US trade policy driving gold price in 2025

Metals Focus analysts attribute gold’s stellar performance in 2025 to a number of factors largely centered on growing global economic uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Gold’s safe-haven status is highly favored in these conditions, attracting both retail and institutional investors as well as central banks.

However, the firm sees US President Donald Trump’s trade policies as the most influential: “In our view, the single most important factor has been uncertainty around US trade policy.”

Trump’s constant trade war waffling has businesses and governments scrambling to keep up and unable to plan for the future. As tariffs increase the price of goods while disrupting supply chains, inflation is becoming stickier.

This is baking in more macroeconomic risks into the global economy, and in turn raising the risk for stagflation — an environment that experts agree is ideal for higher gold prices.

The US Federal Reserve’s reversal of its monetary policy in mid-September 2025 with its first interest rate cut and the anticipation of further rate cuts to come are further boosting the gold price. The sustainability of growing US debt and the waning strength of the US dollar on the global stage are also price supporting factors for the yellow metal.

Central bank gold buying, which has reached record levels in recent years, also continued to be net positive in 2025, further driving demand. “Put together, these drivers explain why gold has not only reached fresh highs in 2025, but also why pullbacks have been shallow and short-lived, as investors have been rushing to buy dips,” states Metals Focus.

Silver price shoots up on liquidity squeeze

The same forces sending gold prices to new heights are also bringing silver along for the ride.

Silver often lags behind its sister metal, and this latest price cycle was no exception.

However, investor belief that silver remains undervalued given strong industrial demand and unprecedented tight supply finally pushed the metal to break on through to the other side of a 45 year record high.

Metals Focus also points to the liquidity squeeze in the silver futures market, specifically concerning the COMEX in London. As the immediate supply of silver has not been enough to meet rising demand, the spot price for silver has risen higher than the price of futures contracts, a phenomenon known as backwardation.

This creates a squeeze on short sellers who must now buy back silver contracts at higher prices.

The situation amplified silver’s rally in early to mid-October. However, later in the month shipments of silver from New York and China helped to alleviate this pressure.

Gold price outlook for 2026

Looking forward, the trends underlying much of gold’s record-breaking price momentum are expected to remain strong well into next year. Metals Focus sees the price of gold posting another annual average high of US$4,560 as it heads toward US$5,000 in 2026, potentially reaching a record US$4,850 in the fourth quarter.

These gains in gold are projected to materialize despite supply side growth. Metals Focus is forecasting a surplus of 41.9 million ounces in 2026, up 28 percent year-on-year. The firm sees gold mine production reaching another record high in 2026 at the same time that gold recycling could climb by 6 percent to a 14-year high in jewellery demand is likely to be affected by high prices, low consumer confidence, and economic uncertainty.

What will move gold prices higher in 2026?

Gold investors should take cues from interest rate moves, inflation levels, strength or weakness in the US dollar and sentiment surrounding the independence of the Federal Reserve.

Of course, US trade policy will continue to be a main theme for precious metals over the next 12 months.

“As we have witnessed since the beginning of the Trump 2.0 administration, the abrupt and often unpredictable nature of US policy moves and the resulting uncertainty for the global trade system, and in turn the global economy, is expected to be a key driver of sentiment towards gold,” states the firm in the report.

Further driving demand, central banks around the world are expected to remain net buyers of safe-haven gold as the global push toward de-dollarization continues.

Gold and silver price outlook.

Chart via Metals Focus, Bloomberg.

Silver price outlook for 2026

As for silver, the white metal will continue to be seen as a more affordable alternative to gold. Metals Focus is looking for silver to average US$57 next year, and even take a run at the US$60 level in mid- to late 2026.

Silver has not only benefited from safe-haven investor demand and strong industrial demand, but also tight supply. However, the firm notes that the ongoing supply deficit for silver is expected to fall from 143.6 million ounces in 2024 to 63.4 million ounces in 2025. That figure is expected to shrink further to 30.5 million ounces in 2026.

