The Board of Inca Minerals Limited (ASX: ICG) (Inca or the Company) is pleased to provide shareholders a progress report on due diligence associated with the recently announced (ASX 5 February 2025) Binding Implementation Agreement to acquire Stunalara Metals Limited (Stunalara) via an off market takeover bid. Stunalara’s key asset is the high-grade gold & gold- antimony Hurricane Project located approximately 110km west-northwest of Cairns and 75km southwest of Port Douglas in North Queensland. Hurricane boasts multiple undrilled high-grade gold & gold-antimony prospects developed from rock chip and grab sampling.
Inca’s technical team recently conducted a site visit as part of the due diligence process to confirm and replicate historical geochemical data, culminating with the collection and dispatch for assaying of 84 rock chip samples. Assays have now been received for those samples with exceptional results recorded for gold (Au) and antimony (Sb) at multiple prospects including Holmes, Cyclone, Tornado, Hurricane and Bouncer confirming the high-grade prospectivity of the Hurricane Project.
Assay Highlights (Refer to table 1, Appendix 1 for full results)
Assays with gold greater than 5g/t:
Highly anomalous levels of Antimony (Sb) were also recorded, which included:
29 samples returned highly anomalous arsenic values > 0.1% (>1000ppm As, up to 9840ppm in 1 sample).
“The identification of high-grade gold and antimony in rock chips across different locations which have never been drilled, highlights the significant exploration potential of the Hurricane Project for the discovery of gold and antimony. Inca Minerals is looking forward to progressing follow-up exploration programs to build on this significant rock chip data,” said Inca Exploration Manager, Dr Emmanuel Wembenyui.
In addition to gold, the Hurricane Project results include high levels (up to 35%) of antimony, a critical and new economy metal. Antimony is listed as a critical mineral by the United States, the European Union, Japan, India, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Austalia. New economy metals are pivotal for modern technologies, economies and national security, providing direct support for technologies that are paving the way to the transition from fossil fuels to net zero emmisions , advanced manufacturing and defence technologies/capabilities amongst other applications.
HURRICANE PROJECT
Inca is pleased to report highly encouraging results from a geological reconnaissance field trip to the gold and antimony Hurricane Project. The Hurricane Project is located about 110km west-northwest of Cairns and 75km southwest of Port Douglas in North Queensland, Figure 1.
The Hurricane Project comprises three tenements – EPM 19437, which hosts the Holmes, Porphyry, Monsoon and Cyclone prospects, EPM 25855 in which are located the Hurricane and Tornado Prospects, and EPM 27518, which hosts the Bouncer prospect, Figure 1.
Figure 1: Hurricane Project location map showing all three tenements, prospects and sample locations. The samples have been thematically mapped by gold, demonstrating the widespread occurrence of high-grade gold across the project. The project is sandwiched by 2 major northwest-southeast trending faults being the Hurricane and the Retina Faults. Locally, the project area is dominated by the Hodgkinson Formation and 2 late-stage felsic intrusions located within EPM 19437. Shown in the inset is the location of the Hurricane Project in North Queensland relative to the major towns of Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane.
Geology of the Hurricane Project Regional Geology
The Hurricane Project area falls within the Mossman 1:250,000 and the Mount Mulligan 1:100,000 Queensland Geological map sheets. The regional geology traverses a wide Geological Timescale from the Devonian in the Hodgkinson Formation through granodiorite and rhyolitic Carboniferous and Permian intrusions to Triassic and Quaternary Sandstones. The Hodgkinson Formation comprises dark grey to greenish, fine to medium quartz greywackes interbedded with siltstones, mudstones and conglomerates. The Carboniferous to Permian granitic/granodiorite and rhyolite intrusions comprise a suite of felsic porphyritic intrusions. The main porphyritic bodies comprise medium to coarse-grained mineral crystals including euhedral hornblende- biotite, k-feldspar and quartz, which locally grade into fine-grained silicified granites.
Local Geology
The three tenements which make up the Hurricane Project are structurally set within two major NW-SE trending faults, being the Hurricane Fault and the Retina Fault. The Hodgkinson Formation dominates these tenements and comprises of tightly folded greywackes, siltstones, shales, cherts, conglomerates and limestones. Locally within the Hurricane Project are 2 felsic intrusions, which occur in EPM 19437 and are predominantly porphyritic granites. These intrusions are the major source of heat, which mobilised hydrothermal fluids to interact with surrounding country rock, leading to widespread alteration in the form of silicification, sericite and carbonates, and account for the deposition of epithermal gold, silver, and antimony mineralised veins. Epithermal gold deposits are strongly associated with hydrothermal fluids that are related to calc-alkaline volcanism and magmatism. Plots of La-Y-Nb on the ternary diagram of Cabanis and Lecolle, 1989; shows that the Hurricane Project falls within the Arc Calc-Alkaline geo-tectonic setting, supporting an epithermal exploration model for the project (Figure 2). Epithermal gold could be low or high sulfidation, depending on mineralogy and can occur as veins, stockworks, replacements or disseminations. Mineralisation within the project area is associated with variably altered, silicified and brecciated quartz veins ranging in widths from 2 to >50m and lengths over 700m. The mineralogy of the Hurricane Project which includes gold, antimony, silver, very limited sulphur, +/- lead and zinc, leans towards the low sulfidation model.
