Uranium Set to Have its Day

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COMMODITY CAPERS: Uranium remains the under-appreciated Australian commodity despite the global membership badges our domestic industry displays.

Australia is ranked number one in the world for uranium resources, a lot of which still sits unmined.

Be that as it may, we are able to boast being ranked as the fourth largest uranium producer globally with the value of our uranium exports for the year 2023-204 hitting an impressive $1,200 million.

Australia’s uranium exports are currently produced at the Four Mile, Olympic Dam and the newly-opened Honeymoon mines in South Australia.

When the Honeymoon mine kicks in it is anticipated to push up Australia’s uranium export earnings to about $1.3 billion in 2024–25, with exports predicted to hit $1.5 billion in 2025-26.

Exploration for uranium has run rampant this year with uranium miners forking out some $15.2 million on exploration in the June quarter 2024, a healthy rise on the $3.4 million spent in the March quarter 2021.

In a recent research note on Paladin Energy (ASX: PDN) broking house ShawandPartners declared its bullish outlook for the uranium market.

“There is not enough supply to meet current demand, let alone increased demand from reactor restarts, new reactor builds and demand from Small Modular Reactors (e.g. Amazon, Google),” it said.

“The long-term contract price is continuing to shift higher each month (currently US$82/lb) and we think it is likely that contracting prices head above US$100/lb.”

Paladin Energy restarted its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia this year after six years in care and maintenance.

Langer Heinrich is forecast to produce approximately 6Mlb of uranium when in production which is around three per cent of global supply.

“The two main issues impacting Langer Heinrich are the grade of the material on the previously mined stockpiles, and the availability of water from NamWater,” ShawandPartners said.

“Neither of these issues will be a problem post the processing of the stockpiles once production shifts to processing of freshly mined ore.

“Paladin has commented that it expects to reach full production rates of 6Mlb/yr by the end of 2025 as previously expected.”

ShawandPartners highlighted the recent run enjoyed by the spot uranium price through US$100/lb on the back of strong global support for nuclear energy to decarbonise power grids.

This has been heightened by supply constraints being felt by major producers such as Kazatomprom and Cameco.

“In our view the uranium price is likely to continue moving higher with US and European utilities not covered for the fuel requirements from 2026-2028 and limited new supply in that timeframe,” ShawandPartners said.

“It is difficult to see what will cap the upside in the short term.

“We assume a multi-year price spike to US$150/lb, before settling to our long-term U3O8 realised price assumption of US$76/lb (2024 Real) in 2030.”

Uranium will be the main agenda point at the RIU Uranium Investment Day being held at Claremont Football Club next Tuesday 19 November.

 

For information on the day CLICK HERE

Galileo Mining Conducting Palladium and Nickel Drilling Program at Norseman

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Galileo Mining (ASX: GAL) has an air core drill campaign targeting palladium and nickel underway at the company’s Norseman project in Western Australia.

Galileo Mining is targeting the Mission Sill and Jimberlana prospects that lie approximately eight kilometres from the project’s Callisto deposit the company discovered in 2022.

Galileo reported an initial Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) in 2023 at Callisto of 17.5 million tonnes at 1.04 grams per tonne 4E (Palladium + Platinum + Gold + Rhodium), 0.2 per cent nickel, 0.16 per cent copper (2.3g/t PdEq or 0.52% NiEq).

On the back of the Callisto discovery, Galileo increased it understanding of the prospective geology, from which it now sees the basal unit of the Mission Sill as having the greatest capacity for Callisto style sulphide deposits.

The current aircore drilling program will prioritise target zones with either no previous drilling or drilling restricted to shallow laterite occurrences.

The lower prospective contact will be tested over an initial 3km strike length and includes the intersection of the Jimberlana Dyke as well as the Mission Sill which is interpreted as another location with potential for sulphide mineralisation.

“We are excited to kick off this drilling campaign targeting both palladium and nickel at the Mission Sill and Jimberlana prospects,” Galileo Mining managing director Brad Underwood said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“These areas…are highly prospective and have the potential to further expand our understanding of the broader mineralisation trends in the region.

“The program will prioritise target zones that have either not been previously drilled or have only seen drilling restricted to shallow laterite occurrences.

“In particular, we will focus on interrogating the lower prospective geological contact over an initial 3km strike length.

“This includes the intersection of the Jimberlana Dyke with the Mission Sill, a feature we believe has strong potential for sulphide mineralisation.

“We’re encouraged by the geological similarities between the Mission Sill and Callisto, which share the same ultramafic host rocks, and we’re optimistic about the untapped potential in these areas.

“With a healthy approx. $12 million cash balance, Galileo remains in a strong financial position ensuring we are fully funded to undertake all planned activities and able to maintain our focus of advancing exploration efforts and unlocking value at Norseman.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Iceni Gold Grows Guyer with Further Strong Gold Intersections

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Iceni Gold (ASX: ICL) continues its AC drilling activities at the company’s 14 Mile Well gold project, located between Leonora and Laverton in Western Australia.

Iceni Gold released results from the third aircore (AC) drill campaign undertaken at the 14 Mile Well gold project that targeted a granite-greenstone contact along the 15km long Guyer Trend.

The company declared the recent drilling enhanced a coherent 6km long bedrock gold anomaly at Guyer North that is now up to 950m wide.

Iceni explained that the drilling had intersected broad downhole intervals of gold mineralisation in multiple vertical holes on four 400m spaced infill drill traverses at Guyer North, from which it has outlined a 1500m long +0.5 grams per tonne gold bedrock anomaly within the broader 6km gold trend.

Results from the latest drill campaign include:

FMAC1098
8m at 1.16 grams per tonne gold from 72m to EOH, including 4m at 2g/t gold from 72m;

FMAC1099
4m at 1.7g/t gold from 72m;

FMAC1102
5m at 1.12g/t gold from 68m to EOH, including 4m at 1.36g/t gold from 68m; and

FMAC1104
9m at 0.7g/t gold from 56m to EOH, including 4m at 1.18g/t gold from 56m.

“The Guyer trend continues to deliver promising gold results that expands the bedrock anomaly from each successive aircore drilling campaign, with the limits yet to be defined,” Iceni Gold managing director Wade Johnson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We are very pleased with the recent drill results, which are the best to date and now highlight a stronger signature within the granitic bedrock west of the granite-greenstone contact at Guyer North.

“This area of elevated gold in granite now provides a key target for follow up aircore drilling that will commence shortly.

“Our focus to explore targets under thick transported cover at the 14 Mile Well project has delivered early and quick success that we aim to capitalise on.

“We now have a flagship prospect to focus our exploration efforts on, and one where we are getting closer to a primary source.

“The pending focussed aircore drilling campaign at Guyer is aimed at delivering multiple locations along the corridor for deeper RC and diamond drilling evaluating the primary system.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

 

Helix Resources Copper Hits Expand Bijoux Footprint

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Helix Resources (ASX: HLX) reported new RC drill assay results from the company’s emerging Bijoux prospect located in the company’s western tenements in the Cobar-Nyngan area of central New South Wales.

Helix Resources said the latest drilling had produced encouraging copper grades while greatly increasing the mineralisation footprint of the Bijoux prospect.

Best intercepts include:

BJRC019
2 metres at 2.92 per cent copper within 26m at 0.58 per cent copper from 84m in (sulphide);

BJRC016
2m at 1.83 per cent copper within 10m at 0.72 per cent copper from 132m in (sulphide); and

BJRC015
2m at 1.73 per cent copper within 4m at 1.06 per cent copper from 132m in (sulphide).

“We are excited with the latest batch of assays from Bijoux which have delivered encouraging grades as well as significantly expanding the prospect’s strike length,” Helix resources managing director Kylie Prendergast said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The prospect remains open – both at depth and along strike – and we intend to follow these results with further drilling.

“Bijoux is a prime example of the experience and tenacity current management have applied to the company’s large-scale Cobar tenements.

“Having been identified and prioritised through a comprehensive geochemical program, the team have worked systematically via further auger and RC drilling to test our CSA-style copper model.

“Today’s assays validate this approach and continue to highlight that in an area as rich as the Cobar Basin, quality exploration means the company is potentially just one drill hit away from a new discovery.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Green Technology Metals Kicking Off Junior Lithium Project Drilling Program

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Green Technology Metals (ASX: GT1) is kicking off drilling at the company’s Junior lithium project in Ontario, Canada.

