A Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) is now underway at Impact Minerals Limited’s (ASX: IPT) advanced Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) Project in Western Australia.
The Project, in which Impact is earning an 80% interest, offers the Company the opportunity to become a low-cost entrant into the HPA chemical market, a high-margin business forecast to grow strongly over the next decade (ASX Release March 21st 2023).
Lake Hope contains a globally unique deposit of high-grade aluminium clay minerals in the top few metres of a playa salt lake, which has unique physical and chemical properties that will allow for low- cost mining and offsite metallurgical processing via a novel and cost-disruptive acid leaching process.
Preliminary economic studies indicate that the production of HPA and related products from Lake Hope will be cost-competitive with current producers and other developers in Australia and globally (ASX Release March 21st 2023).
Impact has appointed the following experienced companies to undertake the work programs for the PFS, which will be completed over the next 12 to 18 months, as well as the work required to lodge a Mining Lease Application in early Quarter 3 this year:
Maiden Resource Estimation: H and S Consultants, Brisbane. H and S are well-known resource estimation specialists with specific experience in resource calculations for deposits in Western Australian playa lakes.
Environmental and Approvals Process Consultants: Biota Environmental Services, Perth. Biota will complete flora and fauna surveys and also help coordinate the approvals process for the Mining Lease Application.
Metallurgical Consultants: Strategic Metallurgy, Perth. Strategic will help oversee and manage the optimisation test work programme for the novel acid leach process, which is currently already underway at ALS Laboratories in Perth. Strategic will also complete process flow sheet design and preliminary engineering studies.
Mining Studies: The Mining Engineer Mine Consulting (TME). TME will complete initial mine optimization studies for Lake Hope, which will likely be mined on a campaign basis every few years.
Financial Modelling: Platek Analytics. Platek Analytics will review Impact’s internal economic model for both the PFS and a Scoping Study, which will be released following the completion of the Mineral Resource Estimate.
The entire PFS will be managed by Roland Gotthard, who discovered the Lake Hope Project and has now joined Impact as Project Manager.
Impact's Managing Director, Dr Mike Jones, said: “We have hit the ground running since announcing the transformational joint venture at Lake Hope. At short notice, we have assembled a first-class team of consultants to complete the Pre-Feasibility Study work programs over the next 12 to 18 months and drive us towards production. In addition, this work will allow us to release a Maiden Resource and an initial Scoping Study over the next two months, as well as lodge a Mining Lease application in the third Quarter of this year. We have never been busier as we become the next "playa” in HPA.”
About the Lake Hope Project
The Lake Hope Project covers numerous prospective salt lakes between Hyden and Norseman in southern Western Australia, a Tier One jurisdiction (Figure 1). It comprises one granted exploration licence (E63/2086), covering the Lake Hope deposit already discovered, together with five further exploration licence applications (ELA63/2317, 2318 and 2319, and ELA74/673 and 764) which are poorly explored. The tenements cover about 238 km2 and are all 100% owned by Playa One.
Figure 1. Location of Playa One tenements with options for trucking and off-site processing.
Geology
The salt lakes of Western Australia are well known for their unique and complex hydrogeochemistry, which has led to the formation of a wide variety of economic minerals and brines within the playa systems. These include the world-class Yeelirrie uranium deposit (>100 Mlb U3O8), significant potash brines, gypsum and lime-sand resources.
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This article includes content from Impact Minerals, 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.
With a mining lease application underway and a scoping study that shows excellent economics, Impact Minerals’ game-changing, advanced Lake Hope high-purity alumina project makes for a compelling investment case.
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) is an exploration and development mining company focused on discovering and developing new resource projects within Australia. Lake Hope, a transformational acquisition by the company and its current flagship asset, is a high-purity alumina (HPA) project in Impact’s home territory of Western Australia, a tier-one jurisdiction.
This advanced-stage project allows the company to fast-track the asset toward development, firmly establishing the company on the road to production and increasing shareholder value.
