Latest news with #DTR
Hans India
02-08-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Nineteen tiger beetle species found in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Lakhimpur KheriBiodiversity-rich Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has been found to be home to 19 species of tiger beetle insects, with four of them discovered for the first time in Uttar Pradesh, a recent survey recorded. The survey was carried out under the 'Tiger Beetle India Fest 2025' organised for the first time by Tamil Nadu-based NGO, Rhopalocera and Odonata Association of Rajapalayam (ROAR). The tiger beetle is a fast, predatory insect known for its vibrant, metallic colours and agile hunting skills. It derives its name from its tiger-like style of chasing and hunting its prey. Vipin Kapoor Sainy, field biologist and outreach programme head at DTR, who carried out a survey in Dudhwa along with WWF-India project officer Rohit Ravi, said, 'The survey for documentation of tiger beetles in Dudhwa was just the second survey in Uttar Pradesh, with the earlier survey reported to have been carried out in 1980.' Sainy added that 'the survey resulted in the discovery of 19 species of tiger beetles in Dudhwa, four species, namely 'Lophyra mutiguttata', 'Rhytidophaena', 'Cicindela cyanea' and 'Cylindera venosa' had never been recorded earlier in Uttar Pradesh,' he said. Sainy said, 'The tiger beetle quest highlighted Dudhwa's remarkable biodiversity, reaffirming it as one of India's premier biodiversity hotspots, where even the smallest creatures like tiger beetles were celebrated and documented.' Elated with the discovery, Field Director Dr H Rajamohan said conservation was not restricted just to charismatic megafauna like tigers and rhinos but to the other smaller species. The discovery of 19 species under the Tiger Beetle India Fest reflected their commitment to documenting and protecting the lesser-known yet ecologically significant species, he added. Deputy Director, DTR Jagdish R, said the documentation of 19 species of tiger beetle highlighted the hidden diversity thriving within Dudhwa's rich ecosystems. The tiger beetle quest was not merely a science event, but a collaborative effort to draw attention towards arthropods often overlooked, he added. V Sharan, Founder Director of ROAR and organiser of the Tiger Beetle India Fest 2025, said he was sceptical about the event as not many citizen scientists or nature observers were familiar with tiger beetles. 'However, the amount of response received and the kind of information collected through the fest had highlighted its success,' he added.
Business Upturn
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
First Atlantic Nickel Expands RPM Zone Awaruite Nickel-Alloy (Ni₃Fe) Discovery: 400-Meter Northern Extension Yields 1.47% Nickel Concentrate Over 351 Meters in DTR Metallurgical Recovery Testing
GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, Newfoundland and Labrador, July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Atlantic Nickel Corp. (TSXV: FAN) (OTCQB: FANCF) (FSE: P21) ('First Atlantic' or the 'Company') is pleased to announce positive Davis Tube Recovery (DTR) metallurgical test results from drill hole AN-24-05, the final hole completed during the Phase 1 drilling at the RPM Zone, part of its district scale Atlantic Nickel Project (the 'Project'). Drill hole AN-24-05 returned a continuous interval of 351 meters averaging 1.47% nickel and 1.53% chromium in magnetic concentrate, with a mass pull of 8.21%. This corresponds to a magnetically recoverable nickel grade (DTR grade) of 0.12% over the 351 meter interval. Located approximately 400-meters north of the initial RPM discovery hole AN-24-02, this step out hole confirms that widespread disseminated, visible awaruite mineralization extends significantly northward toward Pipestone Pond. Phase 2 drilling is currently underway, building on the success of Phase 1, which already defined a 400-meter by 500-meter area of awaruite nickel mineralization. All four holes drilled at the RPM Zone in Phase 1 intersected disseminated awaruite mineralization, returning consistent nickel grades and recoveries. Concentrate grades from these holes ranged from 1.32% to 1.47% nickel, with mass pulls between 8.21% and 9.53%. Notably, all drill holes ended in mineralization and remain open in all directions, indicating significant expansion potential. The consistent magnetic concentrate grades and mass pulls across the drilled area underscore the extensive nature of the awaruite nickel mineralization in the RPM Zone. Advertisement Highlights: AN-24-05 Extends RPM Zone 400 Meters North, Confirming Continuity of Awaruite Mineralization : Drill hole AN-24-05, the fourth hole completed during the Phase 1 drill program at the RPM Zone, extends the drill-defined mineralization approximately 400 meters north of the initial discovery hole (AN-24-02). The results confirm the continuity of widespread disseminated awaruite nickel mineralization within