Latest news with #RareX
Mercury
06-06-2025
- Business
- Mercury
REE engages engineers for Kenyan project
Special Report: RareX has locked in global engineering firm Ausenco to oversee the early-stage infrastructure and desktop development studies for the Mrima Hill critical minerals project in Kenya. RareX appoints Ausenco to lead feasibility studies, process design, construction readiness and engineering at Mrima Hill Ausenco will undertake early-stage work to support responsible and well-informed development Physical works will only proceed once the appropriate licences are granted by the government of Kenya and local communities Ausenco is a recognised leader in consulting, engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) and is majority owned by Resource Capital Funds, a US-based investment group headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Ausenco brings deep experience delivering complex, high-impact projects across Africa and globally, including Kenya where they were the lead engineering, procurement and construction management company for the Kwale mineral sands mine. RareX (ASX:REE) will ensure Ausenco are supported by local, Kenyan-based engineering and construction firms as it carries out a range of different development tasks such as desktop engineering studies, identification of community-facing infrastructure needs and assessments of energy requirements. Background on Mrima Hill Mrima Hill, a globally significant rare earths and niobium project with additional potential for manganese and phosphate, is the subject of a proposal submitted by the RareX–Iluka consortium, along with supporting partners, including WSP, Curtin University and Ausenco. RareX has brought together a consortium of expert institutions and financiers from Australia and the US to support Mrima Hill, with a full project proposal presented to the Kenyan government. The consortium and proposal partners were recently convened by the Kenyan high Commissioner, HE Dr Kogo in Perth. Proactive engagement to fast-track development REE managing director James Durrant said this is about laying down the foundation for a world-class project – one that is grounded in practicality, regional understanding and long-term community value. 'Ausenco has already worked in this part of Kenya and brings a unique ability to translate available knowledge into actionable engineering and infrastructure design,' he said. 'Their early engagement allows us to move quickly and responsibly, building out a robust understanding of what Mrima Hill can look like before we access the ground. 'Physical works will only proceed once the appropriate licences are granted by the Government of Kenya and local communities have been engaged and brought along on the journey – ensuring both legal and social licence to operate are fully respected,' Durrant added. 'With the support of Ausenco and our broader team, RareX is demonstrating its ability to develop this project in the best possible way – structured, experienced, and respectful of the setting we're working in.' What else is happening? REE believes the appointment strengthens its preparedness as the lead developer of Mrima Hill. Key implications include early derisking of project infrastructure and layout, use of existing data to build commercial and technical frameworks and strong alignment with Kenya's infrastructure development priorities. REE's Mrima Hill proposal, submitted via Kenya's Specially Permitted Procurement Method (SPPM), outlines a phased, sovereign-partnered development. This work with Ausenco ensures the company remains on the front foot as ESG, social, and technical workstreams continue to progress in parallel. This article was developed in collaboration with RareX, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Originally published as RareX engages engineers for Mrima Hill critical minerals project in Kenya
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: RareX moves to set up Australian gallium supply chain
RareX and Gega will evaluate and aim to commercialise a fully integrated gallium supply chain West Coast Silver has the diamond drill spinning at Elizabeth Hill in WA's Pilbara Among the biggest movers in ASX small caps this week was Locksley Resources Your standout resources stocks for Friday, May 30, 2025. RareX (ASX:REE) The US and EU are not the only ones developing domestic supply chains to negate the influence of China and overcome its export restrictions with Australia joining in and primarily in critical minerals. There has been some action in Australia in recent times to develop integrated supply chains in future facing minerals such as lithium, rare earths and cobalt, and now there are moves for gallium to join the bunch. Gallium is seeing growing demand due to