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This article includes content from Inca Minerals Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Wagyu Gold Project, located within a fast-emerging gold mineralised corridor, represents a highly prospective Gold opportunity ~9km within the same mineralised trend as De Grey Mining’s (ASX:DEG) Hemi Gold Deposit containing ~11.2 Moz1 (refer to Figure 1) in the Central Pilbara.
NAE Executive Director Joshua Wellisch commented:
"The commencement of RC drilling marks an important milestone in advancing the Wagyu Gold Project. The support of Strike Drilling, who has agreed to take 50% of their payment in equity, is a strong endorsement of the project’s potential. We are eager to test these high-priority targets and further define the extent of gold mineralisation.”
This 3,000m RC drill program is the next step in NAE’s systematic exploration strategy at Wagyu, following promising results from recent geophysical surveys (refer ASX Announcement 11 March 2025) and Phase 2 Air Core (AC) drilling, which confirmed multiple high-grade gold intercepts including 15.6g/t gold over 1m (refer ASX Announcement 17 February 2025). The program will test five high-priority gravity targets on the eastern side of the project area, with particular emphasis on Gravity Targets 1 & 10 (Figure 2), following up on the significant gold mineralisation (>1g/t) identified in the AC drilling (Figure 3).
Figure 1: Location Map showing NAE’s Wagyu Gold Project (E47/2974) in the Gold Mineralisation Corridor shared with De Grey’s significant gold Mineral Resources, including Hemi, Mt Berghaus and Calvert.
The Hemi Gold Mineral Resource was last updated by De Grey Mining on 14 November 20241. The estimate is for 264Mt @ 1.3g/t Au for 11.2Moz, which can be broken down into 13Mt @ 1.4g/t for 0.6Moz, 149Mt @ 1.3g/t Au Indicated for 6.3 Moz, and 103Mt @ 1.3g/t Au for 4.3 Moz Inferred.
NAE confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in De Grey’s reported Mineral Resources referenced in this market announcement. To NAE’s full knowledge, all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcements continue to apply and have not materially changed.
The previous AC drilling drilled to the top of fresh rock only, and this RC program will test for primary mineralisation in fresh rock below and adjacent to the oxide mineralisation identified in late 2024. RC drilling is also intended to outline better the boundaries, nature, and extent of mineralised intrusions identified from geophysics and AC drilling.
The RC drilling campaign is scheduled for completion within four weeks, with assay results expected between late April and May 2025.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from New Age Exploration Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Gold price chart, March 7 to 14, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
The threats came during a week of flared tempers. On Tuesday (March 11), Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to the US. Although the charges were withdrawn after the two sides agreed to meet in Washington on Thursday, there is still much uncertainty about Canada-US relations.
Broad 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the US went into effect on Wednesday (March 12). Canada quickly applied retaliatory tariffs on US$20 billion worth of goods, while the EU responded with tariffs on US$28 billion worth of goods. Trump previously threatened to boost the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent, but backed down for the time being after Ford withdrew the 25 percent electricity surcharge.
Trump has also said he will impose further tariffs on auto imports by April 2, creating significant uncertainty for manufacturers and businesses that rely on cross-border trade.
Additional tailwinds for gold's momentum this week include the release of US consumer and producer price index data on Wednesday and Thursday, which shows that inflation has become sticky.
This news is adding more fuel to recession speculation and helping to buoy gold.
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.
Some have posited that the gold price may break US$3,000 per ounce and carry on as high as US$4,000 or US$5,000. Now that it has broken US$3,000 for the first time, how high could it go? There are even those with hopes that US$10,000 gold or even US$40,000 gold could become a reality.
These impressive price predictions have investors wondering, what is gold's all time high? In the past year, a new gold all time high (ATH) has been reached dozens of times, and we share the latest one and what has driven it to this level below. We also take a look at how the gold price has moved historically and what has driven its performance in recent years.
Before discovering what the highest gold price ever was, it’s worth looking at how the precious metal is traded. Knowing the mechanics behind gold's historical moves can help illuminate why and how its price changes.
Gold bullion is traded in dollars and cents per ounce, with activity taking place worldwide at all hours, resulting in a live price for the metal. Investors trade gold in major commodities markets such as New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong. London is seen as the center of physical precious metals trading, including for silver. The COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange is home to most paper trading.
There are many popular ways to invest in gold. The first is through purchasing gold bullion products such as bullion bars, bullion coins and rounds. Physical gold is sold on the spot market, meaning that buyers pay a specific price per ounce for the metal and then have it delivered. In some parts of the world, such as India, buying gold in the form of jewelry is the largest and most traditional route to investing in gold.
