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September 24, 2024
Proceeds to accelerate exploration and evaluation activities at Mandilla and Feysville, including completion of Pre-Feasibility and Definitive Feasibility Studies
Astral Resources NL (ASX: AAR) (Astral or the Company) is pleased to advise that it has secured firm commitments to raise approximately $25.0 million (before costs) via a two-tranche placement for the issue of approximately 263 million new fully paid shares (New Shares) at an offer price of $0.095 per New Share (Placement). Tranche 1 of the Placement has raised approximately $21.0 million whilst Tranche 2 of the Placement, which includes the issue of New Shares subject to shareholder approval, is set to raise approximately $4.0 million.
Highlights
- Firm commitments received to raise approximately $25.0 million (before costs) in a two-tranche share placement to institutional, professional and sophisticated investors at $0.095 per share.
- Issue price represents a discount of 9.1% to the 5-day VWAP up to and including 20 September 2024 and a 5.0% discount to the 30-day VWAP up to and including 20 September 2024.
- The Placement was well supported with strong demand from existing and new domestic and offshore institutional investors.
- Astral is now fully funded to FID including acceleration of exploration activities at the Mandilla and Feysville Gold Projects, and completion of the Mandilla Pre-Feasibility Study and Definitive Feasibility Study.
Following completion of the Placement, Astral will be fully funded to accelerate exploration and evaluation activities at its Mandilla and Feysville Gold Projects, south of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, where the Company has to date delineated consolidated Mineral Resources of 1.38Moz1,2.
Proceeds of the Placement ensure that Astral is funded through to completion of the Mandilla Pre- Feasibility Study (PFS) and Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
Commenting on the Placement, Astral’s Managing Director, Marc Ducler, said:
“We are delighted with the strong support shown by both new and existing investors in the Placement.
“The calibre of new investors we were able to attract and the quantum of funds we were able to raise is testament to the quality of the Mandilla Gold Project as one of Australia’s best near-term gold development stories.
“Proceeds from the Placement will enable Astral to accelerate exploration and evaluation activities at both Mandilla and Feysville in order to unlock the genuine potential of these projects.
“Furthermore, the Placement will see Astral funded through to completion of the Mandilla DFS.
“On behalf of the Astral Board and management, I would like to extend our appreciation to our new shareholders and thank current shareholders for their ongoing support.”
Euroz Hartleys Limited and Canaccord Genuity acted as Joint Lead Managers to the Placement, with Cumulus Wealth Pty Ltd acting as Co-Lead.
Use of Funds
Together with the Company’s current cash reserves, the proceeds of the Placement will be used to accelerate the exploration and evaluation of the Company’s 100%-owned Mandilla and Feysville Gold Projects.
Specific activities will include:
- Various study and technical work streams relating to the Mandilla PFS and DFS;
- Exploration and infill drilling at both Mandilla and Feysville;
- Ongoing Mineral Resource Estimate updates for both Mandilla and Feysville;
- Exploration and evaluation support and overheads;
- General working capital purposes; and
- Costs of the Offer.
Placement Details
Astral has undertaken this two-tranche Placement of new fully paid ordinary shares in the Company to eligible sophisticated, institutional and professional investors to raise approximately $25.0 million (before costs). Approximately 263 million shares are to be issued at $0.095 per share (Placement Shares).
Tranche 1 of the Placement includes the issue of approximately 221 million shares at an issue price of $0.095 per share, utilising the Company’s existing placement capacity under Listing Rule 7.1 and Listing Rule 7.1A (Tranche 1 Placement Shares). A total of 129,113,197 new Tranche 1 Placement Shares will be issued in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 7.1. A total of 91,939,435 new Tranche 1 Placement Shares will be issued in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 7.1A.
Tranche 2 of the Placement involves the issue of approximately 42 million shares at an issue price of $0.095 per share (Tranche 2 Placement Shares). The issue of Tranche 2 Placement Shares is subject to shareholder approval, with the enabling resolution to be put to shareholders at the Company’s AGM to be held on 20 November 2024. Subject to receipt of shareholder approval, a total of 42,105,263 new Tranche 2 Placement Shares will be issued following the AGM.
