http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story/1/73418/Gold-explorers-...

http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story/1/73418/Gold-explorers-dominate-WA-drill-program

Gold explorers dominate WA drill program
26-June-09 by Rebecca Lawson

Gold explorers have made up half of the final successful applicants for first round of the state government's new co-funded industry drilling program.

Mines Minister Norman Moore said 17 of the 35 applicants for the fiscal 2010 program were gold explorers.

"It is pleasing to see that gold, once the stalwart of WA's resources industry, is enjoying a resurgence," Mr Moore said.

"The new program provides each applicant with up to 50 per cent funding for their direct drilling costs capped at $150,000 to help fund exploration drilling activities in WA's under-explored areas."

Following gold, the next most popular mineral target was base metals with 14 applications.

"The Goldfields and Esperance regions appeared in 16 exploration applications," Mr Moore said.

"This was followed by the Mid-West, which appeared in nine applications."

The state government has committed a total of $20.5 million to the new drill program over the next four years, as part of a wider $80 million Exploration Incentive Scheme set up under the royalties for regions policy.

Successful applicants were selected by a panel of industry experts including representatives from the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC), Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA and the Australia Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.

The list of successful applicants are below. Some applicants received more than one fund allocation.

A1 Minerals Ltd
Alchemy Resources
Aura Energy Ltd
Aurora Resources Pty Ltd
AusQuest Ltd
Australian Mineral Fields Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold Australia Ltd
Beadell Resources Ltd
Corvette Resources Ltd
Crescent Gold Ltd
David Reed Syndicate
Echo Resources Ltd
Encounter Resources Ltd
Enterprise Metals Ltd
Goldfields Ltd - St Ives Gold Mine Pty Ltd
Gunson Resources Ltd
Helix Resources Ltd
Iluka Resources Ltd.
Magnetic Resources NL
Murchison Metals Ltd
NiPlats Australia Ltd
Rubicon Resources Ltd
Silver Swan Group Ltd
Sipa Resources Ltd
St Barbara Ltd
Teck Australia Pty Ltd
Thundelarra Exploration Ltd
Toro Energy
U3O8 Ltd