Nevertheless, the silver market remains in a supply deficit at a time when demand is strong.

“We therefore remain bullish towards silver for the rest of this year and 2026,” note the report’s authors, who expect silver to continue outperforming gold at least in the first half of the new year.

In response, the gold-silver ratio has the potential to continue falling in 2026. However, Metals Focus believes the market will see this trend reverse in the back half of the year as silver loses some steam.

Gold-silver ratio.

Chart via Metals Focus, Bloomberg.

Investor takeaway

Overall, Metal Focus is confident the precious metals bull market will continue for the rest of 2025 and into 2026.

Gold especially is benefiting from its safe-haven status at a time of heightened macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Silver is tracking its ascent and also seeing tight aboveground supply and sustained industrial demand.

For those who think they’ve missed out on the gains to be made in this latest precious metals bull cycle, there’s still plenty of upside to be had in the gold and silver markets in Q4 and heading into 2026.

Cobalt price, October 25, 2024, to October 23, 2025.

Chart via Trading Economics.

Much of the cobalt story this year has been dominated by the February export suspension out of the DRC, which supplies roughly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt. The initial curtailment was expected to last four months in an effort to rein in oversupply and stem a price plunge below US$10 per pound, the lowest point in over 20 years.

The supply glut has been attributed to a surge in output driven largely by China’s CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF, SHA:603993), which has rapidly expanded production at two major DRC mines.

Cobalt supply expected to swing from surplus to balance

Cobalt supply has surged over the past five years, with global mine production more than doubling from 140,000 metric tons in 2020 to 290,000 metric tons in 2024. The bulk of this growth has come out of DRC, with annual output rising from 175,000 metric tons in 2023 to 220,000 metric tons in 2024. This rapid growth has far outpaced demand from the electric vehicle (EV) sector and other end-use industries, resulting in significant market oversupply.

In June, the DRC extended its export halt through September, a move that supported higher price levels.

“Trade statistics for cobalt hydroxide imports into China in June showed the first drop in material following the export ban enforcement in late February,” wrote Fastmarkets’ Rob Searle in a June market update.

“With a typical lead time of around three months, we expected June to be the first month of lower volumes. Cobalt hydroxide imports fell 62 percent in June and are expected to remain at low levels through to the end of December or early 2026. Should the export ban end as planned on September 22, the end of the year is the earliest we can expect to see new feed into the Chinese market from the DRC,’ the battery metals expert continued.

As the deadline for the export halt extension drew near, prices began to climb amid rumors that officials in Kinshashe would implement quotas to continue curbing the market saturation.

After eight months of restricted trade, the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets (ARECOMS), announced it was enacting a quota system aimed at stabilizing global supply and prices.

The output cap will permit the export of 18,125 metric tons of DRC cobalt for the remainder of 2025.

“In 2026, the annual quota is set at 96,600t, of which 87,000t will be distributed to producers on a pro rata basis, with 9,600t retained under ARECOMS’ discretionary control,” a September Benchmark Mineral Intelligence report notes. “The framework will run through 2027, with adjustments possible if officials deem the market ‘imbalanced.”

The restrictions lifted cobalt prices to a 32 month high of US$48,570 on October 23.

Strong cobalt demand projected for next two years

Although the cobalt market remains oversupplied, demand has steadily increased alongside ballooning output, reaching record levels of more than 200,000 metric tons in 2024.

“The primary growth driver of this (growth) is the electric vehicle market, combined with portables, which is the second biggest battery market,” explained Benchmark’s William Talbot during a July Cobalt Institute webinar.

The alloy and military applications segment also experienced growth.

Talbot went on to note that despite reports that EV demand is waning in some regions, broad demand remains robust, and EVs that utilize cobalt battery chemistries “are still growing at pace.”

“If we look at the EV picture year-to-date in 2025, we’ve had more than 30 percent growth compared to the same period last year in unit terms,” he explained.

