Latest Project Economics News

Stavely Minerals has outlined a potentially valuable 13-year copper-gold-silver project, but its latest annual report makes clear that funding remains the immediate constraint. The company ended June with A$3.1 million in cash and an auditor-flagged material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern.

Mont Royal Resources has used its first post-merger annual report to set out the scale of the Ashram rare earths project, while flagging the funding, permitting and technical work still ahead. The updated study outlines a 30-year operation with a C$2.03 billion post-tax NPV, but remains a preliminary assessment rather than a development guarantee.

Iron Bear Resources says a new federal-provincial assessment framework, major Labrador clean-energy investment and strategic-project coordination could improve the development pathway for its Canadian iron ore project. The initiatives are supportive, but they do not yet represent project approvals, secured power or construction funding.

Nordic Resources has recorded gold recoveries of up to 90% and copper recoveries of up to 91% at its Kopsa gold-copper project in Finland using a conventional processing route. The results will feed into an updated resource estimate expected in October, while a new 12,000-metre drilling program is already under way.

Lefroy Exploration has moved from explorer to gold producer after Lucky Strike delivered its first gold, while Mt Martin and Burns advanced towards potential development. The milestone comes alongside a $2.136 million loss and an auditor warning that uncertain profit distributions may require further funding.

Critica Limited (ASX:CRI) has delivered stronger technical results across its Jupiter rare earths and Mt Lindsay tin-tungsten projects, but the developer remains dependent on further funding. Two scoping studies targeted for Q3 2026 now carry the burden of translating resource potential and laboratory results into project economics.

Firebird Metals has prepared the first manganese feedstock for its Australian Demonstration Plant, marking a practical step towards testing its integrated pathway from Western Australian ore to battery materials. Equipment remains scheduled to arrive in October, with commissioning targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Investigator Silver has begun a fully funded 30,000-metre drilling campaign at its Paris Silver Project in South Australia, targeting resource growth and extensions beyond the current mine plan. Assay results will arrive progressively, making the next few months a test of whether recent high-grade hits can translate into a larger, higher-confidence mineral inventory.

Australian Mines has appointed a specialist consultant team to complete the pre-feasibility study for its Flemington Scandium Project, targeting delivery in the first quarter of 2027. The study will retain a 60-tonne-per-year scandium oxide reference case while testing production scenarios of up to 180 tonnes per year.

Ballard Mining has lifted the Mt Ida Gold Project’s global Mineral Resource Estimate by 56% to 1.84 million ounces, led by a larger Baldock deposit and new regional resources. The increase gives the planned feasibility study a much larger technical base, although most of the resource remains Inferred and is not yet an Ore Reserve.

Critica has produced high-purity mixed rare earth oxide and iron concentrate samples from its Jupiter project, giving potential counterparties physical products to evaluate. The milestone follows flowsheet improvements including stronger recovery, higher concentrate grades and lower sulphuric acid consumption, but commercial specifications and project economics remain unresolved.

GreenTech Metals has turned a year of drilling, acquisitions and capital raising into a much larger West Pilbara exploration portfolio. The opportunity is growing, but the annual report also flags a material uncertainty over future funding as the company pursues Munni Munni and Whundo.