Bullet briefing — CATL closes mine, Mitsubishi invests in copper

CATL temporarily closes lithium mine

Contemporary Amperex Technology (HKEX:3750,SZSE:300750), better known as CATL, said on Sunday (August 10) that it will halt production at a lithium mine in China for at least three months.

Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that CATL, which is the world’s largest electric vehicle battery maker, failed to extend a key mining permit. The company is reportedly in talks about a renewal, but is prepared for a months-long shutdown.

Share prices of lithium miners rose on the news, buoyed by expectations that the CATL mine closure will help reduce oversupply. Excess output has caused Chinese lithium prices to drop 80 percent since the end of 2022, and investors are keen to see a turnaround for the beleaguered battery metal.

Hudbay, Mitsubishi team up on copper

Mitsubishi (TSE:8058) is set to acquire a 30 percent stake in Hudbay Minerals’ (TSX:HBM,NYSE:HBM) Arizona-based Copper World subsidiary for US$600 million.

Hudbay called Mitsubishi its ‘strategic partner of choice,’ while Mitsubishi said the investment will help advance its copper growth plans. A feasibility study is in the works for Copper World, and a definitive feasibility study is expected in mid-2026.

Hudbay shareholders reacted positively to the news, which comes on the back of a strong focus on copper supply after last month’s announcement of a 50 percent tariff on US imports of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products. The company projects that Copper World will result in a direct $1.5 billion investment into the US critical minerals supply chain.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, equity markets were mixed this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was in record territory, closing Wednesday (August 13) at an all-time high of 27,993.43, but it had slipped by Friday to close the week up 0.41 percent at 27,905.49.

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) was flat, posting a slight loss of 0.12 percent to 790.77. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) had another strong week, gaining 3.58 percent to 156.87.

US equity markets rebounded this week and finished near all-time highs.

The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) set a new record on Thursday (August 14), closing at 6,468.53, but slipped to register a 1.49 percent gain on the week to 6,449.79. The Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) also set a new record of 23,849.04 on Wednesday, but fell in the last two days of trading, recording a weekly gain of 1.08 percent to 23,712.07.

Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was above 45,000 points for the first time since December 2024, but failed to achieve a new record. It posted a 2.01 percent gain to finish the week at 44,946.13.

The gold price slumped this week following clarification from the White House that imports of 1 kilogram and 100 ounce gold bars from Switzerland will not face tariffs. Gold had fallen 1.81 percent by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday to reach US$3,338.36 per ounce. Silver also retraced this week, losing 0.7 percent to hit US$37.97 per ounce.

Copper saw little change this week, posting a 0.44 percent gain to US$4.54 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted a slight decline of 0.8 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 545.59.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Focus Graphite (TSXV:FMS)

Weekly gain: 94.44 percent
Market cap: C$25.18 million
Share price: C$0.35

Focus Graphite is working to advance its Lac Knife and Lac Tétépisca projects in Québec, Canada.

Lac Knife covers 3,248 hectares in Eastern Québec. An April 2023 updated feasibility study outlines an after-tax net present value of C$284.8 million with an internal rate of return of 22.57 percent and a payback period of 3.38 years. Lac Knife is expected to produce 50,000 metric tons (MT) of graphite concentrate annually over a mine life of 27 years.

For its part, Lac Tétépisca spans 6,629 hectares in Central Québec. An April 2022 technical report shows an indicated resource of 59.3 million MT grading 10.61 percent graphitic carbon for 6.3 million MT of in-situ natural flake graphite. The inferred category stands at 14.8 million MT grading 11.06 percent graphitic carbon for 1.6 million MT.

On Wednesday (August 13), Focus resumed work on the environmental and social impact assessment for Lac Knife. In total, it has to complete 16 technical reports as required by the province to advance to the construction phase. Focus previously halted work due to funding delays, but now expects the reports to be complete in early 2026.

The firm is also moving forward with geochemical analysis of over 1,000 samples collected from 2022 exploration drilling at Lac Tétépisca. It will use the results to finalize a resource estimate, which it expects to deliver this fall.

This week’s news comes after Focus said on August 8 that it had closed a non-brokered private placement for C$891,000. Funds will be used to maintain existing operations and for general capital.

