THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Leeuwin Metals (ASX: LM1) managing director Chris Piggott talks up the company’s recently acquired Marda gold project for Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at the 2025 RIU Explorers Conference.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Warriedar Resources (ASX: WA8) managing director Amanda Buckingham talks up the company’s ambitions of repeating its 2024 exploration achievements to Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at the 2025 RIU Explorers Conference.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Kali Metals (ASX: KM1) managing director Paul Adams explains the company’s recent gold focus to Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at the 2025 RIU Explorers Conference.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Perpetual Resources (ASX: PEC) exploration manager Allan Stephens outlines the company’s recent Brazilian acquisitions to Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at the 2025 RIU Explorers Conference.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: McLaren Minerals (ASX: MML) CEO managing director Simon Finnis provided a focus on critical metals as opposed to the more popular gold bugs for Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at the RIU Explorers Conference 2025.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Gorilla Gold Mines (ASX: GG8) CEO Charles Hughes explains the company’s high-grade gold focus on its three western Australia projects to Wally Graham of The Resources Roadhouse at RIU Explorers Conference 2025.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Javelin Minerals (ASX: JAV) executive chairman Brett Mitchell outlines the company’s Western Australia gold aspirations for Wally Gaham of The Resources Roadhouse at RIU Explorers Conference 2025.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Ramelius Resources (ASX: RMS) provided a bookmakers’ surprise when the company was announced as winner of the Craig Oliver Award at the 2025 RIU Explorers Conference in Fremantle.
The win followed a successful 2024 for Ramelius Resources, during which the company delivered an impressive financial performance, noteworthy operational success, and a forward-looking strategy taking the company into what it considers a very bright future.
The company’s objective is to maintain the momentum set during the December 2024 quarter that resulted in record breaking underlying free cash flow, realising $161.1 million for the quarter for total 2024 calendar year generation of $229.5 million.
The love continued over at the company’s Edna May hub where underlying free cash flow realised $32.5 million for the quarter for a calendar year result of $75.3 million with stockpiles continuing to perform above expectations.
Ramelius also completed a In Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for its Rebecca-Roe project that demonstrated robust project economics, with a low capital intensity and attractive cash flow forecasts, positioning the project as a valuable asset in Ramelius’ development pipeline.
A final Investment Decision for Rebecca-Roe is expected in the September 2025 Quarter.
Jaxon Crabb and Stewart McDonald of RIU/Vertical Events watch on as Hanna Oliver presents Mark Zeptner of Ramelius Resources with the 2025 Craig Oliver Award
Accepting the award from Craig Oliver’s daughter Hanna Oliver, Ramelius Resources managing director Mark Zeptner said, “It’s actually a very pleasant surprise receiving this award today honouring the legacy of Craig Oliver.
“I note that it is an all-rounder award and I would like to feel that we fit that criteria very well.
“We are a cash flow generating producer, we have been a successful acquirer and, in my mind, an underrated explorer.
“We don’t do this for awards, but I think it is deserved recognition of the broader Ramelius team over a lot of years.”
Zeptner did well to acknowledge the award’s ‘all-rounder’ criteria.
Judges for the award noted the company had consistently demonstrated its ability to deliver shareholder value through a strong financial position and robust cash flow generation.
With a healthy balance sheet and a disciplined approach to capital management, the company reported a 40 per cent increase in year-on-year revenue to $882.6 million and $462.2 million underlying EBITDA for FY24 that outpaced many of its peers in the gold mining sector.
The company also greatly reduced its debt and positioned itself for long-term growth via its 10-year mine plan at Mt Magnet and exploration opportunities.
Ramelius has a market cap of $3.01 billion and cash and gold of $501.7 million as at 31 December 2024.
RIU Explorers Conference managing director Stewart McDonald said Ramelius Resources was a deserved winner of the 2025 Craig Oliver Award.
“While all three nominees have notched up significant achievements throughout 2024, Ramelius was the one that really stood out in terms of its exceptional gold production success, strong financial position and significant future growth prospects,” McDonald said.
“I congratulate Mark and the Ramelius team with this prestigious win.”
