Latest Expansion News

Latrobe Magnesium has lifted commissioning progress at its Victorian Phase 1B plant to 50%, with installation now 98% complete. The company continues to target first magnesium metal crowns exceeding 98% purity by the end of 2026, while remaining within its A$6.1 million project budget.

St Barbara has stacked three material updates into one day: Touquoy is cleared to restart processing, Nova Scotia resources have risen to 3.02 million ounces, and the board has approved a buyback of up to 100 million shares. The catch is a new federal impact assessment for the proposed 15-Mile processing hub, adding uncertainty to the company’s mid-2028 construction target.

Nodestream has completed its $6.5 million placement, launched Missions and expanded its defence push across the US and Europe. But revenue remains under pressure, quarterly cash burn is substantial and auditors have warned of material uncertainty over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Westpac’s statutory FY26 profit fell 1% to $6.8 billion, while lending, deposits and underlying operating earnings moved higher. The bank maintained its fully franked final dividend at 77 cents per share, but rising impairment charges and margin pressure remain important counterweights.

Lodestar Minerals has established a maiden 221,000oz gold resource at Ned’s Creek, while expanding its heavy rare earth and Chilean copper portfolios. The milestone comes with only A$2.027 million in cash and an estimated 1.15 quarters of funding at the reported quarterly spend rate.

Maverick Minerals has turned its expanded West Arunta portfolio into an active drilling campaign, but the September quarter left the explorer with A$1.503 million in cash and estimated funding for about two quarters. Pokali East assays expected in early 2027 could become the next major test of the strategy.

Austral Resources produced 1,457 tonnes of copper in the September quarter, 21% below the low end of guidance, after a crushing upgrade and sulphuric acid shortages disrupted Mt Kelly. The company expects output to recover late in the December quarter, but cash fell to $21.04 million by 30 October after major settlement and development payments.

RBR Group has secured its first post-restart Mozambique LNG contract, but the A$2 million-scale award arrives alongside just A$32,000 in cash and overdue convertible notes. The company is relying on further contract wins, debt restructuring and new capital to bridge the gap.

Macro Metals lifted mining services work performed to approximately A$2.8 million in the September quarter as its first BHP Mt Goldsworthy package ran ahead of schedule. The operational progress comes alongside a thin A$392,000 quarter-end cash balance, followed by a proposed A$3.28 million funding package to accelerate Pilbara exploration.

Talga has begun commercial deliveries of Swedish-made Talnode-C to Nyobolt, marking a shift from customer qualification to ongoing supply. The ASX-listed battery materials developer also advanced a 2,000-tonne-per-year Japanese offtake pathway, but ended September with A$10.8 million in cash after A$7.6 million of operating and investing outflows.

Superior Resources has expanded its Queensland exploration portfolio and advanced the Steam Engine gold project, but its annual report carries a material uncertainty over going concern. The company ended June with $1.31 million in cash after a $2 million placement and says further funding will be needed to continue exploration and development.

Marmota’s 2026 annual report charts a rapid expansion from a single gold focus to a multi-asset exploration portfolio, led by more than 2km of high-grade Greenewood and Mainwood mineralisation. The company finished the year with A$14.36 million in cash after a A$15 million placement, but remains firmly in the exploration stage.