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Australia holds a key position as a top producer of resources, with over 300 operating mines producing 35 major and minor mineral commodities.
The country is also one of the most important capital markets for growth companies, and the Investing News Network (INN) has identified a rise in demand from investors for news and educational content on the thriving Australian mining space.
To meet that demand, INN is launching Australia-focused coverage of market news and trends, stocks to watch and more. With the resource industry as a top focus, INN Australia will provide independent, trusted news reporting and original, high-quality coverage of educational subjects.
With its abundant natural resources, Australia is filled with investors eager to take advantage of what the nation has to offer. INN's entry to Australia comes after years of tracking investor sentiment in the country and examining the challenges faced by both investors and companies.
The biggest obstacle for investors in any location is determining which opportunities offer value, especially in competitive markets like mining. INN Australia's mission is to connect investors with trusted companies and give these investment opportunities broader market context.
Despite its long history, the potential of Australia's resource industry remains vast. While the country is known for a major gold rush in the mid-1800s, today iron ore, coal and petroleum gas, along with gold, are Australia's top commodity exports. China and Japan are its two top export destinations.
The nation's gold industry in particular has been thriving in recent years, with Western Australia's Pilbara region attracting significant attention from large mining companies. Investors and companies alike are interested in the increasing opportunities down under.
INN's editorial team has years of experience covering the resource market and informing investors about important points to watch. With the launch of its Australia website, INN will offer investors the same informative, contextual content with a localized spin.
Readers can expect the following content:
- independent, trusted reporting on company and market news
- original, high-quality educational content
- quarterly and annual outlooks
- up-to-date lists of top stocks
- interviews with knowledgeable analysts and CEOs
- real-time coverage of conferences and industry events
While Australia's major gold rush took place over a century and a half ago, current trends show that there is still room for exploration and discovery, especially with modern-day techniques and technologies. Those considering Australia resource investing have much to look forward to.
| Markets | ||
|---|---|---|
| ASX | 3500.08 | +6.39 |
| TSX | 18460.21 | +67.22 |
| TSXV | 1067.44 | +29.47 |
| DOW | N/A | N/A |
| S&P 500 | 3934.83 |
VIDEO — Rick Rule: Gold, Oil and Gas, Coal, Water — Commodities for Now and Later
"I'm no market forecaster, but part of me suggests this could get worse before it gets better," said Rick Rule of Rule Investment Media.
Rick Rule: Gold, Oil and Gas, Coal, Water — Commodities for Now and Later youtu.be
As the broader markets face volatility, what is investor and speculator Rick Rule doing with his money?
Speaking to the Investing News Network at the recent Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, Rule, who is proprietor at Rule Investment Media, said he sees the current circumstances as an opportunity.
"What bear markets really are is sales, and if you think that sales are good, then these are good," he said. He has a shopping list ready and is looking for places he can scale in, but did urge listeners to proceed with caution.
"I'm no market forecaster, but part of me suggests this could get worse before it gets better," he noted.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
VIDEO — Peter Krauth: Silver "Very, Very Undervalued," Ways to Play this Volatile Sector
"We are very likely going to experience the greatest silver bull market of our generation," said author and newsletter writer Peter Krauth.
Peter Krauth: Silver "Very, Very Undervalued," Ways to Play this Volatile Sector youtu.be
Peter Krauth, editor of Silver Stock Investor, joined the Investing News Network to discuss his new book, "The Great Silver Bull: Crush Inflation and Profit as the Dollar Dies."
Although gold is the most popular of the precious metals, silver has a loyal following, and Krauth believe it's set to shine brightly as market elements like inflation spiral out of control.
"It's very, very undervalued," he explained during the interview. "It's very difficult to find a better value for your money right now — silver is definitely the place for that."
Speaking about inflation and related problems , Krauth noted that while today's environment is similar to the 1970s, the key difference is that debt and deficits are much higher than they were back then.
"We're likely at the end of a 40 year bull market in both stocks and bonds, and with rising inflation (and) huge debts that are continuing to grow, I think people really need to look for alternatives to stocks and bonds," he commented, noting that stocks and bonds have already fallen "dramatically" this year.
Of course, silver is known for its volatile price action, and this can make it intimidating for new investors to enter the market. But Krauth noted that the white metal's erratic nature doesn't have to be a cause for concern.
"The volatility shouldn't be something that scares you away — it should be something that in some ways attracts you," he said, noting that retail investors in particular can react quickly to silver's ups and downs.
"If you read the book, I think you'll realize and come to the same conclusion that we are very likely going to experience the greatest silver bull market of our generation," Krauth concluded.
Watch the interview above for more from Krauth on silver. You can also click here for the details on his book.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
The Company is pleased to announce that Western Gas (“WGC”) has provided an operational update on the drilling of the Sasanof-1 exploration well.
