Latest Operating Costs News

Pivotal Metals has used its FY2026 annual report to position Horden Lake as a larger, better-understood Quebec copper project, with a maiden scoping study targeted for September. The company also expanded Belleterre drilling and added the Bambino project, but remains loss-making and dependent on further funding.

New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX:NHC) has lifted its reported coal resources to 2.96 billion tonnes, driven by major model updates at Bengalla and New Acland. The larger inventory comes with important qualifications: much of Bengalla’s addition is inferred, while a substantial portion of New Acland’s reserves still depends on future approvals.

Lefroy Exploration is considering folding the high-grade portion of its Burns deposit into the Mt Martin Scoping Study, broadening the development case while pushing delivery into the December quarter. At Lucky Strike, a newly granted licence removes one hurdle but several approvals still stand between the mine and a targeted early 2027 restart.

Tesoro Gold has established a maiden 1.28 million-ounce JORC Ore Reserve at Ternera in Chile, entirely within a single open pit. The reserve gives the El Zorro project a 13-plus-year production base, but the next test is funding and permitting a development still at PFS stage.

Sky Metals has used FY2026 to move Tallebung from exploration toward development, combining more than 500 drill holes with strong ore-sorting results and progress into NSW’s environmental approval process. The advance came alongside a A$5.37 million loss and continuing reliance on equity funding.

Orion Minerals has set out a clearer route towards first production at its Prieska copper-zinc project, but its audited FY2026 accounts warn that further funding remains essential. The company reported a A$12.69 million loss and A$14.46 million in cash while targeting first production in Q3 2027.

Western Gold Resources has sharply expanded the proposed Gold Duke mine, lifting its production target by 62% and forecasting A$72.9 million in operating surplus. The preliminary study is stronger on paper, but still depends on funding and the restart of toll treatment at Wiluna.

Critica has produced a second high-grade mixed rare earth carbonate from its Jupiter project, closely matching the first product at 57.9% TREO. The latest laboratory result also carried higher magnet and heavy rare earth content, strengthening the case for further flowsheet development ahead of a scoping study.

Morella has established a maiden 5.44 million tonne Inferred resource at Mt Edon containing approximately 8,300 tonnes of rubidium oxide. The estimate gives the project scale, but commercial value still depends on recovery, purification and a viable product route.

Contact Energy’s August operating report shows mass-market electricity and gas sales rising to 550GWh, while unit generation costs fell sharply to $40.90/MWh. Strong hydro storage and higher forward prices add support, although contracted wholesale sales remained broadly flat.

Latrobe Magnesium has detailed the capital, feedstock and valuation assumptions behind its proposed 50 ktpa magnesium plant in South Carolina. The project retains strong headline economics, but funding, feasibility work and a final investment decision remain ahead.

Global Lithium’s Manna-Nova integration study nearly doubles the project’s post-tax NPV to A$945.7 million while cutting funded pre-production capital by 59%. The plan targets first direct shipping ore in May 2027 and spodumene concentrate production by mid-2027, but still depends on funding, approvals and a final investment decision.