Additionally, directors of the Company subscribed for 789,474 shares (Director Participation Shares) on the same terms as the Placement Shares. The issue of the Director Participation Shares is subject to shareholder approval, with the enabling resolution also to be put to shareholders at the AGM.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Astral Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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The Conversation (0)
02 February
Astral Resources
Investor Insight
Astral Resources presents a compelling investment case as an ASX-listed gold explorer with a 1.46 Moz resource base in Western Australia's premier Kalgoorlie region, anchored by its flagship Mandilla project which demonstrates robust economics with an AU$442 million NPV and 11-year mine life.
Overview
Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) is a gold mineral exploration company with three gold projects in tier 1 mining jurisdictions of Western Australia. The three assets are the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold project. The flagship and 100 percent owned Mandilla gold project has a mineral resource containing 1.27 million ounces (Moz) of contained gold. The other key project, 100 percent owned Feysville, hosts an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 5.0 Mt at 1.2g/t gold for 196 koz of contained gold . Feysville could potentially become a satellite source of high-grade ore feed for the flagship Mandilla gold project.
The scoping study completed at Mandilla unveils robust project economics. The cornerstone of the scoping study is the Theia deposit, which alone accounts for 81 percent of the total Mandilla mineral resource estimate. The deposit hosts a mineral resource estimate of 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit. The scoping study indicates a mine life of 11 years with an annual production of 100,000 oz in the first seven and a half years, dropping to 41,000 oz for the remaining three and a half years. The study outlines compelling financial metrics, including NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, free cash flow of AU$740 million, and a payback period of nine months.
Astral benefits from a team of professionals boasting extensive expertise in geology and mining.
The company is led by managing director Marc Ducler, who has more than two decades of experience in the mining industry. The management team has a proven track record of executing several successful exploration and development projects, as well as M&A.
Company Highlights
- Astral Resources is an ASX-listed gold exploration company in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia, a tier 1 jurisdiction and a mature mining region with a successful development history and granted mining leases.
- The company has three assets - the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold exploration project.
- The focus is on advancing its flagship Mandilla gold project, with a mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz.
- The scoping study at Mandilla highlights the project’s robust economics with a mine life of 11 years, NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, and free cash flow of AU$740 million.
- Mandilla’s cornerstone Theia deposit comprises 81 percent of the project’s resources, contains 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold, with 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit.
- Updated JORC 2012 mineral resource estimate (MRE) at the Feysville gold project is 5.0Mt at 1.2g/t gold for 196koz of contained gold.
- Including the Mandilla MRE of 37Mt at 1.1g/t gold for 1.27Moz of contained gold, Astral’s total gold MRE is now calculated to be 42Mt at 1.1g/t gold for 1.46Moz of contained gold (Group MRE).
- The company is led by an experienced team with a proven track record of advancing projects to development and M&A.
Key Projects
Mandilla Gold Project
The Mandilla gold project is located within the northern region of the Widgiemooltha greenstone belt, approximately 70 kilometers to the south of the prominent mining hub of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Mandilla includes four deposits namely, Theia, Iris, Eos and Hestia. The cornerstone of the project is the Theia deposit, constituting 81 percent of Mandilla's resources, totaling 29 Mt at a grade of 1.1 g/t gold, amounting to 1.02 Moz of contained gold in a single open pit. Mandilla has a total mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz.
The scoping study indicates a mine life of 11 years with an annual production of 100,000 oz in the first seven and a half years, dropping to 41,000 oz for the remaining three and a half years. Astral estimates the pre-production capital spend at AU$191 million, and the project is anticipated to generate a free cash flow of AU$740 million (assuming a gold price of A$2,750/oz). The project’s NPV @8 percent is estimated at AU$442 million, and the IRR at 73 percent.
Drill collars at Theia deposit
Astral continues to advance exploration and resource expansion efforts at Mandilla. The company recently completed a four-hole 1,762-metre in-fill diamond drilling program at the Theia deposit late last year. Best results included: 28 metres at 2.63 g/t gold, 15.5 metres at 1.81 g/t gold, 9.6 metres at 27.6 g/t gold, 2.4 metres at 169.1 g/t gold, 24.9 metres at 4.14 g/t gold and 72.2 metres at 1.15 g/t gold.
Astral has commenced work on a pre-feasibility study at Mandilla, which is due in the June quarter 2025.
