Sirius Minerals PLC (LON:SXX) was active on Friday after the FTSE 250-listed potash mining group has inked a new supply deal for the fertiliser that will be produced from the group’s new mine in Yorkshire.
Chinese customers Eiliseng and YSA have signed up for a long-term supply deal for a total of 2mln tonnes of the POLY4 product per year over a ten-year contract - the former will receive 1.2mln tonnes and the latter takes 800,000 tonnes.
The pricing terms are in line with its other similar agreements, Sirius told investors.
Greatland Gold PLC (LON:GGP) is in the “strongest position it has ever been” according to the explorer’s chief executive, Gervaise Heddle.
The AIM-quoted firm embarked on successful exploration programmes at the Havieron and Black Hills licences in Western Australia in the first half, while last month it kicked off a major drilling campaign at Ernest Giles, also in Western Australia.
The plan now is to follow up the initial results at Havieron and Black Hills with new drill programmes which are slated to begin over the next couple of weeks.
As for Ernest Giles, the drilling it started last month is ahead of schedule and further exploration plans will be announced once the results are received and assessed.
Production costs tumbled at Tanzania-based gold miner Shanta Gold PLC (LON:SHG) in the last three months with further savings expected over the remainder of the year.
Shanta will shift operations at New Luika completely underground from the end of August as sufficient ore has been stockpiled to enable the open pit fleet to ‘stand down’, said chief executive Eric Zurrin.
Shanta produced 20,544 ounces in the three months to June, up from 17,663oz in the previous quarter, while operating costs dropped to US$505 per oz from US$595.
Bacanora Lithium PLC (LON:BCN) has scrapped plans for a US$100mln placing to help fund the construction of a lithium mine at Sonora mine in Mexico.
The placing was part of the funding for a 17,500 tonnes per annum lithium carbonate operation at Sonora.
Bacanora said it will now focus on completing the Front End Engineering Design, while talks are ongoing with several additional parties to find alternative funding.
Rockfire Resources PLC (LON:ROCK), has revealed that a third gold target has been identified at its Marengo exploration project in Queensland, Australia.
The AIM-listed group – formerly known as Papua Mining - said the third target, "Mt Marengo", looks to be similar to One Mile Mountain already identified at Marengo.
The firm said geological mapping and rock chip sampling is in progress at Marengo, with drilling of geophysical targets to be "fast-tracked".
Premier African Minerals Ltd (LON:PREM) has appointed Michael Foster as interim chairman to replace George Roach who will remain chief executive.
Foster, a senior non-executive of the board, is to start in the new role effective immediately.
Alongside the announcement, Premier said it was also reviewing various funding options to bring the RHA tungsten mine in Zimbabwe back to production.
Mining group Metal Tiger PLC (LON:MTR) has sold its 30% stake in the T3 copper prospect in Botswana to partner MOD Resources.
Metal Tiger will receive A$8.3mln (£4.6mln) in shares based on a price of A$0.48 per share for Aussie-listed MOD. Options exercisable at nil cost over the next three years take the value of the transaction to A$27.7mln.
A new joint venture is also being set up on a 70/30 MOD/Metal Tiger basis to continue exploration in 17 other licences in the Kalahari Copper Belt.
Shanta Gold Limited (LON:SHG) has hit reported grades from an exploration programme outside of the current reserves area at the New Luika gold mine in Tanzania.
Four diamond holes were drilled at the Bauhinia Creek East underground mine, where there has already been historical bonanza grade intercepts.
Assays ranged between 4.6 grammes per tonne over 7.5 metres to 39 g/t gold in one narrow section. Drilling was carried out over a strike length of 80 metres to a depth of 180m.
Bacanora Lithium PLC (LON:BCN) has agreed conditional strategic investments for a total of US$90mln from the sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman and from its Japanese off-take partner, Hanwa Co., and has also launched a proposed placing to raise gross proceeds of US$100mln.
The AIM-listed lithium exploration and development company said the combination of the placing proceeds plus the initial US$25mln drawdown from the previously announced US$150mln senior debt facility with Red Kite Mine Finance will give the company sufficient funds to begin construction on the Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico.
It added that commissioning for Sonora is intended for the first-quarter of 2020.
Erris Resources plc (LON:ERIS) has hit three metres of 10.22 zinc plus lead combined as well as 41.45 grammes per tonne silver in ongoing drilling at the Abbeytown project in Ireland.
The intersection came at a depth of between 95 metres and 98 metres and within a wider seven-metre interval grading 8.33% zinc and lead and 37.36 grams silver.
Europa Metals LTD (LON:EUZ)(ASX:EUZ) has secured a combined reverse circulation and diamond drilling rig for mobilisation to its Toral lead-zinc-silver project in the Province of Leόn, northern Spain.
The combination rig and associated operating crew is being supplied by Sondeos y Perforaciones Industriales de Bierzo SA and will be overseen by the company's on-site exploration team.