Interview with Rupert Verco, CEO & Managing Director of Cobra Resources PLC

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/cobra-resources-lsecobr-maiden-resource-work-begins-with-2026-drill-campaign-8583

Recording date: 4th February 2026

Cobra Resources (LSE:COBR) is positioning itself at the forefront of Australia's critical minerals sector through a dual strategy: advancing two significant South Australian projects while actively influencing government policy on strategic reserves.

The company's flagship Boland rare earths project utilizes in-situ recovery (ISR) technology to extract dysprosium and terbium, targeting production costs of $60/kg NdPr—half the $120/kg required by conventional mining operations. This cost advantage forms the basis of management's ambition to become "the Kazatomprom of rare earths," replicating the Kazakh uranium producer's dominance through lowest-cost ISR operations. The company has achieved significant technical milestones, including proven ISR processes, proprietary sulfuric acid production from waste materials, and 100% cerium suppression that enhances product value by increasing heavy rare earth ratios to 48%.

Complementing the rare earths focus, Cobra's Manna Hill project offers substantial copper-molybdenum-gold-PGE potential. Historic drilling has returned exceptional results, including 4-8 meter intersections grading 2% molybdenum at the Blue Rose prospect. Current programs aim to demonstrate tier-one scale at shallow depths, with management targeting 50+ meter intersections exceeding 1% copper.

Beyond project development, Managing Director Rupert Verco has played a key role through the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) in shaping Australia's Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. The AMEC submission advocates for production support mechanisms modeled on Australia's Capacity Investment Scheme rather than floor pricing, which Verco argues would unfairly advantage higher-cost producers.

In 2025, Cobra expanded its land position by 3,200 square kilometers with favorable metallurgy confirmed, while divesting gold assets to Barton Gold for non-dilutive capital. The company holds approximately £5 million in in-the-money warrants and maintains a significant Barton Gold equity position, providing funding optionality as it pursues key 2026 milestones: defining a significant rare earths resource by June, completing a scoping study, and delivering copper-molybdenum drill results that could materially re-rate the asset.

View Cobra Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/cobra-resources

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