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Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Basin Energy Limited (ASX:BSN) (OTCMKTS:BSNEF) announced that it has now executed a Mineral Rights Purchase and Sale Agreement (‘MRPSA’) with Green Canada Corporation Inc (‘GCC’), a 54% owned subsidiary of PTX Metals Inc. (TSXV: PTX) (‘PTX’) to sell the Marshall Uranium Project (‘Marshall’), located in Saskatchewan, Canada. This follows the binding letter of intent, as announced on the 24th November 2025.

Key Highlights

– Mineral Rights Purchase and Sale Agreement executed, advancing Basin’s sale of 100% of the Marshall Uranium Project to Green Canada Corporation Inc (‘GCC’).

– GCC progressing toward public listing on Canadian Stock Exchange, in conjunction with a reverse takeover of Maackk Capital Corp.

– Basin will receive consideration of up to:

o C$600,000 payable in cash in four equal annual instalments;

o C$300,000 payable in shares over three equal annual instalments; and

o 9.99% of the total issued capital of the newly listed entity.

– Basin retains strong upside optionality, including a 25% project level buyback option and threeyear Right of first refusal (ROFR) on any future sale.

– Basin and CanAlaska Uranium Ltd (CVE:CVV) (‘CanAlaska’) have also granted GCC a 9-month exclusivity for the North Millennium Project.

The transaction is now conditional primarily on the proposed Reverse Takeover (‘RTO’) by GCC of Maackk Capital Corp (‘MAACKK’) and concurrent minimum C$2.5 million financing and admission to the Canadian Securities Exchange (‘CSE’) or such other stock exchange as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties.

In addition to the Marshall agreement, Basin and CanAlaska have agreed to grant GCC a 9-month exclusivity right to conduct due diligence and, if satisfactory, negotiate the terms of an earn-in option to acquire up to a 51% interest in the North Millennium joint venture project of CanAlaska and BSN.

Managing Director, Pete Moorhouse commented:

‘The execution of the definitive agreement marks a key milestone in unlocking value from the Marshall Uranium Project, while maintaining meaningful upside exposure for Basin shareholders.

With GCC progressing toward its public listing and associated financing, we are pleased to see a clear pathway toward funded exploration and drill testing at Marshall in the near term. Importantly, Basin retains leverage and upside through our equity interest, buyback option and right of first refusal, ensuring continued alignment with the project’s success.’

Terms of the Deal

In consideration, GCC has agreed to the following payments to Basin:

– C$600,000 payable in cash in four equal annual instalments, with the first payment due on closing of the transaction;

– C$300,000 payable in shares, issuable in three equal annual instalments based on the 5-day Volume-Weighted Average Price on the business day immediately preceding the date of issuance; and

– 9.99% of the total issued and outstanding resulting issuer shares on a non-diluted basis after giving effect to the concurrent financing at the time of closing of the proposed RTO, subject to 12-month escrow.

Basin will receive an additional 400,000 shares in the resulting issuer upon closing of the RTO in return for granting the 9-month exclusivity right in the North Millennium joint venture.

Basin will have a right of first refusal on any sale of the Marshall Project by GCC for a period of three years following the closing date of the transaction. In addition, Basin will retain a repurchase right to acquire from GCC a 25% interest in the Marshall Project for C$1,000,000 for a period commencing on the closing date and ending on the earlier of: the date that is five years from the closing date or the date on which GCC has incurred total exploration expenditures of C$10,000,000 on the Marshall Project.

Pursuant to the terms of the MRPSA, GCC is required to fund exploration expenditures for an initial work program on the Marshall Project to be carried out within twenty-four months from the closing. The Initial Work Program will have a budget in an amount that is the greater of C$1,500,000, and the minimum amount required to maintain the mineral claims comprising the Marshall Project in good standing under applicable governmental regulations.

Basin will also have the right to nominate one director to the board of the resulting issuer.

GCC will retain the right to withdraw from the transaction at any time after the closing of the transaction, in which case the project will return to Basin and no further payments will be required.

