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Norfolk Metals
Overview
Norfolk Metals (ASX:NFL) is an ASX-listed exploration company focused on its uranium in South Australia and Argentina. The company’s flagship property is the Orroroo uranium project in South Australia. It also holds a gold-copper project, the Roger River Property in Tasmania. Norfolk Metals is currently focused on advancing its uranium project and evaluating uranium assets for acquisition. In April 2024, the company announced it is acquiring the Las Altares uranium project in Argentina, through an exclusivity agreement with Green Shift Commodities.
Uranium prices have been on an upward trajectory since 2023, with prices rising from less than $50/lb to over $100/lb in 2024. The prices are currently hovering around $90/lb and could increase further, driven by a supply deficit. Kazatomprom, the world's largest uranium miner, announced in February 2024 that it is reducing uranium production. The company said production levels at its operations in Kazakhstan are anticipated to remain 20 percent lower, chiefly attributed to the sulfuric acid shortage prevailing in the country. Cameco, the world’s largest publicly traded uranium supplier, has provided a 2024 production guidance which is also not very bullish.
While the supply remains challenging, the demand continues to ramp up. The surge in uranium demand has been predominantly fueled by heightened utility contracting, a trend that offers robust support and sustainability to elevated price levels. The World Nuclear Association’s Nuclear Fuel Report indicates that global nuclear reactor demands are projected to almost double by 2040, rising from 65,650 tU in 2023 to 130,000 tU in 2040. According to Sprott, utilities have nearly 1.5 billion pounds of uncovered uranium requirements through 2040, compared to current annual production of around 150 Mlbs. Further, substantial underinvestment in new mining projects has exacerbated an already constrained supply side, leading to prolonged strain in the years ahead.
The uranium market appears to remain firmly in an uptrend driven by rising demand and constrained supply. Elevated prices also enhance the prospects for junior miners to progress their projects and potentially secure future supply agreements with utilities.
Norfolk Metals boasts uranium assets in a tier-1 mining jurisdiction of South Australia. The recent maiden drill program at the Orroroo project intersected a uranium-bearing floodplain, boosting confidence in the potential of the project.
Norfolk continues to review complementary projects with plans to expand its uranium project suite. In 2024, the company signed an exclusivity agreement with Green Shift Commodities (TSXV:GCOM) to acquire Las Alteras uranium project in Argentina. Las Alteras is surrounded by non-JORC foreign estimates at URAmerica’s Meseta Central deposit (19.1 Mlbs U308), CNEA’s Cerro Solo deposit (11.49 Mlbs U308), ISO Energy’s Laguna Salada deposit (10.1 Mlbs U308), along with the Cerro Condor and Los Adobes historical uranium mines.
Company Highlights
- Norfolk Metals is an ASX-listed uranium-focused explorer with assets located in South Australia (Orroroo uranium project), Argentina (Las Alteras uranium project) and Tasmania (Roger River gold/copper project).
- The primary focus is on advancing the Orroroo uranium project located in the Walloway Basin in South Australia. Orroroo comprises three granted exploration licenses, which together cover 723 square kilometres. of contiguous tenements. The land holding is divided into three project areas named Orroroo, Johnburgh and Black Rock.
- Orroroo has geological similarities to well-endowed South Australian uranium producers such as Boss Energy’s Honeymoon Uranium project and Heathgate Resources’ Four Mile mine.
- Norfolk completed a maiden drill program at Orroroo which delineated uranium in 10 of the 17 holes with grades reaching as high as 796 ppm. The maiden drill program also identified a uranium-bearing floodplain 50 meters south of the Wongway Creek Target.
- In Argentina, Norfolk has signed an exclusivity agreement with Green Shift Commodities to acquire Las Alteres uranium project, a project surrounded by multiple uranium deposits and historical mines in every direction including the Cerro Solo government owned deposit
- The Roger River Project comprises two granted exploration licenses, which together cover 261 square kilometers, located in Tasmania. The project is prospective for gold and copper.
- Norfolk is evaluating other projects for acquisition, which includes complementary projects to the South Australian uranium project suite.
