With focused and strategic exploration plans for both its Lucero and Clover projects and the successful sale of its Maverick Springs asset, Element79 has demonstrated a commitment to increasing shareholder value and a compelling case for investors.
Element79 Gold (CSE:ELEM,OTCQB:ELMGF,FSE 7YS0) is an exploration and development mining company with several exciting opportunities for strategic growth. First, is the potential for near-term production through its Lucero project in Peru. The Lucero mine is one of the highest-grade underground mines in Peru’s history and is on the fast track for resource development and production. Additionally, Element79 owns the Clover project in Nevada, creating further opportunities for long-term resource development. Third, and the most exciting business opportunity for the company yet, is the immediate-term resource development and production of the Lucero tailings. This has been facilitated recently by Element79’s agreement, through a letter of intent, with S.M.R.L. PALAZA 16 to purchase and process approximately 1.3 million tons of tailings from previous mines within the current Lucero mine area.
A globally experienced management team with a proven track record of success in developing operational mines leads Element79 Gold toward fully executing these strategic business opportunities.
Lucero is a past-producing, high-grade gold mine ready to reach production quickly. The mine operated between 1989 to 2005. Historic reports between 1998 and 2004 indicate that the mine produced approximately 18,800 ounces of gold and 435,000 ounces of silver per year at a head grade of19 grams per ton (g/t) gold equivalent. An NI 43-101 report prepared by a third party indicates grades up to 116.8 g/t gold equivalent. In addition to the potential of generating cash flow in the near term, the 10,805-hectare Lucero project also has high upside potential for further greenfield exploration.
Peru is considered a relatively stable mining jurisdiction, especially for smaller-scale operations. As mining is an essential aspect of the country’s GDP, Peru has developed a favorable regulatory regime for its mining industry. Element79 Gold is poised to benefit from the pro- mining jurisdiction as it moves the Lucero asset toward production.
Element79 Gold has engaged a Peruvian technical mining service provider, Ore Discovery LLC, to work in conjunction with Element79’s operations team. The 2023 site work included above-ground and underground mapping, sampling, trenching, drill site targeting on both better-known and unexplored vein systems, for exploration and de-risked resource development on the path toward ore extraction and near-term cash flow generation.
Assays from the underground sampling include results of up to 98 g/t gold and 2,034 g/t silver. Moreover, assays from March 2023 yielded 21-ore grade and high yield up to 11.7 ounces per ton gold and 247 ounces per ton silver, further validating the potential for a significant high- grade future operation.
In June 2023, Element79 further strengthened its portfolio in Peru with the acquisition of the 1,200-hectare Lucero del Sur 28, located strategically just east of the high-grade Lucero gold- silver project. Lucero del Sur 28 is a coveted area covering the Roxana vein, a vein dominated by white to hyaline quartz and altered rock clasts, with lesser amounts of limonite patinas, hematite, pyrite and jarosite.
In September 2024, Element79 signed a letter of intent with S.M.R.L. PALAZA 16 to purchase and process approximately 1.3 million tons of tailings currently controlled by Palaza at the Lucero Mine. This agreement marks the launch of a tailings reprocessing venture for Element79 and represents a significant economic opportunity for the company.
Element79’s secondary asset, the 100 percent owned Clover project, is located in the historic Midas mining district and comprises 169 unpatented claims over 3,063 acres in Elko County, Nevada. A well-known gold and silver producer since the early 1900s, the Midas district has yielded more than 2 million ounces of gold between 1998 and 2013.
The company also previously held the Maverick Springs project in Nevada. Acquired by Element79 in December 2021 for an adjusted cost of C$3.34 million, the project was sold to Sun Silver Resources (ASX:SS1) in May 2024 for C$4.4 million cash and 3.5 million shares of SS1 priced at 0.20 AUD.
A powerhouse management team leads Element79 Gold with a track record of experience and success. Kim Kirkland, COO and former VP global exploration, has held executive and lead operations-focused engineering roles with some of the world's largest mining companies, including Barrick Gold, Rio Tinto Group, MMG, Amec Foster Wheeler PLC and McEwen Mining. Kirkland has served as project lead with extensive South American experience, who can proficiently lead exploration programs and mining operations through milling, extraction/concentration and optimization/beneficiation.
Antonio Maragakis, former COO and director, now advisor, has held director-level positions at miners with multi-billion dollar portfolios, including Barrick Gold Corporation and Koch Industries. He has also built a leading global mining engineering consultancy, Mine Plus Group, as well as a private mining fund focused on near-term production development projects, MFD Holdings SA.
Shane Williams, strategic advisor, brings a history of significant value creation in early-stage and operating companies and currently heads West Red Lake Gold (TSXV:WRLG) as president and CEO. Combined, Element79 Gold has the right experts to fully realize its assets' potential.
The 10,813-hectare project in southern Peru presents near-term cash flow potential as it moves toward production. Lucero operated as a high-grade gold mine between 1989 and 2005 and remains partially unexplored. As a result, the asset is in a unique position to start generating revenue while also providing future growth opportunities with additional exploration.
The Clover Property is located in the historic Midas mining district in Nevada, which has been producing gold and silver since the early 1900s, It is 16 kilometers west of Hecla Mining Company’s Midas Mine, the largest known gold-silver epithermal deposit along the Northern Nevada Rift. Mineralization at the property is classified as low-sulphidation, vein-hosted, epithermal gold mineralization similar to that found at the Midas deposit as it is found within a similar geologic setting. Gold and silver mineralization at the Midas Mine is hosted in several northwest-striking veins. Between 1998 and 2013, the main veins produced over 2 million ounces of gold.
A $6.7-million program is planned for the Clover Property focused on data compilation, construction of geologic and resource models, and a 10,000-meter drilling program followed by a mineral resource estimate and NI 43-101 compliant preliminary economic assessment.
