After the lithium extravaganza on Day 1, yesterday’s thematic at the Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder reverted to Forrest Gump’s favourite box of chocolates.
Life at Diggers can be a box of chocolates – lots of goodies but no stand-outs.
From the Lynas Rare Earths (ASX: LYN) show to kick off proceedings – and a call by Amanda Lacaze for more government investment in infrastructure to open up Australia’s critical minerals resources – to one of the lithium excitement machines and gala dinner award favourites – Ken Brinsden’s Patriot Battery Metals (ASX: PMT) – through to the Liam Twigger-chaired SolGold copper-gold play and its intriguing shareholder set-up, it was a big day.
Yesterday delivered something for everyone, across every commodity. Even the weather seemed to accommodate all types – sometimes cloudy, sometimes glaringly sunny, sometimes blustery.
And then just in time for morning tea, the WA Government announced its predicted backflip on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and in its place restored the 1972 Act with some amendments.
Mining industry types were being diplomatic in their public responses, deferring to industry groups like AMEC for commentary alongside pledging to work with the Government to come up with a more workable scheme.
After two nights of “liquid deliberations” and a day and a bit in the sun, the responses were surprisingly – and pleasingly – measured.
But it does make for an interesting visit to Diggers today by Mines Minister Bill Johnston, a well-liked individual who probably enjoys life in the Roger Cook Government far more than he did in the Mark McGowan Government.
It will be interesting to see what reception Mr Johnston receives at the Goldfields Arts Centre and how hot his ears will be after a day of meeting miners.
Speaking of miners, Core Lithium (ASX: CXO) CEO Gareth Manderson gave an excellent presentation on its Finniss project on the outskirts of Darwin – Australia’s only spodumene producer outside of Western Australia.
Core has had to balance a speed to market with building for the future, an equation that continues to be adjusted but is headed for a good outcome.
And what better place to spend a milestone birthday than at Diggers – and presenting your company’s wares?
It was the fate that befell Dreadnought Resources (ASX: DRE) boss Dean Tuck, presenting his company’s project portfolio that makes him look busier than the one-armed bricklayer in Baghdad.
By the way, happy 40th.
Yesterday also saw Diggers go Back to the Future.
David Flanagan’s presentation as Delta Lithium (ASX: DLI) boss had the audience reaching into the memory bank to Flano’s heyday with Atlas Iron more than a decade ago. Even the orange tie was back, alongside the box of gags and a pledge to present “five reasons why your parents should buy Delta shares”.
It is all about “the lithium corridor of power,” he said, flagging that he was looking at first shipments from his Mt Ida project in the northern Goldfields in late 2024.
In a nice touch, AngloGold Ashanti chief development officer Terry Briggs ended his presentation with a short tribute to Mike Erickson, who is retiring,
Mr Erickson has indeed been a leader in WA mining and a driver of industry efforts to deliver better and safer workplaces.
The outgoing AngloGold Ashanti senior vice president was one of more than 200 guests at the Gold Industry Group’s breakfast yesterday, where a high-powered panel discussed the reshaping of the workplace of tomorrow and gold’s path forward. It was a lively, entertaining but also insightful discussion.
It also included a new variation to the complaint by one-time Diggers presenter Elizabeth Gaines, of Fortescue Metals Group fame, that there were more Peters presenting at Diggers than women.
Yesterday was the turn of one of the GIG breakfast panellists, high-profile scientist and researcher Darren Saunders, to giggle that “there are more Darrens presenting at Diggers than there are women speakers”.
First of all, who calls their child Darren?
For the record, including Darren Saunders there are two other Darrens in the headlights at Diggers – Gordon and Stralow – compared with three women presenters: Ms Lacaze, the keynote speaker Linda Yueh (via the internet) and Australian Strategic Materials’ (ASX: ASM) Rowena Smith, who presented yesterday.
Speaking of Darren Stralow, the boss of green gold hopeful Bellevue Gold (ASX: BGL) gets his turn at the lectern today for what shapes as a big gold day – a fitting way to end Diggers.
Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN), Genesis Minerals (ASX: GMD), De Grey Mining (ASX: DEG), Northern Star Resources (ASX: NST) and Westgold Resources (ASX: WGX) are among a big line-up of gold stocks taking to the stage.
And let’s face it, nothing shines brighter than gold.
Or, as Gold Road Resources (ASX: GOR) boss Duncan Gibbs said during one media interview when asked about gold’s alleged demotion to a less-exciting commodity, “you don’t see anyone handing out lithium engagement rings”.
No one has said it better.
