The Conversation (0)
Hertz Energy Inc. (“Hertz” or the “Company”) (CSE: HZ; OTCQB: HZLIF; FSE: QE2) is pleased to provide an update on the Company’s critical minerals projects, including antimony, lithium, and uranium and announces proposed financing.
ANTIMONY
The Company is focused on exploring its two antimony projects aggressively with use of Quebec Critical Minerals Flow thru funds at the Harriman Antimony Project in Quebec and Canadian Flow thru funds at its Lake George Antimony Project in New Brunswick.
LAKE GEORGE ANTIMONY PROJECT: NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
The Property is located in the southwestern part of the Province, approximately 30 km southwest of the city of Fredericton.
The Property is comprised of 93 mineral claims within two claim blocks recently staked by the Company for a total area of approximately 2,104.5 hectares. The Property surrounds the past-producing Lake George Antimony Mine ("Lake George Mine") and is considered an exploration-stage Antimony-Gold (Sb-Au) prospect located immediately along strike to the southwest and northeast, as well as downdip to the north of the historical Lake George Mine. The Property benefits from excellent road access, hydroelectric power, and nearby available personnel for field and exploration activities.
The Lake George Mine was formerly the largest antimony producer in North America with a long history of production spanning from 1876 to 1996. The mine closed in 1996 due to falling antimony prices. From 1972 to 1981, 34,417 tonnes of concentrate grading 65% to 66% Sb was produced from the first deposit. Then from 1985 to 1990, approximately 1 Mt grading 4% Sb was extracted from a second deposit (Caron, 1996). The mine also contained molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), and Au mineralization. Infrastructure on the Lake George Mine includes 3 shafts, underground development on 10 levels, some remaining surface buildings, and a tailings pond. The deepest level of the mine is approximately 400 m below the surface. The Lake George Sb-Au Mine currently represents one of the Top 3 antimony occurrences in the Province of New Brunswick. More info can be found at: https://hertz-energy.com/lake-george-project/
HARRIMAN ANTIMONY PROJECT:QUEBEC, CANADA
The Harriman Property is an exploration stage antimony project located approximately 17 km northeast of the town of New Richmond in the Gaspé Region of Québec (Figures 1, 2). The Gaspé Region is known for a variety of significant mineral deposits, most notably the Mine Gaspé Copper Mine, currently being developed by Osisko Metals. The Harriman Property benefits from good road access, hydroelectric power, port access, and nearby available manpower.
The Harriman Property is strategically located at the intersection of the major ENE trending Restigouche Fault and Grand Pabos Fault with a second order northeast-trending fault hosting numerous antimony and gold showings (Figure 3).
The Property was developed by compiling and reviewing historical antimony (Sb) and gold (Au) showings from the Québec government geoscientific database known as SIGÉOM. The Property area was defined by a series of four antimony showings, all hosted along a northeast-trending fault structure (Figure 4). Historical results from the nearby showings along the northeast-trending fault include 2.32% Sb, 3.36 g/t Au (Harriman-2), 43.75 Sb, 3.4 g/t Au (New Richmond), 4.8% Sb, 7.89 g/t Au and 15.35% Sb (Harriman-4 Sud) (source: SIGÉOM).
The Harriman Property of Hertz includes the Harriman-4 Sud showing returning 15.35% Sb and 0.07 g/t Au from a historical grab sample of a massive stibnite vein in altered sediments. The nearby Harriman Gold occurrence, located 300 m to the northwest, returned an assay of 22.4 g/t Au from a grab sample. These showings and much of the property have had limited previous exploration and has not had any historical drilling.
Hertz Energy has completed a program of geological mapping and prospecting. The crew’s focus was in the area of favourable geology, particularly surrounding the historical showings as well as stream sediment and prospecting for new antimony and gold showings. Results are expected in the coming weeks. More info can be found at: https://hertz-energy.com/harriman-antimony-project/
LITHIUM PROJECTS
AGASTYA LITHIUM PROJECT:QUEBEC, CANADA
The Agastya Lithium Property is comprised of 209 mineral claims covering approximately 10,650 hectares located in the Province of Québec and consists of three non-contiguous claim blocks along the greenstone belt that hosts the Adina, Trieste, and Galinée properties. These adjacent properties are known for their significant LCT (Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum) pegmatite potential hosted within greenstone/ metasediment packages:
- Winsome Resources – Adina Lithium Project: One of the Top 3 largest lithium resources in North America with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 60.5 Mt at 1.14% LiO and Inferred Resource of 15.9 Mt at 1.17% LiO using a 0.5% LiO cut-off (source: NI 43-101 Technical Report on PEA and MRE for Adina Lithium Project authored by Synectiq Inc. with a report date of September 30, 2024 and filed under Winsome’s SEDAR+ profile). Winsome also has an exclusive option to acquire the nearby Renard Operation, a fully permitted, former diamond mine located 60 km south of Adina with a convertible processing facility for future lithium production.