Another path to gold investment is paper trading, which is done through the gold futures market. Participants enter into gold futures contracts for the delivery of gold in the future at an agreed-upon price. In such contracts, two positions can be taken: a long position under which delivery of the metal is accepted or a short position to provide delivery of the metal. Paper trading as a means to invest in gold can provide investors with the flexibility to liquidate assets that aren’t available to those who possess physical gold bullion.
One significant long-term advantage of trading in the paper market is that investors can benefit from gold’s safe-haven status without needing to store it. Furthermore, gold futures trading can offer more financial leverage in that it requires less capital than trading in the physical market.
Interestingly, investors can also purchase physical gold via the futures market, but the process is complicated and lengthy and comes with a large investment and additional costs.
Aside from those options, market participants can invest in gold through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a gold ETF is similar to trading a gold stock on an exchange, and there are numerous gold ETF options to choose from. For instance, some ETFs focus solely on physical gold bullion, while others focus on gold futures contracts. Other gold ETFs center on gold-mining stocks or follow the gold spot price.
It is important to understand that you will not own any physical gold when investing in an ETF — in general, even a gold ETF that tracks physical gold cannot be redeemed for tangible metal.
With regards to the performance of gold versus trading stocks, gold has an interesting relationship with the stock market. The two often move in sync during “risk-on periods” when investors are bullish. On the flip side, they tend to become inversely correlated in times of volatility. There are a variety of options for investing in stocks, including gold mining stocks on the TSX and ASX, gold juniors, precious metals royalty companies and gold stocks that pay dividends.
According to the World Gold Council, gold's ability to decouple from the stock market during periods of stress makes it “unique amongst most hedges in the marketplace.” It is often during these times that gold outperforms the stock market. For that reason, it is often used as a portfolio diversifier to hedge against uncertainty.
The gold price peaked at US$3,004.58, its all-time high, on March 14, 2025 at 3:10 a.m. PDT. What drove it to set this new ATH?
Gold set a new record high in the morning of March 14, breaking US$3,000 for the first time and surpassing its new record set less than 12 hours earlier. These highs come as US President Donald Trump expanded his tariff war to the European Union, and continued to reiterate his sentiment that the United States may need to go through a period of economic pain to enter a new "golden age" of economic prosperity.
Additionally, tensions rose between House Democrats and Senate Democrats after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he plans to vote in favor of passing the Republican's spending bill to avoid a shutdown after House Democrats had voted almost unanimously against it.
Gold set multiple new highs in the prior month as uncertainty continues to reign under Trump, from his announcement that he would enact extensive tariffs on North American allies Canada and Mexico, to the proposed resettlement of Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip to develop it into "the Riviera of the Middle East," (a suggestion that has been condemned globally), followed by his announcement of blanket 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
Gold also set a previous record high on February 20 as US President Donald Trump continued tariff talks and sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Elon Musk's call to audit the gold holdings in Fort Knox has also brought attention to the yellow metal.
Read our in-depth breakdown of gold's recent price performance below.
2025 gold price chart. December 31, 2024, to March 13, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
Despite these recent runs, gold has seen its share of both peaks and troughs over the last decade. After remaining rangebound between US$1,100 and US$1,300 from 2014 to early 2019, gold pushed above US$1,500 in the second half of 2019 on a softer US dollar, rising geopolitical issues and a slowdown in economic growth.
Gold’s first breach of the significant US$2,000 price level in mid-2020 was due in large part to economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To break through that barrier and reach what was then a record high, the yellow metal added more than US$500, or 32 percent, to its value in the first eight months of 2020.
The gold price surpassed that level again in early 2022 as Russia's invasion of Ukraine collided with rising inflation around the world, increasing the allure of safe-haven assets and pulling the yellow metal up to a price of US$2,074.60 on March 8, 2022. However, it fell throughout the rest of 2022, dropping below US$1,650 in October.
Five year gold price chart. March 12, 2020, to March 13, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
Although it didn't quite reach the level of volatility as the previous year, the gold price experienced drastic price changes in 2023 on the back of banking instability, high interest rates and the breakout of war in the Middle East.
After central bank buying pushed the gold price up to the US$1,950.17 mark by the end of January, the US Federal Reserve’s 0.25 percent rate hike on February 1 sparked a retreat as the dollar and Treasury yields saw gains. The precious metal went on to fall to its lowest price level of the year at US$1,809.87 on February 23.
The banking crisis that hit the US in early March caused a domino effect through the global financial system and led to the mid-March collapse of Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest bank. The gold price jumped to US$1,989.13 by March 15. The continued fallout in the global banking system throughout the second quarter of the year allowed gold to break above US$2,000 on April 3, and go on to flirt with a near-record high of US$2,049.92 on May 3.
Those gains were tempered by the Fed’s ongoing rate hikes and improvements in the banking sector, resulting in a downward trend in the gold price throughout the remainder of the second quarter and throughout the third quarter. By October 4, gold had fallen to a low of US$1,820.01 and analysts expected the precious metal to be on the path to drop below the US$1,800 level.
