With a mining lease application underway and a scoping study that shows excellent economics, Impact Minerals’ game-changing, advanced Lake Hope high-purity alumina project makes for a compelling investment case.
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) is an exploration and development mining company focused on discovering and developing new resource projects within Australia. Lake Hope, a transformational acquisition by the company and its current flagship asset, is a high-purity alumina (HPA) project in Impact’s home territory of Western Australia, a tier-one jurisdiction.
This advanced-stage project allows the company to fast-track the asset toward development, firmly establishing the company on the road to production and increasing shareholder value.
HPA is a high-value product with various uses in several industries that are key to the transition to a low-carbon world. It is mainly used in LED lighting, micro-LED screens, and ceramic-coated separators in lithium-ion batteries. Both these markets are forecast to grow dramatically over the next decade, and a looming supply shortage is predicted for 2026.
HPA is also necessary for producing synthetic sapphire and scratch-resistant glass. With these ever-widening applications for HPA, demand for this resource is expected to grow from US$3.18 billion to US$12.21 billion by 2030 with a compounded annual growth rate of about 20 percent.
Lake Hope is the company’s current focus as it moves towards production, and where a very shallow, high-grade resource of HPA precursor material has been identified in the top two meters of a dry salt lake. The deposit has unique physical and chemical properties that will allow for inexpensive digging and mining, with transportation to a processing facility off-site in an established industrial area. This will accelerate the approvals processes required to get into production.
With a mining lease application pending, Impact aims to bring Lake Hope, which contains almost 1 million tons of potential HPA, into production when the forecast average price for 4N HPA (99.99 percent Al2O3) and related products is about US$20,000 per ton. The ‘4N’ designation indicates the purity grade, making it suitable for high-tech end uses.
Outstanding economics from the latest scoping study released by the company shows Lake Hope’s potential to be the lowest-cost producer of HPA globally by up to 50 percent.
Lake Hope has a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 3.5 million tons at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tons of alumina. The company also received heritage clearances for the entire Lake Hope deposit further de-risking the project and providing another critical component in the company’s application for a mining lease.
Impact completed a bulk sampling and test pits program at the Lake Hope project in December 2023, and later reached a key milestone by producing HPA greater than 99.99 percent (4N) purity from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope.
In February 2024, a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays was identified. Impact produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 from a low-temperature leach (LTL) process. The LTL process may lower the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process which underpinned the recent scoping study. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study in parallel with the sulphate process at marginal extra cost to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
A comparison of the LTL process and the sulphate process
The company is well funded to finance the pre-feasibility study at the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project and exploration activities at the Arkun battery minerals project.
Impact Minerals has been awarded a $2.87 million grant for the commercialisation of its innovative process to produce High Purity Alumina (HPA) from the Lake Hope deposit. The grant is under the Federal Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program which fosters short-term, industry-led research collaborations. The grant is part of an estimated $6.4 million research and development project to be completed within three years and designed to provide Impact with the relevant information required to complete a definitive feasibility. A key component of the grant funding will be to construct a pilot plant, which is a key goal for 2025, and this will provide consistent material for off-take and qualification trials.
Impact Minerals was also one of the inaugural cohort of seven companies selected to be part of the prestigious BHP Xplor program. BHP Xplor, an accelerator program introduced by BHP in August 2022, is designed to help provide participants with the opportunity to accelerate their growth and the potential to establish a long-term partnership with BHP and its global network of partners.
The BHP Xplor funding was used to identify new target areas for copper and other energy metals around the Broken Hill area in New South Wales, eastern Australia, where Impact has been quietly adding to its ground position for several years.
Additionally, the company is exploring its large Arkun battery metals project, also in Western Australia which covers nearly 2,900 square kilometres. Three new exploration licence applications were submitted recently immediately north of the Arkun project along trend from the recently discovered REE soil geochemistry anomalies at Hyperion, Swordfish and Horseshoe, and the Caligula copper anomaly. These anomalies require drill testing which will occur in 2024 and is an exciting development in the emerging mineral province of southwest WA.
A strong management team with over 50 years of combined industry experience leads the company. With a mining and exploration geology degree, Dr. Mike Jones, managing director, launched a long career consulting and leading mining organizations. Peter Unsworth, the non-executive chairman, has more than 35 years of experience in multiple financial sectors, such as securities industries and wealth management. Paul Ingram, a non-executive director, has led several mining companies since 2003. Impact Minerals has the experience and expertise to lead the company to success.
Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope HPA project is in Western Australia, a tier-one mining jurisdiction. HPA is a crucial component in many new and emerging technologies, creating ongoing demand for high-grade sources. The Lake Hope project is the company’s flagship as it moves toward production.
The scoping study was underpinned by a sulphuric acid process allowing the company to achieve a new milestone by producing HPA with purity of more than than 99.99 percent (4N) from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope. The company further identified a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays. Known as the low-temperature leach (LTL) process, this also produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 and has the potential to lower even further the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study along with the sulphate process to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
The Broken Hill project has a significant land position of 815 square kilometers and hosts multiple targets with the potential for high-grade copper. Broken Hill is located in New South Wales, Australia, an area known for its prolific silver-lead-zinc mining operations and the giant Broken Hill deposit.
The Arkun project is a 2,900-square-kilometer nickel, copper and gold project located in the emerging Ni-Cu-PGE province near the world-class Julimar Ni-Cu-PGE deposit and surrounded by Anglo American Corporation, which secured its ground holding shortly after Impact secured its asset. Anglo-American is one of the world’s top ten mining companies, and their presence in the region brings confidence in the project’s potential.
Peter Unsworth, formerly a chartered accountant, has over 35 years of experience in the corporate finance, investment and securities industries and a wealth of management experience with public and private companies. A former executive director with a leading Western Australian stockbroking company, Unsworth has been a director of several public exploration and mining companies. He recently completed a long time serving as chairman of the Western Australian Government-owned Gold Corporation (operator of The Perth Mint). Unsworth is the founding chairman of Impact Minerals.
Dr. Mike Jones is the founding managing director of Impact Minerals Limited, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2006. Reporting to the board of directors, he is responsible for the company's performance as it moves towards production at its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina Project and also for implementing strategies to explore and maximize the value of the company's other extensive tenement holdings.
Since listing, he has helped raise more than $60 million to help fund the exploration of Impact’s projects and managed the company through significant adverse events, including the global financial crisis and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which affected Impact’s considerable investment in the uranium sector, a five-year global downturn in the mining sector and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul Ingram is a geologist with extensive experience managing major mineral exploration programs for several publicly listed companies and has been involved in the mining sector for over thirty years. He has designed and implemented innovative techniques for exploration in remote areas and has managed projects in countries throughout Australia and East Asia. Ingram has been a director of the following listed companies in the past three years: Polo Resources from January 2008 to January 2011; A-Cap Resources since June 2009; Consolidated Global Investments since September 2006; Caledon Resources from February 2003 to March 2008; and Australian Pacific Coal since March 2011.
Dr. Frank Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of experience as a consultant, researcher, lecturer and industry professional. Bierlein has held exploration and generative geology management positions with QMSD Mining, Qatar Mining, Afmeco Australia and Areva NC, and consulted for, among others, Newmont Gold, Resolute Mining, Goldfields International, Freeport McMoRan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He is currently a non-executive director of PNX Metals. He was previously a non-executive director of Gold Australia NL and chaired the advisory board of a Luxembourg-based private equity fund between 2014 and 2021.
Developing the lowest-cost HPA project in Australia
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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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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While some have posited that the gold price may break US$3,000 per ounce and carry on as high as US$4,000 or US$5,000, there are those with hopes that US$10,000 gold or even US$40,000 gold could become a reality.
These impressive price predictions have investors wondering, what is gold's all time high? In the past year, a new gold all time high (ATH) has been reached dozens of times, and we share the latest one and what has driven it to this level below. We also take a look at how the gold price has moved historically and what has driven its performance in recent years.
Before discovering what the highest gold price ever was, it’s worth looking at how the precious metal is traded. Knowing the mechanics behind gold's historical moves can help illuminate why and how its price changes.
Gold bullion is traded in dollars and cents per ounce, with activity taking place worldwide at all hours, resulting in a live price for the metal. Investors trade gold in major commodities markets such as New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong. London is seen as the center of physical precious metals trading, including for silver. The COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange is home to most paper trading.
There are many popular ways to invest in gold. The first is through purchasing gold bullion products such as bullion bars, bullion coins and rounds. Physical gold is sold on the spot market, meaning that buyers pay a specific price per ounce for the metal and then have it delivered. In some parts of the world, such as India, buying gold in the form of jewelry is the largest and most traditional route to investing in gold.
