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![Antilles Gold Limited (ASX:AAU)](https://investingnews.com/media-library/antilles-gold-limited-asx-aau.png?id=51178883&width=1200&height=737)
Intercepts up to 41g/t Au from In-Fill Drilling Program Nueva Sabana, Cuba
Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) is pleased to advise results from the first 7 of 25 shallow diamond drill holes in a 2,000m in-fill program on the Nueva Sabana oxide deposit in central Cuba, which was completed in July 2024.
The aim of the program was to increase the Indicated Resources in the Initial Mineral Resource Estimate advised to ASX on 6 March 2024.
HIGHLIGHTS
Gold Domain – Nueva Sabana
Copper Domain – Nueva Sabana
Sampling Techniques and Data are set out in the JORC Code 2012 Edition Template attached.
NUEVA SABANA GOLD-COPPER MINE
- The in-fill results continue the excellent grades for both gold and copper in the oxide deposit that were incorporated in the Scoping Study for the first stage of the proposed Nueva Sabana gold-copper mine reported to ASX on 7 May 2024.
- Results from the remaining 18 holes are expected by the end of this month.
- An updated Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) for the proposed mine is expected to be completed within two weeks of receiving these results, after which the pit design and mine schedule will be updated, followed by a Pre-Feasibility Study in September 2024.
- The Nueva Sabana oxide deposit is metallurgically simple, and the mine is being planned as a copper project which will benefit from the high-grade gold cap during initial operations.
- Metallurgical test work by Blue Coast Research Laboratories in Canada has indicated a gold recovery of 85% from a simple rougher flotation circuit, and a concentrate of 70.2 g/t Au.
- A copper recovery of 84.5% yielded concentrate grades of 27% Cu from a rougher and cleaner circuit, which has formed the basis of the process design criteria for the Nueva Sabana concentrator.
- Planning and permitting for the proposed mine is well advanced.
- Total development costs are estimated to be ~US$30 million including ~US$5 million of pre- development and concession acquisition costs, and ~US$25 million for mine construction based on quotations for site works, industrial buildings, and a turnkey offer for the design and construction of the concentrator and associated power station.
- The project requires minimal pre-stripping and will not involve the purchase of a mining fleet which is to be hired from the Cuban subsidiary of an international supplier.
- Finance for the mine construction is being negotiated in the form of an advance on concentrate purchases by an international commodities trader.
- The Nueva Sabana project, which is being developed by the 50% owned joint venture company, Minera La Victoria SA, is expected to be development-ready in October 2024.
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This article includes content from Antilles Gold, 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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Antilles Gold Limited
Investor Insight
Antilles Gold’s gold and copper projects in Cuba are underpinned by a strong partnership with a Cuban Government-owned mining company that effectively fast-tracks and de-risks its promising projects, offering a strategic value proposition for investors.
Overview
Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU,OTCQB:ANTMF) is an Australian mining company focused on gold and copper projects in Cuba through a joint venture with the Cuban Government’s mining company, GeoMinera. This partnership has resulted in rapid project permitting and access to several new development opportunities for the Australian company.
Antilles Gold offers strong growth potential through two near‐term development projects, Nueva Sabana and La Demajagua, and two exploration projects, the El Pilar porphyry system and Sierra Maestra copper concessions.
Joint venture projects in Cuba
Nueva Sabana is a near‐term, gold‐copper mine development within the joint venture with GeoMinera, and is expected to initially produce around 70 grams per tonne (g/t) gold in a concentrate from a high‐grade gold cap followed by ~27 percent copper concentrate with gold credits. The project development strategy includes the completion of a feasibility study in September 2024, and the commencement of construction soon after.
The second proposed development is the La Demajagua open-pit mine, which is likely to produce ~50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of gold arsenopyrite concentrate (32 g/t gold, 27 percent arsenic), and ~10,000 tpa of gold antimony concentrate (28.8 g/t gold, 48 percent antimony, 1,200 g/t silver) for nine years. According to the plans, construction will commence in late 2025, with commissioning in mid‐2027. La Demajagua will also include the construction of a concentrate processing facility to treat La Demajagua’s gold arsenopyrite concentrate, with the capacity to produce 50,000 oz gold per year in dore, which will further increase JV profit and cashflow.
The joint venture’s two exploration projects comprise the 720‐hectare El Pilar Concession in Central Cuba covering a cluster of three copper‐gold porphyry deposits (El Pilar, Gaspar and San Nicholas), the adjacent 17,000 hectare San Nicholas concession with porphyry style mineralisation, and two concessions totaling 52,600 hectares within the producing Sierra Maestra copper belt in southeast Cuba (La Cristina and Vega Grande), with both indicating of porphyry deposits highly prospective for copper, gold and molybdenum.
Surface mineralisation at El Pilar
Antilles Gold has completed a technical evaluation of the El Pilar porphyry system which was advised to ASX on 15 February 2024.
