Southern Palladium reported closing cash of A$20.06 million excluding subsidiary holdings in its September quarter report, which the company says fully funds completion of the definitive feasibility study for the Bengwenyama platinum group metals and chrome project in South Africa. The board has approved early box cut and decline works, conditional on outstanding waste and water permitting, and the study is now expected in the first quarter of 2027 after metallurgical work lifted chromite recovery to 85.6 percent. The updated prefeasibility study released on October 13 put post tax net present value at US$1.96 billion with a 39.1 percent internal rate of return on a 100 percent project basis, and the project holds a 30 year mining right granted in August.
Western Copper and Gold announced that Sandeep Singh will step down as president and chief executive officer and as a director effective October 31, 2026, according to the material change report filed with the SEC on October 28 (accession 0001062993-26-005574). Chairman Mark E. Smith will serve as interim chief executive. The change lands while the company’s Casino copper gold project in Yukon is under review, so the interim appointment and the review’s next steps are the facts to watch rather than the departure itself.
Forrestania Resources has extended its takeover offer for Zenith Minerals one last time, Mining Weekly reported on October 28. The scrip bid, one Forrestania share for every 4.3 Zenith shares, was declared unconditional on October 22 after Forrestania secured a 58.99 percent relevant interest, and had been due to close on November 12 after a long Takeovers Panel process that required corrective disclosure and gave accepting shareholders withdrawal rights. Zenith’s directors have maintained their recommendation in the absence of a superior proposal.
In Ghana, Northern Ashanti Mines is challenging the Minerals Commission over the Konongo gold mine takeover and disputes an $8.3 million debt, MyJoyOnline reported on October 28. The dispute continues the Konongo litigation covered on October 26 and remains a jurisdiction watch item for Ghanaian gold assets rather than a production story, with no output figure reported.
France’s minerals envoy said diversification of rare earth supply away from China is possible within three to five years, Mining Weekly reported on October 28, a timeline consistent with the project lead times in today’s Iluka and Nova Minerals stories. In Australia, Stanmore Resources reported record performance at its South Walker Creek coal operation and Genesis Minerals increased its stake in Brightstar Resources, both reported by Australian Mining on October 27 and 28 without figures that change either company’s guidance. Deep Sea Minerals appointed a new chief financial officer and said it intends to list in the United States, Mining Weekly reported, ahead of a seabed leasing process that remains the company’s real catalyst. Fortescue told Bloomberg that any iron ore arrangement with China must protect Australia’s interests, a negotiating posture headline with no terms disclosed.