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Drilling significantly extends the high-grade gold mineralisation in multiple locations at CEL's Hualilan Gold Project
Challenger Exploration ( ASX: CEL) (“CEL” the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results from recent drilling targeting extensions to the high-grade mineralisation at the Company's flagship Hualilan Gold Project, in San Juan Argentina. A total of 48 of the 58 drill holes (83%) reported significant gold mineralisation demonstrating the Company's ongoing success in extending the high-grade gold mineralisation at Hualilan.
Highlights
- Ongoing drilling at the Company's flagship Hualilan Gold Project has materially extended thehigh-grade mineralisation in multiple zones with results including (refer Table 1):
- GNDD-491 intersection of 27.0m at 8.9 g/t AuEq, opens an exciting new high-grade target belowprevious shallow drilling, being the first deeper hole on the western Magnata Fault.
- GNDD-302(ext) extended the Main Manto and Footwall Zones at Sentazon 250 metres down dipwith several follow up holes confirming significant new high-grade extensions at depth.
- Results extends the Sanchez Fault and Norte Manto and confirm a significant halo around thehigh-grade with results including 63.0m at 1.1 g/t AuEq incl 4.0m at 7.2 g/t AuEq (GNDD-443).
- Drilling with the portable rig continues to intersect high-grade mineralisation up-dip in theHualilan Hills
Commenting on the results, CEL Managing Director, Mr Kris Knauer, said
“The results from Hualilan continue to impress with this series of results unlocking several excitingnew high-grade targets. The first deeper hole on the eastern end of the Magnata Fault intersected27 metres at 8.9 g/t, opening up a new high-grade target below previous shallow drilling.
Deeper drilling at Sentazon hasreturned outstanding results extending the high-grade mineralisationmore than 200 metres down dip in multiple locations. Additionally, several deeper holes, for whichassays are pending, are logged as containing zones of massive sulphides within skarn alteration. Thisis typical of other high-grade intercepts at Hualilan and we expect assays to confirm a significantnew zone of high-grade mineralisation down-dip at Sentazon."
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This article includes content from [Company Name], 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.
Additional High Priority Antimony Targets Identified over 10km Corridor at Yallalong Project
Octava Minerals Limited (ASX:OCT) (“Octava” or the “Company”), a Western Australia focused explorer of the new energy metals antimony, REE’s, Lithium and gold, is pleased to report that detailed geophysics over the 10km antimony corridor at Yallalong is now complete and final data has been processed and interpreted.
Highlights
- Ground geophysical survey over the identified 10km antimony corridor at Yallalong is complete and final data has been processed and interpreted.
- Detailed interpretation of the geophysical data integrated with previous drilling data significantly expands the scale of the exploration model for high-grade antimony mineralisation at Yallalong.
- 14 new, high priority, structural targets analogous to the high-grade Discovery Target have been identified and will be evaluated in the next drilling campaign.
The geophysics has identified 14 new structural antimony targets at Yallalong analogous to the Discovery Target, where historic drilling intercepted high-grade antimony.
Octava’s Managing Director Bevan Wakelam stated, "The new gravity data redefines the exploration model for high grade antimony at Yallalong. It explains the presence of anomalous antimony along the structural corridor and predicts potential hot spots along it. It is exciting to consider the possibility of a continuous system extending under cover for more than 10 kilometers and having a method to pinpoint the most prospective zones. Planning work is already underway for drilling of these new targets "
Antimony
The Yallalong project is located ~ 220km to the northeast of the port town of Geraldton in Western Australia. The antimony (Sb) mineralisation identified at Yallalong appears within a 10km north- south striking mineralised corridor.
Previous exploration identified four principal antimony targets where antimony mineralisation was exposed at surface. Only the Discovery Prospect had previous drilling and recorded high-grade antimony intercepts over a strike length of ~300m, including 7m @ 3.27% Sb.
A detailed geophysical survey was undertaken to identify underlying structures, such as shears and faults, which act as conduits to mineralising fluids. It also outlines key lithological boundaries. These factors are important in the formation of antimony deposits worldwide.
