The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX) was lower yesterday, falling 26 points, or 0.77%, to 3,364.80.
Despite the daily decline, the small-cap benchmark remains 45.10 points, or 1.32%, higher over the past five days.
Several ASX-listed resources companies have delivered operational and exploration updates this morning, with drilling activity across gold and copper projects continuing to drive news flow. You can read about the following and more throughout the day.
Alkane extends Björkdal gold mineralisation
Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX:ALK, OTC:ALKEF) reported further positive results from extension and infill drilling at the Björkdal Gold Mine in Sweden.
The company said a further 29 drill holes had been completed since its previous update on October 15, 2025, targeting the Eastern and Northern extensions of the mine.
Alkane said the latest drilling had improved confidence in the interpretation of vein geometry and grade-controlling structures across both target areas.
The company also noted that grade continuity had been supported by the program, with high-grade intercepts in the eastern extension extending known mineralisation to 762 metres below surface, the deepest recorded in the field to date.
Current and planned exploration drilling will continue to test along-strike and down-dip extensions of known mineralisation, with the objective of expanding resources and supporting future mine-life growth.
Cyprium targets copper in Nifty waste dump
Cyprium Metals Ltd (ASX:CYM, OTCQB:CYPMF) reported results from a recent reverse circulation drilling program targeting visible copper mineralisation within the waste dump at the Nifty Copper Complex in Western Australia’s Paterson region.
The company, which is focused on the phased restart of Nifty, said the mineralisation had been targeted through a review of legacy data sets and visual identification as site work has ramped up.
Cyprium said metallurgical test work would now be carried out to assess the mineralisation and the leaching performance of copper within the waste dump.
Astral advances Mandilla infill program
Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) released assay results from the first 47 holes, covering 5,107 metres, of an ongoing reverse circulation drilling program at the Theia Deposit.
Theia forms part of the company’s 100%-owned Mandilla Gold Project, about 70 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
Astral said the infill program was designed to support the conversion of Stage 1 mineral resources to the Measured category and further de-risk the early years of the planned mining operation.
Reported results included 4 metres at 16.4 g/t gold from 58 metres, including 1 metre at 61.3 g/t gold from 58 metres in hole AMRC303.
Another intercept returned 10 metres at 5.13 g/t gold from 37 metres, including 1 metre at 41.8 g/t gold from 40 metres, along with 14 metres at 0.72 g/t gold from 83 metres in hole AMRC320.
Pilbara Gold starts Roe Hills drilling
Pilbara Gold Ltd (ASX:PGL) confirmed that up to 12,000 metres of reverse circulation drilling had started at its Roe Hills Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia’s Goldfields.
The company said the program was expected to take about 2.5 months and be completed this quarter.
The first hole, 26RHRC001, is being drilled on a line immediately southeast of historic holes TD1 and RHRC002, which returned 35 metres at 1.00 g/t gold from 116.5 metres and 23 metres at 1.4 g/t gold from 78 metres, respectively, including 11 metres at 2.59 g/t gold from 78 metres.
Pilbara Gold said Caliburn, which sits 4 kilometres along strike to the southeast of Terra, had also returned historical results including 22 metres at 1.55 g/t gold from 144 metres, including 10 metres at 2.77 g/t gold from 144 metres, and 54 metres at 0.74 g/t gold from 10 metres, including 16 metres at 1.02 g/t gold from 20 metres.
Of the 12,000 metres planned at Roe Hills, the majority will target Terra, with 1,600 metres earmarked for Caliburn.