HPA is a high-value product with various uses in several industries that are key to the transition to a low-carbon world. It is mainly used in LED lighting, micro-LED screens, and ceramic-coated separators in lithium-ion batteries. Both these markets are forecast to grow dramatically over the next decade, and a looming supply shortage is predicted for 2026.
HPA is also necessary for producing synthetic sapphire and scratch-resistant glass. With these ever-widening applications for HPA, demand for this resource is expected to grow from US$3.18 billion to US$12.21 billion by 2030 with a compounded annual growth rate of about 20 percent.
Lake Hope is the company’s current focus as it moves towards production, and where a very shallow, high-grade resource of HPA precursor material has been identified in the top two meters of a dry salt lake. The deposit has unique physical and chemical properties that will allow for inexpensive digging and mining, with transportation to a processing facility off-site in an established industrial area. This will accelerate the approvals processes required to get into production.
With a mining lease application pending, Impact aims to bring Lake Hope, which contains almost 1 million tons of potential HPA, into production when the forecast average price for 4N HPA (99.99 percent Al2O3) and related products is about US$20,000 per ton. The ‘4N’ designation indicates the purity grade, making it suitable for high-tech end uses.
Outstanding economics from the latest scoping study released by the company shows Lake Hope’s potential to be the lowest-cost producer of HPA globally by up to 50 percent.
Lake Hope has a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 3.5 million tons at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tons of alumina. The company also received heritage clearances for the entire Lake Hope deposit further de-risking the project and providing another critical component in the company’s application for a mining lease.
Impact completed a bulk sampling and test pits program at the Lake Hope project in December 2023, and later reached a key milestone by producing HPA greater than 99.99 percent (4N) purity from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope.
In February 2024, a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays was identified. Impact produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 from a low-temperature leach (LTL) process. The LTL process may lower the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process which underpinned the recent scoping study. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study in parallel with the sulphate process at marginal extra cost to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
A comparison of the LTL process and the sulphate process
The company is well funded to finance the pre-feasibility study at the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project and exploration activities at the Arkun battery minerals project.
Impact Minerals was also one of the inaugural cohort of seven companies selected to be part of the prestigious BHP Xplor program. BHP Xplor, an accelerator program introduced by BHP in August 2022, is designed to help provide participants with the opportunity to accelerate their growth and the potential to establish a long-term partnership with BHP and its global network of partners.
The BHP Xplor funding was used to identify new target areas for copper and other energy metals around the Broken Hill area in New South Wales, eastern Australia, where Impact has been quietly adding to its ground position for several years.
Additionally, the company is exploring its large Arkun battery metals project, also in Western Australia which covers nearly 2,900 square kilometres. Three new exploration licence applications were submitted recently immediately north of the Arkun project along trend from the recently discovered REE soil geochemistry anomalies at Hyperion, Swordfish and Horseshoe, and the Caligula copper anomaly. These anomalies require drill testing which will occur in 2024 and is an exciting development in the emerging mineral province of southwest WA.
A strong management team with over 50 years of combined industry experience leads the company. With a mining and exploration geology degree, Dr. Mike Jones, managing director, launched a long career consulting and leading mining organizations. Peter Unsworth, the non-executive chairman, has more than 35 years of experience in multiple financial sectors, such as securities industries and wealth management. Paul Ingram, a non-executive director, has led several mining companies since 2003. Impact Minerals has the experience and expertise to lead the company to success.
Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope HPA project is in Western Australia, a tier-one mining jurisdiction. HPA is a crucial component in many new and emerging technologies, creating ongoing demand for high-grade sources. The Lake Hope project is the company’s flagship as it moves toward production.
The scoping study was underpinned by a sulphuric acid process allowing the company to achieve a new milestone by producing HPA with purity of more than than 99.99 percent (4N) from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope. The company further identified a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays. Known as the low-temperature leach (LTL) process, this also produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 and has the potential to lower even further the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study along with the sulphate process to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
The Broken Hill project has a significant land position of 815 square kilometers and hosts multiple targets with the potential for high-grade copper. Broken Hill is located in New South Wales, Australia, an area known for its prolific silver-lead-zinc mining operations and the giant Broken Hill deposit.
