Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR, FRA:9S70) has identified a highly prospective lithium exploration corridor at its 100%-owned Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, after geochemical analysis confirmed multiple strongly fractionated pegmatites across the Northern Prospects Area.
Whole-rock sampling returned potassium-to-rubidium ratios as low as 17.4, alongside values of up to 5,510 parts per million rubidium, 221 ppm caesium and 53 ppm tantalum.
JPMorgan has called the 35%-45% pullback in EMEA gold miners a compelling entry point, keeping AngloGold Ashanti (ASX:AGG) and Fresnillo as its top picks and placing Gold Fields on Positive Catalyst Watch.
The sector is pricing in long-term gold at roughly $3,200-$3,800 an ounce, around 20% below JPMorgan’s revised end-2026 target of $4,500.
Netwealth Group Ltd shares rose 2.4% to $23.73 after the wealth manager reported record funds under administration of $135.7 billion for FY2026.
The $5.7 billion company recorded net inflows of $15.4 billion for the financial year and reaffirmed its FY2027 guidance in its fourth-quarter update.
BHP Group Ltd (LSE:BHP, ASX:BHP) shares fell 3% to $58.73 after its FY27 copper production guidance came in below market expectations, despite June quarter output broadly matching forecasts.
The miner expects group copper production to decline 12% in FY27, mainly due to a previously flagged grade decline at Escondida. However, a conveyor failure at the Carrapateena mine in South Australia added further pressure.
Black Cat Syndicate Ltd (ASX:BC8) has identified two high-grade gold discoveries at its Paulsens Gold Operation in Western Australia, opening new near-mine growth opportunities beyond the operation’s historical mining footprint.
Underground drilling and development have defined multiple mineralised lenses at the new Lynx and Regulus lodes, including standout intercepts of 4.8 metres at 18.8 g/t gold at Lynx and 3.7 metres at 40.3 g/t gold at Regulus. A further Regulus result returned 1.1 metres at 69.6 g/t gold.
Unith Ltd (ASX:UNT) has launched a $2.75 million capital raising to accelerate development and commercialisation of its AI-powered digital human technology.
The funding package includes a $1 million placement to institutional, sophisticated, and professional investors and a pro rata, non-renounceable entitlement offer targeting an additional $1.75 million. The company has also agreed to convert $500,000 of debt into equity on the same terms.
Odyssey Gold Ltd (ASX:ODY) has confirmed a new shallow high-grade gold discovery at the Shackle target within its Tuckanarra Gold Project in Western Australia, while further drilling at Bollard has strengthened confidence in the continuity of mineralised shoots beneath the historical open pit.
First-pass reverse circulation drilling returned gold in all three holes completed at Shackle, including a standout intersection of 3 metres at 16.1 g/t gold from 55 metres. Other results included 4 metres at 5.3 g/t from 31 metres and 3 metres at 1.7 g/t from 44 metres.
SpaceX Corp (NASDAQ:SPCX) shares have fallen back towards their initial public offering price just over a month after listing, as early enthusiasm for the space exploration company gives way to closer scrutiny of its valuation, spending requirements and limited public float.
The stock, trading under the ticker SPCX, slipped to a fresh low of $132.15, below its $135 IPO price, before closing Wednesday at $135.27.
MIRRABOOKA INVESTMENTS LIMITED (ASX:MIR) has lifted full-year profit by 63.6% to A$13.0 million and declared a 3.0-cent special dividend, taking total fully franked dividends for FY2026 to 14.0 cents per share.
Revenue from operating activities increased 36.1% to A$15.5 million, while net profit per share rose to 5.8 cents from 4.0 cents in the previous corresponding period.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has warned that major technology platforms are still falling short in detecting and disrupting sexual extortion, grooming and child sexual exploitation online.
The regulator’s latest transparency report examined Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snap and WhatsApp between July and December 2025.
Janus Electric Holdings Ltd (ASX:JNS) has secured approximately A$45 million in conditional orders from four new California fleet operators, lifting its contracted North American order book to 112 diesel-to-electric truck conversions.
Golden State Express, WEHACO, Tradelink Transport and King Fio Trucking have ordered a combined 67 conversions, 77 swappable battery packs and four Janus Charge & Change Stations. The agreements expand Janus’ US customer base from one to five fleet operators.