- Loyal Lithium – Trieste Lithium Project: Discovery of six spodumene-bearing pegmatites including a significant drilling result of 31.8 m at 2.2% LiO.
- 50% Azimut Exploration / 50% SOQUEM JV – Galinée Lithium Property:Drilling results include 1.62% LiO over 158.0 m including 3.33% LiO over 29.6 m, and Galinée features a 20 km long lithium-cesium anomaly.
- Rio Tinto/Midland Galinée Project: Spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes discovered over several hundred metres along a 7 km favourable contact zone. Significant drilling results include 1.38% LiO over 37.86 m including 1.88% LiO over 21.35 m.
The Agastya Property covers the western extent of the greenstone belt that trends through Trieste, Adina, and Galinée. Greenstone belts are known to host LCT pegmatite mineralization and are commonly targeted by exploration companies as they are favourable hosts for lithium and other valuable metals including gold. Recent discoveries surrounding the Agastya Project have been announced by Azimut Exploration and Soquem at their Galine Project: I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.
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AC/DC LITHIUM PROJECT: QUEBEC, CANADA
The AC/DC property encompasses amphibolized mafic volcanics (greenstone) of the Rouget and Corvette Formations and plutons of the Vieux Comptoir Intrusive suite, similar to the geological setting that hosts both the Cancet and Corvette lithium projects. Both Cancet and Corvette are hosted by amphibolite rocks of Guyer Group, which is similar in age to the Rouget formation (Mesoarchean).
The northwest-trending mafic volcanics of Rouget and Corvette Formations and associated Vieux Comptoir suites continue northwest to the adjacent Rio Tino/Exploration Azimut Inc. and Rio Tinto/Exploration Midland Inc. project areas.
These are advanced rocks, typically characterized by a pegmatitic texture, a granitic composition and contain several minerals such as biotite, muscovite, tourmaline, garnet, beryl and spodumene. These rocks are also known to host K-feldspar granite phases in pegmatite form which may host an abundance of spodumene.
Based on the results of the remote sensing data analysis and processing twelve (12) anomalous target areas have been identified across the two properties.
- 5 primary and numerous smaller secondary targets are identified at the AC/DC property.
- 7 primary and numerous smaller secondary targets are identified at the La Fleur property.
Strike lengths of the individual target trends range in length from 1 to 15km in length and are between 100m to 1,000m in width and are generally oriented in a northeasterly trending direction.
Each of the anomalous trends contain numerous dyke-like structures identified from high resolution orthophotography. Individual dyke-like structures range in length between 20 –500m or greater, often occur in clusters and are generally noted to occur in conformant orientation to the target trends.
Hertz is aggressively advancing exploration at the AC/DC Project and will provide updates upon receipt of exploration results.
MAP OF AC/DC LITHIUM PROJECT AND RIO TINTO ADJOING KAANAAYAA PROJECT
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SNAKE LITHIUM PROJECT:
Hertz Energy reports that the Company will not be proceeding further with the Snake Lithium Project and has terminated its Option Agreement on the Snake Lithium Property.
NAMIBIA URANIUM PROJECT
Hertz Energy has submitted applications for two uranium Exclusive Prospecting Licenses (EPLs) in Namibia.
Namibia is a country of diverse geology and has one of the richest uranium mineral reserves in the world. There are currently two large operating mines, the Husab and Rossing mines, in the Erongo Region and five major exploration projects planned to advance to production in the next few years as the country embraces the green energy transition. Uranium mining in Namibia is of considerable importance to the national economy1. In 2023, Namibia produced the 3rd largest quantity of uranium worldwide at 6,382 tonnes, ranked only behind Kazakhstan and Australia2.