James Tworek has held director, senior management, analytical and operations roles in both public and private companies. A quick study and entrepreneurial to the bone, his 25-year career started in banking in 1998 and has since garnered a wealth of experience across diverse industries between commercial banking, mining, project finance, mezzanine debt, oil and gas, clean water/envirotech and hemp/legal cannabis industries. He has investing experience in real estate, private equity, private mining, startup generation, tech and agricultural ventures. A team leader driven by results, Tworek has built his career on successfully executing development and corporate growth targets, exceeding sales objectives, and being mindful of ensuring open communication, honesty and integrity with investors and stakeholders.
Tammy Gillis is a CPA, CMA with over 20 years of experience in the public markets bringing a comprehensive background in finance, reporting and regulatory requirements for manufacturing, bio-technology, technology and junior exploration industries. Gillis has been part of teams that have completed several financings, grant applications and acquisition transactions. Ms. Gillis started her career working at a corporate and securities law firm. Gillis previously served as corporate accountant for an international manufacturing company that had revenue in excess of
$120 million and as chief financial officer for a technology company with patented cathode materials used in lithium-ion batteries that successfully built a pilot plant with the assistance of over $4 million in government grants. Ms. Gillis has served as an officer for several TSXV and CSE-listed issuers.
Kim Kirkland’s track record spans senior executive and lead engineering roles at some of the world's largest mining companies. Key highlights of Kirkland's work history include:
Neil Pettigrew is a professional geologist in good standing, registered in Ontario, with over 20 years of experience in the mineral exploration industry. He received his Honors B.Sc. from the University of New Brunswick and his M.Sc. from the University of Ottawa. Pettigrew has been employed as a senior precambrian geoscientist with the Ontario Geological Survey and has worked for several junior and major companies in gold and Cu-Ni-PGE exploration. He has held officer and director positions at several TSX and TSXV-listed junior companies and currently sits as vice-president of exploration and director of GT Resources (formerly, Palladium One Mining)
Zara Kanji is a founder of Zara Kanji & Associates (established in 2004). Kanji is experienced in financial reporting compliance for junior listed resource companies, personal and corporate taxation, general accounting, financial reporting and value-added operational consulting services for individuals, and private and public companies. Prior to starting her accounting practice, Kanji served as a controller for a marketing company, as an accountant in public practice for a CA firm, a CGA firm and as an analyst for a pension fund. In addition to providing accounting and financial compliance services to private and public entities, Kanji has served as director and officer for several listed issuers.
Warren Levy brings more than 23 years of experience developing major and private companies in resource development across the Americas. He has achieved significant milestones and successes centered around community engagement, sustainable development of infrastructure, energy and natural resource development. Levy is the current CEO of Frontier Advisory, an advisory firm providing energy policy advocacy, sustainability, market entry, capital raising and technical support to responsible natural resource and social development around Latin America. He is also former CEO of Jaguar E&P, as well as former CEO of Pentanova Petroleum.
Antonios Maragakis completed his PhD at the University of Delft, MSc at the University of Bath, his B.Sc and B.A. at the University of Nevada, and executive training at the London Business School. He brings with him more than 15 years of experience leading some of the largest mining megaprojects in the last decade. Maragakis holds a distinguished resume, including management and director-level positions overseeing multibillion-dollar project portfolios internationally at organizations, such as:
Shane Williams carries a history of significant value creation in both early-stage and operating companies, which includes senior executive and management roles overseeing and delivering world-class, multibillion-dollar projects at highly prominent companies, including: chief operation officer at Skeena Resources (NYSE Listed), Eskay Creek Project; former senior vice-president at Eldorado Gold (NYSE Listed), $2-billion global project portfolio; former general manager of expansion projects at Rio Tinto (NYSE Listed), $2.5-billion CAPEX; and former vice-president of projects at Kaunis Iron AB, $800-million flagship Kaunisvarra Iron Ore Project.
With over two decades of experience across industries such as mining, energy and corporate finance, Kevin Arias brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company. His strong background in business development, investor relations, securities and corporate communications, combined with a proven track record in raising over C$100 million since 2008, positions him as a valuable addition to the Element79 team.
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February 12 2025 — Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM, FSE: 7YS0, OTC: ELMGF) (the "Company" or "Element79") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a new Investment and Advisory Agreement with Crescita Capital LLC ("Crescita"), effective February 7, 2025 . This strategic agreement includes a CDN $5 million equity drawdown facility and advisory services aimed at accelerating the Company's growth and enhancing its operational and financial objectives.
Key Highlights of the Agreement:
1. CDN $5 Million Equity Drawdown Facility:
Crescita has committed to providing Element79 with a non-revolving equity drawdown facility of up to CDN $5 million. This funding mechanism will allow Element79 to access capital in tranches during a defined commitment period. Proceeds are expected to support the Company's ongoing exploration, mine development activities, and other corporate initiatives.
Per the terms of the Agreement, on signing, Element79 is to issue 10,000,000 Common Shares (Fee Shares); and 62,500 Common Shares (Initial Consulting Fee Shares) at a deemed value of CAD $0.04 per Common Share; plus 2,939,965 Fee Warrants to Crescita Capital LLC. The Fee Warrants are exercisable for 5 years from the date of issuance with a Warrant Adjusted Exercise Price equal to the greater of (i) the VWAP of the Common Shares during the Warrant Exercise Price Adjustment Period, and (ii) the Exchange Minimum Price at the time the Warrants were originally issued, in any case, subject to the applicable Listing Rules.
2. Strategic Advisory Services:
Crescita will deliver tailored advisory services to Element79, including guidance on business development, strategic mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets strategies. These services are designed to support Element79's efforts to unlock value across its portfolio of mining assets and drive sustainable growth.
