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Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR) (Brightstar) is pleased to announce it has executed a significant drill-for-equity agreement with Topdrill Pty Ltd (Topdrill) which complements the existing arrangement and underpins the strong working relationship between Brightstar and Topdrill.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Brightstar and Topdrill have executed a drill-for-equity agreement worth $4 million, whereby up to 50% of future drilling services invoiced by Topdrill can be paid in Brightstar ordinary shares
- The agreement with Topdrill cornerstones Brightstar’s multi-drill rig exploration program to aggressively advance the consolidated Sandstone Project post the completion of the transactions with Alto Metals Ltd and Gateway Mining Ltd1
- This $4 million drill-for-equity arrangement is in addition to an existing $1million agreement with Topdrill and further enhances Brightstar’s financial capacity to deliver on its multi hub exploration and development strategy
- At Brightstar’s election, equity issued via the arrangement is to be voluntarily escrowed for six months and will be issued at the 20-Day VWAP on the invoice date
Brightstar’s Managing Director, Alex Rovira, commented
“We are pleased to expand materially upon the strong relationship with Topdrill and the existing drill-for-equity agreement, which aligns with our strategic ambition of partnering with tier 1 industry partners as we seek to genuinely build a WA-focused gold exploration, development and production business in a rising gold price environment.
The significant investment offers a cost-effective approach to enhance our aggressive exploration plans across Brightstar’s growing gold project portfolio and demonstrates Topdrill's confidence in Brightstar’s team, Brightstar’s assets and development plan of organically growing gold production to become a material, multi-asset producer in Western Australia.
It is fantastic to see Topdrill’s commitment to not only Brightstar, but a number of emerging ASX-listed WA gold exploration companies with promising projects. This funding assistance, against the backdrop of continuing challenging equity capital markets, to effectively enable companies to drill more holes and discover more gold, is great to see and has a meaningful benefit to the junior exploration sector. Brightstar applauds Tim Topham and the team for this approach to working with the junior resources sector to enable more exploration and potential discoveries in WA.
Figure 1- Brightstar Board of Director in front of two Topdrill drilling rigs at the Fish deposit (Jasper Hills) in August. Board (L-R): Richard Crookes, Andrew Rich, Alex Rovira, Jonathan Downes, Ashley Fraser
Brightstar is currently completing a +30,000m RC and DD drilling program across the Company’s Menzies and Laverton asset base, with the drilling expected to complete in September. Results from these programs, both infill and extensional in nature, will be used in future Mineral Resource Estimate upgrades and will feed into Brightstar’s definitive feasibility study underway.
Subject to the successful completion of the Gateway Mining Ltd and Alto Metals Ltd transactions, expected for completion in September and November respectively, Brightstar anticipates mobilising a drill rig for infill and extensional drilling programs across the Gum Creek and Sandstone properties to advance the projects meaningfully towards mining studies and ultimate commercialisation of the significant mineral resource endowment.
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This article includes content from Brightstar Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Brightstar Resources
Investor Insight
With multiple catalysts ahead, including resource upgrades, expanded production, and further development of its Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone hubs, Brightstar Resources presents a compelling investment case in a rising gold market.
Overview
Gold has continued to demonstrate its resilience as a store of value, with prices peaking at US$3,500.05 per ounce, its all-time high. Amid ongoing global economic uncertainty, including inflationary pressures, rising geopolitical tensions, and volatile interest rate environments, investors have turned to gold as both a safe haven asset and a hedge against macroeconomic instability.
Brightstar Resources (ASX:BTR) is strategically positioned to capitalize on this environment as a low-cost, multi-asset gold developer with near-term production potential. The company controls over 1,500 square kilometers of highly prospective ground across three of Western Australia’s most prolific gold belts: the Laverton Tectonic Zone, the Menzies Shear Zone, and the Sandstone Greenstone Belt.
Unlike many junior exploration companies, Brightstar has a key differentiator: it owns a fully permitted, strategically located processing facility near Laverton. This existing infrastructure offers the company a critical advantage, enabling a low-capex restart scenario and faster time to cash flow compared to peers who must first secure permits and fund costly plant construction. This plant is subject of a DFS due for announcement in June 2025.
Through a focused multi-hub strategy, Brightstar has built a robust pipeline of development-ready and resource-growth projects, supported by:
- Over 3 million ounces of gold resources across Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone;
- Ongoing high-grade drilling success in 2024 and 2025, including intercepts of up to 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold;
- A track record of low-cost, value-accretive acquisitions, such as Linden Gold Alliance and Alto Metals;
- A dedicated, in-house technical team executing on aggressive exploration, fast-tracked studies, and staged development.
With global gold demand remaining strong, Brightstar is well-positioned to deliver material shareholder value through its integrated production plan, supported by scalable infrastructure, a growing resource base, and access to capital. The company’s strategic approach includes combining brownfields development, organic exploration, and corporate M&A, placing it at the forefront of a new generation of Australian gold producers.
Company Highlights
- ASX-listed gold exploration and development company with a consolidated mineral endowment of 3 Moz of gold across Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone hubs in Western Australia.
- Owns and operates 100 percent of project areas: 300 sq km in Laverton Tectonic Zone, 80 sq km in Menzies Shear Zone, and 1,200 sq km in Sandstone Greenstone Belt.
- Gold processing operations at the Laverton facility have commenced under an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA) with Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX:GMD), marking a significant milestone in transitioning from exploration to production.
