Yesterday, BCI Minerals Ltd (ASX: BCI) announced it had been awarded a construction contract for a new sulphate of potash (SOP) pilot plant at its flagship Mardie Salt Operation and Potash Project. This pilot plant marks a major step towards validating commercial-scale SOP production from the Mardie feedstock.

What did BCI Minerals report?

• Construction contract awarded for a 150 kg/hr SOP pilot plant at Mardie Salt Operation
• Pilot plant expenditure funded within the approved A$1.443 billion Mardie project budget
• Commissioning targeted for the start of Q2 FY2028, with 12-month piloting phase
• Approximately 1,000 tonnes of representative KTMS feedstock to be produced in Q2 FY2027
• Bluestar Lehigh Engineering Institute Co, Ltd engaged as lead designer and constructor

What else do investors need to know?

The new SOP pilot plant will allow BCI Minerals to test the value-adding potential of converting bitterns into high-value, premium fertiliser products onsite. This staged investment is intended to support continuous, end-to-end testing under operating conditions to refine technical and process design before any large-scale decisions are made.

The pilot initiative is fully funded from BCI’s existing project resources, meaning no change to the scope or schedule of the Mardie salt operation. The independent consultancy eXcellerate will provide oversight across design, risk, procurement, and commissioning, with a view to ensuring robust, reliable results.

What did BCI Minerals management say?

Managing Director David Boshoff said:

The SOP pilot plant is an important next step in BCI’s disciplined approach to maximising the value of the Mardie resource. It will allow us to assess the value-adding of bitterns into SOP, with the potential for Mardie to become Australia’s only operation producing both salt and SOP on one site. Piloting is the disciplined way to approach SOP. It gives us realistic, continuous end-to-end data on feed material in our own operating environment, which is exactly what we need to finalise a robust flowsheet and reduce technical and process uncertainty before any future full-scale investment decision. We are funding this entirely from within the existing approved project budget, and it does not change the scope or schedule of the Mardie salt operation.

What’s next for BCI Minerals?

BCI Minerals will now focus on producing and processing around 1,000 tonnes of feedstock for the pilot, aiming to commission the new SOP facility at the start of Q2 FY2028. Piloting will run for approximately 12 months, giving the company valuable operational data for refining its SOP process.

Any decision to proceed with a full-scale SOP facility will depend on successful piloting results, further feasibility work, and a separate investment decision. This staged approach supports BCI’s strategy to diversify Mardie’s earnings base and potentially establish a unique Australian operation.

BCI Minerals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, BCI Minerals shares have risen 31%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post BCI Minerals: SOP pilot plant contract awarded appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this $1.4 billion ASX All Ords mining stock is tipped to jump 30%
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy with gains of up to 75%

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares finished Tuesday 3% higher at $43.35, extending their monthly gain to 25%. That’s an impressive rebound, but the ASX tech stock remains 37% lower year to date and down 62% over the past 12 months.

Now, investors are looking towards 26 August, when WiseTech is due to deliver its FY26 results. The numbers could determine whether this rally has genuine legs.

Is WiseTech’s comeback gathering momentum?

The recovery in WiseTech shares since late July has been eye-catching. But the collapse has been brutal, and investors still have plenty of reasons to remain cautious.

The interesting thing is that the underlying business hasn’t simply fallen apart.

WiseTech’s flagship CargoWise platform remains a major logistics software solution, used by the world’s top 25 freight forwarders, including Toll and DHL. The platform helps freight forwarders, customs brokers and supply-chain operators navigate increasingly complex global trade.

That leaves WiseTech exposed to powerful long-term trends, particularly the continued digitalisation of global trade and growing demand for sophisticated logistics technology.

Crucially, the sell-off hasn’t primarily reflected collapsing demand for CargoWise. Investor confidence, governance concerns and regulatory issues have played a major role.

That makes next week’s results particularly important.

What could WiseTech report?

Management has reaffirmed FY26 guidance for revenue of US$1.39 billion to US$1.44 billion, representing growth of 79% to 85%.

EBITDA is expected to reach US$550 million to US$585 million, which would represent growth of 44% to 53% over FY25.

If WiseTech delivers on those numbers — and provides an encouraging FY27 outlook — investors in WiseTech shares may become more willing to look past the governance drama and refocus on the company’s underlying growth opportunity.