3. Aligned Interests and Growth Focus:
Crescita has been an investor in Element79 Gold Corp's growth and development since 2021. This new Agreement reflects Crescita's confidence in Element79's vision and new mine development-focused strategy. In addition to providing funding, Crescita's extensive expertise in project development, financing, global capital markets and corporate strategy is expected to be a key driver in advancing Element79's operational goals.
James Tworek, Chief Executive Officer of Element79 Gold, commented:
"Crescita Capital LLC has been a key funding partner of ELEM since our IPO, having invested over $7.2M in Element79 over that time period, and this new capitalization and consulting agreement reflects our mutually-entrenched investment in the company's business strategy and growth focus for the future. This agreement not only secures the financial resources needed to advance our exploration and development projects but also brings valuable strategic advisory capabilities, highlighting that in the past we have built a strong company together and are looking at developing sustainable success together through the new, focused phase of corporate development. With this new financial facility in place as a strategic tool in our strategic toolkit, we are well-positioned to accelerate our growth trajectory and deliver on our commitments to shareholders."
About Element79 Gold Corp.
Element79 Gold is a publicly traded mining company focused on developing its portfolio of high-grade gold and silver assets. Its flagship project, the Lucero mine in Arequipa, Peru, is a past-producing property with significant resource potential. The Company also holds several exploration projects along Nevada's Battle Mountain trend, a region renowned for prolific gold production. Additionally, Element79 has recently transferred its Dale Property in Ontario to its subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp., as part of a spin-out process.
Crescita Capital LLC, headquartered in the UAE, specializes in providing strategic investments and advisory services to mining and exploration companies. Crescita focuses on enabling companies to optimize their financial strategies, advance resource development projects, and achieve their long-term goals.
For more information, please contact:
James C. Tworek
Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: jt@element79.gold
Investor Relations Department
Phone: +1.403.850.8050
E-mail: investors@element79.gold
For further updates on Element79 Gold Corp., visit www.element79.gold .
Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia
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Vancouver TheNewswire January 30, 2025 Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM) (OTC:ELMGF) (FSE:7YS) ("Element79 Gold", the "Company") is providing a series of corporate updates regarding the multiple initiatives is has underway, including:
Bi-Weekly MCTO Status Update
Lucero Project, Community Update
Clover Project Status Update
Update on Synergy Metals Corp Plan of Arrangement Spin Out Transaction
Bi-Weekly MCTO Status Update
a biweekly default status update in accordance with National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203").
In a press release dated January 2 nd , 2025 and further advised on the 16 th , the Company announced (the "Default Announcement") that it submitted an application to the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC"), the Company's principal regulator, for a management cease trade order ("MCTO") in connection with the Company's delay in filing its audited annual financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2024, and the management's discussion and analysis and related CEO and CFO certificates for the period (collectively, the "Required Documents") which were required to be filed on or before December 30, 2024.
The MCTO was issued by the BCSC on January 2, 2025. It prevents the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from trading in the Company's securities but does not affect the ability of other shareholders, including the public, to trade in the securities of the Company. The MCTO remains in effect until the Company files the Required Documents and the BCSC's Executive Director has revoked the MCTO. The Company continues to work diligently with its auditors and expects to file the Filings as soon as possible and in any event no later than February 28, 2025, as is required for compliance with the BCSC MCTO order.
The Company confirms that since the date of the Default Announcement: (a) there has been no material change to the information set out in the Default Announcement that has not been generally disclosed; (b) there has been no failure by the Company in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203; (c) there has not been, nor is there anticipated to be, any specified default subsequent to the default which is the subject of the Default Announcement; and (d) there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.
The Company confirms that it will continue to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines under NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of news releases for so long as it remains delayed in filing the Required Documents.
Lucero Project, Community Update
The Element79 Gold Corp team remains committed to strengthening its relationship with the communities that form up the greater Chachas region (the "Community"), earning its role as a trusted ally through promoting mutual development of the Lucero mine project and the Community as a whole. Building up to the end of 2024, after receiving approval from the Community at large on October 6 in the Huarocopalca annex, the Company previously presented in writing agreements that await a counterproposal from the Community. The Company awaits receipt of the counterproposal prior to the upcoming April General Assembly, allowing time to understand and further discuss the objective of obtaining long-term surface rights authorization to commence exploration and mining activities at that meeting.
Additionally, the Company is waiting for further data from the Lomas Doradas (local artisanal mining) Association regarding the sixty-five (65) REINFOS that Element79 us willing to support in their formalization process within the Company's mining concessions at Lucero.
The Community has an upcoming annual anniversary on February 14 th , wherein it has requested a modest donation from the Company to help support the costs of the celebration. As part of Element79's Social Responsibility policy, we are fully committed to supporting the community's traditions and customs through donations that are reciprocated, allowing in exchange, an interim 7-day period surface access to the mining concessions with trained personnel, extraneous to other long-term contract negotiation, as soon as possible in 2025. Simliar to 2023 campaigns, this access period would grant the Company access to conduct water and soil sampling, mine data collection, and verification of coordinate points, which are necessary to formalize mining contracts for Lomas Doradas members and to advance the REINFO formalization process.
Clover Project Update
The Company updates that it has just received a notice from the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") stating that various claims, previously referred to as the Clover project (the "Clover Project") in Elko County, Nevada, have been forfeited by the Company and it has also learned through its own research that the claims have been over-staked by a third-party. Since acquiring the Clover project, the Company had made various site visits and had been working with other areas of the BLM relative to bonding, historical environmental work and drilling permitting, as well as had made payments to maintain the Clover Project's status prior to the BLM annual deadline. The Company believes its claim was cancelled incorrectly and it is reviewing any and all remedies to challenging this decision with the Interior Board of Land Appeals.
