Top 5 Australian Mining Stocks This Week: Highfield Climbs Amid Spiking Fertilizer Prices

Market and commodities price round-up

The S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) opened at 8,912.80 on Monday (April 13) and closed at 8,955.00 on Thursday (April 16), reflecting a 1.49 percent increase over the period.

Gold and silver prices rose in US dollars and slightly dipped in Australian dollars this week. The yellow metal decreased 1.02 percent from US$4,672.80 on Monday to US$4,720.37 by Thursday's close of Australian markets. Meanwhile, it decreased a 0.98 percent in Australian dollars, moving from AU$6,768.54 to AU$6,702.08.

Silver jumped 1.38 percent in US dollars from US$73.05 on Monday to US$74.06 on Thursday. In Australian dollars, the metal lowered just 0.53 percent from AU$105.71 to AU$105.15.

Gold and silver prices both rose this week as of the close of Australian markets Thursday. In US dollars, the gold price increased 1.86 percent from US$4,748.07 on Monday to US$4,836.15 by Thursday, and it rose 0.18 percent in Australian dollars, moving from AU$6,717.37 to AU$6,729.44.

Silver posted larger increases, rising 6.48 percent in US dollars from US$75.81 on Monday to US$80.72 on Thursday. In Australian dollars, the metal saw a smaller 4.72 percent increase from AU$107.26 to AU$112.32.

Top ASX mining stocks this week

How did ASX mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Australian mining stocks below as the Investing News Network breaks down their operations and why these companies are up this week.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved using TradingView's stock screener and reflects price movements between the first trading day of the week and Thursday. Only companies trading on the ASX with market capitalisations greater than AU$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Highfield Resources (ASX:HFR)

Weekly gain: 79.17 percent
Market cap: AU$12.33 million
Share price: AU$0.43

Highfield Resources is a potash developer with headquarters in Pamplona, Spain, and a registered office in South Australia. The company's flagship asset is the Muga potash project in Spain’s Ebro Basin, spanning 46 square kilometres in the provinces of Navarra and Aragón in the country’s north. Muga is construction-ready, with planned Phase 1 production of 500,000 tonnes of muriate of potash per year.

According to Navarra President Maria Chivite, the project is the largest in Spain, with an investment of 150 million euros to its name. Muga is currently stalled, awaiting a decision from the Spanish Supreme Court on an administrative matter with the Goyo permit.

Highfield secured AU$10 million in October 2025, which it can access in staged drawdowns. It plans to use it in part to address the legal situation and to reengage with strategic partners connected to Muga.

The company reported AU$3.47 million in cash on hand in its 2025 Annual Report released on March 27.

In the report, Executive Director Carles Alemán stated, “Looking forward, our priorities remain clear: resolving the administrative matter pertaining to the Goyo permit, securing the investment required for the construction of Muga, and continuing to strengthen our relationships with public institutions, partners and local communities.”

While no updates on the court case have been shared in 2026, the increase in the company’s shares is likely attuned to rising potash prices as the conflict in the Middle East hits the global fertilizer market.

After closing at AU$0.024 last week, shares of Highfield Resources climbed to a peak of AU$0.043 on Thursday.

2. US1 Critical Minerals (ASX:USC)

Weekly gain: 63.64 percent
Market cap: AU$14.46 million
Share price: AU$0.018

Headquartered in Sydney, US1 Critical Minerals is a critical minerals company focused on rare earths and uranium in the US and Tanzania, respectively.

The company changed its name from Gladiator Resources to US1 Critical Minerals in late 2025 as part of its transition to rare earth projects in the US, which came in response to the US Trump administration’s focus on domestic critical mineral supply chains.

US1’s uranium portfolio includes the Mkuju project, at which the Likuyu North deposit holds a resource of 4.6 million pounds uranium oxide at an average grade of 267 parts per million uranium oxide.

No further project or corporate updates have been shared this April. However, US1 is currently undertaking a lawsuit against Dateline Resources (ASX:DTR,OTCQB:DTREF) and its CEO Stephen Baghdadi over the rights to certain rare earth tenements in California, US.

The final hearing is scheduled to begin Monday, April 20.