That was before the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel ignited legitimate fears of a much larger conflict erupting in the Middle East. Reacting to those fears, and rising expectations that the US Federal Reserve would begin to reverse course on interest rates, gold broke through the important psychological level of US$2,000 per ounce and closed at US$2,007.08 on October 27. As the Israel-Hamas fighting intensified, gold reached a then new high of US$2,152.30 during intraday trading on December 3.
That robust momentum in the spot gold price has continued into 2024, chasing new highs on fears of a looming US recession, the promise of Fed rate cuts on the horizon, the worsening conflict in the Middle East and the tumultuous US presidential election year. By mid-March, gold was pushing up against the US$2,200 level.
That record-setting momentum continued into the second quarter of 2024 when gold broke through US$2,400 per ounce in mid-April on strong central bank buying, sovereign debt concerns in China and investors expecting the Fed to start cutting interest rates. The precious metal went on to hit US$2,450.05 per ounce on May 20.
Throughout the summer, the hits have just kept on coming. The global macro environment is highly bullish for gold in the lead up to the US election. Following the failed assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump and a statement about coming interest rate cuts by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the gold spot price hit a new all-time high on July 16 at US$2,469.30 per ounce.
One week later, news that President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and would instead pass the baton to his VP Kamala Harris eased some of the tension in the stock markets and strengthened the US dollar. This also pushed the price of gold down to US$2,387.99 per ounce on July 22.
However, the bullish factors supporting gold over the past year remain in play and the spot price for gold has gone on to breach the US$2,500 level first on August 2 on a less than stellar US jobs report before closing just above the US$2,440 level. A few weeks later, gold pushed past US$2,500 once again on August 16, to close above that level for the first time ever after the US Department of Commerce released data showing a fifth consecutive monthly decrease in a row for homebuilding.
The news that the Chinese government issued new gold import quotas to banks in the country following a two month pause also helped fuel the gold price rally. Central bank gold buying has been a significant tailwind for the gold price this year, and China's central bank has been one of the strongest buyers.
Market watchers expected the Fed to cut interest rates by a quarter point at their September meeting, but news on September 12 that the regulators were still deciding between the expected cut or a larger half-point cut led gold prices on a rally that carried through into the next day, bringing gold prices near US$2,600.
At the September 18 Fed meeting, the committee ultimately made the decision to cut rates by half a point, news that sent gold even higher. By Friday, September 20, it moved above US$2,600 and held above US$2,620.
In October, gold breached the US$2,700 level and continued to set new highs on a variety of factors, including further rate cuts and economic data anticipation, the escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, and economic stimulus in China — not to mention the very close race between the US presidential candidates.
While the gold price fell following President Trump's win in early November and largely held under US$2,700 through the end of the year, it began trending upwards in 2025 to the new all-time high discussed earlier in the article.
Gold has seen upward momentum in the last year on a variety of factors. In 2025, the gold price was on the rise early in the new year as President Trump and his team began to talk seriously about a wide-ranging set of tariffs on several countries in the run-up and following his inauguration on January 20.
On January 29, the Bank of Canada shaved 25 basis points off its policy interest rate, marking its sixth consecutive decrease, and announced plans to end quantitative tightening. On the same day, the US Federal Reserve opted to leave its interest rate unchanged. The following day, President Trump announced it very likely will be placing 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada as of February 1, alongside tariffs on the EU and China.
Gold price set new highs in all currencies alongside a weakening US dollar, the US Federal Reserve leaving interest rates unchanged, a rush to safe haven assets and the looming threat of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on February 1. Additionally, new US economic data showed inflation-adjusted gross domestic product in the country increased an annualized 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 after rising 3.1 percent in the third quarter.
What's next for the gold price is never an easy call to make. There are many factors that affect the gold price, but some of the most prevalent long-term drivers include economic expansion, market risk, opportunity cost and momentum.
Economic expansion is one of the primary gold price contributors as it facilitates demand growth in several categories, including jewelry, technology and investment. As the World Gold Council explains, “This is particularly true in developing economies where gold is often used as a luxury item and a means to preserve wealth.” Market risk is also a prime catalyst for gold values as investors view the precious metal as the “ultimate safe haven,” and a hedge against currency depreciation, inflation and other systemic risks.
Going forward, in addition to the Fed, inflation and geopolitical events, experts will be looking for cues from factors like supply and demand. In terms of supply, the world’s five top gold producers are China, Australia, Russia, Canada and the US. The consensus in the gold market is that major miners have not spent enough on gold exploration in recent years. Gold mine production has fallen from around 3,200 to 3,300 metric tons each year between 2018 and 2020 to around 3,000 to 3,100 metric tons each year between 2021 and 2023.
On the demand side, China and India are the biggest buyers of physical gold, and are in a perpetual fight for the title of world’s largest gold consumer. That said, it's worth noting that the last few years have brought a big rebound in central bank gold buying, which dropped to a record low in 2020, but reached a 55 year high of 1,136 metric tons in 2022.
