
Paves the Way for Lodgement of Substantial Damages Claim
Sarama Resources Ltd. (“Sarama” or the “Company”) (ASX:SRR, TSX- V:SWA) is pleased to advise that it has entered into a Litigation Funding Agreement (“LFA”) with Locke Capital II LLC, an arm’s length party that specializes in providing funding for dispute resolution (the “Funder”) to commence international arbitration proceedings in relation to its investment dispute (the “Dispute”) with the Government of Burkina Faso (the “Government”).
The Dispute pertains to the illegal withdrawal of the Company’s rights to the Tankoro 2 Exploration Permit (the “Permit”) (refer news release 5 September 2023). The Permit covered the Tankoro Deposit which was the focal point of the Company’s Sanutura Project (the “Project”) which featured a multi-million ounce gold resource.
Litigation Funding Agreement
The LFA provides a four-year non-recourse loan facility (“Facility”) of US$4.4 million to the Company to cover all fees and expenses related to its Claim to Arbitration (the “Claim”).
Security of the Facility is limited to the Claim, associated potential proceeds and all benefits arising from the property and assets of the subsidiary companies comprising the ownership chain (the “Chain”) pertaining to the Project (refer Annual Information Form, 2 April 2024). The Facility has been structured to enable the Company to continue to operate and consolidate its business outside the Chain without encumbrance or lien from the LFA.
All monies advanced through the Facility are non-recourse and repayable only in the event of a successful Claim or settlement of the Dispute that results in the receipt of Proceeds (“Proceeds”) by the Company or in the event of a default by Sarama under the LFA. In the event of the occurrence of a material adverse change under the LFA, the Funder shall be entitled to recover only those funds which were advanced but remain unspent. The Funder’s return is directly tied to the successful award and settlement of the Claim, with the total amount payable being a function of time and total Proceeds receipted. The priorities for distribution of receipted Proceeds are set out in the LFA and where commercially and legally sensitive, shall remain confidential.
If there is no settlement or award (or no default by Sarama under the LFA), the Company does not have an obligation to repay the loan. A detailed budget has been approved as part of the LFA, which covers all expected legal and ancillary costs associated with the arbitration process.
Plans for Arbitration
On 29 November 2023, the Company issued a Notice of Intent to Submit Claims to Arbitration under a bilateral investment treaty between Canada and Burkina Faso. The Government of Burkina Faso did not respond substantively to the Company’s efforts to reach an amicable resolution of the dispute. With funding to support legal costs secured, the Company is now preparing to lodge a Request for Arbitration with the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”). The Company will seek full compensation for the loss suffered which may include, but will not be limited to, the value of the Permit, the value of the Company’s historic investments in the Project, the value of the Project at the time the Permit was withdrawn and damages the Company has suffered as a direct result of the Government’s actions. The Project hosted a multi-million-ounce gold resource which was the subject of a substantially complete Preliminary Economic Assessment and fast-tracked development study at the time of the Government’s illegal actions.
The Company has engaged Boies Schiller Flexner (UK) LLP (“BSF”), a leading international law firm, to assist with legal matters pertaining to the dispute (refer news release 17 October 2023). BSF is an internationally recognised dispute resolution law firm with extensive experience representing investors in international investment arbitrations in the mining and natural resources sectors worldwide.
Background to Claim
On 31 August 2023, the Company received notification from the Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries of Burkina Faso (the “Minister”) that the Company’s application for the Permit, received in August 2021 and granted to Sarama in November 2021 had been purportedly “rejected”, even though the previous Minister had approved the Permit in accordance with the applicable laws nearly two years prior.
On 6 September 2023, during his public presentation at the Africa Down Under Mining Conference in Perth, the Minister, Simon-Pierre Boussim, stated that the Permit was available for purchase. Based on the notification from the Minister and his subsequent actions, the Company was forced to interpret the Minister’s letter of 25 August 2023 as withdrawing the Company’s rights to the Permit. The Minister did not respond to subsequent correspondence from the Company on the matter.
The unlawful withdrawal of the Permit by the Minister, resulting in the removal of the rights to the land conferred thereunder, has rendered the Project valueless to Sarama, consequently destroying the value of the Company’s investment in the Project.
Sarama’s President, CEO & MD, Andrew Dinning, commented:
“The establishment of a non-recourse funding facility to cover all expenses related to the Company’s arbitration case represents a major step forward in its pursuit of redress for the substantial damages suffered as a result of the Government of Burkina Faso’s illegal actions.
Sarama’s legal representatives, Boies Schiller Flexner, are highly experienced and have a very successful track record in international investment disputes, including an arbitration claim brought by Indiana Resources (ASX:IDA) against Tanzania which saw the company recently receive the first tranche of a US$90M settlement.
The Company will now proceed with filing a Request for Arbitration and intends to prosecute its case to the fullest extent possible.”
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This article includes content from Sarama Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Sarama Resources offers a compelling investment opportunity driven by a +US$120 million fully-funded arbitration claim and two new belt-scale gold projects encompassing 1,000 km2 of the Cosmo Newbery and Jutson Rocks Greenstone Belts in Western Australia’s prolific Eastern Goldfields.
Sarama Resources (TSXV:SWA, ASX:SRR) is an Australian gold exploration and development company with two key value drivers: a fully funded, multi-million-dollar arbitration claim and two highly prospective gold projects in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields. Each of these presents significant standalone value, while together they offer strong upside and optionality for investors.
Sarama recently secured the Cosmo Newbery and Mt Venn Gold Projects, covering 580km² and 420km² respectively. These projects encompass the majority of the greenstone belts they are located within - regions historically underexplored but geologically similar to the nearby Dorothy Hills belt, host to Gold Fields’ +8Moz Gruyere Gold Mine. Both projects offer a compelling exploration opportunity in one of Australia’s most prolific gold provinces.
In parallel, Sarama is advancing a fully funded arbitration claim against the Government of Burkina Faso, seeking no less than US$120 million in damages. The claim is backed by a non-recourse loan facility, with leading international law firm Boies Schiller Flexner - renowned for securing large settlements - engaged to lead proceedings.
The Company is led by a highly experienced board and management team with a strong track record in gold discovery and development, including the +25Moz Kibali Gold Mine and the +3Moz Sanutura Gold Project.
Sarama’s Regional Exploration Strategy
Sarama’s regional strategy is centred on unlocking value across 1,000km² of contiguous, underexplored greenstone terrane in one of Australia’s most productive gold provinces. With 100% control of the Cosmo Gold Belt and a majority stake in Mt Venn, Sarama is strategically positioned between two of the region’s most prolific gold belts - Yamarna/Dorothy Hills to the east and Laverton to the west.
Both projects share key geological signatures with nearby multi-million-ounce deposits and benefit from existing infrastructure and access. The Company’s exploration efforts will focus on high-priority targets across both belts, with systematic programs planned throughout 2025 to rapidly advance discovery.
Together, Cosmo Newbery and Mt Venn offer a rare opportunity to explore at scale in a region that has delivered some of the largest gold discoveries in recent decades - yet remains largely underexplored.
The Cosmo Gold Project is a unique, underexplored, belt-scale gold opportunity in Western Australia's prolific Eastern Goldfields. Sarama holds the entire Cosmo Newbery Greenstone Belt under granted exploration licenses covering approximately 583km². The belt is one of the few remaining greenstone belts in Western Australia to have seen little to no modern exploration.
The project is located approximately 85 km northeast of Laverton and 95 km west of the +8Moz Gruyere Gold Mine, operated by Gold Fields and Gold Road. The surrounding region hosts several world-class gold systems, including the Yamarna and Dorothy Hills belts to the east (home to Gruyere, the 1Moz Golden Highway, and 300koz Gilmore deposits) and the Laverton Belt to the west, with over 35Moz in gold endowment and 12Moz of historic production.
Cosmo shares strong geological and structural similarities with these prolific belts. Key elements of orogenic gold systems are present, including:
Despite gold first being discovered here in the 1890s, the region has seen virtually no modern exploration or drilling, offering a unique opportunity to unlock value in a highly prospective setting.
Project Highlights
The Mt Venn Gold Project is a large-scale, underexplored gold exploration asset in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields, located approximately 40 km east of Sarama’s Cosmo Newbery Gold Project and 40 km west of the +8Moz Gruyere Gold Mine. Sarama holds an 80% interest in the project, which spans 420km² across a substantial portion of the Jutson Rocks Greenstone Belt - a geologically prospective system with gold first discovered in the 1890s.
Mt Venn shares many geological similarities with the Cosmo Project, and is viewed as a complementary, belt-scale exploration opportunity. The project comprises three contiguous exploration tenements and hosts a 35km gold corridor, defined by semi-continuous gold-in-soil anomalies, historic workings, and encouraging drill intercepts. Historic drilling has returned multiple results of merit, including intercepts up to 8.5 g/t Au, over a 4km trend at the Three Bears Prospect.
Geologically, Mt Venn is highly prospective, featuring:
Despite early discoveries, the project will benefit from a systematic, project-wide approach to exploration and offers substantial discovery potential in a proven gold district.
Project Highlights
Andrew Dinning is a founder and the Executive Chairman of Sarama Resources. Dinning has over 35 years of experience in the international mining arena and has worked in Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, West Africa, the UK and Russia. He has extensive mine management, operations and capital markets experience and has spent most of his career in the gold sector.
Dinning was a Director and President of the Democratic Republic of Congo-based Moto Goldmines Ltd from 2005 to 2009. He oversaw the development of the company's Moto Gold Project (Kibali Gold) from two million to more than 22 million ounces of gold. Dinning took the project from exploration to pre-development. The Moto Gold project was later taken over by Randgold Resources and AngloGold Ashanti for $600 million in October 2009.
Dinning has an MBA, a First-Class Mine Managers Certificate in Western Australia and South Australia and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining degree.
Jack Hamilton is a founder and the Vice President of Exploration at Sarama Resources. Hamilton has 35 years of experience as a professional geologist. Hamilton has worked around the world for international resource companies. Before Sarama, he was the exploration manager for Moto Goldmines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At Moto Goldmines, he led the team that discovered the main deposits and resource at the world-class Moto Gold Project (now Kibali Gold) which has a resource of more than 22 million ounces.
Hamilton specializes in precious metal exploration in Birimian, Archean and Proterozoic greenstone belts. He has worked and consulted in West, Central and East Africa for the past 30 years with various companies, including Barrick Gold Corporation, Echo Bay Mines, Etruscan Resources Inc, Anglo American, Geo Services International and Moto Goldmines. Whilst at Moto Goldmines, he led the exploration team that took the Moto gold deposit from discovery to bankable feasibility. The Moto gold deposit was later sold to Randgold Resources and AngloGold Ashanti in October 2009.
Paul Schmiede is a major shareholder and the Vice President of Corporate Development at Sarama Resources. He is a mining engineer with over 30 years of experience in mining and exploration. Before joining Sarama Resources in 2010, Schmiede was Vice President of Operations and Project Development at Moto Goldmines. At Moto Goldmines, he managed the pre-feasibility, bankable and definitive feasibility study for the more than 22 million-ounce Democratic Republic of Congo-based Moto Gold Project (now Kibali Gold). Whilst at Moto Goldmines, he also managed the in-country environment, community studies and pre-construction activities. Before joining Moto Goldmines, he held senior operational and management positions with Goldfields and WMC Resources. At these companies, Schmiede was responsible for underground and open-pit operations as well as project development and planning.
Schmiede holds a first-class mine managers certificate in Western Australia and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining degree. He is also a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Lui Evangelista is Sarama's chief financial officer with 35 years of experience in accounting, finance and corporate governance with public companies. He has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry - 10 years of which have been at the operational and corporate level with companies operating in Francophone Africa.
Evangelista held the positions of group financial controller and acting CFO at Anvil Mining which operated 3 mines in the DRC. He was an integral part of the senior management team that saw Anvil's market capitalization grow from C$100 million in 2005 to C$1.3 billion upon takeover by Minmetals in 2012.
Evangelista holds a Bachelor of Business in Accounting degree, a graduate diploma in business administration and a graduate diploma in applied corporate governance.
Simon Jackson is a founder, shareholder and non-executive chairman of Sarama Resources. Jackson is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience in the mining sector. He is the Chairman of Predictive Discovery and Non-Executive Director of African gold producer Resolute Mining. He has previously held senior management positions at Red Back Mining, Orca Gold and Beadell Resources.
Jackson specializes in M&A, public equity capital markets, management and corporate finance. His career has included corporate transactions in Canada, Australia, Africa and Indonesia. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.
Adrian Byass has more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry. He has focused his career on the economic development of mineral resources. He is skilled in economic and resource geology. Byass has experience ranging from production in gold and nickel mines to the evaluation and development of mining projects with listed and unlisted entities in multiple countries. He has also held executive and non-executive board roles on both ASX and AIM-listed companies.
Byass presently operates in a corporate and market-focused capacity on a national and international basis. He has board-level experience in mine development, capital raising and M&A in Australia and on overseas stock exchanges. Byass has played key roles in a range of exploration and mining projects in Australia, Africa, North America and Europe. These projects were based on a suite of commodities including gold, base and specialty metals.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Bachelor of Economics. Byass is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, a fellow of the Society of Economic Geology and a competent person for the reporting of mineral resources (JORC 2012).
Michael Bohm is a seasoned director and mining engineer in the resources industry. His career spans roles as a mining engineer, mine manager, study manager, project manager, project director, and managing director.
He has been directly involved in the development of multiple mines in the gold, nickel, and diamond industries, and made significant contributions to Ramelius Resources during its formative years. This experience is particularly important as Sarama is currently in the process of rebuilding its operations in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.
He is a current director of ASX-listed Riedel Resources and has previously been a director of ASX listed Perseus Mining, Ramelius Resources, Mincor Resources NL and Cygnus Metals.
Promising new gold projects in Western Australia, plus a large fully funded arbitration claim.
Triumph Gold offers investors exposure to a multi-million ounce gold resource base with established deposits, significant expansion potential, and new discovery opportunities across a true district-scale land package, all strategically positioned in the mining-friendly Yukon.
Triumph Gold (TSXV:TIG,OTC:TIGCF) is a Canadian gold exploration company strategically positioned to capitalize on the rising gold market. The company is primarily focused on advancing its 100 percent owned Freegold Mountain project, a district-scale property located in the Yukon Territory's prolific Dawson Range gold-copper belt.
Founded with a vision to discover and develop significant precious metal resources, Triumph Gold has assembled a portfolio centered around its flagship Freegold Mountain project. With over 20 mineralized zones identified along a 34 km stretch of the Big Creek Fault system, the company possesses significant exploration upside with established resources across multiple deposits. The project benefits from excellent infrastructure, being accessible via all-weather government roads, which provides cost advantages compared to more remote exploration projects.
The Yukon Territory has a storied history as one of the world's most famous gold jurisdictions, dating back to the legendary Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s that drew over 100,000 prospectors to the region. Today, the territory continues to be recognized as one of the world's premier exploration destinations, hosting world-class deposits like Victoria Gold's Eagle mine (3.3 million ounces), Western Copper's Casino project (8.9 million ounces gold, 4.5 billion pounds copper), and Newmont's Coffee project (4 million ounces).
The Yukon government has consistently demonstrated strong support for responsible mining development. The territory offers a stable regulatory environment, clear permitting processes, and collaborative relationships with First Nations, making it an attractive jurisdiction for resource development. Additionally, the Yukon Resource Gateway Project, a $360 million infrastructure initiative, continues to improve access to mineral-rich areas throughout the territory.
With geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and currency devaluation concerns driving investor interest in safe-haven assets, gold exploration companies with substantial resource potential like Triumph Gold are well-positioned to benefit from this strengthening market cycle.
The Freegold Mountain project represents Triumph Gold's flagship asset – a district-scale property that spans 34 kilometers along the prolific Big Creek Fault mineralization system in the Yukon. What makes this project particularly compelling is the presence of mineralization in every rock type across the property, including Paleozoic metamorphics, Jurassic intrusives and Cretaceous intrusives, each hosting different styles of precious and base metal deposits.
The project currently hosts three defined deposits – Nucleus, Revenue and Tinta Hill – with a combined resource of more than 2 million ounces of gold equivalent. What's particularly exciting about Freegold Mountain is that these deposits represent just a fraction of the more than 20 mineralized zones identified across the property. With extensive permitted exploration programs, ongoing geological work, and vast untested areas, Freegold Mountain exemplifies true district-scale potential where new discoveries could substantially increase the overall resource base.
The Nucleus deposit represents a compelling bulk tonnage oxide gold opportunity with similarities to Victoria Gold's Eagle mine. With indicated resources of 748,000 ounces gold equivalent and inferred resources of 189,000 ounces gold equivalent, the deposit features favorable metallurgy with approximately 77 percent cyanide recoverable gold based on preliminary testing. Recent drilling has expanded the resource by 50 to 100 meters both laterally and vertically, with mineralization remaining open in all directions. Drilling has also confirmed significant oxide mineralization extending up to 150 meters vertically, enhancing the potential for heap leach processing.
The Revenue deposit is a substantial porphyry system with indicated resources of 252,000 ounces and inferred resources of 677,000 ounces gold equivalent. It shows similarities to Western Copper's Casino deposit but with double the gold grade. The deposit contains multiple high-grade zones including the Blue Sky and WAu zones, which were expanded through recent drilling programs. The company has identified a more than 5 km structural trend connecting various mineralized zones, suggesting significant resource expansion potential. Geophysical and geochemical surveys have identified numerous untested anomalies worth exploring.
Revenue - Casino deposits comparison
With inferred resources of 216,000 ounces gold equivalent, Tinta Hill is a polymetallic deposit with substantial gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc values. The property has historical underground development including two adits with extensive drifting completed in 1980-1981. There's a 25,000-ton stockpile from previous mining operations that could represent near-term cash flow potential. The deposit remains open along strike and at depth, with opportunities to extend mineralization through additional IP and ground magnetic surveys.
Beyond the three established deposits, Triumph Gold holds several promising early-stage exploration targets across the Freegold Mountain Project and beyond, including:
Located in central Utah, Coyote-Knoll is Triumph Gold’s most recent acquisition. It is approximately 40 km southwest of the prolific Tintic mining district, known for its rich mining history, with gold, silver, lead and zinc from both epithermal and carbonate replacement deposits. The Bingham Canyon copper-molybdenim-gold porphyry deposit is about 85 km away.
Following its discovery in 1988, Coyote Knoll underwent exploration work, including mapping, trenching, rock sampling, and induced polarization and magnetic geophysical surveys. Approximately 2,600 metres of RC drilling have been completed at the property to date, with compelling results including 1,350.36 g/t silver and 3.86 g/t gold over 3 metres. Historical rock samples returned high-grade silver and gold values, up to 6,730 g/t silver and 23.30 g/t gold, and 6,687.08 g/t silver and 26.37 g/t gold.
Historic drilling highlights at Coyote Knoll
A 12-ton representative bulk sample was also mined from a shallow open pit, centered over the east-west trending mineralized structure. Silver and gold epithermal mineralization was exposed over approximately 60 metres within the open pit and has been delineated for 1.5 km through surface trenching, sampling and shallow RC drilling.
With over 20 years of experience in resource sector capital marketing, John Anderson brings strategic vision to company growth and management. His extensive background in capital formation and corporate development provides Triumph Gold with strong leadership as it advances its portfolio of projects.
Brian Bower contributes 30 years of experience in exploration and mining to the Triumph Gold team. He has been a key member in the development of several significant mining projects including New Afton, Kemess South, Blackwater, Mount Milligan mines and the Casino deposit, bringing valuable technical and operational insights to the company's development strategies.
With more than 25 years of experience in mineral exploration, Jesse Halle has specialized in advancing multiple porphyry copper-gold deposits in Yukon and British Columbia. His extensive work with similar deposits, including the Casino and Copper Mountain deposits, brings critical technical expertise to Triumph's exploration programs.
Marty Henning contributes over 15 years of mineral exploration and mining experience to the team. His background includes focused work on construction, production and exploration at the New Afton block cave mine, providing valuable operational perspective to Triumph's exploration approach.
With 20 years of experience in data management and GIS, Graeme Hopkins has been involved with the Freegold Mountain project since 2008. His long-term knowledge of the project and technical expertise provides valuable continuity and insight to Triumph's exploration and development activities.
Emily Halle brings over 15 years of experience in exploration and project management to the team. Her focus on porphyry copper-gold systems in British Columbia and Yukon, combined with additional experience in South Africa, Alaska and Eastern Canada, ensures efficient and effective management of Triumph's exploration programs.
Quimbaya Gold’s strategic focus on Colombia offers a compelling opportunity for gold exploration in a prolific, yet underexplored region supported by a favorable permitting environment. The upside potential is worthy of examination by any savvy investor.
Quimbaya Gold (CSE:QIM) is a junior gold exploration company focused on its high-grade gold projects in Colombia. The company’s portfolio spans 59,057 hectares across three highly prospective regions in the Antioquia mining district. This region is responsible for approximately 50 percent of Colombia’s total gold production, equivalent to around 1 million ounces (Moz) annually.
Positioned right next to Aris Mining’s (TSX:ARIS) Segovia mine, Quimbaya leverages its proximity to established infrastructure and gold-rich geological formations. With Colombia being one of the most underexplored yet top mining jurisdictions in South America, Quimbaya’s projects are uniquely poised for significant discoveries.
Quimbaya’s projects benefit from Colombia’s favorable permitting environment, enabling faster transitions from discovery to production, compared to its global peers. Quimbaya’s strategy focuses on value creation through new discoveries and monetizing them via strategic transactions, including joint ventures and operational contracts.
Quimbaya has established a significant partnership with Independence Drilling, Colombia’s largest drilling company with over 40 years of experience. The agreement secures 100,000 meters of drilling over five years, with Independence Drilling accepting part of its payment in Quimbaya shares. This innovative structure demonstrates strong confidence in Quimbaya’s projects, ensuring cost-effective and efficient drilling operations.
The company’s management team brings extensive and deep expertise in exploration in Colombia, corporate finance and project development. Quimbaya trades on multiple exchanges: CSE (QIM), OTCQB (QIMGF), and FSE (K05).
The Tahami project is located in Segovia, Antioquia, adjacent to Aris Mining’s Segovia mine, one of the highest-grade gold mines in the world. Spanning 17,087 hectares, Tahami’s geology features mesothermal veins with multiple mineralization events underlain by Precambrian metamorphic rocks consolidated within the San Lucas Gneiss unit.
Several vein systems from Aris Mining’s Segovia project, including the Sandra K and El Silencio veins, extend towards Quimbaya’s tenements. Both the Sandra K and El Silencio veins align with structural orientations of known high-grade deposits. The project also boasts more than 25 historical artisanal mines, underscoring its prospectively.
Quimbaya’s exploration plan for Tahami involves leveraging advanced geochemical and geophysical surveys to generate drill targets. These efforts will be complemented by modern 3D geological modelling and an initial drilling campaign to test high-grade zones. The integration of historical data and cutting-edge technology positions Tahami as a prime asset for discovery. The initial drilling campaign is anticipated to commence by late Q2 of 2025 and will prioritize the high-grade targets identified in preliminary exploration work.
Located in Abejorral, Antioquia, 80 kilometers south of Medellín, the Maitamac project spans 33,223 hectares and offers excellent road access. This emerging gold metallogenic district features mesothermal veins and potential porphyry gold-copper systems.
Initial surface rock samples have reported gold grades of up to 3.2 g/t, with stream sediments revealing over 1 g/t gold. Identified as a promising district by the Colombian Geological Services, Maitamac is positioned alongside the past producing ABE project and structural corridor which has produced mined shoots averaging 26 g/t gold.
Alexandre Boivin is an entrepreneur with more than 10 years of experience in corporate finance and Colombian mining. Through his extensive experience in the mining industry, corporate finance, capital markets and business development, Boivin has been instrumental in managing and funding early-stage companies through a network of partners and investors immersed in the capital markets. Under his leadership, Quimbaya Gold has secured significant investments to advance its exploration projects. His commitment to the company's growth is further demonstrated by his substantial shareholding in Quimbaya Gold.
Olivier Berthiaume is an accountant with over 12 years of experience working with early-stage companies in the Canadian markets. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montreal and specializes in private-to-public market transactions, compliance, corporate governance, and corporate growth strategies. Berthiaume has held various director and officer positions in junior mining companies.
Sebastian Wahl brings over 15 years of experience in the mining industry, with a strong focus on precious metals trading, capital markets, and corporate development. Wahl has played a pivotal role in shaping Quimbaya Gold’s strategic direction and elevating its external positioning during a critical growth phase.
Ricardo Sierra is a professional economic Geologist with over 18 years of exploration experience in Colombia-Chile-Cuba-Brazil in orogenic, mesothermal, porphyry type deposits, epithermal systems, and stratabound. Sierra started his career with ANGLO AMERICAN as an exploration geologist in greenfield and brownfield exploration, supervising diamond drilling on their Colombian properties. His knowledge in vein systems, critical in understanding mineralization processes, was honed while exploration superintendent with Continental Gold (now Zijin Mining Group) on their Buritica (Antioquia) deposit, also in their regional exploration (Choco, Nariño, Cauca, Antioquia). Sierra graduated in 2007 as a geologist from Universidad de Caldas (Colombia). He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM) and is a qualified person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101, also he is a Competent Person (CP) of Comision Colombiana de Recursos y Reservas Mineras (CCRR).
Stewart Redwood is a distinguished geological consultant with more than 40 years of experience in mineral exploration and economic geology, specializing in epithermal, porphyry and skarn deposits, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. His notable achievements include significant discoveries, including the San Cristobal silver-zinc deposit in Bolivia, the Romero gold-copper deposit in the Dominican Republic, and the Antamina copper-zinc project in Peru, recognized as the world's largest copper skarn deposit. Throughout his career, Redwood has held key positions in prominent mining and exploration companies, including as chief geologist Latin America for AngloGold Ashanti, founder president and CEO of GoldQuest Mining, and VP exploration of Colombia Goldfields (which merged with Gran Colombia Gold). He has been instrumental in the success of Gran Colombia Gold’s Marmato project (now owned by Aris Mining), currently an 8.8 Moz deposit in the construction stage.
