Gelion plc (GELN), the sulfur battery company, is pleased to announce a three-year collaborative project entitled Cost-effective, Resilient Solid-state Li-S, alongside Nissan Technical Centre Europe (“NTCE”) and the University of Oxford, commencing in June 2026. The total project cost is £3.4 million, with £2.4 million in combined grant funding from Innovate UK across the partners under the Battery Innovation Concept Development Round 1 competition, including an award of £1.6 million to Gelion’s UK subsidiary.
Comment: A great RNS from GELN which has today the opportunity to bask in the afterglow of excellent counterparties, such as Nissan and the University of Oxford. Not bad at all, especially when you add in the non-dilutive grant factor.
GEO Exploration Limited (GEO) confirmed that the fixed-wing magnetic and radiometric survey at the Gorge Project was completed during the course of last week by MAGSPEC Airborne Surveys Pty Ltd. The survey data will be used to support a litho-structural geological interpretation of the project area and will provide an important input into ongoing drill targeting and the design of proposed geochemical survey programmes.
Comment: GEO is rapidly shaping up to be one of the new, leading lights in the plethora of London listed small cap explorer developers. The difference here between it and others is the pace of progress and the still modest market cap.
Helix Exploration PLC (HEX), the helium exploration and development company advancing the Rudyard Helium Project in northern Montana, announced the results of independent noble gas isotope analyses conducted across its three producing helium wells and production gas stream at Rudyard. HEX “These results are remarkable and reinforce what we have believed since day one – Rudyard is not a typical helium field. The isotopic signature across all three wells points to a deep crustal source that has clearly been influenced by the mantle. With primordial helium serving as a tracer for deep magmatic intrusion into the crust and a potential release mechanism for crustally derived helium-4 and argon-40, this radiogenic helium-4 and argon-40, along with a small amount of helium-3 then migrate upward along ancient fault pathways to accumulate in our Souris and Red River formations.
Comment: Although the latest results from HEX regarding Rudyard are welcome and the shares have been marked up, we already know how wonderful Rudyard is, typical or not typical. We just want to wake up and “smell” the helium being produced already.
Pulsar Helium Inc. (PLSR), a primary helium company, announced its financial and operating results for the six months ended March 31, 2026. PLSR said “During the Period and Post Period, Pulsar has been driven by our intention to develop Topaz into a significant primary helium producer, building on growing momentum at the project as we move decisively toward production readiness. Recent legislative progress updating Minnesota’s permitting framework for helium extraction provides a clearer pathway toward future production, and securing ownership of the surface land overlying our leased mineral rights provides Pulsar with increased operational control and long-term development certainty as we continue advancing Topaz toward production.”
Comment: The magic word here is once again “production.” Indeed, the ideal strategy would be for production to fund fresh exploration, rather than just raising cash albeit from a very eager market, to do so.
Strategic Minerals (SML), an international mineral exploration and production company, provided an operational update on the group wide businesses. SML said “We are pleased to report continued progress across our portfolio. At Redmoor, the successful completion of the first PFS drillhole and continued positive drilling outcomes mark important steps forward in unlocking the project’s significant potential as Europe’s highest-grade, undeveloped, tungsten resource. The programme is advancing through its next phase of technical work and we look forward to the expansion of drilling operations. At Cobre, our investment in additional operational equipment reinforces our commitment to long-term, efficient site operations, whilst the proposed Leigh Creek transaction continue to advance positively. We remain well positioned to accelerate development at Redmoor. Against a backdrop of increasing focus on supply chain security and the need for reliable sources of critical minerals.”
Comment: With the share price off its 7.5p April peak and down towards the 5p zone, there may be one or two stale bulls looking for SML to serve up a little sizzle today. Perhaps a little more than today’s work in progress update. As in the case of many of its peers, we need more producing and less exploring.
Kromek (KMK), a global detection company focused on the advanced imaging and CBRN detection markets, announces the launch of the Group’s interactive investor hub. For both existing and prospective shareholders, the new investor hub brings all Kromek content into a single integrated platform to better inform and engage with investors and other stakeholders.