Update on Synergy Metals Corp Plan of Arrangement Spin-Out Transaction
The Company has received a closing agenda from its counsel and as the signing of the transaction documentation as reported on January 13, 2025, it is both preparing updated financial reporting documents for Synergy Metals Corp and awaiting updated financial documents from amalgamator company, 1425957 BC Ltd. to complete the submission package to the BC Courts and BCSC for approvals. Further updates on this progress will be provided in due course through the completion of the Plan of Arrangement transaction.
About Element79 Gold Corp.
Element79 Gold is a mining company actively exploring and developing its portfolio of assets, including the high-grade, past-producing Lucero project in Arequipa, Peru, and properties along the Battle Mountain Trend in Nevada. The Company also holds an option to acquire the Dale Property in Ontario and is advancing the plan of arrangement spin-out process for its majority owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp.
For further details on this announcement and the Company's projects, please visit www.element79.gold
Contact Information
For corporate matters, please contact:
James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: jt@element79.gold
For investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations Department
Phone: +1.403.850.8050
E-mail: investors@element79.gold
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press contains "forward‐looking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward‐looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made considering management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the completion of the Spin-Out Arrangement, the completion of the Amalgamation, the completion of the Concurrent Financing, the Company's business strategy; future planning processes; exploration activities; the timing and result of exploration activities; capital projects and exploration activities and the possible results thereof; acquisition opportunities; and the impact of acquisitions, if any, on the Company. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward‐looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward‐looking statements".
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia
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VANCOUVER, BC T heNewswire January 13, 2025 Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM) (OTC: ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element79", or the "Company") is excited to announce that, in connection with its proposed spin out transaction, it has entered an arrangement agreement dated January 10, 2025 (the " Arrangement Agreement "), with its majority owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp. (" Synergy "), and that it has also entered into a merger agreement dated January 10, 2025 (the " Merger Agreement "), with Synergy, Synergy's wholly owned subsidiary, 1515041 B.C. Ltd. (" Synergy SubCo "), and 1425957 B.C. Ltd. (" 142 "), as further described below.
Arrangement
On July 17, 2023, the Company transferred all rights and data related to the " Dale Property ", being 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, to its newly incorporated subsidiary, Synergy. In exchange for this transfer, the Company was issued 2,000,000 Class "A" common voting shares in the capital of Synergy (" Synergy Shares ").
In anticipation of the reverse takeover of Synergy by 142 under the Merger Agreement, described below, the Arrangement Agreement has been entered by the Company, whereby 1,000,000 of the 2,000,000 Synergy Shares held by the Company will be distributed to the shareholders of the Company (the " Company Shareholders ") on a pro-rata basis (the " Spin-Out Arrangement "). In consideration for administrative support provided by the Company in connection with the arrangement transaction and Synergy's proposed subsequent application to list on the Canadian Securities Exchange and pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, Synergy will issue an additional 10,000 Synergy Shares to the Company, which will also be distributed to the Company Shareholders as part of the Spin-Out Arrangement. The Spin-Out Arrangement will be a court ordered arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), and will be subject to approval by the Company Shareholders, as well as the British Columbia Supreme Court. It is anticipated that the Company will publish and distribute an information circular in respect of the meeting of the Company Shareholders to be held to vote on the Spin-Out Arrangement.
The Company currently holds approximately 60.24% of the Synergy Shares, excluding the 10,000 Synergy Shares to be issued to the Company under the Arrangement Agreement, and following the completion of the proposed Spin-Out Arrangement the Company is anticipated to hold approximately 30.03% of the Synergy Shares, while the Company Shareholders will hold approximately 30.33% of the Synergy Shares.
Merger
Subsequent to the Spin-Out Arrangement, Synergy proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of 142 (" 142 Shares ") in exchange for an equivalent number of Synergy Shares by way of a three cornered amalgamation whereby Synergy SubCo and 142 will amalgamate under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the " Amalgamation ") to continue as one corporation pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement. As consideration for the 142 Shares, shareholders of the 142 Shares (" 142 Shareholders ") will receive, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, one Synergy Share for each 142 Share held.
Following completion of the Amalgamation under the Merger Agreement, the issued and outstanding Synergy Shares will be held (i) approximately 86.35% by the former 142 Shareholders (excluding participants in the Concurrent Financing (defined herein)), (ii) approximately 4.02% by the Company Shareholders, (iii) approximately 3.98% by the Company (iv) approximately 5.25% by other existing holders of Synergy Shares, and (v) 0.40% by participants in the Concurrent Financing. As such, the Amalgamation will constitute a reverse take over of Synergy by 142. Holders of warrants to purchase 142 Shares (" 142 Warrants ") will also receive one replacement warrant to purchase a Synergy Share for each 142 Warrant held. There are currently 21,000,000 142 Warrants outstanding.
The Amalgamation will be subject to approval by the 142 Shareholders, as well as Synergy (being the sole shareholder of Synergy SubCo). The Amalgamation's closing will also be subject to 142's completion of a private placement of 100,000 142 Shares at a price of $0.10 per 142 Share for gross proceeds of a minimum of $10,000, or an amount otherwise agreed by Synergy and 142 (the " Concurrent Financing "). Upon completion of the Amalgamation, Synergy intends to make an application that the Synergy Shares be listed and posted for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange.
The Company is expected to hold 1,000,000 Synergy Shares after the Amalgamation, all of which will be subject to escrow on the same terms of as insiders of Synergy after the Amalgamation.