Another path to gold investment is paper trading, which is done through the gold futures market. Participants enter into gold futures contracts for the delivery of gold in the future at an agreed-upon price. In such contracts, two positions can be taken: a long position under which delivery of the metal is accepted or a short position to provide delivery of the metal. Paper trading as a means to invest in gold can provide investors with the flexibility to liquidate assets that aren’t available to those who possess physical gold bullion.
One significant long-term advantage of trading in the paper market is that investors can benefit from gold’s safe-haven status without needing to store it. Furthermore, gold futures trading can offer more financial leverage in that it requires less capital than trading in the physical market.
Interestingly, investors can also purchase physical gold via the futures market, but the process is complicated and lengthy and comes with a large investment and additional costs.
Aside from those options, market participants can invest in gold through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a gold ETF is similar to trading a gold stock on an exchange, and there are numerous gold ETF options to choose from. For instance, some ETFs focus solely on physical gold bullion, while others focus on gold futures contracts. Other gold ETFs center on gold-mining stocks or follow the gold spot price.
It is important to understand that you will not own any physical gold when investing in an ETF — in general, even a gold ETF that tracks physical gold cannot be redeemed for tangible metal.
With regards to the performance of gold versus trading stocks, gold has an interesting relationship with the stock market. The two often move in sync during “risk-on periods” when investors are bullish. On the flip side, they tend to become inversely correlated in times of volatility. There are a variety of options for investing in stocks, including gold mining stocks on the TSX and ASX, gold juniors, precious metals royalty companies and gold stocks that pay dividends.
According to the World Gold Council, gold's ability to decouple from the stock market during periods of stress makes it “unique amongst most hedges in the marketplace.” It is often during these times that gold outperforms the stock market. For that reason, it is often used as a portfolio diversifier to hedge against uncertainty.
The gold price peaked at US$2,989.58, its all-time high, on March 13, 2025 at 3:38 p.m. PDT. What drove it to set this new ATH?
Gold set a new record high on March 13 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.
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.
With an established mineral resource and further significant exploration upside, the New Amalga gold project presents substantial opportunities for Grande Portage to advance the project, generate cash flow, and create shareholder value. The company’s ongoing exploration efforts and strategic partnerships enhance the potential for long-term growth and value appreciation.
Grande Portage Resources (TSXV:GPG,OTCQB:GPTRF,FSE:GPB) is a junior resource company focused on the exploration and development of its high-grade gold asset in southeast Alaska. The company’s flagship project, the New Amalga Gold project (formerly known as the Herbert Gold project), is located approximately 25 kilometers north of Juneau, within the prolific Juneau Gold Belt.
This historic 160-kilometer-long belt has yielded nearly eight million ounces of gold to date, and New Amalga represents one of the most prospective undeveloped gold systems in the region. The rebranding from Herbert Gold to New Amalga Gold reflects the company’s commitment to advancing and expanding its exploration and development efforts in this promising district.
Over the years, Grand Portage has significantly expanded its resource base through extensive exploration and drilling campaigns. The current mineral resource estimate, published in June 2024, outlines an indicated resource of 1.44 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 9.47 grams per ton (g/t) gold, and an inferred resource of 515,700 ounces at an average grade of 8.85 g/t gold. Additionally, the project hosts significant silver mineralization, with indicated resources of 891,600 ounces at 5.86 g/t silver and inferred resources of 390,600 ounces at 7.33 g/t silver. The deposit has demonstrated exceptional metallurgical recoveries of up to 98.2 percent, reinforcing its economic viability.
Grande Portage is led by an experienced management team with a strong background in exploration and project development. The team’s focus is on creating shareholder value through the advancement of the Herbert Gold Project while maintaining a commitment to environmental and community responsibilities.
The New Amalga Gold project (formerly, Herbert Gold project) is a high-grade mesothermal quartz vein system containing six or more known parallel gold-bearing vein structures. The project consists of 91 unpatented lode claims covering approximately 2,000 acres.
Grande Portage has completed extensive drilling campaigns, with more than 54,000 meters of diamond drilling across 240 drill holes from 55 platforms, confirming a large, structurally complex gold-quartz system. The deposit remains open at depth and along strike, highlighting strong potential for further resource expansion. Historical production in the broader district, including previous operations at the historic Amalga Mine, has demonstrated the potential for high-grade ore shoots. Modern exploration drilling has intersected robust mineralization in multiple vein structures, supporting the project's continued development.
