Northern Star maintains $225m exploration budget

Red Mountain Mining (ASX: RMX) will recommence exploration across its US antimony portfolio, with fieldwork set to begin in Montana this month. Initial work will focus on the Thompson Falls antimony project located on the Montana-Idaho border near the country’s only operating antimony smelter. Planned activities include systematic geological mapping and surface sampling. Rock chip sampling completed last year returned grades of up to 36.5% antimony and 1.12ppm gold.  Red Mountain says it has strengthened its technical capabilities by appointing experienced geologist Max Baker as an advisory board member and by engaging Montana-based KC Harvey Environmental to support field operations and assist with regulatory approvals.    Additionally, KC Harvey Environmental will assist with initial geological mapping and surface sampling at Red Mountain’s Yellow Pine and Silver Dollar projects in Central Idaho, where historical mining and sampling have indicated antimony, gold and silver mineralisation.  The company says it is continuing discussions with US-based consultants regarding potential access to government-backed funding and grant programs. The restart of exploration comes amid increasing focus on antimony as a critical mineral, with both the US and Australian governments highlighting supply constraints and the need to secure domestic sources. Recent policy support in the US, including FAST-41 status for nearby antimony projects, has contributed to renewed activity across the sector.  

The latest geochemical analysis from the Geological Survey of NSW has shown promising prospects across the state for the mining of high-purity silica.

High-grade gold discovered in the Murchison Golden Dragon Mining’s (ASX: GDR) exploration program has intersected high-grade gold close to surface at an advanced gold target within the greater Cue gold project in WA. The first phase of reverse circulation (RC) drilling confirms both the presence and continuity of a high-grade zone within a broader mineralised system at the Coodardy target. Golden Dragon says this support the interpretation that Coodardy forms part of a larger, coherent gold-bearing system with significant potential for expansion. Managing director Simon Buswell-Smith comments on the results. “The high-grade results combined with the significant results from the other recent drillholes, bodes extremely well for potential future open pit development at Coodardy,” he said. “The primary focus of the next phase of exploration will be testing this high-grade zone north and south in poorly tested areas to extend the mineralisation.  “The team has interpreted the high-grade zone to plunge to the north into the fresh rock which would be a very exciting development if confirmed as we expect. “This is the first time in many decades where ownership of the entire strike length is owned by one company, which is a game changer for Coodardy and we are now in a position to unlock the broader potential of this system.” More drilling is planned to commence this month with primary focus to test along strike at Coodardy and other nearby advanced target. 

Alcoa Australia (ASX: AAI) has removed areas in the Perth Hills from proposed exploration plans due to “local stakeholder and community feedback”.