The joint venture intends to invest part of the surplus cash flow from the Nueva Sabana mine to fund the exploration of major copper targets, including the El Pilar copper‐gold porphyry system, and those in the Sierra Maestra copper belt.
Company Highlights
- Antilles Gold Limited is an Australian mining company listed on the ASX (AAU) and OTCQB (ANTMF).
- The company is focused on gold and copper projects in Cuba through a 50:50 joint venture with the Cuban Government’s mining company, GeoMinera, opening new development opportunities for Antilles and de-risking permitting processes.
- The joint venture is engaged in four development projects: 1) Nueva Sabana gold‐copper mine; 2) La Demajagua gold mine; 3) El Pilar porphyry copper project; and 4) Exploration of two concessions within the Sierra Maestra copper belt. Of these, Nueva Sabana and La Demajagua offer near‐term development opportunities.
- Nueva Sabana is a near‐term gold‐copper mine development that is expected to generate strong cash flow from concentrate sales from end‐2025.
- La Demajagua is an open-pit mine gold project commencing construction in Q4 2025 with commissioning in mid‐2027.
- El Pilar and Sierra Maestra concessions are exploration projects.
- Investment in Cuba offers several benefits, including richness in minerals, low operating costs and royalties, stable government and regulations, several investment incentives and the availability of a skilled workforce.
Key Projects
Nueva Sabana Project
Prominer Mining Technology will supply Nueva Sabana concentrator
Nueva Sabana is the company’s near‐term, gold‐copper mine development project. The project is held in the 50:50 joint venture with GeoMinera. It will be an open-pit mine developed on the oxide zone overlaying the El Pilar porphyry copper deposit in central Cuba.
Results from 24,000 metres of historical drilling, 1,800 metres drilled in 2022, and the 10,000 metres drilled in 2023 have established a mineral resource estimate (MRE). Results of a scoping study were advised to ASX on 7 May 2024, and a feasibility study is in progress for the proposed development which will be followed by a 12‐month construction phase.
Drilling has shown outstanding grades for gold and copper, and increasing lateral and vertical boundaries of the copper domain.
The proposed mining rate for the project will be 500,000 tpa of ore with a low waste‐to‐ore ratio. The anticipated initial production of 70 g/t gold concentrate will be followed by a ~27 percent copper concentrate with gold credits.
The estimated project cost is approximately US$33 million, of which approximately US$6 million is shareholders equity with the balance of $27 million expected to be funded through an advance on purchases of the concentrates by an international commodities trader.
Chinese engineering group, Prominer Mining Technology, which has extensive experience in designing and constructing gold and copper concentrators, is expected to supply the crushing and flotation circuits for the Nueva Sabana mine.
La Demajagua Project
La Demajagua involves the development of a gold‐antimony‐silver deposit as an open-pit mine by the joint venture company, Minera La Victoria.The project is located within a 900 hectare mining concession on the Isle of Youth, 60 nautical miles from mainland Cuba. The project site is 35 kilometres from the port city of Nueva Gerona and enjoys excellent infrastructure in terms of accessibility by highway, and availability of water, electricity and fiber optic cable.The project has an MRE of 905,000 oz gold equivalent for the open-pit operation. The MRE was calculated from 29,000 metres of drilling undertaken by the JV, and selective results from about 50,000 metres of historic drilling and revised after the receipt of additional antimony assays. The project expects mining of about 815,000 tpa of ore to produce two concentrates: 50,000 tpa of gold‐arsenopyrite and 10,000 tpa of gold‐antimony‐silver for nine years.
The project will also include a concentrate processing facility to produce gold doré from the gold-arsenopyrite concentrate. The facility will comprise a 50,000‐tpa two‐stage fluidized‐bed roaster, a carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit, and an antimony recovery circuit. The overall production target is 75,000 oz gold equivalent per year. Chinese engineering firm BGRIMM Technology Group, which has extensive experience in designing and constructing roasters, is expected to supply the process plant on a turnkey basis.
The total development cost is estimated at US$165 million, expected to be funded by US$75 million of equity, which includes contributions by a third shareholder in the project, and the balance of US$90 million in debt. The life‐of‐mine cash surplus is estimated at ~US$600 million, with an NPV of ~US$330 million based on US$1,800/oz gold, and US$13,000/t antimony.
A revised scoping study including the concentrate processing facility is expected in December 2024, and construction is anticipated to commence in late 2025, with commissioning targeted for mid‐2027.
El Pilar Copper‐Gold Porphyry System Project
El Pilar is an exploration project of a cluster of three copper‐gold porphyry deposits: El Pilar, Gaspar and Camilo. The project comprises a 752 hectare exploration license and an adjacent 17,000 hectare reconnaissance permit covering the San Nicholas copper targets.
The project site benefits from established infrastructure with close access to a major highway, high‐tension power, and a 60 kilometre rail link to Palo Alto port.
