High-Tech Metals

High-Tech Metals (ASX:HTM) is advancing a near-term gold development story in Western Australia’s prolific Yilgarn Craton. The Company controls a dominant 1,150km² landholding across the Mt Fisher–Mt Eureka Gold Project, including two mining licences, a 187koz JORC Resource and extensive walk-up drill targets over 15km of mineralisation. HTM’s projects sit within trucking distance of four operating gold mills, supported by profit-sharing agreements with a mining contractor to enable early, low-capex production and cashflow. Backed by a proven team with global discovery success, HTM is positioned for strong growth through near-term production and new discoveries in the Northern Goldfields.

Management Profile

James Merrillees, CEO

Mr Merrillees brings over 25 years of global mining and exploration experience across gold and base metals. He has held senior technical and corporate roles with both ASX-listed and private explorers and developers, leading multidisciplinary teams responsible for multiple greenfields discoveries in gold, nickel, copper, uranium and bauxite. Mr Merrillees holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), a Bachelor of Science (Geology) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and is a Member of the AusIMM.

What is your rationale for taking part in 121 Mining Investment?

We’re participating in the forum to engage with investors who share our interest in high-quality, near-term gold development opportunities in Western Australia. Our focus is on broadening our institutional and sophisticated investor base ahead of upcoming exploration and development milestones. We’ll be highlighting recent progress across our projects and the strong pipeline of news flow that positions the company for growth over the coming months.

Over the comping months the market will be rewarded with advances on several fronts including:

• Mt Fisher and Wagtail moving rapidly to production
• Advance drilling and upgrading the existing 187koz gold resource portfolio
• The discovery of additional ounces.

What recent news would you like to highlight to investors attending?

• One of HTM’s most exciting recent milestones was the completion of drilling on stockpiles and tailings at Mt Fisher, announced on 25 September. This program collected bulk samples for metallurgical testwork , a crucial first step in advancing toll treatment discussions with nearby mills and fast-tracking the company toward near-term gold production.
• With this foundation in place, we’re now gearing up to drill the high-grade Wagtail deposit (15koz @ 7.11g/t Au) and the highly prospective Dam–Damsel trend, where an existing near-surface resource of 74.8koz @ 1.66g/t Au provides a strong platform for growth. Together, these initiatives are positioning HTM to deliver early cash flow while unlocking significant exploration upside across our dominant ground position in the Northern Goldfields.

What are your key goals for the next 3, 6 and 12 months?

3 Months

Our immediate focus is on building the platform for near-term production and exploration growth. That includes securing key permits for mining and processing stockpiles at Mt Fisher, advancing the high-grade Mineral Resource Estimate and permitting for mining at Wagtail, and finalising a toll treatment agreement with a nearby mill. At the same time, we’ll be prioritising and planning drilling programs across our broader package of gold targets.

6 Months

We aim to have upgraded the Mineral Resource Estimate at Dam-Damsel, have commenced or be close to mining operations at Mt Fisher and/or Wagtail, and launched aggressive drilling programs at our most promising greenfields targets. Drilling is also expected to be underway at the Southern and Taipan prospects, adding further discovery potential.

12 Months

Our principal goal is to be producing first gold from the Mt Fisher project within the next 6- 12 months. Alongside that, we plan to deliver continued resource growth through ongoing drilling and upgrades, setting the company up for sustained news flow and value creation well beyond the first production milestone.

What do you see as the key risks and challenges facing your company at the moment and how are you overcoming these?

The key risks and challenges for HTM at present centre on people, permitting, and funding. In a buoyant Western Australian gold market, competition for skilled personnel and equipment is strong. Despite this HTM has been able to attract an experienced team of geologists, engineers, and managers with deep industry networks and a track record of discovery and project development.

Permitting, particularly heritage approvals, is another critical focus. We have strengthened our capability here by engaging a highly experienced heritage and tenement management team and by building constructive relationships with local stakeholders to support timely approvals.

Finally, funding an ambitious exploration and development program will always be challenging in a competitive capital environment. HTM’s dominant landholding, strong pipeline of drill targets, and multiple development options position the company to capitalise on current positive market sentiment and to build on several known deposits that remain open and underexplored.

What do you think makes your company such a compelling investment?

What makes HTM such a compelling investment is the combination of near-term production potential and huge exploration upside. We’re operating in the heart of one of the world’s most prolific gold regions, and we control a dominant land position that includes several known deposits that remain open and underexplored. That gives us a solid foundation to grow from.

At the same time, we’re targeting near-term production opportunities that can generate early cash flow and help fund our exploration program without heavy dilution. Add to that a highly experienced team that’s successfully discovered and developed gold projects before, and we believe we’re exceptionally well placed to deliver value — both through growing our resource base and by making new discoveries.

It’s that combination of near-term production opportunities and longer-term discovery potential that makes HTM such an exciting growth story.

What are the top 3 key investor takeaways?

1. HTM is driving rapid growth through near-term production and discovery, advancing toll treating options, expanding and upgrading resources for early development, and leveraging a proven technical team to unlock the full potential of our extensive Yilgarn gold portfolio.