Hertz Energy Namibia Uranium Project
The application areas cover an area of 9,627.84 hectares located in Central Namibia in the Erongo Region which hosts numerous primary and secondary uranium deposits. Primary economic uranium is hosted mainly in sheeted D-type alaskites which occur both as cross-cutting dykes and as bedding and/or foliation-parallel sills. The sheets can amalgamate to form larger granite plutons or granite stockworks made up of closely spaced dykes and sills. The mineralized alaskites tend to occur at marked stratigraphic levels, often associated with the Khan-Rössing Formation boundary, or, where the Rössing Formation is missing, the Khan-Chuos/Arandis Formation boundary. Secondary uranium deposits occur in calcretes in the coastal plain of the Namib Desert. The deposits are associated with ancient river systems that flowed westward from the Great Escarpment during the upper Cretaceous and lower Cenozoic periods. Uranium mineralization is typically located in calcretised fluvial channels which tend to be buried with little or no obvious surface expression to identify them.
Licence Application EPL-10186
EPL-10186 is located 40 km northeast of the coastal town of Swakopmund. Most of the licence is covered by recent sand, gravel, scree and calcrete, with a few outcrops of mica schist, calc-silicate rock, marble and red granite. There are two prominent sub-surface water conduits/streams which in general, are believed to be geographically similar to where paleo-channels carrying uranium-rich waters would have flowed. Preliminary interpretation of regional airborne radiometric data from the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy indicates a strong and consistent radiometric anomaly trending northeast-southwest and coincident with the subsurface streams. The Company is targeting secondary uranium mineralization with potential for primary mineralization to the east of the application area. This is the similar style of mineralization found at ORANO's Trekkopje Mine 6 kilometres north of EPL-10186 and Elevate Uranium's Marenica deposit 40km to the north with a resource of 46Mlb U308 at a 93ppm U3O8 cutoff grade.
Licence Application EPL-10185
EPL-10185 is located 22 km east of the coastal town of Swakopmund. Its geology is comprised of units from the Kuiseb, Karibib, Arandis, Chuos and Khan Formations intruded by granodiorites and uranium prospective granites. Most of the western and central parts of the licence is under recent surficial cover made up of sand, gravel, scree, and calcrete. Preliminary interpretation of regional airborne radiometric data from the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy indicates radiometric anomalies coinciding with favourable geology for primary alaskite-hosted uranium mineralization. This is the similar style of mineralization found at Bannerman Energy's Etango deposit located 15 km southeast of EPL-10185 as well as that at the Rossing Mine located 30km to the northeast. The Rossing Mine is one of the largest and longest operating uranium open cast mines in the world producing now for 46 years. In 2022, Rossing produced 2,659t U3O8 and currently has a feasibility study underway to extend the mine life beyond 20265.
Namibia has recently completed its political elections and On 3 December 2024, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling SWAPO party was declared the winner of the election. She is set to become Namibia's first female president. The National Assembly elections saw SWAPO reduced to 51 seats, a bare majority of three. It was SWAPO's weakest showing since Namibia's independence in 1990. Incumbent president Nangolo Mbumba had not contested this election. Hertz Energy congratulates President Netumbi Nandi-Ndaithwah.
Hertz Energy EPL-10185 and EPL-10186 have been assessed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy are expected to be issued in Q1 of 2025.
Cautionary Statement: This news release contains scientific and technical information with respect to adjacent properties to the Company’s properties, which the Company has no interest in or rights to explore. Readers are cautioned that information regarding the geology, mineralization, and mineral resources on adjacent properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization potential on the Company’s properties.
Qualified Person Statement
All scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Paul Teniere, P.Geo., Technical Advisor of Hertz Energy, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI 43-101.
Hertz Energy is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 5,000,000 units (the “Units”) at a price of C$0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,250,000 (the “Offering”). Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a “Common Share”) and one Common Share purchase warrant (a “Warrant”). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.45 per Common Share for a period of two years from the closing date of the Offering. The Warrants will be subject to an accelerated expiry, whereas anytime after four (4) months following the issue date of the Units that the closing price of the common shares of the Company on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) is equal to or above a price of C$0.55 for fourteen (14) consecutive trading days, the Company may file a notice to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is thirty (30) business days following the date of such notice. This placement is expected to close end of January 2025.
