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Tartana Minerals
Investor Insight
Tartana Minerals is a new copper producer with strong cash flow and a substantial exploration footprint in a tier 1 mining jurisdiction. Tartana Minerals is creating shareholder value through investment in increasing its existing copper, zinc and gold resources and accelerating exploration of key projects within its highly prospective exploration portfolio. Tartana Minerals presents a compelling investment against a strong macroeconomic environment for copper.
Overview
Tartana Minerals (ASX:TAT) is a copper, gold, silver and zinc, producer, explorer and developer in Far North Queensland. Its flagship project is the 100 percent owned Tartana copper and zinc project which comprises four mining leases located north of Chillagoe. The company’s business model has involved refurbishing an existing heap leach - solvent extraction – crystallisation plant which is located on the Tartana mining leases. The refurbishment and commissioning of this plant is now completed and the company is producing copper sulphate pentahydrate which is sold to offtaker, Kanins International. Copper sulphate is priced on a premium plus percentage of the LME copper price and provides investors with leverage to anticipate increasing copper prices.
The company, formerly known as R3D Resources, changed its name to Tartana Minerals in April 2024. Tartana Minerals is based in Sydney, Australia.
Tartana Minerals has reported the following resources:
- 45,000 tonnes of contained copper at 0.45 percent copper in combined inferred and indicated resources in the Tartana open pit and northern oxide zone
- 39,000 tonnes of contained zinc at 5.29 percent zinc in inferred resources in the Queen Grade project, also located on the Tartana mining leases, and
- 415,000 oz contained gold at 0.34 g/t in inferred resources at Mountain Maid – subject to a mining lease application.
These copper, zinc and gold resources remain open at depth and along strike and the company has designed drilling programs to expand these resources. In particular, the copper mineralisation and potentially the gold mineralisation have scope to be upgraded through ore sorting.
However, the refurbished heap leach – solvent extraction – crystallisation plant utilises existing copper in the ponds and the heaps and these copper sources will be replenished when we commence mining from the open pit.
Copper sulphate contains 25 percent copper metal and payment is based on the LME copper price for the preceding month plus a premium. It is one of the few forms of saleable copper where the copper content receives the full LME price.
Sprinklers operating on the lower heap. Note the presence of copper (blue).
Tartana Minerals completed the acquisition of Queensland Strategic Metals with drilling planned to commence in 2025 that includes the Daisy Bell tin-tungsten project where historical drilling and our mapping have identified a potentially tin-rich zone.
Company Highlights
- Tartana Minerals is producing copper sulphate pentahydrate from its heap leach – solvent extraction – crystallisation plant in Chillagoe with a 100 percent offtake agreement with Kanins International.
- Copper sulphate is priced at a premium plus a percentage of the LME copper price, providing exposure to the booming copper market
- With copper, zinc and gold resources in separate projects and all within granted or soon to be granted mining leases, the company is investigating processing options which can potentially utilise available infrastructure.
- Near-term catalysts include targeted drilling programs to increase the JORC resource and expand on metallurgical test work, increasing the resource grade and estimate
- With the copper sulphate plant fully commissioned and in production, the company is now accelerating its exploration activities. The company has a range of prospects from advanced brownfields projects near existing historical mines to many prospects containing ‘ore grade’ surface mineralisation which have not been tested at depth.
- The company’s exploration portfolio includes the Beefwood/Bulimba, Bellevue, Dimbulah, Cardross and Maid projects. The exploration team is focused on target generation, particularly with the addition of critical minerals within its existing tenure and elsewhere.
Exploration
The Chillagoe region of Far North Queensland is highly prospective with the discovery and development of a number of key projects over the last few decades including Red Dome (2.5 Moz gold), Mungana (1.2 Moz gold), and King Vol (250 kt zinc). These deposits occur along the Palmerville Fault in a similar location to the Tartana Mining leases.
The mining leases at Tartana contain copper, zinc and gold mineralisation but the company also has significant projects which are both east and west of the Palmerville Fault. In the west it has the Cardross and Mountain Maid copper-gold projects and further north it has the Beefwood project. Mountain Maid has gold resources mentioned above and which are open to the south and at depth while the company is finalising a maiden copper resource for the Cardross project.
The Beefwood project comprises a buried geophysical target and surface sampling has recovered samples grading up to 180 g/t gold with no apparent source. Drilling is planned to test this target in the current dry season.
