Proactive news headlines: Argo Blockchain, Shield Therapeutics, Helium One, Critical Metals...

Argo Blockchain PLC (LON:ARB) (OTCQX:ARBKF) said it has completed a fundraising that it says will allow it to complete a follow-on investment in Pluto Digital Assets as well as pursue strategic opportunities in crypto mining, capital investment, decentralised finance (DeFi) and Web 3.0 initiatives, and general working capital purposes. Anglesey Mining PLC (LON:AYM) revealed encouraging news from Labrador Iron Mines Holdings (LIMH), in which it holds a 12% stake, with LIMH releasing details of a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) of its 52%-owned Houston Project in Canada. Shield Therapeutics PLC (LON:STX) said Australia's Therapeutics Goods Administration has approved its drug Feraccru to treat iron deficiency with or without anaemia in adults. Diagnostics specialist genedrive plc (LON:GDR) said it has inked a deal with a US military contracting specialist that will distribute its BioPlex range, which provide rapid tests for threats from pathogens. Open Orphan PLC (LON:ORPH) said its Venn Life Sciences business has won a contract to support a phase I clinical study. Kromek Group PLC (LON:KMK) has been awarded a contract worth a minimum of US$960,000 by a customer that wants to use Kromek’s technology in a new radiation technology product. Arix Bioscience PLC (LON:ARIX), the biotech backer, saw a sharp increase in its net asset value (NAV) per share in 2020. The company’s NAV stood at £328mln at the end of December, up from £202mln a year earlier. The company also announced it has founded a new 49%-owned portfolio company, Twelve Bio, that is a spin-out from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen and is developing novel engineered Cas12a nucleases for therapeutic gene editing. KR1 PLC (LON:KR1) said it has invested US$200,000 into a seed funding round at Automata Network alongside trading firm Alameda Research and other investors such as IOSG Ventures, Divergence Ventures and Genesis Block, for a yet-to-be-determined amount of Automata (ATA) tokens. Frontier IP Group PLC (LON:FIPP) said its portfolio company AquaInSilico, in which it owns a 29% stake, will receive a US$250,000 grant as an Ocean Innovator through the United Nations Development Programme’s Ocean Innovation Challenge. Live Company Group PLC (LON:LVCG) said it has signed a new contract for Paddington Bear with the Black Watch Museum in Perth, Scotland. Directa Plus PLC (LON:DCTA) announced it has received an eighth positive test result confirming that its graphene nanoplatelets are not absorbed through human skin. This is vital for the use of graphene in textile markets where customers have to be certain of the safety of the apparel they produce and market, the company said. Condor Gold PLC (LON:CNR)(TSE:COG) has completed the first 26 drill holes of the La India starter pit infill drilling programme. La India is Condor’s flagship gold project in Nicaragua. Greatland Gold PLC (LON:GGP) said further infill drilling results were "outstanding" at its Havieron project in Australia. Westmount Energy Limited (LON:WTE) told investors it is expecting that operations for Jabillo-1, the next well at the Canje block, offshore Guyana, will start tomorrow. Conroy Gold and Natural Resources PLC (LON:CGNR) said it has identified a series of drilling targets on its gold exploration acreage in the Sodankylä area of Northern Finland. Ncondezi Energy Ltd (LON:NCCL) has signed a Master Services Agreement with Synergy Consulting to provide financial and transaction advisory services in regard to the integrated 300MW coal fired Ncondezi power project and coal mine in Tete, Mozambique.  Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd (LON:COPL, CSE:XOP) has raised £14mln through a share placing with the proceeds earmarked for its new North American assets, which are being acquired in the Atomic Oil & Gas deal (due to close next week). Critical Metals PLC (LON:CRTM) has received warrant exercise notices to subscribe for 4,000,000 new ordinary shares in the company at an exercise price of 10p per ordinary share for total gross proceeds of £400,000. Chief executive Russell Fryer said: "It is encouraging to see further support from our shareholders endorsing the confidence they have in the Company's strategy to identify and acquire brownfield mining opportunities in the strategic metals sector. We continue to consider a number of operators or near-term production operators within the natural resources development and production sector in the continent of Africa, with a number of targets having been identified with preliminary discussions continuing."  Zoetic International PLC (LON:ZOE) said it has secured a put option financing agreement with US investment manager LDA Capital. The cannabidiol (CBD) group said the agreement will allow it to access up to £35mln over a 36-month period as well as retain the optionality to control the timing and amount of capital draws, which it said will guarantee operational flexibility for the group as it looked to further expand its international footprint. Cadogan Petroleum Plc (LON:CAD) in a statement noted that it has agreed, at the request of borrower Proger Managers & Partners, to postpone the Loan reimbursement until 19 March – it also noted that as of the maturity date, February 25, the due reimbursement was €14.85mln. Helium One Global Ltd (LON:HE1) has appointed Canaccord Genuity as its joint broker, effective immediately. Chief executive David Minchin said: “Although Helium One is financed for its current exploration programme, Canaccord are well placed to assist the company in securing future institutional investment as the project matures into development.” Applied Graphene Materials PLC (LON:AGM) notified that its interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2021 are scheduled for 24 March. United Oil & Gas PLC (LON:UOG) chief executive Brian Larkin will present an updated corporate presentation at the Proactive One2One Investor Forum on Thursday, 11 March. The online forum is due to begin at 6pm, with registration details found at https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/register/event_details/323. OPG Power Ventures plc (LON:OPG) chief financial officer Dmitri Tsvetkov will present via the Shares and AJ Bell investor evening webinar tomorrow, 10 March at 6.30pm.  AFC Energy (LON:AFC) told investors that it has appointed FTI Consulting as its retained public relations and financial communications adviser. Following confirmation from the Financial Conduct Authority today, Supply@ME Capital PLC (LON:SYME) announced the restoration of its listing on the London Stock Exchange and the resumption of dealings in its shares. The company confirmed that it will be issuing a trading update to the market before the end of this month.