Natural hydrogen stole the headlines in Tuesday's small-cap mining session, with Thor Energy (AIM:THR) delivering Phase-2 surface results that pushed readings to 3% hydrogen at its South Australian project and sent the stock sharply higher. Elsewhere, deal-driven optimism lifted Alien Metals (AIM:UFO), operational progress supported Jubilee Metals (AIM:JLP), and a long-intercept gold hit kept Orosur Mining (AIM:OMI) in focus.
Thor Energy's Phase-2 survey returns 3% natural hydrogen at HY-Range
Thor Energy (AIM:THR) reported preliminary results from its Phase-2 soil-air survey at the HY-Range project in South Australia, where readings reached up to 3% natural hydrogen, validating priority anomalies identified in earlier work. The project is held at an 80.2% interest, and the results are expected to advance the licence towards seismic imaging and the maturation of drilling targets. The shares rose 8.67% to 0.652p on the news.
Alien Metals secures free-carried Pilbara interests via dual JV deals
Alien Metals (AIM:UFO) confirmed the completion of binding joint ventures with West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) and GreenTech Metals (ASX:GRE), both covering Pilbara projects. The arrangements deliver cash and equity to Alien while leaving the company with 30% free-carried interests in each project, meaning no further capital commitment is required to maintain its stakes through defined work programmes. The stock gained 10.35% to 0.1269p.
Celsius Resources appoints interim chair at Tambuli Mining subsidiary
Celsius Resources (AIM:CLA) announced that its subsidiary Tambuli Mining has named Dr Attilenore "Nene" Manero as interim chair and president, with Peter Hume set to join as technical adviser. The appointments are aimed at strengthening the operational leadership of the Tambuli copper-gold project in the Philippines. The shares fell 16.67% to 0.005p.
Rockfire posts high-grade assays from Molaoi diamond drilling
Rockfire Resources (AIM:ROCK) reported strong analytical results from drill hole HMO-016 at its wholly owned Molaoi zinc deposit in Greece, alongside high portable XRF readings from the follow-up hole HMO-018, as the diamond drilling programme to upgrade the resource continues. The results support the company's strategy of advancing Molaoi towards a higher-confidence resource classification. Rockfire shares fell 10.67% to 0.134p on the day.
New Frontier Minerals to trial Flash Joule Heating on Pomme REE core
New Frontier Minerals (AIM:NFM) will begin metallurgical characterisation and beneficiation testwork on existing drill core from the Pomme carbonatite project in Québec, with the programme to include Metallium Limited's Flash Joule Heating technology. The work is designed to assess processing routes capable of delivering higher-grade rare earth products from the deposit. The shares were unchanged at 0.375p.
Rome Resources launches surface sampling across New Brunswick targets
Rome Resources (AIM:RMR) commenced a field programme across three target areas in New Brunswick, Canada, budgeting up to CA$150,000 and planning more than 500 samples from surface and trench work. The programme covers an option area of 109 km² situated near the Mount Pleasant polymetallic deposit, one of the largest tungsten-molybdenum systems in the world. Rome shares were flat at 0.35p.
Andrada Mining confirms near-surface lithium grades up to 3.46% Li₂O
Andrada Mining (AIM:ATM) released a third batch of drill results from Lithium Ridge in Namibia, with intersections returning grades of up to 3.46% Li₂O from near-surface depths. The results come as the expanded Stage 1 drilling campaign reached completion, providing additional data to support resource definition work. The shares slipped 4.05% to 3.502p.
Jubilee Metals restarts Molefe feed and targets 10,000 tpm to Sable refinery
Jubilee Metals Group (AIM:JLP) confirmed that deliveries from the Molefe source have restarted and that an accelerated pre-strip programme begun in April remains on track for completion in July. The work is intended to support pit integration and drive feed rates at the Sable refinery towards 10,000 tonnes per month. The shares rose 4.48% to 2.8p on the operational update.
Orosur Mining hits 229.7-metre gold intercept at APTA prospect in Colombia
Orosur Mining (AIM:OMI) reported a drill intercept of 229.7 metres at 0.88 grams per tonne gold at the APTA prospect within its Anza project in Colombia. Chief executive Brad George described APTA as having been "always tantalising but misunderstood," noting that previous drilling had never been consolidated into a coherent geological picture, a gap the latest programme is now addressing. The shares added 3.03% to 20.348p.