What do brokers think?

The broker community appears relatively bullish on WiseTech shares.

According to TradingView data, 11 of 14 analysts have a buy or strong-buy rating. The average price target of $60.61 implies potential upside of roughly 40% from Tuesday’s close.

The most bullish target is a remarkable $114.11, suggesting potential upside of approximately 163%.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $71.75 price target. Its analysts believe some of the headwinds weighing on WiseTech could begin to fade, particularly following the appointment of Raelene Murphy as chair.

Macquarie is also bullish, with a buy rating and $47.10 price target. The broker has suggested WiseTech could “surprise to the upside” with FY27 guidance, although tariffs and regulatory issues remain risks.

Could WiseTech shares really rebound?

The bull case for WiseTech shares is certainly becoming harder to ignore. A strong FY26 result, combined with upbeat FY27 guidance, could give investors the catalyst they’ve been waiting for to reassess WiseTech’s battered valuation.

But this isn’t a risk-free recovery story. Governance, regulatory and execution risks remain, while the company must prove that it can translate its powerful long-term growth opportunity into sustainable earnings growth.

The post WiseTech shares are up 25%. Could this be the start of a huge comeback? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 50% – Are these the best value ASX 200 shares right now?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• WiseTech shares are taking off: Is this the start of a major comeback?
• These 2 oversold ASX shares look super cheap right now
• Down 65%! Are WiseTech shares now a bargain buy?

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

A decade gives businesses plenty of time to grow, new industries to develop, and investment returns to compound.

For investors looking towards 2036, these are three Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) I think could be worth considering.

Vanguard Diversified All Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDAL)

The VDAL ETF is one of the newer additions to Vanguard’s Australian range, and I like how much it can cover in a single investment.

The fund invests entirely in shares and provides exposure to more than 6,000 stocks across over 50 markets. That includes Australian shares, large international companies, emerging markets, and global small caps.

For me, the attraction is the sheer number of places growth can come from.

The businesses leading global markets in 2036 may look quite different from those dominating today. New companies will emerge, existing leaders will expand, and some industries could become far more important.

The VDAL ETF does not require investors to predict all of those changes beforehand. Its broad exposure allows the portfolio to evolve alongside global share markets.

I think it could be an attractive Vanguard ETF for investors who want broad share market exposure over a long timeframe.

Vanguard Global Technology Index ETF (ASX: VTEK)

Technology is one area where I expect the world to look considerably different by 2036.

Artificial intelligence is already changing how businesses operate, while cloud computing, cybersecurity, semiconductors, automation, and digital services should continue developing over the coming decade.

The VTEK ETF provides exposure to around 300 global technology stocks across developed and emerging markets. It also caps individual positions, helping prevent the portfolio from becoming completely dominated by its largest holdings.

I like this approach because the next decade of technology growth may spread well beyond the companies currently receiving the most attention.

The fund can participate as new technology leaders emerge while retaining exposure to established businesses benefiting from continued digital investment.

There will be periods when technology shares struggle, particularly after valuations become stretched. However, over a decade, I think continued innovation gives this Vanguard ETF an exciting long-term opportunity.

Vanguard MSCI International Small Companies Index ETF (ASX: VISM)

The VISM ETF looks further down the size spectrum.

It invests in smaller companies across major developed markets, with its largest country exposure currently coming from the United States, followed by markets including Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, and Germany.

I think small caps can be particularly attractive over a 10-year timeframe because many are still relatively early in their growth journeys.

Some will expand into new countries, develop new products, or grow into much larger businesses. An ETF provides a way to participate in that potential across a broad collection of companies rather than needing to identify the eventual winners individually.

Smaller companies can experience greater volatility, and plenty will inevitably disappoint. But I think the chance to capture growth across hundreds of businesses makes the fund worth considering for a long holding period.

Foolish takeaway

Ten years is long enough for markets to change in ways that are difficult to predict today.

That is why I like ETFs that either spread their exposure widely or give investors access to areas where I can see substantial growth ahead.

I would be comfortable buying any of these Vanguard ETFs now and giving the investment plenty of time to work.

The post 3 Vanguard ETFs I’d buy and hold until 2036 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 excellent Vanguard ETFs I would buy with $10,000
• 3 Vanguard ETFs to buy with $30,000

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.