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Elixir Energy Limited (“Elixir” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the preparations for the Daydream-2 appraisal well located in its 100% owned Grandis Gas Project in Queensland’s Taroom Trough.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Well site and access road civils work completed
- Water well production casing in place
- Surface conductor installed prior to rig arrival
- Well due to spud in first few weeks of November
Construction of the well pad and upgrade of pre-existing access roads for Daydream-2 has now been completed.
The drilling of an on-site water well has been successful, with the target formation encountered at 1,006 metres. This formation initially free flowed, which is a positive sign for water productivity. Production casing has now been cemented in place.
The drilling of the water well provided useful offset geological information, allowing Daydream-2’s surface conductor to be installed in the concrete cellar at the well pad prior to the arrival of the rig. This is an upfront saving of 2-3 days of rig time and associated spread rate costs.
The high pressure rated blow-out preventer (BOP) that Elixir requested the drilling contractor to procure for the well has arrived in Australia and has now been successfully pressure tested.
The latest advice from Elixir’s drilling contractor SLB (previously known as Schlumberger) is that the contracted rig SLR 185 will be released by its current operator in the first week of November and will be mobilized to the Daydream-2 site immediately thereafter. It will then spud within a week after that.
Conductor set for Daydream-2
Elixir’s Managing Director, Mr Neil Young, said: “The spud of the Daydream-2 well now only a few weeks away, with strong progress being made on all the required fronts to deliver what will be the highest impact well in Elixir’s history. We look forward to providing the market with regular updates on our progress in the weeks and months to come.”
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This article includes content from Elixir Energy, 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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Elixir Energy
Overview
Elixir Energy (ASX:EXR) is a gas exploration and development company currently focused on its portfolio of natural gas assets in Queensland, Australia and Mongolia. As an early mover in both areas, Elixir Energy has been the first company ever to free-flow gas from the deep Taroom Trough in Queensland and flow gas of any description in Mongolia.
Elixir Energy’s Grandis Gas project in Queensland is located in the Taroom Trough in the Southern Bowen Basin, where Australia’s premier physical and commercial gas hub – Wallumbilla – is immediately adjacent. Market factors are now driving new rounds of drilling in the Taroom Trough contributing to its reputation as an emerging energy super basin with major electricity as well as gas infrastructure.
A successful free-flowing test was conducted on the Lorelle Sandstone and has indicated it could produce a commercial flow rate of gas, with the breakeven commercial initial flow rate estimated at 2.5 million cubic feet per day.
Gas flow from Stage 1 Lorelle Sandstone post stimulation
Elixir Energy’s Nomgon coal-bed methane (CBM) project is located in Mongolia.
The Nomgon CBM project is in the South Gobi region of Mongolia and on the Chinese/Mongolian border. The ideal location of the asset provides access to excellent infrastructure, including planned pipelines and local mines as customers. The Nomgon project includes a CBM pilot production plant, which flowed gas in its early stages and is now moving to progressively de-water with a view to building up a sustained gas flow rate.
The company is led by a highly experienced team with direct histories in Queensland, Australia and Mongolia and expertise in the natural resources industry, community engagement and working with government stakeholders.
Company Highlights
- Elixir Energy (ASX:EXR) is an exploration and development company with energy assets in Australia and Mongolia, targeting natural gas and renewable energy/hydrogen.
- The company’s Grandis Gas project in Queensland is located in an established gas and oil region, with exceptional access to existing infrastructure and high gas prices.
- The region is currently hosting multi-operator activity, including by Shell.
- Elixir has discovered a deep free-flowing gas zone in Grandis – the first of its kind.
- The company was also the first to flow natural gas in Mongolia, pioneering production in the country.
- A management team with a wide range of expertise in the natural resources sector provides leadership for maximising the value of Elixir Energy’s assets.
Key Projects
Grandis Gas Project
The company’s asset in Queensland, Australia, covers approximately 1,000 square kilometers in an established oil and gas province. The project is well-suited for cost-effective transportation to domestic and international gas markets.
Project Highlights:
- Strong Local Infrastructure: The region's long history of oil and gas production has resulted in a robust infrastructure, including gas transportation and electricity transmission access – and community support for the industry.
- Adjacent to Current and Proposed Pipelines: The asset is located close to existing – and proposed gas pipelines to assist in efficient and low-cost transportation as production commences.
- Impressive Initial Flow Test Results: After a successful suite of DFITs, free-flowing test on the Lorelle Sandstone has been successfully stimulated. Elixir’s technical and economic modeling indicates the Lorelle Sandstone alone could produce a commercial flow rate of gas, with the breakeven commercial initial flow rate estimated at 2.5 million cubic feet per day.