Previous mapping, soil sampling, ground magnetics, an aeromagnetic survey and 24,000 metres of shallow drilling confirmed the existence of copper‐gold mineralization and identified the exposures as a potentially large, leached porphyry system. The surface exposures at El Pilar are leached phyllic caps to a cluster of copper‐gold porphyry cores. The extent of surficial hydrothermal alteration indicates the porphyry intrusions have large dimensions, and potential depths greater than 1,000 metres.
Ground magnetics and induced polarization surveys in early 2023 have confirmed a cluster of three potentially large porphyry intrusives – El Pilar, Gaspar and Camilo. A 10‐hole initial program has demonstrated positive results with good copper intercepts in porphyry‐style veining and has indicated the proximity of drilling to the core of El Pilar porphyry intrusive. In particular, drill hole PDH‐004A assayed 1.23 percent copper over its length of 134 metres from 49 metres.
Sierra Maestra Copper Belt Project
The project is an exploration project covering two highly prospective concessions for copper, gold and molybdenum in the Sierra Maestra copper belt in southeast Cuba. It includes a 3,600-hectare geological investigation license in La Cristina, and the adjoining 49,000‐hectare Vega Grande reconnaissance license.
The copper belt spans more than 200 kilometres of Cretaceous‐age geology intruded by Eocene stocks, which are the source of widespread gold and base‐metals mineralization. The project is near the El Cobre mine which is the oldest operating copper mine in the Americas. The concessions incorporate a series of copper‐gold‐molybdenum zones that display significant footprints of hydrothermal alteration normally associated with potentially large porphyry systems.
An extensive, two‐year prospecting program will be carried out on the two concessions, commencing in Q4 2024, to identify drill targets.
Management Team
Brian Johnson – Executive Chairman
Brian Johnson is a graduate of civil engineering from the University of Western Australia and a member of the Institute of Engineers, Australia. He has rich experience in the construction and mining industries in Australia, Southeast Asia and North America. He was instrumental in establishing successful companies in the iron ore and coal sectors. Previously, he has served as a director of two listed gold producers, and of companies with stock exchange listings in London, New York, Vancouver and Australia.
James Tyers – Chief Executive Officer
James Tyers is a member of the AusIMM and has more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry, holding senior management roles in gold and iron ore operations. He has been associated with the Palm Springs Gold Mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and the Cornishman Project, a JV between Troy Resources and Sons of Gwalia. He has experience developing and operating iron ore projects in the mid‐west of Western Australia. He was responsible for developing the Las Lagunas Project and is the project director for the La Demajagua gold mine in Cuba.
Ugo Carlo – Non‐executive Director
Ugo Carlo has more than 30 years of experience in the Australian mining industry. Throughout his career, he has served in several senior leadership roles at Rocklands Richfield, Austral Coal and Conzinc Rio Tinto Australia Group. He is also a former director of the Port Kembla Coal Terminal, the New South Wales Joint Coal Board, and interim chairman of the New South Wales Minerals Council.
Angela Pankhurst – Non‐executive Director
Angela Pankhurst has more than 20 years of experience as an executive and non‐executive director, primarily in the mining industry. She has been a senior executive for companies with projects in Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Vietnam, South Africa and Australia. She has held senior leadership positions at Antilles Gold and Central Asia Resources. She is currently a director of Consolidated Zinc and a director of Imritec.
Tracey Aitkin – Chief Financial Officer
Tracey Aitkin is a professional member of CPA Australia and has more than 30 years of rich experience in finance, administration and staff management across a range of industries, including mining, manufacturing, retail, transport and agriculture. She joined the company in 2009 and was named CFO in 2010.
Dr. Jinxing Ji – Technical Director
Dr. Jinxing Ji is a seasoned metallurgist with six years of research experience in universities and 26 years of practical experience in the mining industry related to gold, silver, copper, zinc and lead. His broad experience includes due diligence, metallurgical test work, pre‐feasibility study, feasibility study, detailed design, plant commissioning support, and operational support for projects in Turkey, Greece, Canada, China, Romania, Brazil and Papua New Guinea.
Steve Mertens – Mining Director
Steve Mertens is a mining engineer with more than 20 years of industry experience across a range of commodities, including nine years based in Latin America. He has been associated with the Goro Nickel Project in New Caledonia and the Mina de Cobre Project in Panama. Prior to his current role as general manager for the Minera La Victoria JV company, he was the mining manager for Antilles Gold’s Las Lagunas operation in the Dominican Republic.
Chris Grainger – Exploration Director
Chris Grainger holds a PhD in economic geology from the University of Western Australia. He is an Australian geologist with more than 25 years of international experience with involvement in grassroots and brownfield exploration, as well as resource definition and development, with a focus on precious and base metals in South and Central America and the Caribbean. He has been associated with Continental Gold’s Buritica gold‐silver project, and Cordoba Minerals’ Alacran copper‐gold project.
Brightstar to Drive Consolidation of Sandstone District
Brightstar and Alto enter into scheme implementation deed. Brightstar acquires Montague East Gold Project from gateway. Brightstar placement to Raise $24 Million.
Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR) (Brightstar) and Alto Metals Limited (ASX: AME) (Alto) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a binding Scheme Implementation Deed under which Alto agrees to propose a scheme of arrangement between Alto and its shareholders under Part 5.1 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Scheme).
Highlights:
- Brightstar Resources Limited (Brightstar) and Alto Metals Limited (Alto) have entered into a Scheme Implementation Deed (SID) under which Alto agrees to propose a Scheme of Arrangement (Scheme) for the acquisition of 100% of Alto
- Concurrently, Brightstar has entered into a Tenement Sale Agreement with Gateway Mining Limited (Gateway) under which Brightstar has agreed to acquire 100% of the Montague East Gold Project (with Gateway to retain all non-precious metal rights) for consideration of $14.0m comprising cash, scrip and contingent payments (Montague Acquisition)
- Under the Scheme, Alto shareholders will receive 4 Brightstar shares for each Alto share held on the Record Date (Scheme Consideration)
- The Scheme Consideration has an implied value of approximately 6 cents1 per Alto share, representing a significant premium of:
- ~82% to the closing Alto share price of 3.3 cents per share on 30 July 2024; and
- ~81% to Alto’s 30-day VWAP of 3.3 cents per share up to and including 30 July 2024
- The Scheme Consideration implies a fully diluted equity value for Alto of $44.4m
- The Alto Board unanimously recommends the Scheme, and the Alto Directors intend to vote all Alto shares in which they have a relevant interest in favour of the Scheme, in each case in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to the Independent Expert concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the Scheme is in the best interests of Alto shareholders2
- Alto’s largest shareholder, Windsong Valley Pty Ltd representing ~15% of the Alto shares on issue, has confirmed to Alto that it intends to vote such of those shares that it holds at the time of the Scheme vote in favour of the Scheme, in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to the independent expert concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the Scheme is in the best interests of Alto shareholders
- Brightstar to raise up to $24m (before costs) at 1.5 cents per share via a two-tranche placement (Placement), which represents a nil discount to the last traded price
- The Scheme is conditional on completion of the Placement, however neither the Placement nor the Montague Acquisition are conditional on completion of the Scheme
- Following completion of the Placement, the Scheme, the Montague Acquisition and the issue of Topdrill Shares and Genesis Shares (refer below), the pro forma Brightstar Group (Combined Group) will have:
- Pro-forma 3.0Moz Au of JORC (2012) Mineral Resources3
- Pro-forma cash position of $31m with potential debt finance facilities totalling $36m
- Strategic ~1,100km2 landholding in the Sandstone region provides a third production hub (Sandstone Hub) to complement existing Brightstar production, development and exploration asset portfolio
- Existing shareholders of Brightstar (including Placement participants), Alto and Gateway holding approximately 66%, 29% and 5% of the Combined Group4
- Brightstar has separately executed a Non-Binding Indicative Offer (NBIO) with a South Korean strategic investor for a multi-tranche investment of $40m, including an upfront $4m equity investment (unconditional and included in the Placement) and a $36m gold offtake financing arrangement
OVERVIEW
Under the terms of the Scheme, Brightstar will acquire 100% of the shares in Alto and each Alto shareholder will receive 4 new Brightstar shares for each Alto share held on the record date for the Scheme5.
In addition to the Scheme, Brightstar, via a newly incorporated wholly owned SPV ‘Montague Gold Project Pty Ltd’ (MGP), has entered into a Tenement Sale Agreement with Gateway Mining Limited (ASX:GML) (Gateway), and its wholly owned subsidiary Gateway Projects Pty Ltd (GPWA), under which MGP proposes to acquire Gateway and GPWA’s interests held in certain mining tenure in respect of Gateway’s Montague
East Gold Project, with MGP obtaining 100% of the gold mineral rights and Gateway retaining all other mineral rights (Montague Acquisition).
The Montague Acquisition is not conditional on the Scheme completing and, subject to the satisfaction of the relevant conditions precedent (see description further below), will proceed independently of the Scheme.
On implementation of the Scheme and completion of the Montague Acquisition, Brightstar will become a significant junior West Australian gold explorer, developer and producer with a material exploration and development platform. The Scheme and Montague Acquisition will consolidate highly prospective exploration ground in the Sandstone region which will complement Brightstar’s existing production, development and exploration asset portfolio, for the benefit of both Brightstar, Alto and Gateway shareholders.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Brightstar 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.
Quarterly Activity Report 30 June 2024
EMU NL (“EMU” or “the Company”) is pleased to report on its activities for the quarter ending 30 June 2024. Throughout the quarter, EMU has continued its primary focus on the Fiery Creek Prospect within the Georgetown Project, in North Queensland.