- Uranium prices are likely to remain firm on the back of supply deficit. Kazakhstan, the world’s largest uranium supplier, has warned of lower production in 2024, while demand continues to remain high as governments around the world embrace nuclear power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Key Projects
Orroroo Uranium Project
The Orroroo uranium project consists of three exploration licenses - EL6552, EL6814, and EL6948 - spanning a total of 723 square kilometers, situated roughly 274 kilometers northwest of Adelaide, South Australia. The large land holding is divided into three project areas named Orroroo, Johnburgh and Black Rock.
Orroroo lies within the Walloway Basin, an underexplored uranium region characterized by sediments of similar age to those found in the nearby Frome Embayment, where Boss Energy’s Honeymoon project is located.
Norfolk Metals completed a two-phase drilling program at Orroroo Project (EL6552), identifying uranium in 10 of 17 holes with grades reaching as high as 796 parts per million (ppm). Phase 2 of the drill program also identified a uranium-bearing floodplain 50 meters south of the Wongway Creek Target. The confirmation of uranium-bearing floodplain deposits upstream of Wongway Creek has strengthened confidence in the paleochannel model. Crucial drill holes, including ORMR015A and ORMR017, have offered valuable insights into floodplain features and the identification of kaolinitic clay marker beds, crucial for unraveling the basin’s geological evolution.
Drill samples from ORMR015A showing the kaolonitic clay marker unit from 121-130 metres and floodplain silt from 130-137 metres.
ORMR015A intersected what seems to be a floodplain dominated by silt, with minor gravel and two elevated gamma anomalies indicating uranium at both the top and bottom of this unit. In ORMR017, there was a heightened gamma response at approximately 132 meters depth, aligning with the top of the floodplain identified in ORMR015A. This suggests that the paleochannel may be situated just meters away from the target. Additionally, the detection of a mustard-colored limonite-rich fluid in certain drilling locations suggests potential uranium sources.
The identification of paleochannels offers geologists precise targets for uranium exploration. By mapping geological characteristics and comprehending past river systems, exploration endeavors can be concentrated on regions with an increased probability of harboring uranium deposits.
The maiden drill program has further substantiated Orroroo as a potential emerging uranium district within the renowned Walloway Basin in South Australia. Norfolk is moving forward on the future planning and approvals for Orroroo with a focus on the uranium-bearing floodplains intersected near the Wongway Creek target.
In 2024, Norfolk will begin operations on exploration permit EL6814, which is adjacent to the north and south of EL6552. The initial activities on EL6814 will be planned based on the findings and analysis from the inaugural drilling program at EL6552.
The company remains optimistic about the potential of the Walloway Basin beyond EL6552 (Orroroo project), particularly in areas such as the northern region (Johnburgh Project) and the southern region (Black Rock Project), where significant portions have yet to undergo geophysical surveys or drilling operations.
Las Alteras Uranium Project
Through an exclusivity agreement with Green Shift Commodities (GCOM) Norfolk has rights to 22 claims totaling 60,396 hectares comprising the Las Alteras uranium project to the west and east of the 11.49M lbs (Reasonably Assured Resource) Cerro Solo uranium deposit.
Las Alteras is surrounded by UrAmerica’s Meseta Central deposit (19.1 Mlbs eU308), CNEA’s Cerre Solo deposit (11.49M lbs U308), and ISO Energy’s Laguna Salada deposit (10.1 Mlbs U308). The project is also close to two historical mines, Cerro Condor and Los Adobes.
Norfolk plans to complete a due diligence on the project and pursue completion of the acquisition of the property from Green Shift Commodities.
Roger River Project
The Roger River Project comprises two granted exploration licenses encompassing a total area of 261 square kilometres. Positioned 410 kilometres northwest of Hobart, Tasmania, the project is deemed prospective for gold and copper.
During 2023, Norfolk continued its exploration program to obtain a better understanding of the copper and gold mineralization to guide the next exploration phase and potential drilling. The exploration work included a soil sampling program. The soil program entailed the collection of new surface samples and the re-analyses of selected historical soil samples over the White Water and A2 prospects which were submitted for Cu analysis.
