Resources Top 5: Rubidium set to unlock further value for Green Technology Metals

GT1 has defined a maiden rubidium resource that enhances its large lithium resource and adds a new dimension to Seymour value calculations.

A rubidium resource is set to unlock further value for GT1 at the Seymour lithium project in Canada. Pic: Getty Images

• A maiden resource of 23,000t at Seymour in Canada ranks amongst the top rubidium deposits globally 

• TOR has returned up to 5m at 27.93g/t gold in drilling at the Paris project in WA

• Silver exploration at Elizabeth Hill project will be accelerated after $6.125m was raised in a placement

Your standout small cap resources stocks for Thursday, July 24, 2025

Green Technology Metals (ASX:GT1)

Green Technology Metals is confident of unlocking additional critical minerals value from Seymour lithium project in Ontario, Canada, after defining a maiden rubidium resource of 23,000t.

The addition of rubidium to Seymour’s substantial lithium resource of 10.3Mt at 1.07% Li2O is set to add a new dimension to value calculations for the project and for GT1 with shares advancing 29.63% to a daily top of 3.5c before closing at 3c.

Rubidium is a critical mineral with essential uses in defence such as night vision imaging and radiation detection, potential use for chemical storage in hydrogen batteries and to replace caesium.

As a high-value critical mineral, rubidium is trading at a significant premium to lithium, with high-purity material priced at about US$1060/kg. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from US$4.63bn in 2023 to US$8bn in 2033.

Besides traditional applications in defence, aerospace applications, advanced electronics and the biomedical sector, its use is expanding into emerging technologies such as quantum computing, advanced battery chemistries and next-generation electronics.

GT1 will be one of few companies to integrate rubidium recovery as a by-product of lithium operations, enabling it to benefit from limited global supply, its inclusion on critical minerals lists in the US and Japan, Seymour’s strategic location close to the large and growing US market, and robust trade and economic ties between Canada and Japan.

The Canadian government’s recognition of rubidium as a critical mineral also boosts the company’s ability to potentially access additional strategic funding streams to advance Seymour.

Despite the encouraging market factors, there are only a few rubidium deposits known globally including some in Australia. Even China – a significant producer – continues to import rubidium.

Seymour’s maiden resource of 8.3Mt at 0.27% Rb2O includes 6.2Mt at 0.28% in the indicated category and was defined following a detailed review of historical exploration data and metallurgical testwork.

The resource ranks amongst the top rubidium deposits globally and represents a valuable byproduct that can generate low-cost revenue to support GT1’s core lithium strategy.

Torque Metals (ASX:TOR)

A new 12-month high of 28c was reached by Torque Metals, a 40% increase on the previous close, after returning up to 5m at 27.93g/ gold at the Paris project in WA.

This result from 503m in the second hole of TOR’s current drilling program was within 12m at 12.49 g/t Au from 495m and a broader zone of 44m at 3.75 g/t from 464m.

This hole, 25PRC206, which has extended mineralisation by about 240 metres beyond an historical intercept of 16m at 7.95 g/t, demonstrates the robust continuity of high-grade mineralisation at depth and along strike.

The hole also intersected a new mineralised lode, north of Paris main, interpreted as an extension to the west of Paris north lode, returning 4m at 2.16 g/t from 301m.

“These latest results from Paris demonstrate the strong continuity of high-grade gold mineralisation well beyond the previous limits of drilling,” TOR managing director Cristian Moreno said. 

“To intercept 5m at 27.93 g/t gold within a much broader mineralised halo is extremely encouraging and validates our down hole electromagnetics, geological and structural targeting approach.

“The hole ended in robust mineralisation, which we are immediately following up with diamond drilling to ensure we fully test this zone to depth and along strike. The new DHEM plate indicates potential for further extensions.

“As we progressively step out, we will continue to utilise DHEM to directly target our drilling.”

Paris is strategically positioned near major gold producers, including Westgold’s Beta Hunt operation and St Ives Goldfields, reinforcing the project's potential for future development.

The current resource stands at 250,000oz at 3.1 g/t, with mineralisation remaining open in multiple directions, highlighting the potential for further resource expansion. 

West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE)

Silver exploration at the Elizabeth Hill project of West Coast Silver in WA’s Pilbara will be accelerated after $6.125m was raised in a placement.

This provides strong validation of the company and its project, which hosts a past producing high-grade silver mine, and has been welcomed by investors with shares hitting a 12-month high of 17.5c, a lift of 16.67%.

The placement to new institutional and sophisticated investors also enticed strong demand from existing investors with applications being scaled back.

This was even more impressive considering the placement was at 11c per share, a 0.04% premium to the 15-day volume weighted average price to July 21, 2025, contrasting with most placements that are at a discount.

“We have been generating outstanding results at Elizabeth Hill and the proceeds of this capital raising will enable us to unlock the value much faster,” executive chairman Bruce Garlick said.

“There is clearly immense scope to grow and further explore the project both near mine and regionally. 

“Given this potential, we want to move as quickly as possible on the exploration front and the successful placement allows us to do this.”

GreenTech Metals (ASX:GRE)

A systematic review of historic and recent soil and rock chip samples has highlighted anomalous gold, silver and arsenic trends at the Ruth Well project of GreenTech Metals in WA’s Pilbara.

The gold trend aligns with a fertile regional structural zone known to host gold occurrences over a strike of 28km and includes the 374,000oz Carlow Castle gold deposit.

Rock chip assays include 5.04g/t, 1.61g/t, 1.50g/t, 1.42g/t and 1.13g/t gold. These confirm that gold is associated with the gold soil anomalism. 

The gold soil trends are sufficiently defined to support focused follow-up mapping and sampling aimed at identifying the most prospective parts of the structural zone for potential initial drill testing. 

While some lithium soil trends within the Ruth Well tenements have been partially cleared by previous heritage surveys, additional surveys will be planned to ensure all targeted areas are covered.

Ruth Well is 15km south of Karratha and 25km north of GreenTech’s Whundo copper-gold-zinc VMS-style deposit. GRE shares were 59.5% higher to 11c.

Resource Mining Corporation (ASX:RMI)

The first step of a systematic exploration program at the Mpanda Copper-Gold Project in Tanzania has been taken by Resource Mining Corporation with 1000m of rotary air blast (RAB) drilling underway.

This first-pass orientation work is focusing on previously identified anomalous areas of the Stalike and Kabungu prospects with samples to be be assayed for gold and copper amongst other elements. 

Holes are planned to a nominal depth of 40 metres at Stalike and 30 metres at Kabungu, and will be drilled to fresh rock.

Shares reached 1.8c, a 38.5% increase on the previous close.

“The very large number of historical workings across our project area is a clear indication of mineralisation at depth and it’s our objective to define multiple areas of interest,” executive chairman Asimwe Kabunga said.

“As well as the drilling, we are witnessing continued third-party interest in Mpanda as well as renewed focus on our nickel prospects, which is also an encouraging development.”

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent financial advice before making any financial decisions. While Green Technology Metals and West Coast Silver are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.