Cobalt price growth to continue into 2026

The cobalt market is entering a phase of continued volatility and structural change, shaped by shifting supply sources, evolving policy frameworks and growing geopolitical tension, as per Benchmark’s Talbot and the Cobalt Institute.

Looking ahead, Benchmark expects Indonesia to overtake the DRC as the key source of new supply by the late 2020s, as projects such as Kalimantan Ferro Nickel ramp up and few new developments emerge in the DRC.

On the demand side, Talbot said the outlook remains “fairly robust,” with EV growth driving consumption, despite some policy headwinds in the US. He pointed to China’s planned ban on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology, which he said “is supportive of cobalt-containing chemistries” such as nickel cobalt manganese (NCM).

Rising geopolitical tensions are also reshaping the cobalt supply chain.

“Major players are increasingly cognizant of where their materials come from,” Talbot said, citing new US and European investment in strategic and ESG-compliant cobalt projects.

Talbot added that the cobalt value chain has made “leaps and bounds” in sustainability, with roughly 80 percent of refined cobalt now assessed under the Responsible Minerals Initiative — a key factor for automakers and original equipment manufacturers under tightening compliance requirements.

While Benchmark remains cautious with projections, analysts at Project Blue say cobalt prices could rebound sharply in 2026 and 2027 as the DRC enforces its new export cap of 96,600 metric tons per year.

“Such constraints could lift cobalt prices toward historical real levels of over US$20 per pound,” reads a Project Blue report, noting that the quota “came in lower than many expected,” but aligns with its call for a rebalanced market.

According to Project Blue, at least 100,000 metric tons of exports would be needed next year to maintain equilibrium. Accounting for shipping delays and processing losses, only 85,000 to 90,000 metric tons are expected to reach end users — creating a structural deficit that should continue to support prices. The quota framework could also spur domestic refining as export restrictions make long-term storage of cobalt hydroxide costly.

Industry observers warn that producers — especially copper-cobalt miners such as CMOC — may need to adopt financial hedging and adjust production plans to navigate the added bureaucracy and potential export delays.

Similarly, Fastmarkets expects the DRC’s new rules to support cobalt prices, which have already soared more than 240 percent since February, Alexander Cook wrote in an LME Week recap. Fastmarkets assessed cobalt hydroxide prices at US$19.50 to US$20.20 on October 14, up from just US$5.65 in February.

The restrictions have sharply curtailed available volumes — much of which are already locked into long-term contracts — leaving the spot market increasingly constrained, wrote Cook.

Market participants expect further gains, though analysts caution that such elevated prices could push some battery makers to accelerate the shift toward cobalt-free chemistries such as LFP.

While the quota system has bolstered prices in the short term, the long-term outlook remains uncertain.

Analysts note that cobalt’s fate is increasingly tied to copper market dynamics and the pace of EV demand recovery, with downstream buyers and automakers reassessing cobalt’s role in next-generation batteries.

Bullet briefing — What’s next for gold and silver?

Gold and silver prices perked up to end the week, rising to the US$4,100 and US$48.60 levels, respectively. But with the metals still off from their all-time highs, investors are wondering what’s next.

Opinions vary, but I’ve pulled together a couple of quotes that illustrate what I’m hearing.

First is Ed Steer of Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Digest. He’s well known for his commentary on the precious metals space, and he weighed in on what’s next for silver, saying that today really is different compared to the other times silver rose to the US$50 level.

Here’s how he explained it:

‘It’s irrelevant what the price is today. You look at the big picture, and look at the fact that the BRICS+ have become an absolutely awesome juggernaut, and it’s absolutely unstoppable. And as we shift from the west to the east, as this continues economically, financially, it’s impossible to say where this is going to end up.

‘But what we’re living right now is we’re living through a major, major shift in financial power, from one area of the world to another, and we’re going to be — they’re going to be writing about this 1,000 years from now. So we’re living through history.’

