Locksley has formally submitted the drill permit application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM has confirmed it will undertake the necessary Environmental Assessment requirements.  

The company believes the March 2025 Executive Order by President Trump presents a significant opportunity to expedite approvals at the Mojave Project. This order mandates measures to accelerate American mineral production, including expedited permitting, support from the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC), access to Defense Production Act (DPA) funding, and streamlined NEPA environmental processes.  

Sampling at the Desert Antimony Mine has yielded high-grade antimony and polymetallic results. Rock chip assays show up to 46% antimony, with multiple samples exceeding 17% antimony and 18 samples exceeding 1.4% antimony. Additionally, samples contained 1,022 g/t silver, along with elevated lead, zinc, and copper. The mineralization has been mapped across a 400-meter surface strike length.  

The Mojave Project is located approximately 1.4 km from the Mountain Pass Mine, the only producing rare earth mine in the U.S. The project also has rare earth element (REE) potential, with rock chip assays at the El Campo Prospect reporting up to 12.1% TREO and 3.19% NdPr. Surface mapping identified an 860m mineralized horizon.  

Locksley highlights the strategic value of its claims, noting the federal endorsement of Dateline Resources’ Colosseum Project, located about 10 km north of Mountain Pass. The company aims to leverage the precedent set by Dateline to pursue regulatory alignment and market support.  

The next steps for the Mojave Project include securing drill permit approvals from the BLM, engaging with U.S. federal authorities, and further surface and subsurface exploration. Locksley Resources is focused on advancing the Mojave Antimony & Rare Earths Project.   Sources and related content

Read full release here.

Join the discussion: See what’s trending right now on Australia’s largest stock forum and be part of the conversations that move the markets.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

Alterity Therapeutics (ASX:ATH) has been the most watched on HotCopper this morning on news the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for its orphan drug for the treatment of Multiple System Atrophy.

Alterity Therapeutics has been trading up 5.5% at 1 cent.

Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR) has also been trending after entering into a Scheme Implementation Deed with South Africa and New York listed Gold Fields. The deal will see Gold Fields buy 100 per cent of the shares in Gold Road.

Gold Road has been up 9.4% at $3.25.

And, finally Hazer Group (ASX:HZR) has kicked off a binding Alliance Agreement  with U.S. juggernaut Kellogg Brown and Root (NYSE: KBR), for the licensing of Hazer’s proprietary methane pyrolysis technology.

Hazer Group has been up 8.3% at 39 cents.

Financials has been the best performing sector, up 0.3%, followed by Materials, up 0.15% and Energy, up 0.1%.

Utilities has been the worst performer, down 1.1%, followed by Industrials and Staples, both down 0.55%.

Opthea (ASX:OPT) has been the most watched on HotCopper forums today. The company is in a voluntary suspension pending the release of top line results of its COAST clinical trial.

Also trending Imugene (ASX:IMU) has revealed the US Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track Designation to its allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy, azer-cel (azercabtagene zapreleucel), for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Rounding out the most discussed is Arizona Lithium (ASX:AZL) after kicking off a share purchase plan to raise $2 million to advance the Prairie project.

You’re up to date, see you later for market close.

Utilities was the best performing sector, up 1.7%, followed by Real Estate, up 0.7%, and Energy, up 0.6%.

Discretionay was the worst performing sector, down 0.6%, followed by Financials, down around 0.2%.

Orthocell (ASX:OCC) closed up 5.5% after Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority granted regulatory approval for its market leading dental membrane, Striate+.

Orthocell closed at $1.44.

New Hope (ASX:NHC) finished the day up 8.9% after its half year results revealed a 22% increase in underlying EBITDA, to $517 million, and a 35% jump in net profit after tax to $340 million. The company declared a fully franked interim dividend of 19 cents per share.

New Hope closed at $4.03.

West African Resources (ASX:WAF) closed up 3.6% on an update on its Sanbrado gold production centre in Burkina Faso. The company has achieved positive results and there is potential for an underground development beneath the Toega open pit mine.

West African Resources closed at $2.32.

Endeavour Group (ASX:EDV) closed down 1.9% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the drinks giant’s shares to a “neutral” rating with a reduced price target of $4.50.

Endeavour Group closed at $4.04.

