
October 29, 2024
‘You could argue Australia may have the best brand of any country in the world in the US right now’
The US probably doesn’t have a stronger mining partner in the world than Australia – “a superpower when it comes to energy and especially energy minerals” – assistant secretary for energy resources at the Department of State, Geoffrey Pyatt, told the IMARC 2024 conference.
New models were needed for planning, financing, building and operating the mines of the future, Pyatt said in an exclusive IMARC interview with Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC.
He said Australia, together with the US, could play a major role in shaping them.
“I think we’re in a moment of tremendous opportunity,” Pyatt told Baskaran.
“Across the board what I hear is a desire to find an alternative to the traditional model in this sector.
“And to do so in a way that is perceived in the developing world as equitable, as ensuring that the producer countries see the benefits of their resources, as they should expect, and that there are investments made in human capital formation and in infrastructure to guarantee that governments are able to demonstrate to their citizens that there is a reward for pulling out the commodities of their Earth in a way that is sustainable and delivers net benefit for the societies.
“We also have to significantly expand the opportunities for extraction and processing globally, and we need to do so in a way that delivers value for the producer countries.
“I think this is an area where Australia has a very strong calling card, which is the ESG principles that its companies are committed to.
“Nobody worries that an Australian mining company is going to cut corners on environmental or worker rights issues because it faces the scrutiny of its shareholders and its regulators at home.
“We’ve got to figure out, how do we market that to demonstrate, as my boss secretary [Antony] Blinken likes to say, that we are delivering a better offer, especially to the producer countries in the developing world.
“I think there’s a very strong alignment between the US and Australia on these issues.
“You could argue Australia may have the best brand of any country in the world in the United States right now.”
Pyatt said a visit to Australia earlier this year gave him a deeper appreciation of the exceptional level of innovation domestic producers and technology firms were applying to decarbonise mines and transport systems and meet other technical challenges. “It was incredibly impressive for me to see the overwhelming role that the extractive industries, and especially the mining industry, plays,” he said.
He said the US and Australian governments were working closely via the Critical Minerals Taskforce, and broader regional alliances such as QUAD and the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP), to accelerate pathways for investment.
“But at the end of the day the proof of our success is going to be what our companies are able to do together.
“I’ll always remember listening to [Fortescue executive chair] Andrew Forrest talking about his Infinity Train: an electric powered locomotive that would deliver iron ore from the mine face to ports, with essentially zero net energy requirement, by capturing the latent energy of descending to sea level and then using the storage of that energy to carry the locomotive back up to the mine face.”
Pyatt said this was the type of innovation that would fire greater collaboration between US and Australian companies.
Baskaran said current multilateral and bilateral critical minerals supply chain alliances needed to be developed further, quickly, in the face of low incentive prices for key metals, dipping global private mining investment – outside of the gold and copper sectors – muted consumer spending on EVs and other goods, and the fact that China “is no longer the world’s biggest engine of growth”.
“Governments need to step in and create incentives for private sector investment,” she said.
“We need to focus on building responsible mining practices to reduce the friction between government, mining companies and indigenous communities.
“We need to invest in recycling … and the circular economy.”
“And we need to create a more mutually beneficial mining model to ensure countries are benefiting from their resources in an equitable manner.”
Baskaran said strong bipartisan support in Washington for the range of measures and steps taken to help create new resilient, secure mineral supply chains now recognised across the US political divide as being “of utmost importance to our national security, energy security and economic competitiveness” meant the looming US election result was unlikely to alter the present course.

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05 November
Brixton Metals
Diversified exposure to copper, gold and silver with projects in North America
Diversified exposure to copper, gold and silver with projects in North America Keep Reading...
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Overview
Brixton Metals (TSXV:BBB,OTCQB:BBBXF,FRA:8BX1) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on silver, copper, gold and critical minerals across North America.