Highlights
- Valaris MS-1 rig has commenced mobilisation activities for departure to the Sasanof Prospect on the North West Shelf
- Secondary anchors securing the rig at Dampier outer harbour have been pulled, and the rig is secured to the GO Spica support vessel bridle for the tow to the Sasanof-1 exploration well location
- Primary anchors will then be recovered by the Far Senator, and the tow commenced. Transit time is expected to be approximately four days, weather dependent
- All required equipment has been loaded onto the rig for commencement of drilling
- Preliminary preparations for drilling operations are being conducted:
- Mud mat, low pressure wellhead housing and conductors prepared for deployment
- 13-3/8” casing stands made up and racked in preparation for deployment on completion of 17-1/2” hole section
- Third party services equipment being installed and tested
- Drilling operations (conductor jetting) are expected to commence during week starting Monday 23 May 2022
ABOUT SASANOF
The Sasanof Prospect covers an area of up to 400 km2 and is on trend and updip of Western Gas’ liquids rich, low C02 Mentorc Field.
ERCE estimates the Sasanof Prospect to contain a 2U Prospective Resource of 7.2 Tcf gas and 176 Million bbls condensate (P501), with a high case 3U Prospective Resource estimate of 17.8 Tcf gas and 449 Million bbls condensate (P101).
Sasanof is a large, seismic amplitude supported, structural-stratigraphic trap in the high-quality reservoir sands at the top of the Cretaceous top Lower Barrow Group formation on the Barrow Delta within the Exmouth Plateau.
Sasanof-1 will be Western Gas’ first well drilled from its extensive exploration portfolio surrounding the existing Equus Gas Project that contains a discovered resource of 2 Tcf and 42 MMbbl (2C Gaffney Cline2). The Equus Gas Project has a historic exploration drilling success rate of 88%, with 15 discoveries from 17 wells.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Global Oil and Gas, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
The gold price is trading lower than some market watchers would prefer, but the top-performing ASX gold stocks so far this year are making leaps.
Click here to read the previous best ASX gold stocks article.
While 2021 was a disappointing year for gold, analysts are optimistic about the outlook for 2022.
The yellow metal passed the US$2,000 per ounce mark as tensions between Russia and Ukraine heated up, but has since pulled back to trade closer to US$1,800. However, diverse factors could combine to push it higher.
Demand for gold jewellery, gold bars and coins, and the metal’s use in the technology sector are still going strong, and supply is also a growing concern due to decreased gold exploration efforts in recent years.
Against this backdrop, many Australian gold stocks are doing well. And with the precious metal generally considered a safe investment, it's worth being aware of the county's top-performing companies.
Here the Investing News Network looks at the best ASX gold stocks of the year so far by year-to-date gains. The list of stocks below was generated on April 29, 2022, using TradingView’s stock screener, and all companies included had market caps over AU$30 million at that time.
1. Xantippe Resources
Year-to-date gain: 180 percent; market cap: AU$107.3 million; current share price: AU$0.01
Xantippe Resources (ASX:XTC) is focused on Western Australia's Southern Cross region, which is widely known for its past gold production. The precious metals explorer's Southern Cross project is made up of 20 prospecting licences and six exploration licences, and holds a number of key priority targets.
In late April, Xantippe confirmed the acquisition of lithium tenements in Argentina with the hope of commencing exploration activities in the third quarter.
2. Minrex Resources
Year-to-date gain: 55.81 percent; market cap: AU$63.05 million; current share price: AU$0.07
Minrex Resources’ (ASX:MRR) assets include five gold and base metals projects in Western Australia, four of which are in the mineral-rich East Pilbara region.
The company started off the year with high-grade gold drill results from its work at the Queenslander gold prospect within its Sofala project. The prospect is centred around the past-producing Queenslander mine.
3. Aston Minerals
Year-to-date gain: 38.1 percent; market cap: AU$164.19 million; current share price: AU$0.15
Gold and nickel-cobalt explorer Aston Minerals (ASX:ASO) is moving forward at its Edleston gold project, located in the Cadillac-Larder Lake fault zone of Canada's Abitibi greenstone belt. Edleston is its flagship asset, and according to the company, it is the first in over a decade to drill in this area.
Aston continues to focus on gold at Edleston, but its Boomerang nickel-cobalt target has come to the forefront in recent months, with the company announcing the results of its maiden hole there in early December.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Marlee John, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Australian Lithium Miners Post Quarterly Results as Fundamentals Remain Strong
Australian lithium miners continued to move ahead with their projects during the year's third financial quarter.
After hitting all-time highs in 2021, lithium prices started to stabilise in 2022's first quarter.