Arika Resources (ASX:ARI) was down 5.0% today after responding to an inquiry from the ASX on its recent market disclosure and the impact of exploration results on its shares.The company confirmed it considers the exploration results announced on March 7 to have a material effect on its stock price.

Arika Resources closed at 1.9 cents.

Appen (ASX:APX) closed down 3.7% extending a deep retreat in recent weeks. The company stock is now down approximately 60% since this time last month. This fall has been driven largely by the release of Appen’s full year results in February; particularly its guidance for the year ahead.

Appen closed at $1.16.

It was a bloodbath as the index continued its downward trajectory in the wake of US tariffs on Aussie steel and aluminium.

Discretionary was the biggest loser, down 2%, followed by Industrials, down 1.9%, and Financials, down 1.6%.

Tasmea (ASX:TEA) closed up 6.6% after its investor presentation. The company upgraded its NPAT guidance for FY25 to $52 million, a 70% increase on the prior year. Investors reacted favourably.

Tasmea closed at $2.57.

Andean Silver (ASX:ASL) closed up 7.6% after unveiling a new 2km-long mineral target at its Cerro Bayo Project in Southern Chile. Recent geophysical surveys indicate extensive mineralised structures consistent with known silver systems.

Andean Silver closed at 99 cents.

Nickel Industries (ASX:NIC) closed up 8.2% as bargain hunters swooped in after a major selloff on Tuesday. Investors were selling the nickel producer’s shares amid reports that the Indonesian government was planning to increase mining royalties. This may have been an overreaction.

Nickel Industries closed at 65.5 cents.

State Gas (ASX:GAS) closed down 8.3% after kicking off a fully funded exploration program at the Rolleston West Project (ATP 2062), aiming to secure a maiden 2P reserve of 30-50 petajoules.

State Gas closed at 3.3 cents.

Austal (ASX:ASB) closed down 22% after completing a $200 million institutional placement to support the expansion of its US shipbuilding capabilities. The placement, priced at $3.80 per share, received strong backing from existing shareholders and new investors.

Austal closed at $3.51.

OD6 Metals (ASX:OD6) closed down 15.1% after temporarily halting exploration activities at its Gulf Creek Copper Project in northern New South Wales. The move was in response to a directive from the New South Wales resources regulator.

OD6 Metals closed at 2.8 cents.

Despite clocking record nickel production, Nickel Industries has actually seen fewer sales in the December quarter. That’s because the company’s been producing so much nickel (which it can pull off thanks to major Chinese capital investor Tsingshan Holdings) that it burned through its 9M yearly sales quota early.

So now, Nickel is going to the Indonesian gov’t; asking for the right to sell 19Mtn a year.

“A record month of mining was recorded… with over seven million tonnes mined for the quarter and a record 1.3 million tonnes sold for November which delivered US$27M,” NIC MD Justin Werner told shareholders.

“EBITDA for the first two months of the quarter from Hengjaya Mine was US$42M which was unfortunately offset by a US$8.5M loss in December as only 200,000 tonnes were able to be sold … as the mine quota of nine million tonnes of ore sales for the year was reached in early December.

“The company is now in the process of seeking to increase this quota to 19 million tonnes.”

Before I go on, there’s crucial context here.

Nickel projects across WA have been collapsing, along with lithium projects, as a shock upramping of Indonesian supply in the early 2020s tanked nickel prices due to a sudden tsunami of the metal.

‘Upramping’ is the wrong word to use, actually. Indonesia is now the world’s largest nickel producer. You’re cut, BHP’s Nickel West. You’re also cut, just about everyone else.

But like Nickel (the company), major Chinese capital backing is the only reason Indonesia (the country) has been able to become a global producer.

Indonesian representatives have already clocked, here, some possibly uncomfortable connotations – according, at least, to NIC’s Justin Werner who was paraphrased in the AFR in July last year saying Indonesia was trying to ‘distance itself from China’ on that front.

It’s probably more in Justin Werner’s interest that he distances himself from China, given Nickel Industries’ success in surviving the nickel oversupply onslaught comes from the same relationships that helped create it.

Especially seeing as Canberra has been pretty keen to talk about how important domestic supply is for critical minerals.