Feysville Gold Project
The Feysville project is situated in Australia's premier gold belt, merely 14 km south of the Golden Mile deposit, which boasts 70 million ounces, located in Kalgoorlie. The project's updated JORC 2012 MRE indicates 5.0 Mt at 1.2 g/t gold for 196 koz of contained gold. Including the Mandilla MRE of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz of contained gold, Astral’s total gold MRE is now calculated to be 42 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.46 Moz of contained gold (group MRE).
At Feysville, Astral is focusing on the high-grade Kamperman prospect. A recent 31-hole (3,834 m) reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at Kamperman returned encouraging assay results. The latest drilling program returned best assay results of 33 metres at 3.75 g/t gold, 22 metres at 5.21 g/t gold, and 22 metres at 4.44 g/t gold. This high success rate continues to indicate that Kamperman has the potential to be a substantial source of high-grade satellite ore for the Mandilla processing plant.
Carnilya Gold Project
The Carnilya Hill gold project is situated about 20 kilometers south-southeast of the company's Feysville project and approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The project encompasses various tenements – M26/047-049, M26/453 – spanning approximately 2.65 sq. km. Astral holds rights for gold mining, while Mincor Resources NL (ASX:MCR) holds rights to nickel and other minerals.Management Team
Mark Connelly – Non-executive Chairman
Mark Connelly is a mining industry veteran who has held positions of CEO and managing director with several multinational companies across many jurisdictions, including Australia, North America, South America, Africa and Europe. He has a proven track record in deal making and was principally responsible for the merger of Papillon Resources and B2 Gold Corp in October 2014 (value US$570 million), as well as the key person responsible for the merger of Adamus Resources and Endeavour Mining for US$579 million. He is currently the non-executive chair of Calidus Resources, Omnia Metals Group, Alto Metals, Warriedar Resources and Nickel Search.
Marc Ducler – Managing Director
Marc Ducler has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry. He has held senior operational management roles with GoldFields, BHP, Fortescue Metals, MRL and Roy Hill. He was also the managing director of Egan Street Resources (a gold exploration and development company) until it was acquired by Silver Lake Resources (ASX:SLR).
Peter Stern – Non-executive Director
Peter Stern has experience in corporate advisory, specializing in M&A and capital raising. He has spent six years with Macquarie Bank and three years with UBS and Deutsche Bank. He is a graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Science (geology major). Stern is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the chairman of Troy Resources.
David Varcoe – Non-executive Director
David Varcoe is a mining engineer with over three decades of experience. He has extensive operational and managerial experience across various commodities, including gold, iron ore, copper, diamonds, coal, uranium and rare earths. His expertise spans board positions, operations management, project management and consulting. Varcoe is a principal consultant with the leading Australian firm AMC Consulting.
Justin Osborne – Non-executive Director
Justin Osborne is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in exploration. He was previously the executive director at Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR), where he played a crucial role in developing the world-class Gruyere gold deposit (6.6 Moz gold). Osborne also held senior positions on the exploration executive team at Gold Fields. He was instrumental in developing the Damang Superpit project in Ghana and achieved significant discovery success at the St Ives gold mine.
Brendon Morton – Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary
Brendon Morton has over 20 years of experience, particularly in the global resources sector across Australia, Africa and Asia. He has held several executive financial and company secretarial roles with ASX-listed and unlisted companies in the resources industry.
Steve Lampron – Technical Services Manager
Steve Lampron is a mining engineer with more than 20 years industry experience. As well as having worked in production roles for companies such as Placer Dome, Barrick and North American Palladium he has also worked as a Consultant for over 10 years.
Julie Reid – Geology Manager
Julie Reid has 36 years of experience working across Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia, covering a variety of commodities in diverse geological terrains. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from Curtin University of Technology.
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09 April
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03 July
Bert Dohmen: Gold, Silver Key as Stock Market Bull Trap Looms
Bert Dohmen, founder and CEO of Dohmen Capital Research, sees physical gold and silver as key safe havens as a potential bull trap in the broad stock market plays out.
"We said we're probably going to go to a new high in a major, widely watched index like the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX). It's going to be by a small amount a new high, and that's going to close the bull trap," he said.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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03 July
Top 5 ASX Gold Stocks of 2025
Gold continued to perform well through the second quarter of 2025, reaching a new all-time high of AU$5,425 per ounce on April 22.