Fresh surface samples were gathered on a grid measuring 200 by 100 meters around A2, totaling 98 samples. This sampling covered an area of roughly 1.2 kilometers by 1.5 kilometers along the interpreted splay from the Roger River Fault. The findings reveal a persistent copper anomaly surrounding the A4 and A5 prospects, situated along the interpreted fault splay originating from the Roger River Fault.
The historical samples re-analyzed revealed a continuous copper anomaly around the A4 and A5 prospects located along the interpreted fault splay from the Roger River Fault.
Management Team
Ben Phillips – Executive Chairman
Ben Phillips brings over 15 years of experience in commercial negotiations across diverse industries, including oil and gas, resources, medical technology, software-as-a-service and defense. He guides departments spanning from R&D and exploration to production, commercialization, and sales. Previously, Phillips served as a non-executive director at Bronson Group (ASX:BGR) and later at Mandrake Resources (ASX:MAN). In his current role as a corporate executive at Ironside, he focuses on sourcing, structuring, funding and managing requirements for small-cap companies, both private and public. Phillips has been with Ironside Capital since its inception, previously serving at Merchant Corporate Finance.
Leo Pilapil – Non-Executive Technical Director
Leo Pilapil has over 30 years of experience as a geoscientist. Throughout his career, he has held director positions at numerous junior companies across Australia, Africa and Turkey. In these roles, he has been primarily responsible for technical project evaluations, project acquisitions, project management and business development. Pilapil's notable achievements include the discovery of the Harlequin Gold Deposit (1 Moz) under salt lake conditions in Norseman, Western Australia. Additionally, he has played a key role in the extension and discovery of several ore deposits in Australia, Africa and Turkey. Pilapil has served as a geological consultant for numerous companies across the globe, including Aditya Birla in Australia, Alacer Gold Corporation in Turkey, African Uranium in Namibia, and NIKKI Lao in Lao PDR.
Patrick Holywell – Non-Executive Director
Patrick Holywell possesses over 15 years of expertise in accounting, finance and corporate governance, having worked at Deloitte and Patersons (now Canaccord Genuity). He is a chartered accountant and a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia. Over the past decade, Holywell has primarily focused on director and company secretarial roles within the resources and technology sectors. His recent engagements include positions at De Grey Mining, Si6 Metals, and Pentanet.
Olympio to Acquire Advanced Bousquet Gold Project, Quebec, Canada
Highlights
- Option to acquire up to 80% of the Bousquet Gold Project from Bullion Gold
- Located on the Cadillac Break, a regional structure associated with world class gold and copper mineralisation (>110 Moz Au1)
- Numerous high-grade prospects including Paquin East with historical intercept of 9m @ 16.96g/t Au6
- Within 15km of multi-million ounce working gold mines (Agnico Eagle’s La Ronde - 15.8Moz Au2 and Iamgold’s Westwood - 2.4Moz Au3)
- High-grade, quartz hosted vein systems with common visible gold, similar to nearby O’Brien Project 15km to the east (1.0Moz Au4, Radisson)
- 24km2 of contiguous tenure, covering a 10km strike of the Cadillac Break
- Complements the Company’s Dufay Au-Cu Project 60km to the west, and provides a combined 20km strike exposure to highly prospective segments of the Cadillac Break
- Excellent road, rail and hydroelectric infrastructure runs through the project, with year- round access
- Underexplored property with the majority of drillholes completed pre-1947
- The Option provides further exposure to a strong gold price with flexible structure terms
Olympio’s Managing Director, Sean Delaney, commented:
“Acquiring the advanced Bousquet Gold Project presents a significant opportunity for Olympio to expand our exposure to one of the world’s premier gold-bearing structures—the renowned Cadillac Break. The project is strategically positioned between substantial gold deposits to the east and west, with numerous high-grade gold prospects featuring gold both at surface and in drilling. This makes Bousquet an exceptional exploration target. The geological setting and mineralisation style closely resemble the nearby million-ounce O’Brien Project, where high-grade gold zones are often associated with visible gold in quartz veining.