The World Gold Council has reported that central bank gold purchases in 2023 came to 1,037 metric tons, marking the second year in a row above 1,000 MT. In the first half of 2024, the organization says gold purchases from central banks reached a record 483 metric tons.
“I expect the Fed’s rate-cutting cycle to be good for gold, but central bank buying has been and remains a major factor," Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, said in an email to the Investing News Network (INN) at the beginning of Q4.
David Barrett, CEO of the UK division of global brokerage firm EBC Financial Group, is also keeping an eye on central bank purchases of gold.
“I still see the global central bank buying as the main driver — as it has been over the last 15 years,” he said in an email to INN. "This demand removes supply from the market. They are the ultimate buy-and-hold participants and they have been buying massive amounts."
In addition to central bank moves, analysts are also watching for escalating tensions in the Middle East, a weakening US dollar, declining bond yields, and further interest rate cuts as factors that could push gold higher as investors look to secure their portfolios.
Speaking at the Metals Investor Forum, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, this September, Eric Coffin, editor of Hard Rock Analyst, outlined those key factors as supporting his prediction that gold could reach US$2,800 by the end of 2024.
“When it comes to outside factors that affect the market, it’s just tailwind after tailwind after tailwind. So I don’t really see the trend changing,” Coffin said.
Also speaking at the Metals Investor Forum, Jeff Clark, founder and editor at TheGoldAdvisor.com, was even more bullish on the precious metal. He sees Santa delivering US$3,000 gold as a good possibility.
However, others see gold taking a little longer to breach the US$3,000 level. Delegates at the London Bullion Market Association's annual gathering in October have forecasted a gold price of US$2,941 in the next 12 months.
Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) thinks US$3,000 could become a reality within a couple of years. He told INN in an October 2024 interview that he believes the west has finally caught the gold fever that has mainly been contained to the east for much of the year.
Meanwhile, Alain Corbani, head of mining of Montbleu Finance and manager of the Global Gold and Precious Fund, told INN in an early January 2025 interview that his price target for the year is US$3,000 per ounce. He advises that the direction of interest rates in the US will be the most important factor to watch.
As a final note on the price of gold and buying gold bullion, it’s important for investors to be aware that gold price manipulation is a hot topic in the industry.
In 2011, when gold hit what was then a record high, it dropped swiftly in just a few short years. This decline after three years of impressive gains led many in the gold sector to cry foul and point to manipulation. Early in 2015, 10 banks were hit in a US probe on precious metals manipulation. Evidence provided by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) showed “smoking gun” proof that UBS Group (NYSE:UBS), HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC), the Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) and other firms were involved in rigging gold and silver rates in the market from 2007 to 2013.
Not long after, the long-running London gold fix was replaced by the LBMA gold price in a bid to increase gold price transparency. The twice-a-day process, operated by the ICE Benchmark Administration, still involves a variety of banks collaborating to set the gold price, but the system is now electronic.
Still, manipulation has by no means been eradicated, as a 2020 fine on JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) shows. The next year, chat logs were released in a spoofing trial for two former precious metals traders from the Bank of America’s (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch unit. They show a trader bragging about how easy it is to manipulate the gold price.
Gold market participants have consistently spoken out about manipulation. In mid-2020, Chris Marcus, founder of Arcadia Economics and author of the book “The Big Silver Short,” said that when gold fell back below the US$2,000 mark after hitting close to US$2,070, he saw similarities to what happened with the gold price in 2011.
Marcus has been following the gold and silver markets with a focus specifically on price manipulation for nearly a decade. His advice? “Trust your gut. I believe we’re witnessing the ultimate ’emperor’s really naked’ moment. This isn’t complex financial analysis. Sometimes I think of it as the greatest hypnotic thought experiment in history.”
While we have the answer to what the highest gold price ever is as of now, it remains to be seen how high gold can climb, and if the precious metal can reach as high as US$5,000, US$10,000 or even US$40,000.
Even so, many market participants believe gold is a must have in any investment profile, and there is little doubt investors will continue to see gold price action making headlines this year and beyond.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
All amounts expressed in US dollars
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) reinforced its commitment to growth, reporting significant progress of its key growth projects while achieving its production guidance and setting the stage for continued sustainable value creation, said president and chief executive Mark Bristow in the company's annual report published today.
