Perth-based regenerative medicine leader Professor Minghao Zheng AM has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (General Division) as part of the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List, announced today by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC.
The honour recognises the Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC, OTC:ORHHF) co-founder's internationally regarded career in translational regenerative medicine, with research spanning nerve, bone, cartilage and tendon repair, and his contribution to the development of clinically applied solutions in orthopaedics.
Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN, OTC:LINIF) has launched Project Early Learning at Kangankunde Primary School in Malawi, marking an early-stage community investment tied to the development of its flagship Kangankunde Rare Earths Project.
The government and community-based initiative is aimed at improving access to safe, inclusive early education while ensuring tangible local benefits flow from the project well ahead of construction and production. Around 400 learners currently enrolled at Kangankunde Primary School are expected to benefit directly.
Elixir Energy Ltd (ASX:EXR, OTC:ELXPF) has started drilling operations at its high-impact Lorelle-3 appraisal well in Queensland’s Taroom Trough, targeting multiple Permian sandstone horizons within the basin-centred gas play.
Drilling has begun following the successful mobilisation, rig-up and acceptance of the Helmerich & Payne FlexRig 3 (Rig 648), which was transported to the Lorelle-3 site from Brisbane. The rig is now under contract and actively drilling.
The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) closed higher on Friday, ending the session at 3,992.50, up 25.30 points or 0.64% on the day. The benchmark has added 1.09% over the past five days, reflecting broadly positive sentiment across the small-cap sector. Against this backdrop, several ASX-listed companies released updates spanning exploration, operations, corporate appointments and community initiatives. You can read about the following and more throughout the day.
Kairos Minerals Ltd (ASX:KAI, OTCQB:KAIFF, FRA:YAJ) announced it has signed a binding sale and purchase agreement with Trek Metals Ltd to acquire 100% of the Pincunah Project, comprising four granted exploration licences covering 116.7 km² and one pending application over 51.1 km². The project adjoins Kairos’s 1.4 Moz Mt York Gold Project in Western Australia’s Pilbara. Historic drilling at the Carlindi Prospect within Pincunah returned shallow, high-grade gold intersections, including 6 metres at 9.08 grams per tonne (g/t) Au from 4 metres and 4 metres at 10.17 g/t Au from surface. Kairos said the granted licences cover the southeast extension of its Mt York landholding.
Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp (TSX-V:LIT, OTCQX:LILIF) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities to act as lead agent and sole bookrunner for a “best efforts” private placement that could raise up to C$4.3 million.
The company plans to sell up to 26,060,607 units at a price of C$0.165 per unit.
Thor Explorations Ltd (TSX-V:THX, AIM:THX, OTC:THXPF, FRA:T2X) shares strengthened on Monday after the miner said it has completed a pre-feasibility study and updated resource and reserve work for the 100% owned Douta gold project in Senegal.
The company said the study includes an updated mineral resource estimate and a maiden mineral reserve prepared under NI 43-101.
Orosur Mining Inc (AIM:OMI, TSX-V:OMI) shares gained 8% after an update which outlined exploration activity, highlighting that infill drilling continued at its Pepas gold prospect at its Anzá project in Colombia, as it works toward a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate.
Orosur said: “As anticipated, drilling results have firmed up the Pepas deposit and provided a better definition of the nature of the thick, high-grade mineralisation.”
Pan African Resources PLC (LSE:PAF, OTCQX:PAFRY, JSE:PAN) said gold production for the half-year ended 31 December 2025 rose 51% to 128,296 ounces.
The company said it remains on track to meet full-year guidance of 275,000 to 292,000 ounces.
Scancell Holdings PLC (AIM:SCLP, OTC:SCNLF, FRA:SCP) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared its Investigational New Drug application for a registrational Phase 3 trial of iSCIB1+ in advanced melanoma. The company said progression-free survival will be the agreed surrogate endpoint.
Scancell said it has completed its 140-patient Phase 2 SCOPE study evaluating SCIB1 and iSCIB1+ in combination with nivolumab plus ipilimumab in previously untreated unresectable stage IIIB/IV melanoma. It said the analysis identified a selection marker intended to enrich the Phase 3 trial for responders.