The Australian sharemarket is expected to open marginally higher on Thursday, with futures at 6.09am AEST pointing to a gain of 10 points, or 0.1%, following a positive session on Wall Street and renewed strength across commodity markets.
Local equities are set for a cautious advance as investors assess softer US inflation data, resilient corporate earnings and elevated oil prices linked to continuing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (XSO) strengthened on Wednesday, adding 19.3 points, or 0.57%, to close at 3,379.00.
The small-cap benchmark has gained 27.3 points, or 0.81%, over the past five trading sessions, reflecting improved investor sentiment across the junior end of the Australian market.
Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX:OBM, OTC:ESGFF) has closed FY2026 with record quarterly gold production, strong cash flow and a larger resource base.
The company produced 39,552 ounces in the June quarter. Full-year output reached 140,949 ounces, meeting guidance despite wet weather late in the period.
Rio Tinto Ltd (LSE:RIO, ASX:RIO, OTC:RTNTF)'s Pilbara iron ore unit posted its strongest first-half production since 2018, beating consensus estimates alongside stronger shipment volumes, as the miner reiterated full-year guidance across all segments.
Second-quarter production beat expectations in both Pilbara output and shipment volumes, while the rest of Rio's major operating assets came in line with consensus.
Freehill Mining (ASX:FHS) has delivered record quarterly gross sales of $1.36 million from its Chilean aggregates business, marking a 47% increase on the previous quarter and a third consecutive period of growth.
The June quarter result was capped by record monthly gross sales of $496,107, supported by plant improvements, stronger demand from the local cement industry and an expanding customer base.
ADVANCED ENERGY MINERALS LTD (ASX:AEM) has entered a cooperation agreement with Swiss precision manufacturer Zürcher Frères SA (ZFS) after laboratory testing showed AEM’s nano-particle high-purity alumina materially improved the performance of zirconia-alumina ceramics.
Under the agreement, AEM will become the exclusive supplier of nano-particle HPA used by ZFS in the production of its zirconia-alumina ceramics, creating a pathway to commercialise the material across medical, industrial and advanced manufacturing markets.
NEU HORIZON URANIUM LIMITED (ASX:NHU) has started high-resolution drone magnetic and radiometric surveys at its Arvidsjaur Project in northern Sweden, marking the first major exploration activity since the company listed on the ASX earlier this month.
Contractor Radai Oy will survey four priority prospects — Ravenberget, Suddesjaur, Laisbäcken and Arresåive — to identify structures and near-surface anomalies associated with uranium mineralisation and refine drill collar locations.
Cyclopharm Ltd (ASX:CYC) has secured a landmark agreement to install its Technegas® lung imaging technology across 11 University Hospitals locations in Cleveland, strengthening the company’s commercial footprint in the United States.
Unlike a conventional staged rollout, all 11 systems are scheduled to be installed over the coming weeks, with University Hospitals completing the necessary site preparation before the agreement was signed.
NewPeak Metals Ltd (ASX:NPM, OTC:NPMFF, FRA:NPM) has secured A$3.5 million through a strongly supported share placement to advance drilling, resource estimation and broader exploration at its wholly owned Las Opeñas Gold Project in Argentina.
The placement attracted binding commitments for A$3.35 million from new and existing sophisticated and professional investors, while directors and management will contribute a further A$150,000, subject to shareholder approval.
D3 Energy Ltd (ASX:D3E, OTCQX:DNRGF) has established a maiden independently certified prospective resource at its wholly owned PEL121 permit in South Australia, strengthening its exposure to helium, natural hydrogen and methane.
The Hydrohelix and Cootanoorina prospects contain a combined net best-estimate, or 2U, prospective resource of 54 billion cubic feet (BCF) of recoverable helium, 88 BCF of hydrogen and 226 BCF of methane.
The Australian Government is establishing a dedicated Office of AI to coordinate regulation, investment and national security policy as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded across the economy.
The new office will sit within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and begin operating immediately, giving the rapidly evolving technology a central point of oversight at the highest level of government.
archTIS Ltd (ASX:AR9, OTCQB:ARHLF) has extended the maturity date of a A$4 million Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) lending facility, maintaining access to non-dilutive working capital as it responds to growing demand for its data security products.
The facility, previously due to mature on July 30, 2026, has been extended to October 30, 2026. The key terms remain unchanged apart from a one-off A$2,000 establishment fee.
Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN, OTC:LINIF) has completed a major technical validation milestone for its Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi, with independent testwork confirming 98% neodymium-praseodymium extraction and production of a non-radioactive mixed rare earth carbonate.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) validated the complete downstream flowsheet from Kangankunde monazite concentrate through to specification mixed rare earth carbonate, or MREC.
Nexus Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXM) has delivered further high-grade gold results from the Payns prospect at its Wallbrook Gold Project in Western Australia, strengthening the prospect’s potential contribution to an updated multi-prospect mineral resource estimate.
The final tranche of assays included a standout intersection of 21 metres at 3.26 g/t gold from 39 metres, containing 5 metres at 12.83 g/t gold and 1 metre at 34.77 g/t gold.
Australian labour market conditions weakened sharply in June, with Roy Morgan’s measure of “real unemployment” rising 1 percentage point to 11.7% as total employment fell for a fourth consecutive month.
The number of unemployed Australians increased by 156,000 to 1.86 million, while overall employment declined by 128,000 to 14.03 million.
Australian football fans are embracing an AI-enhanced referee camera that delivers a first-person view of FIFA World Cup matches, underlining how artificial intelligence is reshaping live sports broadcasting.
Known as Referee View, the system uses a lightweight camera mounted on the match official to capture footage from the centre of play. Lenovo’s video analytics technology processes the fast-moving feed in real time, reducing camera shake by as much as 60% and converting it into stable, broadcast-quality footage.
Solis Minerals Ltd (ASX:SLM, TSX-V:SLMN, OTCQB:SLMFF) has kicked off diamond drilling at the Mandacaru Lithium Project in Brazil, targeting a coherent lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatite system across an approximately 800-metre corridor.
The 10-hole, 2,000-metre program is designed to test the continuity and geometry of the pegmatites, as well as their potential to host spodumene mineralisation at depth.
Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE, OTC:RECEF) has strengthened its intellectual property position in Southeast Asia after securing a Vietnamese patent covering its RECCE® 327 and RECCE® 529 anti-infective candidates.
The Family 4 patent, granted by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam, provides protection until 2041 and marks the eighth patent secured by Recce within this patent family.
Kingfisher Mining Ltd (ASX:KFM) has delivered some of the strongest copper-gold results recorded at its Copper Blow project near Broken Hill, extending high-grade mineralisation and strengthening the case for a maiden mineral resource estimate.
Reverse circulation drilling in the North Zone returned a standout intersection of 26 metres at 2.57% copper and 0.75 g/t gold from 73 metres, including 13 metres at 4.07% copper and 1.20 g/t gold. A higher-grade section within the interval assayed 4 metres at 7.06% copper and 2.38 g/t gold.
Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX:OBM, OTC:ESGFF) has delivered a major expansion of its Davyhurst Gold Project inventory, lifting mineral resources by 75% to 3.69 million ounces and ore reserves by 159% to 610,000 ounces.
The updated mineral resource estimate stands at 56.5 million tonnes at 2.0 g/t gold, while the ore reserve totals 8.4 million tonnes at 2.3 g/t gold, net of 80,000 ounces of mining depletion to April 1, 2026.
Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX:ALK, OTC:ALKEF) extended high-grade gold and antimony mineralisation at the Brunswick South deposit, strengthening its potential to become a major production source for the Costerfield operation in central Victoria.
Results from 91 additional extension and infill drill holes have confirmed continuity between the deposit’s deeper gold-dominant zone and historical near-surface workings, while identifying further mineralisation along strike and at depth.
Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) has delivered broad, high-grade gold intersections from deep drilling at the Theia deposit, strengthening the case for a material resource expansion at its 100%-owned Mandilla Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
Results from drill holes AMRCD260 and AMRCD261 intersected mineralisation both within and beyond the April 2026 resource shell, including zones extending as much as 250 metres below the current model.
The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX:XSO) slipped 25.1 points, or 0.74%, to 3,367.6, extending its five-day decline to 1.68% as weakness across the small-cap sector continued despite a steady stream of positive company announcements.
Even as the broader index retreated, several ASX-listed companies reported significant developments spanning biotechnology, gold exploration, critical minerals and strategic resource expansion, highlighting continued project momentum across the sectors. Among the day's notable announcements, Recce Pharmaceuticals strengthened its global intellectual property portfolio, Astral Resources extended mineralisation beneath its flagship Mandilla Gold Project, Alkane Resources reported encouraging drilling from Brunswick South, Kingfisher Mining delivered more high-grade copper-gold assays near Broken Hill, Nova Minerals advanced its US antimony strategy and Ora Banda Mining unveiled a substantial increase in resources and reserves at Davyhurst. You can read about the following and more throughout the day.