- Project Expansion: In August 2024, Elixir was formally awarded a 100 percent working interest in ATP 2077 by the Queensland Government. The area is prospective for both deep and shallow gas, with an independently certified 2C resources of 173 billion cubic feet.
Daydream-2 Lorelle Sandstone Flow Testing*
Nomgon CBM Project
Elixir Energy’s 100-percent-owned coal-bed methane (CBM) project is ideally located in the South Gobi region of Mongolia. This location gives the asset access to robust local infrastructure and close access to Chinese energy markets – the world’s largest.
Project Highlights:
- CBM Pilot Project In Production: The pilot plant passed a key production milestone of 200,000 square cubic feet per day in its early stages. Water production has progressed since these early flows with a view to de-pressuring the CBM reservoir, leading to sustained gas flows.
- District-scale Asset: The Nomgon project covers a significant 30,000 square kilometers in Mongolia. Initial exploration campaigns have been promising and indicate the potential for the asset to become a significant producer of regional energy markets.
Management Team
Richard Cottee - Non-executive Chairman
Richard Cottee was appointed as the non-executive chairman of the company on April 29, 2019. Cottee was the managing director of coal-seam-gas(CSG)-focused Queensland Gas Company (QGC) during its growth from a $20-million market capitalization junior explorer through to its acquisition by BG Group for $5.7 billion. QGC’s CSG assets are now operated by Shell and produce gas that is sold to China and other LNG markets.
Originally a lawyer, Cottee has spent the vast majority of his career in senior executive roles in the energy industry, including as CEO at CS Energy, NRG Europe, Central Petroleum and Nexus Energy. A 32-year veteran of the industry, Cottee is a strong business development professional and a graduate of The University of Queensland.
Neil Young - Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Neil Young was appointed to the board of Elixir on December 14, 2018, as its chief executive officer. Young has more than 20 years of experience in senior management positions in the upstream and downstream parts of the energy sector, focusing on business development, new ventures, gas marketing and general commercial functions. He has worked for a range of companies in the UK and Australia, including EY, Tarong Energy and Santos. Young founded Golden Horde Ltd in 2011 to explore gas on the Chinese border in Mongolia. He has also developed various new ventures in other countries including Kazakhstan, Japan and the USA. Young has an M.A. (Hons) joint degree in economics/politics from the University of Edinburgh.
Stephen Kelemen - Non-executive Director
Stephen Kelemen was appointed as the non-executive director of the company on May 6, 2019. Kelemen led Santos’ coal seam gas (CSG) team from its inception in 2004 and drove the growth in this area that allowed Santos to become one of Australia’s leading CSG companies.
An engineering graduate from Adelaide University, Kelemen served Santos for 38 years in multiple technical and leadership roles.
Kelemen is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland’s Centre for Coal Seam Gas and also acts as a non-executive director on the boards of Galilee Energy (ASX:GLL) and Advent Energy.
Anna Sloboda - Non-executive Director
Anna Sloboda was appointed as the non-executive director of the company on October 1, 2020. Sloboda is a joint Belarusian/Australian citizen and has more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, and in developing junior resource companies operating around the world.
Sloboda is currently an executive director of Red Citadel Resources Pty Ltd, a privately owned mineral resources exploration company with a range of projects in Africa and South America.
She also serves as an advisory committee member, maritime archaeology, at the Western Australian Museum.
Previously she was a co-founder of Trans-Tasman Resources and in that capacity had substantial experience in dealing with Chinese off-takers and partners. Other prior employers include Lehman Brothers, Clough and Curtin University.
Sloboda has a Master of Economics from Belarusian University and an executive MBA from Melbourne Business School.
Victoria Allinson - Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer
Victoria Allinson is a fellow of The Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and an NSX-nominated advisor. She has more than 30 years of accounting and auditing experience, including senior accounting positions in a number of listed companies and was an audit manager for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Allinson has gained professional experience while living and working in both Australia and the United Kingdom.
Her previous experience has included being company secretary and CFO for a number of listed companies, including ASX-listed: Kiland, Safety Medical Products, Marmota Limited, Centrex Metals, Adelaide Energy, Enterprise Energy NL, and Island Sky Australia as well as several unlisted companies.
Exploration Update - Visible Gold Intersected at Salanie
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Visible gold identified in drilling at the A1 prospect at 19m depth (Figure 1), associated within a broader 13m zone of quartz veining and shearing from 9.6m downhole:
- Interpreted as extension to system in trench SATR001 (10.3m @ 3.4g/t Au and 1.4m @ 15.7 g/t Au) (Figure 5);
- Assays for this hole are pending.
