Cherry Picking The Diamonds From The Stock Market

Can fortunes be made in penny stocks with diligent study of product (or resource) and market capitalization?

I have recently read about a mining company in Australia that is mining a rare type of natural earth commodity. The natural resource product is being bought in large quantities by China.
The stock was up over 10% on Friday on a volume of approximately 360,000 to over $1.00 a share. Is looking further into these announcements worth the time and due diligence?
Or is it in all liklihood the same old pump and dump? Do some individuals become wealthy by seeking out exceptional opportunities in penny stocks?

Yes, fortunes can be made and they can also be lost. I have seen them go up and down far more than 10% in minutes.