The S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index gained 18.10 points, or 0.54%, on Wednesday to close at 3,342.70.
Despite the positive session, the small-cap benchmark remained 35.70 points, or 1.06%, lower over the past five trading days.
Against this mixed market backdrop, several junior explorers have this morning reported progress across drilling, resource definition and regional targeting programs in Australia, South Africa and Greenland. You can read about the following and more throughout the day.
D3 Energy spuds first Nooitgedacht well
D3 Energy Ltd (ASX:D3E, OTCQX:DNRGF) has successfully spudded the first of two planned wells at the Nooitgedacht NGT245 E site within the ER315 permit in South Africa’s Free State.
The drilling marks the next stage of the company’s exploration and appraisal program, which is designed to expand the reserve base within ER315 and support the conversion of additional exploration areas into production rights.
Nooitgedacht lies about 43 kilometres north of the Bloemskraal area, where D3 Energy has already booked reserves underpinning a production right application lodged last year.
The prospect is positioned along the Homestead Fault, a major geological structure extending through the northern part of ER315.
Dalaroo builds 3D model of Greenland rare earth basin
Dalaroo Metals Ltd (ASX:DAL) has completed independent ground penetrating radar and single beam echo sounder surveys at its wholly owned Blue Lagoon Rare Earth Project in southern Greenland.
The surveys have provided the first comprehensive three-dimensional understanding of the rare earth-bearing sedimentary basin.
Results confirmed substantial sediment accumulations across much of the Blue Lagoon shoreline and delivered a detailed subsurface model of the basin’s scale, geometry and continuity.
The data will help Dalaroo refine exploration targets and improve its understanding of the distribution of potentially mineralised sediments.
Novo files Belltopper technical report
Novo Resources Corp (TSX:NVO, OTCQX:NSRPF, ASX:NVO, FRA:1NOR) has filed an independent technical report covering the mineral resource estimate for the Leven Star Reef at its wholly owned Belltopper Gold Project in Victoria.
The report was prepared under Canada’s National Instrument 43-101 disclosure standards and supports the mineral resource announced in June 2026.
Prepared by independent consultants from Snowden Optiro and Novo technical advisers, the document has an effective date of June 9, 2026, and an issue date of July 22, 2026.
The filing provides detailed technical support for Novo’s assessment of the Leven Star Reef and its broader exploration strategy at Belltopper.
Krakatoa advances resource definition drilling
Krakatoa Resources Ltd (ASX:KTA) is advancing its 2026 resource definition and technical program at the Zopkhito Antimony-Gold Project in Georgia, with drilling, geological modelling, site investigations and metallurgical preparation progressing concurrently.
The program is designed to validate historical exploration data and generate the geological and technical information required to support a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate for Zopkhito.
PLC Resources vectors toward larger Rochefort gold system
PLC Resources Ltd (ASX) has reported encouraging results from its maiden reconnaissance reverse circulation drilling program at the Rochefort prospect within the Abbotts North Gold Project.
Three of five holes intersected highly fractionated dolerites carrying anomalous gold of up to 0.4 g/t, together with albite alteration, sulphidation and pathfinder element anomalism.
The geochemical signatures suggest a potentially significant mineralised system may lie northwest of the completed drilling.
PLC is planning follow-up drilling, with heritage and environmental approvals already in place, while additional multi-element assays are pending.
A high-resolution airborne survey has also defined a previously untested structural corridor along the eastern margin of the Abbotts Greenstone Belt, extending along strike from several New Murchison Gold (ASX:NMG) Ltd prospects and the Crown Prince deposit.
A second cross-cutting corridor has been identified toward historical gold prospects, with regional aircore drilling programs now being planned.