- Recent drilling campaigns have yielded strong high-grade results, including:
- 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold at Second Fortune (Laverton)
- 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold at Musketeer (Sandstone)
- 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold at Yunndaga (Menzies)
- Following the successful Linden Gold Alliance acquisition, Brightstar has commenced a DFS for the wider development of its Laverton and Menzies assets which is due for release imminently in June 2025.
- Ongoing Sandstone drilling continues to return high-grade intercepts, further supporting project advancement and MRE conversion.
- In 2024, Brightstar signed a $4 million drill-for-equity deal with Topdrill to fast-track exploration at Sandstone.
- The company has successfully executed a US$11.5 million (AU$18 million) revolving stockpile finance facility with Ocean Partners Australia.
Key Projects
Laverton Hub
Brightstar’s Laverton hub is comprised of the Cork Tree Well, Jasper Hills, Second Fortune, Beta and Alpha project areas.
Highlights:
- Combined, the Laverton Hub JORC mineral resource estimate is 15.7 Mt @ 1.7 g/t gold for 848 koz (49 percent measured and indicated category). All mineral resources are on granted mining leases
- Cork Tree Well (6.4 Mt at 1.4 g/t gold for 292 koz gold)
- Alpha (1.4 Mt at 2.3 g/t gold for 106 koz gold)
- Beta (1.9 Mt at 1.7 g/t gold for 102 koz gold)
- Lord Byron (5.2 Mt at 1.5 g/t gold for 251 koz gold)
- Fish (376 kt at 4.0 g/t gold for 49 koz gold)
- Second Fortune (92 kt at 13.4 g/t gold for 40 koz gold)
- Gilt Key (168 kt at 1.3 g/t gold for 8 koz gold)
- Main project area Cork Tree Well is open at depth and along strike with recent drilling results of 34.4 meters at 7.94 g/t gold from 43.5 meters (CTWMET004) and 27.6 meters at 17.8 g/t gold from 51 m (CTWMET003)
- Second Fortune has a mineral resource estimate head grade of ~11g/t gold with an average ore body width of 0.6 meters.
- Jasper Hills is located 50 km from Brightstar’s existing processing facility along a wholly-owned private haul road, allowing unimpeded, direct access to both projects
- Permitted, previously mined and production-ready
- Last mined by current owners in 2020 with 23,000 oz gold mined
- Growth Drivers:
- Second Fortune: Consistent, stable production and cash generation through 2025
- Fish: Mining activities have commenced and site establishment is continuing.
- First ore production targeted in June
- Open pits development: Large scale production opportunities through mining Lord Byron and Cork Tree Well as multi-year base load ore sources
- DFS: due for delivery in June 2025, including design and costs for expansion of BTR-owned processing infrastructure to 1Mtpa.
Menzies Hub
The Menzies Hub comprises a tenement holding of a contiguous land package of granted mining leases over a strike length of more than 20 km. The majority of deposits hosted along the Menzies Shear Zone are located adjacent to the Goldfields Highway in Menzies (130km north of Kalgoorlie).
Highlights:
- Total Current Resource: 12.7 Mt at 1.4 g/t gold for 589 koz gold (37 percent measured and indicated)
- DFS: due for delivery in June 2025, including design and costs for open pit and underground mining for toll processing/ore sales to a regional Kalgoorlie-Menzies mill.
- Growth Drivers:
- Lady Shenton Open Pit: Proposed multi-year consistent open pit production to provide cash generation. Targeting approvals received and ‘mine ready’ in 2025
- Yunndaga Underground: Planned infill drilling targeting conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources to M+I to support inclusion in future mining operations – recent results from this program include 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold
- Development: Advancing discussions with regional mills for 3rd party processing capacity in the Kalgoorlie-Menzies region, targeting a mining decision.
Sandstone Hub
The consolidated Sandstone project is over 100 km from existing third-party milling operations in the Murchison. This third processing hub boasts Alto’s Sandstone project with a mineral resource of 1.05 Moz at 1.4 g/t gold and Gateway’s Montague gold project with a mineral resource of 0.5 Moz @ 1.6 g/t gold.
Growth Drivers:
- Sandstone: Upgrade the Lords, Vanguard, Indomitable and Havilah camps to Indicated classification (40,000m RC+DD)
- Montague: Infill Montague and Whistler to Indicated classification (5,000m RC and 1,200m DD) – RC
- Greenfields: Follow up drilling of priority prospects across Sandstone Hub (West Hacks, Hancocks, Bulchina, Lords Corridor, Duplex) – recent drilling success includes exceptional intercepts at the Musketeer prospect yielding 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold
- Pre-Feasibility Study: Incorporation of 2025 drilling results into MRE upgrades to then factor into 1H 2026 Sandstone PFS
Management Team
Alex Rovira - Managing Director
Alex Rovira is a qualified geologist and an experienced investment banker having focused on the metals and mining sector since 2013. Rovira has experience in ASX equity capital markets activities, including capital raisings, IPOs and merger and acquisitions.
Richard Crookes - Non-executive Chairman
Richard Crookes has over 35 years’ experience in the resources and investments industries. He is a geologist by training having previously worked as the chief geologist and mining manager of Ernest Henry Mining in Australia.
Crookes is managing partner of Lionhead Resources, a critical minerals investment fund and formerly an investment director at EMR Capital. Prior to that he was an executive director in Macquarie Bank’s Metals Energy Capital (MEC) division where he managed all aspects of the bank’s principal investments in mining and metals companies.
