The Drill Down – 23 Jun 26 – Part 2

Kamoa CapitalThe Drill DownTuesday 23 June 2026  ·  Part 2
 
Presented ByKaoko Metals ASX: KAO
Namibia’s Copper Belt.
Ready to Drill.
69.6%Peak Cu Grade 40kmMineralised Trend 89%Cu Recovery
Two fully permitted copper projects in Namibia, an emerging exploration jurisdiction on the radar of global miners. The Chalkos Project carries peak surface grades of 69.6% Cu and 2,030 g/t Ag across a 40km mineralised trend. Drilling commences soon.Discover Kaoko
 
 
Lead InsightChina Lithium Price Slides Over CATL Restart ChatterChinese lithium prices fell nearly 10% over two trading sessions on speculation that one of the country’s biggest mines may restart. The decline followed chatter over a potential CATL mine restart.

Our TakeA near 10% two-session drop on nothing more than restart chatter shows how fragile the lithium price recovery remains. A confirmed CATL restart would reflood a market still searching for a supply floor, pressuring marginal producers’ margins.
 
Commodity Prices

Precious Metals (USD/toz)

Gold $4,127-1.55%
Silver $63-3.36%
Platinum $1,654-1.42%
Palladium $1,241-2.00%
Base Metals & Commodities

Copper USD/t $13926.28-1.70%
Nickel USD/t $17658.00+0.82%
Zinc USD/t $3559.64-0.67%
Lead USD/t $1949.60-0.26%
WTI Crude USD/bbl $73.06-1.08%

Prices updated as of 23 June 2026, 3:48 pm AEST

 
Market MoversWinners & Losers – ASX Markets

Top Gainers (ASX)
ELT +9.9%

Elementos LimitedElementos rose after the Government of Andalucia granted its Oropesa Tin Project an Overriding Public Interest classification, a permitting milestone that clears the pathway to key water licences ahead of a final investment decision. The declaration formally recognises tin’s status as a national Priority Raw Material and Oropesa’s economic significance to the region.

DRX +9.1%

Diatreme Resources LimitedDiatreme delivered a maiden 102.7Mt mineral resource estimate at its Casuarina silica sand deposit in Far North Queensland, lifting its global high-purity silica resource base to 632.8Mt. The deposit grades 99.0% SiO2 and sits contiguous with the existing Cape Flattery Silica Mine, supporting its push to become a long-term supplier to the solar PV industry.

INR +7.1%

Ioneer LtdIoneer signed non-binding letters of intent with Korea’s KIND and Hyundai Engineering to advance its Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada, with MOUs expected in July and a final investment decision targeted for the second half of 2026. The LOIs are explicitly non-binding and create no enforceable obligation to invest.

 
Top Losers (ASX)
GBM -15.0%

GBM Resources LimitedNo specific catalyst identified. GBM Resources fell on no company announcement, the move consistent with profit-taking and small-cap sector selling rather than anything stock-specific.

ASL -13.3%

Andean Silver LimitedNo specific catalyst identified. Andean Silver eased with no disclosed news, the move consistent with profit-taking or broader sector rotation rather than any company-specific driver.

ILU -10.8%

Iluka Resources LimitedIluka fell despite confirming its first binding rare earths offtake, a take-or-pay deal with a global automaker for magnet oxides from 2028, carrying minimum revenue of US$155 million. The drop reads as sell-the-news, with the agreement covering only around 10% of planned production and pricing left commercial-in-confidence.

Market data as of 23 June 2026, 4:10 PM AEST

 
This Week’s PollSix Months From Now, Which Commodity Will Have Surprised the Most to the Upside?

○   Copper

○   Antimony

○   Rare earths

○   Silver

○   Fluorite

○   Manganese

 
Presented ByProspEx Group Enabling fractional mining royalty investment

register
 
Today’s Stories
MiningmxGold Fields ‘Well Positioned’ to Renew Tarkwa LicenceGold Fields said on Monday it is well positioned to renew its Tarkwa leases in Ghana, responding to reports the government was weighing a transfer of the mine to local companies when the five leases expire in April 2027. The company’s 90%-owned Ghanaian subsidiary lodged an early renewal application in November 2025, with talks now focused on terms. Tarkwa accounted for around a fifth of group output last year, making it Gold Fields’ most significant single asset.

Our TakeThe question was never whether Tarkwa renews, but on what terms. With royalties already at 12% and a fifth of output exposed, the margin is the real negotiation, not access.
ReutersNew Zealand Chases Gold as Record Prices Burnish AllureNew Zealand is fast-tracking gold projects and courting mining investors as soaring bullion prices revive a long-declining sector. The government push aims to capitalise on the global rally in gold prices.

Our TakeGovernment fast-tracking lowers permitting risk in a jurisdiction historically hostile to mining, a meaningful re-rate trigger for juniors holding NZ ground. The window depends on bullion staying elevated, making these projects a leveraged bet on the gold price holding its rally.
Australian MiningMining Joins Push to Defend Fuel Tax CreditsAustralia’s mining sector has joined a new campaign defending fuel tax credits as debate over the scheme intensifies. The peak bodies for miners and farmers are leading the effort.

Our TakeFuel tax credits are a material line item in diesel-heavy mining cost structures, so any wind-back would hit operating margins directly across the sector. The miner-farmer alliance signals the political fight is escalating, a cost-inflation risk investors should track for Australian producers.
The GuardianQueensland’s Economy Teeters on Edge of Ratings Downgrade Despite Coal Royalty WindfallQueensland faces a possible credit ratings downgrade despite coal mining royalty earnings set to increase to $6.9 billion. The state treasurer said he is not giving up on maintaining the state’s credit rating.

Our TakeEven a $6.9 billion coal royalty windfall is not enough to shield Queensland from downgrade risk, a reminder that the state’s progressive royalty tiers are now central to its fiscal position. Coal producers should expect continued political reliance on royalty revenue, leaving little room for the rate relief miners have lobbied for.
BloombergChina’s Gold Imports Surge to Most in More Than Two YearsChina’s gold imports reached around 163 tonnes in May, the highest monthly volume since March 2024 and a sign the largest buyer’s appetite held up even as prices stayed under pressure. Imports for the first five months of 2026 totalled about 692 tonnes, up roughly 76% on a year earlier. Physical bullion bars and incremental gold accumulation plans were the main drivers, alongside a new import licensing regime that took effect on 1 June.

Our TakeResilient Chinese buying through a price pullback is the demand floor producers want. While the Fed delays the next leg, physical offtake from the largest buyer holds the structural bid.
 
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This newsletter is for general information, education & entertainment. Kamoa Capital is not licensed and does not know your circumstances. Nothing here is financial, legal or tax advice. Seek professional advice and read any PDS before acting. We aim for accuracy but make no guarantees and accept no liability. Views are opinions only and may include forward-looking statements that may not occur.