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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 minutes ago
- News.com.au
US President Donald Trump holds tariff rate for Australia at 10 per cent
Australia has dodged a higher tariff from the US as President Donald Trump unleashed a wave of higher levies on imports from other countries on Thursday. Mr Trump signed in higher rates for many countries under a new executive order, but the tariff on Australian imports will remain at the original baseline of 10 per cent. The US leader had earlier threatened to increase tariffs on Australia to 15 or 20 per cent. In a statement from Thursday morning, the Whitehouse said President Trump had decided to 'adjust' his 'reciprocal' tariff regime, first announced on April 2, in response to trade negotiations with individual countries. 'Several countries have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade deals and security agreements with the United States,' the statements reads. 'Some countries, through negotiations, have offered terms that, in the President's judgment, do not sufficiently address the national emergency he declared on April 2. 'Some countries have not negotiated at all with the United States. 'Based on this additional information and recommendations from senior officials, among other things, the President has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries.' The Whitehouse then lists a set of countries under 'Annex 1', with individual tariff rates set out for each nation. 'Countries not listed in Annex I will be subject to a 10 per cent tariff,' the Whitehouse said. Australia is not included in Annex 1. Several countries, including ostensible US allies, now face steeper import duties. Canada has been whacked with a higher 35 per cent tariff, a move up from its original 25 per cent hit. Taiwan, a key US ally in Asia, faces a 20 per cent rate. Small nations with tiny economies have also been slammed. The Pacific country of Vanuatu, with a population of some 330,000, faces a 15 per cent tariff, while Laos has copped a 40 per cent tariff blow.
News.com.au
2 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Australia escapes Trump tariff hike, secures lowest rate
Australia has escaped a tariff hike to the baseline rate of 10 per cent amid fears that President Trump could double the levy to 20 per cent. President Trump issued an executive order on Thursday night confirming new tariff rates for countries under special deals with world leaders and revised tariffs for other countries. Australia was not on the list of changes, and the executive order states that countries not on the new list would remain at 10 per cent. Australia is one of only a handful of countries in the world that will secure the lowest possible tariff rate of 10 per cent including Britain and Brazil. By contrast, even New Zealand was hit with a surprise hit in the executive order on Friday morning. The White House has revised its list of tariffs for particular countries and New Zealand has been put on a 15 percent base rate, up from the original 10 per cent announced earlier. In a fact sheet released by the White House outlining the decision, officials confirmed that Mr Trump had signed an Executive Order modifying the reciprocal tariff rates for 'certain countries to further address our exploding, annual U.S. goods trade deficits.' 'This decisive action reflects the President's continued efforts to protect the United States against foreign threats to the national security and economy of the United States by securing fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade relationships to benefit American workers, farmers, and manufacturers and to strengthen the United States' defence industrial base,'' the statement says. 'On April 2, President Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on all countries, and for countries with which the United States has large trade deficits, he announced higher additional tariffs individualised to each country, effective April 9. A lot has happened since then. For example: 'Several countries have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade deals and security agreements with the United States. Some countries, through negotiations, have offered terms that, in the President's judgment, do not sufficiently address the national emergency he declared on April 2. 'Some countries have not negotiated at all with the United States. Based on this additional information and recommendations from senior officials, among other things, the President has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries.' Crucially however, the statement includes the following information with regard to Australia: 'Countries not listed in Annex I will be subject to a 10% tariff.' Australia is not in the Annex I list and as such will retain a 10 per cent tariff - the lowest possible under the new regime. 'President Trump has reset decades of failed trade policy,'' the White House said. 'Today's Order underscores President Trump's commitment to take back America's economic sovereignty by addressing the many non-reciprocal trade relationships that impact foreign relations, threaten our economic and national security, and disadvantage American workers. 'President Trump's bold trade strategy has yielded historic agreements with major trading partners, unlocking unprecedented investments in the United States and expanding market access for American goods. These deals strengthen America's economic and security positions and create opportunities for American workers, farmers, and businesses. 'In a massive deal with the European Union, the EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy and make new investments of $600 billion in the United States, all by 2028, while accepting a 15% tariff rate. 'Japan has agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States to rebuild and expand core American industries, as well as to further open its own market to U.S. exports, all while paying a baseline 15% tariff rate. 