the RPM Zone. : Drill hole AN-24-05, the fourth hole completed during the Phase 1 drill program at the RPM Zone, extends the drill-defined mineralization approximately 400 meters north of the initial discovery hole (AN-24-02). The results confirm the continuity of widespread disseminated awaruite nickel mineralization within the RPM Zone. Metallurgical Testing of AN-24-05 Returns 1.47% Nickel Concentrate Over 351 Meters : Davis Tube Recovery (DTR) testing of the 351meter mineralized interval in AN-24-05 returned a nickel grade of 1.47% in magnetic concentrate, with a mass pull of 8.21%. This equates to a magnetically recoverable DTR nickel grade of 0.12%. The total nickel recovery was 50.26% from a head grade of 0.24% total nickel, highlighting the effectiveness of magnetic separation as a metallurgical process for upgrading awaruite nickel mineralization. : Davis Tube Recovery (DTR) testing of the 351meter mineralized interval in AN-24-05 returned a nickel grade of 1.47% in magnetic concentrate, with a mass pull of 8.21%. This equates to a magnetically recoverable DTR nickel grade of 0.12%. The total nickel recovery was 50.26% from a head grade of 0.24% total nickel, highlighting the effectiveness of magnetic separation as a metallurgical process for upgrading awaruite nickel mineralization. Phase 1 Drilling Expands Awaruite Nickel Discovery at RPM Zone: The Phase 1 drill program has delineated an initial mineralized zone measuring 400 x 500 meters. All four holes within the RPM Zone intersected significant awaruite nickel mineralization, returning consistently high DTR concentrate grades ranging from 1.32% to 1.47% nickel and mass pulls of 8.21% to 9.53%. These results yielded magnetically recoverable DTR nickel grades between 0.11% to 0.14%, establishing a strong foundation for Phase 2 expansion drilling. The Phase 1 drill program has delineated an initial mineralized zone measuring 400 x 500 meters. All four holes within the RPM Zone intersected significant awaruite nickel mineralization, returning consistently high DTR concentrate grades ranging from 1.32% to 1.47% nickel and mass pulls of 8.21% to 9.53%. These results yielded magnetically recoverable DTR nickel grades between 0.11% to 0.14%, establishing a strong foundation for Phase 2 expansion drilling. RPM Zone Discovery Highlights District-Scale Potential of Atlantic Nickel Project : The RPM Zone discovery occurs within a 30 km long, highly magnetic ultramafic nickel belt known as the Pipestone Ophiolite Complex. The zone is located approximately 25 kilometers south of historic awaruite nickel-alloy (Ni₃Fe) mineralization identified by Altius Resources and Cliffs Natural Resources in 2010 at the Atlantic Lake Zone. Average DTR nickel grades of 0.11% to 0.14% from the RPM Zone demonstrate the potential for district-scale awaruite mineralization within multiple target areas of the project. : The RPM Zone discovery occurs within a 30 km long, highly magnetic ultramafic nickel belt known as the Pipestone Ophiolite Complex. The zone is located approximately 25 kilometers south of historic awaruite nickel-alloy (Ni₃Fe) mineralization identified by Altius Resources and Cliffs Natural Resources in 2010 at the Atlantic Lake Zone. Average DTR nickel grades of 0.11% to 0.14% from the RPM Zone demonstrate the potential for district-scale awaruite mineralization within multiple target areas of the project. Phase 2 Exploration and Expansion Drilling Underway to Expand RPM Mineralized Footprint: The Phase 2 drilling campaign is currently underway, utilizing a systematic grid-based drill plan designed to step out from the Phase 1 footprint. The program aims to expand the RPM Zone's mineralized area and further define the extent of awaruite nickel mineralization. RPM ZONE DRILL HOLE AN-24-05 RESULTS Table 1: DTR Metallurgical Test Results Summary – Drill Hole AN-24-05 (RPM Zone) Parameter Average Maximum Drill Length Nickel – Magnetic Concentrate Grade (Davis Tube Recovery Concentrate assayed by XRF-Fusion) 1.47% 2.61% 351m Chromium – Magnetic Concentrate Grade (Davis Tube Recovery Concentrate assayed by XRF-Fusion) 1.53% 2.88% 351m Mass Pull (Magnetic Concentrate mass as % of Davis Tube test starting mass) 8.21% 10.9% 351m Total Nickel Grade (Whole Rock ICP-OES assay) 0.24% 0.29% 351m DTR Nickel Grade – Magnetically Recovered Nickel (Calculated with Davis Tube Recovery method) 0.12% 0.17% 351m Total Nickel Recovery Magnetically Recovered Nickel as a Percentage of Total Nickel Content (from Whole Rock Assay Analysis) 50.26% 69.8% 351m The Company's final drill hole from the Phase 1 program at the RPM zone, AN-24-05, has returned positive DTR metallurgical test results that extend the known awaruite mineralization approximately 400 meters to the north of the initial RPM Zone discovery hole (AN-24-02). Drill hole AN-24-05 intersected 351 meters of awaruite mineralization averaging 1.47% nickel and 1.53% chromium in magnetic concentrate. The interval demonstrated a consistent mass pull averaging 