Comment: Although I have been involved in the financial markets for over 35 years, I have yet to have looked at anyone’s hub, whether of the investor variety or otherwise. That said, the concept sounds like a good idea. I wonder how much it costs per month?
Aura Energy Limited (AURA) announced a Final Investment Decision (“FID”) is now expected for the Tiris project in 2026, underpinned by a robust processing flowsheet, positive indicative economics, and a strategic memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) that strengthens the funding pathway.
Comment: Given how much of a stock market backwater AURA still is, apart from the mention here today, it would appear that the company will need to serve up rather more announcements such as the one today to get its profile up to scratch.
Verici Dx plc (VRCI), a developer of advanced clinical diagnostics for organ transplant, announces it has been granted a CPT® Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (“PLA”) code1,2 for its Protega test by the American Medical Association (“AMA”). The new code, X257U, has been approved and published by the AMA Editorial Panel and are scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2026. Patti Connolly, COO of Verici Dx, said: “We were delighted with the AMA’s decision as CPT® codes are fundamental in the commercialisation of Protega.”
Comment: It is always pleasant for a small cap company to announce a badge of honour deal with a high status counterparty, even more when it involves a UK company in the US. Presumably VCRCI is delighted to be shaking hands with our friends at the AMA.
GoldStone Resources Limited (GRL) announce recent progress at MinCorp SL, a private company in Sierra Leone developing several small-scale gold mining licences, in which GoldStone holds a 50% equity interest. GRL said “We are pleased with the speed at which our investment in MinCorp SL which is in the process of being deployed, as well as the strong progress made in establishing operations on site.
Comment: It may be something of a relief to some that GRL’s focus is now not just on Ghana anymore. Although it is early days as far as Sierra Leone is concerned, but we are at least hearing GRL make the right noises, as are the shares above a rising 200 day moving average.
Gana Media Group plc (GANA) announced that it has entered into a comprehensive Framework Strategic Partnership Agreement with Top Advisor Ltd (operating commercially under the brand, Hub Affiliations Group (Hub)).
Comment: GANA continues to pepper the stock market with agreements / deals on a regular basis, almost as if the company is trying to get the share price up. This is starting to work, and above the 50 day moving average rising at 0.22p we could see the stock hit as high as 0.30p as soon as the end of this month.
Panther Metals Plc (PALM), the exploration company focused on mineral projects in Canada, provide an update for the ongoing drill programme at the Awkward Conduit Target, within the Obonga Project located upon the Obonga Greenstone Belt, Ontario, Canada. Panther’s drilling has intersected broad intervals of disseminated and veined sulphides hosted within a varitextured gabbroic mafic-ultramafic intrusive system, interpreted to be within a potential magma conduit environment. Portable XRF readings from sulphide-rich intervals returned elevated anomalous nickel and cobalt values, with sulphides visually dominated by pyrrhotite.
Comment: Not quite up to the “informed prediction of £20 a share, but the company is making the right noises. Perhaps just as importantly we see the share price chart continues to gap higher towards our end of June 180p target.
Power Metal Resources plc (POW) the London listed exploration company with a global project portfolio announces its consolidated audited results for the year ended 31 December 2025, for the Company and its subsidiaries. The Group has made meaningful progress during the period. Market sentiment has improved over the past year and we have sought to capitalise on this, undertaking new ventures, progressing existing operations and crystallising value on several investments, strengthening the financial position of the Group against this highly favourable backdrop.
Comment: The number of projects that POW is involved in currently appears to be literally as long as your arm – in terms of the list in the RNS. In a boom for explorer / developers this may be a good thing. However, the company needs to hit another 11x plus investment win like Guardian Metal (GMET) at least now and again in order to keep the momentum going, something that paltry rating of the company underlines.
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest:
The information, investment views, and recommendations in this Zaks Traders Cafe interview are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this interview should be construed as a promotion or solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or referred to or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engage in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the commentator but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. The commentators may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.
