Daily Mining Update (June 20, 2026) — A quick roundup of notable mining and critical-minerals developments published over the past few days, including high-grade drilling results, exploration updates at operating assets, and progress on rare earth processing capacity.
Key stories
Contango Silver & Gold: high-grade intercepts at Lucky Shot (Alaska)
Contango Silver & Gold reported final assays from the initial phase of its 2025/2026 underground diamond drilling program at the Lucky Shot Project, highlighted by 0.17 m grading 972.10 g/t Au (hole LSU26091) and additional narrow, high-grade intercepts across several vein structures. The company also said underground exploration development has re-started to establish access and drill platforms for the next phase of drilling.
Company announcement / PR release
Trident Resources: Contact Lake winter drilling returns high grades (Saskatchewan)
Trident Resources released assays for seven final drill holes from its 2026 winter drill program at the Contact Lake Gold Project (BK3 Zone), including 41.46 g/t Au over 3.42 m in hole CL26033 and 5.43 g/t Au over 16.00 m in hole CL26045. The company noted it has recommenced drilling and plans more than 20,000 m during summer and fall 2026.
Endeavour Silver: drill results support extensions at Terronera (Mexico)
Endeavour Silver reported exploration drilling results from its Terronera operation in Jalisco, Mexico, including high-grade silver-gold intercepts from both the La Luz system and the Terronera vein. The company said its program is designed to expand and better define mineralization along strike and at depth, with two rigs currently operating on site.
Denarius Metals: Trafigura prepayment facility increased to US$16M (Colombia/Spain)
Denarius Metals said it upsized its prepayment agreement with Trafigura from US$9M to US$16M, with the additional funding intended to support exploration drilling and development activities at its Zancudo Project (including a planned new portal and 600 m ramp). The company also reported receiving US$3.5M under the facility during the week.
USA Rare Earth: hydromet demonstration facility commissioned (Colorado)
USA Rare Earth announced commissioning of its hydrometallurgical demonstration facility in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, targeting first production of separated oxides in Q3 2026. The company described campaigns intended to de-risk flowsheets for Round Top ore, third-party feedstocks, and magnet-swarf recycling.
Nasdaq / GlobeNewswire release
Abcourt Mines: drilling campaign highlights at Sleeping Giant (Québec)
Abcourt Mines shared an update on drilling at its Sleeping Giant mine, noting high-grade intersections (including 170.9 g/t Au over 0.8 m and 107.7 g/t Au over 0.5 m) and operational plans to increase drilling rates with a third drill. The company framed the work as supporting mine planning and an updated resource integrating new results.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
See you tomorrow for the next Daily Mining Update.