The price surge has occurred amid volatile equity and financial markets since the start of the year, driven by concerns over a global trade war and escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The rising gold price has also been supported by uncertainty over a looming debt crisis in the United States. Some investors have turned away from dollar-denominated haven assets, such as US Treasuries, in favour of precious metals like gold.
What implications do these circumstances hold for ASX-listed gold stocks? Read on to discover which companies have seen the biggest gains in 2025. Data for this article was retrieved on June 25, 2025, using TradingView's stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than AU$10 million at that time were considered.
1. Forrestania Resources (ASX:FRS)
Year-to-date gain: 469.23 percent
Market cap: AU$23.91 million
Share price: AU$0.074
Forrestania Resources is a gold, copper and lithium exploration company with projects in Western Australia. Since the start of the year, the company has been focused on gold exploration at its Bonnie Vale and Forrestania projects.
Bonnie Vale lies within the Eastern Goldfields. The property covers an area of 75 square kilometres and hosts multiple zones of mineralization, including the Ada Ann prospect. Historic drilling at the site has seen assays returned up to 12.8 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 4 metres.
Shares started to gain after the company announced on February 13 that it had begun follow-up drilling at the prospect and would build on its maiden program at the site. The most recent results from the program were released on May 9, with the company reporting a highlighted assay of 4.3 g/t gold over 7 metres, including 25.6 g/t over 1 metre.
The company said the results showed some thickening of the mineralized zones at depth, adding that the known mineralization had been extended to the north and south, with the prospect open in all directions.
The company has also been working on its Lady Lila gold prospect at its Forrestania gold-lithium project. The prospect, located in the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt, has a strike length of 2 kilometres and a width of 700 metres. According to the company website, the deposit has an inferred resource of 24,000 ounces of gold from 514,000 tonnes of ore with an average grade of 1.4 g/t gold.
On May 12, Forrestania announced both an upcoming drill program at the Lady Lila prospect and the company's acquisition of a tenement immediately adjacent to it.
Additionally, Forrestania reported on May 16 that metallurgical engineer David Geraghty joined the company board as a non-executive director. The company noted that he is a highly experienced mining executive and brings a background in project development and operational expertise.
The company's share price climbed in the following weeks to reached a year-to-date high of AU$0.085 on May 28.
2. Native Mineral Resources (ASX:NMR)
Year-to-date gain: 361.54 percent
Market cap: AU$169.89 million
Share price: AU$0.18
Native Mineral Resources is a gold exploration and development company advancing its Charters Tower gold project in Northeast Queensland, Australia, to production in Q3 of this year. It also owns the Palmerville gold-copper project in the same state.
Native acquired Charters Tower in November 2024 for AU$18.9 million and a 2 percent royalty on gold production .
The project consists of 17 granted mining leases, one mineral development licence, six exploration permits and one exploration permit application. The site hosts the Far Fanning and Blackjack deposits, both of which have a historic exploration background. Additionally, Blackjack is home to a 340,000 tonne per annum gold processing plant.
The company announced on June 17 that it was on schedule for first gold pour at Blackjack by the end of July. At that time, the open pit was established, dry commissioning of the plant was underway and water and air services installations were nearing completion. Infrastructure and surface preparation is also on track to support the commencement of mining in Q3 2025.
As for Palmerville, Native Mineral Resources announced June 16 that it was granted a new exploration permit that expanded the project. The company is planning fieldwork at the project later this year.
Shares in Native Mineral Resource reached a year-to-date high of AU$0.22 on June 17.
3. Trek Metals (ASX:TKM)
Year-to-date gain: 290.91 percent
Market cap: AU$42.78 million
Share price: AU$0.086
Trek Metals is an exploration company with several assets throughout Australia, including the highly prospective Christmas Creek project. The property covers an area of 1,183 square kilometres in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, and, according to Trek, has significant district-scale potential for gold and rare earth elements.
The company wholly acquired Christmas Creek as part of its acquisition of ArcherX in October 2023. Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) had previously earned a 75 percent interest in the project from ArcherX, but returned it as part of a portfolio rebalancing.
Shares in Trek gained significantly starting on March 17 after the company reported visible gold in drill chips from its 2024 exploration campaign at the Martin target. The chips came from two previously reported high-grade intervals, one of which graded an average of 12.66 g/t gold over 10 metres.