Hertz Energy also announces non-brokered private placement of up to 4,000,000 Quebec and Canadian National flow-through units of the Company (the “FT Units”) at a price of C$0.30 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$1.200,000 (the “Offering”). Red Cloud Securities Inc. (“Red Cloud”) will be acting as a finder for LaFleur Minerals on a “best efforts” basis under the Offering.
Each FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a “flow-through share” (each, a “FT Share”) within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Income Tax Act”) and the Taxation Act (Québec) (the “Québec Tax Act”) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a “Warrant”). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share”) at a price of C$0.45 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the issue date of the FT Unit. The Warrants will be subject to an accelerated expiry, whereas anytime after four (4) months following the issue date of the FT Unit that the closing price of the common shares of the Company on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) is equal to or above a price of C$0.55 for fourteen (14) consecutive trading days, the Company may file a notice to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is thirty (30) business days following the date of such notice.
About the Company
Hertz Energy (CSE:HZ; OTCQB:HZLIF; FSE:QE2) is a British Columbia-based junior exploration company primarily engaged in the acquisition and exploration of energy and critical minerals properties. The Company’s lithium exploration projects include the AC/DC Lithium Project, and newly acquired Agastya Lithium Property in James Bay, Quebec. Hertz Energy also holds the Harriman Antimony Project in Québec and the Lake George Antimony Project in New Brunswick, Canada. Hertz Energy also has permit applications pending in Namibia for uranium exploration projects.
For further information, please contact Mr. Kal Malhi or view the Company’s filings at www.sedarplus.ca.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Kal Malhi Chief Executive Officer and Director Email: kal@bullruncapital.ca |
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Information
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
HZ:CNX
Inside Billionaire Gina Rinehart's Key Mining Investments
In addition to Arafura, entrepreneur Rinehart’s investment portfolio contains other ex-China, green-transition-focused companies like Australian lithium firm Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR,OTC Pink:LINRF), as well as rare earths producers MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC,OTC Pink:LYSCF). Rinehart’s role in the acquisition of Azure Minerals’ Andover lithium project in Western Australia alongside lithium giant SQM (NYSE:SQM) also made headlines.
In this article
- Who is Gina Rinehart?
- How did Gina Rinehart get rich?
- What mining companies does Gina Rinehart own?
- Where does Hancock Prospecting mine iron?
- Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments
- Gina Rinehart’s lithium investments
- Gina Rinehart’s rare earths investments
- Gina Rinehart’s copper investments
- Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments
- Gina Rinehart’s potash and agriculture investments
- FAQs for Gina Rinehart
Who is Gina Rinehart?
Gina Rinehart is an Australian iron ore magnate and the executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, as well as the richest person in Australia and one of the world’s richest women. Rinehart is the daughter of Australian mining mogul and Hancock Prospecting founder, the late Lang Hancock. As the current executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart won the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from CEO Magazine in 2019.
Rinehart was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2022 for her “distinguished service to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives, and to sport as a patron.”
How did Gina Rinehart get rich?
Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting acquired the Roy Hill tenements in 1993. Centering the massive project as the cornerstone of the company, Hancock Prospecting has greatly benefited from the iron ore market boom that began in the early 2000s.
Today, Roy Hill is Australia’s largest iron ore mine, producing 60 million to 70 million tonnes of iron ore per year. Success at Roy Hill has made Hancock Prospecting Australia’s most valuable private company at an estimated AU$15.6 billion.
As with many of the world’s most successful billionaires, Gina Rinehart has developed an investment strategy based on strategic partnerships as well as diversification to mitigate risk and build value. Under her leadership, Hancock Prospecting Pty Limited (HPPL) as well as the HPPL Group of companies has expanded into some of the world’s most economically important markets, such as real estate, agriculture, energy and critical metals.
For the 2024 fiscal year, Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting reported a bumper profit of AU$5.6 billion, up 10 percent from the previous year.
What mining companies does Gina Rinehart own?
Through her company Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart owns interest in mining companies across many sectors, including iron ore, lithium, rare earths, copper, oil and gas, as well as potash.
While much of her investment portfolio is focused on Australia and ASX companies, Rinehart is actively strengthening the geographical diversification of her investments.
