Alecto Minerals PLC (LON:ALO) told investors this week that its Mowana copper mine in Botswana is now in full-time production.
That follows on from the first blast at the end of April and a successful trial period during which Alecto produced saleable concentrate of up to 28% copper.
So far, the company has produced more than 1,900 tonnes of copper concentrate which is being sold to its offtake partner, Fujax.
Elsewhere, Anglo Pacific Group plc's (LON:APF TSE:APY) trading in 2017 will be even better than previously expected after heavy storms in Australia caused another spike in the price of coking coal.
Prices had already surged compared to a year ago, but the storms in Australia affected both infrastructure and supplies during the second quarter and sent them soaring above the levels Anglo anticipated at the beginning of 2017.
In other news, Oracle Coalfields PLC (LON:ORCP) has taken encouragement from a neighbouring coal-fired power station project in Pakistan reaching financial close.
The AIM-listed group is seeking finance to build its own coal-fired power station at Block V1 in Thar Province and said the nearby power project (on Block II) is some way down the road to construction.
Oracle’s site was recently put on the priority list on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which should result in the fast-tracking of debt-funding for the project.
Over in Spain, W Resources PLC (LON:WRES) has revealed a rise in grades and resources for the La Parilla tungsten mine.
The company told investors that the tungsten (tri-oxide) grade improved by 4% to 998 parts per million (ppm) while the tin grade improved 2% to 110 ppm.
La Parilla has some 49mln tonnes of measured, indicated and inferred resources, and the high confidence measured and indicated resource amounted to 36mln tonnes.
Caledonia Mining Corporation (LON:CMCL) doubled profits as production from the Blanket mine in Zimbabwe rose by 18% in the three months to March.
Output totalled almost 12,800oz, up from 10,800oz, with costs US$30 per oz lower at US$659 and sustaining costs down US$99 at US$857.
And finally, Sula Iron and Gold PLC (LON:SULA) has hit its best grades yet at Ferensola in Sierra Leone and is more confident than ever that it hosts a major gold system.
Roger Murphy, chief executive, said he was delighted with the results at the Sanama Hill hole, which included a grade of 3.65 g/t over an interval of 32.6m in one hole, FDD014, with several smaller very high grade zones.