Interpretation of the geophysical data and the historic drilling has re-defined the exploration model for high grade antimony at Yallalong. Fourteen new targets analogous to the Discovery Target have been identified and will be evaluated through planned drilling. See Figure 1.
Figure 1. Summary structural interpretation and with existing and newly identified Sb targets at Yallalong.
Atlas Geophysics conducted the gravity survey using a 100m x 100m grid pattern, with additional measurements on a 50m x 50m grid over the Discovery Target. NewGen Geo, a geophysical consultancy, carried out the gravity data processing and interpretation.
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This article includes content from Octava Minerals Limited, 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.
New 1 km Zone of Gold Mineralisation Discovered from RC Drilling at Rockland
Dundas Minerals Limited (ASX: DUN) (“Dundas Minerals”, “Dundas” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce highly encouraging first pass assay results from its recently completed drilling campaign within Mining Lease M 24/974 (‘’Rockland’’), at the Windanya Gold Project.
Highlights
- Assays received from first-pass 23-hole RC drill programme at “Rockland” (M 24/974)
- Discovery of new zone of gold mineralisation between the historic Milford and Windanya North gold prospects, within granted Mining Lease M 24/974
- Gold mineralisation now extends over ~1km along strike
- Best intercepts include:
- 12m @ 1.9g/t gold from 72m, incl 4m @ 3.0g/t from 80m (24RKRC015)
- 16m @ 1.5g/t gold from 68m, incl 4m @ 2.7g/t from 76m (24RKRC005)
- 8m @ 1.8g/t gold from 108m, incl 4m @ 2.7g/t from 112m (24RKRC013)
- 4m @ 1.7g/t gold from 48m (24RKRC019)
- 4m @ 1.5g/t gold from 128m (24RKRC022)
- Previous drilling was mostly limited to 50 metres, and undertaken 25 – 35 years ago
- Planning of a follow-up drill program to target extensions of the 1km long gold trend
- Dundas is also expecting assay results in January 2025, from recently completed drilling at the Baden-Powell gold deposit
Dundas is actively exploring for gold at the Windanya and Baden- Powell projects, located adjacent to the Goldfields Highway ~60km north of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and ~15km north of the Paddington gold mill.
Rockland – Drilling Program / Assay Results
All assay results have been received from the 23 hole reverse circulation (RC) drilling program of 3,954 metres, that was completed within the Rockland granted mining lease in October 2024. 11 of the 23 holes drilled returned gold assays above 1.0g/t, from 4m composite samples (Appendix: Table 1).
Commenting on the first pass drill campaign, Dundas managing director Shane Volk said:‘’This is an excellent start from first pass drilling at a project that Dundas acquired an option on only a few months ago. Most of the previous drilling at the project was limited to 50 metres, and undertaken 25-35 years ago when the gold price was below US$500 an ounce.
Results from this first pass program have exceeded expectations. Importantly for the Company, as we seek to grow the size of the gold mineralisation at the Windanya project area, is that Rockland gold mineralisation is within a granted ML located very close to the Goldfields Highway (5km), Kalgoorlie (60km) and multiple operating gold mills, including Paddington (15km).’’
The best assay results from the drill program are:
- 12m @ 1.9g/t gold from 72m, incl 4m @ 3.0 g/t (80-84m): 24RKRC015
- 16m @ 1.5g/t gold from 68m, incl 4m @ 2.7 g/t (76-80m): 24RKRC005
- 8m @ 1.8g/t gold from 108m, incl 4m @ 2.7 g/t (112-116m): 24RKRC013
- 8m @ 1.1g/t gold from 122m: 24RKRC007
- 4m @ 1.7g/t gold from 48m: 24RKRC019
- 4m @ 1.5g/t gold from 128m: 24RKRC022
- 12m @ 1.0g/t gold from 68m: 24RKRC012
Holes were drilled on broad, nominal 150m spaced sections to test mineralisation previously identified in shallow historic RAB and RC drilling, mostly at the Milford and Windanya North gold prospects. Importantly a new mineralised zone has been discovered between these prospects, highlighting a ~1km long gold mineralised trend along the entire length of the ML, and possibly extending north to the Aquarius gold prospect (Figure 1). Mineralisation comprises an oxide supergene zone in the deeply weathered mafic host lithologies, above a series of stacked structures dipping shallowly to the east in the transitional to fresh rock. As illustrated in Figure 1, gold mineralisation is interpreted as trending north – south, which is consistent with the regional trend.