Together, the Spin-Out Arrangement and the Amalgamation are intended to effect a reorganization of the Company's current business into two separate corporate entities. The Company will maintain its business as a gold exploration company with the objective of exploring and ultimately developing gold projects in Peru and the USA, while Synergy will be an exploration Company focused on the Dale Property.
About Element79 Gold Corp.
Element79 Gold is a mining company actively exploring and developing its portfolio of assets, including the high-grade, past-producing Lucero project in Arequipa, Peru, and properties along the Battle Mountain Trend in Nevada. The Company also holds an option to acquire the Dale Property in Ontario and is advancing the plan of arrangement spin-out process for its majority owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp.
For further details on this announcement and the Company's projects, please visit www.element79.gold
Contact Information
For corporate matters, please contact:
James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: jt@element79.gold
For investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations Department
Phone: +1.403.850.8050
E-mail: investors@element79.gold
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press contains "forward ‐ looking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward ‐ looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made considering management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the completion of the Spin-Out Arrangement, the completion of the Amalgamation, the completion of the Concurrent Financing, the Company's business strategy; future planning processes; exploration activities; the timing and result of exploration activities; capital projects and exploration activities and the possible results thereof; acquisition opportunities; and the impact of acquisitions, if any, on the Company. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward ‐ looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward ‐ looking statements". \
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia
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Vancouver, January 2, 2025 TheNewswire - Element79 Gold Corp. ( CSE:ELEM ) ( OTC:ELMGF ) (FSE:7YS) ("Element79 Gold", or " the Company") announces today that due to timing delays related to changing auditors, it has miss ed its filing deadline of December 30, 2024 for its audited annual financial statements and accompanying M anagement's D iscussion and A nalysis as well as the related CEO and CFO certificates for the year ended August 31, 2024 (collectively, the "Annual Filings"), as required under applicable Canadian securities laws.
In connection with the Company's inability to file the Annual Filings on time, the Company announces that it was granted approval for a Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203") by the British Columbia Securities Commission , as principal regulator . The Company changed its auditor in May 2024, and as a result of audit complications and requirements resulting from increased transaction volume experienced by the Corporation, it requires the extension and therefore applied for the MCTO . The Company anticipates that, subject to current conditions remaining the same, it will require approximately three additional weeks to complete the process and will use its best efforts to complete the process within the timeline indicated.
The Company expects to file the Annual Filings as soon as they are available, but in any event no later than January 30, 2025 .
Until the Company files the Annual Filings, it will comply with the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203. The guidelines, among other things, require the Company to issue bi-weekly default status reports, in the form of news releases, for so long as the Annual Filings have not been filed.
During the MCTO, the general investing public will continue to be able to trade in the Company's common shares listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. However, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer and such other directors, officers and persons as determined by the applicable regulatory authorities will not be able to trade in the Company's shares, nor will the Company be able to, directly or indirectly, issue securities to or acquire securities from an insider or employee of the Company until such time as the Annual Filings and all continuous disclosure requirements have been filed by the Company, and the MCTO has been lifted.
The Company confirms as of the date of this news release that there is no insolvency proceeding against it and there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.
About Element79 Gold Corp.
Element79 Gold is a mining company actively exploring and developing its portfolio of assets, including the high-grade, past-producing Lucero project in Arequipa, Peru, and properties along the Battle Mountain Trend in Nevada. The Company also holds an option to acquire the Dale Property in Ontario and is advancing the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process for its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp.
For further details on this announcement and the Company's projects, please visit www.element79.gold .
For corporate matters, please contact:
James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer
Email: jt@element79.gold
For investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations Department
Phone: +1.403.850.8050
Email: investors@element79.gold
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia
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December 31, 2024 - TheNewswire - Vancouver, BC - Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM, FSE: 7YS0, OTC: ELMGF) ("Element79 Gold" or "the Company") is pleased to share a summary of progress on Federal-level Peruvian small scale mining Formalization, a final 2024 update on its negotiations relative to renewing its surface access rights at its past-producing Lucero mine in Chachas, Arequipa, Peru and a glance at what to expect into 2025 with this project.
Quick Review of Peru ASM Formalization
By means of a simplified explanation, in Peru, the mineral rights in the country are held by the federal government and they are leased out to third parties on an annual basis. Separately, as a generalization, surface rights in and around communities are held by those communities for their use, distribution and development as the local community sees fit.
Over the past several years, there has been a Federal-level initiative to Formalize ~80,000 REINFO permit holders (Translation: Artisanal small-scale production or processing). The Federal objective is to bring greater order, control, working and operating standards, fair taxation and infrastructure development for the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) segment of the Peruvian mining industry. REINFO permit holders that Formalize will be allowed to keep operating.
The Federal deadline for Formalization has shifted several times, with the most recently planned date being December 31, 2024. Without a final formal structure to enact this change, the Federal Government recently pushed this Formalization date out to June 30, 2025.
Review of Lucero Mine Social Since Acquisition
Lucero is a past producing mine project (1989-2005) encompassing 10,813 hectares of contiguous land located in Chachas, Arequipa, Peru. Element79 Gold Corp completed a full corporate acquisition of Calipuy Resources Ltd. , a private company that held the mineral rights to the Lucero project, as well as a small-scale production permit (REINFO, permitting underground exploration and production) in June 2022. Through the end of 2022 and start of 2023, the Company worked with past Chachas administrations ("the Community") to obtain access to the Lucero mine and execute two exploration and sampling programs in 2023. [ 1 ], [ 2 ]
At the end of 2023, the terms of both the former mayor of Chachas and the former head of the local artisanal miner's association, Lomas Doradas ended. Past representations from the Community buoyed the Company's perspective on the probability of permit renewals through the first half of 2024. However, the new administration has been slow to enact new permits.
