Gold Digger: A weekly recap of the news driving ASX small cap gold stocks

A 4.21 per cent gain in January – from ~$US1,513.50 to $US1,583.50 – is gold’s biggest one-month increase since August last year.

This renewed appetite for gold as a safe haven investment comes as coronavirus fears grip overheated financial markets, mostly due to the risks it poses to China’s large economy.

“Looking ahead, we expect gold’s safe haven qualities to remain at the forefront of investors’ minds as they navigate global tensions, low yields, and stretched equity valuations,” World Gold Council head of market intelligence Alistair Hewitt says.

>>>Scroll down for this week’s top 5 small caps

WINNERS & LOSERS

For our big miners, which have been reporting on the December quarter, it was a mixed bag last week.

New S&P/ASX 20 entrant Newcrest (ASX:NCM) dropped about 10 per cent on a solid looking quarterly report (production up to 551,000oz, costs down to $859/oz). It pared some of those losses after announcing the sale of its Gosowong mine in Indonesia for $90m.

Evolution (ASX:EVN), St Barbara (ASX:SBM), and Resolute Mining (ASX:RSG) also fell back over the week.

At the other end, $4.4bn Saracen Mineral Holdings (ASX:SAR) and $850m Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) gained 6 per cent and 8 per cent respectively.

READ: This is how $3m market cap minnow Ramelius became an $850m gold miner

Here’s how ASX gold stocks performed for the period January 27 — Febuary 03 [intraday]:

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop:

CODE	NAME	1 WEEK RETURN %	1 YEAR RETURN %	PRICE [INTRADAY]	MARKET CAP
NCM	NEWCREST MINING	-8	20	29.91	$ 23,434,340,352.00
NST	NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES	0	45	12.97	$ 9,306,332,160.00
EVN	EVOLUTION MINING	-2	-4	3.76	$ 6,305,994,752.00
SAR	SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS	6	21	4.005	$ 4,433,621,504.00
RRL	REGIS RESOURCES	2	-12	4.525	$ 2,286,812,160.00
SBM	ST BARBARA	-4	-42	2.745	$ 1,929,684,608.00
SLR	SILVER LAKE RESOURCES	4	201	1.63	$ 1,447,343,616.00
PRU	PERSEUS MINING	4	192	1.19	$ 1,401,576,576.00
GOR	GOLD ROAD RESOURCES	5	84	1.445	$ 1,313,958,272.00
RSG	RESOLUTE MINING	-2	2	1.145	$ 1,186,090,496.00
WGX	WESTGOLD RESOURCES	-3	128	2.18	$ 879,273,920.00
RMS	RAMELIUS RESOURCES	8	130	1.36	$ 849,426,816.00
ALK	ALKANE RESOURCES	17	268	0.79	$ 455,326,144.00
CMM	CAPRICORN METALS	0	268	1.25	$ 402,745,568.00
WAF	WEST AFRICAN RESOURCES	10	98	0.485	$ 391,715,488.00
RED	RED 5	-5	140	0.305	$ 367,300,160.00
DCN	DACIAN GOLD	0	-45	1.4	$ 320,940,320.00
TBR	TRIBUNE RESOURCES	0	56	5.12	$ 319,142,368.00
BGL	BELLEVUE GOLD	-7	-8	0.49	$ 279,258,144.00
CYL	CATALYST METALS	2	87	2.9	$ 238,132,784.00
CDV	CARDINAL RESOURCES	3	-13	0.39	$ 182,789,072.00
MML	MEDUSA MINING	-7	104	0.79	$ 158,962,640.00
EMR	EMERALD RESOURCES NL	14	20	0.048	$ 152,422,624.00
RND	RAND MINING	1	25	2.27	$ 141,348,912.00
SPX	SPECTRUM METALS	-1	1700	0.091	$ 124,696,368.00
KCN	KINGSGATE CONSOLIDATED	19	265	0.54	$ 123,293,136.00
MAU	MAGNETIC RESOURCES NL	2	200	0.6	$ 121,216,120.00
VAN	VANGO MINING	0	-6	0.145	$ 115,322,560.00
BDC	BARDOC GOLD	0	58	0.08	$ 112,526,424.00
OKU	OKLO RESOURCES	35	0	0.24	$ 103,197,336.00
BCN	BEACON MINERALS	-14	71	0.035	$ 102,910,776.00
TTM	TITAN MINERALS	-16	-44	0.135	$ 100,943,568.00
TIE	TIETTO MINERALS	15	285	0.31	$ 95,684,176.00
SVL	SILVER MINES	0	88	0.11	$ 92,350,400.00
CHN	CHALICE GOLD MINES	-4	108	0.285	$ 76,739,080.00
ADN	ANDROMEDA METALS	-8	683	0.044	$ 71,149,872.00
BRB	BREAKER RESOURCES NL	-7	-27	0.255	$ 61,299,820.00
NUS	NUSANTARA RESOURCES	0	41	0.31	$ 60,488,160.00
TRY	TROY RESOURCES	-4	-10	0.095	$ 60,046,056.00
ARL	ARDEA RESOURCES	-11	14	0.5	$ 58,063,716.00
CAI	CALIDUS RESOURCES	-2	13	0.265	$ 55,819,156.00
AOP	APOLLO CONSOLIDATED	-12	56	0.23	$ 53,154,368.00
BLK	BLACKHAM RESOURCES	0	-71	0.011	$ 51,878,668.00
BBX	BBX MINERALS	0	-7	0.125	$ 51,673,960.00
DEG	DE GREY MINING	0	-52	0.047	$ 50,888,984.00
TAM	TANAMI GOLD NL	3	-18	0.04	$ 49,354,076.00
FML	FOCUS MINERALS	16	27	0.26	$ 46,600,884.00
AAR	ANGLO AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES	4	94	0.115	$ 46,437,336.00
GMN	GOLD MOUNTAIN	-3	-8	0.07	$ 45,697,188.00
HRZ	HORIZON MINERALS	-9	-19	0.105	$ 44,937,396.00
ONX	ORMINEX	-11	-58	0.081	$ 43,128,172.00
DGR	DGR GLOBAL	0	-41	0.075	$ 42,922,732.00
RXL	ROX RESOURCES	0	238	0.026	$ 39,364,576.00
PRX	PRODIGY GOLD NL	-1	-11	0.066	$ 38,902,048.00
ERM	EMMERSON RESOURCES	-2	31	0.086	$ 38,661,704.00
BSR	BASSARI RESOURCES	-6	-21	0.014	$ 35,816,324.00
STN	SATURN METALS	9	161	0.46	$ 34,398,964.00
SIH	SIHAYO GOLD	-6	-25	0.015	$ 33,564,320.00
AMG	AUSMEX MINING GROUP	-3	23	0.066	$ 33,253,804.00
AZM	AZUMAH RESOURCES	0	22	0.033	$ 32,293,200.00
BC8	BLACK CAT SYNDICATE	-3	138	0.37	$ 31,988,254.00
DGO	DGO GOLD	5	34	0.9	$ 31,676,726.00
MLL	MALI LITHIUM	-3	-41	0.098	$ 31,417,464.00
MAT	MATSA RESOURCES	-4	-16	0.13	$ 29,283,844.00
MEU	MARMOTA	39	187	0.04	$ 27,020,550.00
HAW	HAWTHORN RESOURCES	7	45	0.087	$ 26,455,864.00
VMC	VENUS METALS CORP	0	35	0.18	$ 26,438,770.00
LNY	LANEWAY RESOURCES	17	40	0.007	$ 26,040,462.00
ARV	ARTEMIS RESOURCES	-4	-68	0.028	$ 25,346,374.00
KRM	KINGSROSE MINING	7	-46	0.032	$ 23,360,236.00
NAG	NAGAMBIE RESOURCES	33	-26	0.048	$ 22,496,618.00
GWR	GWR GROUP	-2	-19	0.081	$ 21,139,786.00
GML	GATEWAY MINING	-6	-6	0.016	$ 20,094,240.00
LEX	LEFROY EXPLORATION	0	6	0.185	$ 19,594,916.00
AUC	AUSGOLD	0	-26	0.017	$ 18,805,392.00
E2M	E2 METALS	-10	112	0.18	$ 16,995,910.00
GSN	GREAT SOUTHERN MINING	-2	70	0.051	$ 16,991,280.00
AGS	ALLIANCE RESOURCES	-5	-11	0.105	$ 16,944,216.00
HRN	HORIZON GOLD LIMITED	-4	26	0.2	$ 16,836,736.00
DTR	DATELINE RESOURCES	0	0	0.0025	$ 16,420,156.00
TLM	TALISMAN MINING	-5	2	0.089	$ 16,236,669.00
CWX	CARAWINE RESOURCES	-11	33	0.2	$ 15,453,500.00
OAU	ORA GOLD	0	69	0.021	$ 14,861,011.00
SAU	SOUTHERN GOLD	-14	-5	0.16	$ 14,132,601.00
NWM	NORWEST MINERALS	-6	-11	0.13	$ 13,833,630.00
KWR	KINGWEST RESOURCES	-9	-13	0.145	$ 13,578,668.00
CGN	CRATER GOLD MINING	0	-15	0.011	$ 13,502,455.00
GBZ	GBM RESOURCES	11	17	0.07	$ 13,502,288.00
SMI	SANTANA MINERALS	0	-29	0.004	$ 13,419,728.00
ANL	AMANI GOLD	0	-49	0.0025	$ 12,270,899.00
CTO	CITIGOLD CORP	11	-29	0.005	$ 12,105,866.00
BAR	BARRA RESOURCES	0	-44	0.02	$ 11,930,315.00
HMX	HAMMER METALS	5	0	0.023	$ 11,158,378.00
ARS	ALT RESOURCES	0	-24	0.018	$ 10,574,728.00
GMR	GOLDEN RIM RESOURCES	-20	-53	0.009	$ 10,466,695.00
WWI	WEST WITS MINING	9	33	0.015	$ 10,312,841.00
TSC	TWENTY SEVEN CO	0	17	0.007	$ 9,921,951.00
A1G	AFRICAN GOLD	17	-10	0.18	$ 9,877,000.00
AQI	ALICANTO MINERALS	12	58	0.055	$ 9,691,081.00
AME	ALTO METALS	-6	-27	0.032	$ 9,387,961.00
PGI	PANTERRA GOLD	-10	46	0.035	$ 7,805,666.00
RML	RESOLUTION MINERALS	27	-5	0.065	$ 7,401,352.00
MKG	MAKO GOLD	10	-40	0.076	$ 7,248,662.00
DHR	DARK HORSE RESOURCES	-29	-38	0.0025	$ 7,103,779.00
GED	GOLDEN DEEPS	0	-36	0.025	$ 7,015,214.00
CXU	CAULDRON ENERGY	-30	-18	0.014	$ 6,859,130.00
MSR	MANAS RESOUCES	25	-38	0.0025	$ 6,607,906.00
ALY	ALCHEMY RESOURCES	-8	-5	0.011	$ 6,055,768.00
KTA	KRAKATOA RESOURCES	-6	36	0.03	$ 5,950,000.00
AWV	ANOVA METALS	0	-10	0.009	$ 5,752,190.50
NXM	NEXUS MINERALS	-7	-24	0.042	$ 4,966,103.50
MTH	MITHRIL RESOURCES	0	67	0.01	$ 4,903,892.00
PDI	PREDICTIVE DISCOVERY	0	-33	0.008	$ 4,859,336.50
MDI	MIDDLE ISLAND RESOURCES	-33	-20	0.004	$ 4,707,408.50
GUL	GULLEWA	0	20	0.03	$ 4,653,693.00
DAU	DAMPIER GOLD	0	-31	0.022	$ 4,355,692.00
DTM	DART MINING NL	-11	-20	0.08	$ 4,281,528.50
GBR	GREAT BOULDER RESOURCES	6	-73	0.037	$ 4,270,528.00
AYR	ALLOY RESOURCES	0	-33	0.002	$ 4,177,354.75
TAR	TARUGA MINERALS	-13	-69	0.013	$ 4,153,953.00
BNR	BULLETIN RESOURCES	15	-4	0.023	$ 4,123,740.75
CY5	CYGNUS GOLD	9	-17	0.05	$ 3,685,558.25
KGM	KALNORTH GOLD MINES	-20	-20	0.005	$ 3,576,960.25
SLZ	SULTAN RESOURCES	1	24	0.071	$ 3,333,771.00
MLS	METALS AUSTRALIA	0	-67	0.001	$ 3,207,352.75
VKA	VIKING MINES	-17	-9	0.01	$ 3,137,178.50
PUA	PURE ALUMINA	8	-59	0.014	$ 3,104,651.50
TMX	TERRAIN MINERALS	0	-20	0.004	$ 2,892,644.00
OKR	OKAPI RESOURCES	-1	-64	0.08	$ 2,883,429.25
TNR	TORIAN RESOURCES	0	-64	0.009	$ 2,871,035.00
GSM	GOLDEN STATE MINING	-13	-55	0.077	$ 2,820,217.50
GNM	GREAT NORTHERN MINERALS	-11	-73	0.008	$ 2,775,486.75
AVW	AVIRA RESOURCES	0	-33	0.002	$ 2,250,000.00
NES	NELSON RESOURCES	-2	-65	0.049	$ 2,234,049.50
AAJ	ARUMA RESOURCES	0	-57	0.002	$ 2,128,241.75
MOH	MOHO RESOURCES NL	0	-70	0.043	$ 2,109,821.25
ARM	AURORA MINERALS	-10	-38	0.009	$ 2,108,399.00
RGL	RIVERSGOLD	11	-83	0.01	$ 1,959,783.50
CDT	CASTLE MINERALS	0	0	0.008	$ 1,897,850.13
CODE	NAME	1 WEEK RETURN %	1 YEAR RETURN %	PRICE {INTRADAY]	MARKET CAP

TOP 5 SMALL CAPS

Marmota (ASX:MEU) +39%

The innovative explorer hit 4m grading 24 grams per tonne (g/t), 68m from surface at its flagship Aurora Tank project. Pretty good, you might say.

But what makes this intercept interesting is that it comes from the newly discovered NW flank zone, found in Marmota’s most recent 2019 drilling program while following up elevated tree sampling.

That’s right – tree sampling.

READ: Gold: It DOES grow on trees, and this company is hitting paydirt by scanning leaves

Oklo Resources (ASX:OKU) +35%

Similarly, Oklo found a new thick, high-grade zone at the Seko deposit, part of its flagship Dandoko project in Mali.

Results included 55m at 7.65g/t, about 50m from surface.

The explorer – which counts Resolute Mining as a major shareholder – will incorporate these new results into a maiden resource estimate at Seko, due for completion in Q2.

READ: Oklo is uncovering some pretty nice African riches as the high-grade hits keep coming

Nagambie Resources (ASX:NAG) +33%

Nagambie listed in 2006 to explore around its former namesake mine in rural Victoria, which produced about 134,000oz of gold from open pits between 1989 and 1995.

That never really panned out, so the company then looked at storing excavation material produced from tunnelling and other excavation work at the West Gate Tunnel, Melbourne Metro Rail and North East Link in the old open pits.

While this project remains on the table, Nagambie is now refocusing on actual exploration as Fosterville reinvigorates the region.

Last week, it announced a strategic partnership with Canadian gold company Mawson Resources to explore and develop Nagambie’s extensive tenement holdings.

“Mawson has a very experienced and successful geological team and their endorsement of our model-based use of geophysics, supported by the first ever deep diamond drilling in the Waranga Domain, is very gratifying,” Nagambie chairman Mike Trumbull says.

“The Mawson chairman has said that he looks forward to working with us to find Victoria’s next major Fosterville-style gold deposit in Victoria and I totally concur.”

READ: Who’s close to uncovering the next Nova or Fosterville?

Resolution Minerals (ASX:RML) +27%

Resolution — formerly Northern Cobalt — revealed plans to acquire up to 80 per cent of an Alaskan gold project called 64North in October last year.

64North literally surrounds Northern Star Resources’ (ASX:NST) high-grade Pogo mine, which has produced 4 million ounces of gold over the past 13 years and has another 6 million ounces in resource and reserves.

No news last week, but the explorer says a 7500m drilling program will kick off in the current quarter, focused on targets immediately adjacent to Northern Star’s recently announced Goodpaster discovery.

Manas Resources (ASX:MSR) +25%

Manas’ Mbengué gold project (MGP) in Côte d’Ivoire is close to some really big operations, like Barrick’s 4.5moz Tongon mine and Resolute’s 11.5moz Syama mine.

The explorer has now increased the project area from ~300sqkm to over 647sqkm.

“Manas has been systematically exploring at Mbengué and our activities have already identified a number of major structures with potential to host significant gold deposits,” Manas chairman Alan Campbell says.

“The newly expanded MGP project area is well located close to existing mine infrastructures in an underexplored portion of the highly-prospective Senoufo greenstone belt.

“With its strong cash position and low burn rate, the company is ideally placed to take advantage of any exploration success as our activities progress through 2020.”