Background – Windanya Gold Project (incl. Rockland)
On 8 October 2024, Dundas Minerals announced that it had executed an exclusive 12 -month option to acquire 100% of granted mining lease (ML) M24/974 (Rockland).
Rockland is strategically situated between Dundas’ Aquarius and Scorpio gold prosects (Figure 1), where on 6 February 2024, Dundas announced high grade gold intercepts from an initial drilling program, including: Aquarius (3m @ 10.2 g/t from 109m; 2m @ 6.5g/t from 70m); and Scorpio (2m@ 3.2 g/t from 9m; 1m @ 6.5g/t from 49m).
The area comprising the Rockland ML has been subject to historic shallow drilling during the 1980s, which was mostly to a maximum depth of 50m (RAB). Also, a series of RAB holes to a maximum depth of ~90m was drilled in the early 2000s, plus 12 RC holes at the Windanya North prospect. More recently the current tenement owner drilled 3 RC holes at depths between 140m and 173m, also at Windanya North. However, the drilling just completed by Dundas Minerals is the first to systematically test for gold mineralisation at Rockland to depths beyond 50m.
Assay results from the Rockland drilling reported in this announcement are from 4 metre composite samples, a cost effective sampling technique commonly used during first-pass exploration drilling. The technique involves taking equal portions of four consecutive 1 metre samples, which are combined to create a single sample for assay. Where gold grades of 0.1g/t or higher were returned from the composite, the Company has submitted the individual 1 metre samples for gold assay (50g Fire assay). Results from these assays are expected in late January 2025, and will provide more definitive and detailed data. Only 2 of the 23 holes drilled (24RKRC002 and 24RKRC003) reported no gold grades above the 0.1g/t threshold with 4 metre composite samples.
Baden-Powell Gold Deposit
Further to the Company’s announcement on 24 November 2024, the 15 hole RC drilling program at the Baden-Powell gold deposit (Figure 2) was completed on 9 December 2024. Assays results from the program are also expected in late January 2025.
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This article includes content from Dundas Minerals, 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.
Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold Resources Unlocks Gold Production from Crown Prince
New Murchison Gold Limited (ASX: NMG) (“NMG” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement with Big Bell Gold Operations Pty Ltd (BBGO), a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX, TSX: WGX, OTCQX: WGXRF) (Westgold) in relation to the purchase of gold ore from the Crown Prince deposit.
HIGHLIGHTS
- New Murchison Gold (NMG) and Westgold Resources (Westgold) have entered into an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA) which will underpin production from NMG’s Crown Prince deposit near Meekatharra, Western Australia in 2025.
- Subject to final regulatory permitting, under the OPA, NMG will commence mining from a new open pit operation at Crown Prince with a targeted commencement date of mid-2025.
- Ore will be hauled 33km by road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant, part of Westgold’s Murchison Gold Operations at Meekatharra.
- Ore will be sold to Westgold in several parcels (Ore Parcels) totalling 30-50kt per month with each Ore Parcel certified for grade, moisture and recovery from sampling at the Crown Prince site and a recovery factor agreed for each mining bench from test work replicating the Bluebird Mill circuit.
- The OPA has no fixed term although NMG envisages that most of Crown Prince ore is likely to be processed in an “Initial Period” which runs over the first 24 months of the agreement. Thereafter ore tonnages are to be agreed on a rolling three-month basis once production forecasts have been completed by NMG and Westgold has confirmed mill availability.