Highlights
- Successful geochemistry program completed at the Fiery Creek Prospect with high-grade copper assays up to 23.5% Cu from rock-chip samples
- The mineralised discovery zone, tested by pXRF over soil, termite mound and rock chip sample mediums, covers an area approximately 720m long x 480m wide
- pXRF geochemistry programme confirmed extensive broad copper mineralised zone with grades up to 2,484ppm Cu from pXRF soil samples and highest termite mound sample recorded was 1,675ppm Cu
- Results indicate the mineralisation is significant and pervasive between outcropping high- grade copper veining and stockwork veining within the discovery zone and is interpreted to be a subset of a much broader and significant system
- Additional sampling has defined a mineralised, copper anomalous, shear zone extending at least 2.5 km to the SE
- Interpretation of aeromagnetic data suggests that this zone of structural geologic disruption with potential mineralisation and hydrothermal alteration extends approximately 6km to the SSW within the Yataga Igneous Complex
- Drone LiDAR and photogrammetry works now complete with data processing underway
- Geophysics survey (including pole dipole, IP, resistivity and MT) on target to commence August-September 2024
- Airborne aeromagnetic survey over Yataga Igneous Complex scheduled between July and October
- ~$1.45 million total capital raising initiative completed comprising of:
- $250k placement to sophisticated and professional investors;
- 3:5 fully underwritten, non-renounceable rights Issue raising ~$1.2 million.
Georgetown Project
Located within the Georgetown mining district, the Georgetown Project is a richly endowed but under-explored area of Far North Queensland with a history of significant mining activity and mineral discoveries. EMU has the right to earn up to an 80% interest in 3 exploration permits for minerals (EPM’s), covering 850km2 in the Georgetown mining district, Queensland, under a Heads of Agreement and Joint Venture Agreement with Rugby Resources Ltd (TSXV: RUG). The district has a substantial mineral endowment with more than 1,000 mines, prospects and identified mineral occurrences.1
Fiery Creek Copper Prospect
The Fiery Creek Copper Prospect (FCCP) within the Georgetown Project in North Queensland has been identified as a potential massive scale copper porphyry system.
The Fiery Creek Copper prospect is hosted within a major NNW striking shear zone developed in the core of the Yataga Igneous Complex. The complex is a medium grained, equigranular, ovoid, granodiorite body, which at ~29km2 is the largest such igneous body known in the Georgetown Inlier. The prospect’s mineralised, hydrothermal alteration zone has been identified to extend over an area of approximately 6km in strike and up to 2km wide. The structure is characterised by multiple interleaved shear zones with quartz hosted copper vein swarms, stockwork and disseminated copper at surface with petrographical studies indicating several impulse phases of hydrothermal fluidisation. The alteration mineralogy, mineralisation geochemistry and the areal extent of Fiery Creek copper and silver rich vein system suggests the likelihood of a previously unknown sub adjacent porphyry system.
During the quarter the Company mobilised its highly experienced exploration team to site to undertake extended geochemistry programs to further investigate and build upon this potentially significant copper porphyry discovery.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from EMU NL, 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.
Quarterly Activities Report for Period Ended 30 June 2024 and Appendix 5B
Tartana Minerals Limited (ASX: TAT) (the Company), is pleased to announce that copper sulphate pentahydrate (copper sulphate) production continues to increase with sales totalling 97.5 tonnes during the quarter, representing $411K in revenues. This combined with the $201K received this Quarter from earlier sales of zinc slag, brings the total to $612K for the Quarter.
Highlights:
- Sales revenue increasing: cash receipts of $612K including $411K on 97.5 tonnes of copper sulphate pentahydrate during the quarter and receipt of $201K from earlier sales of zinc slag.
- Process optimisation is underway to reach a target production of at least 5 tonnes per day.
- Metallurgical hole D15 assays and testing are underway.
- Tartana Copper project (45,000 t Cu at 0.45% Cu using a 0.2% Cu, further details below)1 studies are underway to establish copper flotation recoveries, concentrate grades and Tomra ore sorting upgrades on a 650 kg bulk sample.
- New EPM 29067 application (Bottle Bird) adjacent to the Tartana Copper project lodged.
- Landholder Standard Conduct and Compensation Agreement (SCCA) executed on Beefwood EPM 26399, Maid EPM 27735 and mining lease applications for Mountain Maid gold and Cardross copper.
- Ms Shuyi (Kiara) Wang appointed as a director on 17 July 2024.
- Significant financings completed in the quarter: repayment of a A$1 million convertible note, raising $1.5 million in a rights issue and shortfall placement at $0.05, and borrowing $0.3 million from another party.
- Name change completed from R3D Resources Limited to Tartana Minerals Limited.
Assaying and metallurgical testwork have commenced on PQ and HQ core from D15. D15 was drilled to 300 m below TRC098 which was drilled in 2022, reporting 72.1 m at 0.63% Cu from 15.6 m2. D15 is located in the central portion of the Tartana Copper project and provides samples of typical mineralisation applicable across the orebody.
The testwork will provide estimated key metallurgical parameters necessary for commercial development of primary copper resources within Tartana’s open pit.