2. Libra Energy Materials (CSE:LIBR)

Weekly gain: 56.67 percent
Market cap: C$13 million
Share price: C$0.235

Libra Energy Materials is a lithium-focused exploration company that is currently working to advance its Flanders North, Flanders South and Soules Bay-Caron (SBC) projects in Ontario, Canada.

The properties are part of a November 2024 earn-in agreement with KoBold Metals. Libra can earn a 75 percent stake by incurring C$33 million in exploration expenditures across the properties over the next six years.

Flanders North and South cover 40,000 hectares, and initial surveys in 2023 revealed hundreds of pegmatites, with surface exposures of up to 200 meters in width and grab samples of up to 2.86 percent lithium oxide.

SBC covers an area of 15,000 hectares and is located near Pickle Lake, Ontario. Exploration work carried out at the property in June 2024 earned the company the Bernie Schnieders Discovery of the Year Award. The discovery included several spodumene-bearing pegmatites with widths of up to 30 meters, and spodumene grades of 15 to 25 percent across SBC. During the program, the company collected 184 grab samples with up to 6.64 percent lithium oxide.

Shares of Libra gained this week, but the company did not release any news.

3. Q-Gold Resources (TSXV:QGR)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$10.48 million
Share price: C$0.18

Q-Gold Resources is a gold explorer focused on the acquisition of the Quartz Mountain project in Oregon, US. On April 3, it entered into a definitive agreement with Alamos Gold (TSX:AGI,NYSE:AGI) to acquire the property.

The measured and indicated gold resource for Quartz Mountain, which spans 2,000 hectares, comes in at 339,000 ounces at an average grade of 0.87 grams per MT (g/t) from 12.16 million MT of ore; its inferred resource stands at of 1.15 million ounces with an average grade of 0.91 g/t from 39.21 million MT ore.

Q-Gold’s latest news came on August 8. It said company representatives intend to visit the project site for the first time. They expect to conduct sampling of select diamond drill cores and verify the current status of all claims at the project.

4. Gienstar Minerals (CSE:GIEN)

Weekly gain: 49.12 percent
Market cap: C$17.58 million
Share price: C$0.85

Glenstar Minerals is an exploration company working to advance projects in Nevada, US.

Its Green Monster property consists of 35 lode claims and covers 700 acres southwest of Las Vegas. The property hosts nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc mineralization, and has mine workings dating back to the late 1800s.

The most recent update from the property came this past Wednesday, when Glenstar announced that it will switch the focus of its Phase 2 drill program to extension drilling following the discovery of a new polymetallic zone. The drilling will be centered on a high-grade zinc occurrence with grades above 30 percent and assay results of up to 177 parts per million (ppm) silver, 523 ppm nickel, 91.9 ppm cobalt and copper of 0.36 percent.

The company also owns the Wildhorse property in Southern Nevada. The early stage project has had limited exploration, but assays from a sampling program were released on July 23. In that announcement, Glenstar said four grab samples from the Coca Cola zone returned copper grades of 1.6 percent, 5.3 percent, 2.3 percent and 5.1 percent, with an average of 21.6 ppm silver, 156 ppm bismuth and 72.5 ppm tungsten.

Four samples were also collected from the Highland zone, which returned average grades of 0.16 percent copper, 1.23 percent zinc, 1.98 percent lead and 43 ppm silver.

5. Sterling Metals (TSXV:SAG)

Weekly gain: 47.69 percent
Market cap: C$13.3 million
Share price: C$0.48

Sterling Metals is an exploration company working to advance a trio of projects in Canada. Over the past year, its primary focus has been on exploration at its brownfield Soo copper project in Ontario. The 25,000 hectare property has hosted two past-producing copper mines and has the potential for larger intrusion-related copper mineralization.

On January 15, Sterling announced results from a 3D induced-polarization and resistivity survey that covered an area of 5 kilometers by 3 kilometers and revealed multiple high-priority drill-ready targets.

The company intends to use the survey results, along with historical exploration, to inform a drill program at the site.

The company’s other two projects are Adeline, a 297 square kilometer district-scale property with sediment-hosted copper and silver mineralization along 44 kilometers of strike, and Sail Pond, a silver, copper, lead and zinc project that hosts a 16 kilometer long linear soil anomaly and has seen 16,000 meters of drilling.