8.21% and a DTR nickel grade of 0.12%, with total nickel recovery averaging 50.26% over the 351meter interval. These results highlight the strong and uniform metallurgical properties of the northern extension of the RPM Zone. With the completion of AN-24-05, Phase 1 drilling has delineated an initial mineralized footprint measuring approximately 400-meters by 500-meters. All four holes from the program successfully intersected broad zones of disseminated awaruite-bearing nickel mineralization. The metallurgical results are notably consistent across all holes, indicating uniform nickel alloy mineralization hosted within ultramafic host rocks and strong lateral continuity of the mineralization system, which remains open in all directions and at depth. Across the RPM Zone, Phase 1 drilling returned magnetic concentrate grades ranging from 1.32% to 1.47% nickel, with mass pulls between 8.21% and 9.53%. Corresponding DTR nickel grades averaged 0.11% to 0.14%, confirming the RPM Zone as an extensive awaruite-dominated nickel system with robust metallurgical characteristics. All Phase 1 holes ended in mineralization, providing a solid foundation for the Phase 2 drilling program, which aims to expand the mineralized footprint and further delineate the RPM Zone's scale and continuity. Table 2: DTR Metallurgical Test Results Summary from Drill Hole AN-24-05 (RPM Zone) Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Mass Pull (%) Nickel – Magnetic Concentrate Grade Ni (%) Nickel – Total Grade Ni (%) DTR Nickel Grade – Magnetically Recovered Ni (%) Total Nickel Recovery (%) Chromium – Magnetic Concentrate Grade Cr (%) Chromium Total Grade Cr (%) DTR Chromium Grade – Magnetically Recovered Cr (%) Cobalt – Magnetic Concentrate Grade Co (%) Hole AN-24-05 6 357 351 8.21 1.47 0.24 0.12 50.26% 1.53 0.29 0.12 0.06 including 6 207 201 8.36 1.39 0.23 0.12 49.13% 1.58 0.30 0.13 0.07 including 207 309 102 7.82 1.76 0.24 0.14 56.95% 1.50 0.27 0.12 0.07 including 309 357 48 8.32 1.18 0.24 0.10 40.59% 1.39 0.29 0.11 0.05 Including 'up to' 10.90 2.61 0.29 0.17 69.78% 2.88 0.55 0.28 0.09 Table 3: RPM Phase 1 DTR Metallurgical Results Summary Drill hole Interval (m) Magnetic Concentrate Nickel Percent Grade Mass Pull (%) Magnetically Recoverable Nickel Grade (DTR Ni%) Drill Ended in Mineralization AN-24-02 383 1.37% 9.49 0.13 YES AN-24-03 216 1.32% 9.12 0.11 YES AN-24-04 366 1.46% 9.53 0.14 YES AN-24-05 357 1.47% 8.21 0.12 YES Note: DTR Nickel Grade (%) is a derived parameter calculated by multiplying the nickel grade of the magnetic concentrate (determined by XRF-Fusion assay) by the mass pull percentage, which is calculated by dividing the weight of the magnetic concentrate by the initial sample weight. Magnetically Recoverable Nickel (DTR Ni %) represents the amount of nickel in the sample that can be recovered using magnetic separation. For a visual explanation of the Davis Tube Recovery process, see: Table 4: AN-24-05 Drill Hole Collar Location Information Hole ID Easting (UTM) Northing (UTM) Elevation (m) Azimuth (°) Dip (°) Depth (m) AN-24-05 567322 5357995 230 90 -60 402 Figure 1: Cross-sectional view of the RPM Zone Hole AN-24-05 located 400 meters north of discovery hole AN-24-02. Showing the distribution of magnetic concentrate and DTR nickel values. Drill hole AN-24-05 averages 1.47% nickel and 1.53% chromium in continuous metallurgical DTR magnetic concentrate, with an average 8.21% Mass Pull and 0.12% DTR nickel over the 351meter interval. Figure 2: Map of the 30-kilometer-long nickel trend within the Pipestone Ophiolite Complex, illustrating the locations of Phase 1 drill holes (AN-24-01 through AN-24-05) and corresponding nickel and chromium assay results. The map highlights the spatial distribution of mineralized intercepts and outlines key target areas. Figure 3: Drill Core and Microscopic Images – AN-24-05 at 28 Meters Depth (RPM Zone). Top image: Drill core from hole AN-24-05 at 28 meters depth showing disseminated awaruite (sulfur-free nickel-iron alloy) hosted in serpentinized peridotite with associated magnetite veining. Bottom images: Microscopic images of awaruite grains from the same interval, with individual grains measuring up to 349 microns. Figure 4: Drill Core and Microscopic Images – AN-24-05 at 190 Meters Depth (RPM Zone). Top image: Drill core from hole AN-24-05 at 190 meter depth showing disseminated awaruite (a sulfur-free nickel alloy) hosted in serpentinized ultramafic peridotite within the RPM Zone. Bottom images: Microscopic images of awaruite grains from the same depth, measuring up to 732 microns. Saw blade streaks are visible across the grains, illustrating the ductile and highly-magnetic properties of awaruite. PHASE 2 DRILLING UNDERWAY TO EXPAND RPM ZONE MINERALIZATION Phase 2 drilling is actively underway at the RPM Zone, with a program strategically designed to expand the current mineralized footprint beyond the approximately 400-meter length by 500-meter width area defined by the initial Phase 1 drill holes. Strategic step-out