More quickies for the drrons.

[drron]

No this is not going to be on our night life but a few short trips that we take. On the list at the moment was our 1 night Gold coast trip 3 weeks ago, a trip to hervey Bay next week and our drive to Newcastle for an event for some dubious People. might even throw our trip to SIN and BKK at Christmas as that will be chilling out and eating.

The next real TR will begin in August.

So 3 weekends ago a spontaneous trip to the Gold Coast when the Chairman of a company we have shares in emailed me a ticket to an Investment Conference on the Gold Coast. Now would I turn down an invitation to get a tax deduction whilst earning Bonvoy points? If you said yes wash your mouth out with soap and water. I am a delusional points junkie.

Now unfortunately at the J W Marriott where the conference was being held they only had 1 room available on the night after the first day proceedings. Unfortunately the room was the Presidential suite at a tad over $8000 for the night. Probably would have got magnificent status recognition! However I don't think the taxman would be impressed.

So we slummed it in the J W Marriott Vacation Club. just a few floors of the same building as the hotel. First the staircase to get to the conference -
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You may have seen it a few days before.


No one was in front of me when I ascended the stairs.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron was allowed to check in early and i arrived in the room as the sun was setting. Spectacular.
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[love_the_life]

No this is not going to be on our night life but a few short trips that we take. On the list at the moment was our 1 night Gold coast trip 3 weeks ago, a trip to hervey Bay next week and our drive to Newcastle for an event for some dubious People. might even throw our trip to SIN and BKK at Christmas as that will be chilling out and eating.

The next real TR will begin in August.

So 3 weekends ago a spontaneous trip to the Gold Coast when the Chairman of a company we have shares in emailed me a ticket to an Investment Conference on the Gold Coast. Now would I turn down an invitation to get a tax deduction whilst earning Bonvoy points? If you said yes wash your mouth out with soap and water. I am a delusional points junkie.

Now unfortunately at the J W Marriott where the conference was being held they only had 1 room available on the night after the first day proceedings. Unfortunately the room was the Presidential suite at a tad over $8000 for the night. Probably would have got magnificent status recognition! However I don't think the taxman would be impressed.

So we slummed it in the J W Marriott Vacation Club. just a few floors of the same building as the hotel. First the staircase to get to the conference -
View attachment 284222.

You may have seen it a few days before.
View attachment 284224

No one was in front of me when I ascended the stairs.

Mrsdrron sure looks spiffy going up the stairs

 

[drron]

Good guess @love_the_life but it is actually Sonia Kruger on the day of the logies. The resemblance is eerie.

So just a quick tidy up and down to dinner. booking late we could only get a 1730 reservation. But here quick planning came off. On the website bookings are through The Fork and I had a 2000 yums offer which means $50 off a future meal. temed that with the Bonvoy dining discount of 30% off for the month of June. Finally stacked with my Amex offer of $100 back if spending $400.

Dinner was at Misono and we were having the Teppanyaki. I recognised many of the folks at other tables as Conference people. We sat with 5 other Conference attendees. First our table before the others arrived. plus good views of the sunset from the Restaurant.
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Now the menu.
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[drron]

Mrsdrron had the Imperial banquet with the lobster tail whilst I had the Cherry Blossom banquet with lots of seafood. You start out with miso soup and a salad.
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Then the cook arrives. This fellow was not Japanese and although entertaining many others we have experienced were more talented.
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Though I must say I have never seen an onion volcano before.

 

[drron]

Kept forgetting to take pictures as I did enjoy the show and food as well as the antics of the young table 2 up from ours. Don't know what they were on but they were enjoying themselves.
So the pictures I did take. The cook as always had his version of food catching. This time he flicked prawns and you had to catch them in your mouth. People like that sort of thing. Unfortunately all the skills I used to have at Teppanyaki have gone. i was famous at one such restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown -I mean where else would you have a Japanese restaurant. The fellow there would toss the tails of the prawns and you had to catch them in your bowl.As a wicketkeeper at cricket that was far too easy so i mastered the art of catching them with my chopsticks. A regular Mr. Myagi. I would then do as done in Japan and eat the prawns shell and all.
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In the paper is the teriyaki fish. It was divine.
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To end off the fellow next to me was vegetarian so he didn't partake in the prawn throws so he had then to suffer the indignity of catching fried rice. It didn't always stay in one lump.
All in all a good night.