Andrew Rich - Executive Director
Andrew Rich is a degree qualified mining engineer from the WA School of Mines and has obtained a WA First Class Mine Managers Certificate. Rich has a strong background in underground gold mining with experience predominantly in the development of underground mines at Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) and Westgold Resources (ASX:WGX).
Ashley Fraser - Non-executive Director
Ashley Fraser is an accomplished mining professional with over 30 years experience across gold and bulk commodities. Fraser was a founder of Orionstone (which merged with Emeco in a $660-million consolidation) and is a founder/owner of Blue Cap Mining and Blue Cap Equities.
Jonathan Downes - Non-executive Director
Jonathan Downes has over 30 years’ experience in the minerals industry and has worked in various geological and corporate capacities. Experienced with gold and base metals, he has been intimately involved with the exploration process through to production. Downes is currently the managing director of Kaiser Reef, a high grade gold producer, and non-executive director of Cazaly Resources.
Dean Vallve – Chief Development Officer
Dean Vallve holds technical qualifications in geology & mining engineering from the WA School of Mines, an MBA, and a WA First Class Mine Managers Certificate. Vallve was previously in senior mining and study roles at ASX listed mid-cap resources companies Hot Chili (ASX:HCH) and Calidus Resources (ASX:CAI).
Nicky Martin – Chief Financial Officer
Nicky Martin is an experienced finance and accounting professional holding tertiary qualifications in accounting and finance and is a qualified CPA. Martin was previously the Head of Finance at Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) where she oversaw and was actively involved in a rapidly growing mining success story.
Emerging gold producer and district-scale resource developer in Western Australia
Zeus Resources: Unlocking Morocco’s High-grade Antimony in a Tightening Supply Market
Zeus Resources (ASX:ZEU,FSE:ZEU) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to advancing high-grade critical mineral projects in underexplored regions. Its primary focus is the 100-percent-owned Casablanca antimony project in Morocco, while also maintaining exploration interests in uranium, lithium and rare earth elements across Australia.
Targeting Europe’s industrial and defence supply chains, Zeus is leveraging Morocco’s efficient permitting environment to fast-track development. In July 2025, Zeus completed its acquisition of Casablanca and immediately initiated a high-resolution geophysics program. The company aims to progress from reconnaissance to drilling within months, capitalising on record-high antimony prices and tightening Western supply chains. The Casablanca project represents one of the few high-grade antimony exposures outside China.
Zeus also strengthened its Moroccan strategy through a five-year, non-exclusive license agreement with Newmont, covering its Morocco exploration database and regional framework study across the Anti-Atlas and Central Meseta regions. The database integrates geochemical, geophysical and structural datasets, providing Zeus with a competitive advantage in prospectivity analysis and target generation. Key terms include a 1 percent NSR royalty on any properties Zeus acquires in these regions and a 15-year right of first refusal for Newmont on transfers. The agreement streamlines project identification, reduces early-stage risk and positions Zeus to efficiently expand its Moroccan footprint.
Company Highlights
- Casablanca Antimony Project: Six exploration licenses over 79 sq km in central Morocco. Surface sampling during due diligence returned astonishing results: up to 61.9 percent antimony, with additional samples ranging 7.8 to 46.52 percent antimony along a mapped strike exceeding 4 km
- Strategic Location for Supply Security: Morocco is a long-standing antimony producer with historic supply to Europe, ranking 19th globally on the Fraser Institute’s mining jurisdiction index- – on par with Western Australia.
- Rapid Advancement Exploration Model: Geophysics survey underway within weeks of licence acquisition, trenching program planned, and drill commencement targeted for early Q4 2025.
- Favourable Market Dynamics: Antimony prices have quadrupled since early 2024 to ~US$55,000/t amid tightening global supply and rising demand from defence, electronics and renewable energy sectors.
- Strategic Advisory Firepower: Former US Ambassador Christopher Dell has joined as US business and strategic development advisor aiming to leverage his extensive diplomatic experience and proven negotiation skills to facilitate Zeus navigate capital-raising, geopolitical positioning and partnerships aligned with Western critical minerals policy
- Strategic Data Access: Access to Newmont’s Morocco exploration database and framework study strengthens Zeus’s ability to fast-track target generation and expand its Moroccan footprint
- Lean Valuation, Clear Milestones: Market capitalization sits around AU$9 to AU$13 million, offering early-stage leverage if exploration success continues.
This Zeus Resources profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Zeus Resources Limited
Investor Insight
With a targeted, execution-driven strategy, Zeus Resources is positioning itself as an emerging critical minerals explorer with a compelling investment story that leverages a strengthening antimony market and a clear path from discovery to production.
Overview
Zeus Resources (ASX:ZEU,FSE: ZEU) is a dynamic mineral exploration company focused on discovering and advancing early-stage, high-grade critical mineral assets in underexplored jurisdictions. Its primary strategic focus is the 100-percent-owned Casablanca antimony project in Morocco. The company also has exploration interests in uranium, lithium and rare earth elements in Australia.
Antimony, the company’s lead commodity, is designated as a critical mineral by the US, EU, Japan and Australia due to its essential role in defence, energy storage, electronics and renewable technologies. Global supply is heavily concentrated, with more than 60 percent of production originating from China and Russia and limited processing capacity outside China.