drilling at greater depths is now actively testing further expansion of mineralization in all directions – north toward Pipestone Pond, east toward Chrome Pond, and west into the RPM fault zone. Results from drill hole AN-24-05 highlight the strong potential for further expansion, with consistent DTR grades encountered throughout the hole, ending in mineralization. These findings indicate that the mineralized awaruite system extends further north, making the area towards Pipestone Pond a high-priority target. The fully funded Phase 2 program is further supported by upgraded project infrastructure, including improved road access and expanded camp facilities. In addition, equipment optimizations have enabled deeper drilling capabilities, enhancing the Company's ability to test the full vertical and lateral extent of the mineralized system. Together, these advancements position the Phase 2 campaign to meaningfully grow the RPM Zone's known mineralized footprint across in all target directions. Awaruite (Nickel-iron alloy Ni₂Fe, Ni₃Fe) Awaruite, a naturally occurring sulfur-free nickel-iron alloy composed of Ni₃Fe or Ni₂Fe with approximately ~75% nickel content, offers a proven and environmentally safe solution to enhance the resilience and security of North America's domestic critical minerals supply chain. Unlike conventional nickel sources, awaruite can be processed into high-grade concentrates exceeding 60% nickel content through magnetic processing and simple floatation without the need for smelting, roasting, or high-pressure acid leaching1. Beginning in 2025, the US Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) tax credit mandates that eligible clean vehicles must not contain any critical minerals processed by foreign entities of concern (FEOC)2. These entities include Russia and China, which currently dominate the global nickel smelting industry. Awaruite's smelter-free processing approach could potentially help North American electric vehicle manufacturers meet the IRA's stringent critical mineral requirements and reduce dependence on FEOCs for nickel processing. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) highlighted awaruite's potential, stating, 'The development of awaruite deposits in other parts of Canada may help alleviate any prolonged shortage of nickel concentrate. Awaruite, a natural iron-nickel alloy, is much easier to concentrate than pentlandite, the principal sulfide of nickel'3. Awaruite's unique properties enable cleaner and safer processing compared to conventional sulfide and laterite nickel sources, which often involve smelting, roasting, or high-pressure acid leaching that can release toxic sulfur dioxide, generate hazardous waste, and lead to acid mine drainage. Awaruite's simpler processing, facilitated by its amenability to magnetic processing and lack of sulfur, eliminates these harmful methods, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and risks associated with toxic chemical release, addressing concerns about the large carbon footprint and toxic emissions linked to nickel refining. Figure 5: Quote from USGS on Awaruite Deposits in Canada The development of awaruite resources is crucial, given China's control in the global nickel market. Chinese companies refine and smelt 68% to 80% of the world's nickel4 and control an estimated 84% of Indonesia's nickel output, the largest worldwide supply5. Awaruite is a cleaner source of nickel that reduces dependence on foreign processing controlled by China, leading to a more secure and reliable supply for North America's stainless steel and electric vehicle industries. Investor Information The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol 'FAN', the American OTCQB Exchange under the symbol 'FANCF' and on several German exchanges, including Frankfurt and Tradegate, under the symbol 'P21'. Investors can get updates about First Atlantic by signing up to receive news via email and SMS text at . Stay connected and learn more by following us on these social media platforms: FOR MORE INFORMATION: First Atlantic Investor Relations Robert Guzman Tel: +1 844 592 6337 [email protected] Disclosure Adrian Smith, a director and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. The qualified person is a member in good standing of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) and is a registered professional geoscientist ( Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed herein. Analytical Method & QA/QC Samples were split in half on site, with one half remaining in the core box for future reference and the other half securely packaged for laboratory analysis. The QA/QC protocol included the insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference material (standards), with one QA/QC sample being inserted every 20 samples to monitor the precision and accuracy of the laboratory results. All analytical results successfully passed QA/QC screening at the laboratory, and all Company inserted standards and blanks returned results