The Arkun project is a 2,900-square-kilometer nickel, copper and gold project located in the emerging Ni-Cu-PGE province near the world-class Julimar Ni-Cu-PGE deposit and surrounded by Anglo American Corporation, which secured its ground holding shortly after Impact secured its asset. Anglo-American is one of the world’s top ten mining companies, and their presence in the region brings confidence in the project’s potential.
Peter Unsworth, formerly a chartered accountant, has over 35 years of experience in the corporate finance, investment and securities industries and a wealth of management experience with public and private companies. A former executive director with a leading Western Australian stockbroking company, Unsworth has been a director of several public exploration and mining companies. He recently completed a long time serving as chairman of the Western Australian Government-owned Gold Corporation (operator of The Perth Mint). Unsworth is the founding chairman of Impact Minerals.
Dr. Mike Jones is the founding managing director of Impact Minerals Limited, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2006. Reporting to the board of directors, he is responsible for the company's performance as it moves towards production at its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina Project and also for implementing strategies to explore and maximize the value of the company's other extensive tenement holdings.
Since listing, he has helped raise more than $60 million to help fund the exploration of Impact’s projects and managed the company through significant adverse events, including the global financial crisis and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which affected Impact’s considerable investment in the uranium sector, a five-year global downturn in the mining sector and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul Ingram is a geologist with extensive experience managing major mineral exploration programs for several publicly listed companies and has been involved in the mining sector for over thirty years. He has designed and implemented innovative techniques for exploration in remote areas and has managed projects in countries throughout Australia and East Asia. Ingram has been a director of the following listed companies in the past three years: Polo Resources from January 2008 to January 2011; A-Cap Resources since June 2009; Consolidated Global Investments since September 2006; Caledon Resources from February 2003 to March 2008; and Australian Pacific Coal since March 2011.
Dr. Frank Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of experience as a consultant, researcher, lecturer and industry professional. Bierlein has held exploration and generative geology management positions with QMSD Mining, Qatar Mining, Afmeco Australia and Areva NC, and consulted for, among others, Newmont Gold, Resolute Mining, Goldfields International, Freeport McMoRan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He is currently a non-executive director of PNX Metals. He was previously a non-executive director of Gold Australia NL and chaired the advisory board of a Luxembourg-based private equity fund between 2014 and 2021.
All amounts expressed in US dollars unless stated otherwise
The Twiga partnership between Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) and the Tanzanian government is contributing 51% of the government's revenue from the extractive industry, according to the latest report of the Tanzania Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative. Twiga comprises the North Mara and Bulyanhulu gold mines.
Both mines also led the industry's safety performance, with Bulyanhulu winning this year's Occupational Safety and Health Award and North Mara named as the best company for caring for workers with special needs by Tanzania's Occupational Safety and Health authority.
Speaking to the media and local stakeholders here today, Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow said ongoing brownfields exploration around its Bulyanhulu and North Mara mines continued to define additional opportunities to replace and expand depleted reserves, further supporting their life of mine flexibility. In addition, good progress had been made in defining new greenfield areas of interest with potential to add new mines to the company's portfolio.
Bristow said the Barrick-Twiga Future Forward Education initiative had completed its first phase, with Barrick financing a $10 million infrastructure expansion at 64 schools, including the construction of 396 classrooms, 97 dormitories and 600 ablution blocks. The program's second phase is planned to start in the fourth quarter of this year with another $10 million investment which will be followed by a further $10 million third phase.
Meanwhile the Barrick Academy, inaugurated at the beginning of the year by the Minister of Minerals at the closed Buzwagi mine, has already trained more than 1,000 foremen, supervisors and superintendents from across the company's Africa and Middle East region. The Academy is on track to meet its target of training more than 2,000 people this year.
Bristow said in line with Barrick's commitment to transparency, it had referred the latest in a series of allegations of human rights abuses at the North Mara Mine to the Tanzanian Commission of Human Rights and Good Governance. Following a site visit and investigation, the Commission has completed a report confirming that there was no evidence of human rights violations, refuting allegations made by certain international NGOs.