 

[drron]

So just a little of the conference. Basically small companies but most in the resources sector. It is really amazing what is happening around Australia in particular plus what Australian companies are doing around the world.
Quite a bit in the biotechnology field. most at fairly early stages of developement which means usually a long time before investment pays off. Unfortunately many stumble along the way. There were 2 companies however whose story was compelling.

First in the cancer field. Australia has had a very prominent role particularly with Melanoma. In this company a few had started off in the melanoma field and immunotherapy for melanoma which has seen spectacular successes. However at least 50% don't respond and up to half who initially respond have a relapse. So first the team worked on why some were non responders. With other teams around the world found some suspect genes and a protein that blocks the immune effect. Fortunately one had experience for an old chemotherapy drug originally used in Leukaemia. It wasn't that good but it was noted it did effect the immune system. So it has now been used in conjunction with newer chemotherapy and antibody treatments. Has been of benefit in quite a few cancers but they had just released results of a trial in melanomas. very good results.

Another was a Phase 1 trial in autism using a combination of drugs including a new cannabinoid -but it has absolutely no THC so no highs.
Now a phase 1 trial is just to see if the drug is safe and establish the best dose. There were however some impressive improvements. The one surprise was that as the trial ended the parents of the autistic kids all approached the University's ethics committee to ask that the drug not be stopped. it required a rework of the sudies aims and processes but that has happened. A long way to go but certainly some hope.
If there are parents out there the study was done through the Monash university Paediatrics Department.

Next a run down of some of the resources and Australian innovations.

 

[drron]

It truly is amazing the mineral exploration going on in Australia right now. First an Australian company has been working for over 10 years to develope an exploration AI assisted map of likely prospects. They started off in WA and now cover the whole of Australia and linking witgh OS companies to expand world wide. They kept the best 15 projects not then covered by permits. Have made it so much easier for the geologists.

Then even Tasmania had presentations. However the advanced projects were re opening of old mines as current techniques have identified more resources. One is a tin mine on the West Coast and the other the reopening of Mt. Lyell at Queenstown.

But also another company with a new technigue for dealing with Aluminium slag. They use it to produce aluminium fluoride which is needed in aluminium smaelters. They have had a test plant to prove the system works and are proceeding with a pilot plant at Bell Bay next to the smelter. If successful then a full size plant. Australia at present has to import all the aluminium flouride it needs.
As a side bet they have been exploring for rare earths. A deposit has been found close to Launceston.

Then across to WA and an important developement for Australia with a world class Vanadium resource. Two companies have found significant deposits near Meekatharra. Both are planning benefication plants at the mines. One of them will also build a processing plant there to produce vanadium electrolyte. They are advised by LE Energy of Japan which is currently completing a Vanadium Battery plant in Japan. For those who don't know about VRFBs here is one companies view of why Vanadium is going to be important.


An emerging and likely very significant use for vanadium is the emerging long duration energy storage (battery) sector with the expanding use and increasing penetration of the vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB’s).

VRFB’s are a rechargeable flow battery that uses vanadium in different oxidation states to store energy, using the unique ability of vanadium to exist in solution in four different oxidation states. VRFB’s provide an efficient storage and re-supply solution for renewable energy – being able to time-shift large amounts of previously generated energy for later use – ideally suited to micro-grid to ge scale energy storage solutions (grid stabilisation).

This company when in production will be 7% of the world's vanadium production. Important as China has 62% 0f the production with another 8% from Russia.

The second company has a larger deposit and is going to build it to the west of Geraldton. They have already set up an Energy sub division who is currenty importing a 300Kwh VRFB for an Australian Miner They are also demonstrating the use as fast EV chargers in remote areas.

 

[OZDUCK]

The second company has a larger deposit and is going to build it to the west of Geraldton. They have already set up an Energy sub division who is currenty importing a 300Kwh VRFB for an Australian Miner They are also demonstrating the use as fast EV chargers in remote areas.

I assume they mean that they will build in the Geraldton suburb of West End next to Geraldton Harbour. Otherwise they might have some problems with the drains.

 

[drron]

The facility will be a way west of Geraldton near Mullewa.

So one final post from the conference. Focusing on OS activities of Australian companies. The first was a company who for the last 9 years has been looking for gold in WA. However a while ago it sold some of its tenements. People had obviously forgotten that as the shares had dropped 70% in the last 2 months. But they were being paid 15 million on 30/6. So a company with a market cap of 21 million had 19 million in the bank.
So I had a chat with the MD and learnt about the project they have in Thailand. Large tenements near 3 large copper-gold mines in Northern Thailand. No work done for 9 years as the generals had threatened to take over all mines. Now resolved. It was one of the 3 companies I bought immediately. Happy to report it has doubled it's share price.