Next we have Don Durrett of GoldStockData.com. This interview is from the week before last, so it’s a little older, but definitely still relevant. I’ve kept thinking about a comment Durrett made about one way we can tell the gold cycle is still early. This is what he said:

The thing that really reveals how early we are is the stock market is only 2 percent from an all-time high. What in the world is the stock market doing at an all-time high and gold at an all-time high? Those are antagonistic. Gold is supposed to be a hedge against uncertainty. The stock market is supposed to show basically confidence.

And so if you have an all-time high, people should be confident. Everything’s fine. We don’t need this. But people are not confident. People have said this is the most scary bull market ever. Nobody really believes in it, right? … So the question is, who’s telling the truth? Is the stock market telling the truth at an all time high, or is it gold is telling the truth? Well, it’s pretty obvious that gold’s the one telling the truth.

In It To Win It interview

Finally, if you’d like to hear more from me, I was recently interviewed by Steve Barton of In It To Win It.

1. Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (TSX:EPRX)

Year-on-year gain: 141.23 percent
Market cap: C$410.85 million
Share price: C$8.25

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals is developing clinical candidates that employ its DiffuSphere technology, which delivers treatments to the targeted tissues.

The company’s candidates are currently EP-104GI for eosinophilic esophagitis and EP-104IAR for knee osteoarthritis, and it is exploring the use of its technology for other active compounds as well.

Eupraxia added EP-104GI to its pipeline through its acquisition of EpiPharma Therapeutics in late 2023. The company has continued to advance the treatment through clinical trials in 2025 and released multiple rounds of positive data from its Phase 1b/2a trial cohorts.

In July, Eupraxia dosed its first patient after advancing its investigation to Phase 2b trials based on safety and efficacy data from the earlier Phase 2a patient cohorts. Top-line results from the Phase 2b study are anticipated in the second half of 2026.

In September, the company shared data from the highest-dose cohort of the still ongoing Phase 1b/2a trials, reporting that the group saw the largest improvements so far.

2. Bright Minds Biosciences (CSE:DRUG)

Year-on-year gain: 103.17 percent
Market cap: C$683.67 million
Share price: C$92.95

Bright Minds Biosciences is developing novel serotonin agonists targeting neurocircuit abnormalities linked to neuropsychiatric disorders and epilepsy, designing next-generation treatments that aim to retain the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics while minimizing side effects.

Its lead candidate, BMB-101, a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist, has shown encouraging preclinical efficacy by stopping seizures in an epilepsy mouse model, evaluated jointly with Firefly Neuroscience (NASDAQ:AIFF).

The company’s stock surged nearly 1,500 percent in October 2024 following H. Lundbeck’s acquisition announcement of a competitor focused on similar targets. Strengthening its epilepsy expertise, Bright Minds expanded its scientific advisory board in early 2025 by adding five leaders in the field.

Ongoing clinical progress and strategic growth initiatives position Bright Minds as a promising contender in the neuropsychiatric treatment landscape.

3. Hemostemix (TSXV:HEM)

Year-on-year gain: 31.25 percent
Market cap: C$18.40 million
Share price: C$0.11

Hemostemix is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing autologous stem cell therapies, meaning the treatments use a patient’s own cells to theoretically enhance safety and efficacy.

Its main product, ACP-01, is an autologous cell therapy designed to promote tissue repair and regeneration in areas affected by diseases, including a range of heart diseases.

The company announced its first advanced sales orders for ACP-01 in Q1 2025 and has been working to expand internationally and attract new investment.

Hemostemix secured the regulatory green light for commercial sales in Florida after the state passed Senate Bill 1768. The bill creates a framework in which healthcare providers can administer stem cell therapies that had not yet been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but meet the bill’s guidelines.

