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Manuka Resources
Investor Insight
Manuka Resources’ unique value proposition is focused on its three fully licenced projects, which include two precious metals assets in one of Australia’s most prolific regions for base and precious metals, and a company-making iron sands (vanadium and titanium co-products) project in New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Taranaki bight. Manuka Resources is well-placed to deliver significant shareholder value, driven by a phased strategy that includes a clear pathway to near-term precious metals production.
Strategy Overview
Manuka Resources (ASX:MKR) is focused on bringing its precious metals assets in the Cobar Basin into production, as well as progressing its New Zealand domiciled Taranaki VTM iron sands project.
The company previously revealed a phased strategy focused on delivering maximum value to its shareholders. The first phase focused on bringing back the Mt Boppy gold mine into production and it released an optimised production plan for the mine restart. At the time, the company believed silver production would follow gold but noted it was flexible in this regard. In any event and simultaneous to this, will be the ongoing development of the Taranaki vanadium titano-magnetite (VTM) project.
The Cobar Basin located in the central-west of New South Wales, is one of the richest mining provinces in Australia, home to some of Australia’s largest mining companies and explorers.
The Mt Boppy gold mine was historically one of the richest in NSW, Australia and produced ~500,000 oz gold at an average grade of 15 grams per ton (g/t) gold. Accordingly, the company is very excited about its exploration potential.
Drone image looking South showing the main components of the Rock Dump and tailing resources in relation to the Mt. Boppy open pit.
The initial five-year mine plan is largely focused on the screening and processing of gold-bearing waste material above ground on the Mt Boppy mine site. The company had been processing these wastes from June 2023 to December 2023 at its Wonawinta plant and now will look to optimize the process.
The Wonawinta silver project will be the largest primary silver producer in Australia and expected to be back in silver production within 12 months. Manuka has released a maiden ore reserve (under its ownership) of 4.8Mt1 at 53.8g/t silver containing 8.4Moz of silver comprising proven ore reserves of 0.8Mt at 50.8g/t silver; and probable ore reserves of 4.1Mt at 54.3g/t silver. Ore Reserve is based solely on shallow (<40m deep) oxide material.
The Wonawinta 100tph Ball Mill
The gold and silver market appears to be in an upward trend, with prices for both precious metals hitting their all-time highs recently, in Australian dollar terms for silver, which bodes very positively for MKR.
Company Highlights
- Manuka Resources is an ASX-listed mining company focused on producing gold and silver from its two 100 percent owned fully permitted projects (one gold and one silver) in the Cobar Basin in New South Wales, Australia.
- In addition, MKR’s wholly owned subsidiary Trans-Tasman Resources Limited (“TTR”) is the owner of the Taranaki VTM (vanadiferous titanomagnetite) iron sands project, located in the New Zealand EEZ, off the south-west coast of the north island.
- Manuka released the details of the Taranaki VTM project’s pre-feasibility study (PFS) on 26 March 2025, which highlights the extremely robust economics of the project with an NPV10 of US$1.2B and IRR 39 percent
- TTR will also be lodging its application under New Zealand’s Fast Track Approvals Act for the Taranaki VTM project imminently. (The project was included in Schedule 2 of the Act). Successful conclusion of review under the Fast Track pathway will result in final regulatory approvals (marine discharge consent) being granted, completing the full suite of consents to operate the project for 20 years.
- The Company’s primary focus for its precious metals assets is on bringing both the fully permitted Wonawinta silver project and the Mt Boppy gold mine back into production during 2025. The Wonawinta processing plant (primarily constructed for silver production in 2012 with production capacity of 850,000-1 million tpa) has been recently used for both gold and silver processing and is on active care and maintenance for rapid restart..
- The Wonawinta silver project was previously the largest primary producer of silver in Australia, and Manuka expects this to again be the case once production restarts.
- While the substantially higher gold prices have been securing headlines over the past six months, it is worth noting that the silver price is also trading at an all time high which makes restarting the project very attractive (the all time high for silver is against the Australian dollar, currently silver is around AU$54/oz silver).
- Manuka released its maiden silver reserve in October 2024 making it the only production ready silver reserve on a project based in Australia.
- Elevated gold and silver prices should materially benefit Manuka Resources, resulting in strong profitability and cash flows once its projects move into production.
Key Projects
Mt Boppy Gold Project
The Mt Boppy gold project comprises three mining leases, four gold leases and one exploration license, spanning an area of more than 210 sq km in the prolific Cobar Basin in New South Wales, Australia. The project was acquired by Manuka in 2019 and has a current mineral resource of 4.3 Mt at 1.19 g/t gold. This includes a combination of oxidized and transitional/fresh mineralization in the ground, as well as mineralized rock dumps and tailings.
