Vita Resources NL (ASX:VTA) has secured a key regulatory milestone for its ICE copper-gold project in Canada, with the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) recommending approval for a further five years of exploration activity.
The recommendation allows the company to progress to the next stage of permitting, with final approval now pending from the Yukon Government’s Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.
Australian shares notched a third straight weekly decline as higher energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict prompted investors to reassess the outlook for interest rates after a series of tough central bank signals.
The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 69.40 points, or 0.8%, to 8428.4, leaving the benchmark 2.2% lower over the week. Since the conflict began on February 28, the index has fallen 8.4%, wiping close to $280 billion from the market.
St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ, FRA:S0G, OTC:SGQMF) has stepped onto the global stage this week, participating in the Brazil–US Critical Minerals Forum in São Paulo as it looks to advance development and strategic partnerships for its flagship Araxá rare earths and niobium project.
The company said the high-level forum — attended by investors, government representatives and industry participants — provided a platform to promote Araxá’s scale and strategic relevance at a time of growing focus on secure supply chains for critical minerals.
Cybersecurity has long been a background risk for healthcare companies. Last week, it moved firmly into the foreground.
Two separate incidents — a major cyberattack disrupting operations at orthopaedics giant Stryker Corp (NYSE:SYK) and a phishing breach at surgical robotics leader Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ:ISRG, XETRA:IUI1) — have underscored how exposed the sector has become as it leans further into connected devices, cloud-based systems and digital workflows.
Eve Health Group Ltd (ASX:EVE) has increased the size of its recent capital raising to about $1.3 million after securing a $400,000 commitment from a cornerstone investor, strengthening support for its pharmaceutical reformulation strategy.
The additional investment was made on the same terms as the placement announced earlier in March, signalling confidence in the company’s development pipeline and commercial approach.
Australia's unemployment rate edged higher to 4.3% in February, as seasonal softening in hiring combined with rising structural pressures, paints a cautious picture of the jobs market.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that the number of unemployed people swelled by 35,000 over the month, pushing the headline rate up 0.2 percentage points. Total employment still rose by around 49,000, but the composition told a more nuanced story — part-time roles surged by 79,000 while full-time positions shed 30,000, with older workers accounting for much of the part-time shift.
Skylark Minerals Ltd (ASX:SKM) has reported initial assay results from reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the M’Basso Zone within its Zaranou Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, with early outcomes pointing to increasing grades at depth and supporting an expanded drilling programme through 2026.
The results mark the first batch from a broader 12,000-metre RC campaign and provide early validation of the company’s structural model while guiding the next phases of drilling.
Hazer Group Ltd (ASX:HZR, OTC:HZRGF) has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) and graphite offtake letter of intent (LOI) with Green Steel of WA Collie, marking a key step in commercialising its graphite by-product and linking its technology to a proposed low-emissions steelmaking project in Western Australia.
The agreement represents Hazer’s first formal framework for supplying graphite into the steel sector and positions the company within the emerging green steel value chain.
Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX:AGE, OTC:ALGEF) has reshaped its board, appointing chief executive officer Dr Andrea Marsland-Smith as managing director with immediate effect while long-serving non-executive director Peter McIntyre prepares to retire.
Marsland-Smith, who moved into the CEO role about nine months ago after previously serving as chief operating officer, will now hold both positions as the company advances its uranium project portfolio.