Not that any of this matters for NIC shareholders. What few users commented on NIC’s quarterly in the HotCopper forums were more interested in how forex had affected EBITDA and what the price of Nickel Pig Iron (NPI) can divine.

But seeing as Nickel Industries is at once lifted and threatened by adding to the world’s nickel supply by an extra ten million tonnes per year, it’s an interesting strategy.

Especially seeing as Indonesia is reportedly looking to scale back sales quotas to cut down the volume of global supply, per reports from earlier this month.

NIC last traded at 78.5cps.

Join the discussion: See what HotCopper users are saying about Nickel Industries and be part of the conversations that move the markets.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

This was a seven-week closing high, achieved amidst positive sentiment as investors react to Donald Trump’s “Stargate” plan for AI investment, and an initially better than expected trade outcome.

IT finished the strongest performing sector, up 2.35%, followed by Industrials, up 1.2%, and Utilities, up more than 1%.

Materials was the worst performer, down 1%, followed by Telecommunications, down 0.3% and Health Care, down 0.2%.

Aruma Resources (ASX:AAJ) closed up 11.1% on results from a gravity survey conducted at its Fiery Creek Project in Queensland.

Aruma Resources closed at 1 cent.

Orthocell (ASX:OCC) closed up 15.7% after expansion plans were revealed in the lead up to U.S. FDA approval for its drug. Applications in the new markets of Canada, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Brazil are progressing.

Orthocell closed at $1.50.

Etherstack (ASX:ESK) closed up 12.7% after signing a $1.9 million contract with AT&T Services to provide wireless network equipment and services. The deal consolidates the company’s position in the telecommunications sector.

Etherstack closed at 31 cents.

Woodside (ASX:WDS) closed down 1.9% after posting a 6% decline in quarterly revenue. The company has paused work on a large-scale hydrogen development and a solar project in the US. This comes just a day after Trump’s inauguration as it pivots to the expansion of a gas plant in Louisiana boosted by the President’s move to lift a freeze on LNG exports.

Woodside closed at $25.25.

Sigma Healthcare (ASX:SIG) closed down 5.04% as some Aussie investors take profits after chalking up some strong gains.

Sigma Healthcare closed at $2.64.

Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) closed down 7% after releasing its quarterlies. The company reported achieving lower-than-expected output costs and also substantially missed production guidance.

Iluka Resources closed at $4.95.

Just after the local bourse opened, Trump says the U.S. is seriously considering tariffs on China due to the alleged production and distribution of fentanyl.

IT has been the best performing sector, up 1.4%, followed by Discretionary and Real Estate, up 1.1%, and Financials, up 0.9%.

Materials has been the poorest performer, down 0.7%, and Energy, down 0.35%.

Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) has been up 9.2% on the news uranium production from its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia is continuing broadly in line with expectations. This is despite numbers slipping in the December quarter as the ramp-up of the project progresses.

Paladin Energy $9.12.

Battery Age Minerals (ASX:BM8) has been up 11.1% after confirming the presence of Germanium-76 (Ge76), a critical isotope for semiconductor technologies, at its Bleiberg exploration project in Austria.

Battery Age Minerals has been 10 cents.

Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE) has been up 2.1% after successfully dosing all 30 participants in its Phase II clinical trial of a gel to treat skin infections.

The local index clawed back losses throughout the afternoon as investors reacted to Donald Trump’s impending decisions on tariffs with major trade partners.

Financials was the best performing sector, up 1.25%, followed by Materials, Discretionary and Telecommunication, all up 0.9%.

Utilities was the biggest loser, down 1.5%.

Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) closed up 11.9% on release of its quarterlies. The company recorded a 215% quarter-on-quarter increase in spodumene concentrate production to more than 88,000 dry metric tonnes (dmt) for the quarter.

Liontown Resources closed at 70.5 cents.

Yancoal (ASX:YAL) closed up 5.5% after releasing its quarterlies late yesterday. The company says it achieved its production guidance in FY 2024 and delivered a $480 million increase in its cash balance, to $2.46 billion.

Yancoal Australia finished the day at $6.28.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX:WES) closed up 1.6% after announcing loss-making online retailer Catch would no longer operate as a standalone business. Catch will instead be integrated into the conglomerate’s Kmart business.

Wesfarmers pulled stumps at $72.88.

Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE) closed down 5% following the release of a drilling update from Monte Alto. Although the company reported record rare earths grades, it appears to have fallen short of investor expectations.

Brazilian Rare Earths wrapped up at $2.28.

Novonix (ASX:NVX) closed down 5.4% after the sudden exit of its CEO. Dr. Chris Burns will step down at the end of next week and will then be replaced by CFO Robert Long on an interim basis.

Novonix closed at 61.5 cents.

Meeka Metals (ASX:MEK) closed down 4.5% after results from their ongoing drilling at the Murchison Gold Project disappointed investors.

Meeka Metals closed at 10.5 cents.

The inauguration of President Donald Trump in the United States has seen the Aussie bourse surge higher. Trump has already announced new tariffs on Mexico and Canada, slated to kick off on February 1.

Falling U.S. bond yields have driven the Australian dollar to a three-week high of US 62c.

Financials has been the best performing sector, up 0.8%, followed by Telecommunication, up 0.55%, and Discretionary, up 0.25%.

Alkane Resources (ASX:ALK) has been down 0.95% after exploration drilling at its  Tomingley gold operations in New South Wales found gold intercepts – some grading beyond five grams per tonne (g/t).

Alkane Resources has been 53 cents.

BHP Group (ASX:BHP) has been up 0.75% after releasing its half yearly operational review. The company highlighted its robust performance in copper production, which increased by 10% year-on-year. The company’s performance at its flagship copper asset, Escondida, was pivotal in achieving this growth.

BHP has been $40.54.

Carnarvon Energy (ASX:CVN) has been down 22.6% after an update on its Dorado Phase 1 liquids development project in Western Australia. In partnership with Santos (ASX:STO) and OPIC Australia, the joint venture for Dorado has made the decision not to proceed with its floating production storage and offloading vessel.

Carnarvon Energy has been 12 cents.

The big banks, the market darlings throughout 2024, were sold off today. CBA shed 2.1%, NAB fell 1.9%, ANZ gave up 1.3%, and Westpac closed down 2.24%.

Energy stocks ticked higher after Brent Crude oil hit a four-month high at US$81 per barrel on the back of further U.S. sanctions against Russia.

IT stocks were hammered, down 3.35%, followed by Financials, down 2.1%, and Discretionary, down 1.9%.

Energy was the best performing sector, climbing 1.8% higher.

Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL) closed up 3.7% on the first production of battery-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate at its Central Lithium Electrolysis Optimisation Plant in Frankfurt, Germany. This is the first fully integrated production of battery-quality lithium chemicals in Europe.

Vulcan Energy Resources closed at $6.15.

Insignia Financial (ASX:IFL) has been up 2.4% after Bain Capital increased its takeover offer. Bain has offered $4.30 per share; a 7% increase on its December offer that now matches the competing bid from CC Capital Partners.

Insignia has been $4.22.

WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) closed up 0.15% after drilling revealed potential extensions to its famous Luni niobium discovery in WA. The company says the results continue to define the high-grade mineralisation at Luni and provide optionality for future development activities.

WA1 Resources closed at $13.32.

St Barbara (ASX:SBM) closed down 10.7% on the release of a preliminary second quarter update. Gold production for the quarter totalled more than 10,200 ounces, which was lower than expected.

St Barbara wrapped up the session at 25 cents.

Myer (ASX:MYR) closed down 23.1% after a trading update. Total sales were down 0.8% for the 22 weeks ended December 28, group comparable sales were in line with the prior corresponding period, but total sales were down 0.8% to around $1.6B.

Myer closed at 88 cents.

Yandal Resources (ASX:YRL) closed down 19.4% after releasing all assay results from its 2024 reverse circulation drilling program at the Siona Gold Discovery within the New England Granite.

Yandal Resources closed at 14.5 cents.

Big banks were sold off and mining stock rose to offset the losses.

ANZ became the second big bank to move the timing of the first rate cut forward to February, following the lead of Westpac.

Most sectors retreated to end the week and Financials was the poorest performing sector, down 1.2%, followed by Staples, down 0.9%, and Health Care, down 0.7%.

Materials was the only sector to rise, up 1%.

Insignia Financial (ASX:IFL) closed up 2% amid growing takeover speculation. The company received a proposal from CC Capital Partners this week and last month rejected an offer from Bain Capital.