- Westgold will purchase ore from NMG based on contained gold in each Ore Parcel at the prevailing AUD gold price in the month the Ore Parcel is collected (minus processing costs and a capital recovery charge). Westgold must promptly collect Ore Parcels that are available for collection.
- The OPA is subject to shareholder approval (Listing Rule 10.1 requirement) at a general meeting of NMG shareholders to be held in late January or early February 2025.
- NMG and Westgold have also entered into an ancillary agreement (Licence and Access Water Discharge Deed) which facilitates NMG’s potential dewatering requirements at Crown Prince.
Alex Passmore, NMG’s CEO commented: "We are very pleased to announce the Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold as it sees both companies working together to support the development of NMG’s Crown Prince deposit in a capitally efficient manner.
We see this Agreement as beneficial to all shareholders with Westgold acquiring additional high grade oxide ore feed to supplement its Meekatharra operations and NMG transitioning to a producer for modest capital.
The Bluebird Processing Plant owned by Westgold is ideal for NMG due to its close proximity and well-matched metallurgical process. We believe the robust frameworks and protocols we have put in place in this Agreement aligns both operational teams to a common goal of maximizing operational efficiency.
We thank the Westgold team for the technical and commercial work that has led to this Agreement and look forward to working collaboratively in making the development of Crown Prince a success”
Crown Prince is located to the north of Meekatharra, around 33km via road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant (Bluebird) owned and operated by BBGO. Westgold and NMG have been working collaboratively on the OPA to manage technical risks and to share economic synergies which are available via the partnering of production from the Crown Prince deposit and milling at Bluebird.
Key Terms of the OPA are outlined in the Table below and will be explained fully in a Notice of Meeting to be sent to NMG shareholders in December. The NMG shareholder meeting is likely to be held in late January or early February 2025. As a result of Westgold’s 18.7% ownership of NMG, it is deemed a related party under the ASX Listing Rules and so the OPA includes a condition precedent of NMG obtaining shareholder approval under Listing Rule 10.1.
BDO Corporate Finance Australia Pty Ltd (BDO) has been engaged to provide an opinion and Independent Expert’s Report to accompany the Notice of Meeting to assist shareholders in their considerations of whether or not to approve the OPA moving into operation.
Should the conditions precedent be met (shareholder approval) the OPA will come into effect with NMG expecting mining approvals to be received in early April 2025. Once mining operations commence, and ore stockpiles are built up, it is anticipated that first Ore Parcel sales will occur in September 2025.
The company is working towards an ore reserve estimate to provide further detail on the economics of the project which is to be released shortly.
Plan of Access and Water Infrastructure - Crown Prince
Authorised for release to ASX by the Board of New Murchison Gold Limited.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from New Murchison Gold Limited, 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.
Gold Price Forecast: Top Trends That Will Affect Gold in 2025
The gold price saw incredible momentum in 2024, gaining almost 30 percent during the period.
As the start of 2025 approaches, the world is facing a great deal of uncertainty. Several regions are experiencing geopolitical instability, and a new US president could bring further chaos to an already fragile global economy.
What does this mean for gold, and what should investors expect in the new year?
How will Trump affect the gold price in 2025?
A key question for investors is how Donald Trump's second term will affect gold.
Trump’s campaign promises included lower taxes, the introduction of broad tariffs on foreign goods and sweeping immigration reforms that would result in the deportation of millions of undocumented laborers.
Economists widely view his promises as inflationary. They come at a time when the US and global economies are still recovering from high inflation caused by COVID-19, and could cause a delay in lowering interest rates.
While gold is viewed as an inflation hedge, high interest rates imposed by central banks over the past three years have pushed investors toward interest-bearing assets like bonds; meanwhile, gold based-products have seen outflows.
The US Federal Reserve is expected to pause rate cuts in 2025, with analysts speculating that it’s taking a wait-and-see approach to the effects that Trump’s policies will have on the US economy.
In an email to the Investing News Network (INN), Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, noted that investor sentiment still reflects uncertainty about what this means.