- At P6, a significant quartz veining/shear system over 20m with associated sulphides has been identified along the trend of historical high-grade underground workings that produced at an average of 16g/t Au.
- The underground workings at P6 represent a priority target that will be further targeted in the 2025 drill season:
- System displays as quartz veining and associated visual estimates of sulphides (trace to 25% pyrite+/-chalcopyrite) intersected in three principal positions in drillhole SLDD002 (61- 65m; 71-75m and 84-87m).
- Drilling completed for the current field season, with discussions advanced with a highly reputable new drilling contractor for drilling in 2025.
- At Salanie, five holes for 328m (two at the P6 prospect and three at the A1 prospect) were completed (two of these did not reach target depth due to drilling performance), with assay results received for 3 holes.
- In the northern areas around the Mikouma and Binda prospects, infill soil sampling has strengthened existing gold targets in these regions with anomalies up to 200ppb Au. Follow up ground reconnaissance will assist in delineating further the drill targets.
- Company to undertake a one (1) for three (3) non-renounceable entitlements offer to raise approximately $3.25 million (before costs).
Figure 1: Examples of visible gold identified in SLDD004 – at 19.04m (associated with chalcopyrite (Cpy) and galena (Gn)).
The Company cautions that visual estimates of sulphides or mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis. Laboratory analysis would be required to determine the widths and grades of sulphides, visible gold, or suspected mineralised intervals reported herein. Visual information also potentially provides no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. Assays are expected within 3-5 weeks.
Apollo Minerals’ Managing Director, Mr Neil Inwood, commented:
“The first pass drilling is highly encouraging having identified visible gold associated with quartz veining at A1 and a significant shear/quartz vein system at P6. Assays are pending from the key holes at A1. The Salanie system is interpreted to be in the same regional trend of Archean greenstones as Managem’s 1m oz Eteke deposit; highlighting the potential in the broader system.”
“Unfortunately, a combination of late arrival and poor performance from the drilling contractor and the end of the field season has meant that less than a quarter of the planned holes for 2024 were completed and the P6 target was only partially tested by one drill hole. We are in advanced discussions with another drilling company to commence drilling in the new year. Such a partner will enable a significant increase in drilling rate and quality and enable us to further unlock the untested potential at the Salanie Gold Project.”
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This article includes content from Apollo Minerals Limited, 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.
Wadi Al Junah VMS-Style Copper-Zinc-Gold-Silver Project in Saudi Arabia
Highlights
- As announced on 6 November, MBK’s Saudi Arabian JV company, has been awarded the Wadi Al Junah Project as part of the Saudi Government’s Exploration Licensing Round 6
- Wadi Al Junah is prospective for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) copper-zinc- gold-silver mineralisation and for shear zone gold-silver, with several untested priority targets
- The Project is 35km east of the Al Hajar Au-Ag-(Cu-Zn) deposit previously mined by Ma’aden and is proximal to the regional centre of Bisha, and close to major access routes, local towns and workforce
- Saudi exploration strategy is supported by a well capitalised in-country JV Company in CMC and significant Saudi government incentives to de-risk and fast-track exploration
- Metal Bank continues to assess new potential project areas in Saudi Arabia prospective for copper, gold and other critical minerals – several tenement applications in progress
CMC is a Saudi Arabian limited liability company owned by MBK (60%) and Central Mining Holding Company (‘CMH’, 40%). CMH is a member of the Al Qahtani Holdings group, and was the JV partner of Citadel Resources which, under the leadership of Inés Scotland as Managing Director, was responsible for the exploration and development of the Jabal Sayid copper project in Saudi Arabia (prior to its acquisition by Equinox). CMC will be responsible for managing and implementing the work program for the Wadi Al Junah project utilising the technical expertise of MBK, as the exploration JV partner, in combination with the KSA expertise of the Al Qahtani Group. CMC has a current capitalisation of SAR5m (~AUD2.1m).
Wadi al Junah with an area of 427km2 was the largest of the projects offered in Round 6 and is proximal to the major regional centre and airport of Bisha, with major access routes passing through the license area and local towns and workforce close by. The Project is located in the prospective Wadi Shwas Gold Belt, a region under-explored for shear zone gold, VMS copper-zinc-gold-silver and intrusion-related gold and base metal deposits. It is supported by several mineral occurrences with encouraging geological observations, and gold, silver and copper grades in historic regional- scale reconnaissance mapping, which have not been followed up by modern work.
MBK’s technical team has prepared a comprehensive two-year work program, with an initial focus on following up the previous limited and surface based exploration for mineral occurrences of copper, gold and silver. MBK is aiming to be drill-ready within the next six months.