“The Project is next to working gold mines with under-utilised mills (<20km by road), with a major highway, railway and hydroelectric power all traversing the centre of the project.
Bullion are divesting Bousquet to focus on their large Bodo polymetallic project which provides Olympio with this great opportunity to explore in one of the world’s best gold regions.”
Figure 1 Setting of Olympio projects, Bousquet and Dufay, on the Cadillac Break
The Bousquet Gold Project is a strategic land acquisition which complements the Dufay Gold-Copper Project 60km to the west along the renowned Cadillac Break. The southern half of the project covers a well-defined, regionally mineralised zone to the south of the Cadillac Break, which hosts numerous gold prospects within Timiskaming Group sediments that are exclusively correlated with the development of the Cadillac Break.
The Bousquet Project includes several advanced gold prospects and numerous structural and geophysical targets that remain untested by drilling or modern exploration. The majority of drilling on the project is pre-1947, and all prospects remain under-explored.
HIGH GRADE QUARTZ VEINS IN FAVOURABLE GEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Gold mineralisation at Bousquet is structurally controlled, quartz vein-hosted, high-grade gold associated with second and third order structures peripheral to the Cadillac Break, which is typical of the majority of mineralisation on the Cadillac Break1.
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This article includes content from Olympio Metals 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.
Adavale Resources
Investor Insight
Adavale Resources’ transformative January 2025 acquisition of gold and copper assets in the prolific Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales puts the company on a growth trajectory, presenting a compelling investment opportunity for savvy investors.
Overview
Adavale Resources (ASX:ADD) is a dynamic junior exploration company primarily focused on its flagship gold and copper projects in New South Wales (NSW), within the prolific Lachlan Fold Belt. This portfolio spans 354.15 sq kmand comprises four tenements: EL7242, EL8830, EL8831 and EL9711. The acquisition of these assets represents a transformational opportunity, strategically positioning Adavale Resources in one of the world’s richest gold and copper belts.
Parkes Project in the Lachlan Fold Belt
In addition to gold and copper, Adavale boasts extensive uranium assets in South Australia and nickel projects in Tanzania. These diversified holdings place the company at the forefront of exploration across commodities critical for global industrial and technological advancement.
Adavale Resources is poised for significant growth as it advances its gold and uranium projects through strategic drilling programs in 2025. With a robust exploration pipeline, world-class assets in tier-one jurisdictions, and a leadership team aligned with shareholder interests, the company is well-positioned to capitalise on favourable commodity trends.
Company Highlights
- A junior explorer, with projects in tier-one jurisdictions; focused on gold and copper, Adavale also holds valuable uranium and nickel licences .
- The January 2025 acquisition of the Parkes project in the Lachlan Fold Belt, spanning 354.15 sq km, strategically positions Adavale to expand on the historic orogenic gold resource (124 koz gold) and make a major epithermal and/or porphyry gold and copper discovery in this tier-1 mining jurisdiction. The Lachlan Fold Belt assets are strategically located near world-class mining operations, including Cadia, Northparkes and Cowal.
- The company’s extensive uranium tenements span 4,959 sq km across the Flinders Ranges and Eyre Peninsula, regions known for hosting tier-one uranium deposits.
- Adavale’s nickel projects in Tanzania’s East African Nickel Belt are strategically located adjacent to the Kabanga nickel project — the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade nickel sulphide deposit.
- Drilling and resource-definition programs in 2025 will target key gold, copper and uranium assets, building on the company’s diversified growth strategy.
Key Projects
Gold and Copper – Lachlan Fold Belt, NSW
Adavale Resources recently acquired a 72.5 percent interest in the Parkes project, located in the highly prospective Lachlan Fold Belt of New South Wales. Adavale’s flagship project encompasses 354.15 sq km across four tenements in the Lachlan Fold Belt, a region that has produced over 80 million ounces (Moz) of gold and 13 million tonnes (Mt) of copper historically. The London-Victoria gold mine (EL7242) is a cornerstone of this portfolio, with historical production of 200,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 2 grams per ton (g/t). London-Victoria (EL7242) also recently received a successful renewal until November 2030.