Barrick Enquiries
Tanzania country manager
Melkiory Ngido
+255 686 945 222
Corporate communications and country liaison manager
Georgia Mutagahywa
+255 754 711 215
georgia.mutagahywa@barrick.com
Group investor and media relations
Kathy du Plessis
+44 20 7557 7738
barrick@dpapr.com
Website: www.barrick.com
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans, or future financial or operating performance, constitutes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "on track", "ongoing", "continue", "opportunity", "progress", "potential", "can", "should", "would", "will", and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: Barrick's partnership with the Government of Tanzania; our ability to convert resources into reserves and replace reserves net of depletion from production; Barrick's global exploration strategy and planned exploration activities, including greenfields and brownfields opportunities in Tanzania; and Barrick's sustainability initiatives in Tanzania, including local community relations, continued investments in community projects, training and skills development and economic contributions.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper, or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/ or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices; expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Tanzania and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation, and exploration successes; the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; disruption of supply routes which may cause delays in construction and mining activities, including disruptions in the supply of key mining inputs due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and conflicts in the Middle East; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvals; uncertainty whether some or all of Barrick's targeted investments and projects will meet the Company's capital allocation objectives and internal hurdle rate; damage to the Company's reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Company's handling of environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; risks associated with new diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; employee relations including loss of key employees; increased costs and physical and transition risks related to climate change, including extreme weather events, resource shortages, emerging policies and increased regulations relating to related to greenhouse gas emission levels, energy efficiency and reporting of risks; and availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barrick's ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Barrick disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
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Vertex Minerals (ASX:VTX) is a near-term gold producer in one of the highest-grade, if not the highest-grade, gold mining districts in Australia. The company is advancing its Reward gold mine, scheduled to commence production in January 2025, with a current mineral resource estimate of 419,000 tonnes at a high-grade of 16.7 grams per ton (g/t) gold for 225,000 oz contained gold.
The Reward gold mine is committed to sustainable, low-impact, low-cost operations through the use of gravity separation technique, which has been hailed as one of the more sustainable alternatives for ore recovery. Gravity technology reduces the use of harsh chemicals, resulting in a more environmentally friendly extraction process. Among its other benefits include, reduced power consumption, faster and efficient processing, lower operating costs, and improved recovery rates.
The Hill End gold project is a historic gold mining town in the Bathurst Regional Council in New South Wales. The Hill End trough is a 70 km-wide and more than 200 km long, deep marine basin that is underlain by Ordovician volcanic rocks that lie between the Molong Volcanic Belt to the west and the Rockley-Gulgong Volcanic Belt to the east. Both these volcanic belts belong to the Ordovician Macquarie Arc in the Lachlan Fold Belt of eastern Australia.
Vertex Mineral plans to reinstall a refurbished 110 ktpa Gekko gravity gold plant, commence gold production from existing stockpiles and develop the Reward mine.
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With several significant gold and copper discoveries in recent years, Awalé Resources has built a compelling value proposition that allows investors exposure to West Africa’s rich mineral resource.
Awalé Resources (TSX:ARIC) is a mineral exploration company focused on high-quality gold and copper-gold deposits. The company’s Odienné project is located in Côte d’lvoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa, close to the borders of Guinea and Mali.
Côte d’lvoire has earned a reputation as an attractive investment destination for mining, based on several factors. First, its stable regulatory framework mirrors French civil law, and the government has reduced bureaucracy and established transparency. Second, the region has excellent infrastructure comprising road networks, ports, airports, and electricity networks. Third, the country’s attractive geological profile is rich in several minerals including gold, copper, manganese, bauxite and iron. West Africa is widely regarded as a promising gold-producing region with 300 Moz of gold resources. Fourth, its socio-economic environment reflects its diverse economy with a substantial labor force. Lastly, the country offers several tax incentives to attract foreign investors.
Why Awalé Resources is a brand new opportunity
The Odienné project offers Awalé Resources a major foothold in this promising gold province. The project area spans 2,462 sq km over seven permits and is home to several gold and copper-gold discoveries.
