gordons Dam and nearby projects. The new ground sits just a stone’s throw from Horizon’s Black Swan processing hub and includes a 20,000-ounce gold resource, exploration upside galore and the potential to turbocharge a planned five-year mining operation.

Latitude 66 has fired up a fresh exploration charge at its newly granted Piastri project in WA’s Yalgoo-Singleton greenstone belt. The project, just 200m from the 2-million-ounce Ricciardo gold-antimony deposit being acquired by Capricorn Metals, could hardly be better placed. With funding due from the sale of its Queensland copper project, Latitude 66 is gearing up to chase high-grade gold targets in one of WA’s most fertile mineral corridors.

Perth-based stem cell therapy pioneer NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals is transferring its patented StemSmart technology to one of Australia’s biggest and most experienced manufacturers to scale up clinical-grade production, ahead of the commercialisation of its infusion therapy for hard-to-treat conditions, starting with Crohn’s disease. Queensland-based Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics specialises in manufacturing cellular immunotherapies for national and international clinical trials from 13 cleanrooms dedicated to cell manufacturing and quality control.

Larvotto Resources has fired the starter’s gun on its $140 million Hillgrove antimony-gold project in NSW after locking in a US$105 million bond and $60 million equity raise. With early works already underway, the fully funded operation is targeting first production in Q2 2026. Hillgrove is poised to become the only new source of antimony outside China within the next four years.

Ora Banda Mining has charged into FY26 with soaring gold production at its Davyhurst project in WA’s Goldfields and a new gold discovery that could reshape its future. With the Sand King underground mine now hitting its stride and a 1km multi-lode system uncovered at Little Gem, the company is flexing its muscle across all operations, backed by a strong $84.2 million cash position and $73 million earmarked for exploration.

Aguia Resources has struck a high-grade gold and silver system in its debut drill campaign at the Santa Barbara project in Colombia. First assays from five holes included visible gold and grades up to 44g/t, while underground sampling turned up monster hits north of 85g/t gold. The drilling has confirmed mineralisation continuity beneath current workings and sets the stage for a much larger exploration push.

Melbourne executive Nathan Smith will take the reins as CEO at NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, bringing his strategic and commercial nous as the company gears up to release its innovative StemSmart stem cell technology. This is the Perth-based biotech’s second heavy-hitting appointment, after it recruited a well-credentialled chief medical officer in Perth-based paediatric haematologist and oncologist Dr Catherine Cole.

Great Southern Mining has kicked off diamond drilling at its Edinburgh Park project in northern Queensland, with three deep holes planned at Leichhardt Creek. Backed by a $15 million Gold Fields Ltd JV, the campaign is targeting massive IP anomalies that mirror geological signatures seen at other nearby major gold-copper systems. With its Mt Dillon prospect up next, the drill bit could be edging closer to a major discovery.

Larvotto Resources has officially sealed a $60 million equity deal to get its Hillgrove antimony-gold project in New South Wales up and running. The raise follows a hefty US$105 million (A$159.6 million) bond issue and gives the company the financial firepower to push through construction and hit first ore in the second quarter of next year. Larvotto is now in the box seat to deliver the West’s next critical minerals supply.

NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has snagged a well-credentialled WA haematologist and oncologist as its chief medical officer. The company is banking on Dr Catherine Cole’s decades of clinical leadership and trials experience to help it roll out its innovative stem cell therapy. A trial is underway to test its stem cell technology to treat patients with a difficult-to-treat complication of Crohn’s disease.

Aguia Resources has lit the afterburners on its Tres Estradas phosphate project in Brazil, after a massive 70 per cent rise in global phosphate prices drove a sharp uplift in the project’s economics. Aguia plans to start production in early 2026 to tap into a rising fertiliser market, and its revamped, low-CAPEX model is shaping up to deliver outsized returns.

Uranium American Resources, formerly Tonogold, has unveiled a strategic rebrand by changing its US ticker to UARI. The move, which aligns with the company’s acquisition of low-risk US uranium and vanadium projects, completes its transformation into a clean energy mineral player. The transaction was supported by a fresh US$3.5 million placement at 6 cents a share – a 75 per cent premium to the current 3.4 cent price.

Aurumin Limited and Kula Gold have continued to resurrect a forgotten gem in Western Australia’s Southern Cross Goldfields after hauling in another series of dazzling drill hits at the historic Mt Palmer mine. The latest reverse circulation drilling program delivered some serious eye candy for gold bugs, with a standout shallow intercept of 3m at 35.9g/t gold from just 17m, including 1m at 83.6g/t, catching investors’ attention.

Great Southern Mining has sold its Southern Star mining licence to Regis Resources in a savvy deal worth up to $9 million. The agreement, which also cements a strategic data alliance, delivers $4 million in immediate capital for exploration and brings both players closer together for new success across Western Australia’s highly prospective Duketon Greenstone Belt.

Latitude 66 has signed a deal to sell its 17.5 per cent interest in the Greater Duchess copper-gold joint venture in Queensland for $2 million upfront. The agreement includes a potential $4 million bonus if the entire JV is sold within 90 days. The move unlocks non-dilutive cash and aligns with the company’s strategy to monetise non-core Australian assets while focusing on projects in WA and Finland.

Dateline Resources has completed a detailed geophysical survey at its Colosseum project in California, revealing signatures strikingly similar to the nearby famed Mountain Pass rare earths deposit. With early assay results showing rare earths anomalies and a 3D model on the way, the company is eyeing a potential major discovery, underpinned by its “stacked evidence” strategy to target carbonatite intrusions and gold-rich breccia pipes.

Estrella Resources has pulled in a hefty $5 million from a strategic investor who exercised a second option to buy 136.76 million shares at 3.65 cents per share and at a 500 per cent premium to the first conversion in September. The cash boost will be used to fund drilling exploration on the company’s manganese and limestone prospects in Timor-Leste, where Estrella recently made some exciting discoveries.

Aurumin Limited and Brightstar Resources are in merger talks to combine their Sandstone assets into a consolidated 2.4-million-ounce gold project. The proposed scrip deal would give Aurumin shareholders Brightstar equity and is aimed at de-risking and fast-tracking development. While still subject to due diligence, the move could establish one of WA’s most significant near-term gold projects in the Goldfields.

Larvotto Resources has secured formal NSW government approval for its Hillgrove Mod 6 application, clearing the path for mining and processing at its gold-antimony project. The green light allows the company to press forward with final financing, infrastructure upgrades and a planned production start in 2026. The approval also supports key environmental initiatives, including the shift to dry-stacked tailings for more sustainable operations.

Beetaloo Energy has secured crucial consent from Traditional Owners to sell appraisal gas from its Carpentaria gas project in the Northern Territory. The decision followed an on-country meeting organised by the Northern Land Council and paves the way for further development. The company says the agreement has highlighted its commitment to Indigenous partnerships and enables local communities to share in the region’s growing economic opportunities.

Horizon Minerals has kicked off a 30,000m drilling campaign at its Burbanks gold project in WA’s Goldfields. The campaign aims to upgrade confidence in the resource and expand high-grade zones to feed the company’s refurbished Black Swan processing plant. With early hits of up to 45.4g/t gold and historic grades averaging 22.7g/t, Burbanks is shaping as a cornerstone for Horizon’s standalone gold producer strategy.