“People could get so optimistic about Trump’s 'pro-growth' agenda that investors start deploying more of the mountain of cash they’re sitting on ... but Elon and Vivek going to Washington with Milei’s chainsaw could scare markets,” he said.
David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group UK, also expressed uncertainty to INN.
“Trump likes to keep the opposition, domestic or foreign, on edge. His unpredictability is his weapon of choice. Looking at some of his administration picks and the potential clash with the Federal Reserve, I suspect taking a hard view on sentiment for 2025 is not a wise game for now,” he said via email.
Barrett suggested that investors hold some money on the sidelines until they can determine how Trump’s presidency begins and whether his return lives up to his pre-election promises, especially regarding conflicts overseas.
Geopolitical pressures in play for gold
Trump’s return to the White House is just one of the geopolitical situations that could affect gold in 2025.
In 2024, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe influenced the price of gold, most notably when Russian President Vladimir Putin floated the possibility of a nuclear escalation in November.
Tiggre noted that flareups tend to drive gold, but the effects are usually temporary and revert back to trend.
“Fortunately, that trend is currently upward. I suppose that if Trump could actually end the war in Ukraine in a day, there might be a bit less safe-haven demand, but I don’t believe he can," he explained.
"So even if gold retreats after each successive scare, there’s no real downside for gold here."
However, Tiggre added that if one of the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine or even Taiwan were to escalate into a direct military conflict between major world powers, it would likely send gold “screaming” upward.
Central banks still a key driver for gold
The last few years have been characterized by strong central bank buying of gold.
Asia, the Middle East and some Eastern European countries are leading the way. Although not all countries report their purchases, the ones that do are carefully tracked by the World Gold Council.
Although there appeared to be a slowdown in central bank buying in the middle of the year, Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist, Americas, at the World Gold Council, said it rebounded strongly at the end of 2024.
"In October, we saw a rebound in central bank buying, with 60 metric tons of net purchases; this was the highest monthly amount reported year-to-date, at a time when the gold price was still making gains,” he said.
Looking forward to 2025, Cavatoni said he expects central banks to still be a major driver for the price of gold even though the metal is priced near all-time highs. “This continued interest reaffirms gold’s role as a strategic asset that goes beyond the price to manage risks and diversify reserves,” he said.
In comments to INN, Julia Kandoshko, CEO of European brokerage firm Mind Money, echoed a similar sentiment.
“The growing share of India and the Middle East in global GDP has an additional impact on the demand for gold, especially given the increasing use of gold as a reserve in these areas,” she said.
The scale of central bank purchases has provided gold with a critical support structure, and has also fueled speculation that the precious metal may be used to back an alternative reserve currency to the US dollar.
Barrett suggested this trend has been ongoing for the past 15 years.
He said central banks have been net buyers of gold since 2010 at about 7,000 metric tons. As the ultimate buy-and-hold participant, their activity has not only removed significant supply from the market, but has also contributed to current market conditions, which have made gold attractive to a wide audience.
Gold M&A activity lagging despite price strength
Tiggre expressed surprise at the lack of deals in the gold space given current high prices.
“The larger players simply have not made enough discoveries. If they don’t want to mine themselves out of existence, they’re going to have to buy more of the companies that have done the work,” he said.
Kandoshko echoed this sentiment, saying mergers are a means for larger companies to access exploration projects, expand reserves and optimize costs. She believes 2024's higher prices could pave the way for deals in 2025.
Barrett believes mergers haven’t happened for a myriad of reasons, chiefly that the price of gold hasn’t reached the level to overcome the economic factors that have driven industry costs over the last several years.
“I suspect the main reason is the massive rise in production costs and higher interest rates … labor, energy and raw materials have all risen significantly,” he said. The implication is that higher returns have yet to be realized — gold miners still haven't overcome higher operating costs due to today's economic situation.
Investor takeaway
Central banks are expected to continue supporting the gold price in 2025; however, with Trump entering office, his policies could pull gold in different directions. It may be hard for investors to know what to do.