within acceptable limits. Samples were submitted to Activation Laboratories Ltd. ('Actlabs') in Ancaster, Ontario, an ISO 17025 certified and accredited laboratory operating independently of First Atlantic. Each sample was crushed, with a 250 g sub-sample pulverized to 95% – 200 mesh. A magnetic separate was then generated by running the pulverized sub-sample through a magnetic separator which splits the sub-sample into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. This involves running a 30 g split of the pulp through a Davis Tube magnetic separator as a slurry using a constant flow rate, a magnetic field strength of 3,500 Gauss, and a tube angle of 45 degrees to produce magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. The magnetic fractions are collected, dried, weighed and the magnetic fraction is fused with a lithium metaborate/tetraborate flux and lithium bromide releasing agent and then analyzed on a wavelength dispersive XRF for multiple elements including nickel, cobalt, iron and chromium. The magnetically recovered nickel grade was then calculated by multiplying the XRF fusion nickel value by the weight of the magnetic fraction and dividing by the total recorded feed weight or magnetic mass pulled from the sample. True widths are currently unknown. However, the nickel bearing ultramafic ophiolite and peridotite rocks being targeted and sampled in the Phase 1 drilling program at the Atlantic Nickel Project are mapped as several hundred meters to over 1 kilometer wide and approximately 30 kilometers long. About First Atlantic Nickel Corp. First Atlantic Nickel Corp. (TSXV: FAN) (OTCQB: FANCF) (FSE: P21) is a Canadian mineral exploration company developing the 100%-owned Atlantic Nickel Project, a large-scale nickel project strategically located near existing infrastructure in Newfoundland, Canada. The Project's nickel occurs as awaruite, a natural nickel-iron alloy containing approximately 75% nickel with no-sulfur and no-sulfides. Awaruite's properties allow for smelter-free magnetic separation and concentration, which could strengthen North America's critical minerals supply chain by reducing foreign dependence on nickel smelting. This aligns with new US Electric Vehicle US IRA requirements, which stipulate that beginning in 2025, an eligible clean vehicle may not contain any critical minerals processed by a FEOC (Foreign Entities Of Concern)6. First Atlantic aims to be a key input of a secure and reliable North American critical minerals supply chain for the stainless steel and electric vehicle industries in the USA and Canada. The company is positioned to meet the growing demand for responsibly sourced nickel that complies with the critical mineral requirements for eligible clean vehicles under the US IRA. With its commitment to responsible practices and experienced team, First Atlantic is poised to contribute significantly to the nickel industry's future, supporting the transition to a cleaner energy landscape. This mission gained importance when the US added nickel to its critical minerals list in 2022, recognizing it as a non-fuel mineral essential to economic and national security with a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements: This news release may include 'forward-looking information' under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and are based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to: statements regarding: the timing, scope and results of the Company's Phase 1 and Phase 2 work and drilling programs; future project developments; the Company's objectives, goals, and future plans; statements and estimates of market conditions; the viability of magnetic separation as a low-impact processing method for awaruite; the strategic and economic implications of the Company's projects; and expectations regarding future developments and strategic plans; Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking information are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining and clean energy industries. Additional factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no mineral reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Ensure that flex banners on electric poles should not cause accidents, says chief secretary K Vijayanand