Historically, Manuka Resources has processed its stockpiles and gold mineralized waste products through its Wonawinta processing plant. However, inefficiencies associated with trucking and processing ore at the distant Wonawinta plant has led the company to revise its strategy. It is now looking to construct a processing plant at Mt Boppy so that ore from the mine can be processed on-site. Mt Boppy has excellent infrastructure including a 48-person mine camp and is fully permitted for the proposed processing plant and on-site production.
The updated mineral resource comprises 4.28 Mt at 1.19 g/t gold for 163 koz of contained gold, of which 82 percent is in the measured and indicated categories.
An on-site plant will offer significant cost savings and improve the project economics.
Manuka Resources anticipates Mt Boppy to deliver total EBITDA of >AU$90 million and cash flow of >AU$80 million over a five-year mine life.
Wonawinta Silver Mine Project
The Wonawinta plant
The Wonawinta project is fully permitted with all the necessary infrastructure, including an 850,000 to 1 million tpa processing plant. The plant has been used for processing ore from Mt Boppy. The Wonawinta silver mine is currently under care and maintenance. The company is considering the possibility of resuming operations at Wonawinta, leveraging the improved silver price environment. Manuka has released a maiden ore reserve (under its ownership):
- Ore Reserve of 4.8 Mt at 53.8 g/t silver containing 8.4 Moz of silver comprising:
- Proved Ore Reserves of 0.8 Mt at 50.8 g/t silver; and
- Probable Ore Reserves of 4.1 Mt at 54.3 g/t Ag.
The maiden silver ore reserve and the preparation of an implementation plan for Wonawinta support the potential restart of silver mining and processing operations in the near
future. The company is reviewing its silver restart plans in light of the current price increases and expects to announce a decision before the end of May 2025.
Taranaki VTM Project
The Taranaki VTM project is located within New Zealand's exclusive economic zone, approximately 22 to 36 kilometres offshore, outside the 12 nautical mile boundary from the coastline. The project boasts a JORC resource of 3.2 billion tons at 10.17 percent iron oxide, 1.03 percent titanium dioxide and 0.05 percent vanadium oxide. It holds a mining license allowing initial extraction of 50 million tons annually, resulting in 5 million tons of VTM concentrate per year for 20 years (concentrate grade of 56 to 57 percent iron, 8.5 percent titanium dioxide and 0.5 percent vanadium pentoxide). At this extraction rate, the JORC resource provides approximately 60 years of potential mining inventory.
The project was included in the New Zealand government's Schedule 2 of the Fast Track Approvals Act 2024. The next step for Manuka was to complete pre-feasibility study (“PFS”) on the project. This was released to the market on 26 March 2025 and presents an extremely robust economic outlook for the project as can be seen below.
Management Team
Dennis Karp – Executive Chairman
Dennis Karp is a former commodities trader with nearly four decades of corporate experience. He started his career in 1983 and worked in HSBC until 1997 before moving to Tennant, one of Australia’s largest physical commodities trading companies with operations in Asia and Europe. He was a principal shareholder of Tennant Metals until 2010 and a managing director until December 2014. He founded ResCap in December 2014. Since then, he has participated in diverse resource projects and investment opportunities across base metals and bulk commodities. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town.
Alan Eggers – Executive Director
Alan Eggers has over 40 years of experience in the mining sector. He is a geologist and was the founder of Summit Resources, which became an ASX top 200 company and was acquired by Paladin Energy in 2007 for AU$1.2 billion. Throughout his career, he has held director positions at numerous companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Honours, and Master of Science degrees from Victoria University of Wellington. He is recognized as a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and holds memberships in AusIMM and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.
John Seton – Non-executive Director
John Seton is a lawyer with extensive experience in the mineral resources sector. He has served as director in several ASX and NZX listed companies. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University, Wellington, and a Master of Law (Honours) from the University of Auckland and is a chartered fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Haydn Lynch – Chief Operating Officer
Haydn Lynch has over 25 years of experience in M&A, capital markets and private equity. He has been involved in executing several domestic and cross-border transactions in various sectors including metals and mining, and industrials. He has held leadership roles in global investment banks, including Bankers Trust Australia, Investec Bank, RBC Capital Markets and Southern Cross Equities. He has undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and economics from the University of Queensland and a Master in Commerce from the University of New South Wales.
Dieter Engelhardt – Chief Metallurgist and General Manager
Dieter Engelhardt has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry including roles as senior metallurgist at Telfer Gold Mine and Northparkes Mines, resident manager at McKinnons Gold Mine, and manager of ore processing at CSA Mine. Engelhardt was employed by Newcrest Mining (now Newmont) in various roles, including as manager of ore processing and principal metallurgist.
