Tungsten explorers advance projects in Australia and Canada as Almonty moves toward production

Stelar Metals advances Hill of Leaders drilling campaign

Stelar Metals (ASX:SLB) flew an ultra-high-definition airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over its 445-square-kilometre Hill of Leaders tungsten project near Tennant Creek in Australia's Northern Territory. The work was flown using a MagSpec fixed-wing Cessna 210 at a nominal height of about 30 metres, with north-south flight lines spaced 25 metres apart and orthogonal tie lines every 250 metres, exposing subtle structures and alteration patterns not evident in earlier surveys. The company is now applying AI-assisted processing to convert those features into specific drill targets.

Earlier field sampling at Hill of Leaders returned high-grade rock chips, with some assays exceeding 1% tungsten trioxide and vein corridors mapped up to roughly 200 metres wide and 2 kilometres long. Stelar's crews have mapped close to 30 historical mine trenches, predominantly oriented northwest-southeast, alongside multiple subparallel and stacked quartz veins. A maiden reverse-circulation drilling program of about 3,000 metres is planned for late July 2026, followed by around 1,000 metres of diamond drilling in the third quarter.

Makenita Resources expands Sisson West holdings

Makenita Resources (CSE:KENY) acquired additional mineral claims at its Sisson West Tungsten Project in New Brunswick, more than doubling the project's footprint from 9,845 acres to 22,665 contiguous acres directly bordering Northcliff Resources' (TSX:NCF) Sisson Tungsten Mine. The expansion targets additional strike extent along the favourable SW-NE structural trend identified in the recent Magnetic Vector Inversion interpretation and follows a July 20 announcement that identified a clearly defined magnetic high and drill-ready target on the original property.

President Jason Gigliotti said more than doubling the land position directly against the Sisson deposit speaks to the strategic value of the ground, noting the neighbouring Sisson Tungsten Mine was recently named one of the first nation-building projects by Prime Minister Mark Carney. With just over 35 million shares outstanding, management expects meaningful leverage to exploration success and an active remainder of 2026, with a drill program being formulated for Sisson West. The airborne data and regional historical data have been compiled and evaluated in preparation for that program.

Almonty Industries begins Sangdong tungsten processing

Almonty Industries has begun processing operations at the Sangdong tungsten mine in South Korea, marking a transition from construction and development toward commercial production of saleable tungsten concentrate. Initial plant operations are being supplied from an approximately 139,700-tonne run-of-mine ore stockpile, providing material for early production activities. The company has positioned Sangdong as a project capable of supplying a significant share of global tungsten demand outside China once full capacity is reached.

The importance of Sangdong extends beyond the mine itself, with tungsten applications spanning defence technologies, cutting tools, high-performance alloys and advanced manufacturing. Separately, Almonty has announced it will voluntarily delist from the ASX, a development reported alongside other recent critical-minerals news.

Frankfurt market tracks critical-minerals momentum

Germany's Frankfurt, Xetra and Tradegate platforms are gaining relevance for investors seeking exposure to critical minerals, with recent developments around Almonty Industries and Vulcan Energy Resources highlighting tungsten supply security and lithium production themes. Unlike traditional mining exchanges dominated by large producers, the Frankfurt market has focused on companies supporting Europe's industrial transformation. Vulcan Energy Resources is separately developing the Lionheart lithium and geothermal energy project in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley, targeting about 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate annually using geothermal brine extraction and direct lithium extraction technology.