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Secretary K Vijayanand instructed the AP power utilities to take all possible measures to avoid hazardous incidents due to the flex banners placed near electric poles. He asked the officials to launch a special drive to remove the flex banners that were hung across electric supply poles and wires with the support of the local bodies. He said that the flex banners often cause outages and accidents. He directed the officials to regulate the fixation of flex banners on electricity poles to prevent such hazards. In a virtual review with the top officials of the power utilities, the Chief Secretary stressed that any disruption in power supply must be addressed immediately and resolved without delay. He asked the officials to ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply to electricity consumers in the state. The Chief Secretary emphasised the need to maintain and strengthen the level of public satisfaction in the electricity department by proactively ensuring there are no inconveniences or power outages. He directed APCPDCL to establish teams at each mandal capable of quickly identifying jumper faults, hanging wires, and low-voltage issues, and to resolve them immediately to maintain uninterrupted electricity. He also advised the use of drone technology to monitor inaccessible areas for jumper or wire issues and instructed that detected faults must be repaired at the earliest. Stating that the state govt places high trust in the electricity department, he urged all employees from CMD down to linemen to work collectively to boost consumer satisfaction and ensure preventive measures, particularly ahead of the rainy season, to avert accidents. The Chief Secretary assured continued power supply to households, commercial establishments, and industries, and advised the department to focus on preventing 'tripping' events (brief interruptions) and eliminate them proactively. He instructed that in any instance of power disruption, alternate power lines should be deployed to restore electricity. He also advised that during repair work, both the power department and ward secretariats should inform consumers in advance. APCPDCL CMD P Pulla Reddy reported that 1,503 agricultural feeders are receiving continuous nine-hour power supply, and residents and commercial consumers across municipalities, mandals, and villages are being served without any load relief. The senior officials explained that 79 of the 81 feeder breakdowns were restored on the same day on June 24. Among 170 failed Distribution Transformer (DTR) units, 110 were immediately repaired, and steps are underway to restore the remaining 60. There are currently approximately 1,440 healthy DTRs in operation. He said that their top priority is to ensure quality and uninterrupted electricity for all consumer categories, and that efforts are on to further strengthen power infrastructure and customer service.
News.com.au
12-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: Resolution Minerals stands tall on back of US antimony buy
RML is acquiring a drill-ready antimony, gold and tungsten project in the well-endowed Stibnite Mining District of Idaho ACM is acquiring a pipeline of high-impact gold and copper exploration projects in Peru DTR has received further high-level US government support for development of its Colosseum project Your standout resources stocks for Thursday, June 12, 2025. Resolution Minerals (ASX:RML) Standing tall above the pack of ASX juniors was Resolution Minerals after climbing 78.95% to a new 18-month high of 3.4c on volume of more than 204m. The strong support came after the company announced on Wednesday that it was acquiring a drill-ready antimony, gold and tungsten project in the Stibnite Mining District of Idaho – next to the largest known antimony resource in the USA. The Horse Heaven project shares its eastern boundary with A$2bn market cap Perpetua Resources and its Stibnite gold-antimony project, which hosts a 4.8Moz gold reserve and a 148Mlb antimony reserve. Once reopened, Stibnite will be the only domestically mined source of antimony in the US, supplying around 35% of the country's demand. Horse Heaven has strong gold, antimony and silver mineralisation in two prospects – the Antimony Ridge Fault Zone (ARFZ) and the Golden Gate Fault Zone (GGFZ) – and includes past-producing antimony and tungsten mines. Past rock chip results include up to 5.99g/t gold, 367g/t silver and 19.15% antimony, with past drilling returning up to 1.459g/t gold. Resolution Minerals (ASX:RML) said the brownfields project was a transformational acquisition, with the highly encouraging past results indicating large tonnage mining potential. It is expected to begin drilling the antimony prospects at Horse Heaven in the near-term. Horse Heaven is also eligible for fast-tracking under FAST-41, just like Stibnite which was fast-tracked for approval in April, and on May 19, 2025, obtained final approval to be re-opened. The company said Horse Heaven complemented its recently acquired Australian gold-antimony-copper projects – Drake East antimony-gold project (NSW), Neardie antimony project (Qld) and Spur South gold-copper project (NSW) – to create a portfolio highly leveraged to gold and antimony. 'The acquisition of the Horse Heaven project is a company transforming event for RML,' executive director Aharon Zaetz said. 