In recent years, Rinehart has made a series of key investments in mining companies, especially targeting critical metals projects in Germany, Brazil, Ecuador and the United States. These include exploration-stage firms such as Titan Minerals (ASX:TTM) and Azure Minerals as well as producers such as Atlas Iron and MP Materials.
Where does Hancock Prospecting mine iron?
Vehicles hauling ore at Roy Hill iron ore mine.
Photo of Roy Hill iron ore mine via Roy Hill.
Hancock Prospecting’s Roy Hill and Hope Downs iron ore mines are in Western Australia's resource-rich Pilbara region.
Roy Hill has attracted strategic partnerships with major global enterprises: Marubeni (TSE:8002) has a 15 percent equity stake, POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490) has a 12.5 percent stake and China Steel (TPE:2002) has a 2.5 percent stake. The minority partners purchase a combined 28.75 million tonnes of iron ore annually from Roy Hill’s production.
In September 2024, Hancock Prospecting got the green light for its AU$600 million McPhee iron mine located about 100 kilometres north of the Roy Hill mine after a long approval process.
The McPhee iron mine is expected to produce around 10 million tonnes of the metal each year over an estimated 15 year mine life. First production is expected to kick off next year, and ore will be transported by road trains to Roy Hill for processing and blending. The goal is to improve the larger mine's product mix and sustain its production volumes.
The Hope Downs iron ore complex is another of Australia’s largest iron ore projects. A 50/50 joint venture partnership with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO), Hope Downs hosts four open-pit mines and has an annual production capacity of 47 million tonnes. Hope Downs has also been the subject of a more than decade-long civil dispute in a Western Australian court over royalties, put forth by the descendants of Lang Hancock's business partner Peter Wright as well as Rinehart’s own children.
Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments
Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments in Western Australia extend beyond Roy Hill and Hill Downs to Atlas Iron’s three producing mines and a pipeline of development projects.
Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting acquired Atlas Iron in 2018 through a AU$427 million deal that turned out to be dirt cheap as the company would go on to deliver AU$1.5 billion in revenues over the next three years alone.
Today, Atlas Mines operates the Mount Webber, Sanjiv Ridge and Miralga Creek mines. Production from these mines in its fiscal year ended June 2023 led to a AU$222 million dividend payment for Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting.
As of July 1, 2025, Hancock Prospecting has consolidated its Roy Hill and Atlas Iron under the new name Hancock Iron Ore. The new entity represents combined iron ore exports of about 74 million tonnes per year.
Additionally, Hancock has an earn-in agreement on Legacy Iron Ore (ASX:LCY) and Hawthorn Resources’ (ASX:HAW) Mount Bevan project through its subsidiary Hancock Magnetite Holdings.
At Mount Bevan, as part of its earn-in agreement, Hancock completed a prefeasibility study (PFS) for a 12 million tonne per year high-grade magnetite project in July 2024. The PFS incorporates a resource estimate totalling 1,291 million tonnes, which was completed by Atlas, and delineates a capital cost of AU$5 billion to develop Mount Bevan.
Completion of the PFS increased Hancock’s stake in the joint venture from 30 percent to 51 percent, with Legacy now holding 29.4 percent and Hawthorn holding 19.6 percent.
Like iron, coal is another essential material in steel manufacturing. To this end, Rinehart is also pursuing an investment in a past-producing metallurgical coal mine in Alberta, Canada. Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Northback Holdings is the owner of the proposed Grassy Mountain steelmaking coal project in the province’s Crowsnest Pass region.
Exploration licences for the Northback project were greenlit by Alberta regulators in May 2025.
Gina Rinehart’s lithium investments
Gina Rinehart's lithium investments include Azure Minerals’ (ASX:AZS) Andover lithium project, Liontown Resources, Delta Lithium (ASX:DLI) and Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL).
The majority of her lithium investments came in a flurry in 2023 and 2024.
In June 2023, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting signed a separate joint venture earn-in agreement for the Mount Bevan magnetite project discussed above, this time for the lithium, nickel and copper mineralization at the project. The agreement will similarly see Hancock able to earn a 51 percent interest by completing certain milestones.
In September 2023, Rinehart made headlines when she took a position in Liontown Resources and then rapidly increased the position to 19.9 percent over the following month. This allowed Hancock, which was now Liontown's largest shareholder, to effectively block Albemarle’s (NYSE:ALB) accepted takeover of the smaller lithium company.
However, Liontown took a hit as the economics for its near-production Kathleen Valley lithium project in Western Australia were affected by high inflation and low lithium prices. In January 2024, Albemarle decided to sell off its 4 percent stake in Liontown. The lack of any further moves or comment by Rinehart in relation to Liontown Resources has led to speculation she may be waiting for the right opportunity to buy up the lithium company at a discount.
Kathleen Valley entered open-pit production in late July 2024, and is expected to produce approximately 500,000 tonnes per year of spodumene concentrate per year. In April of this year, the operation became Australia's first underground lithium mine when it commenced production from its Mount Mann deposit. Liontown plans to fully transition production to the underground mine in its fiscal 2026.
Albemarle's Liontown acquistion wasn't the only lithium bid Rinehart blocked in October 2023. As is her strategy, Rinehart scooped up an 18.9 percent stake in Azure Minerals after SQM announced its intention for a total takeover of the company and its Andover lithium project in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia.
This story had a different ending, though, as Hancock Prospecting instead joined the lithium giant in a AU$1.7 billion deal to become a co-owner of the exploration-stage Andover project. The deal closed in May 2024.
Shortly after its Liontown and Azure moves, Hancock Prospecting continued investing in Western Australia's lithium prospects when it participated in a AU$70.2 million fundraising for Delta Lithium in November 2023. The proceeds will help Delta Lithium to fund the development of its Mount Ida lithium-gold project, which is adjacent to Hancock's Mount Bevan joint venture project. As of November 2024, Hancock Prospecting owns 10.65 percent of Delta Lithium.
Rinehart has made lithium investments outside of Australia as well. Looking further afield to Germany, with a 7.5 percent stake, Hancock Prospecting is the second largest shareholder in Vulcan Energy and its flagship Zero Carbon lithium project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley, a milestone Rinehart's company reached after investing an additional AU$20 million in Vulcan, which made headlines in June 2024. The Zero Carbon project is slated to produce an initial 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide by the end of 2025, targeting Europe’s electric vehicle manufacturing sector.
In November 2024, Vulcan Energy reached another major milestone with first production at its downstream lithium hydroxide optimisation plant, which is designed to produce lithium hydroxide and battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate. In May 2025, Vulcan commenced drilling on its first new geothermal energy-lithium well in Landau, Germany, as part of its Phase 1 Lionheart project. The site currently holds four production and re-injection wells and the company aims to add 24 more that will produce hot lithium brine. Vulcan plans to use the new production to increase its geothermal energy production and begin commercial lithium production.
Gina Rinehart’s rare earth metals investments
Facilities at MP Materials' Mountain Pass rare earths mine.
clayton harrison / Shutterstock
Through Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart has made investments in some of the world’s most well known rare earth mineral producing companies — US-based MP Materials and Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths — as well as development-stage Arafura Rare Earths and exploration-stage Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE). Rinehart taking a position in these rare earths companies shows she is looking to capitalise on the significant need for these critical metals outside of China.
As mentioned in the introduction to this article, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting is the largest shareholder of Arafura Rare Earths, giving it a 10 percent stake in the advanced-stage Nolans project in the Northern Territory, Australia. Rinehart made the investment in December 2022.
In April 2024, Rinehart made two significant moves into the sector. The first came on April 9, when it was revealed that Hancock Prospecting had acquired a 5.3 percent stake in MP Materials, the second largest rare earths producer outside of China. The company’s California-based Mountain Pass mine is the only integrated rare earth mining and processing operation in North America.
Rinehart’s investment in MP Materials could later bring in “Roy Hill-type cash flow,” Dylan Kelly, head analyst at Terra Capital, told Australian Financial Review. “Anything that is producing and not China-aligned is highly strategic. These materials are very, very hard to make and there’s a lot of demand in making magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines."
One week later, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting also took up a 5.82 percent interest in Lynas Rare Earths, the largest ex-China rare earths producer. The Australian rare earths miner produces the critical metals at its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia and ships the raw material to Malaysia for processing. Lynas is also ramping up processing at its Kalgoorlie rare earth processing facility in Australia, and building light rare earths processing facilities and a heavy rare earths separation facility in Texas, US.
Rinehart’s near simultaneous investments in both Lynas and MP Materials comes after merger talks between the two rare earths behemoths stalled in February 2024. There was speculation stirring that Rinehart’s participation could renew merger discussions, Reuters reported.