Insignia Financial closed at $4.12.

Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) finished up 2.2% after Goldman Sachs put out a note this morning. The broker reaffirmed its “buy” rating and increased its price target to $147.80. Based on its current share price, this new price target implies potential upside of approximately 25% for investors over the next 12 months.

Rio Tinto closed at $119.04.

St Barbara (ASX:SBM) closed up 12% following another rise in the gold price overnight. The company’s stock has been sold off recently and bargain hunters may have moved in to drive the share price higher.

St Barbara wrapped up at 28 cents.

GQG Partners (ASX:GQG) closed down 5.4% as investors continue to sell the stock after the company its released its latest funds under management (FUM) update, missing the consensus estimate.

GQG Partners closed at $1.83.

Westpac (ASX:WBC) closed down 1.7%, leading the banks and the wider index lower. Westpac was the best performing bank through 2024 with a stunning total return of 53%.

Westpac called stumps at $32.60.

Star (ASX:SGR) shed another 15.4% as investors stampede the exit doors. In a note to investors, Morningstar says Star will be lucky to even make it to the end of February; there is a fifty-fifty chance the company will fall into administration, leading to a wipeout of investors.

Star folded at 11 cents.

The Aussie market has fallen ahead of critical US jobs data. Goldman Sachs has warned that US stocks are “priced for perfection” and “vulnerable to a correction” driven either by rising bond yields or disappointments on growth in economic data or earnings.

Back home, nearly all sectors are bleeding red today, and Financials has been the worst performer, down 1.6%, followed by Staples, down 1% and Health Care, down 0.9%.

Insignia Financial (ASX:IFL) has been down 2% after rejecting speculation global investment firm Brookfield Asset Management will launch a takeover bid. Insignia has told the ASX it has not been approached by Brookfield. The statement comes amid ongoing takeover interest, as Insignia has already received two other offers in recent months.

Insignia Financial has been $4.12.

Company 2

Orbital Corporation (ASX:OEC) has been up 4.6% on receipt of a $4.3 million grant from the federal government. The funds compensate for the company’s R &D spend in FY24, supporting its ongoing investment in new engine model development.

Orbital Corporation has been 11.5 cents.

Western Gold Resources (ASX:WGR) has been up 7.9% after completing a capital raise that secured $720,000 via a share placement. The placement was conducted at 4 cents per share, representing a 28% premium.

Western Gold Resources has been 4.1 cents.

Australian retail sales rose slower than expected in November, growing 0.8% month over month in November, up from 0.5% growth in the prior quarter.

To the boards and it was a bloodbath today, with nearly all Aussie sectors going backwards. The Industrials sector was the biggest loser, down 0.9%, followed by Staples, down 0.8% and IT, down 0.45%. Utilities was the only sector substantialliy in the green, up 0.67%.

Catalyst Metals (ASX:CYL) finished the session up 6.37% on release of its quarterly update. The report revealed the company’s Plutonic and Henty operations delivered another consistent performance.

Catalyst Metals closed at $2.84.

Bellevue Gold (ASX:BGL) closed up 1.89% after bargain hunters snapped up the stock on the back of a sell-off earlier in the week. The company revised its production guidance downward at the start of the week.

Bellevue Gold closed at $1.08.

Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) closed up 2.93% on an increase in the gold price overnight. Gold has been trading at US$2,660 per ounce.

Northern Star wrapped up at $16.53.

Westgold Resources (ASX:WGX) has closed down 13.65% after the release of its quarterly report today. Investors reacted with disappointment and now seem to doubt the company will hit its production guidance.

Westgold Resources finished the session at $2.53.

Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) shed another 13.1% after downgrading its FY24 guidance. The company says commercial revenue is expected to be approximately US$64.3 million for FY 2024; compared to guidance of US$68M to US$70M.

Avita Medical called it quits at $3.05.

Lovisa (ASX:LOV) closed down 10.5% after being downgraded by UBS to a “sell” with a price target of $27. The broker highlighted the jewellery retailer’s modest rate of store growth in recent years.

Lovisa closed at $26.75.