'As many governments around the world look to onshore their supply of critical minerals, such as antimony, we have secured a commanding ground position with known antimony occurrences and next to what will soon be the largest antimony producer in the USA.' Australian Critical Minerals (ASX:ACM) Becoming the latest seeking to exploit the copper-gold riches of the coastal belt along the Andes in South America is Australian Critical Minerals, which has entered a binding share purchase agreement to acquire Circuit Resources. This transaction, which the company describes as transformational, includes a pipeline of high-impact gold and copper exploration projects in Peru, with silver, base metals and lithium as a secondary focus. Circuit Resources owns or has the option to acquire the concessions associated with the Blanca, Riqueza, Flint, Cerro Rayas, Liro and Kamika projects with the first two, Bianca and Riqueza, representing the primary targets for ACM. Investors share the company's enthusiasm with shares up as much as 27.5% to a daily high of 7.9c before closing at 7.3c. Blanca is a low-sulphidation epithermal quartz vein gold system encompassing the Cruz Vein and is within a copper-gold-silver porphyry-epithermal metallogenic belt that also hosts Alta Copper's Canariaco and Rio Tinto's La Granja porphyry copper deposits. Cruz vein outcrops at surface and was partially explored by Inca Pacific Resources in 1996 and 1997 with further trenching and rock sampling carried out in 2010 and 2018 by St Elias Mining. Drilling and trenching delivered strong gold hits including 1.5m at 52.8g/t gold within a 9.5m intersection at 11.27g/t; and 4m at 3.97g/t gold including 1.75m at 7.5g/t. ACM plans to prioritise exploration of Blanca and will immediately start the approvals process for twinning, infill and extensional drilling. Riqueza is a district-scale, intermediate-sulphidation vein system extending over a 10km strike length and southwest of several deposits including Minera IRL's Corihuarmi gold-silver project, Kuya Silver Corp's Bethania silver project and Lara Exploration's Kenita polymetallic project. It has undergone substantial previous exploration with copper grades from 1% to 8.7% and silver assays to 2238g/t in historical rock chip samples. A review and prioritisation of historical drill targets based on extensive surface sampling, mapping and geophysics is underway with ACM aiming to start drill permitting in the second half of 2025. 'The acquisition of Circuit Resources is a significant opportunity for ACM, delivering a pipeline of high-impact exploration projects across gold, copper, silver, zinc and lithium in Peru,' ACM managing director Dean de Largie said. 'The scale and quality of these assets – spanning over 25,000 hectares – give us immediate drill-ready targets and exceptional scope for new discoveries. 'Projects like Riqueza, with high-grade copper-silver veins over several kilometres and proximity to majors like Anglo American, offer Tier-1 potential. 'Blanca has already demonstrated strong gold mineralisation, while Cerro Rayas and the Salar projects provide exposure to critical metals with potentially strong demand tailwind.' Dateline Resources (ASX:DTR) Dateline Resources has welcomed further high-level US government support for expediting the development of its Colosseum project in California. On Sunday, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum highlighted the national significance of the Trump Administration's reopening of the Colosseum mine during an interview on Fox News. He emphasised that restarting the mine was a pivotal step towards bolstering America's supply of critical minerals and reducing US reliance on overseas sources for REEs. The mine, to be clear, has not yet been reopened and does not yet have a rare earths resource. It contains an offically reported resource of around 1.1Moz of gold. Drilling for rare earths was announced on April 5, with the project thought to "share the same mineralising system as Mountain Pass", the only operating rare earths deposit in the States. In a meeting on Monday at the US Department of the Interior headquarters in Washington, DC, Dateline Resources says its MD and CEO Stephen Baghdadi met with Secretary Burgum to discuss the next steps in developing REE extraction at Colosseum. Baghdadi highlighted the mine's potential to contribute to the US REE supply chain, essential for advanced technologies and national security, sooner than any other known deposit in the US. Secretary Burgum, joined by senior appointees from the Department of the Interior and President Donald Trump's National Energy Dominance Council, reaffirmed his commitment to bolstering US rare earth production, expressing specific enthusiasm for Colosseum, the company said. The hope is more government support and funding could come with that. Investors welcomed the news, with shares reaching 10.2c, a 29.2% increase on the previous close with more than 196m changing hands. Meeka Metals (ASX:MEK) With commissioning of the processing plant underway at the Murchison gold project, Meeka Metals reached a 10-year high of 18.5c, an increase of 15.63% on the previous close, as it transitions to producer status. Dry commissioning (system and equipment testing) has progressed successfully and ore is being fed into the plant while wet commissioning (full operational commissioning) is underway. The first gold pour from gravity gold is planned for June 2025 while first gold sales and cash flow are expected in early July. 