The company is currently transitioning from explorer to developer as it advances its Langis Silver Project in Ontario towards maiden mineral and tailings resource estimates. Thorn, its district-scale project in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle, remains a shared focus with three individual resource estimates expected in Q1 2027
In addition, Brixton Metals is strategically advancing non-core projects through partnerships and option agreements with companies such as Ivanhoe Electric (NYSE American:IE;TSX:IE). These partnerships provide partner-funded exploration, allowing Brixton Metals to retain upside exposure while conserving capital and strengthening its balance sheet. This approach enables the company to focus on high-impact targets while mitigating exploration risk.

Brixton Metals’ management team, led by Chairman & CEO Gary R. Thompson, brings decades of experience in resource exploration, project development, and capital markets. The team’s expertise allows the company to efficiently advance multiple projects while maintaining exposure to a diversified portfolio of metals.
In October 2026, Brixton announced the closing of its option agreement with McKnight Resources AB to acquire a 100 percent interest in the silver-focused Silvergruvan Project in Hällefors Municipality, south-central Sweden. The 1,460-hectare property sits on the western margin of the Bergslagen province. Brixton can exercise the option by issuing C$1.5 million in shares and funding C$3.3 million in exploration, with a 2 percent NSR royalty granted to McKnight upon exercise.
With global demand for copper and critical minerals set to surge over the next 25 years—driven by renewable energy, electrification, and industrial decarbonization—Brixton Metals is well positioned to capitalize on the green revolution. By combining discovery potential at its flagship project, strategic monetization of non-core assets, and disciplined exploration, Brixton Metals is advancing toward its next growth milestones while delivering significant value for investors.
Company Highlights
- High-Grade Silver Project: Langis Silver Project in the historic Cobalt Mining District of Ontario, which combines the past-producing, high-grade Langis and Hudson Bay mines.
- Pipeline Projects: Includes Thorn (BC, Canada), Hog Heaven (Montana, USA) and Atlin Goldfields (BC, Canada), providing diversified exposure to copper, gold and silver.
- Partnerships: Strategic option agreements with tier-one partners BHP and Ivanhoe Electric provide technical validation and fund exploration on non-core projects.
- Shareholder Base: Strategic investors include BHP (approx. 10.4percent) and Ivanhoe Electric.
- Management Expertise: Led by co-founder Gary Thompson, the management team has an average tenure of over 25 years, showing significant stability.
- Fully funded 2026 program: The company closed a C$9.1 million financing in August to ramp up its ongoing drill campaign at the Langis Silver Project to capitalize on record-high silver prices. Brixton also announced a non-brokered flow-through private placement of up to C$6 million in October, with proceeds directed to exploration and drilling at the Thorn and Langis projects.
- Near-term catalyst: Brixton is anticipating a maiden mineral resource estimate on the historic tailings at Langis in Q4 2026, three mineral resource estimate on the Thorn project in Q1 2027, and a maiden mineral resource estimate at Langis in Q2 2027.
Key Projects
Langis Silver Project (Ontario, Canada)

The Langis Silver Project combines the past-producing, high-grade Langis and Hudson Bay mines, which are primary silver-cobalt-nickel brownfield opportunities located in the historic Cobalt Mining District of Ontario, which has a regional production history of over 600 million ounces of silver.
Brixton Metals has actively explored these sites, with drilling at Langis yielding over 220 intervals exceeding 100 g/t silver, including high-grade intercepts such as 15,436 g/t silver and 1.98 percent cobalt between 2016 - 2022. Recent drill results included 20 m of 5,015 g/t silver, including 0.65 m of 89,125 g/t. The projects benefit from year-round road access and proximity to existing infrastructure, including a railway and the Electra Battery Metals cobalt refinery 10 km away.
Project Highlights:
- Historic Mineralization: High-grade silver and cobalt intercepts in historical drilling.
- Strategic Opportunity: Near term cash-flow by reprocessing historic tailings
- Exploration Upside: Property hosts brownfield exploration targets with known mineralization.
- Critical Minerals Exposure: Adds battery metals to Brixton Metals’ diversified portfolio.