Phil Bentley – Chief Geologist
Phil Bentley has over 40 years of experience in the mining industry across New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia, holding senior geological roles as well as senior management and director positions. He has worked as a chief geologist at Randgold Resources and Randgold & Exploration, Global Head of Exploration at Trafigura Mining Services, and Principal Geologist Africa at CSA Global South Africa. He is a Qualified person under NI 43-101 (Canada) and JORC (Australia) and is a Fellow of the South African Geological Society. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geology at Victoria University of Wellington. He also has a Masters of Science in Economic Geology at Victoria University of Wellington and a Master’s of Science in Mineral Exploration from Rhodes University, Grahamstown South Africa.
Near-term production from both its silver and gold projects located in the Cobar Basin, Central West, New South Wales
Reviving the Walker Lane Trend — Nevada’s Next Golden Frontier
Reintroducing the Walker Lane Trend
Walker Lane is currently one of the hottest, if not the hottest, exploration area plays in the US and is known for its high-grade gold and silver discoveries. The trend is a geologic trough extending along the California-Nevada border, characterized by its sinistral strike-slip faults that have shaped the regional topography. This area has been a focal point for understanding the geological processes that formed the Sierra Nevada mountains and surrounding regions.
Unlike the well-known Carlin and Cortez trends, which are primarily associated with sediment-hosted gold deposits, the Walker Lane is renowned for its diversity of mineral occurrences, including epithermal gold-silver deposits and porphyry copper systems. This geological variety offers explorers a wider range of potential discoveries.
The trend's resurgence can be attributed to advances in exploration techniques, a favorable precious metals market and the increasing demand for domestic mineral resources. Ongoing geological studies and detailed mapping efforts are refining our understanding of the Walker Lane, enhancing the potential for new ore deposit discoveries.
Currently, the Walker Lane Trend hosts several significant precious metal deposits, including Comstock Lode, Round Mountain (Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC)), Silicon and Merlin (AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG)) and Mesquite and Castle (Equinox Gold (TSX:EQX,NYSEAMERICAN:EQX)).
Nevada's favorable infrastructure, skilled laborforce and supportive permitting environment contribute to its high investment attractiveness. The state ranked second globally in the 2023 Fraser Institute Mining Industry Survey.
Macro drivers fueling investor interest
As of the beginning of 2025, the outlook for precious metals, particularly gold and silver, remained optimistic.
Analysts predict the gold price could reach up to US$3,200 per ounce by the end of 2025, driven by potential US Federal Reserve rate cuts and persistent geopolitical tensions. Silver is also expected to perform well, with strong bull market dynamics suggesting a solid upward trajectory. These positive forecasts for precious metals are bolstering interest in exploration and mining activities within the Walker Lane Trend.
Furthermore, there's a growing push in the US to enhance domestic metal supply. This initiative is driven by increasing federal debt and shifting global trade relationships, emphasizing the need for self-sufficiency in critical raw materials. Nevada, with its stable political environment and rich mineral endowment, is perfectly positioned to meet this demand, attracting significant capital inflows to low-risk jurisdictions like the Walker Lane Trend.
Key traits of high-potential juniors in the region
Investors looking to capitalize on the Walker Lane's potential should focus on junior exploration companies that exhibit the following characteristics:
- Robust project pipeline: Companies with a mix of grassroots exploration and advanced-stage assets demonstrate long-term potential and near-term catalysts.
- Experienced management: Teams with a proven track record in mining and exploration are crucial for navigating the complexities of resource exploration and development.
- Strategic land package: The quality and location of land holdings are vital. Companies with 100 percent ownership of their projects can leverage their assets more effectively.
- Infrastructure access: Proximity to existing infrastructure can significantly reduce operational costs and improve project feasibility.
Additionally, investors should look for companies with clear catalysts for value creation, such as upcoming drill programs, resource estimates or strategic partnerships. The potential for consolidation and strategic positioning in the early stages of growth can also be a significant factor in a company's success.
Walker Lane Resources: A case study in strategic repositioning
Walker Lane Resources (TSXV:WLR), formerly known as CMC Metals, exemplifies the emerging narrative of the Walker Lane Trend. The company's recent rebranding and strategic repositioning reflect its commitment to capitalizing on the opportunities within this geologically rich region.
Walker Lane Resources’ project location.
On March 21, 2025, Walker Lane Resources announced its name change and share consolidation, signaling a renewed focus on exploring and developing projects within Nevada's Walker Lane Trend.