Both properties are located in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The most recent news from the company came on August 7, when Sterling reported that it had commenced Phase 2 drilling at Soo. The 3,000 to 5,000 meter program is designed to test areas defined through the Phase 1 program, as well as historic drill data and geophysical interpretations.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Barrick nearly doubles profit margins

Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) formerly Barrick Gold, reported a 97 percent year-on-year jump in net income to US$1.25 billion for the quarter, compared to US$634 million a year earlier.

Earnings per share rose to US$0.47 while operating cash flow in the first half reached US$2.5 billion, up 32 percent from 2024. Free cash flow more than doubled to US$770 million, supported by higher commodity prices.

Gold production climbed 5 percent from the first quarter, while copper output surged 34 percent, led by strong performance at Zambia’s Lumwana mine. Nevada Gold Mines boosted output by 11 percent, while Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic posted a 28 percent increase as expansion work in the site advanced.

“From the ramp-up at Goldrush to the progress at Pueblo Viejo, Lumwana and Reko Diq, not to mention the transformational potential of Fourmile, we’re demonstrating the strength and depth of our portfolio,” president and chief executive Mark Bristow said in the recent Q2 report.

The company also recently agreed to sell its Alturas Project in Chile to a Boroo subsidiary for US$50 million upfront plus a royalty, with proceeds earmarked for funding future ventures

Kinross outpaces gold price gains

Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) posted record attributable free cash flow of US$646.6 million in the second quarter, alongside operating cash flow of US$992.4 million. Adjusted net earnings jumped to US$541 million from US$174.7 million a year earlier.

Further, the company achieved a 21 percent margin increase from the first quarter, outpacing the 15 percent rise in gold prices over the same period.

“Our portfolio of mines continued to perform well during the quarter contributing to a strong first half of the year and positioning us well to achieve our full-year guidance,” CEO J. Paul Rollinson said.

Kinross said that it expects to produce 2 million gold-equivalent ounces in 2025 at an average production cost of US$1,120 per ounce.

Paracatu in Brazil was the company’s top-producing asset, while Tasiast in Mauritania began mining the Fennec satellite deposit. US-based Bald Mountain also reported higher output at lower costs.

The company also advanced key projects, including its Great Bear exploration program in Ontario, engineering work at Round Mountain Phase X in Nevada, and drilling at the Curlew Basin project in Washington.

Agnico Eagle delivers, shares gain

Agnico Eagle’s (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) operational consistency and cost control helped drive a six-day share price rally, culminating in a 10.06 percent gain over the past week.

In the second quarter, the company produced 866,029 ounces of gold, maintaining full-year guidance of 3.3 to 3.5 million ounces. Adjusted earnings per share came in at US$1.94, prompting analysts to raise 2025 profit forecasts by US$0.70 to US$6.94.

Analysts cited the company’s steady performance despite rising unit costs, noting its appeal as a defensive play in the sector. Bank of America raised its price target to US$173 due to rising optimism about the firm’s growth prospects.

Newmont rides sector momentum

Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) posted higher sales and net income for the quarter while authorizing a new share repurchase program and declaring a quarterly dividend.

The miner also renewed a key lease in Ghana. Shares rose 36 percent over the last quarter, outpacing the US Metals and Mining industry’s 24.1 percent return.

The performance came despite a drop in the company’s gold production. Rather, Newmont underscored the role of shareholder returns and strategic asset moves in supporting investor sentiment. Over the past three years, Newmont has delivered a total shareholder return of 63.75 percent.

Gold outlook: Gold shines during volatility

The sector’s strong quarter unfolded against a favorable macro backdrop.

Gold, which has gained about 30 percent year-to-date, has been buoyed by safe-haven flows. The metal’s latest rally began after spot prices dipped to US$3,311.80 in early August, then climbed back above US$3,418 by the first week of August..

The Federal Reserve cut rates by a full percentage point in late 2024 but has held steady this year, citing the need for more data on how tariffs affect inflation. Lower rates generally enhance gold’s appeal by reducing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets..

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$122,444, up by 2.6 percent over the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. It briefly dropped to its lowest valuation of $120,414 shortly after the opening bell.