During the year, Barrick completed feasibility studies for the Lumwana Super Pit Expansion in Zambia and the Reko Diq project in Pakistan. Both projects confirmed their Tier One 1 potential, with Lumwana contributing 8.3 million tonnes of copper reserves 2 and Reko Diq adding 13 million ounces of gold reserves and 7.3 million tonnes of copper reserves on an attributable basis 3 . The company also successfully replaced all the gold and copper it mined during the year, more than replenishing the 4.6 million ounces of attributable gold mineral reserve depletion at better grades. 4
"Barrick stands alone in the industry as no other company matches our ability to replace the gold and copper we mine while simultaneously adding to our reserves through exploration and development. Our integrated resource and exploration strategy has allowed us to build a foundation that supports a projected 30% growth in gold equivalent ounces out to the end of the decade," Bristow said. 5
The expansion at Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic continued to make progress towards the mine's target of becoming a plus 800,000 ounce per year, long-life, low-cost gold producer. 6 In Nevada, Goldrush progressed its ramp up as planned, while the adjacent Fourmile project has advanced to prefeasibility stage. The 2024 preliminary economic assessment highlighted Fourmile's world-class potential with a significantly larger orebody endowment at nearly double the grade of Goldrush. 7
"Barrick maintains one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry. This financial strength positions us to invest in our future as well as fund both the Lumwana and Reko Diq development projects, without the need to issue new shares or take on unnecessary debt," said Bristow. "At the same time, our share buyback program not only returns capital to investors but also enhances per-share value, underscoring our disciplined approach to capital allocation."
Bristow added that sustainability remained at the core of Barrick's operations, guiding its decisions and long-term strategy. "Local partnerships continue to be crucial to advancing our sustainability efforts and ensuring our host nations receive their fair share of economic value along with delivering tangible benefits to local communities."
Also in the annual report , chairman John Thornton highlighted Barrick's ongoing efforts to diversify its Board. "While we are pleased that two of our three committees are now chaired by women, we believe we are never finished the work of adding to our Board's diversity in every sense and dimension of the word. Many different kinds of people make for more and better ideas, livelier debate and stronger outcomes," Thornton said.
Barrick's 2024 Annual Report, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F are now available on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ) and EDGAR ( www.sec.gov ), respectively. An updated National Instrument 43-101 technical report for the Carlin Complex, current as of December 31, 2024, is also available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR.
To access the above-mentioned documents, please visit www.barrick.com . Shareholders may also receive a copy of Barrick's audited financial statements without charge upon request to Barrick's Investor Relations Department, 161 Bay Street, Suite 3700, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S1 or to investor@barrick.com .
Enquiries
Investor and Media Relations
Kathy du Plessis
+44 20 7557 7738
Email: barrick@dpapr.com
Website: www.barrick.com
Endnotes
1. A Tier One Gold Asset is an asset with a $1,400/oz reserve with potential to deliver a minimum 10-year life, annual production of at least 500,000 ounces of gold and with costs per ounce in the lower half of the industry cost curve. A Tier One Copper Asset/Project is an asset with a $3.00/lb reserve with potential for +5Mt contained copper in support of at least 20 years life, annual production of at least 200ktpa, with costs per pound in the lower half of the industry cost curve. Tier One Assets must be located in a world-class geological district with potential for organic reserve growth and long-term geologically driven addition.
2. Estimates are as of December 31, 2024, unless otherwise noted. Lumwana proven reserves of 140 million grading 0.49% representing 0.68 million tonnes of copper, probable mineral reserves of 1,500 million tonnes grading 0.53% representing 7.6 million tonnes of copper, measured resources of 170 million tonnes grading 0.45% representing 0.77 million tonnes of copper, indicated resources of 1,800 million tonnes grading 0.50% representing 9.2 million tonnes of copper and inferred resources of 230 million tonnes grading 0.40% representing 0.91 million tonnes of copper. Complete mineral reserve and mineral resource data for all mines and projects, including tonnes, grades, and ounces, can be found on pages 84-92 of Barrick's Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2024 Report. For further information with respect to the key assumptions, parameters and risks associated with Lumwana and other technical information, please refer to the Technical Report on the Lumwana Expansion Project, Republic of Zambia dated December 31, 2024 and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov on February 19, 2025.
3. Estimates are as of December 31, 2024, unless otherwise noted. Reko Diq probable reserves of 1,400 million tonnes grading 0.28g/t representing 13 million ounces of gold, probable reserves of 1,500 million tonnes grading 0.48% representing 7.3 million tonnes of copper, indicated resources of 1,800 million tonnes grading 0.25g/t representing 15 million ounces of gold, indicated resources of 2,000 million tonnes grading 0.43% representing 8.4 million tonnes of copper, inferred resources of 640 million tonnes grading 0.2g/t representing 3.9 million ounces of gold, and inferred resources of 690 million tonnes grading 0.3% representing 2.2 million tonnes of copper. Complete mineral reserve and mineral resource data for all mines and projects, including tonnes, grades, and ounces, can be found on pages 84-92 of Barrick's Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2024 Report. For further information with respect to the key assumptions, parameters and risks associated with Reko Diq, the mineral reserve and resource estimates included herein and other technical information, please refer to the Technical Report on the Reko Diq Project, Balochistan, Pakistan dated December 31, 2024 and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov on February 19, 2025.