Tartana Minerals lodged a new EPM (29067) application covering an area adjacent to Tartana mining leases which also covers prospective ground near the Company’s Nightflower Silver project.
Elsewhere, the Standard Conduct and Compensation Agreement (SCCA) covering Beefwood EPM 26399 has been finalised as the Company progresses early work on this site. This follows finalisation of SCCAs over Maid EPM 27735, including the Mountain Maid Gold project3 and the Cardross Copper project. Tartana is in progress of finalising a Native Title Agreement with the Wakaman Kung Kung Aboriginal Corporation, following this drilling will commence.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Tartana 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.
Gold and Silver Prices Gain as Fed Holds Rates
The US Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday (July 31) that it will continue to hold its benchmark interest rate steady at 5.25 to 5.5 percent following the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.
The central bank has now maintained its policy for one year following its last rate increase in July 2023.
The meeting comes just days after the Bureau of Labor statistics released the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, which showed inflation continued to cool in June. The data showed a year-over-year increase of 2.5 percent in June, down from the 2.6 percent reported in May.
The index is a favored measure of the Fed as it continues to work to bring inflation back down to its target rate of 2 percent.
In its decision on Wednesday, the committee said it was seeking greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward its target but would continue to assess “incoming data as it is available, the evolving outlook and the balance of risks.” It reiterated that the economic outlook remained uncertain, and it would continue to monitor economic indicators and labor market conditions.
Analysts widely expected the central bank to leave its rate unchanged in July, and economists predicted the first cut will come during its meeting in September.
ITR Economics economist Lauren Saidel-Baker told the Investing News Network, “We expect rate cuts in the second half of this year to support business-to-business demand, with manufacturing and industrial activity benefiting in 2025 and 2026.”
Saidel-Baker also noted that, with only two jobs reports before the September meeting, it would take a significant surprise to dissuade the Fed from making cuts.
Markets rallied ahead of the Fed's release, with the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) and S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) leading the way with 3.25 percent and 1.7 percent gains following a strong earnings report from AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) that pushed chipmakers and the tech sector higher. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Index (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was up just under 1 percent.
Gold and silver were also up in morning trading fueled by increasing tension in the Middle East following Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leadership in Lebanon and Iran respectively, and they both spiked further following the Fed meeting. As of 3:40 pm EDT, gold had climbed 1.28 percent from the open of markets today to move above US$2,450, and silver had climbed 1.26 percent in the same period to hit US$29.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Zodiac Gold
Investor Insight
A large, underexplored land package with potential for district-scale gold deposit makes Zodiac Gold a compelling opportunity amid a positive macroeconomic backdrop for the precious metal sector.
Overview
Zodiac Gold (TSX.V:ZAU) is a gold exploration company focused on its West African flagship Todi project situated in Liberia — an underexplored, politically stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction hosting several large-scale gold deposits. Strategically positioned along the fertile Todi Shear Zone, Zodiac Gold is developing a district-scale gold opportunity covering a vast 2,316 sq km land package. The project has undergone de-risking, showcasing proven gold occurrences at both surface and depth, with five drill-ready targets and high-grade gold intercepts.
Liberia – Stable, Growing and Mining-focused
Liberia is considered a favorable jurisdiction for metals and mining for several reasons: 1) the government has shown a long commitment to developing the mining sector (the mining code is based on Australian legislation), 2) the country has a well-defined regulatory framework (minimal 3 percent royalty rate and a 25 percent basic rate of tax on earnings), and 3) transparent permitting process.
As Africa’s oldest republic, Liberia has had a politically stable democracy since 2003 after signing the Accra Peace Agreement. Additionally, the country has had four successful democratic elections since 2005.
The country is well-endowed with mineral resources that largely remain underexplored. The West African craton hosts numerous world-class deposits with a gold endowment of over 450 Moz. The craton is largely underexplored (~90 percent) with most recent exploration having occurred in the previous 30 years.
Just this year, US iron ore conglomerate High Power Exploration (HPX), founded by mining billionaire Robert Friedland, announced plans to develop the Liberty Corridor – a brand-new multi-user infrastructure corridor connecting Guinea and Liberia.
The Liberty Corridor would comprise a brand-new, world-class rail system connecting the Nimba district of Guinea to a new Liberian deep-water port. The Liberty Corridor is expected to be a leading African example of multi-user, independently operated, and open-access infrastructure that will support the economic opening of the West African region to world markets.
These newly announced Liberian initiatives, coupled with a US-dollar-denominated economy, a majority English speaking population and heavy US presence, makes Liberia a top-tier investment jurisdiction in Africa.
Company Highlights
- Zodiac Gold is a West African gold exploration company developing a district-scale gold discovery in the Republic of Liberia. The company’s land package totals over 2,300 sq km.
- Zodiac Gold has identified five exploration targets that would form the basis for satellite pits that would support a hub-and-spoke mining strategy.
- Proven gold at surface with five drill-ready targets that are open along strike and depth provide strong upside to organic growth from grassroots exploration.