Commenting on this acquisition, Metal Bank’s Chair, Inés Scotland said:
“The successful tender for the Wadi al Junah project in Saudi Arabia by our JV company CMC via a tightly contested and highly competitive exploration round speaks to our commitment, capability and technical expertise in achieving our strategy of acquiring prospective tenure within Saudi Arabia, which we believe remains underexplored and highly prospective.
Wadi al Junah represents our first project back in Saudi Arabia, a region in which MBK’s management team has extensive experience and a proven track record of success, having previously developed the Jabal Sayid project. We are well-supported by both our JV partner and the significant government incentives provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in search for the next Jabal Sayid. The Arabian Shield has so much underexplored potential, and we are ready to get our initial phase of exploration underway as quickly as possible.”
Wadi al Junah Copper-Zinc-Gold-Silver Summary
The Wadi al Junah project area covers an area of 427sq km within the Asir province of the Arabian Shield, southwest Saudi Arabia (Figures 1 and 2). It is approximately 375km south-east of Jeddah, 150km east-northeast of the port of Al Quinfidhad and around 35km east of the Al Hajar Au-Ag-(Cu- Zn) deposit previously mined by Ma’aden. It is proximal to the major regional centre and airport of Bisha, with major access routes passing through the license area and local towns and workforce close by. The majority of the project area is accessed by local tracks and wadi valleys in moderate topography.
Figure 1: MBK MENA projects showing Wadi al Junah (Saudi Arabia) and Malaqa, Area 47 and Area 65 (Jordan).
Figure 2: Wadi al Junah location map within the Arabian Shield showing major geological provinces and major Au and Cu mines (modified from KSA Ministry of Industry and Minerals publication after Nehlig et al, 2002)
Geology
Wadi al Junah is situated within the central Asir terrane of the Archaean Arabian Shield (Figure 2) within the ~80km long north-trending Wadi Shwas Gold Belt. The Shwas VMS belt on the western margin of the Wadi Shwas Gold Belt is host to the Al Hajar Au-Ag-Cu-Zn deposit, and numerous other VMS base metal and Au mineral occurrences of Proterozoic age are present in the region (Figure 3).
Three known mineral occurrences occur in the tenement area – Haniyat (Ag-Cu-+/-Au+/-Zn), Wadi al Maytha (Ag-Cu) and Wadi Umm Rahka (Ag-Cu). Very limited rock chip sampling as part of regional scale mapping work in the 1960’s and 1970’s includes results up to 1.53% Cu, 0.44g/t Au and 160g/t Ag from these prospects, which were never followed up1.
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This article includes content from Metal Bank Limited, 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.
Octava to Commence Drilling at Yallalong High-Grade Antimony Project
Highlights
- Drill rig relocating to site with drilling to commence this weekend.
- The 3000m reverse circulation (RC) drill program is targeting further high-grade antimony at the Discovery prospect.
- Historic drilling at Discovery recorded high-grade antimony intercepts over a strike length of ~300m and remains open. Results include:
- YRC16: 7m @ 3.27% Sb from 12m including 1m @ 11.5% from 18m
- YRC06: 3m @ 6.83% Sb from 21m including 1m @ 13.6% Sb from 22m
- After drilling at Discovery, the drill rig will relocate to the Central antimony target, 2km north along strike. There has been no previous drilling at Central.
- A detailed geophysical survey over the antimony corridor at Yallalong is now complete, with the data being processed. This is expected to generate further targets within the antimony corridor.
Octava’s Managing Director Bevan Wakelam stated, "It’s great to have the rig heading to site and earlier than we had planned. The drilling will start on Discovery, then move to the Central target and should take about 2 weeks to complete. High-grade antimony has already been intersected at Discovery over a significant strike length and this drilling will further test the size. We will also twin some of the previously drilled holes."
Figure 1. Planned drill hole locations at the Discovery antimony target - Yallalong Antimony Project.
The antimony (Sb) mineralisation identified at Yallalong appears within a 10km north-south striking mineralised corridor that is interpreted to be related to a structural belt between the regional scale Darling and Woodrarung faults. Previous exploration identified four principal antimony targets where antimony mineralisation was exposed at surface. Only the Discovery Prospect has any drilling and remains open. Antimony ingot prices at that time were ~$8000/tonne compared to over $30,000/tonne now1.
Figure 2. Antimony targets at Yallalong antimony project with underlying geology.