Exploration activity in 2024 included diamond drilling, which intersected a 12-meter-thick zone of quartz-carbonate veining and shearing, consistent with high-grade mineralisation seen in historical operations. Assay results from this program are pending and expected to provide critical insights for resource expansion.
In addition to the London-Victoria gold mine, the Ashes Prospect (EL8831) has returned high-grade rock chip samples, including results of 8.8 g/t gold and 5.5 percent copper. Similarly, the Birthday mine (EL8830) boasts historical grades averaging 11 g/t gold. The 2025 exploration strategy focuses on resource definition and advancing London-Victoria to JORC-compliant status, testing extensions, and unlocking additional mineralised zones at these prospects, supported by advanced geophysical and geochemical surveys.
Uranium – South Australia
Adavale holds 4,959 sq kmof uranium-rich tenements across the highly prospective Flinders Ranges outwash and Eyre Peninsula, regions known for hosting tier-1 uranium deposits. Historical drilling has revealed promising results, including intercepts of 1 metre at 263 parts per million (ppm) eU3O8 and 0.65 meters at 235 ppm eU3O8. These results underscore the region’s potential to host significant uranium resources.
The company is advancing its maiden 2,000 metre air core drilling program in Q1 of 2025, targeting paleochannel extensions and uranium redox boundaries, which have been identified through advanced geophysical surveys. Adavale’s uranium portfolio is particularly well-positioned to benefit from increasing global demand for uranium, driven by geopolitical factors, rising nuclear energy investment globally, and surging prices, which reached $106/lb in early 2024.
Nickel – East African Nickel Belt, Tanzania
Adavale’s nickel portfolio includes 1,315 sq km across 12 highly prospective exploration licences in Tanzania’s East African Nickel Belt. It is strategically located next to and along strike of the world-class Kabanga nickel project — the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade nickel sulphide deposit. Recent exploration at the Luhuma Central prospect has confirmed nickel sulphides in all five drill holes completed, with mineralisation trends extending southwest.
The company employs a combination of geophysical methods, including gravity, magnetics and Heli-EM surveys, to refine its understanding of subsurface structures and identify high-priority drill targets. Adavale’s ongoing exploration in this globally significant nickel belt is expected to build on recent successes, advancing resource definition and project development, making the company well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the global demand for battery metals.
Leadership Team
Allan Ritchie - Executive Chairman and CEO
Allan Ritchie is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience in corporate finance and resource management, including as director and officer of ASX and HK listed companies. Ritchie’s distinguished career spans both the energy, resources, and investment banking sectors, and includes leadership roles in both private and publicly listed companies.
Ritchie has served as non-executive director of ASX listed Hydrocarbon Dynamics (ASX:HCD), and executive director and deputy CEO of HK listed energy group, EPI Holdings (0689.HKEX).
Ritchie’s investment banking background includes structuring commercial transactions in the energy and resources sector. Senior roles include positions within Westpac, ANZ Bank, HSBC and BNP Paribas in Australia, London, New York and Asia Pacific. His investment banking achievements have been recognised several times at the top of BRW’s annual poll of bankers.
Ritchie graduated from the University of Technology in Sydney in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business and subsequently attained a post graduate diploma in Applied Finance from the Financial Services Institute of Australia.
John Hicks - Non-executive Director
John Hicks is a qualified geologist with over 40 years’ experience in exploration and mining in Australia. John is regarded as a nickel sulphide specialist, having held various senior exploration and development roles on several major nickel sulphide projects in Western Australia.
For the previous 15 years, Hicks was the general manager of exploration at Panoramic Resources (ASX:PAN), where he was instrumental in the discovery of the komatiite hosted Deacon and Lower-Schmitz orebodies at Lanfranchi and the intrusive hosted Savannah North nickel orebody in Western Australia. Hicks was also a key member of the team responsible for taking these discoveries through to final investment decisions.