Shares of US1 closed last Friday at AU$0.011, then climbed to this week’s peak of AU$0.018 on Thursday.

3. Tasman Resources (ASX:TAS)

Weekly gain: 57.14 percent
Market cap: AU$26.39 million
Share price: AU$0.066

Tasman Resources is a Perth-based polymetallic exploration company focusing on projects with a variety of metals including gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, nickel and uranium.

The company’s key assets include the Lake Torrens iron-oxide-copper-gold project and its wholly owned Parkinson Dam epithermal gold-silver project, both located in South Australia.

A subsidiary of Fortescue is funding Lake Torrens through an earn-in agreement; it currently holds a 51 percent interest in the project and is aiming to secure up to an 80 percent interest through AU$11 million in sole funding.

In addition to its exploration portfolio, Tasman also holds strategic investments in clean technology company Eden Innovations (ASX:EDE) and nickel-cobalt developer Conico (ASX:CNJ).

While no updates were published by the company this week, on March 12, the company released updates for Lake Torren’s Titan West prospect and the Parkinson Dam project, including plans for upcoming drilling programs.

At Titan West, Fortescue reported that Aboriginal Heritage clearance surveys are scheduled for March through early April, with drilling expected to begin in mid-2026 pending their success.

Meanwhile, at Parkinson Dam, Tasman is awaiting approval to begin its own heritage clearance surveys. If successfully completed, the company will undertake its planned drilling program at six identified targets. Tasman noted it was told it could take up to three months before a date can be scheduled.

Shares of Tasman closed last week and Monday at AU$0.042, then climbing steeply through the week to a close of AU$0.066 on Thursday.

4. Invictus Energy (ASX:IVZ)

Weekly gain: 46.43 percent
Market cap: AU$104.23 million
Share price: AU$0.082

Invictus Energy is an Australia-based upstream oil and gas company focused on developing energy assets in sub-Saharan Africa, with its flagship Cabora Bassa project located in Zimbabwe.

The company holds an 80 percent interest in the 360,000 hectare project, which includes the Mukuyu gas field discovery alongside multiple exploration targets. According to Invictus, the Cabora Bassa basin is considered “one of the last untested large frontier rift basins in onshore Africa.”

Last Friday, April 10, Invictus announced that it had secured renewal of its environmental impact assessment from Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency, extending its validity through March 2027.

The approval allows the company to continue activities including drilling, seismic acquisition and well testing across the Cabora Bassa project.

The company also noted that the review stage of the Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement process has been completed, with execution expected in April. This agreement is set to establish a stable legal and fiscal framework for petroleum operations in Zimbabwe, a key milestone for advancing development plans.

The release provided upward momentum for Invictus’ share price. Shares of Invictus Energy closed at AU$0.056 last week, then climbed to this week’s high of AU$0.082 on Thursday.

5. Blackstone Minerals (ASX:BSX)

Weekly gain: 40.54 percent
Market cap: AU$88.69 million
Share price: AU$0.052

Blackstone Minerals is an Australia-based battery metals developer focused on advancing its flagship Mankayan copper-gold project in the Philippines, alongside its broader strategy to build a vertically integrated nickel and battery materials business.

The Mankayan project is a large-scale, high-grade porphyry system with an established mineral resource containing copper, gold and silver. It has a JORC resource of 793 million tonnes at 0.65 percent copper equivalent, containing 2.8 million tonnes copper, 9.7 million ounces gold and 20.4 million ounces silver.

On Tuesday (April 14), Blackstone announced that a previously imposed cease and desist order at Mankayan has been lifted, allowing exploration activities to resume. The order, which halted work by its local affiliate, was resolved following engagement with local community groups, including Indigenous peoples, as well as government authorities.

“A project of Mankayan’s size and international importance cannot be underestimated and I look forward to updating shareholders and stakeholders as the Pre-Feasibility Study work and associated drilling activities progresses,” CEO Geoff Gilmour stated in the release.

Blackstone stated a drill program of up to 10 holes is planned to begin in the near future.

Shares of Blackstone Minerals closed at AU$0.037 last week, then climbed to this week’s high of AU$0.055 on Tuesday following the announcement before closing at AU$0.052 on Thursday.