In November 2024, the mining mogul increased her position in MP Materials to 8.5 percent, further raising the possibility of a merger down the road. As for Lynas, she raised her stake to 7.14 percent in July 2024 and then 8.21 percent in January 2025.
Rinehart is also getting her foot in the rare earths door at the exploration level. In 2023, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting made a pre-IPO investment for a 5.85 percent share in Brazilian Rare Earths, which went on to list on the ASX in December of that year. The rare earth explorer is working its district-scale Rocha da Rocha rare earth asset in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The province is highly prospective for both heavy and light rare earths, with grades of over 40 percent total rare earth oxides found. Brazilian Rare Earths is working to complete an updated JORC mineral resource estimate.
Gina Rinehart’s copper investments
Gina Rinehart’s copper investments are centered on Ecuador’s Andean copper-gold belt, and include explorer Titan Minerals and Ecuador's state-owned Empresa Nacional Minera (ENAMI).
Ecuador has seen a rush of major mining companies taking up positions in key copper and gold projects in recent years, placing Hancock Prospecting in the company of Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B), Zijin Mining (HKEX:2899) and Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF).
Rinehart’s Ecuadorian copper investments are in line with her shift toward the critical metals necessary for the green transition and her strategy to expand the global footprint of her mining empire.
Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining has been in the region since 2017, and has continued to make more investments. In March 2024, Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining acquired a 49 percent stake in six mining concessions for AU$186.4 million. The deal sees it partner with state mining company ENAMI for the concessions, which surround the stalled Llurimagua copper-molybdenum project in Northern Ecuador.
In late April 2024, Ecuador’s constitutional court nixed appeals by ENAMI and its partner in the Llurimagua project, Chile’s state-owned CODELCO, to review the March 2023 decision by Imbabura’s provincial supreme court suspending the environmental licence for Llurimagua.
Shortly after the investment with ENAMI, Rinehart's Hanrine made another play in Ecuador by striking an earn-in agreement with Titan Minerals for up to an 80 percent ownership stake in the explorer’s Linderos copper-gold project contingent on up to AU$120 million in exploration spending. Linderos is an early-exploration stage project with the potential to host a large-scale copper porphyry system. Hanrine has made an initial investment of AU$2 million for a 5 percent stake.
Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments
Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments include private firms Warrego Energy in Western Australia and Senex Energy in Queensland.
In February 2023, Hancock Prospecting won a protracted bidding war for the then-public Warrego with Warrego's joint venture partner Strike Energy (ASX:STX) at a price of AU$0.36 per share. Warrego and operator Strike Energy maintain their 50/50 joint venture on the West Erregulla onshore gas field within exploration permit EP 469 near Perth in Western Australia.
In mid-August 2024, the West Erregulla project received its production licence. During Phase 1, the project is expected to produce 87 terajoules per day.
As for Senex Energy, it is a joint venture between POSCO (50.1 percent) and Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hancock Energy (49.9 percent) that holds the Atlas and Roma North natural gas developments in Queensland’s Surat Basin. The two JV partners acquired Senex in 2022, with Rinehart’s company putting up AU$440.89 million.
Senex Energy has embarked on a AU$1 billion expansion endeavor at Atlas and Roma North that will see 60 petajoules of natural gas delivered to Australia’s east coast market annually by the end of 2025. This figure represents more than 10 percent of the region’s demand. Regulatory approval for the expansion was finally received following an uphill battle with a Federal government more interested in renewable energy projects than the natural gas variety. Hancock Prospecting reported the first flows of gas production from the expansion field in late November 2024.
Rinehart once had a significant stake of nearly 20 percent in Lakes Oil, now Lakes Blue Energy (ASX:LKO), through subsidiary Timeview Enterprises. Timeview's stake in Lakes Blue Energy has been lowered in recent years, but it remains the company's fourth largest shareholder at 4.63 percent.
In late October 2024, Rinehart offered financial assistance to Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF), a diversified mining company with lithium, iron ore and oil and gas operations in Western Australia. Headed by another mining heavyweight, Chris Ellison, Mineral Resources (MinRes) is reportedly drowning in debt and embroiled in a tax evasion investigation. At that time, Hancock Prospecting agreed to a AU$1.13 billion buyout of MinRes' oil and gas projects in the Perth Basin and an exploration acreage in the Carnarvon Basin.