In the east of the Palmerville Fault, the company has the Bellevue/Dry River project, the OK South project and the Dimbulah Porphyry project, all copper projects with historic copper mines and prospects. Like many parts of Far North Queensland, historical exploration has not been systematic and thorough despite many promising expressions of surface mineralisation.
At the Nightflower project, Tartana has upgraded its exploration target after reviewing its earlier estimation, in light of the recent increases in the antimony price. Nightflower is a high-grade silver-lead deposit with previously overlooked significant antimony credits. Nightflower exploration target includes 2.75 Mt @ 364 g/t silver equivalent for 32 Moz silver equivalent to 5.36 Mt @ 270 g/t silver equivalent for 47 Moz silver equivalent (the exploration target is conceptual in nature only and there is no guarantee that further exploration will define a resource). Drilling is now being planned to test the target and upgrade previously identified mineralisation to JORC 2012 reporting standards.
Tartana’s exploration team comprises experienced exploration geologists with supporting cash flow from their copper production, they expect to be able to drill the most promising targets in the short term.
Strong Macroeconomic Environment for Copper
Overall, the macroeconomic environment for copper remains strong. The LME three-month copper price hit US$5.24/lb on May 17, the highest since March 7, 2022, driven by a weaker US dollar, Chinese property stimulus measures, and a short squeeze on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange futures market.
In the near-to-mid term, China’s demand for refined copper is expected to grow, due to better-than-expected performances from key consumer segments, including the power grid, solar installations and electric vehicle and air conditioning appliance sales. On the supply side, the copper concentrate market is expected to remain in a significant deficit due to the estimated delay in the Cobre Panama mine restart but will be partially offset by the higher projected production from smelters in China. As a result, we see further demand growth and supply tightening for the copper market as positive for base metal equities to maintain significant leverage to increase prices.
Management Team
Jihad Malaeb – Chairman
Jihad Malaeb is an experienced entrepreneur across a number of industries, including hospitality and construction, as well as having significant experience in mineral exploration and mining operations – both as an active investor and company director. He currently owns and operates a portfolio of hospitality businesses and real estate across Australia, which have been established over the past 30 years. Malaeb was previously a non-executive director of Critical Resources (ASX:CRR), where he helped steer CRR as one of its largest shareholders and as a board member.
Dr. Stephen Bartrop - Managing Director
Steve Bartrop’s professional experience spans more than 30 years covering periods in both the mining industry and financial sector. With a geology background, Bartrop has worked in exploration, feasibility and evaluation studies and mining in a range of commodities and in different parts of the world. In the financial sector, he has been involved in research, corporate transactions and IPOs spanning more than 20 years, including senior roles at JPMorgan, Bankers Trust and Macquarie Equities.
Bruce Hills – Non-executive Director
Bruce Hills is an accountant and is currently an executive director of Breakaway Investment Group, which operates the Breakaway Private Equity Emerging Resources Fund. Hills is a director of a number of unlisted companies in the mining and financial services sectors including The Risk Board and Stibium Australia. Hills has 35 years’ experience in the financial sector including 20 years in the banking industry primarily in the areas of strategy, finance and risk.
Dr. Alistair Lewis – Non-executive Director
Dr. Alistair Lewis is a successful entrepreneur and highly experienced medical doctor with over 40 years’ experience. For the past 10 years, Lewis has been involved in the management of mining and exploration companies. In 2017, Lewis established Oosen Lewis Mining in North Queensland. He financed the aggregation of a substantial portfolio of gold, tin, tungsten and antimony assets and instigated subsequent extensive exploration programs. These assets now form part of the QSM portfolio.
Michael Thirnbeck – Independent Non-executive Director
Michael Thirnbeck is an experienced geologist with over 25 years in managing numerous mineral development projects in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia. He has been a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy since 1989 and holds B.Sc (Hons.) degree from the University of Queensland.
Shuyi (Kiara) Wang – Non-executive Director
Shuyi (Kiara) Wang was appointed a director of Tartana Minerals on July 17, 2024. Wang is an accomplished, emerging leader with a strong academic and professional background. She holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy from The University of Melbourne and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor at the prestigious Melbourne Law School.
Copper, gold, silver and zinc, producer, explorer and developer in Far North Queensland, Australia
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.
Tartana Minerals Investor Kit
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