'It rounds out a period of consistent delivery against our development timeline and reflects our focused actions to bring the project online,' Meeka's managing director Tim Davidson said. "We are now focused on maximising the expanded open pit mining opportunity following the success we are having with the drill bit. 'Additionally, first ore is expected from our first underground mine at Andy Well in the September 2025 quarter.' The Murchison project hosts a 1.2Moz at 3g/t gold mineral resource on granted Mining Leases. Ausgold (ASX:AUC) New high-grade gold results have extended the Datatine high-grade shoot by 240m down-plunge and reinforced its potential as a high-grade underground prospect within Ausgold's Katanning gold project (KGP) in WA. Results of up to 6.6m at 3.40g/t gold from 362m, including 3.8m at 5.80g/t from 364.85m, also support the outlook for future resource growth at Katanning. RC and diamond drilling also returned 2m at 3.67g/t from 297m along with 11.3m at 0.96g/t, including 4.2m at 1.81g/t from 333.83m, and resulted in AUC shares reaching a new three-year high of 77c, a 6.22% increase on the previous close. The company will now utilise funding of up to $180,000 through the Geological Survey of WA Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) for further drilling. This will target sections where high-grade mineralisation is interpreted to have been missed and test for further high-grade mineralisation up to 150m beyond the current down-plunge extent. 'With both Datatine and the Central Zone remaining open down-plunge, we see clear opportunities to increase resources at the KGP,' executive chairman John Dorward said. The company is on track to complete a feasibility study in late June considering the development of a large-scale, long-life open pit gold project.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Bhatti in Bengaluru to study underground cable system
Bengaluru / Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Tuesday visited Bengaluru for an in-depth review of the city's large-scale underground cabling initiative undertaken by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). The visit was part of the Telangana government's ongoing efforts to modernise urban infrastructure and improve power supply systems' reliability, safety, and aesthetics in rapidly growing metropolitan areas. The day began with a high-level review meeting hosted by BESCOM officials. The project, launched in 2018-19, had already converted over 7,400 kilometres of 11kV OH lines and thousands of kilometres of low-tension lines into UG or aerial bunched (AB) cables. A key innovation has been the laying of Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) ducts along the UG cable routes to enable future telecom leasing as a revenue stream. The Dy CM asked questions related to design and implementation challenges, some of which were – the financial structuring of the project, which includes loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), and other public sector banks, the reduction in technical losses and electrical accidents, which BESCOM confirmed had fallen by up to two per cent since the UG implementation, the readiness of OFC infrastructure for commercial use, to which BESCOM responded that while ducts are in place, last-mile coordination with telecom operators and BBMP, the role of Ring Main Units (RMUs) in ensuring system reliability and reducing downtime during faults. The Deputy CM expressed appreciation for the scale and execution discipline of the project, while also noting the importance of integrating learnings into Telangana's upcoming urban grid modernisation programmes, particularly for Future City. Later in the day, Vikramarka visited a pilot site in Malleshwaram (15th Cross), where an Underground Distribution network including underground Transformer (DTR) system has been implemented. The site showcased how DTRs can be housed in fully buried chambers with accessible maintenance panels at street level, freeing up urban space and improving safety. During the field visit, Bhatti Vikramarka engaged directly with engineers and contractors on-site, reviewing safety protocols, load balancing techniques, and provisions for emergency repairs. He noted how such innovations could be especially valuable in Telangana's densely populated urban corridors. Presentations were made by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited, and Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company MD Pankaj Pandey and their team on the Bengaluru Overhead (OH) to Underground (UG) Power Conversion Project, which has emerged as one of India's most comprehensive urban power infrastructure transformations. Officials from the Government of Telangana, including Krishna Bhaskar, CMD, TRANSCO and Musharraf Faruqi, CMD, SPDCL also participated in the discussions.