- Discovery-driven management team led by CEO David Kol and director of exploration Tom Dowrick who have over 25 years of combined in-country experience. Management and insiders also own over one quarter of the company.
The Todi Project
Zodiac Gold’s 2,316 sq km, 100 percent owned land package in Liberia includes its flagship Todi property (418 sq km) and other license areas (1,898 sq km) overlying prospective geology and structures known to host gold mineralization. The land package is also strategically located 20 km southeast of Avesoro’s New Liberty Gold Mine (1.8 Moz resource) that produced 360 koz of gold in 2023.
The Todi property has five drill-ready targets:
Arthington
The target boasts more than 4 km of soil anomalies with the discovery of a mineralized gold trend along 1.5 km of strike. Highlight intercepts include 9.6 meters at 7.5 g/t gold and 10.6 meters at 6.6 g/t gold. The company recently completed 3,700 meters or trenching and 3,500 meters of drilling at the property and the Phase 2 drill program defined the strike and depth extents of the target.
Alasala
Target highlights include: 1) a 2.4 km long x 250 meter wide soil anomaly with artisanal workings, 2) rock chip samples up to 107 g/t gold, and 3) drilling intercepts with grades above 6 g/t over just under 20 meters.
Benben
Target highlights include: 1) a 4.5 km long soil anomaly with artisanal workings, and 2) rock chip samples up to 255 g/t gold.
Youth Camp
Target highlights include: 1) a 4 km long soil anomaly with artisanal workings and 2) best historical trenching results of 1 g/t gold over 30 meters.
Alasala South
Characterized by a 1 km long soil anomaly with artisanal workings
Zodiac Gold is developing these five exploration targets that would form the basis for satellite pits that support a hub-and-spoke strategy with material feeding a centralized facility that would process ore.
Management Team
David Kol – Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
David Kol is a highly experienced international business and startup executive with over 20 years of experience in finance, marketing, business development, M&A and executive management, primarily in the resource sector, media/entertainment, real estate and technology industries. Prior to Zodiac, Kol held senior management roles in Gem Rocks Mining Resources, Global Media Group Holdings, The Players Network and Interactive Enterprises, where he worked on projects for Sony, Wink Communications, Netcom, US West (now Qwest Communications), BskyB and JskyB. He currently serves on the board of directors of BluEarth Carbon Development and Global Wholesome Network 501. Kol attended the University of California, Davis, where he studied managerial economics, and has an A.A. (criminal justice) from Diablo Valley College.
Tom Dowrick – Director of Exploration
Tom Dowrick is a seasoned chartered geologist with 17 years of experience in the mining and exploration industry. Since 2011, he has been a driving force at ACA Howe International, where he serves as managing director. In this role, he manages a range of geological and mining consultancy projects around the globe, including serving as a consultant on Zodiac Gold’s Todi project in the Republic of Liberia, West Africa. Dowrick has substantial experience in West Africa, having completed field and desk-based reviews of the exploration activities of both public and private companies in Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Mozambique, in addition to projects in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kazakhstan and Australia.
Peter Granata – Chief Financial Officer
Peter Granata has more than 18 years of experience in finance and operations management within global organizations. He is a dynamic, results-oriented professional with executive positions in TSXV companies and, prior to these, served as an audit manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Granata has prepared financial statements, MD&A, news releases, mine permitting applications and project cash flows. With PricewaterhouseCoopers, he performed audits for Canadian IFRS, US GAAP reconciliations, special purpose financial statements and has executed group reporting under Canadian GAAP. His experience includes CFO for TSXV entities, capital raising, international corporate structures, client engagement, C-suite and directors’ engagement, M&A, financing, investor relations, related party transactions, and finance transformation. Granata has a B. Bus and is a chartered accountant.
Sherry Siu – Corporate Secretary
Sherry Siu has over 30 years of experience working as a paralegal for a boutique law firm in Vancouver, specializing in securities, commercial and corporate matters, and has been corporate secretary of various junior resource companies since 2011. She has worked on a variety of securities-related and corporate transactions, including M&A, spinouts and business combinations, reorganizations, and going-public filings. Siu is a paralegal certified with the BC Paralegal Association.
Douglas Cater – Director
Doug Cater is a professional geologist who has worked extensively across Canada and internationally for more than 35 years, with a particular focus on the Abitibi gold belt located in northeastern Ontario. He has held positions with both senior and intermediate gold producers, including Barrick Gold, Placer Dome and Kinross Gold. His African exploration experience was obtained while serving as an exploration consultant for Barrick Gold in Tanzania, where he was responsible for the project management of an exploration diamond drill program in the Lake Victoria greenstone belt. His most recent executive position was as vice-president, exploration (Canada) with Kirkland Lake Gold. Cater is also a director of Sierra Metals, Mayfair Gold, Exploits Discovery and Gowest Gold. He is a graduate of the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program.
