Alma Metals (ASX:ALM) Managing Director Frazer Tabeart says there has been a growing recognition of the strategic importance of copper, particularly from institutional investors focused on the energy transition and critical minerals.
The company is presenting at the upcoming Noosa Mining Investor Conference being held at the Peppers Noosa Resort from 23-25 July.
Tabeart, who will take to the stage at 1.40pm on the first day, says the timing could not be better, with Alma having released an updated resource estimate, completed metallurgical test work, and nearing the finalisation of the Scoping Study for its Briggs Copper Project in Queensland.
“We’re in a strong position to communicate the progress we’ve made and the scale of opportunity ahead,” he tells Mining.com.au.
“The Noosa Mining Conference is a valuable platform for telling our story in person, particularly as we move through a key phase of development at the Briggs Copper Project.
“It’s also a great opportunity to gauge market sentiment and meet with institutional and retail investors alike.”
Tabeart says Alma is seeing more long-term investors interested in development-stage assets like Briggs that offer both scale and clear near-term milestones.
“There’s also been more interest from groups assessing future supply side dynamics rather than short-term price movements,” he notes.
During the Noosa Mining Investor Conference, Alma will be partway through the drilling of a deep, 900m diamond hole co-funded under the Queensland Government’s Collaborative Exploration Initiative.
The hole will test a “compelling” geophysical anomaly below the current resource and has the potential to materially expand the project’s scale and scope, according to Tabeart.
Alma recently raised over $1 million from a rights issue and shortfall placement to fund the drilling.
“It’s a key point in the company’s journey, and this conference allows us to highlight the investment case for Alma as we advance toward development,” Tabeart says.
The H2 2025 will be an important period for Alma, with the release of the Briggs Scoping Study, further drilling to grow and upgrade the resource, and continued updates on development planning.
Alma also expects to continue refining the project’s economics, engage more directly with potential partners and offtake groups, and continue building momentum toward future development.
Briggs so far hosts a resource of 439 million tonnes @ 0.25% copper for around 2 million tonnes of contained metal.
Alma anticipates it could enter production in a period where there is a deep copper supply shortage and high demand from the accelerating electrification of the globe.
In a May report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) highlighted major concerns over the supply-demand trajectory for copper.
While there is unprecedented demand for the red metal due to it playing a major role in both the clean energy transition and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and data centres, the IEA says the current mine project pipeline points to a potential 30% supply shortfall by 2035 due to declining ore grades, rising capital costs, limited discoveries and long lead times.
Phil Dickinson, Managing Director of Noosa Mining organiser Equity Events, told Mining.com.au in June that while not every meeting leads to immediate funding, conferences like Noosa often lay the groundwork for future investment.
Mining.com.au is an official media partner of this year’s Noosa Mining Investor Conference. To register click here.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Alma Metals