Through 2024, the Company continued with several community-development focused initiatives , opened a field office in Chachas, and carried out ongoing community efforts with its highly-reputable and well-known community team, This intensifying community relations work has helped the Chachas-region community at large to understand the Company's vision and ‘we all win together' mentality.
These efforts yielded a greater-community vote of over 75% approval on October 6 th , 2024 to have the local administration complete long-term surface access contracts with the Company for mutual benefit and growth as the mine is brought back to commercial production. Large parts of this approval are centered around the community understanding that there will be greater win-win benefits as Element79 Gold Corp continues developing the mine to restart production. In line with the newly extended deadline for the formalization of REINFOS is June 30, 2025, Lomas Doradas has requested to formalize 65 REINFO exploitation contracts with the Company, each with five-year terms.
Since this approval on October 6, 2024, the Company via its community relations team have been meeting with the Community leadership, and state-level authorities. The Community indicated that its goal was to have these contracts executed before the end of the year. Despite best efforts and getting closer to final agreements on terms, the Community has now pushed the completion of the contracts to the next General Assembly of April 2025.
The Company holds the Lucero Project including the mineral rights to the mine and exploration assets, and has signed a LOI for exclusive purchase rights to the Tailings as a significant business investment. The Company maintains their value as a significant opportunity for generating revenue in the near term.
Next Steps
Following guidance from the Company's field team at GAE, which has spent months in Chachas, holding face-to-face meetings with the various community leaders and heads of Lomas Doradas, as well as state-level administration, the Company plans to finalize agreements from both a legal and social perspective.
It has become clear that formally requesting Arequipa GREM (Development for Energy & Mines) and ARMA (State Environmental body) to act as institutional mediators is required to bring final long-term agreements between Element79 Gold Corp (via its wholly-owned subsidiary Minas Lucero del Sur), the Chachas Community, and the Lomas Doradas Association to completion.
It is currently estimated that within the first quarter of 2025, a few mine site visits and two to three mediation sessions by the GREM team in the same timeline, final agreements will be achieved. The Company is coordinating with legal counsel for these efforts and looks forward to having these key contracts complete for the General Assembly in April, as the rainy season ends. After the agreements are completed, the Company's core focus would shift to exploration and mining-related matters, preparing for 2025 campaigns to kick off.
About Element79 Gold Corp.
Element79 Gold is a mining company actively exploring and developing its portfolio of assets, including the high-grade, past-producing Lucero project in Arequipa, Peru, and properties along the Battle Mountain Trend in Nevada. The Company also holds an option to acquire the Dale Property in Ontario and is advancing the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process for its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp.
For further details on this announcement and the Company's projects, please visit www.element79.gold .
Contact Information
For corporate matters, please contact:
James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: jt@element79.gold
For investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations Department
Phone: +1.403.850.8050
E-mail: investors@element79.gold
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press contains "forward ‐ looking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward ‐ looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made considering management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the completion of the Spin-Out Arrangement, the completion of the Amalgamation, the completion of the Concurrent Financing, the Company's business strategy; future planning processes; exploration activities; the timing and result of exploration activities; capital projects and exploration activities and the possible results thereof; acquisition opportunities; and the impact of acquisitions, if any, on the Company. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward ‐ looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward ‐ looking statements". \
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia
While some have posited that the gold price may break US$3,000 per ounce and carry on as high as US$4,000 or US$5,000, there are those with hopes 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? In the past year, a new gold all time high (ATH) has been reached dozens of times, and we share the latest one and what has driven it to this level below. We also take a look at how the gold price has moved historically and what has driven its performance in recent years.
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 for the metal. 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. 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.
Interestingly, 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. 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.
With regards to the performance of gold versus trading stocks, 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. There are a variety of options for investing in stocks, including gold mining stocks on the TSX and ASX, gold juniors, precious metals royalty companies and gold stocks that pay dividends.
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.
The gold price peaked at US$2,954.72, its all-time high, on February 20, 2025. What drove it to set this new ATH?
Gold set a new record high on February 20 as US President Donald Trump continued tariff talks and seemingly sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Elon Musk's call to audit the gold holdings in Fort Knox has also brought attention to the yellow metal.
Gold has repeatedly broken new highs in recent weeks as uncertainty continues to reign under Trump. The week before, gold rose as Trump announced blanket 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Prior to that, the precious metal got a boost when Trump proposed that the US would resettle Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and then develop it into "the Riviera of the Middle East." The suggestion has been condemned globally.
Concerns over trading wars led to highs earlier that week, after Trump confirmed over the weekend he would enact extensive tariffs on North American allies Canada and Mexico beginning February 4. The two countries returned the favor, announcing retaliatory tariffs. On February 3, following talks with Mexico's and Canada's leaders, Trump agreed to delay the tariffs by one month.
The prior week, the gold price set new highs in all currencies alongside a weakening US dollar, the US Federal Reserve leaving interest rates unchanged, a rush to safe haven assets and the looming threat of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on February 1. Additionally, new US economic data showed inflation-adjusted gross domestic product in the country increased an annualized 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 after rising 3.1 percent in the third quarter.
Gold has seen upward momentum in the last year on a variety of factors. In 2025, the gold price was on the rise early in the new year as President Trump and his team began to talk seriously about a wide-ranging set of tariffs on several countries in the run-up and following his inauguration on January 20.
Gold also reacted to a weaker-than-expected US private employment report on January 8, which showed that the economy added 122,000 jobs in the private sector in December, below the estimated 140,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest US jobs report on January 10, showing that nonfarm payrolls for December 2024 rose the most since March 2024, while unemployment fell to 4.1 percent.