Cavatoni suggested that a strong US economy and lower deficit under Trump would push the dollar higher, leading to investors seeking to add riskier assets to their portfolios. “If this is what develops as a reaction to Trump’s mandate, it would be supportive to gold allocations as a safe haven,” he said.
For her part, Khandoshko sees gold maintaining its upward momentum, saying she sees the metal increasing to US$2,800 in the next six months and rising to US$3,000 at some point during the new year.
Although reluctant to make a prediction, Tiggre also believes gold will trend higher in 2025.
“How much higher? It is hard to say, but a real all-time-high of just under US$3,500 is less than 35 percent higher than where we are today. That seems doable,” he said.
If gold continues moving up, it could give gold companies the boost they need and could create new opportunities for investors who have been taking a wait-and-see approach.
Maybe more than ever, 2025 is bringing political and economic uncertainty that could see strategies compete between pursuing riskier equities or adding more exposure to gold through bullion or gold-backed products.
The smart play may be to not jump into 2025 headfirst and instead take some time to see how key situations develop through the first part of the year.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Riverside Resources, Ramp Metals and Rua Gold are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
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.
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Rick Rule and Friends Give Investors the “Gift” of Stock Picks in New Orleans
While prices for key metals have been moving this year, many resource sector investors have been disappointed that mining stocks haven't performed as strongly as they would have hoped in these circumstances.
During the popular mining share panel at the New Orleans Investment Conference, moderator and well-known resource sector investor and speculator Rick Rule invited the panelists to offer insights on the cause of this discrepancy, which has raised questions about market fundamentals and the true drivers of valuation in the sector.
The group, made up of Nick Hodge, Brien Lundin, Lawrence Lepard, Lobo Tiggre and Jennifer Shaigec, also discussed when the tide may turn for mining stocks and which companies they are investing in or watching.
When will mining stocks catch up to metals prices?
Kicking off the discussion, Rule, who is the proprietor at Rule Investment Media, asked the panelists if the discrepancy between metals prices and the performance of mining stocks will end — and if so, when and why.
Nick Hodge, publisher at Digest Publishing, was first to weigh in, saying, “Yes, it will."
As for when, Hodge anticipates more balance in mining shares once “the everything bubble ends.”
He explained that many assets, including tech stocks like the Magnificent 7, are overvalued, causing many of these assets to outperform the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX).
“I think once you get a — I don't want to say crash — once you get a sort of reckoning, a popping of the everything bubble, everything sort of resets," Hodge told the audience.
Lawrence Lepard, managing director Equity Management Associates, suggested the disjointment between metals prices and stock performances is the result of skepticism about current gold and silver projections.
“You look at Bloomberg, you look at the projections — everyone thinks gold is going back to US$2,000 (per ounce), they don't think this move is real,” he said. “We all know it's going to US$3,000 to US$5,000 and that has to change.”
Gold has sat firmly above the US$2,000 level since February, setting a record of US$2,788.54 in October.
For Lepard, the cynical view that gold will retreat is affecting sentiment. Additionally, concerns about rising all-in sustaining costs squeezing miners' margins is adding to the uncertainty.
In terms of a time frame, Lepard echoed Hodge’s position that a major reset is close.
“We're very close to this everything bubble bursting. I think they're going to probably try and pop the bubble to screw (Donald) Trump. I would expect that in the next six months, things are going to change dramatically in this area."
Gold Newsletter editor Brien Lundin thinks there is a different underlying factor contributing to the imbalance.
“There is a discrepancy, but it's more perception than reality,” said Lundin, who also hosts the New Orleans Investment Conference. “If you look at the ratios, the mining stocks, at least judged by the major indexes, have generally outperformed gold, just not as much as we would have expected given the movement in metals.”
He then pointed to the large gold purchases central banks have made in 2024.
“That move in the metals, though, was instigated by central banks buying hand over fist for the first couple of months of the move,” said Lundin. “And central banks don't buy mining stocks.”
According to data from the World Gold Council, by the end of Q3, global central banks had purchased 694 metric tons of gold since the start of the year. Leading the buying were India, Turkey and Poland.