Green Technology Metals informed the market that a diamond drilling program will be got underway at the Junior project, focusing on what the company considers as a “highly prospective target area” called Despard.

The drilling will be undertaken over two 3,450 metre programs, with the second phase, contingent on the success of the first phase priority exploration targets.

Recent field exploration at the Despard prospect identified pegmatite material over a 750m strike extent and a new zone containing LCT pegmatite, discovered and mapped along 200m of strike, south-west to the pegmatite within the Main Zone.

“We are excited to start the maiden drilling program at the highly prospective Junior Project,” Green Technology Metals managing director Cameron Henry said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This drilling program has been prioritised to commence this year as it is a part of the company’s flow-through spend commitments for this calendar year.

“The Junior Project carries a rich history and field exploration success over the past two years by the GT1 exploration team, has further validated its potential.

“The Junior Project is an important part of our Eastern Hub development strategy and advancing resource development here will be instrumental in providing long-term feed for the planned concentrator at the Seymour Project.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Charger Metals to Move to Full Bynoe Lithium Project Ownership

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THE BOURSE WHISPERER: Charger Metals (ASX: CHR) is moving to 100 per cent ownership of the Bynoe lithium project in the Northern Territory.

Charger Metals has exercised a pre-emptive right to acquire the remaining 30 per cent of the Bynoe lithium project from JV partner Livium Ltd (formerly Lithium Australia) for $500,000 cash consideration.

The company exercised its pre-emptive right after the announcement of a sale agreement between Core Lithium and Livium in Septembr whereby Core was to acquire the 30 per cent stake.

Core Lithium’s interest was highlighted this week by the release of drilling results at that company’s 100 per cent-owned Finniss lithium project.

The high-grade mineralisation encountered by Core at the project’s Blackbeard target trends northeast towards Charger’s Bynoe project and has been modelled to within 50 metres of the tenement boundary.

“We are very pleased to move to 100 per cent ownership of our Bynoe Lithium Project,” Charger Metals managing director Aidan Platel said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Covering an area of 63 square kilometres and with more than 20 prospective lithium targets yet to be drilled tested, we believe it’s the largest underexplored area of the Finniss pegmatite field that is both inside the lithium prospective structural corridor and within 20 kilometres of Core’s spodumene beneficiation plant at Grants.

“Last quarter, Core was actively drilling directly along trend from some of our priority target areas, such as at their central Blackbeard Prospect as well as regional targets surrounding the Ah Hoy Prospect to the northeast of our Bynoe tenement.

“In particular, Core announced yesterday excellent intersections at Blackbeard.

“We are currently completing environmental studies and surveys as part of our drill permitting process, and we look forward to drilling our priority targets next dry season.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Iltani Resources Intersects High-Grade Antimony Mineralisation

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) became the latest antimony explorer following the release of assay results from the company’s Antimony Reward project in Herberton, North Queensland.

Iltani Resources has taken receipt of assays it declared had confirmed the presence of high-grade antimony mineralisation.

Results include:

ARRC001
7 metres at 7.61 per cent antimony from 38m, including 3m at 8.19 per cent antimony from 38m and 1m at 26.70 per cent antimony from 43m downhole;

ARRC003
3m at 0.75 per cent antimony from 31m, including 1m at 1.25 per cent antimony from 32m and 4m at 0.43 per cent antimony, including 1m at 1.28 per cent antimony from 42m downhole; and

ARRC004
9m at 0.94 per cent antimony from 53m, including 2m at 2.66 per cent antimony from 60m downhole.

“It is good see that our initial drilling at Antimony Reward has confirmed the presence of high-grade antimony mineralisation following on from Kangaroo Metals previous drilling in 2008,” Iltani Resources managing director Donald Garner said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The geology is proving to be more complex with a structural control that needs to be interpreted prior to the next phase of drilling” Assay results are coming back later than anticipated, as processing times at the assay lab have extended to 4 to 6 weeks due to an influx of samples from companies undertaking work prior to the upcoming wet season in Northern Australia.

“Once we have the final assay results back from the remaining holes drilled at Antimony Reward, we can plan the next phases of exploration.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Core Lithium Reports New High-grade Lithium Drill Results

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Core Lithium (ASX: CXO) reported assay results from exploration drilling being undertaken at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Finniss lithium project in the Northern Territory.