4. Proven and probable reserve gains calculated from cumulative net change in reserves from year end 2019 to 2024. Reserve replacement percentage is calculated from the cumulative net change in reserves from 2020 to 2024 divided by the cumulative depletion in reserves from year end 2019 to 2024 as shown in the table below:
| Year | Attributable P&P Gold (Moz) | Attributable Gold Acquisition & Divestments (Moz) | Attributable Gold Depletion (Moz) | Attributable Gold Net Change (Moz) | Reported Reserve Price USD/oz for GEO conversion |
| 2019 a | 71 | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 b | 68 | (2.2) | (5.5) | 4.2 | $1,200 |
| 2021 c | 69 | (0.91) | (5.4) | 8.1 | $1,200 |
| 2022 d | 76 | - | (4.8) | 12 | $1,300 |
| 2023 e | 77 | - | (4.6) | 5 | $1,300 |
| 2024 f | 89 | - | (4.6) | 17 | $1,400 |
| 2019 – 2024 Total | N/A | (3.1 ) | (25 ) | 46 | N/A |
| Year | Attributable P&P Copper (Mlb) | Attributable Copper Acquisition & Divestments (Moz) | Attributable Copper Depletion (Moz) | Attributable Copper Net Change (Moz) | Reported Reserve Price USD/lb for GEO conversion |
| 2019 a | 13,494 | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 b | 12,691 | - | (834) | 31 | $2.75 |
| 2021 c | 12,233 | - | (636) | 178 | $2.75 |
| 2022 d | 12,252 | - | (623) | 642 | $3.00 |
| 2023 e | 12,391 | - | (589) | 728 | $3.00 |
| 2024 f | 40,201 | - | (731) | 28,542 | $3.00 |
| 2019 – 2024 Total | N/A | - | (3,413 ) | 30,121 | N/A |
| Year | Attributable P&P GEO | Attributable Acquisition & Divestments GEO | Attributable Depletion GEO | Attributable Net Change GEO (using reported reserve prices) |
| 2019 a | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 b | 97 | (2.2) | (7.4) | 4.2 |
| 2021 c | 97 | (0.91) | (6.9) | 8.5 |
| 2022 d | 104 | - | (6.3) | 13 |
| 2023 e | 105 | - | (6.0) | 6.7 |
| 2024 f | 176 | - | (6.1) | 79 |
| 2019 – 2024 Total | N/A | (3.1 ) | (33 ) | 111 |
Totals may not appear to sum correctly due to rounding.
Attributable acquisitions and divestments includes the following: a decrease of 2.2 Moz in proven and probable gold reserves from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020, as a result of the divestiture of Barrick's Massawa gold project effective March 4, 2020; and a decrease of 0.91 Moz in proven and probable gold reserves from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021, as a result of the change in Barrick's ownership interest in Porgera from 47.5% to 24.5% and the net impact of the asset exchange of Lone Tree to i-80 Gold for the remaining 50% of South Arturo that Nevada Gold Mines did not already own.
All estimates are estimated in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects as required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities.
5. Gold equivalent ounces calculated from our copper assets are calculated using a gold price of $1,400/oz and copper price of $3.00/lb. Barrick's five-year indicative production profile for gold equivalent ounces is based on the following assumptions:
| Key Outlook Assumptions | 2025 | 2026+ |
| Gold Price ($/oz) | 2,400 | 2,400 |
| Copper Price ($/lb) | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Oil Price (WTI) ($/barrel) | 80 | 70 |
| AUD Exchange Rate (AUD:USD) | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| ARS Exchange Rate (USD:ARS) | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| CAD Exchange Rate (USD:CAD) | 1.30 | 1.30 |
| CLP Exchange Rate (USD:CLP) | 900 | 900 |
| EUR Exchange Rate (EUR:USD) | 1.10 | 1.10 |
Barrick's five-year indicative outlook is based on our current operating asset portfolio, sustaining projects in progress and exploration/ mineral resource management initiatives in execution. This outlook is based on our current reserves and resources and assumes that we will continue to be able to convert resources into reserves. Additional asset optimization, further exploration growth, new project initiatives and divestitures are not included. For the company's gold and copper segments, and where applicable for a specific region, this indicative outlook is subject to change and assumes the following: new open pit production permitted and commencing at Hemlo in the second half of 2025, allowing three years for permitting and two years for prestripping prior to first ore production in 2027; Tongon will enter care and maintenance by 2027; and production from the Zaldívar CuproChlor® Chloride Leach Project (Antofagasta is the operator of Zaldívar). Our five-year indicative outlook excludes production from Fourmile, as well as Pierina and Golden Sunlight, both of which are currently in care and maintenance; and production from long-term greenfield optionality from Donlin, Pascua-Lama, Norte Abierto and Alturas. Barrick's five-year production profile in this press release also assumes an indicative gold and copper production profile for Reko Diq and an indicative copper production profile for the Lumwana Super Pit expansion, both of which are conceptual in nature. Loulo-Gounkoto has been excluded from Barrick's 2025 guidance as a result of the temporary suspension of operations. We expect to update our guidance to include Loulo-Gounkoto when we have greater certainty regarding the timing for the restart of operations. For purposes of this indicative five-year forecast only, we have assumed a scenario where Loulo-Gounkoto resumes operations on April 1, 2025. There can be no assurances that a definitive agreement to resolve the ongoing dispute with the Government of Mali will be reached by April 1, 2025 or at all. Refer to page 9 of the MD&A accompanying Barrick's annual 2024 financial statements for additional information.