Next in line to answer Rule’s query was Jennifer Shaigec, principal at Sandpiper Trading.
She reiterated Hodge’s “everything bubble bursting” as a catalyst for mining stocks to move.
“Given all the insider sales we've seen from people like (Jeff) Bezos, and Warren Buffet sitting on a big pile of cash, that tells me it's probably imminent,” she told the conference crowd.
“I think there's just a lot of disbelief right now that this move in gold is real … even the base metals (like) copper went up and went back down,” Shaigec added. “There's so much uncertainty on a geopolitical basis that it's going to take some of that to kind of settle in. And I think that could be a little while yet.”
For Shaigec, President-elect Trump’s inauguration is “going to answer a lot of questions for people,” and will likely serve as the tipping point for some of the aforementioned activity.
Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com,argued that gold stocks are already moving, but “with a caveat.” While there was an expectation that they would move at US$2,500 gold, that's not what happened.
“I think what it took was actually US$2,800 (gold), and that was so far above what anybody thought at the time,” he said, noting that the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ARCA:GDX) is a poor performance indicator.
“The GDX, it's an ETF, it's defined by size, not quality,” said Tiggre. “(Because) it has some high performers, some low performers, the average number is not real. It's not going to tell you what's going on.”
He continued, “(At) US$2800, you started to see the higher-quality stuff, not just the big producers, but even the juniors — if there is such a thing as a high-quality junior — they really responded. We started seeing hockey sticks.”
Tiggre went on to highlight that for stock pickers, the momentum may already be underway, with the market experiencing a correction phase that’s part of a recurring cycle. The expectation is that these patterns of rise and correction will persist, signaling that while some of the movement has happened, further gains are likely ahead.
Bull market trajectory and top investment themes
Rule then turned to what trajectory a bull market in precious or industrial metals will take.
Overall, the panelists agreed that the traditional progression — where metals prices move first, followed by major producers and down the chain to juniors — will still play out, but perhaps with deviations.
Hodge noted that human nature hasn't changed, so the psychology of investors gravitating to the biggest names first may still hold true. However, he said the rise of "meme stocks" in mining could disrupt the normal trajectory.
Shaigec pointed out that the majors have been paying down debt and accumulating cash, which could lead to more acquisitions of promising development projects. This could light the junior sector on fire.
For their part, Lundin and Lepard both suggested that silver stocks may jump ahead of the typical order, outperforming as investors start to recognize that the white metal is in a true bull market.
Tiggre took a slightly contrarian view, arguing that the discrepancy between metals prices and mining equities has already been addressed for higher-quality companies.
Moderator Rule also asked the panelists for their favorite commodity to express in the equities market.
Tiggre underscored the “pre-production sweet spot” as his favourite investment thesis.
“It's developers,” he said. “But like real developers — you have a construction decision, you have the money, you have the permits. You're going to build a mine.”
Shaigec highlighted two themes, the first being the exciting opportunities that may emerge from drill plays, particularly as new discoveries have declined by 80 percent over the past 15 years.
This depletion of reserves is likely to drive major mining companies to seek fresh resources urgently, creating a significant push for exploration and reserve replacement efforts.
She then spoke about jurisdiction, pointing to the “incredible value to be found in Peru.”
“There's a lot of really exciting projects that have strong management teams in Peru. So that's kind of my favorite theme right now, I'm pretty heavily invested in that country,” said Shaigec.
Taking a more macro view, Lundin spoke about the growing relevance of optionality plays in mining.
“Basically, you buy cheap resources when they're out of favor in the ground and the metals prices aren't enough to justify their development. So you're gaining leverage on a rise in metals prices,” he said.
“(The hope is) that metals prices will rise enough that those ounces in the ground suddenly become economic and therefore very valuable — much more valuable than they were.”
Lepard’s favorite investment thesis is picking companies with strong corporate governance.
“My one thing would be good management,” said Lepard. “This industry is a very tough industry, and there are a million ways to lose money. I found them all. I really have.”