Trek said it decided to fast-track drilling based on this discovery, along with down-hole televiewer data that confirmed a series of stacked veins.
Following surveying and earthworks in preparation of the next phase, Trek commenced a major drill at the site on June 4, targeting extensions of the Martin target while also focusing on mineralization from other targets.
The company followed up with an announcement on June 25 that it had secured an additional rig to enlarge the drill program for deeper exploration and to obtain more detailed structural information.
Shares in Trek reached a year-to-date high of AU$0.092 on June 23.
4. African Gold (ASX:A1G)
Year-to-date gain: 224.56 percent
Market cap: AU$86.85 million
Share price: AU$0.185
African Gold is a gold exploration company with projects in Côte d’Ivoire. The company’s primary focus in 2025 has been on the Blaffo Guetto prospect at its Didievi gold project in Central Côte d’Ivoire.
During the first half of 2025, African Gold conducted a 10,000 metre diamond drill program at the site, with the intention of upgrading its July 2024 maiden inferred resource of 452,000 ounces of gold from 4.93 million tonnes at an average grade of 2.9 g/t gold.
On June 23, the company announced that its efforts had yielded a significant boost to its resources, reporting an updated inferred resource of 989,000 ounces from 12.4 million tonnes, with an average grade of 2.5 g/t, using a cut-off grade of 0.8 g/t. The announcement added that the gold system has been primarily tested at near-surface depths of approximately 300 metres and has demonstrated mineralization open in all directions.
African Gold has also been drilling at other targets at Didievi this year that are outside the resource area. The company reported the discovery of a large gold system at the Poku Trend in April, and confirmed continuous gold mineralisation over 600 metres at the Pranoi prospect in May.
In addition to exploration work, on March 25 African Gold announced a strategic partnership with Montage Gold (TSX:MAU), a fellow gold company in Côte d’Ivoire advancing its Koné gold project towards production in 2027, as well as a private placement for up to AU$1.84 million with separate investors that was later upsized to AU$2.7 million.
Montage and insiders would acquire a large stake in African Gold through a share swap of 2.03 million shares of Montage for 92.38 million shares in African Gold, both valued at AU$6.47 million, as well as through a placement of 12.37 million shares to Montage insiders worth AU$866,000. Following the completion of the deal on June 13, Montage holds a 17.5 percent stake in African Gold.
Shares in African Gold reached a year-to-date high of AU$0.195 on June 26.
5. Torque Metals (ASX:TOR)
Year-to-date gain: 203.92 percent
Market cap: AU$76.35 million
Share price: AU$0.145
Torque Metals is a gold exploration company working to advance its flagship Paris gold project in Western Australia. The property covers an area of 700 square kilometres near Kalgoorlie.
In June, Torque completed its merger with Aston Minerals that was announced on January 28. The combined business controls 1.75 million ounces of gold resources between Torque’s Paris project and Aston’s Edleston gold project in Ontario, Canada.
The company has spent the first half of 2025 focused on exploration work at its Paris project, announcing the discovery of parallel lodes on March 6. The trends were identified through shallow drilling, with one located 80 metres southeast of the main Paris deposit and the other,= 100 metres northwest.
Initial assays from the drilling returned highlighted drill samples from the southeastern lode of 4.04 g/t gold over 4 metres, which included an intersection of 7.39 g/t over 2 metres. Meanwhile, the northwestern lode returned a highlighted sample of 1.02 g/t over 7 metres.
The company furthered the exploration work in April through the use of down-hole electromagnetic surveys. It reported on May 5 that the surveys detected large off-hole conductors "extending well beyond the current mineral resource estimate," indicating potential for resource growth. Due to the success of the surveys thus far, Torque said it plans to continue using the method over further targets at its project.
The most recent announcement from the project came on May 8, when the company reported that it had been awarded a co-funded diamond drilling grant through Western Australia’s Exploration Incentive Scheme. The company will receive AU$144,500 toward drilling for gold extensions west of the known zones.
Shares in Torque reached a year-to-date high of AU$0.155 on June 26.
FAQs for ASX gold stocks
How to invest in gold on the ASX?
As Australia is a top gold-mining jurisdiction and the country's government is supportive of mining, there are plenty of options for investing in gold on the ASX. Between gold miners operating major projects and gold explorers hunting for the next significant gold discovery, investors can choose what kind of company matches their risk appetite and portfolio.