Prior to joining Panoramic, Hicks held various roles with several notable mining companies including Australian Consolidated Minerals and WMC Limited where he worked on the Mount Keith nickel project. As an independent geological consultant between 1998 and 2005, he was involved with the Cosmos and the Honeymoon Well nickel projects.
Maurice (Nic) Matich - Non-executive Director
Maurice (Nic) Matich is a mechanical engineer and finance professional with over 17 years’ experience in the resources sector. His wide industry experience includes the provision of engineering, risk consulting and insurance services to numerous tier-1 mining companies with operations in lithium, iron ore, mineral sands, gold and kaolin.
Matich previously served as managing director of Pinnacle Minerals (ASX:PIM) and executive director of Heavy Minerals (ASX:HVY), delivering both a maiden resource and scoping study (NPV8 $253M) for the Port Gregory project.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, Bachelor of Science (Phys/IT) and a graduate diploma in Applied Finance and is a graduate of the AICD.
Leonard Math - CFO & Company Secretary
Leonard Math is a chartered accountant with extensive experience managing financial operations for ASX listed resources companies. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business (double major in accounting and information systems) from Edith Cowan University in 2003 and became a chartered accountant in September, 2008. He has held multiple director, CFO and company secretary roles in the resources sector, most recently with Summit Minerals (ASX:SUM).
Metallurgical Drilling Confirms Historic Grades at the Byro REE / Li Project
Highlights
- Assay results received from metallurgical drilling at the Byro REE & Li Project confirm historic REE / Li mineralisation intercepts.
- Intercepts of over 50m from surface with grades including 500ppm Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) with 20% magnetic REE’s, 375ppm Lithium Oxide (Li2O) and 523ppm Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5).
- Mineralisation has been intercepted in historic drilling over 30km of strike.
- The drilling was to provide fresh samples of the Byro black shale to undergo metallurgical extraction testwork.
Octava’s Managing Director Bevan Wakelam stated;
”Octava is investigating the potential for Australia’s first, large scale, low cost sedimentary basin deposit of REE’s, lithium and base metals. Metal extraction from black shales is a proven, low- cost technology used in other operations around the world. We will commence initial metallurgical testwork to determine the viability of extracting these metals from the black shale at Byro. We look forward to providing further updates as this work proceeds.
The Byro Project is located on the Byro Plains of the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia, 220km south-east of Carnarvon and consists of two granted Exploration Licences – E 09/2673 and E 09/2674 – totalling 798 km2. The Byro Project also has Native Title agreements in place. Nearby infrastructure includes accessibility to a commercial port (Geraldton) and power from the NW gas pipeline and future potential access to Western Australian government proposed green energy sites.
Two metallurgical HQ3 coreholes were drilled for a total of 204m. The holes were drilled adjacent to previously drilled RC holes to confirm mineralisation and to provide fresh sample material for metallurgical testwork.
Figure 1. Metallurgical Core Drilling at the Byro REE Project.
The Byro project lies at the centre of the Permian Byro Sub-basin of the Carnarvon Basin. The Byro Group hosts sedimentary packages of sandstones, siltstones and mudstones, including black shales and coal seams. The dominant unit in the tenure is the Bulgadoo shale, which consists of banded carbonaceous shale and arenite, containing beds of enriched pyrite, bivalves and bryozoans.
The black shales in the Byro sub basin appear to have formed a metal sink that contains large volumes of anomalous REE, Li and base metals. The source of the metals at Byro is likely the Archean basement rocks of the Yilgarn Craton located ~40km to the east. The REE host rocks at Byro have been transported to their current location, unlike typical REE clay exploration targets in Australia which are formed in situ, from weathered granitic basement rocks.
Permian Black shales are known worldwide for their potential to host enriched poly-metallic deposits. These deposits contain considerable volumes of lower concentration resources of base metals, rare earths, lithium and other strategic minerals. They offer the opportunity for large-scale, low-cost mining operations capable of supplying the metals for a number of years. Octava is examining the black shales at the Byro project for the same potential.
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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.
Norfolk Metals Investor Kit
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