The Company has considered the application of ASX Listing Rule 11.4(a) and considers it does not apply.

About Green Canada Corporation

GCC is a 54% owned subsidiary of PTX Metals Inc. (CVE:PTX) and a uranium exploration company with a portfolio of projects located in Thelon Basin, Nunavut, the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and Quebec. Concurrent to the LOI to acquire Basin’s Marshall project, GCC announced that it has entered into a binding letter of intent with MAACKK pursuant to which GCC and MAACKK intend to complete a transaction that would result in a reverse take-over of MAACKK by the shareholders of GCC (the ‘Proposed RTO’). Closing of the Proposed RTO will be subject to, among other things, requisite regulatory approval for the listing of the resulting issuer of the Proposed RTO (the ‘Resulting Issuer’) on the Canadian Securities Exchange or such other stock exchange as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties, along with completion of concurrent financing and execution of the definitive agreements in respect of the acquisition of the Marshall project.

Upon completion of the Proposed RTO, the current directors and officers of MAACKK will resign and it is anticipated that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be reconstituted to consist of Richard J. Mazur, Greg Ferron, Olivier Crottaz and a representative from the Basin.

About the Marshall and North Millennium Projects

The Marshall project is 100% owned by Basin, and the North Millennium Project is under joint venture agreement on a 40:60 basis with CanAlaska.

The Marshall and North Millennium projects are located less than 11 km from Cameco Corporation’s Millennium deposit (104.8Mlb at 3.8% U3O8) and around 40 km from the prolific McArthur River uranium mine, one of the world’s highest-grade uranium operations, refer to Figure 1*. Both projects are deemed prospective for unconformity style uranium exploration.

In 2024, ground electromagnetics (‘EM’) at Marshall identified three main targets which confirms the geological and exploration model. Of note is Target 1, refer to Figure 2*, where modelled EM plates below the unconformity align with a sandstone Z-Tipper Axis Electromagnetic (‘ZTEM’) anomaly, which is interpreted to be alteration within sandstone. The identification of these targets is encouraging and consistent with regional trends in the southeastern Athabasca and provides increased confidence in drill hole targeting.

*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/R3LUUKE8

About Basin Energy Ltd:

Basin Energy Ltd (ASX:BSN) (OTCMKTS:BSNEF) is a green energy metals exploration and development company with an interest in three highly prospective projects positioned in the southeast corner and margins of the world-renowned Athabasca Basin in Canada and has recently acquired a significant portfolio of Green Energy Metals exploration assets located in Scandinavia.

Source:
Basin Energy Ltd

Contact:
Pete Moorhouse
Managing Director
pete.m@basinenergy.com.au
+61 7 3667 7449

Chloe Hayes
Investor and Media Relations
chloe@janemorganmanagement.com.au
+61 458619317

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(TheNewswire)

Secures Equity, Cash, and Ongoing Upside Exposure

Vancouver, British Columbia, February 26th, 2025 TheNewswire – Prismo Metals Inc. (‘Prismo’ or the ‘Company’) (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF) (OTCQB: PMOMF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive  assignment agreement (the ‘Agreement’) with Blade Resources Inc. (‘Blade’) pursuant to which Prismo has agreed to assign all of its rights, interests and obligations in the Hot Breccia copper project, located  in the heart of the Arizona copper belt (the ‘Transaction’), to Blade. The Transaction is expected to close on or about March 2, 2026, or such other date as the Company and Blade may agree.

In consideration for the Transaction, Prismo will be issued 6,755,000 common shares of Blade and will receive a cash payment of $185,000. Following completion of the Transaction, Prismo will own approximately 24% of Blade’s issued and outstanding shares and will be Blade’s largest single shareholder (see additional early warning disclosure below).

Alain Lambert, CEO of Prismo, commented: ‘In our opinion, Hot Breccia is one of the best copper exploration opportunities in North America. Since optioning the project in January 2023, we have remained committed to advancing it toward drilling. After carefully evaluating our options – including funding a drill program internally, partnering with a major, or joining forces with like-minded explorers – we have concluded that the best way forward for Prismo is the latter hence this partnership with Blade.’ He added: ‘The principals and financial backers of Blade have a long history and strong track record in raising significant capital for exploration programs of the scale required at Hot Breccia.’

Strategic Rationale

The Transaction provides several strategic benefits:

Value Creation: Prismo is leveraging its investments in Hot Breccia into a significant stake in a company dedicated to advancing the Hot Breccia project.

Access to Capital with Limited Dilution: The structure provides enhanced access to capital for the Hot Breccia drill program through Blade, without direct dilution to Prismo shareholders.

Strategic Focus: Prismo will focus on advancing its remaining Arizona projects — Silver King and Ripsey Gold — while Blade dedicates its efforts to advancing Hot Breccia.

Enhanced Attractiveness to Strategic Partners: With the potential for 100% ownership of Hot Breccia, Blade will be in a better position to possibly attract majors or strategic buyers.

Prismo’s Investment in Blade

Regarding Prismo’s investment in Blade, Mr. Lambert said: ‘We see several potential pathways for our investment: holding it long term, monetizing a portion to fund other projects, distributing shares to our shareholders, or a combination of these last two approaches. At this time, we are entering this transaction with a long-term perspective. Successful development at Hot Breccia would have meaningful implications for shareholder value.’

Additional Prismo Rights under the Transaction

Under the terms of the Transaction:

  • Prismo has the right to nominate one representative to Blade’s board of directors. The Company has not yet determined its initial nominee. 

  • Blade has granted Prismo participation rights in future equity offerings, allowing Prismo to subscribe for shares on substantially the same terms as other investors in order to maintain its undiluted ownership percentage in Blade. 

Dr. Linus Keating, manager of Walnut Mines LLC, the underlying landowner of Hot Breccia enthusiastically commented: Walnut Mines strongly supports any initiative that advances Hot Breccia toward a serious drill program. We are optimistic that this transaction will help achieve that objective in 2026. In our view, this property continues to represent an excellent copper exploration opportunity in North America.

Early Warning Disclosure

This news release is issued in accordance with National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. Prior to the Transaction, Prismo did not own any common shares of Blade. The common shares of Blade will be acquired by Prismo for a total consideration of $2,364,250 and will be acquired for investment purposes with a view to Blade’s potential listing on a Canadian stock exchange.

Except as described in this news release, Prismo has no present plans or intentions that relate to or would result in any of the matters enumerated in paragraphs (a) through (k) of Item 5 of Form 62-103F1.

Prismo will file an early warning report in accordance with applicable securities laws, which will be available under Blade’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . A copy of the early warning report may be obtained by contacting Gordon Aldcorn at the contact details below.

About the Hot Breccia Project

The Hot Breccia project lies at the heart of the Arizona Copper Belt, which hosts several globally significant porphyry copper deposits.  Examples of these significant deposits are Freeport McMoRan’s Miami-Inspiration mining complex, BHP’s San Manuel mine, Rio Tinto and BHP’s Resolution deposit and others (see Figure 1).  

Figure 1. Location of the Hot Breccia Project in the Arizona Copper Belt.

Note that the Company and its qualified person have not been able to independently verify the information on these producing mines, and that the information is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Hot Breccia project.

About Prismo Metals Inc.

Prismo (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF, OTCQB: PMOMF) is a mining exploration company focused on advancing its Silver King, Ripsey and Hot Breccia projects in Arizona and its Palos Verdes silver project in Mexico.

About Blade Resources Inc.

Blade Resources is a private mining exploration company focused on development of North American copper and precious metals projects.

Please follow @PrismoMetals on , , , Instagram, and

Prismo Metals Inc.

1100 – 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6  Phone: (416) 361-0737

Contact:

Alain Lambert, Chief Executive Officer alain.lambert@prismometals.com

Gordon Aldcorn, President gordon.aldcorn@prismometals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as intends’ or anticipates‘, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may’, could’, should’, would’ or occur’. This information and these statements, referred to herein as ‘forward‐looking statements’, are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management’s expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the anticipated closing and closing date of the Transaction; the strategic rationale and potential upside of the transaction with Blade,  the future development of the Hot Breccia project and Blade’s ability of Blade to successfully implement its strategic and business objectives, including potentially attracting majors or strategic buyers; and the ability of Prismo to fund its exploration activities on its other projects.

