This article is a sponsored feature from Mining.com.au partner Noosa Mining. It is not financial advice. Talk to a registered financial expert before making investment decisions.
The second Noosa Mining conference for the year is attracting the copper and gold explorers as rising prices generate increased interest from investors.
Of the line-up of 50 confirmed companies so far, around half are either primarily focused on gold or copper or the metals are among the commodities in their portfolio.
Brisbane-based organisers Equity Events expects more companies to be added to the program as the conference, which runs from 13-15 November, gets closer.
While copper dropped significantly between May and August from its 2024 peak of US$10,889 ($15,870) a tonne, it recently reversed the downward trend to climb back up from US$8,769 in early August to US$10,084 a tonne at the start of October.
Meanwhile, in the past year gold has rocketed nearly 46% to over US$2,650 an ounce currently.
Equity Events General Manager Phil Dickinson says solid increases in the price of both copper and gold in recent weeks gives cause for interest in these stocks.
“They’ve been sold down over the last 12 months and many investors now think they represent a good buying opportunity,” he tells Mining.com.au.
Dickinson notes the agenda will feature a dynamic mix of emerging ASX-listed small caps alongside some current top performers including Predictive Discovery (ASX:PDI), Strike Energy (ASX:STX) and Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU).
Predictive Discovery, an emerging gold producer, has jumped 82.5% since late June from a 52-week low of $0.16 to a peak of $0.292 in mid-September.
Also presenting at the November event is copper-gold hunter Antipa Minerals (ASX:AZY), which in mid-September secured a $17 million payday as a result of the sale of its 32% interest in the Citadel Joint Venture Project to partner Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO).
Other gold and copper explorers taking the stage include Aurelia Metals (ASX:AMI), Australian Gold & Copper (ASX:AGC), Challenger Exploration (ASX:CEL), QMines (ASX:QML) and Red Metal (ASX:RML).
Antimony is also featuring at this year’s event as interest increases in the space. The metal, which has been deemed ‘critical’ by several countries, is largely used as flame-retardant, but is increasing in value and demand for its use in solar panels and batteries.
Iltani Resources (ASX:ILT) is this year’s sole antimony presenter and has begun drilling at its Antimony Reward Project in northern Queensland to follow up prior sampling results grading up to 46.5% antimony.
The company is also busy on the ground at its Orient Silver-Indium Project in Queensland.
Companies active in the iron ore, silica, rare earths, base metals, vanadium, potash hydrogen, mining services and oil and gas sectors will also be presenting at the November event.
Humble beginnings
Noosa Mining broke onto the conference scene in 2011 as an annual event in July, but the continued growth and success of the signature event prompted Equity Events to add a second event to the calendar.
The July Noosa Mining event is Equity Events’ biggest and most popular event and since it began has evolved into one of the key events on Australia’s resources conference circuit.
Dickinson says this year’s July event was the best Equity Events has had since the COVID years.
It showcased some 65 ASX-listed resource companies, attracted almost 900 in-person delegates and a further 625 unique viewers joined online over the three days.
“The vibe at the event was fantastic and the feedback all-round was overwhelmingly positive,” Dickinson says.
The November conference was trialled in 2020 following the cancellation of the July conference that year due to COVID restrictions.
“The event’s success coupled with the company demand for places at Noosa each year was the catalyst for introducing the event on a more permanent basis,” Dickinson explains.
Last year’s event attracted an in-venue and online audience of over 1,000 people, with 530 attending in person and a further 500 joining online.
Dickinson says in the month following the conference, there were over 4,500 replays of the presentations – with over 750 in countries other than Australia – which were watched by over 2,000 unique viewers.
“Early indications are that we will attract at least that many delegates again this year if not more,” he says.
“Our Noosa conferences traditionally draw attendees of high-end earnings including executives and portfolio managers from Queensland and national stockbroking firms, fund managers, institutional investors and industry bodies.”
While the November event is still in its formative stages and not yet expected to reach the same heights as the July conference, it is gaining traction.
Dickinson says this is evidenced by the growing list of miners and explorers already on the program and delegate registrations which have really started to flow in.
“We expect delegate numbers to again be in excess of 500 both in person and online,” he says.
Simple formula
Noosa Mining, which is held at the Peppers Noosa Resort on the top end of Queensland’s iconic Sunshine Coast, is aimed at connecting well-credentialed companies with a keen audience of investors, stockbrokers, financial advisers and fund managers.
Dickinson says the event differentiates itself from trade shows by ensuring the companies can present their story to as many “genuine investors” as possible.
“In light of current market conditions, now is the perfect time for investors to identify undervalued assets and capitalise on emerging investment opportunities,” he says.
Equity Events is aiming to grow the November Noosa Mining conference into an event that showcases more Australian projects, attracts national and international interest and matches the July conference as among the “must attend” and mutually beneficial investor events on the circuit.
Canaccord Genuity and the ASX are the two principal sponsors. Also joining this year’s event as sponsors are Ausenco, CRE Insurance Broking and Mitchell Services (ASX:MSV).
Mining.com.au is a media partner of this year’s event.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Noosa Mining, Iltani Resources