Chinese export restrictions and its vital use in semiconductors, robotics, LEDs and a range of defence applications. At the forefront of the vertically integrated gallium supply chain move is RareX, which has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Australian technology company Gega Elements. Gega, a materials science innovator focused on developing next-generation gallium refining solutions based on its proprietary research, will use its advanced methods to test gallium-bearing samples from RareX's (ASX:REE) Cummins Range and Khaleesi projects in Western Australia. The aim is to evaluate and ultimately commercialise a fully integrated gallium supply chain that will contribute to Australia's critical mineral resilience and investors have warmed to the value-add proposition with REE shares as much as 16.67% higher to 2.1c before closing at 1.9c. Gega's approach focuses on creating a cost-effective, environmentally responsible and sovereign-controlled processing pathway. 'This partnership with Gega Elements begins to position RareX as one of a select few large-scale potential gallium developments outside China,' managing director James Durrant said. 'Gallium is critical for semiconductors, 5G and defence – yet almost entirely controlled by a single jurisdiction. 'Through this collaboration, we're working to change that, leveraging RareX's resource scale and Gega's science-driven approach to build a truly sovereign supply solution.' The three-year collaboration seeks to provide technical validation of REE's gallium samples using Gega's bench-scale refining platform. Results will be integrated into techno-economic modelling for REE's broader project assessments while both companies jointly develop bespoke refining flowsheets for their resource characteristics. Both parties will also coordinate government grant applications and engagement with strategic end-users. The agreement is also aimed at building a pathway toward a binding commercial agreement upon successful demonstration of the technology. West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) West Coast Silver has the diamond drill spinning at the Elizabeth Hill project in Western Australia's Pilbara as it tests extensions of known high-grade mineralisation. The company's highly anticipated inaugural diamond drill campaign will total around 1500m and will also investigate structural controls identified through geological modelling and fieldwork. All drill core will be transported from site and logged at the company's offices and core yard in Karratha, where preliminary pXRF analysis will be undertaken. The geological team will also carry out detailed structural interpretation, which will fast-track updates to the drill program to ensure optimal targeting and program efficiency as drilling progresses. Following this work in Karratha, samples will be sent to the laboratory in Perth for full chemical assaying. Portable XRF analysis of surface sampling in mid-May returned several elevated readings of up to 920g/t silver to the north and south of the historical Elizabeth Hill mine. 'We're extremely excited to have drilling now underway at Elizabeth Hill,' executive director Bruce Garlick said. 'It's a significant milestone for West Coast Silver as we test the additional potential of this historical, high-grade silver project with modern techniques for the first time. 'We'll soon be assessing fresh drill core – and that's when the real geological work begins. 'Our team is ready to interpret and adapt in real-time, and we're looking forward to sharing updates with shareholders as results come to hand.' Investors share the enthusiasm with WCE shares up 10.54% to 6.3c. While Elizabeth Hill does not have a defined resource, it has proven historical production of about 1.2Moz of silver at an impressive head grade of 2194g/t in a single year. The high grades enabled low processing tonnes with the 1.2Moz produced from just 16,830t of ore before the mining operation ceased in 2000 due to low silver prices. Native silver was recovered via low-cost gravity separation techniques. There is also untapped potential with the deposit open at depth while recent consolidation of the land package offers potential to discover more Elizabeth Hill style deposits. In a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction, Elizabeth Hill is on a mining lease with potential processing option at the nearby Radio Hill site. Silver has come into its own in recent years due to growing industrial demand primarily for making photovoltaic solar panels more efficient. Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) Among the biggest weekly movers amid ASX small caps was Locksley Resources, which reached 8.5c, a rise of almost 42%, to a new high of more than two years. On Friday alone the company increased 28.8% on volume of more than 60m. The primary catalyst for this week's gain was a strongly supported placement with 36.67 million shares issued at 4c each to sophisticated and institutional investors resulting in $1.47m. Funds will be used to fund upcoming exploration, including drilling, at the Mojave rare earths and antimony project in California. The company's exploration team is mobilising to site to confirm priority targets and prepare for drilling to start. It will confirm and peg drill collar locations and access routes while the company waits for Bureau of Land Management approvals to be granted. Priority activities also include access routes and the engagement of earthworks and drill contractors to complete the drilling program. In addition, the team will conduct follow-up mapping and rock chip sampling across high-priority antimony, REE, polymetallic and copper targets. Further activities will include refining geophysical targets, additional surface sampling for geochemistry and structural mapping, and starting petrological studies to inform future metallurgical testing. Drilling is expected to begin in the September quarter and will focus on the El Campo prospect where six holes will be drilled to test TREO of up to 12.1% and the Desert Antimony Mine with three holes testing high-grade antimony mineralisation of up to 46%. This comprehensive campaign is designed to progress priority targets and unlock the project's critical minerals potential. Lord Resources (ASX:LRD) Increasing on the promise of additional funds from a pro-rata 1-for-1 non-renounceable entitlement offer was Lord Resources, which climbed 23.81% to a daily high of 2.6c. The company hopes to reel in almost $1.4m before costs at 1.8c per share, which represents an 18.18% discount to the 5-day VWAP price of 2.2c. The offer will be open for all shareholders of the company with a registered address in Australia and New Zealand who hold shares as at 5pm (WST) on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Funds raised will be used for a maiden drilling program at the Ilgarari Copper Project in Western Australia's Collier Basin. In late April the company was awarded co-funded grants of up to $306,500 under the WA Government's Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) for the Ilgarari project. This comprises $216,000 in support for a deep diamond drilling program targeting a regionally significant magnetic anomaly beneath copper mineralisation at the Alac and Main zones and another $90,500 for a Moving Loop Electromagnetic survey designed to refine drill targeting by detecting subsurface conductivity. 'We are delighted to receive support from the WA Government's Exploration Incentive Scheme for both drilling and geophysics at Ilgarari,' Lord Resources CEO Andrew Taylor said. 'The Collier Basin remains vastly underexplored, and these grants are a validation of our exploration model and provide substantial leverage for advancing exploration both at Ilgarari and potentially across the broader region.' Funding under both EIS grants is available from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Lord Resources is an exploration company with a highly prospective portfolio of future facing metals within Western Australia including projects providing exposure to copper, gold and lithium. Tasman Resources (ASX:TAS) Tasman Resources was 38.89% higher to 2.5c after clean technology company Eden Innovations Ltd, in which it has a 33.9% stake, recorded encouraging growth in sales of its EdenCrete® range of carbon nanotube enriched concrete admixtures. This was primarily as a result of rapid sales growth of EdenCrete®Pz7 for commercial applications in USA, Ecuador, Mexico and Canada. In the three months from mid-February 2025, the total sales of all EdenCrete products exceeded US$567,000 (~A$877,000). From the start of March 2025 to May 23 total US domestic sales of all EdenCrete products reached US$222,470 (~A$341,196) comprising: EdenCrete Pz7 – sales of US$151,890 (~A$232,900) to six ready mix plants in the Denver area that have dispensing systems installed, and EdenCrete - U$70,580 (~A$108,224). Year-on-year sales for April and May 2025 alone were 86% higher than the total sales for the whole of Q4 of FY2024 (April-June 2024). In addition, the following international orders for EdenCrete Pz7 have been received, since mid-February 2025: Holcim Ecuador placed three further orders totalling $US$275,220 for use at multiple Holcim concrete plants in Ecuador, following its first commercial orders in May 2024 for US$79,600 of EdenCrete Pz7; Holcim Mexico placed two orders for US$15,760; and Holcim Eastern Canada one order for US$6,400.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: Andromeda a star on ultra-high purity HPA breakthrough