This current dynamic makes Morocco’s potential as a secure, alternative source strategically and economically important.
With Europe’s industrial and defence supply chains as its target, Zeus is leveraging Morocco’s efficient permitting environment to fast-track development. In July 2025, the company completed its acquisition of Casablanca and quickly initiated a high-resolution geophysics program. The company aims to move from reconnaissance to drilling within months to capitalise on record-high antimony prices and tightening Western supply chains. The Casablanca project represents one of the rare high-grade antimony exposures outside China.
In parallel, Zeus has strengthened its Moroccan strategy through a five-year non-exclusive license agreement with Newmont, covering its Morocco exploration database and regional framework study across the Anti-Atlas and Central Meseta regions. The database provides integrated geochemical, geophysical and structural datasets, giving Zeus a competitive advantage in prospectivity analysis and target generation. Key terms include a 1 percent NSR royalty on any properties Zeus acquires in these regions and a 15-year right of first refusal for Newmont on transfers. This agreement streamlines project identification, reduces early-stage risk, and positions Zeus to expand its Moroccan footprint efficiently.
Beyond Morocco, Zeus retains royalty-backed lithium exposure through the Mortimer Hills project in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region, situated near Delta Lithium’s substantial Malinda and Jameson deposits. The company also holds the Kalabity project in South Australia, offering multi-commodity optionality including uranium, copper, base metals, lithium and REEs, across a large landholding with geological analogies to both Olympic Dam (IOCG) and Broken Hill mineral systems.
Company Highlights
- Casablanca Antimony Project: Six exploration licenses over 79 sq km in central Morocco. Surface sampling during due diligence returned astonishing results: up to 61.9 percent antimony, with additional samples ranging 7.8 to 46.52 percent antimony along a mapped strike exceeding 4 km
- Strategic Location for Supply Security: Morocco is a long-standing antimony producer with historic supply to Europe, ranking 19th globally on the Fraser Institute’s mining jurisdiction index- – on par with Western Australia.
- Rapid Advancement Exploration Model: Geophysics survey underway within weeks of licence acquisition, trenching program planned, and drill commencement targeted for early Q4 2025.
- Favourable Market Dynamics: Antimony prices have quadrupled since early 2024 to ~US$55,000/t amid tightening global supply and rising demand from defence, electronics and renewable energy sectors.
- Strategic Advisory Firepower: Former US Ambassador Christopher Dell has joined as US business and strategic development advisor aiming to leverage his extensive diplomatic experience and proven negotiation skills to facilitate Zeus navigate capital-raising, geopolitical positioning and partnerships aligned with Western critical minerals policy
- Strategic Data Access: Access to Newmont’s Morocco exploration database and framework study strengthens Zeus’s ability to fast-track target generation and expand its Moroccan footprint
- Lean Valuation, Clear Milestones: Market capitalization sits around AU$9 to AU$13 million, offering early-stage leverage if exploration success continues.
Key Projects
Casablanca Antimony Project
Located in central Morocco, the Casablanca antimony project spans 79 sq km under six granted exploration licences in a historically productive mining district. Situated along the regional NNE-striking Smaala-Oulmes fault, the project benefits from structural dilation and quartz vein networks hosting high-grade stibnite mineralisation.
Multiple historical and recent artisanal workings are present across the tenure, with extensive surface mineralisation mapped over more than 4 km of strike. Rock chip sampling during due diligence returned exceptional antimony grades, peaking at 61.9 percent antimony, with additional assays of 44.5 percent and 39.4 percent, and a broader range of samples between 7.8 percent and 46.52 percent antimony across 20 locations. These results rank among the highest reported for any early-stage antimony discovery globally, underscoring the strong potential for defining a resource. The licences are drill-ready, and Zeus has rapidly commenced a high-resolution induced polarisation (HRIP) geophysical program comprising 23 dipole-dipole profiles over 16 km to delineate subsurface conductive zones and key structural controls.
The work is supported on the ground by Ashgill Morocco, whose in-country geological team brings deep expertise in North African mineral systems and manages permitting, mapping and logistics. Upon completion of the geophysics, a trenching program, selected for its speed and cost efficiency given the project’s grade profile, will test surface veins and inform drill targeting. Drilling is anticipated to start in early Q4 2025. Morocco’s modern mining code, stable political environment and strategic proximity to European markets present a clear pathway to fast-track the project from exploration to development, should drilling confirm significant resources.
Mortimer Hills
The Mortimer Hills project (E09/2147), located in the Gascoyne region, lies ~5 km along strike from Delta Lithium’s Malinda project. It is situated within the Leake Springs Metasediment unit, which collectively hosts 21.9 Mt of lithium resources (Malinda + Jameson deposits). The project was sold to Delta Lithium’s subsidiary, but Zeus retains a structured royalty interest, providing leveraged exposure to a rapidly advancing lithium district without ongoing capital commitments.
Kalabity Project
Kalabity is Zeus’ South Australian exploration initiative, targeting uranium, copper, base metals, lithium and REE within the Curnamona Tectonic Province. The project spans four granted exploration licences (EL7008, EL7039, EL7048 and EL7058) and is strategically located near historic deposits such as Kalabity and Crocker Well. The district’s geological setting is analogous to Olympic Dam (IOCG) and Broken Hill (zinc-lead-silver) systems, offering large-scale polymetallic potential. The recent granting of EL7058 further consolidates Zeus’ position in this prospective province.
