Exploration progress dominated the mining news flow, with drilling results and project milestones from Botswana to Western Australia driving gains across several small-cap names, while Kazera Global moved to hand cash back to shareholders and Antofagasta confirmed its Chilean flagship is back online after a weather-driven shutdown.
Total Graphite names Madagascar operations chief
Total Graphite (LON:TGR) has appointed Graeme Chester to lead operations at its Vatomina project in Madagascar as the company pushes through a drilling and operational readiness programme ahead of a planned restart. Chester said he was looking forward to providing operational leadership during the current phase of work. Shares in Total Graphite rose 2.86% to 0.9p.
Arc Minerals quadruples mapped extent of Virgo copper contact
Arc Minerals (LON:ARCM) has extended a key prospective geological contact at its Virgo project in Botswana to 18km, four times the previously mapped extent, based on new geophysical results. The company is preparing to drill the target next month, and the news lifted shares 4.0% to 0.65p.
Alien Metals' JV partner extends Elizabeth Hill silver mineralisation
Alien Metals (LON:UFO) said its joint venture partner at the West Coast Silver project has reported high-grade diamond drilling results alongside a new resource estimate at the Elizabeth Hill Silver Project in Western Australia, extending the known mineralisation at the site. Alien Metals shares slipped 2.941% to 0.0825p despite the update.
CleanTech Lithium hits battery-grade purity in Dallas trial
CleanTech Lithium (LON:CTL) said its US downstream partner Empower has converted eluate from the company's Chile pilot plant into 330kg of lithium carbonate, with the final of five test batches reaching 99.91% purity, well within battery-grade specification. The milestone sent shares up 4.35% to 6.0p.
Kazera to return 80% of Aftan settlement to shareholders
Kazera Global (LON:KZG) plans to distribute 80% of the net proceeds from its Aftan settlement to shareholders, with net proceeds expected to reach US$10.5 million. The shares eased 1.563% to 1.575p on the day.
Neo Energy Metals secures site access at New Beisa
Neo Energy Metals (LON:NEO) has signed a site access agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater's Sibanye Gold, clearing the way for a fully funded implementation assessment at the New Beisa uranium-gold node ahead of the formal transfer of the mining right. Shares in Neo Energy Metals edged up 0.33% to 0.903p.
Galantas pulls forward Dragones payment schedule by a year
Galantas Gold (TSX-V:GAL) has amended its share purchase agreement with a former shareholder of the Dragones project, bringing forward a US$5 million cash payment today and shifting the final payment deadline a year earlier to December 2028. Galantas shares traded at 21.0p.
Antofagasta restarts Los Pelambres after weather halt
Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) has resumed operations at its Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile following an orderly shutdown triggered by intense rainfall and power outages. The company confirmed full-year production guidance remains unchanged despite the disruption, even as shares dipped 0.91% to 3588.0p.
