Morning News Bites as earnings season continues.
Clive Palmer is set to head to the high court with his battle against the Western Australian government. NAB cash earnings for the third quarter drop 7% and Woolworths appoints a Chief Medical Officer.
Middle Island Resources has announced it’s Two Mile Hill open pit Mineral Resources is up 13% and has taken the total for the Sandstone Gold Project to 657,500oz.This announcement follows on from a 52% increase last week for Middle Island’s Shillington Mineral Resource. Further resource estimates are due for five new satellite open pit deposits are still to come.
Newcrest Mining recorded gold production of 2.2 million ounces for its FY20. The darling of Newcrest in Australia, Cadia mine in New South Wales delivered 843,000oz of gold, with 96kt copper and 575koz silver. According to Newcrest Managing Director and CEO Sandeep Biswas, “Drilling results from Havieron and Red Chris continued to expand the known mineralisation with high grade intercepts. Our ownership of Havieron over the year increased to 40% as we track towards 70% underpinning the future of Telfer. We are in the unique position of having three outstanding growth options from which we expect to add new production ounces to our portfolio in due course.” A final dividend of US17.5 cents per share (100% franked), taking full year dividend to US25 cents per share. Newcrest also announced its biggest profit in eight years.
Significants nickel copper sulphides have been intersected from diamond drilling at Legend Mining’s Mawson prospect. Highlights included 9.3m of heavy disseminated to net-textured sulphide from 132.2m – 141.5m downhole and 15.35m of net-textured, heavy disseminated and semi-massive sulphide from 219.1m – 234.45m downhole. Managing Director of Legend Mining Mark Wilson said “Geologically we have now intersected significant mineralisation several hundred metres to the east north-east of our previous discovery and our geophysical advice is that we probably have not hit the best part of this conductor.”
First pass gold hits have been delivered to Golden State Mining at its Yule South target. Target 1 returned best intercept of 8m @ 0.92g/t Au from 96m incl. 4m @ 1.81 g/t Au from 96m, while Target 5 returned best intercept of 19m @ 91ppb Au from 46m incl. 4m at 350ppb Au from 58m. These results were from reconnaissance Aircore drilling based on aeromagnetic interpretation. Managing Director Michael Moore said “We are pleased with the calibre of these first pass gold results, having drilled gold intersections in just our first two targets of an essentially untested regional project area in an emerging gold district. To drill a gold intersection of 8m @ 0.92g/t Au from 96m including 4m @ 1.81 g/t Au from 96m in only the second drillhole of the 199 hole program speaks volumes about our targeting and strategy up at Yule.”
Iluka Resources returned a solid net profit after tax of $113 million from its half year results to June 30 2020. This is despite the Mineral Sands revenue being down due to COVID-19 on the world markets. Managing Director Tom O’Leary said the impact of COVID-19 lead to a decline of 20% in mineral sands sales volumes, but appeared pleased with the position Iluka are in Tom O’Leary, said “Iluka has recorded a solid first half result given the impact of COVID-19 on zircon and titanium markets and the global economy broadly. Given the volatility experienced throughout the world over recent months, we’re pleased with the earnings and cash position we’ve delivered.