6. Refer to the Technical Report on the Pueblo Viejo Mine, Dominican Republic, dated March 17, 2023 and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov on March 17, 2023.
7. Fourmile's financial metrics and production metrics are based upon Barrick's internal preliminary economic assessment which is conceptual in nature and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. Barrick anticipates Fourmile will be incorporated into the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture, at fair market value, if certain criteria are met.
Technical Information
The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Craig Fiddes, SME-RM, Lead, R&R Governance, Nevada Gold Mines; Richard Peattie, MPhil, FAusIMM, Mineral Resources Manager: Africa and Middle East; Peter Jones, MAIG, Manager Resource Geology - Latin America and Asia Pacific; Simon Bottoms, CGeol, MGeol, FGS, FAusIMM, Mineral Resource Management and Evaluation Executive; and Joel Holliday, FAusIMM, Executive Vice-President, Exploration — each a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects .
All mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates are estimated in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects . Unless otherwise noted, such mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates are as of December 31, 2024.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating performance, constitutes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "potential", "grow", "commit", "opportunity", "investment", "continue", "extend", "will", "projected", "progress", "target", "ongoing", "focus", "believe" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: Barrick's forward-looking production guidance and our five and ten-year production profiles for gold and copper; Barrick's global exploration strategy and planned exploration activities; our ability to convert resources into reserves and future reserve replacement; Barrick's strategy, plans, targets and goals in respect of environmental and social governance issues; our talent management initiatives; Barrick's future plans, growth potential, financial strength, investments and overall strategy; and expectations regarding future price assumptions, financial performance, shareholder returns and other outlook or guidance.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas and electricity); risks associated with projects in the early stages of evaluation and for which additional engineering and other analysis is required; risks related to the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, that quantities or grades of reserves will be diminished, and that resources may not be converted to reserves; risks associated with the fact that certain of the initiatives described in this press release are still in the early stages and may not materialize; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation and exploration successes; risks that exploration data may be incomplete and considerable additional work may be required to complete further evaluation, including but not limited to drilling, engineering and socioeconomic studies and investment; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, corruption and other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices; including the status of value added tax refunds received in connection with the Pascua-Lama project; expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, Mali or other countries in which Barrick does or may carry on business in the future; risks relating to political instability in certain of the jurisdictions in which Barrick operates; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvalsnon-renewal of key licenses by governmental authorities; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; increased costs and physical and transition risks related to climate change, including extreme weather events, resource shortages, emerging policies and increased regulations relating to greenhouse gas emission levels, energy efficiency and reporting of risks; the Company's ability to achieve its sustainability goals; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties, or over access to water, power and other required infrastructure; the liability associated with risks and hazards in the mining industry, and the ability to maintain insurance to cover such losses; damage to the Company's reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Company's handling of environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; risks related to operations near communities that may regard Barrick's operations as being detrimental to them; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities, including geotechnical challenges, tailings dam and storage facilities failures, and disruptions in the maintenance or provision of required infrastructure and information technology systems; increased costs, delays, suspensions and technical challenges associated with the construction of capital projects; risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled assets; risks related to disruption of supply routes which may cause delays in construction and mining activities, including disruptions in the supply of key mining inputs due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and conflicts in the Middle East; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; risks associated with artisanal and illegal mining; risks associated with Barrick's infrastructure, information technology systems and the implementation of Barrick's technological initiatives, including risks related to cybersecurity incidents, including those caused by computer viruses, malware, ransomware and other cyberattacks, or similar information technology system failures, delays and/or disruptions;; the impact of global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future cash flows; the impact of inflation, including global inflationary pressures driven by supply chain disruptions, global energy cost increases following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and country-specific political and economic factors in Argentina; adverse changes in our credit ratings; fluctuations in the currency markets; changes in U.S. dollar interest rates; changes in U.S. trade, tariff and other controls on imports and exports, tax, immigration or other policies that may impact relations with foreign countries, result in retaliatory policies, lead to increased costs for raw materials, components and equipment, or impact Barrick's existing operations and material growth projects; risks arising from holding derivative instruments (such as credit risk, market liquidity risk and mark-to-market risk); risks related to the demands placed on the Company's management; the ability of management to implement its business strategy and enhanced political risk in certain jurisdictions; uncertainty whether some or all of Barrick's targeted investments and projects will meet the Company's capital allocation objectives and internal hurdle rate; whether benefits expected from recent transactions are realized; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, the Company; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions or complete divestitures; risks related to competition in the mining industry; employee relations including loss of key employees; availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor; risks associated with diseases, epidemics and pandemics; risks related to the failure of internal controls; and risks related to the impairment of the Company's goodwill and assets.
In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barrick's ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
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