A testwork breakthrough by Andromeda Metals has resulted in the production of 4N HPA RareX is extending a search for critical mineral gallium at the Khaleesi rare earth project Taruga Minerals has exercised an option to acquire the Thowagee tenement in WA Your standout small cap resources stocks for Thursday, May 1, 2025 Andromeda Metals (ASX:ADN) A star performer on the ASX has been Andromeda Metals after pulling off a testwork breakthrough by producing ultra-high purity 4N high purity alumina (HPA) of 99.9985% using its own low-cost process and kaolin from the Great White Project in South Australia. ADN hit a new 12-month high of 2.8c, double the previous closing price on volume of more than 265m. The daily high for the $48m company was four times the closing price of 0.7c on April 10. Analysis of the produced HPA confirmed it has a purity of 99.9985%, well above the 99.99% purity required to be considered 4N HPA for use in lithium-ion batteries as a battery separator as well as the production of synthetic sapphire glass and LEDs. Results from the laboratory-scale testwork have been confirmed by top labs in the US and CSIRO and have validated the company's novel process flow sheet developed over seven years of investigation, research and metallurgical testing. What sets them apart is the process – no high-pressure acid, no extreme heat and no expensive aluminium metal. What's more, it's cleaner, cheaper and slashes carbon emissions by more than two-thirds, according to ADN. The ability to produce 4N HPA from kaolin is expected to provide significant cost advantages over the current dominant method of producing the critical mineral through synthesizing aluminium alkoxide from high-cost aluminium metal. The cost advantage also comes as demand for HPA is expected to outstrip global supply by 45% by 2028. 'Whilst Andromeda's primary focus remains the development of the Great White Project, the production of HPA is a high-value and complementary opportunity,' acting chief executive officer Sarah Clarke said. 'This latest test work validates our novel flowsheet, showing our Great White CRM product from the Great White Project can be used to produce HPA at an impressive 99.9985% purity.' She said this demonstrated the potential to expand the company's product portfolio in the future to include a value-added critical mineral while underpinning its confidence in progressing HPA production to the next stage of development. 'The premise of producing HPA – a high-value, in-demand product – at lower cost and reduced carbon intensity compared to established processes should be highly attractive to any manufacturers using HPA in their products,' Clarke added. The Great White Project is backed by 15.1Mt in high-grade ore reserves, enough to fuel a 28-year mine life. A 2023 bankable feasibility study estimated capex at $194m for a three-stage development that could supply up to 330,000 wet metric tonnes of product per annum, generating an NPV and IRR of $763m and 43% respectively. Andromeda Metals (ASX:ADN) is now heading into a scoping study and will start working with customers to fine-tune the product for everything from semiconductors to batteries. It will also investigate government funding opportunities. After seven years of R&D, this could put it in the box seat as global HPA (high purity alumina) demand heats up, it said. RareX (ASX:REE) RareX has been heading north since revealing high-grade gallium in historical drill core from its Cummins Range project in WA's Kimberley and then pointing out that another critical mineral scandium is also present. Shares have reached 3c, a lift of 15.4% on the previous close and have risen from 0.8c at the close on March 24. The latest fillip comes after REE extended its search for gallium at the Khaleesi rare earths project in WA's Albany-Fraser Belt, supported by the award of a grant in Round 31 of WA's Exploration Incentive Scheme co-funded drilling program to cover up to 50% of drill costs. REE already identified extensive gallium mineralisation at the project, including aircore intersections up to 86g/t gallium and rock chips up to 81g/t, and now plans to RC drill test multiple targets. The EIS program entitles the company to receive up to 50% of direct drilling costs, capped at $160,000, and up to 50% of mobilisation costs, capped at $15,000, for a total refund of up to $175,000. REE plans to complete between 300m and 1300m of RC drilling at the project, with an average hole depth of 100m, across six targets. 'This support from the Western Australian government is a strong endorsement of the project's prospectivity and the quality of our technical approach,' REE MD James Durrant said. 