As we wait to see who takes home the little gold statuettes at the Oscars in Hollywood, here are the morning’s winners and losers among ASX small caps at 1pm AEDT Monday.

The ASX Small Ords index was down 4.7 points at 269o.

In the green

Outstanding results from its Argentinian lithium and gold exploration spurred Dark Horse Resources (ASX:DHR) shares up 26 per cent to 2.4c by 1pm AEDT.

Exploration at its San Luis Mine hit high-grade lithium spodumene with grades of up to 1.97 per cent lithium oxide in test results.

Dark Horse is acquiring five mining licences in the San Luis Province as well as evaluating new gold projects.

That’s not to mention early scoping on a potential spin-out of a separate energy-focused play — Dark Energy Holdings — to work on potential projects in Queensland, Victoria and Argentina.

In a vote of confidence, Executive Director David Mason has agreed to accrue his salary to preserve company money for project-related expenses.

Troubled law firm Slater and Gordon (ASX:SGH) was trading up 33 per cent at $3.73 by 1pm AEDT.

The company had no news on Monday, but last week updated the market with its half year results from its “transformation” program.

Slater and Gordon reported a loss of $21.2 million, but said fundamentals were strong, and rationalisation of its operations were progressing.

Rimfire Pacific Mining (ASX:RIM) reported historic cobalt results at its Avondale prospect in NSW.

The shares jumped 24 per cent to 2.6c on the news.

The results, dating back to 2004, include grades of 0.12 per cent cobalt and 0.27 per cent Nickel.

Further exploration will be conducted within the prospective geological units (now thought to extend for 2.5km) to understand its continuity, thickness and the grade of cobalt already identified between limited sample points.

“We will validate this historic work, with some newly planned drill holes and appropriate re-submissions of some of the historic pulps for re-assay for cobalt and nickel. This should occur during March/April,” chief John Kaminsky said.

Troubled content marketer PureProfile (ASX:PPL) shot up 16 per cent to trade at 18c at 1pm AEDT.

Founder Paul Chan quit last month as the company’s stock hits its lowest point since listing.

The company’s half yearly results showed a 29.7 per cent increase in revenue to $28.3 million and an overall loss of $8.8 million.

Two directors, Nic Jones and Andrew Edwards, acquired options and shares in the shares in the company  exercisable at 60c.

Augmented reality app Thred (ASX:THD) was trading up 11 per cent at 1c after announcing a project with a “high profile” NSW government organisation.

It said the nature of the work was confidential, but would include the deployment of augmented reality content and functionality into the client’s existing app.

The value of the contract is estimated at upwards of $225,000 — with further detail to be released by the company in weeks to come.

Thred has to date not recorded any revenue, but says the deal is part of growing momentum for the quarter.

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In the red

Woomera Mining tumbled in its first day of trade today after a reverse take-over of Ausroc Metals (ASX:ARK).

The company was trading at 15c by 1pm AEDT — compare to an issue price of 20c — after a $7 million capital raising.

Ahead of its listing the company acquired 100 per cent of Volt Lithium, to hold 19 tenements covering 6197 sq km in South Australia.

Retail Food Group (ASX:RFG)  took a 34 per cent hit to $1.35 by 1pm AEDT after announcing the closure of 200 stores.

The owner of the Gloria Jeans and Donut King chains has faced media scrutiny after allegations it was using a brutal business model and encouraged the underpayment of staff by store owners.

RFG wrote down $138 million to book a $87.8 million loss for the first-half of 2018.

GWR Group (ASX:GWR) settled down 28 per cent to 23c after jumping a hefty 530 per cent last week.

The junior explorer jumped from 6.5c to as high as 41c but could give no explanation to the bourse as to why it was so popular.

The company owns the Hatches Creek tungsten gold and copper project located in the Northern Territory where exceptional [reverse circulation] drilling results were reported late last year,” company secretary Simon Borck told the ASX by way of explanation.

“As previously announced the company is currently compiling all results and preparing a maiden mineral resource estimate.”

FE investment Group (ASX:FEI) was trading down 18 per cent to 13c on no news — but recovered to 15.5c by 1pm AEDT.

The New Zealand investment group reported $1.3 million in receipts last quarter, and had $11.3 million left in the bank at the end of the period.

Coal explorer Jameson Resources (ASX:JAL) took a 15 per cent hit to trade at 11c at midday — but recovered to 12c by 1pm AEDT.

The company had no news in the market, but is presenting at the PDAC convention in Toronto this week.

It said it was progressing its Crown Mountain Coking Coal project in Canada with a regulatory decision in the final stages of review.

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