The project has seen four significant discoveries, including three in 2023 (Empire, Charger, and Sceptre East) and one in early 2024 (BBM). Empire returned high-grade gold intercepts, while Charger and Sceptre East returned iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) style mineralization.
The BBM target, discovered in January 2024, is a new gold-copper discovery with significant scope for rapid expansion. In addition to the new discovery, further significant results with visible gold have been returned from the first two scout holes at the Lando Target, which lies 10 kilometres northwest of BBM.
Another important feature of the company’s bright prospects is its relationship with Newmont, the world’s leading gold company. Newmont increased its stake in Awalé to 15.48 percent in December 2023 following a private placement of nearly C$1 million. This investment will enable Awalé to accelerate the exploration of its wholly owned permits and signals a vote of confidence in the significant potential of Awalé.
Newmont holds a joint venture agreement on two of the seven permits at the Odienné project and is funding 100 percent of the exploration on the JV permits. Newmont has the option to earn up to a 75 percent interest in the Odienné project by funding US$15 million in exploration expenditures and defining a gold resource of 2 million ounces.
Under the initial phase, Newmont invested US$5 million in exploration expenditure which will allow it to earn 51 percent interest in the Odienné project. With successful Phase 1 results, including positive drill results and four discoveries, Newmont has progressed to Phase 2 of the earn-in agreement. This is a significant milestone that underscores the ongoing success and potential of the Odienné gold-copper project through which Newmont could earn a further 14 percent interest (for a total 65 percent interest) by spending $10 million in exploration and defining a minimum 2-million-ounce gold resource.
Awalé underwent a major overhaul in May 2023, appointing a new CEO and board. Under the new management, led by CEO Andrew Chubb, the Awalé team is well positioned to lead the company in its future growth endeavors.
The Odienné project is the company’s flagship asset. The project spans over 2,462 sq km and comprises seven permits, of which two are under a JV agreement with Newmont. These permits hold great promise for gold and copper-gold deposits.
The project has similar geological characteristics to the Carajas Mineral Province and other IOCG provinces that are major suppliers of gold and copper. It is in West Africa, which boasts over 300 Moz of gold deposits. There are several +10 Moz deposits adjacent to the project’s boundaries. Other adjacent gold resources include Predictive’s deposit in Guinea, and Centamin’s deposit which is roughly 50 kilometres south of the Odienné project.
The project is characterized by several high-potential targets and discoveries. These include: 1) Empire discovery located along the 20-kilometre Empire Gold Corridor; 2) Sceptre East and Main copper-gold targets; 3) Charger, a high-grade gold-copper discovery; 4) Lando, a 4-kilometre-long copper-gold target; 5) and BBM, a 3.5-kilometre-long copper-gold target.
The first discovery was at Empire, a high-potential gold prospect located around 5 kilometres from Sceptre and other copper-gold targets on the 20-kilometre-long Empire structural corridor.
So far, only five kilometres of this trend have been drilled. The key results for this target include - 1) Hole OEDD-2: 27 metres at 3.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold from 43.2 metres, and 2) Hole OEDD-24: 15 metres at 13.1 g/t gold from 69 metres. Beyond this main target, there is potential for discovering large gold deposits along the east-west corridor.
The second discovery was at Charger, where several phases of drilling have been completed. A total of 11 holes were drilled at Charger with Hole OEDD-45 containing three high-grade intervals within a 65-metre-wide zone of mineralization, including 12 metres at 4.9 g/t gold. Some of the key results at Charger include 32 metres @ 3.0 g/t gold, 0.17 percent copper, and 6.6 g/t silver, including 4 metres @ 12.4 g/t gold, 0.7 percent copper, and 30 g/t silver from 78 metres.