Australian retail sales rose slower than expected in November, but better than October, as consumers remain cautious about budgets despite energy and rent rebates and expectations of interest rate cuts this year. Retail sales grew 0.8% month over month in November, up from 0.5% growth seen in the prior quarter.

It’s a sea of red today, with all sectors giving ground. The Energy sector has been pummelled, down 1.2%, followed by Industrials, down 0.9%, and Staples, down 0.8%.

Star Entertainment Group (ASX:SGR) has been down more than 23% to record-low levels today; the casino operator is down 75% since the same time last year. The catalyst for today’s sell off was the release of an update on the company’s cash and liquidity position. The company burnt through $107 million of its available cash in the December quarter and has only two or three months before it goes broke.

Star has been 15 cents.

Hazer Group (ASX:HZR) has been up nearly 13% after being awarded a patent in Japan. The patent covers Hazer’s production process, which utilises iron ore to produce hydrogen. This is critical development for the company, with multiple commercial partnerships including a strategic deal with Mitsui for graphite market development.

Hazer Group has been 40 cents.

Indiana Resources (ASX:IDA) has been up 6.3% on resumption of its drilling campaign at the Minos Gold prospect in South Australia, with diamond drilling targeting high-grade extensions to the deposit. The current program involves deepening 7 of 28 previously drilled reverse circulation holes, with depths ranging from 250m to 500m, to explore down-dip extensions of the Minos gold deposit.

Indiana Resources has been 67 cents.

Annual headline inflation rose from 2.1 to 2.3 per cent, but core inflation fell from 3.5 to 3.2 per cent. Market traders have substantially increased their bets on a February rate cut, with one data source putting the odds at 78 per cent.

Materials was the best performing sector, up 1.6%, followed by Financials, up 1.3% and Staples, up 0.8%.

Information Technology stocks retreated more than 0.8%, followed by Real Estate and Telecommunication, down 0.5%.

Regis Resources (ASX:RRL) closed up 5.4% on release of the gold miner’s quarterlies. The company reported gold production of 101,300 ounces and a record cash and bullion build of $149 million over the quarter and inked an all-time high cash and bullion balance of $529 million.

Regis Resources closed at $2.73

DroneShield (ASX:DRO) closed up 10.5% after scoring a contract in South America worth $9.7 million with a military customer. The deal was landed by the company’s reseller in the region.

Droneshield closed at 84 cents.

West African Resources(ASX:WAF) closed up 4% on release of its quarterly results. Full year gold production came in at more than 206,600 ounces and was at the upper end of guidance.

West African Resources closed at $1.55.

Titan Minerals (ASX:TTM) closed down 2.6% after releasing an update on its 100%-owned Dynasty Gold Project, located in southern Ecuador.

Titan Minerals closed at 37 cents.

Block (ASX:SQ2) closed down 3.3% following a poor night of trade for the payment giant’s US listed shares on Tuesday. Investors were selling tech stocks after treasury yields increased. This led to the Nasdaq index losing 1.9% of its value during the session.

Block closed at $142.80.

Computershare (ASX:CPU) closed down 0.9% after UBS issued a note downgrading the stock from buy to neutral. The broker increased its price target by 13% to $36.15 which implies modest potential upside of approximately 4% for investors over the next 12 months, not enough to maintain its buy rating.

Computershare closed at $34.77.

Inflation edged up more than expected, from 2.1% to 2.3%. More importantly, trimmed mean inflation (the number that really counts) came in at 3.2%, still outside the RBA’s 2% to 3% target range. While consensus had shifted towards a 70% probability of a rate cut in February, some analysts don’t see this happening until later in the year.

Materials has bounced back and has been the biggest winner, up 1.5%, followed by Financials, up 0.85%, and Health Care, up 0.75%.

IT has lost the most ground, down 0.7%, followed by Real Estate and Telecommunication, both down 0.3%.

Meeka Metals (ASX:MEK) has been up 10.5% on a breakthrough in its drilling program at St Anne’s within the Murchison Gold Project. The latest assays reveal bonanza-grade gold intersections, bolstering plans for an expanded Stage 1 open pit.

Meeka Metals has been 9.5 cents.

Orthocell (ASX:OCC) has been up 5.6% after posting a third consecutive quarter of record revenue. The company reported a 46% increase in revenue to $2.21 million for the December ’24 quarter, over the previous corresponding period.