The company now offers commercial ACP-01 treatments for ischemic pain in the state under the name VesCell, with sales forecasted to reach C$22.5 million in 2026. Operational plans target cash flow positivity by Q4 2026, supported by a growing physician network and commercial pipeline.

Additionally, Hemostemix is currently collaborating with Firefly Neuroscience on a Phase 1 clinical trial of ACP-01 for vascular dementia.

4. NervGen (TSXV:NGEN)

Year-on-year gain: 79.92 percent
Market cap: C$300.97 million
Share price: C$4.39

NervGen is a clinical-stage Canadian biotechnology company that focuses on developing innovative treatments to enable the nervous system to repair itself following damage from injury or disease.

The company’s core technology targets a mechanism that hinders nervous system repair. When the nervous system is damaged, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) form a “scar.” Initially, CSPGs help contain damage, but their long-term interaction with the PTPσ receptor inhibits repair.

NervGen’s lead drug candidate, NVG-291, is designed to relieve these inhibitory effects to promote nervous system repair. It received fast-track designation from the US FDA.

NervGen is advancing NVG-291 in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for spinal cord injury (SCI) and reported positive data from the chronic cohort in June.

NVG-300, a newer preclinical candidate, is being evaluated for ischemic stroke and SCI.

Investor Insight

Apollo Silver is advancing two high-impact silver projects in premier North American jurisdictions—California and Chihuahua—offering investors a unique combination of scale, optionality, and leverage to silver and critical mineral demand.

Overview

Apollo Silver (TSXV:APGO,OTCQB:APGOF,FSE: 6ZF0) is a silver-focused company advancing a dual-asset strategy centered on two high-impact projects in North America: the Calico silver project in California, USA and the Cinco de Mayo project in Chihuahua, Mexico. Both are located in mining-friendly jurisdictions with strong infrastructure and significant historical work.

At Calico, Apollo Silver is advancing the Waterloo deposit toward development through geological modeling, barite resource definition, and engineering studies. Calico boasts 125 Moz of silver (measured and indicated) and 58 Moz of silver (inferred), and recent test work has produced a 94.6 percent barite concentrate, supporting the asset’s potential as a US critical minerals supplier.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo offers rare optionality with a historical inferred resource of 154 Moz silver equivalent (385 g/t), and a potentially game-changing discovery at the Pegaso Zone. The project is under an option agreement between Apollo Silver and Pan American (previously MAG Silver), wherein Apollo Silver will complete a 20,000-meter drill program to convert the option to an acquisition of the Cinco de Mayo. Apollo Silver’s strategy is underpinned by disciplined capital allocation, high-impact exploration, and a proven ability to acquire and unlock value from high-quality assets—following a model similar to Prime Mining. With no debt, strong institutional backing, and an experienced team, Apollo Silver is well-positioned to deliver scalable, discovery-driven growth in a rising silver and critical minerals market.

Company Highlights

• Tier-1 US Silver Asset – Calico Project: Hosts 125 Moz silver (Measured and Indicated) and 58 Moz silver (inferred), making it the largest undeveloped primary silver deposit in the US.
• Barite & Zinc Critical Minerals Exposure: Calico includes an Indicated resource estimate of 2.7 Mt of barite and 354M lbs of zinc and an Inferred resource estimate of 0.65Mt of barite and 258M lbs of zinc.
• High-grade Discovery Potential – Cinco de Mayo: An option to acquire a district-scale carbonate replacement deposit with a historical inferred resource of 154 Moz silver equivalent at 385 g/t, offering further upside from the Pegaso Zone discovery target.
• Strategic Shareholder Registry: Backed by Jupiter Asset Management, Eric Sprott, Terra Capital, Commodity Capital and Ninepoint.
• Experienced Leadership Team: Proven M&A, discovery and capital markets expertise with over $5 billion in past transactions and most applicable to Apollo Silver, the success at Prime Mining.

