Resources Top 5: Gold results point to much bigger Little Gem for Ora Banda
PIM has received commitments to raise $1.76m in a placement to sophisticated and professional investors
The iron ore potential of CuFe's Camp Creek project in the NT has been enhanced by high-grade samples
Your standout small cap resources stocks for Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Ora Banda (ASX:OBM)
The signs point to Ora Banda having more than just a Little Gem on its hands as its expansive plan to extend the life of its Davyhurst gold operations in WA takes shape.
High-grade gold results from phase 2 drilling of up to 8.8m at 6.3g/t from 320m below surface have extended the multi-lode gold system at Little Gem prospect to a strike of more than 1km.
The gold producer is not scrimping on the task with $73m budgeted to deliver an extraordinary 329km of drilling in FY26, which is double the past three years of drilling activity combined.
This major spend will underpin mine life extension at Riverina and Sand King underground mines, assess whether the Waihi deposit can be taken underground, advance the Little Gem, Round Dam and Mulline prospects, and pursue belt-wide exploration over 140km of tenure.
It is little wonder that it is spending up as the previous spend saw 189km drilled to identify two now developed underground mines and numerous advanced targets.
Ora Banda Mining increased 9.5% to 74.5c with more than 12m shares changing hands valued at $9m.
The company's quest to find more gold is proving fruitful, with the latest 16-hole program at Little Gem confirming high gold grades and large lode widths.
Four lodes have been modelled – Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire and Tanzanite – and the 8.8m intersection in LGDD25008 is a 400-metre step out to the north of LGDD25005 which previously returned 22.7m at 5.0g/t.
OBM said this showed the prospective strike of a well-developed high-grade shoot on the Diamond Lode was more than 1,000 metres and remained open at depth.
While only in the early stage of drill testing, the company is confident of the greenfields potential of the Little Gem-Sunraysia system and has started a phase 3 follow up program.
This will see 38 holes drilled with two diamond rigs and one RC rig active targeting the Diamond and Ruby lodes down to 500 metres, with some deeper drill testing of the system down to 750 metres below surface planned. Other lodes will be tested over the course of FY26.
Pinnacle Minerals (ASX:PIM)
With a primary focus on lithium, it has been a period of relative dormancy for Pinnacle Minerals but with signs pointing to a positive future and improving prices, the company is well placed for growth.
As well as its battery metals projects in Canada, headed by the Adina East lithium project in Quebec, technology minerals in Australia, including rare earths in South Australia and heavy minerals in WA, strengthen the company's foundation.
Pinnacle, which also continues to evaluate and pursue other strategic opportunities, has reached 5.6c, an increase of 40% on a pre-trading halt close.
The halt was lifted after the company announced that it has received firm commitments to raise approximately $1.76m before costs in a two-tranche placement to sophisticated and professional investors.
New shares will be issued at 4c per share, with one free attaching option issued for every two new shares subscribed.
The options will be exercisable at 8c and will expire three years from the date of issue.
Pinnacle also intends to offer a bonus option entitlement issue to existing shareholders as a reward for their continued support.
Funds raised under the placement will be used to:
Advance the company's exploration programs in Canada and Australia;
support general working capital requirements; and
provide flexibility to evaluate and pursue strategic opportunities.
The placement will be completed in two tranches:
Tranche 1 – Comprising the issue of 11,365,815 shares to raise about $454,632, utilising the company's existing placement capacity under ASX Listing Rules 7.1 and 7.1A.
Tranche 2 – Comprising the issue of 32,634,185 shares to raise about $1,305,367, subject to shareholder approval at a general meeting on or around September 15, 2025.
The placement was jointly managed by AE Advisors and Oakley Capital Partners.
CuFe (ASX:CUF)
The iron ore potential of the NT's north has been enhanced by CuFe with a review and fieldwork identifying samples assaying 68.78% and 67.91% Fe at Camp Creek project in proximity to its Yarram resource.
This work has seen CuFe (ASX:CUF) reach a 12-month high of 1.2c, a lift of 20% on the previous close.
The review showed the best assay in samples gathered by previous explorers between 2013 and 2018 graded 68.78% Fe and has defined three target areas for further exploration.
In June 2025 a one-day field reconnaissance was held to validate the historical sampling and assess outcropping mineralisation, focusing on one of the three targets.
Fifteen rock chip samples were collected, with 10 from iron-enriched outcrops returning assays exceeding 60% Fe, including a maximum of 67.91%.
CuFe interprets these results as encouraging evidence of EL33835's potential to host high-grade iron mineralisation, enhanced by its closeness to Yarram, which is 5km away and has an inferred resource of 12.7Mt at 55.4% Fe.
CUF plans to advance Camp Creek with further mapping and sampling across remaining target areas to guide future drill targeting.
Green Critical Minerals (ASX:GCM)
To capitalise on increasing US demand for advanced thermal management solutions, including its very high-density graphite blocks, Green Critical Minerals is seeking to list on a US exchange to complement its ASX listing.
This will enable the company to access a broad customer base, engage directly with leading technology manufacturers and tap into one of the world's deepest and most sophisticated capital markets.
It will also unlock substantial commercial value through partnerships, distribution networks and market share expansion.
This move follows GCM setting up a US entity to support product registration requirements, streamline logistics and enable direct engagement with North American customers in the advanced electronics, semiconductor and infrastructure sectors.
Green Critical Minerals is evaluating the most effective pathway for a US market entry with consideration given to the most suitable exchange – either the NYSE or Nasdaq – and has engaged leading legal advisors HWL Ebsworth to support this process.
It has also formed a dedicated selection committee tasked with advancing advisor and investment bank appointments.
Trigg Minerals (ASX:TMG)
To strengthen its focus on developing domestic processing capability for critical minerals in the United States, Trigg Minerals (ASX:TMG) has appointed US-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) veteran James Graf as a non-executive director.
The company's US efforts are centred on the flagship Antimony Canyon Project in Utah while it also has antimony interests in Australia.
Graf has more than 35 years of international capital markets, M&A and corporate management experience and will assist Trigg as it advances plans for a US mainboard listing.
He is currently CEO of Graf Global Corp, his eighth SPAC as CEO, CFO and/or active director. He also serves as interim CFO of NKGen Biotech, his last SPAC target.
Trigg will leverage his deep cross-border experience in banking and SPACs, including resources transactions and Australian deals, to sharpen its execution strategy and build strong engagement with US investors.
'Antimony Canyon Project is a globally unique asset and the addition of James to the team is an exciting step in the development of Trigg Minerals,' chairman Timothy Morrison said.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent financial advice before making any financial decisions. While Ora Banda Mining, CuFe, Green Critical Minerals and Trigg Minerals are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.
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