A Colombian native, with over 28 years of experience focused in the mining district of Antioquia, currently the CEO of MINING BRAIN SAS, Nicolas Lopez, leads this consulting company advising on the implementation, development of sustainable mining projects all over Colombia. Prior to the establishment of his consultancy practice, Lopez spent 12 years as Colombia & Nicaragua's country manager for IAMGOLD, having devoted the previous 10 years with MINEROS SA as head of exploration & geology. Villegas played a pivotal role in major discoveries, including the first porphyry copper-gold deposit in the Colombian middle Cauca belt, known as Titiribi. a significantly rich gold-copper geological region. As a seasoned executive in gold exploration, Villegas holds a geology degree from Universidad de Caldas (Colombia), a Governance in Oil & Mining degree from Oxford University (UK) and he is a Qualified Person (QP).
Terence Ortslan is a seasoned resource executive with over 40 years of experience, having served in advisory capacities across the mining, metals, and fertilizer sectors. He provides guidance on investment and technical aspects of the industry, as well as strategic and policy advice tailored to mining companies. Additionally, Ortslan advises financial institutions on investment decisions, offers direction to international industry organizations, and consults with governments on fiscal and industrial regulations. He also supports universities in enhancing their educational standards and assists corporations with decision-making, boardroom leadership, shareholder value enhancement, and strengthening ES parameters. Ortslan holds a Bachelor of Engineering & Applied Geophysics and an MBA from McGill University.
Asara Resources (ASX:AS1,FSE:ALM) is leading the next West African gold rush from a strategic position in Guinea’s underexplored Siguiri Basin—an emerging gold district with over 30 million ounces of historical and current gold production.
Asara Resources’ flagship Kada Kold project hosts a 923,000-ounce, oxide-dominant gold resource just 35 km south of AngloGold Ashanti’s 6.2 Moz Siguiri mine. The company is systematically advancing development using the proven “string-of-pits” model that has driven success across West Africa, guided by a seasoned team behind the Kiniero Project, now a cornerstone asset for Robex (TSX:RBX).
Asara’s near-term strategy focuses on three key priorities: accelerating resource growth with 33,600 metres of RC and diamond drilling planned for 2025; advancing a low-CAPEX, oxide-first development approach that capitalizes on free-dig saprolite, strong gold recoveries, and a conventional CIL flowsheet; and preserving upside exposure to copper and silver-zinc through its Loreto joint venture with Teck and the optional Paguanta asset in Chile.
This Asara Resources profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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New Age Exploration (ASX:NAE) is shaping a focused gold exploration story anchored by high-quality assets in tier-one jurisdictions across Western Australia and New Zealand. The company’s strategy is clear: target proven geological corridors and apply modern, cost-efficient exploration methods to uncover new zones of mineralization.
In Western Australia, New Age Exploration’s Wagyu Gold Project sits directly along strike from De Grey Mining’s Hemi discovery, now part of Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST). In New Zealand, its Lammerlaw and Otago Pioneer Quartz projects are positioned within the same regional structure that hosts OceanaGold’s (TSE:OGC) 5 Moz Macraes deposit and Santana Minerals’ (ASX:SMI) fast-growing Rise & Shine system.
The Wagyu Gold Project is New Age Exploration’s flagship asset, located in the highly prospective Central Pilbara region of Western Australia. Positioned between Northern Star’s 11.7 Moz Hemi deposit and the Withnell deposit within the Mallina Basin, Wagyu targets the same intrusive-style orogenic gold system. NAE holds a 136 sq km exploration licence (E47/2974) and has completed extensive early-stage work, including reinterpretation of geophysical data to identify Hemi-style intrusions and structurally hosted gold targets.
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Kobo Resources Inc. (TSX.V: KRI):
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KOBO CUP SUPPORTER JERSEY
Building on the success of the inaugural Kobo Cup in 2024, Kobo Resources has proudly expanded this initiative in 2025 into a full multi-village tournament. This year also featured a dynamic art workshop where young artists from Kossou, Bocabo, and Angossé designed the official jerseys their teams will wear.
We are excited to take this celebration of local talent and meaningful community partnerships even further with the launch of the exclusive "2025 Kobo Cup Supporter Jersey" . This limited-edition jersey symbolizes more than just a game; it represents Kobo's ongoing commitment to social responsibility and direct support for the villages where they operate.
A JERSEY WITH PURPOSE
Designed with deep cultural significance, the "Supporter Jersey" proudly showcases six traditional Adinkra symbols, iconic motifs from West African heritage known for their powerful meanings and values. These symbols are thoughtfully repeated across the fabric, each representing qualities that inspire and reflect the spirit of the villages Kobo Resources supports.
Together, these symbols represent leadership, perseverance, adaptability, strength, wisdom, and community abundance. They embody the core values and spirit of the villages Kobo Resources supports, weaving a narrative of resilience, unity, and hope that investors can proudly wear as a symbol of their commitment to sustainable community development.
DIRECT IMPACT FOR VILLAGE NEEDS
All profits from the sale of the "2025 Kobo Cup Supporter Jersey" will be channeled directly into addressing urgent needs within the villages, including providing school supplies, everyday goods, and essential resources that help improve daily life. This initiative marks a direct, transparent way for investors to contribute to sustainable community development beyond traditional infrastructure projects.
KOBO'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY
The Kobo Cup has evolved from a single football match into an annual multi-village tournament celebrating local talent, culture, and youth empowerment. With in-country partners like African Boyz Club and Coast to Coast Entertainment, Kobo Resources continues to foster inclusion and cultural pride while ensuring fair play and equal opportunity on the field.
"As we deepen our community engagement through the Kobo Cup and beyond, the Supporter Jersey is a unique opportunity for investors to wear their commitment to social responsibility and to help fuel meaningful change for the villages we serve," said Edward Gosselin, CEO of Kobo Resources.
How to Get Your Jersey
The limited-edition "2025 Kobo Cup Supporter Jersey" is available exclusively on the Kobo Resources website.
About Kobo Resources Inc.
Kobo Resources is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling new gold discovery in Côte d'Ivoire, one of West Africa's most prolific and developing gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Company's 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the region's largest gold mines with established processing facilities.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250708360290/en/
For further information, please contact:
Edward Gosselin
Chief Executive Officer and Director
1-418-609-3587
ir@kobores.com
X: @KoboResources | LinkedIn: Kobo Resources Inc.
News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia
The gold price continued to surge to new record highs in the second quarter of the year, reaching an all-time high of C$4,663.85 per ounce, or US$3,433.47, on June 13.
The gains were primarily fueled by safe-haven investment as Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites and Iran retaliated against targets in Israel and a US base in Qatar. Although a ceasefire was announced, tensions in the region remain high.
Additional tailwinds come from the continuing uncertainty in global financial markets, stemming from shifting US trade policy and Donald Trump's ongoing, on-again-off-again tariff plans.
There is also additional uncertainty going into the second half of the year as the US government passed its “Big Beautiful Bill” on July 3. The bill has been criticized from both sides, including the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, for increasing deficit spending and exacerbating an already ballooning debt, which some investors believe is driving the US toward a debt crisis.
What does this mean for junior gold companies? While there was delay in translating high gold prices into share price gains for gold explorers, many are now up significantly this year. Below, we profile the five TSXV gold companies that are the best performers of 2025 by year-to-date share price gains.
Data for this article was retrieved on July 3, 2025, using TradingView's stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included.
Year-to-date gain: 846.34 percent
Market cap: C$122.48 million
Share price: C$1.94
Onyx Gold is an exploration company advancing its Munro-Croesus project, located near Timmins in Ontario, Canada. The company has increased the size of the land package by 200 percent between 2020 and 2025, and the project now covers an area of 109 square kilometers.
Munro-Croesus hosts the historic Croesus mine, which produced 14,859 ounces of gold between 1915 and 1936 with an average grade of 95.3 grams per metric ton (g/t). Onyx is the first company to explore the property since the mine closed.
Shares in Onyx have had significant gains in the second quarter of 2025. The momentum came as the company announced option agreements to enlarge its land package at Munro-Croesus.
The first announcement came on April 10, when it stated that it had agreed with private vendors to acquire a 21 hectare patented claim near the Argus North zone. Under the terms of the agreement, Onyx has the option to acquire a 100 percent interest in the property, which has never been drilled, in exchange for cash consideration of C$1.5 million and 3.3 million Onyx shares over a three-year period.
The second acquisition was announced on June 24, when Onyx reported that it signed a mineral property purchase and sale agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Munro and Hewitt properties, both located near the existing Munro-Croesus project. The acquisition will expand the company’s land package from 95 to 109 square kilometers.
Alongside its land consolidations, Onyx has also spent the second quarter advancing exploration at the property.
Most recently, on June 26, the company reported the first drill results from its 10,000 meter spring drill program at the Argus North zone at Munro-Croesus. One highlighted assay contained 1.8 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 91 meters, including 4 g/t over 32 meters and 5.3 g/t over 17 meters.
The company said the results demonstrate the continuity of broad zones of high-grade gold mineralization.
Shares in Onyx reached a year-to-date high of C$2.09 on June 27.
Year-to-date gain: 500 percent
Market cap: C$217.34 million
Share price: C$0.99
Goldgroup Mining is a gold production, development and exploration company working to advance its Cerro Prieto heap-leach gold mine. The 4,335 hectare property, located in Sonora, Mexico, produces an annual average of 11,500 ounces of gold and has produced more than 120,000 ounces since its beginning in March 2013.
Goldgroup is currently working to double the capacity of the mine to more than 25,000 ounces per year. The last update on progress came in October 2024, when it announced that it had installed the primary crusher with a 2,200 metric ton per day throughput. It also said it had expanded pumping and irrigation capacity.
The most recent update on Cerro Prieto came on March 26, when Goldgroup announced high-impact exploration near the mine. The program will include 6,000 meters of diamond drilling focused on the Nuevo Esperanza and Reyna zones, which are next to the main Esperanza production zone.
The company also announced plans for an induced polarization geophysical survey and surface trenching 1 kilometer south of the mine to further investigate newly discovered mineralized zones.
In addition to activities at Cerro Prieto, the company announced on March 7 that it had entered an agreement to acquire Minera Apolo and its Pinos gold project from Candeleria Mining in exchange for settling a US$2.7 million loan facility. Goldgroup previously secured rights to the facility with Candeleria from a creditor group in a maneuver to acquire the project.
Pinos is a fully permitted gold project situated in the Zacatecas mining belt of Northern Mexico and comprises 29 concessions over 3,816 hectares. A 2018 PEA revealed an after-tax net present value of US$12 million, with a 25 percent internal rate of return at a gold price of US$1,250 per ounce.
Shares in Goldgroup reached a year-to-date high of C$1.08 on May 9.
Year-to-date gain: 400 percent
Market cap: C$19.62 million
Share price: C$0.75
Trident Resources, formerly Eros Resources, is a gold and copper exploration company focused on projects in Saskatchewan, Canada.
A three-way merger in early 2025 between Eros Resources, MAS Gold and Rockridge Resources, allowed the companies to consolidate a portfolio of assets in Saskatchewan, including the Contact Lake and Greywacke gold projects in the La Ronge gold belt as well as the Knife Lake copper project.
Before this year, Eros was focused on the Bell Mountain gold-silver project in Nevada, US, but on January 6, the company announced it had sold the property to Lincoln Gold Mining (TSXV:LMG) in exchange for up to 4.5 million common shares and a net profits interest of 7.5 percent of net returns from gold and silver produced at the project to a maximum of US$2 million.
The company announced its rebranding from Eros to Trident on April 23, with its new name chosen in part to represent the three companies joining together. In the release, the company stated that the rebrand marked the beginning of a new chapter for the company, underscoring its focus on the gold and copper markets.
On May 6, Trident announced it received drill permits for the Contact Lake project, marking the first project news following the rebrand.
Trident stated the drill program would be conducted over the summer and consist of approximately 5,000 meters, with 3,800 meters to be carried out at the Contact Lake deposit and 1,200 meters at the Preview SW deposit.
Shares in Trident reached a year-to-date high of C$0.75 on July 3.
Year-to-date gain: 333 percent
Market cap: C$15.28 million
Share price: C$0.065
Solstice Gold is an exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Strathy gold project in Ontario, which it acquired in June 2024.
The project consists of 45 claims covering an area of 45 square kilometers in the Temagami Greenstone belt. Historical documents report six gold showings in the central portion of the project areas, with documented mineralization at the Leckie prospect.
On January 15, Solstice announced results from an induced polarization survey of the property. It identified 50 new targets, with the highest priority targets being along strike on the Leckie Fault. The company stated that the results support the existence of an extensive, largely unexplored system, with potential for multiple discoveries.
Solstice said it had also been selected to receive a grant under the Ontario Junior Exploration Program from the provincial government. The grant will provide 50 percent of the exploration funding, up to a maximum of C$194,000.
Shares in Solstice gained early in the year following its January 20 announcement that Michael Gentile had increased his stake in Solstice to 16.76 percent, making him the single largest shareholder.
In its latest project update on July 2, Solstice announced it had wrapped up its spring drill program, which focused on four target areas. In total, the company completed 3,125 meters of drilling across 14 holes, and results are expected in July.
The company reported that it had entered into an agreement to acquire 17 additional claims, which would increase the project area by 50 percent. It added that targets identified from its IP program may extend along strike into these claims.
Shares in Solstice reached a year-to-date high of C$0.065 on June 27.
Year-to-date gain: 300 percent
Market cap: C$28.49 million
Share price: C$0.10
Lahontan Gold is a development and exploration company dedicated to advancing a portfolio of properties in Nevada, United States.
Its primary focus is on its flagship Santa Fe gold-silver project in Walker Lane. The property consists of 291 unpatented lode mining claims, 67 unpatented mill site claims, and 24 patented lode mining claims, covering a land package of 26.4 square kilometers.
On January 24, the company released a PEA for the project that demonstrated an after-tax net present value of US$56.5 million with an internal rate of return of 17.4 percent over a payback period of 4.24 years based on a gold price of US$2,025 per ounce.
The included MRE for the site reports an indicated resource of 1.44 million ounces of gold and 11.2 million ounces of silver from 48.39 million metric tons of ore at an average grade of 0.92 g/t gold and 7.18 g/t silver. It also hosts an inferred resource of 401,000 ounces of gold and 1.75 million ounces of silver from 16.76 million metric tons at a grade of 0.74 g/t gold and 3.25 g/t silver.
The most recent news from Lahontan was on March 18, when it provided an update on its Exploration Plan of Operation submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in November 2024. In the release, the company stated it expects the Bureau to approve the plan, allowing permitting to proceed to the National Environmental Policy Act phase. According to Lahontan, final approval is on track for late 2025.
In the meantime, Lahontan stated that it would be able to continue exploration drilling at its patented mining claims under a Notice of Intent (NOI). On May 6, the company filed a new NOI for additional drilling at the site that would target extensions in the Slab and York areas of the project, and the BLM approved it on June 9.
Additionally, the company announced on June 24 that it had started metallurgical test work at Santa Fe with the goal of substantially improving CN leach gold recoveries for transition materials compared to the 49 percent recovery in the PEA.
Shares in Lahontan reached a year-to-date high of C$0.105 on June 25.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Lahontan Gold is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.