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AUSTRALIAN nickel producer Western Areas has completed two offtake deals for its WA high-grade Forrestania Nickel Operation concentrate product which is a feedstock for the electric vehicle battery market. The ASX-listed company said the offtake-deals are with BHP’s Nickel West subsidiary in WA, and Hong Kong-listed Chinese nickel company Jinchuan Group, and both were awarded by Western Areas following a competitive tender process. Western Areas managing director Dan Lougher said the company was pleased with its new contracts that extend its relationship with BHP and reintroduces Jinchuan as an offtake customer. “It is notable that both of our offtake customers are involved in the downstream operation of nickel smelters,” he said. “Western Areas firmly believes that the smelting of concentrates...

Dianne copper mine project granted $1.3m by QLD Government Revolver Resources Holdings Limited (ASX: RRR) has secured a $1.3m grant from the QLD Government’s Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund for its Dianne copper mine project in northwest Queensland. The grant received will be directed towards advanced technical studies and site-specific engineering designs for the project starting next month. These include $800,000 for the SX/EW processing engineering design and $500,000 for site engineering design. Revolver managing director Pat Williams says the company is very pleased...

Ordell Minerals debuts on ASX following $6m IPO Australia’s newest exploration company Ordell Minerals (ASX: ORD) has debuted on the ASX following a $6m initial public offering (IPO). Ordell’s key asset is an 80% interest in the Barimaia gold project which is located in the Murchison region of WA. Barimaia is an advanced exploration project with significant drilling results of 15m @ 11.4g/t gold from 74m and 5m @4g/t gold from 43m. Exploration by previous owner Genesis Minerals (ASX: GMD) identified an extensive gold system with historical reverse circulation drilling highlighting shallow open pit potential. In addition to Barimaia, Ordell holds the Goodia lithium...

Drilling initiative set to address WA’s mineral discovery rate A collaborative drilling initiative is set to address WA’s declining mineral discovery rates by mapping and defining potential mineral systems to remote underexplored regions. The Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) is working with the MinEx Cooperative Research Centre as part of the National Drilling Initiative (NDI), an ongoing pre-competitive geoscience program. While it’s not an exploration program, the initiative aims to reduce the financial and technical risks of exploration and increase the level of industry investment by providing high-quality precompetitive geoscience data. Phase one is underway at the Nifty copper operation, which is currently under care and maintenance,...