Renaud Adams – Advisor
Renaud Adams has over 30 years of global mining experience in senior executive positions and operations. Currently, Adams serves as the president and chief executive officer of IAMGOLD (NYSE:IAG) (TSE:IMG), a mid-tier Canadian gold company with a US$1.4 billion market cap. From 2018 to 2022, he served as the president and chief executive officer of New Gold, where he led the strategic repositioning of the company and turnaround of its operations. Prior to New Gold. Adams served as the president and chief executive officer of Richmont Mines from 2014 until the company was sold to Alamos Gold in November 2017. During his time at Richmont Mines, the primary mine of the company experienced a two-fold increase in production, the mineral reserves were multiplied by more than three, and the costs were reduced significantly, leading to the Island Gold Mine in Ontario becoming one of the most cost-efficient underground mines in the Americas. From 2011 to 2014, Adams served as chief operating officer at Primero Mining Corporation, and prior to that he served as general manager of IAMGOLD’s Rosebel mine in Suriname before being appointed senior vice-president, Americas Operations. Adams holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in mining and mineral processing from Laval University in Quebec, Canada.
Michael Demeter – Advisor
Michael Demeter is a highly experienced executive with a track record spanning over 30 years in financial services, including the past 22 years in capital markets, advising both companies and buy-side investors as well as raising growth capital for a wide range of companies. Michael has worked with boutique investment dealers, Canadian banks, and global investment banks, providing him with diverse exposure to companies of all sizes. Michael is a Partner with Fort Capital, one of Canada’s leading independent investment banking advisory firms. Mr. Demeter is the former Managing Director and Head of Institutional Sales at Haywood Securities and has held senior management roles at Macquarie Group, Dundee Securities, Royal Bank of Canada, and Scotiabank. Mr. Demeter earned a BA (Economics) from Huron College at the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. His work in financial services has led him to attain his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. He is a member of the Rotman Dean’s Global Advisory Board (GAB), and the Loan Review Committee for Rise Asset Management, a charity dedicated to helping people with mental health and addiction challenges achieve financial independence through self-employment or small business ownership.
Ryan Hanley – Advisor
Ryan Hanley is currently the CEO of Springburn Capital, a private investment and consulting company. Before founding Springburn, he was the director and mining analyst at Laurentian Bank Securities in Toronto, where he worked from March 2017 to May 2024. Before joining LBS, Hanley was an equity research analyst specializing in mining and mining services at Research Capital from 2012 to 2017. His career at Research Capital also included roles as a mining research associate from 2009 to 2012, and an investment banking analyst in 2008.
Hanley has been ranked as a top analyst by Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters and Refinitiv, including as the third-ranked "Top Stock Picker (All Sectors)" in Canada in the 2017 Thomson Reuters Analyst Awards. He holds a BA from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Mining Sector Faces Repeated Disruptions as Wildfires Burn Across Canada
Canadian wildfires are impacting mining companies in various areas, disrupting their activities.
Explorers and producing companies operating in BC, Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador and are among those that have been affected during this year's wildfire season, with activity starting as early as May.
In BC, Osisko Development (TSXV:ODV,NYSE:ODV) suspended non-essential activities at its Cariboo gold project on July 22 following an evacuation order. The order was lifted on July 26, and Osisko was able to resume work immediately.
Also on July 22, Independence Gold (TSXV:IGO,OTCQB:IEGCF) evacuated its 3Ts gold-silver project in BC. The BC Wildfire Service issued an evacuation notice on July 21, as the fire was deemed "out of control," at an estimated 51 hectares.
CEO Randy Turner said exploration will resume when it is safe, following guidance from the BC Wildfire Service.
Across the country, Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) initiated a coordinated shutdown at Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) in response to an evacuation order from the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
The news was reported by Reuters on July 15, with a spokesperson for Rio Tinto confirming there had been no injuries or damage to infrastructure; they also said operations would resume once deemed safe by authorities.
IOC is a joint venture between Rio Tinto, Mitsubishi (TSE:8058) and Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Income Corporation. Last year, it produced 16.48 million metric tons of iron ore across five operational pits, according to company estimates.
Reuters also notes that Champion Iron (TSX:CIA,OTC Pink:CHPRF) temporarily shut down its Bloom Lake mine in Québec due to wildfire activity. The company implemented emergency response protocols, evacuated its workforce and took preventive measures to protect high-risk facilities. It announced a gradual return to work two days later.
"Zombie fires" may be fueling this year's activity
Devastating wildfires ravaged various parts of Canada in 2023, starting at the beginning of March and continuing to November. The season was the worst for wildfires on record in terms of damage and proximity.
By September of last year, the Canadian government had reported over 6,132 fires burning through 16.5 million hectares of land by early September. Just like this year, producers and exploration companies in the mining industry were forced to implement emergency protocols, especially those operating in the Northern Québec region.
The reignition of "zombie fires," a popularized term referring to fires persisting throughout the winter from last year’s phenomenon, is being looked at as the possible cause for this year’s blazing onslaught.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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