The 100 percent sale of two of MinRes' exploration permits to Hancock was completed in December 2024 for initial consideration of AU$780 million, with potential for up to AU$327 million depending on whether certain conditions and thresholds are met. The permits include the Moriarty Deep prospect and the Lockyer gas and Erregulla oil discoveries.
Separate to that sale, the two companies are also forming two 50/50 exploration joint ventures for MinRes' remaining permits in the Perth and Carnarvon Basins. Hancock will acquire 50 percent of the MinRes Explorer drill rig, which is the largest in Australia.
Gina Rinehart’s potash and agriculture investments
Gina Rinehart’s potash and agricultural investments center on Hancock Prospecting’s ownership interests in multiple premium cattle stations in Australia, and the company's royalty revenue generated from the Anglo-American-controlled Woodsmith potash project currently under construction in the United Kingdom.
With an original investment of AU$380.6 million in 2016 to then-owner Sirius Minerals, Hancock Prospecting has a 5 percent revenue royalty on the first 13 million tonnes of fertiliser produced from Woodsmith and 1 percent thereafter. Hancock also has a 20,000 tonne per year offtake option. The timeline for Rinehart’s royalty revenue has been pushed back, however, as Anglo is cutting spending at Woodsmith following BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) failed mega-merger with Anglo American.
Investor takeaway
With Gina Rinehart at the helm of Hancock Prospecting, the Roy Hill iron ore mine has generated stellar revenues.
That wealth creation not only made her Australia's richest person, but has also built a powerful war chest from which Rinehart is expanding her mining empire.
Investors can take cues from her recent and future moves in the mining sector. Although she may be defensive toward renewable energy technologies encroaching on agricultural land, she understands the strategical importance of investing in critical metals for the green transition such as lithium, rare earths and copper.
FAQs for Gina Rinehart
How much is Gina Rinehart worth?
Gina Rinehart's net worth is reported to be AU$38.11 billion, maintaining her spot as the richest Australian, according to figures from the Australian Financial Review's Rich List 2025. However, her total wealth is down 6 percent over the previous year.
"Iron ore magnate Rinehart has topped the Rich List for the sixth year in a row, but the falling iron ore price has hit the valuation of her Hancock Prospecting, wiping around $2b off her estimated net worth," the list's authors explain.
What company does Gina Rinehart own?
Gina Rinehart owns Hancock Prospecting, a private company founded by her late father Lang Hancock. Originally an iron ore mining company, today the firm has strategic stakes in a wide-range of metals and commodities from lithium and rare earths to copper and agriculture, which are detailed in this article.
Can I buy shares in Hancock Prospecting?
While investors can't buy public shares in privately held Hancock Prospecting, they can take equity positions in the publicly traded stocks in which the company itself holds interest. Some of these stocks include Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU,OTC Pink:ARAFF), Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR,OTC Pink:LINRF), MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC).
Does Gina Rinehart own Rio Tinto?
Although she has interest in many mining companies and the two companies share the Hope Downs joint venture, Gina Rinehart does not own mining giant Rio Tinto. Market Screener reports that Aluminum Corporation of China (SHA:601600) is its largest shareholder at 14.5 percent, followed by BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) and others at around 3 percent and below.
What does Gina Rinehart think about nuclear energy?
Gina Rinehart is pro-nuclear energy. During a speech at The Australian Bush Summit in 2023, she railed against the impact of wind and solar farms on much needed agricultural land in Australia. She suggested that nuclear energy offers a more viable solution for reaching the country's net zero targets.
Is Gina Rinehart the richest person in Australia?
Gina Rinehart is the richest person in Australia with a net worth of AU$38.11 billion. In 2025, she topped the Australian Financial Review's Rich List for the sixth consecutive year in a row. The next richest Australian, real estate developer Harry Triguboff, trails her at AU$29.65 billion.
Is Gina Rinehart the richest woman in the world?
Gina Rinehart is not the richest woman in the world. While she did rank as the world's ninth richest woman in 2024, as of March 2025, she is no longer in the top ten. The distinction of richest woman in the world goes to Walmart (NYSE:WMT) heiress Alice Walton. Rinehart previously held the title in 2012.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2024.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
