The Australian share market has kicked off 2026 with a bang, showcasing a familiar trio of high-flying resource and technology stocks. Leading the charge is junior explorer Charger Metals, which has more than doubled in value, while environmental tech firm Calix and silver-focused Investigator Resources also posted spectacular gains in a shortened trading week.
Charger Metals Strikes Gold with Major Discovery
Charger Metals NL (ASX: CHR) has been crowned this week's standout performer, with its share price rocketing an impressive 105%. The surge followed a significant gold discovery at its Mt Gordon tenement, part of the broader Lake Johnston lithium-gold project in Western Australia's Yilgarn province.
The company announced on Tuesday that a recent reverse circulation (RC) drill hole had intersected a standout 12-metre section grading 6.55 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold from 132 metres downhole. This included a richer 4-metre slice at 16.9 g/t. Crucially, this was the first-ever drill test in a previously untouched area, hitting mineralisation beneath a large 1.8km by 1.7km soil anomaly.
With no historical drilling within 1,600 metres of the discovery hole, the result has instantly upgraded the prospectivity of the entire area. The find points to a classic mafic-hosted gold deposit, potentially opening a new growth avenue for Charger alongside its lithium ambitions. An expanded RC and diamond drilling campaign, fully funded under a Rio Tinto Exploration farm-in agreement, is set to begin in January.
Calix Rides Wave of Decarbonisation Momentum
Environmental technology company Calix Limited (ASX: CXL) secured a well-earned second place, with its shares soaring 65% in the absence of any fresh news. The surge appears driven by a potent mix of late-2025 milestones that have captured investor attention.
The company's share price blasted through the $1 mark in the final fortnight of 2025, climbing from 73 cents on Christmas Eve to an intraday peak of $1.205. The move prompted a 'please explain' query from the ASX, to which Calix responded that it was unaware of any undisclosed information behind the trading.
The company's momentum is underpinned by the recent completion of its landmark lithium mid-stream demonstration plant, built jointly with Pilbara Minerals (PLS) at the Pilgangoora operation in WA. Calix's core technology, its patented Flash Calciner platform, aims to decarbonise heavy industries like cement and steel by using indirect electric heating. The company also recently secured a new three-year US contract for water treatment products worth $10 million annually.
Investigator Silver Capitalises on Record Metal Prices
Rounding out the top runners is Investigator Silver Ltd (ASX: IVR), which climbed 50% despite a quiet week on the news front. The company is riding the wave of record-high silver prices, which clipped US$84 an ounce in late December.
Investigator released a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) update in December for its Paris silver project in South Australia. The update, incorporating today's sky-high silver prices, suggests significantly expanded pit designs and a 6% improvement in silver recoveries. The assumed silver price in the study is A$70 per ounce, but with spot prices now nearing A$110, the economic cut-off grade has been slashed, boosting contained silver within the optimised pit by a hefty 13 million ounces.
As one of the ASX's rare pure-play silver stories, Investigator offers significant leverage to the metal's price rally. A 2021 pre-feasibility study already projected a robust 54% internal rate of return at prices half of today's levels, suggesting the final DFS could deliver eye-watering economics.
Commodity Backdrop Fuels ASX Optimism
The stellar performances come against a backdrop of strong commodity markets. Copper prices flirted with fresh highs in late 2025 after a mid-year correction, while gold and silver posted breathtaking returns. Official forecasts peg Australian gold exports for the financial year at a remarkable $60 billion, potentially making it the nation's second-largest export.
The new year also began with major corporate activity, as global mining giant BHP backed a A$1.69 billion Chinese takeover of SolGold by Jiangxi Copper, ending a long fight for the Cascabel copper-gold project in Ecuador. For Australian investors, commodities and related technology plays remain bright spots to watch as the 2026 market narrative unfolds.