Key Projects

Calico Project

The Calico silver project comprises three adjacent properties—Waterloo, Langtry and Mule—located in mining-friendly San Bernardino County, 15 km from Barstow, California. Resources at Calico sit primarily on private land with vested mining rights, simplifying the path to permitting. Infrastructure is excellent: paved roads, power lines within 5 km, and proximity to the expanding Barstow rail terminal.

Using a 47 g/t silver equivalent cut-off grade, the Waterloo Deposit includes 125 M oz of silver in in 55Mt at an average grade of 71 g/t silver in the Measured and Indicated categories, and 0.51 Moz silver in 0.6 Mt at an average of 26 g/t silver in the Inferred category. The Langtry Deposit now contains 57 Moz silver in 24 Mt at an average grade of 73 g/t in the Inferred category, using a 43 g/t silver cut-off grade. The deposits are approximately 2 km apart, shallow, laterally extensive, and exhibit excellent geologic continuity. The mining concept would be a potential open-pit operation, with a minimal environmental footprint and where Waterloo would have a low strip ratio of 0.8:1.

Apollo Silver recently added critical mineral resources for both barite & zinc at the Calico project. Barite has shown recoveries above 94.6 percent in earlier test work. Waterloo includes an Indicated resource estimate of 2.7 Mt of barite and 354M lbs of zinc at an average grade of 7.4 percent barite and 0.45 percent zinc at a cut-off grade of 47 g/t silver equivalent. It also contains Inferred resource estimate of 0.65Mt of barite and 258M lbs of zinc, at an average grade of 3.9 percent barite and 0.71 percent zinc at a cut-off grade of 47 g/t silver equivalent.

The company has recently acquired 2,215 hectares of highly prospective claims contiguous to its Waterloo property at the Calico silver project referred to as the Mule claims comprising 418 lode mining claims. The Mule claims expand the Calico Project land package by over 285 percent, from 1,194 ha to 3,409 ha of contiguous claims.

Having recently announced its mineral resource estimate, ongoing 2025-26 programs are contemplated to include exploration for additional gold mineralization, with a subsequent targeted drill program contingent on positive early results, and metallurgical and geotechnical work program on Waterloo.

Cinco de Mayo Project

Cinco de Mayo is a district-scale carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) system located in Chihuahua, Mexico along the same NW-SE structural trend that hosts some of the country’s largest silver and base metal deposits. The project was historically MAG Silver’s flagship asset, hosting a 2012 historical mineral resource estimate prepared by RPA. At an NSR cut-off of US$100/t, the Inferred resources were estimated to total 12.45 Mt at 132 g/t silver, 0.24 g/t gold, 2.86 percent lead, and 6.47 percent zinc. The total contained metals in the resource were 52.7 Moz of silver, 785 Mlbs of lead, 1,777 Mlbs of zinc, and 96,000 ounces of gold. Notably, a significant mineralized intercept—including 61 meters of massive sulphides—was drilled by MAG Silver in the Pegaso Zone beneath the known resource but never followed up due to social access issues.

The site also includes the Pozo Seco deposit, which hosts an additional historical resource consisting of 29.1 Mt grading 0.147 percent molybdenum and 0.25 g/t gold, containing 94.0 Mlbs of molybdenum and 230,000 oz of gold, in the Indicated resource category. An Inferred Mineral Resources were estimated at 23.4 Mt grading 0.103 percent molybdenum and 0.17 g/t gold, containing 53.2 Mlbs of molybdenum and 129,000 oz of gold. Cut-off grade used in the 2010 technical report was 0.022 percent molybdenum.

Apollo Silver has secured an option to acquire the Cinco de Mayo property from Pan American (previously Mag Silver) and is re-engaging with the local community to secure surface access. A new, development-friendly ejido administration, elected in December 2024, has created an opportunity to negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement for access rights. Once secured, Apollo plans to launch a 20,000-meter drill campaign, with priority targets at Pegaso and expansion zones at Jose Manto.

