Latest Exploration Spending News

Carnarvon Energy is lining up Ara as the likely firm well in its 2027 Bedout campaign, backed by a contracted rig, environmental approvals progressing and A$97 million in cash. The prospect carries 191 million barrels of oil equivalent in gross unrisked prospective resources, but only a 37% geological chance of success and uncertain fluid type.

Metal Hawk’s Leinster South project produced its strongest drilling results yet, led by a 9-metre intersection grading 12.3g/t gold at the Numbat lode. But the FY26 annual report also flags a material uncertainty over going concern, despite a subsequent $1.2 million placement.

NewPeak Metals has confirmed two more than 650-metre polymetallic intercepts at Las Opeñas in Argentina, with gold grades increasing towards an untested southwestern target. Phase 2 drilling is due to begin in mid-October, although the explorer reported only 0.81 quarters of funding at its current expenditure rate.

Unity Metals has opened a non-renounceable share purchase plan targeting $1 million to fund gold and copper-gold exploration in Cambodia and Thailand. Eligible shareholders can buy shares at a 15.2% discount, with attaching options subject to a later shareholder vote.

QX Resources reduced its annual loss and ended June with $1.64 million in cash, but its auditor has warned that the company must raise more money to keep operating. The Madaba uranium project has produced a sizeable conceptual exploration target, yet it remains some distance from a mineral resource.

Barkly Rare Earths has entered its first full year as an ASX-listed explorer with A$5.38 million in cash, a 10,000-metre drilling programme underway and an early 99% magnet rare earth oxide extraction result. The technical signals are encouraging, but both the drilling data and metallurgy remain at an early stage.

Kingsland Minerals has advanced its flagship Leliyn Graphite Project into pre-feasibility, backed by high-grade drilling, gallium testwork and a A$2.16 million capital raising. But the ASX-listed explorer finished FY2026 with only A$458,032 in cash and remains dependent on further funding.

Gateway Mining has reported a year of aggressive expansion across Western Australia, led by new gold discoveries at Yandal and a sharp increase in exploration spending. The company remains loss-making and pre-revenue, but entered the new financial year with a larger funding base after a further $45 million placement.

Dalaroo Metals has moved from a Western Australian base-metals explorer into a three-country gold and critical-minerals play, but its next phase depends on drilling success and continued access to capital. The annual report records a $2.63 million loss, $509,442 in year-end cash and a material uncertainty over going concern.

Lode Resources has reported a statutory profit of A$456,296 after establishing an 8.2Moz silver-equivalent resource at its Montezuma project in Tasmania. The explorer is now moving from discovery toward scoping studies, but remains reliant on further drilling, metallurgy and funding to demonstrate an economic development case.

Koonenberry Gold posted a sharply wider FY2026 loss after impairing its namesake project, while exploration spending rose and Enmore drilling extended a gold system to depth. The company has since raised $3.78 million from a placement, but remains dependent on equity funding.

Antares Metals delivered its busiest exploration year yet, reporting high-grade copper, uranium and gold results across Queensland and Western Australia. But the explorer ended FY2026 with just $581,438 in cash, while its auditor flagged a material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern.