The Conversation (0)
September 24, 2025
GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc (AIM: GROC), a company focused on the development of critical mineral projects in Greenland, is pleased to announce that the European Union ("EU") Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, will be visiting GreenRoc's Amitsoq graphite deposit and planned mine site this week.
During the visit, Commissioner Jørgensen will be joined by Malene Vahl Rasmussen, Mayor of Kommune Kujalleq (the South Greenland Municipality), Simon Bojsen-Møller, Head of EU Representation in Nuuk, and Per Haugaard, Head of EU Representation in Denmark.
In February 2024, the EU and Greenland signed a partnership agreement focused on the development of sustainable raw materials value chains in Greenland. Greenland possesses several of the critical raw materials sought under the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act ("CRMA"), making it a key region for the EU's supply chain diversification efforts.
The CRMA identifies 34 materials as Critical Raw Materials ("CRMs"), based on their high economic importance to the EU and significant supply risks. The CRMA further designates a subset of 17 of the 34 CRMs as Strategic Raw Materials ("SRMs"). These SRMs are considered particularly vital due to their projected exponential growth in demand, complex production processes, and higher supply risks. The SRM list includes natural graphite (battery grade).
Under the CRMA, the EU can designate specific mining or processing projects as "Strategic Projects", providing these projects with streamlined permitting processes, access to financing, and other forms of support. As previously reported, GreenRoc's Amitsoq graphite project was announced a Strategic Project in June 2025.
GreenRoc's CEO, Stefan Bernstein, commented:
"We are delighted to welcome this important delegation to Amitsoq, and to provide them with an in-depth look at our graphite deposit, which we are developing into a future source of this strategic raw material. This visit further underscores the EU's support for our efforts to establish a secure, responsibly sourced supply chain of processed graphite for Europe's automotive and defence industries."
For further information, please contact:
Investor questions on this announcement We encourage all investors to share questions on this announcement via our investor hub | |
GreenRoc Mining plc Stefan Bernstein, CEO | +44 20 3950 0724 |
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nomad) Sandy Jamieson / Louise O'Driscoll | +44 20 7213 0880 |
Oberon (Broker) Nick Lovering/Adam Pollock | +44 20 3179 5300 |
Forward Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of regulatory and other third party consents and approvals, uncertainties regarding the Company's or any third party's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events.
Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors.
About GreenRoc
GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc is an AIM-quoted UK public company which is led by a group of highly experienced mining industry professionals. The Company is focused on fast-tracking the Amitsoq Graphite Project in Greenland into a producing mine to meet critical demand from Electric Vehicle ('EV') manufacturers in Europe and North America for new, high grade and conflict-free sources of graphite.
Amitsoq is one of the highest-grade graphite deposits in the world with a combined Measured, Indicated and Inferred JORC Resource of 23.05 million tonnes (Mt) at an average grade of 20.41% graphite, giving a total graphite content of 4.71 Mt, and significant further upside beyond this. Test work has proven that Amitsoq graphite can be readily upgraded to high-grade, anode-quality graphite, with higher than 99.95% purity and relatively little energy input, which bodes well for future production costs and sustainability commitments.
A Preliminary Economic Assessment released on 31 October 2023 gives a post-tax NPV8 for the Project of US$179M, an IRR of 26.7% and capex estimated at US$131M (including a 25% contingency). These figures solely relate to the economics of a mining and primary processing operation in South Greenland and do not take into account any potential upside from the downstream processing operation which GreenRoc intends to establish. A Feasibility Study into the establishment of a graphite spheronisation processing plant (published in May and July 2024) shows a post-tax NPV8 for the project of US$621M, an IRR of 26.5% and capex estimated at US$340M (including a 25% contingency).
The Company has signed a Letter of Intent to secure an area for the Company's future Active Anode Materials Plant in Southern Norway and has received expressions of support from the European Raw Materials Alliance and the US EXIM Bank for future development. In November 2024, GreenRoc and Morrow Batteries a/s, a Norwegian Gigafactory signed a MoU to work together on a regional supply chain of battery anode material and the Company received a Letter of Interest from the Export and Investment Bank of Denmark (EIFO) in January 2025.
GreenRoc's Amitsoq and Anode Materials Plant project was announced as a Strategic Project under EU's Critical Raw Materials Act on June 4, 2025, and has an ESG certification via DigBeeTM since March 2025.
GreenRoc also owns the Thule Black Sands Ilmenite Project ('TBS') in Greenland, which has an initial Mineral Resource of 19Mt at 43.6% Total Heavy Minerals with an in-situ ilmenite grade of 8.9%.
24 September
Arrowhead Sees Significant Upside in Metals Australia’s Graphite Project
Description:
Market research firm Arrowhead believes Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) is positioned to benefit from surging demand for critical minerals tied to the global energy transition. In a September 2025 Due Diligence and Valuation Report, analysts Karan Mehta and Sahil Rustagi suggested a fair share value of AU$0.071 to AU$0.087, more than triple the current trading price of AU$0.022 as of mid-September 2025.
At the heart of this optimism is the company’s Lac Carheil graphite project in Quebec, Canada, which has rapidly advanced into Metals Australia’s flagship asset. The project now boasts an updated mineral resource of 50 million tonnes (Mt) grading 10.2 percent total graphitic carbon (TGC), containing 5.1 Mt of graphite, placing it among a select group of high-grade, large-scale deposits globally
Backed by strong technical partners and a grant from the Quebec government, the project is moving through a pre-feasibility study, with downstream integration plans centered on producing battery anode materials.
Lac Carheil Graphite Project: New MRE within World class graphite endowment covering 10 mapped and sampled graphite trends over 36 km in combined strike length. Less than 1/3rd of the claims held have been investigated
Highlights from the Arrowhead Report
- Valuation Range: Arrowhead estimates a fair value bracket of AU$0.071 to AU$0.087 per share, versus the current market price of AU$0.022 (Sept. 16, 2025), implying meaningful upside potential.
- Flagship Project: The Lac Carheil graphite project in Quebec now hosts a 50 Mt resource at 10.2 percent TGC, a fourfold increase from the maiden estimate, and is progressing through a pre-feasibility study.
- Strategic Positioning: The project has achieved battery-grade graphite purity of 99.99 percent and benefits from supportive trade and supply-chain dynamics, including proposed US tariffs on Chinese graphite
- Risks: As a pre-revenue exploration company, Metals Australia remains dependent on external funding despite holding AU$11.8 million in cash and having secured a C$600,000 Quebec grant
This content is intended only for persons who reside or access the website in jurisdictions with securities and other applicable laws which permit the distribution and consumption of this content and whose local law recognizes the scope and effect of this Disclaimer, its limitation of liability, and the legal effect of its exclusive jurisdiction and governing law provisions [link to Governing Law section of the Disclaimer page].
Any investment information contained on this website, including third party research reports, are provided strictly for informational purposes, are general in nature and not tailored for the specific needs of any person, and are not a solicitation or recommendation to purchase or sell a security or intended to provide investment advice. Readers are cautioned to seek the advice of a registered investment advisor regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities or investment strategies mentioned on this website.
Keep reading...Show less
10 September
Corporate Presentation
Blencowe Resources Plc (LSE: BRES), advancing the large-scale, high-quality Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda, is pleased to release its latest corporate presentation, offering a detailed update on the Project's development and upcoming milestones.
Presentation Highlights:
· Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) near completion, targeted for Q4 2025
· PFS delivered post-tax NPV8 of US$482M and 49% IRR8 with economics expected to be materially upgraded in the upcoming DFS
· Strategic partnership with the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which has provided US$5M non-dilutive grant funding for the DFS
· Offtake agreements signed that cover the full Phase One production.
· Downstream value-add strategy to purify graphite to battery grade within Uganda underway
· Targeting first production by end-2026, with plans to scale up from 10,000 tonnes to 175,000 tonnes production of concentrate
· Strong ESG credentials, including 100% hydropower, net-zero mine strategy, and EU-linked offtake via Project SAFELOOP
The full presentation is available on the Company's website:
https://blencoweresourcesplc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Blencowe-Presentation-Sept-2025.pdf
Blencowe's CEO Mike Ralston commented:
"Orom-Cross is building strong momentum as we approach DFS completion. Ahead of the study's conclusion, we expect the first in a series of assay results from our recent successful infill drilling campaign, which will underpin a material resource upgrade and considerably enhance project economics."
"Together with our strategic partnerships, our established infrastructure at site and our strong ESG credentials, we are positioning Orom-Cross to enter the financing phase as a significantly de-risked and globally competitive graphite project."
For further information please contact:
Blencowe Resources Plc Sam Quinn (London Director) | info@blencoweresourcesplc.com +44 (0)1624 681 250 |
Investor Enquiries Sasha Sethi | Tel: +44 (0) 7891 677 441 sasha@flowcomms.com |
Tavira Securities Jonathan Evans | Tel: +44 (0)20 3192 1733 jonathan.evans@tavirasecurities.com |
Twitter https://twitter.com/BlencoweRes
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/72382491/admin/
Background
Orom-Cross Graphite Project
Orom-Cross is a potential world class graphite project both by size and end-product quality, with a high component of more valuable larger coarse flakes within the deposit.
A 21-year Mining Licence for the project was issued by the Ugandan Government in 2019 following extensive historical work on the deposit. Blencowe has already completed a successful Pre-Feasibility Study on the Project and is now within the final stage of the Definitive Feasibility Study phase as it drives towards first production.
Orom-Cross presents as a large, shallow open-pitable deposit, with an initial JORC Indicated & Inferred Mineral Resource of 24.5Mt @ 6.0% TGC (Total Graphite Content). This Resource has been defined from only ~2% of the total tenement area which presents considerable upside potential ahead.
Development of the resource is expected to benefit from a low strip ratio and free dig operations together with abundant inexpensive hydro-electric power off the national grid, thereby ensuring low operating costs. With all major infrastructure available at or near to site the capital costs will also be relatively low in comparison to most graphite peers.
Keep reading...Show less
05 September
Québec Communities Vote "No" to La Loutre Graphite Mine
Residents in five Western Québec municipalities of have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed open-pit graphite mine, with 95 percent voting against the La Loutre project in a referendum.
Nearly 3,000 ballots were cast on Sunday (August 31) across Duhamel, Lac-des-Plages, Lac-Simon, Chénéville and Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk. Of those, 2,754 citizens voted against the asset, while only 115 were in favor.
The organizers say the result leaves no room for ambiguity about local opposition.
Located near Lac Bélanger, roughly 80 kilometers northeast of Gatineau, La Loutre is owned by Lomiko Metals (TSXV:LMR,OTCQB:LMRMF), which says it is a potential source of graphite for electric vehicle batteries.
China is the world's largest producer of graphite by far, and countries around the world are looking to lock down supply of the material. In 2024, Lomiko received a US$8.35 million grant from the US Department of Defense, as well as C$4.9 million from Natural Resources Canada, as the countries looked to strengthen North America's supply chain.
But for many locals, the referendum on La Loutre was not about global supply chains, but about protecting the lakes, forests and tourism-driven economy that sustain the Petite-Nation region.
Duhamel Mayor David Pharand, long opposed to the mine, said the scale of the rejection will shape what comes next.
“I can assure the population that the percentage of the results of this referendum will have a major impact on the decision of the government and the action that will be taken,” Pharand told CBC. “We will work based on those numbers with our political, federal, and provincial members of parliament to see that this project is not funded.”
Provincial officials struck a similar tone. Papineau MRC prefect Paul-André David said in a statement that the results reflect widespread environmental concerns and will guide the region’s stance in discussions with Québec City:
“The MRC will have to take the necessary measures to protect the interests of the community, by demanding that governments ensure that the sustainable management of water, air and landscapes is at the heart of discussions."
Mathieu Lacombe, the Coalition Avenir Québec member of Québec’s National Assembly for Papineau, called the outcome “unequivocal” and pledged in a Facebook post to “ensure that the will of citizens is respected.”
Premier François Legault has repeatedly said in recent years that “if there is no social acceptability, there will be no mining activity,” a promise the Coalition du NON is now urging him to uphold.
Coalition presses for government action
The referendum was organized with support from the Alliance des municipalités Petite-Nation Nord and spearheaded by local business and land-use groups under the banner of the Coalition du NON.
The coalition is demanding that both provincial and federal governments move quickly to halt the project and declare the territory incompatible with mining activity. Louis St-Hilaire, president of the Petite-Nation Lake Protection Group and co-spokesperson for the coalition, said the result represents a clear directive.
“Through this referendum, citizens have shown that mining is clearly not what they want for their region and that they will continue to oppose it. Mr. Legault, the public is now asking you, in the public interest, to revoke Lomiko Metals’ mining rights in this area,” St-Hilaire said.
Lomiko acknowledges challenge of social license
Lomiko received permits from the Québec government to begin a 250 metric ton bulk sample at La Loutre on July 1, also saying in the update that it was in a permitting phase to start geotechnical site investigations.
In a statement to CBC on Tuesday (September 2), the company acknowledged the referendum outcome, while stressing that “the many outstanding questions will become clearer as it carries out additional studies.”
Last year, Lomiko expressed disappointment after Québec’s government declined to fund the project, saying the province appeared to be drawing “pre-emptive conclusions” before technical assessments were completed.
Local leaders say the onus is now squarely on provincial and federal authorities to respect the verdict.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Keep reading...Show less
22 August
Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: StrategX Jumps 64 Percent on Fundraising
Welcome to the Investing News Network's weekly look at the best-performing Canadian mining stocks on the TSX, TSXV and CSE, starting with a round-up of Canadian and US news impacting the resource sector.
Statistics Canada released July’s consumer price index (CPI) data on Tuesday (August 19). The figures show that inflation decelerated that month, posting a 1.7 percent year-on-year gain, down from the 1.9 percent recorded in June.
The most significant contributor to the fall was a 16.1 percent decline in gasoline prices from the same period last year.
Excluding the lower costs at the pumps, CPI remained steady at 2.5 percent, the same increase as May and June.
The national reporting agency released June’s mineral production survey on Wednesday (August 20).
The data indicates that production and shipments increased across the board, with copper production rising to 39.17 million kilograms, gold rising to 16,935 kilograms and silver increasing to 29,081 kilograms.
For shipments, copper increased to 45.96 million kilograms from 34.38 million kilograms, gold shipments rose to 18,554 kilograms from 16,725 kilograms, and silver jumped to 31,391 kilograms from 27,614 kilograms.
On Thursday (August 21), Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Although the prime minister's office has provided few details, the two leaders reportedly had a “productive and wide-ranging conversation” about the current trade dispute, as well as economic and security relations.
Carney and Trump are expected to speak again soon.
South of the border, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave his speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday (August 22). In his remarks, he said that the Fed's dual mandate goal is in balance, with the labor market remaining near maximum employment, while inflation has eased from post-pandemic highs.
However, he also said that “a shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” hinting at a near-term cut to the Fed’s benchmark interest rate. Expectations are high for a 25 basis point cut in September.
Markets and commodities react
Canadian equity markets were positive this week. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was in record territory, closing the week up 1.44 percent to set at another all-time high of 28,333.13. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) did even better, climbing 2.45 percent to finish Friday at 803.61. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) slumped mid-week, but recovered on Friday to post a slight gain of 0.48 percent to 158.82.
US equity markets were mixed this week, but strong gains on Friday following Powell’s comments kept them in record-high territory. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) was up 1.52 percent on Friday, but down by 0.16 percent over the past five days to 6,466.92, while the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rose 1.51 percent on Friday, but sank 1.33 percent on the week to 23,497.83 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was the sole weekly gainer, rising 1.89 percent on Friday and 1.04 percent on the week to post a new record high of 45,631.73.
The gold price was largely flat this week, but also surged on Friday after Powell hinted at a near-term rate cut, rising 1.11 percent on the week to hit US$3,373.21 per ounce by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday.
Silver saw similar movements, but ended the week with a larger gain of 2.62 percent to US$38.90 per ounce.
Copper saw little change again this week, posting a 0.22 percent decrease to US$4.52 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted an increase of 1.92 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 545.11.
Top Canadian mining stocks this week
How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?
Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.
Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView's stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.
1. StrategX Elements (CSE:STGX)
Weekly gain: 63.64 percent
Market cap: C$11.57 million
Share price: C$0.18
StrategX Elements is advancing a portfolio of projects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada.
Its most recent focus has been its Nagvaak project in Nunavut, which hosts a 6 kilometer mineralized zone with deposits of nickel, vanadium, cobalt, copper, silver and platinum-group metals.
On March 3, the company discovered a wide zone of high-grade graphite mineralization at Nagvaak, with one assay returning an average of 15 percent graphitic carbon over 32 meters, including an intersection of 22 percent graphitic carbon over 17 meters. StrategX said the hole also returned encouraging concentrations of other minerals, including nickel, copper and silver, supporting potential for a multi-mineral system.
The most recent news from the project came on July 30, when the company announced it was in the process of mobilizing for a 2025 drill program intended to delineate and validate the discoveries.
On Tuesday, the company completed a non-brokered private placement for 3.71 million shares, raising gross proceeds of C$296,960. It announced the placement on August 7 and said the funds would be used for general working capital.
2. Max Resource (TSXV:MAX)
Weekly gain: 62.5 percent
Market cap: C$12.59 million
Share price: C$0.065
Max Resource is an explorer working to advance a portfolio of projects in Colombia.
The company's Sierra Azul property is a district-scale copper and silver project consisting of 20 mining concessions covering an area of 188 square kilometers in Northeastern Colombia.
The asset is covered by a May 2024 earn-in agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), in which Freeport can receive up to an 80 percent stake by funding of C$50 million over 10 years. The site hosts multiple target areas with high-grade copper and silver mineralization, including a 20 kilometer red-bed-style copper system at the AM district.
Max also owns the Florália hematite direct-shipping ore iron project, located in the Minas Gerais region. The company completed the acquisition of the property in October 2024 from Jaguar Mining (TSX:JAG,OTCQX:JAGGF) for total cash consideration of US$1 million and 4 million performance share units, contingent upon reaching certain milestones. The site hosts hematite deposits with grades of over 60 percent iron. Max intends to use a direct-shipping ore process to mine, crush and screen the ore before exporting the material directly to steel mills.
The company’s most recent announcement came this past Tuesday, when it secured the right to acquire the Mora title, which lies adjacent to Aris Mining's (TSX:ARIS,NYSEAMERICAN:ARMN) Marmato mine. The property hosts 40 historic workings with five active mines, with reserves with grades of 3.2 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold from 31.3 million metric tons and a resource of 9 million ounces of gold grading 3 g/t from 61.5 million metric tons.
3. Maple Gold Mines (TSXV:MGM)
Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$45.6 million
Share price: C$0.105
Maple Gold Mines is a gold exploration company focused on the advancement of its Douay and Joutel projects, located in the Abitibi greenstone belt in Québec, Canada.
The Douay project covers an area of 357 square kilometers. In a 2022 technical report, the company said the site hosts an indicated resource of 511,000 ounces of gold from 10 million metric tons with an average grade of 1.59 g/t gold; it has an additional inferred resource of 2.53 million ounces from 76.7 million metric tons at 1.02 g/t.
Joutel is located directly south of Douay. The company announced on May 5 that it had staked an additional 128 mining claims, bringing the total land area at the property to 111 square kilometers from the original 39. The site hosts Agnico Eagle Mines' (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) past-producing Eagle-Telbel gold mine, which operated from 1974 to 1993. To date, the company has used 250,000 meters of historic drill results to create 3D models to aid in current exploration efforts.
The most recent news from Maple came on Wednesday, when it announced a C$5 million non-brokered private placement led by strategic investor Michael Gentile. Additionally, the company reported that Agnico Eagle has indicated it intends to participate in the offering to maintain its pro rata ownership interest in Maple Gold.
The release also states that Marc Legault and Chris Adams have been appointed to the board of directors.
4. Capitan Silver (TSXV:CAPT)
Weekly gain: 40.45 percent
Market cap: C$113.2 million
Share price: C$1.25
Capitan Silver is an explorer focused on advancing silver and gold projects in Durango, Mexico.
The company’s flagship asset is the 100 percent owned Cruz de Plata project in the heart of Mexico’s historic Penoles Mining District. The region is known for hosting significant silver mineralization and historic mining.
The Cruz de Plata project encompasses two historic silver mines — Jesus Maria and San Rafael — and the El Capitan oxide gold prospect, all within a 22.9 square kilometer land package.
To date, the company has completed 86 diamond drill holes totaling over 11,550 meters.
A 2020 technical report demonstrates an inferred resource of 16.99 million ounces of contained silver and 331,000 ounces of contained gold from 28.3 million metric tons of ore with grades of 18.7 g/t silver and 0.36 g/t gold.
The most recent news from Capitan came on Friday, when it announced it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire a strategic land package at its Cruz de Plata property from Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTC Pink:FNLPF) for total cash consideration of US$4 million. The transaction was initially announced in June.
The new parcel consists of seven mineral concessions covering 2,171.4 hectares. It increases Capitan's total holdings in the area by 85 percent and the surface expression of the silver and gold trend by 1.2 kilometers to the east.
5. District Metals (TSXV:DMX)
Weekly gain: 36.9 percent
Market cap: C$163.98 million
Share price: C$1.15
District Metals is a uranium exploration company focused on advancing a portfolio of assets in Sweden.
Its flagship Viken property covers an area of 38,657 hectares in Jämtland County, and in addition to uranium hosts mineral deposits of vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, copper and zinc.
On June 13, District filed a technical report for the project’s updated resource estimate. It shows an indicated resource of 176 million pounds of U3O8 from 456 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 175 parts per million (ppm) U3O8 and an inferred resource of 1.54 billion pounds of U3O8 from 4.3 billion metric tons with a grade of 161 ppm.
The company has also been advancing its Tomtebo-Stollberg zinc project in South-Central Sweden. The project is part of an October 2023 definitive agreement in which Boliden (STO:BOL) can earn an 85 percent interest in the property by spending C$10 million over four years and District can earn a 15 percent stake in Boliden’s Stollberg property.
Tomtebo covers an area of 5,144 hectares and hosts the historic Tomtebo and Lovas mines, while Stollberg covers an area of 5,180 hectares and is located near Boliden’s Garpengerg mine.
The most recent update from Tomtebo came on July 29, when District released assays from a five hole, 2,485 meter drill program conducted between February and April. One highlighted drill hole recorded multiple zones of silver and base metals mineralization, including 88 g/t silver, 3 percent zinc and 1.9 percent lead over 7.85 meters.
The company has not released any news since.
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.
Keep reading...Show less
18 August
Graphite Market Update: H1 2025 in Review
Oversupply and trade concerns were the most impactful factors in the graphite market in H1.
Prices for graphite fell by 10 to 20 percent in 2024, as noted in an International Energy Agency report, and heading into 2025 the sector was expected to see continued divergence between China and ex-China regions.
Analysts anticipated that domestic Chinese prices would remain low, while US and European benchmarks were expected to climb as supply shifted away from China and created tighter markets.
As the year began, China’s market dominance came into focus as the US launched an investigation into the security of numerous supply chains, including anodes, which are a key end use for graphite.
While those and other factors pressured graphite prices in the first half of the year, analysts aren't ruling out a moderate recovery in H2 as inventories normalize, though competition from synthetic graphite could limit gains.
Graphite prices hit multi-year lows
Caught in the crosshairs of tariff troubles between US and China, Fastmarkets reported in May that Chinese natural graphite flake prices were at their lowest level since it started reporting on that product in 2018.
In January, the US Department of Commerce officially launched anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into imports of active anode material from China. The probes were designed to address concerns that Chinese producers were unfairly undercutting domestic manufacturers through subsidized or dumped pricing.
The move came after petitions filed by the American Active Anode Material Producers in December 2024.
“The new antidumping and countervailing duty investigation on active anode imports from China demonstrates that the anode production is the most challenging part of the battery supply chain for the US to compete with China,” wrote Fastmarkets research analyst Georgi Georgiev in a February report.
“The existing 25 percent tariff has had limited impact on anode imports from China, demonstrating that currently Chinese anode makers remain the cornerstone of global anode supply chains," he added.
In May, the commerce department issued an affirmative preliminary finding in its countervailing duty probe, identifying subsidy rates as high as 721.03 percent for some producers, while others faced rates of 6.55 percent. A July preliminary determination confirmed dumping, and a provisional 93.5 percent duty was imposed.
If both the commerce department and the US International Trade Commission deliver final affirmative decisions, steep duties could be imposed as soon as this fall and remain in place for at least five years.
Ex-China graphite supply increasingly key
Although graphite mine supply is experiencing growth, rising from 2020’s 966,000 metric tons to 1,600,000 metric tons in 2024, concerns abound about future supply of the key battery metal.
“Rare earth elements appear to be sufficiently supplied in 2035 based on the project pipeline. However, supply concentration for rare earths and graphite remains a key vulnerability,” an International Energy Agency (IEA) report reads. Graphite demand is seen doubling between now and 2040, driven by an uptick in electric vehicle (EV) demand.
To ensure ample supply, the IEA recommends broad growth outside of China up and down the supply chain.
“Diversification is the watchword for energy security, but the critical minerals world has moved in the opposite direction in recent years, particularly in refining and processing. Between 2020 and 2024, growth in refined material production was heavily concentrated among the leading suppliers,” the organization's report explains.
Refining capacity for critical minerals has become increasingly concentrated, with graphite among the most affected. By 2024, the top three refining nations controlled an average of 86 percent of global output for key energy minerals, up from about 82 percent in 2020. In graphite’s case, China dominates the sector, accounting for nearly all recent supply growth, a trend mirrored by Indonesia in nickel and China again in cobalt and rare earths.
Despite China’s stranglehold on the market, the IEA sees that weakening over the next decade.
“There is some diversification emerging in the mining of lithium, graphite and rare earth elements. The share of mined lithium supply from the top three producers is set to fall below 70 percent by 2035, down from over 75 percent in 2024,” the IEA states. “Graphite and rare earth elements also see some improvement as new mining suppliers emerge over the next decade — Madagascar and Mozambique for graphite and Australia for rare earths.”
While mine supply diversification is a positive first step, growth in refinement and processing capacity is unlikely to see the same ex-China growth trends. The IEA expects refining capacity for critical minerals to remain heavily concentrated well into the next decade, with graphite among the most tightly controlled.
Although some diversification is emerging for lithium and select minerals, China’s dominance shows little sign of waning. By 2035, the country is projected to supply roughly 80 percent of the world’s battery-grade graphite, alongside similar market shares in rare earths, and more than 60 percent of refined lithium and cobalt.
Tariff battle shakes anode supply chain
To counter China’s control, the US is moving aggressively to curb reliance on Chinese graphite anodes, which account for more than 95 percent of global anode output. Since June 2024, tariffs on Chinese synthetic graphite anodes have risen from zero to 160 percent — including the existing 25 percent Section 301 tariff and additional levies.
North American producers have petitioned for duties as high as 920 percent.
Chinese producers initially absorbed much of the cost of early tariffs, but analysts expect they will pass more of the recent increases on to buyers. US automakers and battery makers are bracing for higher costs, with trade data showing that all US graphite anode imports for the EV sector came from China in 2024.
China has responded with its own 84 percent import tariff on US petroleum coke and needle coke.
While China has reduced reliance on US supply, it still sources about 30 percent of each from American producers, meaning higher costs for Chinese synthetic graphite and downstream anode products.
“US EV and battery producers have battled in recent years to keep US imports of graphite anodes from China tariff-free, but their efforts have proved futile over the past nine months and the trade status of graphite anodes has shifted dramatically,” Amy Bennett, Fastmarkets' principal consultant of metals and mining, wrote in May.
Graphite supply-side fragility
Global demand for battery-grade graphite is projected to surge by 600 percent over the next decade as the energy transition and EV adoption accelerate. However, at today’s depressed prices, developing new supply outside China remains economically unviable — a challenge that’s fueling a looming supply crunch.
The US, which mines no graphite, was entirely dependent on imports to meet domestic demand in 2024, according to the US Geological Survey, leaving it and other non-China markets in a vulnerable position.
History offers a cautionary precedent: in 2010, rare earths prices spiked tenfold after China restricted exports.
Should a similar disruption hit lithium, nickel or graphite, prices could surge five to 10 times, pushing average global battery pack costs up by 20 to 50 percent, the IEA warns.
Such a jump would erode EV affordability, slow adoption and threaten the pace of the clean energy transition.
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.
Keep reading...Show less
15 August
Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Focus Graphite Rises Over 90 Percent
Welcome to the Investing News Network's weekly look at the best-performing Canadian mining stocks on the TSX, TSXV and CSE, starting with a round-up of Canadian and US news impacting the resource sector.
On Friday (August 15), Statistics Canada released wholesale trade data for June. The release indicates that sales increased 0.7 percent to C$84.7 billion for the month, with four of seven sectors reporting gains.
The increases were led by the food, beverage and tobacco sector, which increased 1.7 percent to C$15.6 billion, and on a provincial level by Québec, which reported 1.9 percent higher sales at C$15.3 billion. Sales also increased in the mineral, ore and precious metals subsector, rising to C$1.02 billion in June from C$750.84 million recorded in May.
Despite the increases, Statistics Canada notes that more than a third of all businesses questioned said Canada-US trade have tensions affected them, and that sales have been negatively impacted in all seven subsectors.
In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released July consumer price index (CPI) data on Tuesday (August 12). It shows that the all-items index increased 0.2 percent month-on-month, a slight deceleration from the 0.3 percent gain in June.
Core CPI, which excludes the volatile food and energy segments, rose by 0.3 percent in July versus 0.2 percent recorded the previous month. On an annualized basis, the all-items CPI remained steady with an increase of 2.7 percent, but posted a more significant 3.1 percent gain when the food and energy categories were excluded.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US, for talks to de-escalate the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was excluded from Friday’s summit, but Trump has said he hopes the meeting will lead to further talks that will include Ukraine.
The two nations have been at war since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Russia is seeking to retain the territory it has held since near the beginning of the war, while Ukraine says the original borders should be maintained.
Markets and commodities react
In Canada, equity markets were mixed this week.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was in record territory, closing Wednesday (August 13) at an all-time high of 27,993.43, but it had slipped by Friday to close the week up 0.41 percent at 27,905.49.
The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) was flat, posting a slight loss of 0.12 percent to 790.77. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) had another strong week, gaining 3.58 percent to 156.87.
US equity markets rebounded this week and finished near all-time highs.
The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) set a new record on Thursday (August 14), closing at 6,468.53, but slipped to register a 1.49 percent gain on the week to 6,449.79. The Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) also set a new record of 23,849.04 on Wednesday, but fell in the last two days of trading, recording a weekly gain of 1.08 percent to 23,712.07.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was above 45,000 points for the first time since December 2024, but failed to achieve a new record. It posted a 2.01 percent gain to finish the week at 44,946.13.
The gold price slumped this week following clarification from the White House that imports of 1 kilogram and 100 ounce gold bars from Switzerland will not face tariffs. Gold had fallen 1.81 percent by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday to reach US$3,338.36 per ounce. Silver also retraced this week, losing 0.7 percent to hit US$37.97 per ounce.
Copper saw little change this week, posting a 0.44 percent gain to US$4.54 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted a slight decline of 0.8 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 545.59.
Top Canadian mining stocks this week
How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?
Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.
Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView's stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.
1. Focus Graphite (TSXV:FMS)
Weekly gain: 94.44 percent
Market cap: C$25.18 million
Share price: C$0.35
Focus Graphite is working to advance its Lac Knife and Lac Tétépisca projects in Québec, Canada.
Lac Knife covers 3,248 hectares in Eastern Québec. An April 2023 updated feasibility study outlines an after-tax net present value of C$284.8 million with an internal rate of return of 22.57 percent and a payback period of 3.38 years. Lac Knife is expected to produce 50,000 metric tons (MT) of graphite concentrate annually over a mine life of 27 years.
For its part, Lac Tétépisca spans 6,629 hectares in Central Québec. An April 2022 technical report shows an indicated resource of 59.3 million MT grading 10.61 percent graphitic carbon for 6.3 million MT of in-situ natural flake graphite. The inferred category stands at 14.8 million MT grading 11.06 percent graphitic carbon for 1.6 million MT.
On Wednesday (August 13), Focus resumed work on the environmental and social impact assessment for Lac Knife. In total, it has to complete 16 technical reports as required by the province to advance to the construction phase. Focus previously halted work due to funding delays, but now expects the reports to be complete in early 2026.
The firm is also moving forward with geochemical analysis of over 1,000 samples collected from 2022 exploration drilling at Lac Tétépisca. It will use the results to finalize a resource estimate, which it expects to deliver this fall.
This week's news comes after Focus said on August 8 that it had closed a non-brokered private placement for C$891,000. Funds will be used to maintain existing operations and for general capital.
2. Libra Energy Materials (CSE:LIBR)
Weekly gain: 56.67 percent
Market cap: C$13 million
Share price: C$0.235
Libra Energy Materials is a lithium-focused exploration company that is currently working to advance its Flanders North, Flanders South and Soules Bay-Caron (SBC) projects in Ontario, Canada.
The properties are part of a November 2024 earn-in agreement with KoBold Metals. Libra can earn a 75 percent stake by incurring C$33 million in exploration expenditures across the properties over the next six years.
Flanders North and South cover 40,000 hectares, and initial surveys in 2023 revealed hundreds of pegmatites, with surface exposures of up to 200 meters in width and grab samples of up to 2.86 percent lithium oxide.
SBC covers an area of 15,000 hectares and is located near Pickle Lake, Ontario. Exploration work carried out at the property in June 2024 earned the company the Bernie Schnieders Discovery of the Year Award. The discovery included several spodumene-bearing pegmatites with widths of up to 30 meters, and spodumene grades of 15 to 25 percent across SBC. During the program, the company collected 184 grab samples with up to 6.64 percent lithium oxide.
Shares of Libra gained this week, but the company did not release any news.
3. Q-Gold Resources (TSXV:QGR)
Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$10.48 million
Share price: C$0.18
Q-Gold Resources is a gold explorer focused on the acquisition of the Quartz Mountain project in Oregon, US. On April 3, it entered into a definitive agreement with Alamos Gold (TSX:AGI,NYSE:AGI) to acquire the property.
The measured and indicated gold resource for Quartz Mountain, which spans 2,000 hectares, comes in at 339,000 ounces at an average grade of 0.87 grams per MT (g/t) from 12.16 million MT of ore; its inferred resource stands at of 1.15 million ounces with an average grade of 0.91 g/t from 39.21 million MT ore.
Q-Gold's latest news came on August 8. It said company representatives intend to visit the project site for the first time. They expect to conduct sampling of select diamond drill cores and verify the current status of all claims at the project.
4. Glenstar Minerals (CSE:GSTR)
Weekly gain: 49.12 percent
Market cap: C$17.58 million
Share price: C$0.85
Glenstar Minerals is an exploration company working to advance projects in Nevada, US.
Its Green Monster property consists of 35 lode claims and covers 700 acres southwest of Las Vegas. The property hosts nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc mineralization, and has mine workings dating back to the late 1800s.
The most recent update from the property came this past Wednesday, when Glenstar announced that it will switch the focus of its Phase 2 drill program to extension drilling following the discovery of a new polymetallic zone. The drilling will be centered on a high-grade zinc occurrence with grades above 30 percent and assay results of up to 177 parts per million (ppm) silver, 523 ppm nickel, 91.9 ppm cobalt and copper of 0.36 percent.
The company also owns the Wildhorse property in Southern Nevada. The early stage project has had limited exploration, but assays from a sampling program were released on July 23. In that announcement, Glenstar said four grab samples from the Coca Cola zone returned copper grades of 1.6 percent, 5.3 percent, 2.3 percent and 5.1 percent, with an average of 21.6 ppm silver, 156 ppm bismuth and 72.5 ppm tungsten.
Four samples were also collected from the Highland zone, which returned average grades of 0.16 percent copper, 1.23 percent zinc, 1.98 percent lead and 43 ppm silver.
5. Sterling Metals (TSXV:SAG)
Weekly gain: 47.69 percent
Market cap: C$13.3 million
Share price: C$0.48
Sterling Metals is an exploration company working to advance a trio of projects in Canada. Over the past year, its primary focus has been on exploration at its brownfield Soo copper project in Ontario. The 25,000 hectare property has hosted two past-producing copper mines and has the potential for larger intrusion-related copper mineralization.
On January 15, Sterling announced results from a 3D induced-polarization and resistivity survey that covered an area of 5 kilometers by 3 kilometers and revealed multiple high-priority drill-ready targets.
The company intends to use the survey results, along with historical exploration, to inform a drill program at the site.
The company’s other two projects are Adeline, a 297 square kilometer district-scale property with sediment-hosted copper and silver mineralization along 44 kilometers of strike, and Sail Pond, a silver, copper, lead and zinc project that hosts a 16 kilometer long linear soil anomaly and has seen 16,000 meters of drilling.
Both properties are located in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The most recent news from the company came on August 7, when Sterling reported that it had commenced Phase 2 drilling at Soo. The 3,000 to 5,000 meter program is designed to test areas defined through the Phase 1 program, as well as historic drill data and geophysical interpretations.
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.
Keep reading...Show less
Latest News
Latest Press Releases
Related News
TOP STOCKS
American Battery4.030.24
Aion Therapeutic0.10-0.01
Cybin Corp2.140.00