The third discovery was at the Sceptre East target that spans around a 1.5-kilometere-long copper-gold-molybdenum-silver anomaly. Sceptre East is part of the large 20 sq km gold/copper/silver/molybdenum bearing mineralized system, called Sceptre. Discovery drilling commenced at Sceptre East in Q4 2022, and the initial phase comprised a total of seven holes totaling 1,092.2 metres. Follow-up drilling in Q2 2023 consisted of nine reverse circulation (RC) and three diamond drill holes for a total of 1,730 metres. The key results in the follow-up program include hole OEDD-43, which returned 358.5 metres at 0.34 percent copper equivalent from 6.5 metres downhole.
Besides these three discoveries, the company announced a new gold-copper discovery in January 2024 at the BBM target. A total of four holes were drilled at BBM, all of which intersected high-grade gold. The key results were:
Furthermore, significant results with visible gold have been returned from the first two scout holes at the Lando Target, which lies 10 kilometres northwest of the new BBM discovery. Initial drilling at Lando is encouraging and warrants further systematic drilling at this target.
Andre Chubb holds a BSc degree from the University of New England, Australia, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Geologists and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is a geologist with more than two decades of experience in exploration and mining in different geographies, including Africa, Europe and Australia. His experience spans different domains including leading large teams, operations and advisory roles. He was involved in leading the Mantra Resources’ Mkuju Project in Tanzania, from exploration through to feasibility and finally to takeover by ARMZ/Uranium One for AU$1.02 billion.
Andrew Smith is an accomplished economic geologist with over 14 years of exploration and mining experience. Smith has proven discovery success in both greenfield and near-mine gold exploration. He has well-developed skills in both technical and management roles for exploration and development projects across West Africa and Canada. More recently, this has included roles as director of exploration geology for Coeur Mining, chief geologist for Awalé Resources, and exploration manager for Randgold Resources in Senegal. Smith has an Honours Degree in Geology and Petroleum Geology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, is a fellow of the Geological Society of London, and member of the Society of Exploration Geologists.
Ardem Keshishian brings over 15 years of progressive experience in corporate development, investor relations, finance, and capital markets, specializing in the mining sector. Most recently, Ardem served as VP of corporate development and investor relations at Moneta Gold, a Canadian gold developer with assets in the Timmins Gold Camp, Ontario, until its merger with Nighthawk Gold. Prior to Moneta Gold, he held roles at Royal Road Minerals, Pollitt & Co., Haywood Securities, and Van Berkom & Associates. He is a CFA charter holder and holds a Bachelor of Science from Concordia University and a Master of Business Administration from the John Molson School of Business.
Stephen Stewart holds a BA degree from Western University in London, Ontario, an MBA from the University of Toronto, and an MSc degree from the University of Florida. He has more than 18 years of senior leadership experience with several Canadian companies, including Orecap, QC Copper & Gold, Mistango River Resources and Baselode Energy. He is also the founder and chairman of the largest mining-focused charitable organization and fund in Canada, the Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund.
Anthony Moreau is the CEO and Director of American Eagle Gold and also serves as a Director of QC Copper & Gold, Orecap Invest, and Mistango River Resources. He was formerly with IAMGOLD, where he held various roles in Business Development and Innovation. Anthony is also the leader of the Young Mining Professionals Toronto. He also co-founded the YMP Scholarship Fund, which has raised over $1.25 million since its inception seven years ago. Anthony is a Queen's School of Business graduate and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Karl Akueson is an Ivorian born natural resources entrepreneur who co-founded Awalé Resources following a career in metals and mining investment banking at BMO Capital Markets in London. He recently founded and is the current CEO of Switch Metals, a private exploration company focused on technology metals in Cote d'Ivoire. Karl is based in Abidjan. He is a graduate from Imperial College Royal School of Mines - MSc Metals and Energy Finance, and the University of Manchester - MEng Chemical Engineering.
Charles Beaudry holds a BSc degree in geology from the University of Ottawa and a master's degree in geology from McGill University. He has three decades of experience in business development, exploration, and project management. Previously, he has been associated with IAMGOLD and Noranda-Falconbridge-Xstrata.