Under the option agreement with Pan American, Apollo must secure surface access, complete the 20,000 meters of drilling, and issue 19.99 percent of its common shares to finalize the acquisition. The company is also evaluating metallurgical studies and engineering reviews to support a future resource update.

Management Team

Andrew Bowering – Chairman of the Board

A venture capitalist with over 30 years of operational experience, Andrew Bowering has raised over $500 million in value and capital for companies within the natural resources industry. He is the founder of Millennial Lithium and American Lithium, and he is a director and executive advisor to Prime Mining.

Ross McElroy – President and CEO

Ross McElroy is a professional geologist with over 38 years of experience in the mining industry, spanning operational and corporate roles with major, mid-tier, and junior companies worldwide. He played a pivotal role in the discoveries of several world-class uranium and gold deposits, many of which have advanced through development into mining operations. Most recently he was the CEO of Fission Uranium Corp, where he oversaw the sale of Fission for more than $1.14B to Paladin Energy.

Chris Cairns – Chief Financial Officer

Chris Cairns is a CPA, CA and brings more than 13 years of experience working in the finance and mining industries. He obtained his designation while at PwC, working with numerous Canadian and US-listed mining and exploration companies operating in North America, South America and Mongolia, before leaving to serve in roles as controller and CFO of two publicly listed mining exploration companies listed in Canada and the United States.

Rona Sellers – VP Commercial and Compliance and Corporate Secretary

Rona Sellers is an experienced governance professional with more than 13 years of experience in corporate and securities law. Previously, she was VP compliance and corporate secretary at Maple Gold Mines, and previous to that she held corporate secretarial roles at publicly traded companies listed in Canada and the United States.

Isabelle Lépine – Director, Mineral Resources

With over 25 years experience leading resource focused technical programs and teams, Isabelle Lépine brings extensive knowledge in mineral resource management to Apollo. Her significant experience ranges across the advanced stages of the resource development cycle through to mining. Most recently, she was director of mineral resources at Stornoway Diamonds.

Investor Insight

Spartan Metals offers a compelling investment opportunity in the US critical minerals sector through its high-grade, 100-percent-owned Eagle tungsten-silver-rubidium project in Nevada. With strong grades, multi-metal exposure, and alignment with US defense and supply chain initiatives, Spartan provides investors with exceptional leverage to the growing demand for domestically sourced strategic critical minerals.

Overview

Spartan Metals (TSXV:W) is a US-focused critical minerals explorer advancing its high-grade tungsten and rubidium asset in Nevada. Through its flagship Eagle project, the company is unlocking American critical mineral resources essential to defense, technology and energy independence. Spartan’s projects are strategically positioned to contribute directly to the United States’ onshoring objectives under the Defense Production Act and related supply-chain initiatives.

Eagle project site in Nevada

The Eagle tungsten-silver-rubidium project in eastern Nevada anchors a district-scale opportunity covering 4,936 acres across three historic mine areas – Tungstonia, Rees and Antelope. With historic production of 8,379 units of tungsten trioxide (WO₃) at grades between 0.6 to 0.9 percent, the project hosts one of the highest-grade past-producing tungsten systems in the United States, enriched by rubidium and other US defense-critical metals such as antimony, bismuth, indium and arsenic. Spartan is now executing an exploration program to validate and expand this potential through modern geochemistry, geophysics and tailings drilling.

Led by a team with deep Nevada exploration experience and direct US Department of Defense (DOD) engagement, Spartan is pursuing a partnership-driven approach to project advancement. It combines early-stage exploration and reprocessing opportunities and joint ventures to accelerate development. With a strong insider ownership base (42 percent) and exposure to multiple critical metals, Spartan Metals is an emerging US leader in strategic mineral discovery and domestic supply security.