The company has expanded its footprint in the Walker Lane Gold Trend by optioning three properties — Tule Canyon, Cambridge and Silver Mountain — from Silver Range Resources (TSXV:SNG). Additionally, Walker Lane secured a right-of-first-refusal on the Shamrock property in eastern Nevada. These acquisitions align with the company's strategy to establish a year-round exploration portfolio in a region renowned for its rich mining history and underexplored potential.
This strategic shift aligns Walker Lane Resources with the growing investor interest in domestic metal supplies and the favorable outlook for precious metals. The company's low valuation, combined with its strong upside potential and Nevada focus, makes it an intriguing case study for investors looking to gain exposure to the Walker Lane Trend's resurgence.
Investor takeaway
The Walker Lane Trend offers a unique blend of historical production and untapped potential. As market momentum builds, identifying the right players early can be highly beneficial for investors.
Companies like Walker Lane Resources, with their strategic focus on this trend, represent the kind of opportunities that savvy investors are seeking in the current market environment.
The combination of favorable macroeconomic factors, increasing demand for domestic metal supplies and the geological richness of the Walker Lane Trend creates a compelling narrative for investment. As exploration activities intensify and new discoveries are made, the Walker Lane may well become the next frontier in Nevada's storied mining history.
This INNSpired article is sponsored by Walker Lane Resources (TSXV:WLR). This INNSpired article provides information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by Walker Lane Resourcesin order to help investors learn more about the company. Walker Lane Resources is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this INNSpired article.
This INNSpired article was written according to INN editorial standards to educate investors.
INN does not provide investment advice and the information on this profile should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company profiled.
The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with Walker Lane Resourcesand seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.
Triumph Gold
Investor Insight
Triumph Gold offers investors exposure to a multi-million ounce gold resource base with established deposits, significant expansion potential, and new discovery opportunities across a true district-scale land package, all strategically positioned in the mining-friendly Yukon.
Overview
Triumph Gold (TSXV:TIG,OTC:TIGCF) is a Canadian gold exploration company strategically positioned to capitalize on the rising gold market. The company is primarily focused on advancing its 100 percent owned Freegold Mountain project, a district-scale property located in the Yukon Territory's prolific Dawson Range gold-copper belt.
Founded with a vision to discover and develop significant precious metal resources, Triumph Gold has assembled a portfolio centered around its flagship Freegold Mountain project. With over 20 mineralized zones identified along a 34 km stretch of the Big Creek Fault system, the company possesses significant exploration upside with established resources across multiple deposits. The project benefits from excellent infrastructure, being accessible via all-weather government roads, which provides cost advantages compared to more remote exploration projects.
The Yukon Territory has a storied history as one of the world's most famous gold jurisdictions, dating back to the legendary Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s that drew over 100,000 prospectors to the region. Today, the territory continues to be recognized as one of the world's premier exploration destinations, hosting world-class deposits like Victoria Gold's Eagle mine (3.3 million ounces), Western Copper's Casino project (8.9 million ounces gold, 4.5 billion pounds copper), and Newmont's Coffee project (4 million ounces).
The Yukon government has consistently demonstrated strong support for responsible mining development. The territory offers a stable regulatory environment, clear permitting processes, and collaborative relationships with First Nations, making it an attractive jurisdiction for resource development. Additionally, the Yukon Resource Gateway Project, a $360 million infrastructure initiative, continues to improve access to mineral-rich areas throughout the territory.
With geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and currency devaluation concerns driving investor interest in safe-haven assets, gold exploration companies with substantial resource potential like Triumph Gold are well-positioned to benefit from this strengthening market cycle.
Company Highlights
- Resource Base: Combined indicated resources of 1 million ounces and inferred resources of 1.08 million ounces gold equivalent across the Freegold Mountain project
- Strategic Location: Positioned in the mineral-rich Dawson Range, home to major deposits including Newmont's Coffee, Western Copper's Casino, and Pembridge's Minto mine
- Multiple Deposit Types: Mineralization found in various forms (porphyry, epithermal, skarn) providing diversified exploration targets
- Expansion Potential: All deposits remain open in multiple directions with numerous untested satellite targets
- Fully Permitted: Exploration permits in place until 2025-2026 allowing for extensive drilling programs
- Experienced Leadership: Management team with proven track records in mineral exploration, mine development and capital markets
Key Projects
Freegold Mountain Project
The Freegold Mountain project represents Triumph Gold's flagship asset – a district-scale property that spans 34 kilometers along the prolific Big Creek Fault mineralization system in the Yukon. What makes this project particularly compelling is the presence of mineralization in every rock type across the property, including Paleozoic metamorphics, Jurassic intrusives and Cretaceous intrusives, each hosting different styles of precious and base metal deposits.