Core Lithium has received initial assays from reverse circulation (RC) drilling delivering wide zones of spodumene mineralisation intersected at the Blackbeard prospect.

New lithium drilling results at the Blackbeard prospect, include:

NRC269
63 metres at 1.67 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from 166m, including 20m at 2.09 per cent Li2O from 208m.

The company explained lithium mineralisation has now been confirmed over 600m of strike when combined with the project’s adjacent Centurion prospect.

“The results from Blackbeard are highly encouraging and indicate we have discovered a large, highly mineralised pegmatite within a short distance of our processing infrastructure, consistent with the key objective of our 2024 field season,” Core Lithium CEO Paul Brown said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Blackbeard is up to 45 metres wide and open at depth.

“Further drilling will be completed to determine the ultimate scale of the system.

“This will support a future Mineral Resource Estimate and have potential to be incorporated into our ongoing restart studies.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Critica Encounters Best Intersection to Date at Jupiter

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Critica (ASX: CRI) released the latest results from resource drilling targeting high-grade zones at Jupiter, part of the company’s Brothers rare earth element (REE) project in Western Autralia.

Critica explained the drilling program was designed to increase drilling density in the high-grade zones of Jupiter, to enhance certainty in the continuity of this mineralisation.

The company declared the new assay results validated the high-grade continuity and include the best recorded intersection to date from Critica’s drilling of the Jupiter discovery of:

JPAC088
67 metres at 3,074ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO) ending in mineralisation.

“We chose to increase drilling density in the high-grade zones of Jupiter to further improve confidence in the continuity of this mineralisation, ahead of our maiden resource estimate for the Brothers project,” Critica managing director Philippa Leggat said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This set of assay results have readily demonstrated this continuity.

“It’s also incredible to see our flagship project delivering another record-breaking drill intersection, this time being 67 metres at 3,074 ppm TREO.

“This phenomenal hole (JPAC088) ended in mineralisation – even after using all drill rods we were still in rare earth mineralisation at 99 metres.

“Our outstanding technical team continue to demonstrate that Jupiter hosts consistent, high-grade rare earth mineralisation over tens of kilometres confirming the potential of Jupiter and the Brothers project to host one of the largest clay-hosted rare earth discoveries in Australia.

“With aircore and diamond drilling complete, and final assays pending, we are well positioned to provide a detailed and high-quality dataset to our independent geologists for preparation of our maiden resource estimate.

“We also have several laboratories working on all aspects of our comprehensive metallurgical program, with successful beneficiation outcomes being our first goal.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Rox Resources Reports Additional High-Grade Gold Assays from Youanmi

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) reported new assays recent drilling undertaken at the company’s Youanmi gold project in Western Australia.

Rox Resources carried out Resource drilling at Youanmi focused on converting selected Inferred stopes within the current Mineral Resource of 16.2 million tonnes at 4.4 grams per tonne gold for 2.3 million ounces to the higher confidence Indicated classification at the Pollard, United North and Youanmi Main targets.

The drilling has also provided both sample material for metallurgical testing and geological data for a pending Definitive Feasibility Study planned for 2025.

Rox received assay data from RC and DD drilling at Pollard with key results from the program so far including:

RXDD109
8.11 metres at 44.62 grams per tonne gold from 290.96m;

RXDD124
3.22m at 4.95g/t gold from 292.03m;

RXDD109
3.19m at 4.84g/t gold from 238.53m;

RXDD113
1.04m at 7.54g/t gold from 280.57m; and

RXDD116
1.77m at 1.74g/t gold from 262.07m.

“The Rox exploration team has delivered more strong results,” Rox Resources CEO Phillip Wilding said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This latest batch of assays will be important to converting Inferred areas of the Resource to the higher confidence Indicated classification.

“More excitingly, seeing these high-grade results in Pollard, along with the previously announced results in United North, really emphasises the potential for these high-grade shoots to extend, and will help with planning our next program to extend these resources that are still open.

“Pollard has been a very under explored area and has the potential to add significant ounces to the mine plan.

“The discovery of a new mineralised zone outside the Youanmi MRE is yet another example of the strong potential to add further high-quality ounces to the Resource.

“Rox’s 11,000 metres diamond and reverse circulation drilling program has been completed, with all assays expected before the end of the calendar year.”

 

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE