If you were drilling and found sixpences and dried fruit in your core, you’d have to conclude that you were drilling in Christmas pudding. Such is the compelling resemblance of Minotaur Resources’ first Mt Woods DDH URN1 core to Olympic Dam core. By the time the hole eventually stopped in mineralization 450m below the featureless desert floor in dry plains of central SA, Minotaur shareholders thought it was Christmas with a $3000 stake from the October offering jumping to over $67,000. The exhilaration of the find spread like wildfire with the director of one near-address hopeful saying he raised ‘two million dollars before I got out of my dressing gown’ on the day of the release. A wave of more than $100m in prospectuses for a wide range projects leapt into life. First blood suddenly flowed back into the pale body of Australian exploration.

With his hand on the tiller of the Minotaur bullet, CEO Derek Carter is empathetic with his fellow survivors of the 90s exploration drought: "Of course its very good for us but we are really thrilled that the exploration sector generally is taking a lift from this". At PDAC just now, they packed three-deep around the core. He’ll be discussing recent results and the formation of the unusual style of JV with BHPB which must surely be a blueprint for harnessing the prowess of the junior explorer - and empowering them. Hear his first-hand account of the discovery. The Olympic Dam monster 120km from Mt Woods has proved and probable reserves of 605 million tonnes grading 1.8% copper, 0.5gpt gold and 0.5kg a tonne U₃O₈. How many more could there? Minotaur’s gravity work is showing ample extensions but could it really be as big as Olympic Dam? Come and find out. Not to be missed!

The Tattersalls Club is at 181 Elizabeth Street Sydney adjoining the Sheraton on the Park.