Primary veins with geology
Grande Portage is committed to responsible mining practices that minimize environmental impact. The company prioritizes low-impact mining methods and is exploring off-site processing solutions to align with community concerns regarding environmental preservation in the Juneau area.
The company has filed its 2025 Plan of Operation, proposing up to 10,000 meters of diamond drilling, along with detailed geological mapping and trench sampling. These initiatives aim to expand the known mineralization, refine geological modeling, and identify new high-priority targets. To further optimize project economics, the company is advancing sensor-based ore sorting testwork to improve processing efficiency.
Additionally, a Letter of Intent has been signed with Goldbelt, Juneau’s Alaska Native Corporation, to explore strategic collaborations that could enhance the project’s development and operational sustainability.
Ian Klassen brings almost 30 years experience in business management, public relations, government affairs and entrepreneurship to the company. He has extensive experience in the administration of public companies, government policy, media relations strategies, business/government project management, and legislative decision-making. Klassen is an (Honours) B.A. graduate from Western University and is a recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, in recognition of his significant contribution to his community and country.
Kyle Mehalek is the lead consultant at OreLogic, providing underground mine planning and project development services. Mehalek is the former chief mining engineer of Hecla Mining Company’s (NYSE:HL) Greens Creek Mine. More recently he was the chief technical officer for Talon Metals, a TSX-listed company advancing the Tamarack nickel project in Minnesota.
Michele Pillon has 25 years of experience in the junior mining exploration sector, providing accounting and regulatory assistance to public companies. Since May 1988, she has worked as an accountant to public companies in the resource sector.
Carl Hale received his Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the University of Washington in 1972. He has worked the majority of his career on mineral exploration projects in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest for various mining companies and consulting groups. He supervised massive sulfide exploration projects in the Brooks Range, Alaska, mineral reconnaissance programs in the Alaska Range and Southeast Alaska, and is presently the project manager on a gold exploration venture in the United States. Mr. Hale spent several years as a mine geologist at the Cannon Mine, a large gold mine in Wenatchee, Washington, as a geologist at the Sunshine silver mine in Idaho, managed a copper exploration project at Bornite, Alaska for three years for Kennecott and served as a geologist on a gold exploration project in Myanmar.
Alistair MacLennan has been working in the junior resources sector (oil/gas/minerals), in various capacities, for over 30 years. He has gained industry knowledge through founding, investment in and serving on the boards of a number of public and private exploration companies. MacLennan is also the chairman and director of Helijet International, a helicopter airline operating a fleet of Sikorsky S76 helicopters throughout the Pacific Northwest since 1986. MacLennan is actively involved in a number of private companies which are involved in leasing, manufacturing and natural gas production.
Ronald Handford is a professional engineer (non-practicing) and is president of Handford Management, a private management services company. He has been a senior executive of Sixty North Gold Mining since September 2016. He was formerly the executive vice-president, corporate development for Yellowhead Mining. Handford holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Western University (1979) and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of British Columbia (1974). He has over 20 years of international experience as a mining and technology entrepreneur, executive and advisor, plus 15 years as an international mining project finance and corporate banker, including Barclays Bank and the International Finance Corporation; and six years as an engineer/project manager related to mining and resource projects.
Douglas Perkins is a geology graduate from the University of British Columbia. Perkins has served on public company boards for over 25 years involving the promotion and representation of their geological properties. He has been involved in several start-ups of both public and private companies not only geological but including manufacturing, wholesale and developmental industries. From an exploration standpoint, Perkins has worked on the Gataga Trend for Cyprus Anvil, where several multi-million-ton deposits were discovered. He also worked for UTAH, UMEX, Cominco and oversaw Freeport/ Stryker's exploration project in northern BC near the Windy Craggy deposit. Perkins has tropical experience in the jungle of the Darien Gap in Panama during 1988 to 1989. For the last two years he has been senior vice-president and director of GMV Minerals in Guyana South America.
Gold price chart, March 6 to 13, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
These releases come as trade tensions between the US and other countries ramp up.
Tempers flared when Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to the US on Tuesday (March 11). 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, as well as US relations globally.
Broad 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the US went into effect on Wednesday. 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 had threatened to boost the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent, but backed down for now 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.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