Management Team
Alvin Tan – Executive Chairman
With nearly three decades of corporate experience across ASX-listed and global companies, Alvin Tan has a track record in mergers, acquisitions and capital raising. He currently serves as a director of LSE and NSX-listed PYX Resources and was formerly a director of ASX-listed Advanced Share Registry prior to its acquisition.
Hugh Pilgrim – Executive Director
Founding partner of Caravel Securities, Hugh Pilgrim has extensive experience in capital raising, mineral project acquisition and structuring corporate transactions on the ASX. He is leading Zeus’ corporate development strategy, with a focus on accelerating the Casablanca project’s exploration and development.
Robert Marusco – Executive Director and Company Secretary
A corporate strategist with over 25 years of experience, Robert Marusco has held senior roles in private and ASX-listed companies. He specialises in corporate governance, financial planning and compliance, with a background in advising on ASX listings, M&A and restructures.
Christopher Dell – US Business and Strategic Development Advisor
Christopher Dell is a former US Ambassador to Angola, Zimbabwe and Kosovo, and senior executive at Bechtel and Fieldstone Africa. His appointment strengthens Zeus’ ability to engage Western governments, companies and strategic funders in the antimony supply chain context
What Was the Highest Price for Gold?
Gold market gurus from Lynette Zang to Chris Blasi to Jordan Roy-Byrne have shared eye-popping predictions on the gold price that would intrigue any investor — gold bug or not.
Some have posited that the gold price may rise as high as US$4,000 or US$5,000 per ounce, and there are those who believe that US$10,000 gold or even US$40,000 gold could become a reality.
These impressive price predictions have investors wondering, what is gold's all-time high (ATH)?
In the past year, gold has reached new all-time highs dozens of times. Find out what has driven it to these levels, plus how the gold price has moved historically and what has impacted its performance in recent years.
In this article
How is gold traded?
Before discovering what the highest gold price ever was, it’s worth looking at how the precious metal is traded. Knowing the mechanics behind gold's historical moves can help illuminate why and how its price changes.
Gold bullion is traded in dollars and cents per ounce, with activity taking place worldwide at all hours, resulting in a live price. Investors trade gold in major commodities markets such as New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
London is seen as the center of physical precious metals trading, including for silver. The COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange is home to most paper trading.
There are many popular ways to invest in gold. The first is through purchasing gold bullion products such as bullion bars, bullion coins and rounds. Physical gold is sold on the spot market, meaning that buyers pay a specific price per ounce for the metal and then have it delivered or stored in a secure facility. In some parts of the world, such as India, buying gold in the form of jewelry is the largest and most traditional route to investing in gold.
Another path to gold investment is paper trading, which is done through the gold futures market. Participants enter into gold futures contracts for the delivery of gold in the future at an agreed-upon price.
In such contracts, two positions can be taken: a long position under which delivery of the metal is accepted or a short position to provide delivery of the metal. Paper trading as a means to invest in gold can provide investors with the flexibility to liquidate assets that aren’t available to those who possess physical gold bullion.
One significant long-term advantage of trading in the paper market is that investors can benefit from gold’s safe-haven status without needing to store it. Furthermore, gold futures trading can offer more financial leverage in that it requires less capital than trading in the physical market. Investors can also purchase physical gold via the futures market, but the process is complicated and lengthy and comes with a large investment and additional costs.
Aside from those options, market participants can invest in gold through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a gold ETF is similar to trading a gold stock on an exchange, and there are numerous gold ETF options to choose from depending on your preference. For instance, some ETFs focus solely on physical gold bullion, while others focus on gold futures contracts. Other gold ETFs center on gold-mining stocks or follow the gold spot price.
It is important to understand that you will not own any physical gold when investing in an ETF — in general, even a gold ETF that tracks physical gold cannot be redeemed for tangible metal.
Gold has an interesting relationship with the stock market. The two often move in sync during “risk-on periods” when investors are bullish. On the flip side, they tend to become inversely correlated in times of volatility.
According to the World Gold Council, gold's ability to decouple from the stock market during periods of stress makes it “unique amongst most hedges in the marketplace.” It is often during these times that gold outperforms the stock market. For that reason, it is often used as a portfolio diversifier to hedge against uncertainty.
There are a variety of options for investing in gold stocks, including gold-mining stocks on the TSX and ASX, gold juniors, precious metals royalty companies and gold stocks that pay dividends.
What was the highest gold price ever?
The gold price peaked at US$3,707.34, its all-time high, during trading on September 17, 2025.
What drove it to this new ATH? Gold reached its new highest price just after the US Federal Reserve announced a widely anticipated interest rate reduction of 25 basis points. Rate cut expectations had been heavily fueled in the preceding weeks by the release of US consumer price index data, as well as jobs numbers.
Additionally, the US dollar index continued a downtrend that started in mid-January, falling to a year-to-date low 96.56 on September 16. Traditionally, gold trades higher when the US dollar is weak, making it a popular hedge.
Bond market turmoil in the US and abroad on September 2 also provided tailwinds for gold, which has set multiple new highs throughout 2025 and in recent weeks amid significant uncertainty.
While gold's fresh ATH came on September 17, on September 7 gold's record-breaking run officially took it past its inflation adjusted all-time high of US$850 per ounce set in January 1980.
Why is the gold price setting new highs in 2025?
