Potential rare earths ‘wildcard’ that could lift prices
There are several moving parts in the rare earths supply chain that could lift the sector out of its current depressed state.?
Brendan Clark, CEO of Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) — which is advancing a heavy rare earths project in Western Australia — tells Mining.com.au that 2024 was a particularly rough year for the sector due to strong manipulation from China which provided a false economy for a sector that is in high demand.
But one possible “wildcard”? comes from the geopolitical instability in Myanmar – the world’s fourth largest producer of rare earths.
This week has been all about silver, copper, rare earths and, of course, gold. There has been a lot going on in Canada in particular ahead of the impending pre-eminent Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference.?
Collaboration and innovation are key themes of this year’s event, being held from 2-5 March at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Mining.com.au is an official media partner of the event so we have been rolling out the associated news this week, which includes more M&A and capital raising - pointing to strong interest from investors in good projects.
Stay tuned for more news from one of the world’s largest conferences and subscribe to Mining.com.au to stay on top of market trends.
- Angela East, Mining.com.au Managing Editor
Iltani Resources: Orient could be bigger than Bowdens'
Iltani Resources (ASX:ILT) believes its Orient Silver-Lead-Zinc-Indium Project in Queensland has the potential to deliver a larger ore reserve than Silver Mines’ (ASX:SVL) Bowdens Project in NSW.
This follows the release of an exploration target for the company’s Orient East prospect of 25 to 35 million tonnes @ 77 to 95g/t silver equivalent.
The target includes a high-grade component of 12 to 18 million tonnes @ 110 to 130g/t silver equivalent.
High copper recoveries for Faraday Copper
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Copper crossroads: Tariffs, shortfall and a boom
Since Donald Trump’s second-time election as US President, commodities in general have been in turmoil as the new administration started unveiling its plans to roll out tariffs.?
Trump is now considering taxing copper imports and has launched a national security investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 – the same law he relied on to introduce 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium.
BMI Research says tariffs on copper imports are likely to largely affect Chile and Canada – the two biggest suppliers to the US.
Great Boulder reveals high-grade hits at Side Well South
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Recent stories
American Salars picks up pegmatite laden ground in Québec
Vancouver-based American Salars (CSE:USLI) has negotiated an all-scrip deal to buy the 61km2 Leduc East Lithium Project in Québec.
This is the second deal in a week after the explorer announced it was acquiring 1447377 BC, which wholly owns the 180km2 Jaguaribe Project – a lithium-cesium-tantalum deposit also hosting rare earth elements (REE) and a suite of critical minerals – in northern Brazil.
American Salars has now signed a mineral claims purchase agreement with Quartier Minerals for the 101 claims that make up the Leduc East Project in exchange for the issue of 50,000 shares.?
Power Metallic to fast track Nisk with $55 million cash boost
Canadian explorer Power Metallic Mines (TSX-V:PNPN) plans to accelerate exploration at its Nisk Project in Québec after boosting its cash reserves by C$50 million ($55.5 million).
The company, which has a market capitalisation of C$325.7 million, has closed its previously announced private placement offering.
Under the offer, Power Metallic issued 14.1 million flow-through shares at C$2.83 per share to raise just over C$40 million and 6.9 million non-flow-through shares at C$1.45 each to raise just under C$10 million.
Olympio expands exposure to Cadillac Break via acquisition
Olympio Metals (ASX:OLY) has signed a binding letter of intent with Bullion Gold Resources Corporation (TSX-V:BGD) to acquire up to 80% of the Bousquet Gold Project in Québec, Canada.?
The project sits on the Cadillac-Lake Larder Fault Zone, also known as the Cadillac Break, which is associated with orogenic gold and copper mineralisation.?
Under the deal, Olympio will pay C$100,000 ($110,103) cash within five business days after executing a formal option agreement, as well as issue C$50,000 worth of shares at a 15-day volume weighted average price to Bullion Gold.?
American Rare Earths outlines Halleck Creek’s ‘billion-dollar potential’
American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR) has confirmed the economics, scalability, and strategic importance of the Halleck Creek Project in the US, after receiving results from a Scoping Study.?
The study highlights Halleck Creek will have robust financials and long-term scalability, with a 3-million-tonne-per-year base case offering a net present value using a 10% forward discount rate (NPV10) of US$558 million ($875.47 million) and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 24%.?
In addition, the project is expected to have a low-risk capex of US$456 million, with a 2.7-year payback period.?
Collaboration, innovation key themes of PDAC 2025
A key focus of this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention will be collaboration and innovation.?
A large contingent of exhibitors, presenters and delegates are expected to attend the 93rd annual gathering in Toronto next week that aims to address the most important issues and opportunities within the resources sector.??
Canada’s mining industry employs over 665,000 people and contributed C$125 billion ($137.67 billion) to the country’s GDP in 2021.?
Opinion: Not living up to ‘potential’ a killer for resources companies
One of the phrases investors loathe more than anything is ‘blue sky thinking as we lay out deliverables for the next 12 months’.
The reason why tends to be that such corporate speak is a copy and paste of 12 months earlier where timelines have slipped, and investor patience is beginning to wear thin.
For much of the last decade, stock markets have been looking at those businesses with ‘potential.’
Australian explorers have landed in New York this week for the first ever Australia Investor Day being hosted by OTC Markets and Viriathus Capital.
The over-the-counter (OTC) market is where financial products, such as corporate bonds, stocks or derivatives, are traded directly between two parties and not on a centralised exchange like the Australian Securities Exchange.?
American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR), which is presenting at the Australia Investor Day, says the event is a great opportunity for the company to connect with a broader audience.?
American Salars expands with new ground Québec
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McLaren Minerals advances with WA mineral sands
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Viking Mines finds more gold at Bifrost target
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Basin Energy looks to unlock Sweden’s mineral wealth
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Provenance Gold unveils major gold potential
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Iltani demonstrates Orient East’s big silver potential – what’s next?
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Viking Mines' promising gold discovery explained
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Critica’s critical rare earth discovery
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