On January 29, the Bank of Canada shaved 25 basis points off its policy interest rate, marking its sixth consecutive decrease, and announced plans to end quantitative tightening. On the same day, the US Federal Reserve opted to leave its interest rate unchanged. The following day, President Trump announced it very likely will be placing 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada as of February 1, alongside tariffs on the EU and China.
As for gold demand, on October 30 the World Gold Council reported that gold purchases from undocumented sources and gold ETF inflows were both drivers of demand growth in Q3 2024. On the other hand, central bank gold purchases were down during the quarter.
Read our in-depth breakdown of gold's recent price performance below.
2025 gold price chart. December 31, 2024, to February 20, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
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.
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, 2022. However, it fell throughout the rest of 2022, dropping below US$1,650 in October.
Five year gold price chart. February 19, 2020, to February 20, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
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 US Federal Reserve’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 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 the third quarter. By October 4, gold had fallen to a low of US$1,820.01 and analysts expected the precious metal to be on the path to drop below the US$1,800 level.
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 rising expectations that the US Federal Reserve would begin to reverse course on interest rates, gold broke through the important psychological level of US$2,000 per ounce and closed at US$2,007.08 on October 27. As the Israel-Hamas fighting intensified, gold reached a then new high of US$2,152.30 during intraday trading on December 3.
That robust momentum in the spot gold price has 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 per ounce 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 per ounce on May 20.
Throughout the summer, the hits have just kept on coming. The global macro environment is highly bullish for gold in the lead up to the US election. Following the failed assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump and a statement about coming interest rate cuts by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the gold spot price hit a new all-time high on July 16 at US$2,469.30 per ounce.
One week later, news that President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and would instead pass the baton to his VP Kamala Harris eased some of the tension in the stock markets and strengthened the US dollar. This also pushed the price of gold down to US$2,387.99 per ounce on July 22.
However, the bullish factors supporting gold over the past year remain in play and the spot price for gold has gone on to breach the US$2,500 level first on August 2 on a less than stellar US jobs report before closing just above the US$2,440 level. A few weeks later, gold pushed past US$2,500 once again on August 16, to close 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 their September meeting, but news on September 12 that the regulators were still deciding between the expected cut or a larger half-point cut led gold prices on a rally that carried through into the next day, bringing gold prices 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 Friday, September 20, it moved above US$2,600 and held above US$2,620.
In October, gold breached the US$2,700 level and continued to set new highs 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 President Trump's win in early November and largely held under US$2,700 through the end of the year, it began trending upwards in 2025 to the new all-time high on the factors discussed earlier in the article.
What's next for the gold price is never an easy call to make. There are many factors that affect the gold price, 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 each year between 2018 and 2020 to around 3,000 to 3,100 metric tons 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 metric tons in 2022.
The World Gold Council has reported that central bank gold purchases in 2023 came to 1,037 metric tons, marking the second year in a row above 1,000 MT. In the first half of 2024, the organization says gold purchases from central banks reached a record 483 metric tons.
“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, said in an email to the Investing News Network (INN) at the beginning of Q4.
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,” he 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 for 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.
Speaking at the Metals Investor Forum, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, this September, Eric Coffin, editor of Hard Rock Analyst, outlined those key factors as supporting his prediction that gold could reach US$2,800 by the end of 2024.
“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,” Coffin said.
Also speaking at the Metals Investor Forum, Jeff Clark, founder and editor at TheGoldAdvisor.com, was even more bullish on the precious metal. He sees Santa delivering US$3,000 gold as a good possibility.
However, others see gold taking a little longer to breach the US$3,000 level. Delegates at the London Bullion Market Association's annual gathering in October have forecasted a gold price of US$2,941 in the next 12 months.
Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) thinks US$3,000 could become a reality within a couple of years. He told INN in an October interview that he believes the west has finally caught the gold fever that has mainly been contained to the east for much of the year.
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) is predicting gold will hit US$2,900 in early 2025, as it expects to see an increase in gold ETF inflows, continued central bank buying and interest rate cuts, as well as further conflicts in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Alain Corbani, head of mining of Montbleu Finance and manager of the Global Gold and Precious Fund, told INN in an early January 2025 interview that his price target for the year is US$3,000 per ounce. He advises that the direction of interest rates in the US will be the most important factor to watch.
As a final note on the price of gold and buying gold bullion, 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 (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 (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.”
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, Melissa Pistilli, 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.
Gold price chart, February 13 to 20, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
Gold has also made headlines this week on the back of calls for an audit of Fort Knox.
The Kansas-based army installation reportedly holds 4,580 metric tons of gold, but despite ongoing requests has not been fully audited since 1953. Tech billionaire Elon Musk has suggested that the newly established US Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, should take on the task.
Long-term factors supporting gold include strong central bank demand and buying from eastern investors.
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.
Aurum Resources offers a compelling value proposition through its highly prospective gold asset in Côte d'Ivoire, a fast-emerging gold region in West Africa. Its cost-effective exploration strategy of drill rig ownership also distinguishes it from its peers.
Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) is a mineral exploration company primarily focused on gold through its flagship Boundiali gold project located in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
Côte d'Ivoire's gold mining sector is experiencing significant growth and development, with several key projects contributing to the country's economic expansion. The overall gold mining sector in Côte d'Ivoire is supported by substantial investments in infrastructure and exploration.
Geopolitically, Côte d'Ivoire outperforms most developing countries in the world in political, legal, tax and operational risk metrics. Additionally, Côte d'Ivoire continues to make notable strides in its political stability and Absence of Violence and Terrorism Index.
Boundiali Gold Project – BD Target 1 Artisanal Working
Aurum has entered into a Bid Implementation Agreement with Mako Gold for Aurum to acquire 100 percent of the issued shares in Mako. This proposed merger will allow both Aurum and Mako security holders to benefit from the combination of Aurum’s strong balance sheet and exceptional drilling efficiencies with AU$23 million in cash at the end of December 2024 to support work programs targeted at further resource definition across Aurum and Mako’s assets in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Aurum is currently in its final phase of compulsory acquisition of remaining Mako shares after it received over 90% acceptance of MKG shares in late January 2025.