Gold's record-setting activity extends beyond the last several weeks as well.
Increased economic and geopolitical turmoil caused by the Trump administration has been a tailwind for gold this year, as well as a weakening US dollar, sticky inflation in the country and increased safe-haven gold demand.
Since coming into office in late January, Trump has threatened or enacted tariffs on many countries, including blanket tariffs on longtime US allies Canada and Mexico and tariffs on the EU.
Trump has also implemented 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.
The gold price set a string of new highs in the month of April amid high market volatility as markets reacted to tariff decisions from Trump and the escalating trade war between the US and China. By April 11, Trump had raised US tariffs on Chinese imports to 145 percent and China had raised its tariffs on US products to 125 percent. Trump has reiterated that the US may need to go through a period of economic pain to enter a new "golden age" of economic prosperity.
Falling markets and a declining US dollar have supported gold too, as well as increased buying from China. Elon Musk's call to audit the gold holdings in Fort Knox has also brought attention to the yellow metal.
What factors have driven the gold price in the last five years?
Despite these recent runs, gold has seen its share of both peaks and troughs over the last decade. After remaining rangebound between US$1,100 and US$1,300 from 2014 to early 2019, gold pushed above US$1,500 in the second half of 2019 on a softer US dollar, rising geopolitical issues and a slowdown in economic growth.
Gold’s first breach of the significant US$2,000 price level in mid-2020 was due in large part to economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To break through that barrier and reach what was then a record high, the yellow metal added more than US$500, or 32 percent, to its value in the first eight months of 2020.
Gold price chart, September 14, 2020, to September 15, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
The gold price surpassed that level again in early 2022 as Russia's invasion of Ukraine collided with rising inflation around the world, increasing the allure of safe-haven assets and pulling the yellow metal up to a price of US$2,074.60 on March 8. However, it fell throughout the rest of 2022, dropping below US$1,650 in October.
Although it didn't quite reach the level of volatility as the previous year, the gold price experienced drastic price changes in 2023 on the back of banking instability, high interest rates and the breakout of war in the Middle East.
After central bank buying pushed the gold price up to the US$1,950.17 mark by the end of January, the Fed's 0.25 percent rate hike on February 1 sparked a retreat as the dollar and treasury yields saw gains. The precious metal went on to fall to its lowest price level of the year at US$1,809.87 on February 23.
The banking crisis that hit the US in early March caused a domino effect through the global financial system and led to the mid-March collapse of Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest bank. The gold price had jumped to US$1,989.13 by March 15. The continued fallout in the global banking system throughout the second quarter of the year allowed gold to break above US$2,000 on April 3, and go on to flirt with a near-record high of US$2,049.92 on May 3.
Those gains were tempered by the Fed’s ongoing rate hikes and improvements in the banking sector, resulting in a downward trend in the gold price throughout the remainder of the second quarter and throughout Q3. By October 4, gold had fallen to a low of US$1,820.01 and analysts expected the precious metal to drop below US$1,800.
That was before the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel ignited legitimate fears of a much larger conflict erupting in the Middle East. Reacting to those fears, and to rising expectations that the Fed would begin to reverse course on interest rates, gold broke through the important psychological level of US$2,000 and closed at US$2,007.08 on October 27. As the fighting intensified, gold reached a then-new high of US$2,152.30 in intraday trading on December 3.
That robust momentum in the spot gold price continued into 2024, chasing new highs on fears of a looming US recession, the promise of Fed rate cuts on the horizon, the worsening conflict in the Middle East and the tumultuous US presidential election year. By mid-March, gold was pushing up against the US$2,200 level.
That record-setting momentum continued into the second quarter of 2024, when gold broke through US$2,400 in mid-April on strong central bank buying, sovereign debt concerns in China and investors expecting the Fed to start cutting interest rates. The precious metal went on to hit US$2,450.05 on May 20.
Throughout the summer, the hits kept on coming.
The global macro environment was highly bullish for gold leading up to the US election. Following the failed assassination attempt on Trump and a statement about coming rate cuts by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the gold spot price hit a then new all-time high on July 16 at US$2,469.30. One week later, news that then-President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and would instead pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris eased some of the tension in the stock market and strengthened the US dollar. This also pushed the price of gold down to US$2,387.99 on July 22, 2024.
However, the bullish factors supporting gold remained in play, and the spot price for gold went on to breach US$2,500 on August 2 that year on a less-than-stellar US jobs report; it closed just above the US$2,440 level. A few weeks later, gold pushed past US$2,500 once again on August 16, closing above that level for the first time ever after the US Department of Commerce released data showing a fifth consecutive monthly decrease in a row for homebuilding.
The news that the Chinese government issued new gold import quotas to banks in the country following a two month pause also helped fuel the gold price rally. Central bank gold buying has been a significant tailwind for the gold price this year, and China's central bank has been one of the strongest buyers.
Market watchers expected the Fed to cut interest rates by a quarter point at its September 2024 meeting, but news on September 12 that the regulators were still deciding between the expected cut or a larger half-point cut led the gold price on a rally that carried through into the next day, bringing the metal near US$2,600.
At the September 18 Fed meeting, the committee ultimately made the decision to cut rates by half a point, news that sent gold even higher. By September 20, it had moved above US$2,600 and was holding above US$2,620.
In October 2024, gold first breached the US$2,700 level and continued to higher on a variety of factors, including further rate cuts and economic data anticipation, the escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, and economic stimulus in China — not to mention the very close race between the US presidential candidates.