Bitcoin has found itself at the crossroads of macroeconomic data, political influence and shifting capital flows. Inflation statistics and central bank dynamics have introduced caution, while stablecoin activity and institutional appetite are hinting at a redistribution into altcoins.

Bitcoin price performance, August 13, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) continued to rally, up by 4.5 percent to US$4,716.60. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$4,638.43, and its highest was US$4,738.59.

Glassnode notes that ETH is a bellwether for altcoins, and its current move as capital continues to flow into exchange-traded funds suggests further upside. In an X post on Wednesday, Charles Edwards, founder of crypto quantitative digital asset fund Capriole Investments, shared data showing that 75 percent of Coinbase Global’s (NASDAQ:COIN) volume came from institutional players on Tuesday (August 12).

He pointed to the outlook for interest rates following the release of July inflation data.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$200.74, up by 6.1 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation was US$195.81.

• XRP was trading for US$3.27, up 0.1 percent in the past 24 hours and at its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest was US$3.24.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.99, up by 2.3 percent over the past 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest level was US$3.93.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.8827, up by 4.6 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation on Wednesday. Its lowest was US$0.8660.

Today’s crypto news to know

World Liberty Financial sets up US$1.5 billion crypto treasury

World Liberty Financial, a digital asset venture backed by US President Donald Trump and his sons, has announced plans to establish a US$1.5 billion “crypto treasury” in partnership with ALT5 Sigma (NASDAQ:ALTS).

Under the deal, ALT5 will raise US$1.5 billion through the sale of its own shares. The funds will go toward the purchase of World Liberty’s in-house token, $WLFI, and will also be used to set up a crypto treasury, settle litigation, pay down debt and for other corporate uses. It will ultimately hold about 7.5 percent of $WLFI tokens.

Unnamed institutional investors and venture capital firms participated in the share sale. Crypto treasury models have grown in popularity this year amid a friendlier US regulatory stance under the Trump administration.

The project’s leadership is heavily tied to the Trump family, with Trump himself listed as “co-founder emeritus,” and Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron Trump holding co-founder titles.

As part of the arrangement, Eric Trump will join ALT5’s board and Zach Witkoff will serve as its chair.

Bullish shares surge on NYSE debut

Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), the parent company of Bullish Exchange and CoinDesk, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Shares were priced at US$37 each, an increase from an earlier target of US$33, with 30 million on offer to raise US$1.1 billion and value the company at nearly US$5.4 billion.

Shares surged as much as 218 percent to reach US$118 on trading volume of roughly 38 million shares, before pulling back to close at US$70.65. The initial public offering pushed the company’s market cap above US$10 billion.

Banking groups push for stablecoin loophole closure

US banking groups, led by the Bank Policy Institute (BPI), are urging Congress to close a loophole that allows stablecoin issuers to indirectly offer yields through affiliates. They argue that while new stablecoin laws prevent issuers from directly offering yield, they don’t prohibit crypto exchanges or affiliated businesses from doing so.

The groups contend that this circumvents the law and could lead to a US$6.6 trillion outflow of deposits from traditional banks, potentially disrupting credit flow to American businesses and families.

Banks are concerned that yield-bearing stablecoins undermine their ability to attract deposits, which are crucial for backing loans. The offering of yield is a significant marketing draw for stablecoins, with some, like USDC, already rewarding holders on exchanges such as Kraken and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN).

Safe harbor programs proposed for DeFi

In a Wednesday letter, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the DeFi Education Fund asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Hester Peirce, head of the commission’s Crypto Task Force, to set up a safe harbor program from broker-dealer registration requirements for non-fungible token (NFT) and DeFi applications.

The group said the letter was a follow up to Trump’s Working Group on Digital Assets, which called on the SEC to give certain DeFi service providers relief from registration provisions under the Exchange Act, specifically those related to broker-dealers, exchanges and clearing agencies. SEC Chair Paul Atkins also directed staff to update “antiquated agency rules and regulations” for certain crypto and blockchain applications in July.

To avoid enforcement actions, a safe harbor provision would exempt some companies that offer crypto-related products and services from enforcement actions. a16z has sent two previous letters to the commission this year recommending safe harbors for NFTs, airdrops and network tokens.