The merger is backed by a highly experienced board and management team with extensive gold experience from grassroots discovery, through to resource drill-out, feasibility studies, project finance, and production.
The Boundiali gold project in Cote d’Ivoire is located within the Boundiali Greenstone Belt, which hosts Resolute’s Syama gold operation (11.5 Moz) and the Tabakoroni deposit (1 Moz) in Mali. Neighbouring assets also include Barrick’s Tongon mine (5 Moz) and Montage Gold’s Kone project (4.5 Moz).
The Boundiali project area covers the underexplored southern extension of the Boundiali belt, where a highly deformed synclinal greenstone horizon traverses finer-grained basin sediments, and to the west, Tarkwaian clastic rocks lie in contact with a granitic margin. The project benefits from year-round road access and excellent infrastructure.
The first stage of drilling at Boundiali occurred from late October 2023 to end of November 2024 for both the BM and BD tenements (BM1 and BM2; BD1, BD2 and BD3 targets) and was designed to test below-gold-in-soil anomalies oriented along NE trending structures, define new gold prospects and define maiden JORC resources. With over 63,000m diamond holes drilled during this period, Maiden JORC gold resources estimate was delivered in late December 2024.
Drilling costs are estimated at US$45 per metre, as Aurum owns all of its eight drilling rigs and employs its operators, representing a significant value proposition relative to peers who use commercial drilling companies that charge upwards of $200 per meter. The company believes there is potential for multi-million ounce gold resources to be defined with hundreds thousands meters of drilling over years within the Boundiali Gold Project’s land holding areas.
The Boundiali gold project comprises four contiguous granted licenses: PR0808 (80 percent interest), PR0893 (80 percent and earning to 88 percent interest), PR414 (100 percent interest), and PR283 (earning to 70 percent interest). Historic exploration at PR0893 includes 93 AC drill holes and four RC holes. Airborne geophysical surveying, geological mapping and extensive soil sampling have also been performed at PR0893, while PR0808 has had 91 RC holes drilled for 6,229 metres along with geochemical analysis and modeling. Detailed geochemical sampling and drilling at PR414 revealed three strong gold anomalies and returned impressive high-grade results.
Following the renewal of its Boundali South (BST) exploration licence in September 2024, drilling at the Nyangboue deposit is planned for H1 2025 and H2 2025. Previous exploration at BST has returned impressive results, including 20 m at 10.45 g/t gold from 38 meters, and 30 m at 8.30 g/t gold from 39 m.
In May 2024, Aurum entered a strategic partnership agreement to earn up to a 70 percent interest in exploration tenement PR283, to be renamed Boundiali North (BN). Aurum, through subsidiary Plusor Global Pty Ltd, has partnered with Ivorian company Geb & Nut Resources Sarl and related party (GNRR) to explore and develop the Boundiali North (BN) tenement which covers 208.87sq km immediately north of Aurum’s BD tenement. Further to this agreement,
Aurum announced it has earned 80 percent project interest after completing more than 20,000 m of diamond core drilling.
Boundiali Project JORC Mineral Resource Estimate
Aurum has announced a maiden independent JORC mineral resource estimate of 1.59 Moz gold for its 1,037 sq. km. The Boundiali Gold Project comprises the BST, BDT1 & BDT2, BMT1 and BMT3 deposits. Drilling is ongoing on these deposits, and Aurum has identified other prospects at Boundiali which have yet to be drilled. Since October 2023, the company has completed an extensive 63,927-metre diamond drilling program. This aggressive exploration campaign has rapidly defined a significant gold resource of 50.9 Mt @ 1.0 g/t gold for 1.6 million ounces.
A 100,000 m of drilling is planned and being carried out at Boundiali using eight self-owned diamond rigs to drive resource growth with two JORC resources updates in 2025.
In 2025, Aurum plans to launch a mining exploitation licence application and complete a PFS and environment study for the Boundiali Gold Project.
Troy Flannery has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, including nine years in corporate and 17 years in senior mining engineering and project development roles. He has a degree in mining engineering, masters in finance, and first class mine managers certificate of competency. Flannery has performed non-executive director roles with numerous ASX listed companies and was the CEO of Abra Mining until October 2021. He has worked at numerous mining companies, mining consultancy and contractors, including BHP, Newcrest, Xstrata, St Barbara Mines and AMC Consultants.
Dr. Caigen Wang founded Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE), where he led the company as managing director for 13 years through private exploration, ASX listing, gold resource definition, project study and mine building to become one of Africa’s newest gold producers at its Abujar gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. He holds a bachelor, masters and PhD in mining engineering. He is a fellow of AusIMM and a chartered professional engineer of Institution of Engineer, Australia. Wang has 13 years of mining academic experience in China University of Mining and Technology, Western Australia School of Mine and University of Alberta, and over 20 years of practical experience in mining engineering and mineral exploration in Australia, China and Africa. Other professional experience includes senior technical and management roles in mining houses, including St. Barbara, Sons of Gwalia, BHP Billiton, China Goldmines PLC and others.
Mark Strizek has nearly 30 years’ experience in the resource industry, having worked as a geologist on various gold, base metal and technology metal projects. He brings invaluable geological, technical and development expertise to Aurum, most recently as an executive director at Tietto Minerals’, which progressed from an IPO to gold production at the Abujar gold project in West Africa. Strizek has worked as an executive with management and board responsibilities in exploration, feasibility, finance and development-ready assets across Australia, West Africa, Asia and Europe.