While the gold price fell following Trump's win in early November and largely held under US$2,700 through the end of the year, it began trending upward in 2025 to the new all-time high discussed earlier in the article.
What's next for the gold price?
What's next for the gold price is never an easy call to make. There are many factors to consider, but some of the most prevalent long-term drivers include economic expansion, market risk, opportunity cost and momentum.
Economic expansion is one of the primary gold price contributors as it facilitates demand growth in several categories, including jewelry, technology and investment. As the World Gold Council explains, “This is particularly true in developing economies where gold is often used as a luxury item and a means to preserve wealth.”
Market risk is also a prime catalyst for gold values as investors view the precious metal as the “ultimate safe haven,” and a hedge against currency depreciation, inflation and other systemic risks.
Going forward, in addition to the Fed, inflation and geopolitical events, experts will be looking for cues from factors like supply and demand. In terms of supply, the world’s five top gold producers are China, Australia, Russia, Canada and the US. The consensus in the gold market is that major miners have not spent enough on gold exploration in recent years. Gold mine production has fallen from around 3,200 to 3,300 metric tons (MT) each year between 2018 and 2020 to around 3,000 to 3,100 MT each year between 2021 and 2023.
On the demand side, China and India are the biggest buyers of physical gold, and are in a perpetual fight for the title of world’s largest gold consumer. That said, it's worth noting that the last few years have brought a big rebound in central bank gold buying, which dropped to a record low in 2020, but reached a 55 year high of 1,136 MT in 2022.
World Gold Council data shows 2024 central bank gold purchases came to 1,044.6 MT, marking the third year in a row above 1,000 MT. In H1 2025, the organization says gold purchases from central banks reached 415.1 MT.
“I expect the Fed’s rate-cutting cycle to be good for gold, but central bank buying has been and remains a major factor," Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, told the Investing News Network (INN) at the start of Q4 2024.
David Barrett, CEO of the UK division of global brokerage firm EBC Financial Group, is also keeping an eye on central bank purchases of gold. “I still see the global central bank buying as the main driver — as it has been over the last 15 years,” the expert said in an email to INN. "This demand removes supply from the market. They are the ultimate buy-and-hold participants and they have been buying massive amounts."
In addition to central bank moves, analysts are also watching escalating tensions in the Middle East, a weakening US dollar, declining bond yields and further interest rate cuts as factors that could push gold higher as investors look to secure their portfolios. “When it comes to outside factors that affect the market, it’s just tailwind after tailwind after tailwind. So I don’t really see the trend changing,” said Eric Coffin of Hard Rock Analyst.
Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) told INN in March 2025 that gold is seeing support from many factors, including central bank buying, nervousness around the US dollar and stronger institutional interest. Smallwood is seeing an influx of fund managers wanting to learn about precious metals.
Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist, Americas, at the World Gold Council, believes that market risk and uncertainty surrounding tariffs and continued demand from central banks are the main drivers of gold.
"Market risk in particular is a key strategic driver for the gold price and performance," Cavatoni told INN in a July 2025 interview. "Think strategically when you think about gold, and keep that allocation in mind."
Check out more of INN's interviews to find out what experts have said about the gold price during its 2025 bull run and where it could go next.
Should you beware of gold price manipulation?
It’s important for investors to be aware that gold price manipulation is a hot topic in the industry.
In 2011, when gold hit what was then a record high, it dropped swiftly in just a few short years. This decline after three years of impressive gains led many in the gold sector to cry foul and point to manipulation.
Early in 2015, 10 banks were hit in a US probe on precious metals manipulation.
Evidence provided by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) showed “smoking gun” proof that UBS Group (NYSE:UBS), HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC), the Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS,NYSE:BNS and other firms were involved in rigging gold and silver rates in the market from 2007 to 2013. Not long after, the long-running London gold fix was replaced by the LBMA gold price in a bid to increase gold price transparency. The twice-a-day process, operated by the ICE Benchmark Administration, still involves a variety of banks collaborating to set the gold price, but the system is now electronic.
Still, manipulation has by no means been eradicated, as a 2020 fine on JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) shows. The next year, chat logs were released in a spoofing trial for two former precious metals traders from the Bank of America's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch unit. They show a trader bragging about how easy it is to manipulate the gold price.
Gold market participants have consistently spoken out about manipulation. In mid-2020, Chris Marcus, founder of Arcadia Economics and author of the book “The Big Silver Short,” said that when gold fell back below the US$2,000 mark after hitting close to US$2,070, he saw similarities to what happened with the gold price in 2011.
Marcus has been following the gold and silver markets with a focus specifically on price manipulation for nearly a decade. His advice? “Trust your gut. I believe we’re witnessing the ultimate ’emperor’s really naked’ moment. This isn’t complex financial analysis. Sometimes I think of it as the greatest hypnotic thought experiment in history.”
Investor takeaway
While we have the answer to what the highest gold price ever is as of now, it remains to be seen how high gold can climb, and if the precious metal can reach as high as US$5,000, US$10,000 or even US$40,000.
Even so, many market participants believe gold is a must have in any investment profile, and there is little doubt investors will continue to see gold price action making headlines this year and beyond.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
Prince Silver Commences Fully Funded Drill Program at the Prince Silver Project in Nevada
- 31 RC holes totaling approximately 6,500 meters are planned in this first phase drilling,
- 129 historical holes (16,607 meters) confirm widespread mineralization and high-grade zones.