When looking for a gold company to invest in, be sure to do your due diligence and learn about the company's key characteristics, including its leadership team, its finances and the geology of its projects.
How to buy gold stocks on the ASX?
Once you’ve selected a company or multiple companies to invest in, you can buy gold stocks using trading apps with access to ASX stocks, or you can get the help of a stock broker.
How to buy gold ETFs on the ASX?
For investors who prefer broader exposure to a sector, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a good option, and the ASX is home to multiple gold-focused ETFs. Because they are traded on exchanges like stocks, you can buy ETFs using the same methods described above. ASX-listed gold ETFs to consider include:
- ETFS Physical Gold (ASX:GOLD), which promises "low-cost access to physical gold via the stock exchange" and can be redeemed for physical gold.
- Perth Mint Gold (ASX:PMGOLD), which tracks the international price of physical gold.
- BetaShares Gold Bullion (ASX:QAU), which also tracks the physical bullion price.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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03 July
Sun Summit Minerals: Advancing District-scale Gold and Copper Projects in British Columbia
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV:SMN,OTCQB:SMREF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company advancing district-scale gold and copper projects in British Columbia. Its flagship JD Project, located in the prolific Toodoggone district, is the focus of an aggressive 5,000-meter drill program in 2025 targeting a potential multi-million-ounce epithermal gold-silver system.
With funding in place, a five-year exploration permit secured, and an on-site camp established, Sun Summit is executing a disciplined strategy to build scale, unlock resource value, and deliver returns to shareholders. Reinvigorated by a revamped leadership team and a refined vision, the company is leveraging high-grade, strategically located assets to drive long-term growth.
The JD and Theory projects cover over 25,000 hectares in the heart of British Columbia’s Toodoggone mining district, one of Canada’s most prospective regions for epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. The district hosts several significant deposits, including Thesis Gold’s Ranch and Lawyers projects (4.7 Moz gold equivalent, ~C$250 million market cap), Centerra Gold’s Kemess underground development, and TDG Gold’s Shasta-Baker project. The area is well supported by infrastructure, including hydroelectric grid access, all-season roads, and the nearby Sturdee airstrip.
Company Highlights
- Aggressive Discovery Strategy: Sun Summit Minerals is actively advancing the JD and Buck projects in BC, targeting epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. A fully funded 5,000-meter drill program at JD underway in 2025, aiming to define a multi-million-ounce resource.
- Strategic Location: Both assets are situated in prolific and mining-friendly regions of British Columbia. The flagship JD project lies in the Toodoggone district—home to Thesis Gold and Centerra’s Kemess Mine, while Buck is near the Blackwater, Huckleberry, and Equity Silver mines in central BC.
- Re-rate Potential Opportunity: Trading at just ~$7/oz gold equivalent (EV/oz) based on Buck alone, with no value currently ascribed to JD, the company represents a deep value opportunity compared to the next-door neighbour Thesis Gold trading at ~$50/oz. Success at the drill bit from the ongoing drill program at JD could drive the potential re-rating.
- Fully Funded for 2025: A recent C$10M raise (May 2025) enables a robust exploration program, including drilling, geophysics, and soil sampling. The company is well-positioned to achieve its 2025 and 2026 exploration milestones without further dilution.
- Experienced, Capital Markets-Savvy Leadership: CEO Niel Marotta brings capital markets acumen from Fidelity and Orezone. The broader team includes senior geologists and advisors with decades of success in gold discoveries and mine development in BC.
- Positioned for Consolidation: With majors like Freeport, Centerra, and Skeena investing heavily in adjacent properties, Sun Summit is strategically located and advancing at the right time in the Lassonde Curve to benefit from industry-wide M&A and consolidation trends.
This Sun Summit Minerals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV:SMN) to receive an Investor Presentation
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02 July
High grade gold in early stage drilling at Sandstone
02 July
Meeka Metals Reports First Gold Pour at Murchison Project
Meeka Metals (ASX:MEK) has poured the first gold at its flagship Murchison project in Western Australia.
The pour happened on Tuesday (July 1), and in a Wednesday (July 2) press release, the company said the project’s production is in line with schedule, happening within 12 months of breaking ground.