Thorn Project (BC, Canada)
The Thorn Project covers approximately 2,945 sq km on the same geological trend as British Columbia’s Golden Triangle, a region renowned for world-class porphyry and epithermal systems. The project hosts porphyry-style alteration with copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum, with significant exploration potential. Its proximity to regional infrastructure and road access reduces logistical challenges and supports accelerated exploration programs.
Project Highlights:
- Camp Creek Corridor: An 80-kilometer-long northeast-southwest trending corridor that hosts multiple underexplored porphyry-style prospects.
- Trapper Target: High-grade gold intercepts demonstrate multiple vein systems with near-term resource potential.
- Catalyst Target: First-ever drilling confirms copper-gold porphyry mineralization, advancing the exploration pipeline.
- Tempest Target: Initial drilling reveals a multiphase porphyry system with copper-gold-silver-molybdenum mineralization and strong hydrothermal alteration.
Hog Heaven Project (Montana, USA)
Located in western Montana, Hog Heaven is a historical silver-gold-copper property with significant porphyry potential. Hog Heaven is currently under an earn-in agreement where Ivanhoe Electric can earn up to 75 percent interest through staged cash payments and exploration expenditures. This arrangement provides funding for exploration while retaining Brixton Metals’ upside exposure.
The property contains multiple mineralized zones, including historical drill targets with notable copper, gold, and silver intercepts. Ivanhoe’s initial drilling has confirmed mineralization and highlighted the project’s potential for large-scale porphyry systems. Brixton retains exposure to exploration success while de-risking development costs.
Project Highlights:
- Option Agreement: Ivanhoe Electric can earn up to 75 percent through US$4.5 million in cash and US$40 million in work over 11 years. US$3.5M cash payments have been made, and approximately US$21 million has been spent on the project to date.
- Mineralization: Historical drilling confirms copper, gold, and silver mineralization across multiple targets.
- Exploration Focus: Targets include porphyry-style and epithermal systems.
Atlin Goldfields Project (British Columbia, Canada)
The Atlin Goldfields Project is located in northwestern British Columbia, an area historically known for placer gold production, offering strong potential for hard-rock gold discoveries.
Exploration at Atlin focused on identifying orogenic and intrusion-related gold targets, with early work confirming mineralization continuity in key areas. The property benefits from proximity to historic mining infrastructure and geology conducive to high-grade gold zones, providing an attractive exploration and growth opportunity.
Project Highlights:
- Historic Production: Located near areas of historic placer gold production, indicating strong geological potential.
- Exploration Targets: Focused on orogenic and intrusion-related gold deposits with high-grade potential.
Management Team
Gary R. Thompson - Chairman and CEO, President, Director
Gary Thompson is a co-founder of Brixton Metals with over 25 years of experience in the resources sector, spanning precious and base metals, oil & gas, and geothermal energy. He has led public companies since 2006 and has held senior roles in both junior and major mining companies, including Newmont Mining, NovaGold Resources, and Encana Corporation. Thompson took Cayley Geothermal public in 2006 through the acquisition of Sierra Geothermal Power and served as CEO until its acquisition by Ram Power in 2010.
Cale Moodie – CFO and Director
Cale Moodie, a co-founder of Brixton Metals, has over 15 years of public markets experience. A CPA and serial entrepreneur, he has served as founder, CEO, CFO, director, and audit committee chair for multiple publicly traded companies on the TSXV and CSE. Moodie holds a Bachelor of Science from UBC and earned his CPA designation while working at KPMG in Vancouver. He has been involved in over $150 million in financings for resource and technology companies.
Michael Rapsch – Vice President, Investor Relations
Michael Rapsch has 20 years of capital markets experience in the resource sector, including senior roles in corporate communications and corporate development. He led investor relations and marketing programs for SilverCrest Mines until its acquisition by First Majestic in 2015, and from 2015 to 2018 managed investor relations for SilverCrest Metals, owner of the Las Chispas silver-gold project in Mexico. In 2019, he founded Cologne Communications, providing investor relations consulting to publicly traded resource companies, and has been instrumental in capital raises and market communications throughout his career.
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