'The United States-United Kingdom trade deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports. Additional trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and others will protect our industries, open foreign markets, and encourage foreign investment in American industries. 'President Trump is using tariffs as a necessary and powerful tool to put America First after many years of unsustainable trade deficits that threaten our economy and national security.' Nations strike deals White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt earlier on Friday confirmed that some countries may yet strike a trade agreement before the US deadline. 'We promised that the president would negotiate with countries all around the world to cut tailor-made trade deals depending on those countries' challenges, how badly they've ripped off the United States of America and our manufacturing industry and our workforce in the past,'' Ms Leavitt said. 'And he has done that. Of our 18 major trading partners, two-thirds of those trading partners have a deal. 'I do know foreign leaders are ringing his phone, realising this deadline is a real thing for them tomorrow and they're bringing offers to the table.' Official US data shows that in June 2025 tariff revenues were $US28 billion. That's $43 billion in US dollars and triple the monthly revenues seen in 2024. 'Those revenues will skyrocket even further starting tomorrow when new reciprocal tariff rates take effect,'' Ms Leavitt said. But Australia doesn't pay any of the tariffs. Instead, the new levy is paid by US importers when buying Australian exports. In theory, the tariffs could hurt Australian exports by increasing the price although in practice the trade of beef and aluminium remains strong for now. That could change if the tariff was doubled. 'What we are watching is President Trump rebuilding the greatest economy in the history of the world and turning it – and simultaneously proving the so-called economic experts wrong at every turn,'' White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. US President slams 'lunatics' Earlier, Mr Trump defended his use of tariffs during his first term in office lauding the tariffs as bringing in significant revenue for the United States. 'In my first term I was fighting lunatics like you who were trying to do things incorrectly. We did do tariffs in the first term and took in billions of dollars but when Covid came, the last thing I was going to do was hit France and Spain and other countries with tariffs,' Mr Trump said. When the tariffs were first announced in April, Australia only received the baseline 10 per cent rate, largely because it buys more from the US than it sells. Some US officials even privately told Australian political leaders that given it was such a good deal that the Prime Minister may not wish to rush a meeting with the US President that could prove volatile and deliver a worse outcome. But while Australian officials had taken solace from the fact Australia was on the lowest possible tariff, Mr Trump then flagged plans to lift the base rate to 'somewhere in the 15 to 20 per cent range'. Mr Trump spruiked the radical trade policy shift on social media, maintaining the huge new taxes on US importers was making the country 'rich.' 'Tariffs are making America GREAT & RICH Again,'' he wrote. 'They were successfully used against the USA for decades and, coupled with really dumb, pathetic, and crooked politicians, we're having a devastating impact on the future, and even the survival, of our country. 'Now the tide has completely turned, and America has successfully countered this onslaught of Tariffs used against it. 'ONE YEAR AGO, AMERICA WAS A DEAD COUNTRY, NOW IT IS THE 'HOTTEST 'COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL! Japan, EU and Thailand strike last minute deals The Trump administration has struck trade agreements with Japan, the European Union, South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and Cambodia over the last week. Mr Trump set a 10 per cent universal tariff on all countries on April 2. But he's also signalled he's considering a baseline tariff between 15 per cent and 20 per cent for roughly 150 countries, suggesting the initial universal tariff may increase for some or all of those nations. The new retaliatory tariff regime will come into play on August 1. Australia itself does not apply any tariffs on US imports. Tariffs an act of economic self-harm Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Albanese government had not 'heard differently from the 10 per cent baseline that's been levied on Australia'. 'Obviously, we continue to engage with the Americans on this,' he said. 'These tariff announcements are a moving feast, but our understanding, our expectation is we get the baseline,' Mr Chalmers said. 'We think that the best outcome is zero because these tariffs are an act of economic self-harm. 'We see inflation is going up in the US.'
ABC News
32 minutes ago
- ABC News
Donald Trump reveals new 'reciprocal' tariffs for US's trading partners
Donald Trump has signed an order for new tariffs on select trading partners, just hours before the pause on his "reciprocal" tariffs scheme is lifted at midnight, local time. The US president announced the reciprocal tariffs, which vary from country to country, on April 2. But they have been on pause to provide time to negotiate deals. The White House now says: "The president has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries." Australia's exports to the US have been subject to the minimum 10 per cent "baseline" tariff since April. Mr Trump recently suggested the baseline tariff could increase to 15 or 20 per cent. But the White House says that is not immediately changing, meaning the tariff on Australian products remains at 10 per cent for now.