China’s lockdown measures to battle COVID-19 have disrupted the supply chain and impacted domestic demand in recent weeks, but this is expected to be temporary, according to William Adams of Fastmarkets.
“The lithium market is very tight. We don't see that easing anytime soon,” he said during a recent webinar about risks in the battery metals market. “We think the underlying fundamentals and the trends are still very strong.”
During the third quarter of the financial year, Australian lithium miners continued to move ahead with their projects, and despite the increased volatility in the markets, many ASX lithium stocks saw share price gains as well.
Perth-based Pilbara Minerals' (ASX:PLS,OTC Pink:PILBF) production for the quarter was 81,431 dry metric tonnes (dmt), slightly down compared to the previous three months, but within guidance. The company said the main factor impacting output was higher COVID-19 cases, which resulted in staff and contractor shortages.
“COVID-19 has (and may continue in the near term) to cause operational delays, including staffing shortages for both shut-down and operating staff (mining and processing),” the company said in a statement. Even so, Pilbara has decided to maintain its production guidance in the range of 340,000 to 380,000 dmt.
During its fourth battery material exchange auction, the company saw the highest bid ever at US$5,650 per dmt for a cargo of 5,000 dmt of spodumene, showing the critical shortage in lithium raw material supply.
Western Australia-focused Pilbara, which owns the lithium-tantalum Pilgangoora operation, has partnerships with Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,SZSE:002460), General Lithium, Great Wall Motor Company (OTC Pink:GWLLF,HKEX:2333), POSCO (NYSE:PKX), CATL (SZSE:300750) and Yibin Tianyi.
Shares of Pilbara were trading at AU$2.53 on May 10, down 28.13 percent year-to-date, but up more than 100 percent compared to this time last year.
For its part, leading Australian lithium and iron ore miner Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF) saw its Mount Marion mine’s production reach 104,000 dmt during the quarter; it also shipped 94,000 dmt of spodumene concentrate. The company is maintaining its full-year production guidance at 450,000 to 475,000 dmt.
In April, Mineral Resources and partner Ganfeng agreed to optimise production and upgrade Mount Marion's processing facilities. Spodumene concentrate capacity at the operation is expected to increase from 450,000 dmt per year to 600,000 dmt annually.
“The decision to upgrade the plant reflects an expectation that the lithium market outlook will remain extremely strong for the foreseeable future,” the company said in a press release. A second stage increase, expected to be completed by the end of 2022, will see capacity rise further to reach 900,000 dmt.
Aside from Mount Marion, the company holds interests in Wodgina in partnership with another top producer — Albemarle (NYSE:ALB). The companies decided to restart Wodgina last year as a result of soaring global lithium demand. The mine produced its first spodumene concentrate on May 12.
“(We have) also agreed to review the state of the global lithium market towards the end of this calendar year to assess timing for the start-up of Train 3 and the possible construction of Train 4,” the company said. Each train has a nameplate capacity of 250,000 dmt of 6 percent product.
Mineral Resources’ share price was down 10.71 percent on May 10, trading at AU$52.71. That said, the stock is up 9.11 percent year-on-year.
During the March quarter, Argentina-focused Allkem (ASX:AKE,OTC Pink:OROCF) outlined its plans to increase lithium production threefold by 2026 and become a top three chemicals supplier.
In Western Australia, the company owns the Mount Cattlin mine, which produced 48,562 dmt of spodumene concentrate and shipped 66,011 tonnes in the March quarter.
“Strong conditions in the spodumene market are supporting advanced discussions for spodumene concentrate pricing in the June quarter of approximately US$5,000 per dmt SC6 percent CIF on sales of approximately 50,000 tonnes,” the company told investors in a note.
In Argentina, Allkem operates the Salar de Olaroz and is developing the Sal de Vida lithium brine. Additionally, in partnership with Toyota Tsusho (TSE:8015), Allkem is building a 10,000 tonne per year lithium hydroxide plant in Naraha, Japan. The company also owns the James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Canada.
On May 10, shares of Allkem were changing hands for AU$10.95, down 2.23 percent year-to-date, but up over 55 percent year-on-year.
Although its main focus is nickel, Independence Group (ASX:IGO) joined the lithium party last year after it bought a stake in Tianqi Lithium’s Australian assets. The companies, in joint venture, now control the majority of the biggest lithium mine in the world — Greenbushes.
Production at the mine was up 5 percent quarter-on-quarter at 270,464 tonnes of spodumene concentrate. By 2025, Greenbushes is expected to add around 800,000 tonnes per year to its output capacity.
IGO has seen its share price decline 4.63 percent year-to-date, trading at AU$11.34 on May 11. However, the stock is up 47.27 year-on-year.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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