Murchison sits near several multimillion-ounce gold mines and hosts a large, high-grade resource of 1.2 million ounces at 3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold on granted mining leases.
Meeka released a definitive feasibility study in December 2024, outlining a 10 year production plan for the project. Up to 76,000 ounces per annum are targeted, with an average of 65,000 ounces approximated for the first seven years.
The study also focused on restarting the Andy Well mill, with site activity commencing during Q1 2025. Process plant commissioning followed in the next quarter, with the first gold pour following its projected schedule of mid 2025.
“It is an impressive achievement by the team to deliver first gold on time and within 12 months of breaking ground at the Murchison,” said Managing Director Tim Davidson. “We are now focused on ramping up gold production toward our targeted 80 kilo ounces per annum with the arrival of the third dig fleet and expanded open pit mining plan underway.”
Drilling at Turnberry Central, part of Murchison, was announced on June 10. Results include 30 metres at 1.09 g/t gold from 29 meters, including 9 meters at 2.45 g/t gold.
The company announced in mid-June that process plant commissioning was underway at Murchison.
Underground mining at Murchison’s Andy Well mill is set to begin in the third quarter of 2025. As per a company presentation shared by Meeka on June 19, Andy Well hosts a mineral resource of 505,000 ounces at 8.6 g/t gold.
First ore from Andy Well is expected in the third quarter of this year.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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02 July
Sun Summit Minerals
Investor Insight
Sun Summit Minerals is targeting the delineation of a multi-million-ounce gold-silver resource at its flagship JD project. With strategic positioning in an emerging consolidation hotspot, compelling valuation metrics, and a track record of discovery, Sun Summit is primed to deliver substantial value creation in the coming quarters.
Overview
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV:SMN,OTCQB:SMREF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on developing its district-scale gold and copper projects in British Columbia. The company’s flagship JD Project, located in the Toodoggone district, is undergoing an aggressive 5,000-meter drill campaign in 2025 aimed at delineating a multi-million-ounce epithermal gold-silver system.
Complementing JD is the company’s Buck project, a large, bulk-tonnage gold-silver system near Houston, BC, with an initial NI 43-101 resource estimate and significant exploration upside.
With capital in hand, a five-year exploration permit secured, and a camp established at JD, Sun Summit is executing a focused strategy to build scale, unlock resource potential and drive shareholder value. The company has taken lessons from its past and re-emerged with a sharpened vision, an overhauled team and assets that are not only high-grade but strategically located to create shareholder value.
Company Highlights
- Aggressive Discovery Strategy: Sun Summit Minerals is actively advancing the JD and Buck projects in BC, targeting epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. A fully funded 5,000-meter drill program at JD underway in 2025, aiming to define a multi-million-ounce resource.
- Strategic Location: Both assets are situated in prolific and mining-friendly regions of British Columbia. The flagship JD project lies in the Toodoggone district—home to Thesis Gold and Centerra’s Kemess Mine, while Buck is near the Blackwater, Huckleberry, and Equity Silver mines in central BC.
- Re-rate Potential Opportunity: Trading at just ~$7/oz gold equivalent (EV/oz) based on Buck alone, with no value currently ascribed to JD, the company represents a deep value opportunity compared to the next-door neighbour Thesis Gold trading at ~$50/oz. Success at the drill bit from the ongoing drill program at JD could drive the potential re-rating.
- Fully Funded for 2025: A recent C$10M raise (May 2025) enables a robust exploration program, including drilling, geophysics, and soil sampling. The company is well-positioned to achieve its 2025 and 2026 exploration milestones without further dilution.
- Experienced, Capital Markets-Savvy Leadership: CEO Niel Marotta brings capital markets acumen from Fidelity and Orezone. The broader team includes senior geologists and advisors with decades of success in gold discoveries and mine development in BC.
- Positioned for Consolidation: With majors like Freeport, Centerra, and Skeena investing heavily in adjacent properties, Sun Summit is strategically located and advancing at the right time in the Lassonde Curve to benefit from industry-wide M&A and consolidation trends.
Key Projects
JD & Theory Projects
The JD & Theory projects span more than 25,000 hectares in the heart of the Toodoggone mining district in north-central BC, one of Canada’s most prospective belts for epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. The district is home to Thesis Gold’s Ranch and Lawyers deposits (4.7 Moz gold equivalent, C$250 million market cap), Centerra’s Kemess underground development, and TDG Gold’s Shasta-Baker project. Infrastructure around the project includes hydroelectric grid access, the nearby Sturdee airstrip and all-season roads.
