Andrew Duffy

Lithium Universe’s promise to “build a lithium project in Canada as quick as we can” has been boosted by the appointment of experienced industry identity Patrick Scallan as non-executive director. Mr Scallan brings to the table his experience of running the massive lithium hard-rock mine at Greenbushes for 25 years, taking its annual output from 200,000 tonnes in 1997 up to 1.4 million tonnes.

Galan Lithium has set a new record at its Hombre Muerto West project in Argentina’s world-renowned “Lithium Triangle”, pumping 981 milligrams per litre of lithium brine at 15 litres per second during testing. At the company’s Catalina tenement, the first diamond hole hit 300m of highly-fractured rock flowing at 6 litres per second following airlift, with fluid density of about 1216 grams per cubic centimetre.

Buru Energy will assume full ownership of the 500-barrel per day Ungani oilfield in Western Australia’s Canning Basin from next month after JV partner Roc Oil decided to withdraw from its 50 per cent interest. Roc Oil will remain liable for its share of costs associated with both the near-term staged suspension of Ungani operations and the future decommissioning of all wells and remediation costs.

Newly-appointed Lithium Australia managing director Simon Linge has vowed to fast-track the company’s development as the Perth-based battery innovator moves to commercialise its patented technologies. Mr Linge has more than 25 years of global manufacturing, recycling and engineering services experience and as the company’s chief executive officer, contributed to the landmark development agreement signed earlier this month with mining heavyweight Mineral Resources.

Perth-based explorer Si6 Metals has promoted its executive director Jim Malone to managing director as the company matures rare earths and lithium projects in Brazil, in addition to other operations in Botswana and Australia. It comes after it moved to acquire about 178 square kilometres of tier-one Brazilian rare earths and lithium ground in the Jequitinhonha Valley – which is fast becoming known as “Lithium Valley”.

ABx Group has started a new 18-hole campaign to see if it can expand on a recent 11m-thick hit at 1700ppm total rare earth oxides at its promising Deep Leads prospect in Northern Tasmania. It says the RC program will target the northern section of its exploration area near the recent rare earths hit in a bid to find similar thickness and enrichments.

Buru Energy is $5 million richer after selling the remaining share of its Carnarvon Basin acreage to Energy Resources and will now move towards developing its Rafael gas-condensate field in the Canning Basin. The company plans to develop its field with a two-phased approach and will supply gas to the Kimberley, in addition to blue-methane and ammonia.

From the sometimes dark and dingy bedroom corners that play home to online gaming, to the searingly bright lights of one of the world’s hottest commodities, Lithium Universe has orchestrated a remarkable ASX transformation. Lithium Universe confirmed last Friday it had raised its maximum subscription of $4.5 million at a share price of 2 cents each, announcing itself a new lithium industry player.

Brightstar Resources has struck more gold at its Menzies project in WA’s glittering goldfields, where 18 of 19 holes hit grades of more than 2g/t at its Aspacia prospect and all holes within its “Link Zone” found pay. The company says gold mineralisation is now confirmed in more than 500m of strike at Aspacia, while the Link Zone area has potential for open-pit mining.