The project currently hosts three defined deposits – Nucleus, Revenue and Tinta Hill – with a combined resource of more than 2 million ounces of gold equivalent. What's particularly exciting about Freegold Mountain is that these deposits represent just a fraction of the more than 20 mineralized zones identified across the property. With extensive permitted exploration programs, ongoing geological work, and vast untested areas, Freegold Mountain exemplifies true district-scale potential where new discoveries could substantially increase the overall resource base.
Nucleus Deposit
The Nucleus deposit represents a compelling bulk tonnage oxide gold opportunity with similarities to Victoria Gold's Eagle mine. With indicated resources of 748,000 ounces gold equivalent and inferred resources of 189,000 ounces gold equivalent, the deposit features favorable metallurgy with approximately 77 percent cyanide recoverable gold based on preliminary testing. Recent drilling has expanded the resource by 50 to 100 meters both laterally and vertically, with mineralization remaining open in all directions. Drilling has also confirmed significant oxide mineralization extending up to 150 meters vertically, enhancing the potential for heap leach processing.
Revenue Deposit
The Revenue deposit is a substantial porphyry system with indicated resources of 252,000 ounces and inferred resources of 677,000 ounces gold equivalent. It shows similarities to Western Copper's Casino deposit but with double the gold grade. The deposit contains multiple high-grade zones including the Blue Sky and WAu zones, which were expanded through recent drilling programs. The company has identified a more than 5 km structural trend connecting various mineralized zones, suggesting significant resource expansion potential. Geophysical and geochemical surveys have identified numerous untested anomalies worth exploring.
Revenue - Casino deposits comparison
Tinta Hill Deposit
With inferred resources of 216,000 ounces gold equivalent, Tinta Hill is a polymetallic deposit with substantial gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc values. The property has historical underground development including two adits with extensive drifting completed in 1980-1981. There's a 25,000-ton stockpile from previous mining operations that could represent near-term cash flow potential. The deposit remains open along strike and at depth, with opportunities to extend mineralization through additional IP and ground magnetic surveys.
Exploration Properties
Beyond the three established deposits, Triumph Gold holds several promising early-stage exploration targets across the Freegold Mountain Project and beyond, including:
- Melissa Zone: A drill-ready target with similarities to the Nucleus deposit, featuring anomalous gold in rock samples and coincident multi-element soil and geophysical anomalies
- Tad/Toro-Big Creek: Located approximately 50 km southeast of the Casino deposit, showing intermediate sulfidation epithermal and porphyry-style mineralization across multiple zones
- Andalusite Peak: A copper-gold-silver porphyry target with three separate mineralized zones showing high-grade rock samples up to 68 percent copper, 2.77 grams per ton (g/t) gold, and 526 g/t silver
Management Team
John Anderson – Interim CEO and Chairman
With over 20 years of experience in resource sector capital marketing, John Anderson brings strategic vision to company growth and management. His extensive background in capital formation and corporate development provides Triumph Gold with strong leadership as it advances its portfolio of projects.
Brian Bower – Lead Director
Brian Bower contributes 30 years of experience in exploration and mining to the Triumph Gold team. He has been a key member in the development of several significant mining projects including New Afton, Kemess South, Blackwater, Mount Milligan mines and the Casino deposit, bringing valuable technical and operational insights to the company's development strategies.
Jesse Halle – VP Exploration
With more than 25 years of experience in mineral exploration, Jesse Halle has specialized in advancing multiple porphyry copper-gold deposits in Yukon and British Columbia. His extensive work with similar deposits, including the Casino and Copper Mountain deposits, brings critical technical expertise to Triumph's exploration programs.
Marty Henning – Principal Geologist
Marty Henning contributes over 15 years of mineral exploration and mining experience to the team. His background includes focused work on construction, production and exploration at the New Afton block cave mine, providing valuable operational perspective to Triumph's exploration approach.
Graeme Hopkins – Chief Technical Officer
With 20 years of experience in data management and GIS, Graeme Hopkins has been involved with the Freegold Mountain project since 2008. His long-term knowledge of the project and technical expertise provides valuable continuity and insight to Triumph's exploration and development activities.
Emily Halle – Project Manager
Emily Halle brings over 15 years of experience in exploration and project management to the team. Her focus on porphyry copper-gold systems in British Columbia and Yukon, combined with additional experience in South Africa, Alaska and Eastern Canada, ensures efficient and effective management of Triumph's exploration programs.
Manuka Resources Investor Kit
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