There were also 2 companies with uranium and lithium deposits. They along with another reopening a cobalt mine are receiving a lot of help from the US Government.

Yet another is reopening a lithium project in Quebec. When asked if they were confident of getting approvals he was confident as the Quebec government has 40% of the project.

So you can see that Australians are really pulling their weight which gives some confidence re our economy.

We are now in Hervey Bay so that will be next.

 

[OZDUCK]

The facility will be a way west of Geraldton near Mullewa.

Umm - Mullewa is a way East of Geraldton. Mullewa is about 90Km East/North East of Geraldton . The Abrolhos Islands are about 80 Km West of Geraldton.

 

[drron]

Yes everything is back to front in WA Got all confused. Still I would rather be back on the Abrolhos Islands.

 

[drron]

So today we were off to Hervey Bay. Another tax deduction as we own a unit in the Mantra. Leisurely start at 1000 and very little traffic going north. A lot more going south. Got to Hervey Bay just after 1230. So time for lunch.

Many of our favourite restaurants have gone for good. But a good fish and chips shop near the Urangan pier was still open. So we picked up a serve of scallops and chips plus one whiting and chips.





They were very good. The chips so so.
Tonight's dinner will be at the Urangan Boat club.

 

[drron]

But first the office for 2 nights. The Mantra



The views.

 

[RooFlyer]

It truly is amazing the mineral exploration going on in Australia right now. First an Australian company has been working for over 10 years to develope an exploration AI assisted map of likely prospects. They started off in WA and now cover the whole of Australia and linking witgh OS companies to expand world wide. They kept the best 15 projects not then covered by permits. Have made it so much easier for the geologists.

Then even Tasmania had presentations. However the advanced projects were re opening of old mines as current techniques have identified more resources. One is a tin mine on the West Coast and the other the reopening of Mt. Lyell at Queenstown.

Sorry, catching up. Exploration in Australia has always been amazing (although its been a bit less amazing in the past 6 years or so ) Assuming it would be a bit eye-glazing for AFF, could you PM me some details? Any links to presentations? I think I know the AI mob and not very impressed. Tin on the west coast - there are many new and old of course. Renison just keeps going and going (deeper). Avebury Ni has just changed hands.

Then across to WA and an important developement for Australia with a world class Vanadium resource. Two companies have found significant deposits near Meekatharra. Both are planning benefication plants at the mines. One of them will also build a processing plant there to produce vanadium electrolyte. They are advised by LE Energy of Japan which is currently completing a Vanadium Battery plant in Japan. For those who don't know about VRFBs here is one companies view of why Vanadium is going to be important.

The relationship between vanadium and diesel powered nuns should not be ignored.

The facility will be a way west of Geraldton near Mullewa.

Damn. OZDUCK beat me to it.

 

[drron]

You will have to wait until I get home to send you some of the information @RooFlyer .

 

[drron]

So to dinner last night. Sun was setting.


Off to the Boat Club just up the road. It was jumping. Considered becoming a member but $26 for the first year so saving on one meal not worth it. The Cowboys in Townsville have spoilt me.
2 of the 3 dishes were fine the other abysmal. We started with garlic scallops.


They were great. Then I had garlic prawn fettuccine also very good.


Mrsdrron had the salmon. Way over cooked.


Washed down with a Wild Oats SB.

 

[Katie]

The relationship between vanadium and diesel powered nuns should not be ignored.

Diesel powered nuns?
Now I need to duck upstairs and ask one of the mining consultants what they are. Don't think that comes up in our introductory training? (Google isn't helping me understand this combination of words!)

 

[RooFlyer]

Diesel powered nuns?
Now I need to duck upstairs and ask one of the mining consultants what they are. Don't think that comes up in our introductory training? (Google isn't helping me understand this combination of words!)

You need to upgrade your Google! (you only need the first 15 secs of this).

 

[drron]

Today a day of rest. A couple of shops but the ones Mrsdrron liked have all gone. Then a drive along the bay again noticed closed restaurants. I think only 2 of the nearly a dozen we used to eat at still open.
So a late lunch at Ricardo's Italian restaurant. Good but not great. Mrsdrron started with the garlic and finger lime scallops. The special lunch mushroom pasta.



I had 2 of the lunch specials. Seafood chowder followed by lobster mornay.


Washed down with an Italian pinot grigio.


So reasonable value. The lobster travelled all the way from the Abrolhos Islands to let me eat him for $45.