Rapid Critical Metals Ltd (ASX:RCM) has delivered strong initial flotation results from its Webbs and Consol silver projects in New South Wales, recording silver recoveries of up to 98.7% and lead recoveries of as much as 99.3%.
The bench-scale testwork also returned zinc recovery of 93.3% from the Consol Master composite, supporting the company’s view that the mineralisation responds well to conventional flotation processing.
MANUKA RESOURCES LTD (ASX:MKR) has increased the Probable Ore Reserve at its 100%-owned Wonawinta Silver Mine in New South Wales by 28%, strengthening the foundation for a planned restart of gold and silver processing operations this quarter.
The updated reserve stands at 7.9 million tonnes grading 50.4 grams per tonne silver for 12.8 million ounces of contained silver.
Greenvale Energy Ltd (ASX:GRV, OTC:GVLMF) has identified 13 priority uranium targets at its Thunderball Uranium Project in the Northern Territory, sharpening the company’s exploration focus ahead of an imminent field campaign.
The targets were generated from a high-resolution airborne magnetics and radiometrics survey over exploration licence EL34157, with four anomalies clustered along the prospective Hayes Creek Fault Zone and the strongest positioned near the historical Spectre Prospect.
Genesis Minerals (ASX:GMD) has moved closer to securing Vault Minerals Limited (ASX:VAU) after rival bidder Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) declined to match its higher $5.6 billion cash-and-scrip offer.
Genesis shares rose almost 2% to $5.78 as investors welcomed the prospect of the Raleigh Finlayson-led miner gaining control of Vault and its strategically important processing infrastructure.
Coles Group Ltd (ASX:COL) is reportedly nearing an agreement to acquire Petbarn owner Greencross in a deal worth more than $4 billion including debt, marking a major expansion beyond its core supermarket business.
The retailer confirmed earlier this month that it was conducting due diligence on Greencross, with reports suggesting negotiations on price are now substantially complete and an announcement could come within days.
Australia, Canada and India have formalised a new three-way technology partnership designed to strengthen cooperation across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.
The countries have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing the Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation Partnership, known as ACITI, creating a framework for governments, researchers, investors and technology businesses to collaborate more closely.
Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC, OTC:ORHHF) has posted record quarterly and full-year revenue, with accelerating adoption of its Remplir™ nerve repair device in Australia and the United States strengthening the regenerative medicine company’s commercial growth outlook.
Revenue reached A$3.8 million in the June quarter, up 20% from the March period and 36% on the corresponding quarter last year. FY2026 revenue increased 44% to a record A$13.2 million, supported by growing sales of Remplir and Striate+™ across domestic and international markets.
Dalaroo Metals Ltd (ASX:DAL) has transformed its Blue Lagoon project in southern Greenland from an early-stage exploration concept into a defined regional rare earth element system after completing its largest field program to date.
The 2026 campaign combined geological and structural mapping, surface geochemistry, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), bathymetric surveys and lagoon and offshore sediment sampling across the 100%-owned project.
Janus Electric Holdings Ltd (ASX:JNS) has secured an approximately A$10 million order from existing US customer Ability Tri-Modal, lifting its contracted North American order book to 45 diesel-to-electric truck conversions.
The repeat order covers a further 16 conversion kits and 18 swappable battery sets, alongside contracted recurring revenue, taking Ability Tri-Modal’s total commitment from four to 20 trucks.
Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M) (Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M)) has launched a second-phase exploration program at its wholly owned Warby Project in North Queensland, aiming to define the scale of a potentially significant tungsten system and generate priority drill targets.
The program follows encouraging Phase 1 rock-chip results that confirmed high-grade tungsten mineralisation within a favourable intrusive-related geological setting. Lightning will now undertake detailed mapping, soil geochemistry and stream-sediment sampling across a prospective structural corridor extending for about 2 kilometres.
The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index finished Friday at 3,392.70 points, gaining 23.50 points, or 0.70%, for the session.
Despite the positive finish, the index remained 48.80 points, or 1.42%, lower over the past five trading days.