Other companies nominated this year for the 2025 Craig Oliver Award were:
BCI Minerals (ASX: BCI) an Australian-based mineral resources company which is progressing its 100 per cent-owned Mardie salt and potash project, located on the Pilbara coast in the centre of Western Australia.
Spartan Resources (ASX: SPR) an ASX-listed gold company that is pursuing a focused high-grade
gold exploration and development strategy centred on its 100 per cent-owned Dalgaranga gold project also in WA.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: A takeover bid by Patronus Resources (ASX: PTN) for Matsa Resources (ASX: MAT) provides next week’s RIU Explorers Conference a bit of colour.
The week could, of course, run its usual course with companies espousing their investment opportunities, but a bit of subterfuge between chums never goes astray.
Earlier this week Patronus Resources announced an on-market takeover offer for Matsa Resources where the former declared its intentions to acquire all of the shares of the latter it doesn’t already own.
It’s not as if Patronus is going in blind, after all it and its associates combine to currently hold the largest shareholding interest in Matsa, with an interest of 19.57 per cent of that entities fully paid ordinary shares.
The announcement did everybody a favour taking Matsa’s share price from four cents on 6 February 2025 to a nice little earner of 5.2 cents at the time of writing, a much-improved price compared to the 4.5 cents offered by Patronus.
Patronus told Matsa shareholders its offer would give them an “attractive, certain and immediate value,” for their holding. It would certainly appear so given the boost its intentions ignited.
Patronus continued its spiel, saying the offer was made, “with the intention of increasing its ownership in Matsa and will seek to potentially restructure the existing Matsa Board / management and conduct a strategic review of Matsa’s asset base”.
The company went on to say it was “supportive of Matsa securing additional equity funding to repay Matsa’s existing indebtedness in order to concurrently remove the security claims provided to these existing secured debt providers”.
Unsurprisingly Matsa Resources responded by telling shareholders to bide their time in an announcement telling them, “The Directors of Matsa are carefully considering the unsolicited Offer and intend to provide their recommendation to shareholders via the release of a target statement in the coming weeks”.
“In the interim, shareholders are advised to TAKE NO ACTION at this stage in relation to the Offer or any documents shareholders may receive from Patronus.
“There will be sufficient time after the release of Matsa’s target statement for shareholders to consider the Offer.”
The Roadhouse will, of course, be attending the RIU Explorers Conference next week and will be making all efforts to get the thoughts from both companies on any developments that may arise in the meantime.
THE CONFERENCE CALLER: With the RIU explorers Conference in Fremantle drawing ever near, presenting companies continue to deliver encouraging news for delegates to do some pre-conference homework.
Blackstone Minerals trikes Merger Deal to Acquire World Class Copper Gold Project
Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) emerged from a self-imposed ASX exile to announce a merger with IDM International Limited to result in the company acquiring the Mankayan copper-gold project in the Philippines.
Brightstar Resources Encounters High-Grade Gold at Jasper Hills
Brightstar Resources (ASX: BTR) reported results from a program of diamond drilling completed at the Lord Byron deposit, part of the company’s Jasper Hills gold project in the company’s Laverton Hub of Western Australia.
Lunnon Metals Commences Defiance West EIS Drilling Program
Lunnon Metals (ASX: LM8) is currently running a diamond drill program at the Defiance West target, a prospect it rates highly within the company’s Kambalda gold and nickel project (KGNP) in Western Australia.
Westar Resources Approved for Drilling to commence at Mindoolah
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Westar Resources (ASX: WSR) will be drilling soon at the company’s Mindoolah gold project near Cue in Western Australia.
Sarytogan Graphite Identifies Copper Anomalism with Possible Porphyry Features
Sarytogan Graphite (ASX: SGA) has been quick to release news from copper exploration undertaken at the company’s Baynazar copper exploration project in Kazakhstan.
WIN Metals Drills Butchers Creek Resource Potential
WIN Metals (ASX: WIN) confirmed continuation of mineralisation at the company’s Butchers Creek gold project (BCGP) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