'The grant will allow us to accelerate exploration across multiple high-priority targets, including the highly prospective Niobe prospect, where the exploration team has identified a potential very large gallium mineralised system. 'Niobe has the potential for many tonnes of contained metal within the extensive moderately mineralised regolith and basement granitic rocks over 5km x 3km. 'With this funding, we are well positioned to unlock the district-scale potential of the Khaleesi Alkaline Intrusion Complex and advance our strategy to deliver critical minerals for the future.' Gallium is a key mineral with demand growing due to Chinese export restrictions and its vital use in semiconductors, robotics, LEDs and a range of defence applications. And being on the Aussie critical minerals list, it's a no-brainer that exploring the gallium potential at Khaleesi has attracted EIS funding from the WA government. Taruga Minerals (ASX:TAR) Strengthening its WA footprint, Taruga Minerals has exercised an option to acquire 100% of the Thowagee tenement in the northern Gascoyne of WA and is trading 11.11% higher at 1c. Thowagee complements its existing application portfolio, now spanning 416.5km2 of contiguous ground and a dominant landholding with lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold potential. It includes two historical mining sites - Thowagee Mine and Thowagee Bore - with high-grade polymetallic mineralisation occurring in outcropping veins and gossans. TAR's initial reconnaissance and rock chip sampling has proven positive, confirming the general mineralisation trends and high-grade polymetallic nature of mineralisation in the area. Results including heavy mineralised altered country rock samples next to the historical quartz vein focus notably showed potential hefty scale to add to the mineralised system. TAR intends to revive the mine, which has gone underexplored since 1956, when 15.2t of lead and 5878g of silver were extracted in a concentrate produced on site, along with hints of gold, copper and zinc. Field exploration at the project kicked off this month, with work focusing on exploiting the potential riches below high-grade base and precious metals mineralisation in outcrops. Constellation Resources (ASX:CR1) After releasing a quarterly report and launching a non-renounceable entitlement offer to raise up to $2.36 million before costs, Constellation Resources has been 7.7% higher to 14c. Under the entitlement offer, eligible shareholders are entitled to purchase one new fully paid ordinary share for every four fully paid ordinary shares held at the record date, at 15c per share. The offer opened on April 28, 2025, and is scheduled to close at 5.00pm (AWST) on May 19, 2025. In addition to their entitlement, eligible shareholders with a registered address in Australia, New Zealand, Germany or the United Kingdom may apply for additional new shares. In its quarterly, CR1 outlined progress on projects in Western Australia while it continues to evaluate new opportunities in the resources sector. The flagship Ularring copper-gold project is in a region that host several major deposits that are intrusion related, such as the Boddington copper-gold mine and Caravel Minerals' Caravel copper-molybdenum-silver-gold project A dipole-dipole induced polarisation (DDIP) survey defined a high-quality chargeable anomaly which with its relative location to previous drill intersections and relationship within a circular magnetic low, presents as a high-grade intrusion related copper-gold target. Modelled chargeability responses are significantly higher in magnitude when compared to the responses modelled over historic sulphide-copper gold drill intersections located up dip. This may represent increased sulphide development and higher grade Cu-Au mineralisation. A two-hole diamond drilling program is underway initially testing the northern end of the anomaly where the highest and shallowest modelled chargeability peak responses were identified. At CR1's natural hydrogen projects a staged, regional soil gas program is expected to start this quarter at Edmund-Collier once all approvals are obtained. Sampling will be optimised from the outcomes from the CSIRO Kick-Start Program Research Agreement. A second technical services agreement with the CSIRO has commenced to assist in progressing thermal maturity assessments and fluid inclusion analysis. Results from the study will determine if the shale units have generated hydrogen and if true, could indicate a major basin-wide kitchen, one of the key elements needed to help establish a viable hydrogen system. NewPeak Metals (ASX:NPM) (Up on no news) A quarterly report for NewPeak Metals issued last month outlined progress at vanadium and gold projects in Australia, Argentina and Canada as well as a rejuvenated executive team. Although there has been no news, shares have been 33% higher to 1.2c. During the quarter, NPM appointed Mark Purcell as its CEO to lead the execution of an updated strategy. Former CEO David Mason is undertaking a 3-month transition period as executive director to ensure a smooth and successful transition. Following this he will remain on the board as a non-executive director, while Purcell will be appointed managing director. NewPeak has since engaged Alistair Grahame, an exploration geologist with 27 years' experience including 12 years based in Argentina. As project manager for Exeter Resources' Cerro Moro project he refreshed the exploration strategy through integration of databases, re-interpretation and new mapping and geochemical studies. The drill program he designed and managed discovered the high-grade mineralisation that subsequently led to the development of the Cerro Moro mine. Grahame was also involved in redefining exploration strategies for Woolgar (Queensland) and Caspiche (Chile). In February 2025, NewPeak executed a share purchase agreement with AusVan Battery Metals Pty Ltd to purchase that company for $5 million worth of NewPeak shares. AusVan holds six granted exploration permits and one exploration permit application covering the Allaru vanadium project in northwest Queensland, which has an inferred JORC resource of 710 million tonnes of vanadium mineral resource. NewPeak will initially focus on expanding the shallow, oxidised Allaru North project which has a typical depth of 12 m and vanadium grade ranging from 0.19 to 0.68 V2O5, averaging 0.45 V2O5. In conjunction with the transaction, NewPeak plans to undertake a rights issue to raise $2m to $3m at 1.65c per share. The company also holds interests in gold projects in Argentina, the Treuer Range uranium-vanadium project in Australia's Northern Territory and the George River uranium, REE and scandium project in Canada.
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: RareX taps Iluka in major Kenyan partnership to ride rare earths wave
RareX has formed a consortium with Iluka Resources to apply for the Mrima Hill rare earth project in Kenya Jindalee Lithium's McDermitt project is one of 10 in the US granted FAST-41 'Transparency Project' status Drilling is expected to start in around six weeks at the Elizabeth Hill silver project Your standout small cap resources stocks for Tuesday, April 22, 2025. RareX (ASX:REE) Enhancing its role in the critical minerals space is RareX through a consortium with $1.62bn producer Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) to apply for the Mrima Hill rare earth project in Kenya and the proposed formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for its de-risking and development. Mrima Hill is a globally significant rare earth project in Kwale County in Kenya, just 15km from the Indian Ocean coast, next to a sealed highway and close to geothermal power grids. It is also prospective for phosphate, niobium and manganese. Formal submission for Mrima Hill has been made by the consortium to Kenya's National Mining Corporation (NAMICO) under Kenya Mining Act chapter 306, Laws of Kenya which, if successful, will see the proposal presented to the cabinet secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs to contemplate the formation of a joint venture with NAMICO. The SPV will allow RareX to take the lead in the project focusing on community engagement, environmental protection and technical derisking through studies and field work, aligned to RareX's skills and experiences from its Cummins Range project, which is a similar style deposit. If the proposal is successful, Iluka will be granted 25% ownership in the SPV with RareX for at least a 20% economic interest in the project throughout the prospecting licence phase and until a Mining Licence is granted. The consortium agreement includes a binding conditional offtake term sheet with Iluka for all rare earth and heavy mineral product from Mrima Hill with rare earths having the potential to feed Iluka's Eneabba refinery in Western Australia, which is under construction and supported by an $1.65bn Federal Government non-recourse loan. 'This agreement shows that RareX has got significant ambition in the rare earth space,' RareX's managing director James Durrant said. 'That's exactly what the company was set up for, to go after large-scale rare earth projects that will participate in the global supply chain. 'That was started with Cummins Range, which is Australia's largest undeveloped rare earth project. This one we targeted in Kenya is one of the largest known deposits, still fairly early stage and needs de-risking, but that is where Iluka comes in. 'Iluka has got a great facility that's taxpayer funded with that $1.65bn loan but it doesn't have long-term quality feedstock. We've got a vision for the project and I think Iluka liked the vision. "It's going to do wonders for a facility that has, to date, not yet received the level of appreciation that it's needed to receive.' To achieve a social licence to operate RareX, which has been as much as 24.4% higher to 4.6c before an afternoon retrace, intends to build local teams with support from experienced companies that specialise in community development. This includes employing, where possible, relevant teams previously established to support the Kwale Mineral Sands Operation which has entered its closure phase. The Kwale operation, previously owned by Australian company Base Resources (ASX:BSE), is close to the Mrima Hill project. 'This partnership will enable RareX to leverage Iluka's expertise and resources as we work toward creating a major, multi-commodity project in Kenya, where the rare earths components are integrated with an Australian, government backed, value chain,' Durrant said. 'If successful, the project could become part of a unique and independent mine to rare earth metal solution, backed by allied governments, and could contribute to deeper diplomatic relations between two Commonwealth countries, both non-NATO strategic allies of the US and both members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. 'Our proposal would allow Australia to provide the complex rare earth value-add in a critical metals value chain, whilst providing Kenya with a major mining project and a domestic supply of manganese, niobium and phosphate for the local steel and agricultural sectors.' Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL) In a significant boost for Jindalee Lithium, the company's McDermitt lithium project is one of just 10 mining projects across the US to be granted FAST-41 'Transparency Project' status and investors initially welcomed the designation with JLL shares as much as 65% higher to 42c, before a colossal afternoon crash that saw its share trip into the red. FAST-41 is a legislatively established process for improving federal agency coordination and timeliness of environmental reviews for infrastructure projects, as established by Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. The permitting progress of the initial 10 can be publicly tracked, part of what the Trump administration calls a push for greater transparency and faster permitting. Many more projects are expected to be added to the list on a rolling basis over the next few weeks. 'This transparency leads to greater accountability, ensuring a more efficient process,' the White House said in a statement. 'For too long, duplicative processes and regulatory paralysis have delayed the development of the minerals America needs to power everything from national defense systems to smartphones,' said acting assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess. 'By cutting red tape and increasing accountability, we're making it clear that under President Trump, the United States is serious about being a global leader in critical minerals.' One of the primary barriers to unlocking America's mineral wealth is the lengthy and often duplicative permitting process, which can stretch seven to 10 years for a single mine. In contrast, countries like Australia and Canada complete permitting in as little as two to five years. This permitting gridlock discourages domestic production, drives up costs for American manufacturers and increases dependence on foreign adversaries. Jindalee said this highlighted McDermitt's strategic importance and growing profile in bolstering US critical minerals supply chains and energy security. "Being named among the first 10 FAST-41 Transparency Projects validates McDermitt's strategic importance to US mineral security' Jindalee's CEO Ian Rodger said. 'Inclusion on the Federal Permitting Dashboard highlights our project's national significance, offering greater transparency and federal support to advance our Exploration Plan of Operations (EPO), currently in the final stages of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review with an Environmental Assessment recently published for public comment. 'Once approved, the EPO will allow further on-site activity, including drilling to provide additional geological and environmental data, as well as fresh samples for geotechnical studies and further metallurgical test work. 'Jindalee remains committed to developing McDermitt transparently and responsibly, collaborating closely with federal and state agencies to realise this critical US lithium asset's full potential.' Errawarra Resources (ASX:ERW) New ASX silver player Errawarra Resources expects to start drilling within six weeks at the Elizabeth Hill mine with the aim of giving one of Australia's highest grade silver mines a new lease on life. It is the latest step in Errawarra's transformation into silver, with a May 19 general meeting date set to approve the acquisition of a 70% stake in the historical mine in WA's Pilbara. ERW is already well advanced on exploration plans for the mine, which produced 1.2Moz of the precious metal at a head grade of 2194 grams per tonne before its closure in 2000. Soon to be renamed West Coast Silver, Errawarra is in the advanced stages of finalising high-priority drill targets, with a drilling contract expected to be awarded soon. Geological, structural mapping and soil sampling is already taking place, with assays from soil sampling expected in 5-6 weeks. Silver was trading at US$5 an ounce when Elizabeth Hill closed 25 years ago. Now the metal is closing on 13-year highs of US$35/oz, as growing silver use in solar panels and safe haven demand pushes the commodity higher. Experts say silver could break through all time highs of US$50/oz in the current precious metals bull market. Errawarra has raised $3 million ahead of the finalisation of the deal and the start of drilling at the project. Drilling is expected to test potential down-plunge extensions of known mineralisation and provide further geological content to the Elizabeth Hill mineral system. 'I'm very pleased with the rapid progress we're making across multiple fronts at Elizabeth Hill,' Errawarra Resources executive director Bruce Garlick said. 'The team is doing an excellent job finalising high-priority drill targets and advancing both the soil sampling and mapping programs. 'These are important steps in refining our understanding of the project and preparing for drilling.' Advance Metals (ASX:AVM) (Up on no news) Still riding a golden wave from last week's 'fantastic' results from the Myrtleford project in northeast Victoria is Advance Metals, up another 16.7% to a daily high of 5.6c on volume of almost 45 million. The results of up to 446g/t gold came from AVM's maiden drilling program at the high-grade project, at which the company recently entered a binding agreement with Serra Energy Metals Corp to acquire an 80% interest via joint venture together with the Beaufort gold project. Diamond drilling at Happy Valley prospect returned 7.5m at 47.9g/t Au from 178.1m including 1.3m at 271.6g/t and 3.3m at 11.0g/t from 156.5m including 0.55m at 68.1g/t in hole AMD00 while hole AMD002 returned 2.9m at 6.7g/t Au from 208.8m, including 0.5m at 36.6g/t. Multiple zones of high-grade mineralisation in AMD003, along with peak grades up to 446g/t gold, extend the system to the northwest and present follow-up potential up and down dip. These results from the second and third diamond drill holes follow the strong results from the first hole, which returned 8.2 metres at 22.4g/t Au including 3.2 metres at 54.7g/t. 'Once again we are seeing fantastic results returned from the Happy Valley Prospect at Myrtleford,' managing director Adam McKinnon said. 'In combination with previous drilling and the recent result from AMD001, we have now defined a coherent ultra-high grade zone with potential extensions in multiple directions. 'Hole AMD003, in particular, is now one of the best holes ever drilled at Myrtleford with three separate high grade zones and individual gold assays up 446g/t. 'Further, the initial logging results from hole AMD004 makes it four-from-four for the program in terms of visible gold hits.' Somerset Minerals (ASX:SMM) Another positive move was made by Somerset Minerals, up 33% to 1.2c, after raising $2.4M in a placement with funds for a maiden drill campaign at the flagship Coppermine project in Canada. There was strong demand for the two-tranche placement at 0.9c a share from new and existing investors Tranche 1 raised $590,000 utilising Listing Rule 7.1 and 7.1A placement capacities and Tranche 2 will raise $1.8M subject to shareholder approval The company's maiden exploration campaign at Coppermine is scheduled to early July and will include a ~1,500m drill campaign and regional surface sampling campaign in areas where historical rock chip samples include 45.4% Cu and 60.0 g/t Ag along with 44.1% Cu and 263.0 g/t Ag. Permitting is well advanced, with the final approvals expected in the next 1–2 weeks. Acquisition of the project remains subject to several conditions, including shareholder approval at a General Meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. "We are delighted by the strong support received from new and existing investors, which reflects growing recognition of Somerset's unique position in the market. With a depressed market valuation, a tight capital structure, and multiple near-term catalysts ahead, we believe this represents an attractive entry point," managing director Chris Hansen said.