Company Highlights

• Flagship Eagle Project: One of the highest-grade, past-producing tungsten mines in the US.
• Multi-metal Exposure: Targets tungsten, rubidium, antimony, bismuth, and silver – all listed as US critical minerals.
• Tier-1 Mining Jurisdiction: Located in eastern Nevada, a world-class mining state with established infrastructure and regulatory clarity.
• Strong Management and Technical Team: Led by a CEO and VP of exploration with proven discovery track
• Alignment with US Critical Minerals Strategy: Positioned to benefit from Department of Defense and US government initiatives supporting domestic critical mineral supply chains.
• Attractive Capital Structure: Tight share strucuture with management and board holding ~42 percent of shares outstanding, ensuring strong alignment with investors.

Key Asset: Eagle Project

Spartan’s 100-percent-owned Eagle project in White Pine County, Nevada, is a nationally significant critical mineral asset which includes the past-producing Tungstonia, Rees and Antelope mines. The Eagle project historically produced over 8,000 units of WO₃ between 1915 and 1956, and now presents a rare opportunity to redefine one of the highest-grade tungsten and rubidium systems in the United States.

With multiple mineralized zones, district-scale potential and strong alignment with US strategic metal initiatives, the Eagle project is the cornerstone of Spartan’s growth strategy.

Project Highlights

• District-scale Footprint with High-grade Legacy Production: 4,936 acres (20 sq km) across 244 BLM claims in eastern Nevada; Past-producing Tungstonia and Rees mines averaged 0.6 to 0.9 percent WO₃, with channel samples up to 5.32 percent WO₃
• Rubidium Discovery: Rock chip assays up to 2,264 parts per million (ppm) rubidium, positioning Eagle as a potentially significant US rubidium source
• Polymetallic Opportunity: System hosting tungsten-rubidium-silver with antimony, bismuth and arsenic, all metals critical for US defense sector
• Three Deposit Types: Features porphyry, skarn and carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) styles, a rare combination that indicates a large, long-lived hydrothermal system capable of hosting multiple mineralization centers, supporting district-scale exploration potential
• Active 2025 Exploration Program: Fieldwork commenced in October 2025, executing Phase 1 of its NI 43-101-recommended program and part of Phase 2. Activities include drilling of historic Tungstonia tailings, detailed soil and rock sampling, geologic mapping and CSAMT/MT geophysics to define high-priority tungsten-rubidium drill targets and support future resource modeling.
• Tailings Reprocessing Opportunity: ~9,000 tonnes of tailings averaging 0.14 percent WO₃ and 460 ppm rubidium offer near-term reclamation value-add
• Tier-1 Mining Jurisdiction: Excellent access to infrastructure near Ely, Nevada
• Strategic Positioning: Fully aligned with US DOD and Department of Energy initiatives to secure domestic tungsten and rubidium supply chains

Management Team

Brett R. Marsh – President, CEO and Director

Brett Marsh is a professional geologist with more than 25 years of experience in mineral exploration and project development across North America and internationally. Marsh previously led major exploration initiatives for both junior and mid-tier mining companies and has extensive experience in tungsten and critical mineral systems. He oversees Spartan’s technical and strategic direction and is the company’s “qualified person under NI 43-101..

Rebecca Ball – Vice-president, Exploration

Rebecca Ball brings over a decade of exploration and operational experience across base, precious and critical minerals. She specializes in greenfield targeting and geological modeling, most recently leading the McDermitt Lithium stratigraphy initiative that expanded its resource significantly. Her expertise is instrumental in defining the next phase of resource development at the Eagle project.

Michael Harp – Director

Currently VP Exploration at Ridgeline Minerals, Michael Harp has over 15 years of exploration experience in Nevada, including the discovery of over 5 million ounces of gold in the Carlin Trend’s Railroad-Pinion district. His extensive field and project management experience supports Spartan’s Nevada-focused exploration programs.

Terese Gieselman – Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Terese Gieselman is a seasoned financial executive with over 30 years of experience in public company management and corporate finance in the mining sector. She brings expertise in governance, financial reporting, and capital markets strategy that will support Spartan’s growth.