Drilling at Discovery target recorded some of the highest-grade antimony drill intersections in Australia, at shallow depth, over a strike of ~300m including:
- YRC16: 7m @ 3.27% Sb from 12m including 1m @ 11.5% from 18m
- YRC06: 3m @ 6.83% Sb from 21m including 1m @ 13.6% Sb from 22m
- YRC27: 6m @ 1.35% Sb from 13m
After drilling at the Discovery target is complete, the rig will then move to the Central target, which is located 2 kilometres north along strike. There has been no previous drilling at the Central target.
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This article includes content from Octava Minerals Limited, 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.
Targeted Exploration Focus Delivers an Additional 471koz or 99% Increase in Ounces, and a Higher Grade for Ricciardo
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Ricciardo Deposit (part of the broader Golden Range Project) of 16.44 Mt @ 1.8 g/t Au for 947.5 koz gold.
- Represents a 99% increase in Ricciardo MRE contained gold ounces.
- Proven high-returning exploration with the increased Ricciardo MRE ounces delivered at an attractive all-in discovery cost of only approx. A$16/oz.
- High-quality resource additions given drilling focus on high-grade growth ounces with strong commercial potential.
- The updated Ricciardo MRE comprises:
- 467.5 koz @ 1.6 g/t Au open-pit gold Resource (75% M&I) (optimised pit shell constrained at A$3,300/oz)
- 480.0 koz @ 2.0 g/t Au underground gold Resource
- Critically, the Ricciardo system remains wide open at depth and along strike.
- Total Golden Range Project Mineral Resources now stand at over 1.28 Moz gold, a 58% increase from the previous level.
- This initial outcome validates the excellent potential for further growth within the broader 25km ‘Golden Corridor’ via the ongoing, simple strategy of targeting fresh rock extensions under shallow existing pits.
- RC drilling at the southern end of the ‘Golden Corridor’ targeting high-grade Resource growth is progressing well; 9 holes completed for 1,472 metres to date, assays pending.
Warriedar Managing Director and CEO, Amanda Buckingham, commented:
“This is the result we have been working towards all year. With less than 15,000m of targeted, efficient drilling we have added over 470 koz to the Ricciardo deposit, doubling the Resource.
We are excited by both the outcome itself, and the outlook that it delivers us for the wider corridor of gold deposits. The simple strategy of drilling below shallow open pits to find mineable ounces worked exceptionally well for our producing neighbours. The validity of this strategy is now beyond doubt, for us.
Not only is the Ricciardo system still wide open down-plunge, but the entire 25km long ‘Golden Corridor’ offers similar potential upside from such a relatively simple drilling focus.
In the middle of the infrastructure-rich southern Murchison, and located on existing Mining Leases, the opportunity in front of us is utterly irresistible.”
The Ricciardo Deposit
The Ricciardo Gold Deposit is located on existing mining leases 100% owned by WA8, in the Murchison Region, approximately 300 km east of Geraldton, and 420 km by road north-northeast of Perth. Sitting approximately 8km South of the Golden Range Mill on M59/421, and M59/458, within the Golden Range group of historic open pit mines and deposits.
Discovered in the 1990’s, open pit mining of the oxide resources commenced in 2001, and the plant entered Care & Maintenance twice (between July 2004 and 2009, and May 2010 to mid- 2013). Production was over 300 Koz before finally going into ongoing Care and Maintenance in August 2019.
The Ricciardo deposit is located 90km north of Capricorn Metals’ Mt Gibson Gold Project, 8kms south of the Company’s plant, 26km from the neighbouring Golden Grove processing facility and 40 km northeast of Vault Minerals’ high grade Rothsay gold mine (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The location of the Ricciardo gold deposit within the Golden Range Project; within the broader Southern Murchison region.
The Ricciardo gold system spans a strike length of approximately 2.3km, with very limited drilling having been undertaken below 100m depth prior to Warriedar drilling. Historical mining operations at Ricciardo were primarily focused on oxide material, with the transition and primary sulphides mineralisation not systematically explored.
Warriedar’s drilling of Ricciardo during CY2024 achieved excellent results, demonstrating high- grade extensions to the resource. The results demonstrated that the previously quantified resource is part of a much larger system.
Warriedar engaged independent mining consultants, Measured Group to update the Ricciardo MRE, previously reported 476Koz gold.1
The Ricciardo Gold Deposit consists of six semi-continuous historical open pit mines along the 2.3 km arcuate stretch of the Mougooderra Shear Zone, running north to south. These mines are named (from north to south) Silverstone North, Ardmore, Copse, Silverstone, Silverstone South, and Eastern Creek (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Drilling carried out by the Company during 2023 & 2024, which was used to update the MRE.
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This article includes content from Warriedar Resources Limited, 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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