Lastly, Hodge drove home the importance of share structure. “Structure allows you to weather the storm. No matter what the theme is, no matter what the commodity is, the share structure really matters,” he said.
He also suggested that integration of technology could underpin a strong investment thesis.
Hodge explained that the mining industry is rapidly using advanced technology to adapt to new demands and regulations. Innovations like Ceibo’s “clean copper” technology, already adopted by Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), and advances from companies like Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) are reshaping the sector.
“You know, there's going to be battery passports required to be able to track all this stuff. I think that's really going to have to be one of the components of how you look at these mining companies,” said Hodge.
Stock picks from Hodge, Lepard, Lundin and Shaigec
To end the discussion, Rule asked the panelists for a favor.
“I'm a highly competitive person, and I really want this panel to be what everybody thinks is the most important product at the New Orleans Investment Conference,” he said. "In order for that to happen, we've got to give these folks a gift.”
Rule then asked the participants to provide some stock picks for the audience.
For Hodge, Mexico-focused silver company Kingsmen Resources (TSXV:KNG,OTCQB:KNGRF) has a share structure that he likes. He also mentioned Canadian lithium junior Q2 Metals (TSXV:QTWO), noting the company is on “a pretty robust lithium discovery" that may rival that of Patriot Battery Metals (TSX:PMET,OTCQX:PMETF).
Lepard kept it brief and started with Avino Silver & Gold Mines (TSX:ASM,NYSEAMERICAN:ASM), which he “loves.” He then referenced Banyan Gold’s (TSXV:BYN,OTCQB:BYAGF) “huge optionality” and “big deposit.”
Lundin praised the technical team at Relevant Gold (TSXV:RGC,OTCQB:RGCCF), noting that company has “high potential” due to its large percentage of an Abitibi-style district in Wyoming.
He also likes the drill results that Delta Resources (TSXV:DLTA,OTC Pink:DTARF) has been releasing.
Shaigec’s stock picks reflected her Peru-focused investment thesis.
“The first one is CopperEX (TSXV:CUEX),” she said. “One of the things I love about that story is it probably has the largest number of all stars on a team that I have seen assembled under one company name.”
Shaigec selected Coppernico Metals (TSX:COPR,OTCQB:CPPMF) as her second pick. Not only is she impressed by the company’s Sombrero project in Peru, but she also highlighted that several majors have invested in the company.
“(Coppernico) was just listed in August. And just prior to their listing, it was announced that Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) is a strategic shareholder. They own 9.9 percent of the company, and Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) owns over 6 percent," she said.
Keep an eye out for the rest of INN’s coverage from the New Orleans Investment Conference, including exclusive video interviews and full panel overviews.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Jp Cortez: Gold, Silver in Sound Money Renaissance, Bullish on Prices and Progress
Speaking to the Investing News Network, Jp Cortez, executive director at Sound Money Defense League, discussed the state of sound money in the US, honing in on key state-level victories this year.
He highlighted that seven states in the country passed various types of sound money legislation. Some removed taxes on precious metals, while others reaffirmed gold and silver as legal tender.
Utah went further, allowing for a US$180 million investment in gold to be stored on the state's balance sheet.
"We talk a lot about BRICS right now and de-dollarization, and there's so much talk about countries with an adversarial relationship to the US who are looking for alternatives," said Cortez.
"But if we look more closely, we'll see it's more than that. States themselves are also looking to de-dollarize — they're looking for an alternative to dollar-denominated investments. We're seeing that of course individuals, but (also) states, countries and international coalitions, seem to be coalescing around gold."
He also outlined areas of focus for 2025, saying he hopes to see more progress on ending sales taxes on precious metals.
Overall, Cortez is positive on advocacy efforts for sound money, as well as on gold and silver prices.
"I think we're seeing that sound money — gold and silver — is having a renaissance right now," he said.
Watch the interview above for more from Cortez on gold, silver and sound money. You can also click here to view the Investing News Network's New Orleans Investment Conference playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, 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.
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