Orthocell has been $1.32.

Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) has been down 19% after updating its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 commercial revenue guidance. The company now expects Q4 2024 revenue to be around $18.4 million, reflecting 30% growth compared to Q4 2023, but below its prior guidance range of $22.3 million to $24.3 million.

Avita Medical has been $3.52.

IT was the biggest winner, up 1.46%, followed by Telecommunication, up 1.25%, and Discretionary, up 0.72%

Utilities was the worst performer, down 0.87%, followed by Materials, down 0.54%.

4DMedical (ASX:4DX) closed up 14.7% after receiving US FDA clearance for its IQ-UIP product. An advanced AI-driven diagnostic tool that identifies Usual Interstitial Pneumonia, the product is a key radiological marker for diagnosing Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis.

4DMedical closed at 54.5 cents.

Santos (ASX:STO) finished up 1.4% following pleading guilty to charges related to a 2022 petroleum spill at its Varanus Island Marine Terminal which was linked to dolphin deaths.

The company was fined $10,000.

Santos closed at $6.96.

Capricorn Metals (ASX:CMM) closed up 2.2% on release of the gold miner’s quarterly update. The company’s Karlawinda Gold Project delivered another strong quarter of operations, producing 28,702 ounces of gold.

Capricorn Metals closed at $6.51.

Fortescue (ASX:FMG) closed down 4.4% in response to iron ore falling to around US$96 per tonne in Singapore.

Fortescue closed at $17.25.

Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) experienced profit-taking from some investors after the biotechnology company’s shares rocketed in 2024. The Mesoblast share price is up more than 900% since this time last year.

Mesoblast closed flat at $3.05.

Brainchip (ASX:BRN) closed down 5.3% on news of a capital raise through a put option agreement with LDA Capital.

Brainchip closed at 35.5 cents.

The company – which provides a range of technology solutions to the healthcare sector, including GEIS cameras, all-in-one carts, and software such as the Vision Telehealth Platform – has secured commitments from professional and sophisticated investors to support the capital raising.

Its Executive Leadership Team has contributed to this, with a commitment of $110,000.

The Placement – which went beyond expectations, having an initial target of $1.5M – entailed the issuing of 437,500,000 fully paid ordinary shares priced at 0.4 cents each. This represents a discount of 20% to the final closing price on November 8, and a 25.4% discount to the 30-day trading VWAP.

Additionally, participating investors will receive one free attaching option for every 3 new shares to which they subscribe under the Placement.

The funds will be allocated to Visionflex’s efforts to increase its inventory, aiming to facilitate larger contracts, boost sales and marketing activity and provide working capital flexibility.

Visionflex has been trading flat at 0.5 cents.

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That lease is for the Woula bauxite play in Guinea; the individual in question is one Lancinet Dabo, a Guinean businessman who right before COVID started dabbling in iron ore projects. Lindian has been in talks around Woula since 2020.

Now, close to 5 years later, the company has inked a deal that sees construction of the Woula Bauxite Project (WBP) kick off in the next eight months, which would line up for the start of FY26.

Targeting annual production of 2M tonnes, the company has also said it will receive a royalty “between US$1 [and] US$2” per tonne of bauxite produced from Woula – “depending on the ownership structure of the producing entity.”

That royalty covers the entire Life of Mine (LOM). Perhaps most notable – and this was picked up by at least one HotCopper user in the announcement thread – is that the WBP lies close to a haul road that, in turn, connects to the inland-ish port of Katougouma.

While upriver of the larger Kamsar port in Guinea where the real heavy shipping goes on, Katougouma already has an established bauxite export function and otherwise reflects a direct artery leading to Kamsar, and then, the Atlantic.

The port could really be the hinge on which this project swings.

“Where the Lessees have secured port access for the Woula project or its other projects, it undertakes to make available to Lindian, on a preferential basis, all available excess port capacity,” the company wrote on Monday.

All in all, management has cash generation in sight.

“This binding lease and royalty agreement with a well- established Guinean company and executive will deliver a meaningful passive annual royalty stream to Lindian,” company EC Asimwe Kabunga said.

“.t marks the first step in the Company monetising its bauxite assets and importantly, does not require us to make any capital contribution.”

LIN last traded at 9.3cps.

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