- The drill program is fully funded following the closing of two recent financings, totalling over $5.25M CAD
Ralph Shearing, President & Director "We're excited to launch this fully funded drill program at the Prince Silver Project, which we believe holds significant untapped potential. Our work will focus on expanding known high-grade zones, testing new areas and validating historical drilling. With approximately 6,500 meters of drilling planned, and mineralization open in all directions, this program marks a key step in defining the broader mineralized system and positioning Prince Silver as a standout silver explorer in Nevada."
2025 Drill Program
The program will consist of approximately 6,500 meters of RC drilling across 31 holes. It is designed to validate historical results, increase confidence in historic unpublished resources estimates, and complete infill and step-out drilling within and surrounding the historic resource area. The goal is to advance the project toward a maiden 43-101 resource estimate by testing potential extensions to know mineralization along strike and to depth. The drill program is being conducted by O'Keefe Drilling Company, headquartered in Butte, MT.
The Prince Silver Project hosts a significant polymetallic carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) and a sediment-hosted gold system, with mineralization that is open in all directions and amenable to open-pit mining and deeper underground mining. The project benefits from shallow, high-grade zones and holds potential for valuable manganese by-products.
Initial assay results from the program will be published as they become available from the laboratories, with ongoing results as the drill program progresses into winter.
Figure 1: First drill set up for start of 2025 drill program - Historic Prince Mine headframe in background
Figure 2: Location of the Prince Silver Project, Nevada
PRINCE SILVER PROJECT HISTORIC EXPLORATION
To evaluate the mineral potential of the Prince Project, an exploration target (the "Exploration Target") was outlined in a 2024 independent report prepared following JORC guidelines (JORC standards for the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.) by OmniGeoX Exploration Consultants of Perth, Australia based on historical surface and underground drilling.
The Exploration Target was based on 129 historic drill holes drilled through mineralized carbonate replacement beds and host Pioche Shale up to 500M depth. Mineralized polymetallic intersections based on historical block modelling suggests the immediate Exploration Target is between 25-43Mt with grades ranging as 1.44-1.57% Zn, 0.78-0.87% Pb, 0.003-0.005% Cu, 0.28-0.40g/t Au, 37-40g/t Ag and 3.62 4.30% Mn. The mineralization is open in all directions.
Readers are cautioned that the Exploration Target is not an "inferred", "indicated" or "measured" mineral resource compliant with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). The Exploration Target has been determined based upon 129 historic drill holes totaling 16,606 meters, historic production records including mine level plans and 3D modelling of mineralization and geology. The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the Exploration Target being delineated as a mineral resource.
Previous Drilling & Results
Historical exploration includes 129 drill holes totaling 16,607 meters. Results confirm widespread mineralization and multiple high-grade zones.
*Notable 2014 intercepts:
- 40.8 m @ 0.63 g/t Au, 65 g/t Ag, 1.64% Zn, 3.51% Pb (from 26 m, UDH-55),
- 24.4 m @ 0.47 g/t Au, 80 g/t Ag, 1.64% Zn, 3.52% Pb, (from 87 m, PRC-11)
- 2.4 m @ 11.1 g/t Au, 377 g/t Ag, 26.1% Zn, 4.3% Pb (from 14 m, UDH-53)
Importantly, earlier programs only sporadically assayed the Pioche Shale unit however, where assayed the Pioche Shale returned a number of highly prospective historic results such as,
- 61 m @ 2.1 g/t Au, 38 g/t Ag for (from 69 m, CDH-36)
- 41 m @ 0.7 g/t Au, 68 g/t Ag, 3.3% Zn, 0.61% Pb for (from 26 m, UDH-55)
- 71 m @ 1.4 g/t Au, 51 g/t Ag for (from 192 m, PRC-10)
Marketing Agreement
Prince Silver Corp. has entered into an advertising and investor awareness campaign with Dig Media Inc. dba Investing News Network (INN). INN is a private arm's length company dedicated to providing independent news and education to investors since 2007. For the 12-month term of the agreement with advertising commencing on, or before September 30, 2025, INN will provide advertising on its website to increase awareness of the issuer. The cost of the annual campaign is $54,000. INN is headquartered at 1200 - 736 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 1G3 and can be reached at info@investingnewsnetwork.com or by telephone at 1 604 688 8231.
This agreement is subject to the approval of the CSE.
Qualified Person
Ralph Shearing, PGeol. (Alberta) a qualified person under NI 43-101 and, Director and President of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.
About Prince Silver Corp.
Prince Silver Corp is a silver exploration company focused on advancing the Prince Silver Project in Nevada, USA. The known deposit identified with historic drilling is open in all directions and is near surface. Prince Silver Corp also holds interest in the Stampede Gap Project, a district scale copper-gold-moly porphyry system located ~15km NNM of the Prince Silver Project.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Ralph Shearing, Director, President
Email: rshearing@princesilvercorp.com
Tel: 604-764-0965
Website: www.princesilvercorp.com
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: proposed drill programs, amendments to the Company's website, property option payments and regulatory and corporate approvals. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, dependence on key personnel, completion of satisfactory due diligence in respect of the Acquisition and related transactions, and compliance with property option agreements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, failure to obtain regulatory or corporate approvals, exploration results, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and the CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
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