The JD project hosts a 4.5 km mineralized corridor, known as Creek-Finn, with multiple underexplored targets showing evidence of both high-grade veins and broad disseminated gold systems. Historic and recent drill highlights include:
- 2.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 122.5 m including 121 g/t gold over 1.5 m (CZ-24-004)
- 11.7 g/t gold over 22 m including 61.2 g/t gold over 4 m (CZ97-008)
- 7.3 g/t gold over 35.7 m including 215.4 g/t gold over 1 m (JD95-0472)
The Creek Zone features high-grade epithermal veins within broader disseminated zones, supported by strong IP anomalies and gold-in-soil results up to 12.2 g/t gold. The Finn Zone hosts near-surface mineralization with extensive historical drilling (~270 holes) and is open in all directions. Other targets include McClair (porphyry copper), East McClair (copper-gold skarn) and Moosehorn.
The 2025 program includes 5,000 meters of core drilling across 25 holes, 20 km of IP geophysics, 2,000+ soil samples, and full-scale camp operations. A five-year permit secured in April 2025 provides exploration continuity through 2030.
Camp setup at JD project
Sun Summit can earn 100 percent of the JD project by making staged cash/share payments and completing work commitments through 2029. With ~C$6 million earmarked for the project this year alone, Sun Summit is expected to fulfill its 2025 and 2026 earn-in obligations without additional equity raises.
Buck Project
The 100 percent owned Buck project spans 52,000 hectares and is located near key deposits, including Artemis Gold’s Blackwater (8 Moz gold), Imperial’s Huckleberry copper mine, and Newmont’s historic Equity Silver mine. Buck features near-surface bulk-tonnage gold-silver mineralization with porphyry copper-molybdenum potential at depth.
In February 2025, Sun Summit published its inaugural NI 43-101 mineral resource:
- Indicated: 1.15 Mt @ 0.519 g/t gold equivalent (19,100 oz)
- Inferred: 52.2 Mt @ 0.489 g/t gold equivalent (820,400 oz)
Mineralization remains open in all directions. Buck is considered a strategic asset providing leverage to rising gold prices and future transaction potential, but currently receives minimal capital allocation as JD is prioritized.
Management Team
Niel Marotta – Chief Executive Officer and Director
Niel Marotta has more than two decades of capital markets experience, including a successful tenure at Fidelity (FMRCo.), where he managed the top-performing Select Gold Fund and oversaw >$1 billion in AUM. He was previously VP at Orezone Resources, where he helped lead its C$350 million acquisition by IAMGOLD. Marotta has raised over $1 billion in financing and is driving Sun Summit’s transition from a legacy explorer to a discovery-focused value generator.
Brian Lock – Executive Chairman
A veteran of the mining industry with 40+ years of executive experience, Brian Lock has led multiple public companies, including Castle Peak Mining and Scorpio Gold. His expertise spans project development, M&A and corporate governance.
Waseem Javed – Chief Financial Officer
A seasoned mining CFO, Waseem Javed ensures disciplined capital deployment and financial controls. His experience spans junior explorers and mid-tier producers across Canada and the US.
Ken MacDonald – VP Exploration
Ken MacDonald is a registered professional geologist with over 30 years in mineral exploration and permitting in BC. Formerly with the BC Mines Branch and multiple juniors, he leads Sun Summit’s technical programs and NI 43-101 compliance.
Christopher Leslie – Technical Advisor
An expert in porphyry and epithermal systems, Christopher Leslie led the discovery of the 8 Moz Blackwater deposit while at Richfield Ventures, and later served as VP exploration for Tower Resources. He was instrumental in advancing the JD-Theory project during its prior ownership.
Robert D. Willis – Senior Advisor
Founder of several successful exploration companies, including Pioneer Metals and Manhattan Minerals, Robert Willis has 35+ years of technical and executive experience across North and South America.
Terry Salman – Strategic Advisor
Founder of Salman Partners and one of Canada’s most influential mining financiers, Terry Salman has backed dozens of successful juniors over a 40-year career in mining investment banking.
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