Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX:PNR, OTC:PNTOF, FRA:RKN) has struck a funding and processing partnership with privately held Mega Resources Pty Ltd that brings a new high-grade ore source into its Norseman operations — and opens the door to a potential underground mine beneath the Rama Open Pit.
Under the agreement, Pantoro will provide up to $20 million to fund stage 2 mining at the Rama Open Pit in Western Australia’s Forrestania region, with the advance secured against the project and repaid from gold production over a relatively short timeframe.
The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) closed at 3,534.80, down 0.74% on the previous session, although it remains 0.55% higher over the past five days, pointing to some near-term resilience across the small-cap market.
Within that backdrop, several ASX-listed resources companies have delivered fresh operational and project-level updates spanning gold and gas.
A surge on defence policy optimism quickly ran into a reality check for DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO, OTC:DRSHF) this week, with shares pulling back even as the company delivered strong quarterly growth.
Shares in the counter-drone specialist jumped more than 5% yesterday after the Albanese government flagged plans to invest up to $7 billion in defence spending on counter-drone capabilities. But that momentum proved short-lived. Despite delivering strong quarterly numbers, the stock slipped in Wednesday afternoon trading after an initial boost, leaving it modestly higher over the past week and up roughly 12% year-to-date — a reminder that, for all the thematic upside, investors are increasingly focused on execution and delivery.
WA Gold Ltd (ASX:WAU) has outlined a potential low-capital pathway to gold production at its 100%-owned Abercromby Gold Project in Western Australia, with a new scoping study pointing to strong cashflows from an initial open-pit development and toll treatment strategy.
The study, focused on a Stage 1 mine plan, estimates pre-production capital of about A$8 million and forecast pre-tax net cashflow of A$243 million to A$297 million. Pre-tax NPV7 is estimated at A$205 million to A$253 million.
West Coast Silver Ltd (ASX:WCE, OTC:ERWWF, FRA:8N70) has outlined an inaugural Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 2.8 million ounces of silver at its Elizabeth Hill project in Western Australia, confirming the deposit as one of the highest-grade silver resources in the country.
ADNEO LTD (ASX:AD1) has secured a five-year enterprise agreement with Amplitude Energy through its enterprise learning platform, Learnt, for the design, deployment and hosting of the Amplitude Energy Academy.
The contract has a total value of about $246,400 excluding GST over 60 months and covers a custom-branded learning and communications platform to be rolled out nationally across Australia.
Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has reported new preclinical pharmacokinetic data showing that SOF-16, the active ingredient in its cutaneous lupus candidate SOF-SKN, remains in the skin for about 3.5 days in both normal and disease-like skin.
The study examined the highest dose used in the company’s Phase 1 HERACLES safety trial and was designed to help define how often the drug may need to be administered in future studies and, ultimately, in patients.
Riversgold Ltd (ASX:RGL, FRA:RGV, OTC:RVSGF) has advanced plans for potential mining at its Northern Zone Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, with a preliminary heritage survey clearing the way for planned development activities.
The company said the initial heritage report found no identified heritage sites across key tenements within the broader Kalgoorlie Gold Project, effectively clearing the entire area for proposed mining and drilling programs.
BCAL Diagnostics Ltd (ASX:BDX) has accelerated the commercial rollout of its Avantect pancreatic and ovarian early detection blood tests, with the service now available nationally through selected Sonic Healthcare collection centres in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, as well as via the Healius pathology network. The company said 91 Avantect tests were performed during the first quarter of commercial operations, generating $88,000 in revenue.
The March quarter also saw BCAL launch its EarlyDetection.com.au digital platform, which the company said had attracted more than 1,900 enquiries from healthcare professionals and patients, pointing to early market interest in its blood-based cancer detection offering.
Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN, OTC:LINIF) has secured an US$11.6 million (~A$16.6 million) equipment finance and working capital facility from Malawi-based NBS Bank Plc, adding further funding flexibility as construction advances at its flagship Kangankunde Rare Earths Project.
The composite facility, approved by the NBS Bank board, combines asset-backed financing for mining equipment with additional liquidity to support operations during ramp-up — complementing Lindian’s recently completed A$100 million institutional placement and leaving the company free of core project finance debt.
AuKing Mining Ltd (ASX:AKN) has completed an initial airborne magnetics and LiDAR survey across a significant part of its Tundulu rare earths project in Malawi, marking the first on-ground activity since announcing the acquisition and setting up the next stage of exploration.
The drone-based program covered the 5-kilometre-diameter carbonatite intrusive complex, including the historically drilled Nathace Hill and other interpreted carbonatites on nearby topographic highs such as Makhanga Hill, Namuka Hill, Ichigwakalu Hill and Tundulu Hill.
Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX:PNR, OTC:PNTOF, FRA:RKN) has reported further strong drilling results from the Scotia Underground Mine at its 100%-owned Norseman Gold Project in Western Australia. Underground and surface drilling at Scotia has returned multiple wide, high-grade gold hits, supporting potential resource growth below the current mine plan and opening up further development opportunities across the Norseman project.
Extensional drilling at Central Scotia is confirming wide, high-grade mineralisation below the current indicated resource, and grade control drilling is returning additional high-grade intersections within the existing mine plan.