Dr. John Scott is a results-focused exploration geologist, with more than 27 years of experience within teams that have delivered numerous discoveries and significant business growth in both near-mine and greenfield settings internationally. John's career as a seasoned technical lead has spanned North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australasia. Scott specializes in practical mentorship to upskill field teams, target generation, identifying mineralization controls, and developing robust geologic models at deposit, district and country scales. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors (First Class) from the University of Adelaide, Australia, as well as a PhD in Structural Geology from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Scott is also a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and a member of both the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits.
Kirmat Noormohamed is an exploration geologist with technical and operational skills developed through more than 25 years in company and consulting roles within the mining and exploration industry across multiple countries in Africa. She has extensive experience from greenfield exploration to feasibility studies as part of diverse teams within multinational companies such as Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Falconbridge, Redback Mining, Kinross Gold and Teranga Gold, where she has led and been part of teams discovering over 2.5 million ounces of gold. She holds a BSc from Abilene Christian University in the US, and is currently completing her MBA at University of Illinois.
Sharon Cooper is qualified as a chartered accountant, with over 10 years of experience in accounting and auditing roles for mining and mining-related companies. Before Awalé, she was associated with Ernst and Young and several junior exploration and mining companies.
Karl Akueson holds an MSc degree in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester and MSc in metals and energy finance from the Royal School of Mines. He is a co-founder of the company and has served as an advisor since listing. He has also worked with BMO Capital Markets in London.
Metal Hawk (ASX:MHK) has a solid strategy to increase shareholder value through early-stage exploration success. The company explores for gold and nickel driven by a technically proficient team with a proven track record of identifying high-potential mineral exploration projects and executing early-stage discoveries.
Metal Hawk’s portfolio is primarily concentrated in the prolific Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. The company’s exploration strategy combines traditional geological methods with innovative technologies to unlock the full potential of its tenements.
The flagship Leinster South project is located 30 kilometers south of Leinster in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields region. Covering approximately 127 square kilometers of granted tenure, this project is highly prospective for gold and nickel mineralization. Its proximity to the Agnew-Lawlers mining center, which has produced over 5 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 5 grams per ton (g/t), further enhances its significance. The project sits within the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt and along the eastern limb of the Lawlers Anticline, a key structural feature associated with major gold discoveries in the region.
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VISIBLE COPPER MINERALISATION AT FORD PROSPECT
Figure 1: Ford fault structure. Intense iron and clay alteration with pXRF results. Approximately 528,613mE, and 3618522mN (UTM Zone12, NAD83)
The alteration zone was mapped and supported by a total of ten pXRF readings (Figure 1). Copper (Cu) ranged from 0.02% up to 13.4%, lead (Pb) ranged from 0.08% to 1.3%, and zinc (Zn) ranged from 0.04% to 7.2%.
Golden Mile’s Managing Director Damon Dormer commented: “These exceptional preliminary results underscore the high-grade potential and polymetallic nature of the Ford Prospect. The pXRF readings are consistent with historical data, further strengthening our confidence in the project’s exploration potential. We look forward to advancing Ford as a key drill target alongside the Odyssey Prospect”
These pXRF results were attained by Golden Mile personnel utilising an Olympus Vanta Instrument pXRF, Model VMR-CCC-G3-A. All readings were 30 second, three beam spot readings directly on outcropping, in situ material. A total of 10 readings were taken in close proximity to each other across the mineralised zone.
Table 1: Ford Prospect In-field pXRF readings from outcrop (coordinates in UTM Zone 12 (NAD83))
Cautionary Statement on pXRF. pXRF (Portable X-Ray Fluorescence) results that are announced in this report are from uncrushed rock-chip samples that are preliminary only. The use of pXRF is an indication only, of the order of magnitude of further rock chip assay results. This first pass assessment was for due diligence purposes only, during the exclusivity period of the Binding Term Sheet. It should be noted that these values are not formal assays and are effectively estimates of grade only and are thus used only as a guide for follow-up, detailed and systematic mapping and sampling programs.
These results are highly encouraging and indicate the presence of significant grades of copper, lead, and zinc. This area will undergo detailed lithological and structural mapping, followed by systematic rock-chip and channel sampling. These steps will precede an upcoming drilling program aimed at unlocking the full potential of the Ford Prospect.
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