These forward‐looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: that the Transaction may not close as anticipated, or at all; delays incurred by Blade in obtaining or failure to obtain appropriate funding to finance the exploration program at Hot Breccia; the inability of Blade to successfully acquire a 100% interest on the Hot Breccia project; delays incurred by the Company in obtaining or failure to obtain appropriate funding to finance exploration programs for its other projects; the risk that mineralization will not be as anticipated at the Hot Breccia project or at the Company’s other projects; metal prices; market uncertainty; and other risks and uncertainties application to exploration activities and the Company’s business as set forth in the Company’s disclosure documents available for viewing under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the timeline for closing the Transaction will be as anticipated; the Transaction will close; the ability to raise capital to fund exploration programs at Hot Breccia or on the Company’s other projects, and the timing of such exploration programs; the ability of Blade to complete the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Hot Breccia project and to successfully carry out its business and strategic objectives following completion of the transaction; and that the Hot Breccia project and the Company’s other projects will have the anticipated mineralization and other qualities.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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Precious metals are recovering their safe-haven demand appeal this week.

Gold, silver and platinum are up this week, all still down from the all-time highs recorded in January. Escalating geopolitical tensions and US trade policy shifts are once again at center stage in this sector of the commodities market.

Let’s take a look at what’s got the precious metals moving over the past week.

Gold price

After dropping as low as US$4,400 per ounce on February 2, this past week gold has taken another run well above the key psychological US$5,000 mark; albeit still hundreds of dollars away from its record high of close to US$5,600 reached on January 28.

After trading in a tight range of US$4,985 to US$5,000 for much of Thursday (February 19), the price of gold managed to rise as high as US$5,107 on Friday. That upward climb continued on Monday (February 23) to an intraday high of US$5,248 — a level gold hasn’t seen in a month.

The yellow metal lost that steam by Tuesday’s close with the precious metal trading back down at US$5,143. By Wednesday morning, gold was once again making a run at the US$5,200 level to reach an intraday high of US$5,217.58 at 9:10 a.m. PST. However, it couldn’t hang on for long, sinking back down to US$5,166.25 as of 1:40pm PST on profit-taking and a stronger dollar.

Gold price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

Here are the primary drivers for gold this past week:

      • Dips this week were brought on by slight downward pressure due to profit-taking and a stronger US dollar.

      In other gold news, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) raised its gold forecast to US$6,300 by the end of 2026, citing a ‘reserve currency paradigm shift’ as countries diversify away from the dollar, and ‘significant investor diversification’.

      Looking at major events in the gold mining sector, Kinross Gold’s (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) Great Bear development in the Red Lake district of Ontario, Canada, has been designated for a reduced permitting timeline under the provincial government’s One Project, One Process (1P1P) framework. 1P1P is a streamlined approval system aimed at reducing government review times by 50 percent. The high-grade, combined open-pit and underground operation is expected to produce more than 500,000 ounces of gold annually during its peak years.

      Silver price

      The price of silver is still well below its all-time high of more than US$120 per ounce it reached on January 29, 2026. For the most part, the white metal continued to track the same trends as gold this week.

      Like gold, silver traded sideways Thursday (February 19) in the US$77.50 to US$78.50 range, and then surged the following day to an intraday high of US$84.61.

      For most of Monday (February 23), silver continued higher but at a much slower pace, to reach as high as US$88.96. Tuesday brought another day of tight trading in the US$86.70 to US$88.10; however, by Wednesday morning the silver price had managed to break through the US$90 level on the same safe-haven demand forces pushing gold prices higher this week.

      The price of silver hit an intraday high of US$91.15 at 11:55am PST before sliding back down below US$89 in the afternoon session.

      Silver price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      Silver may still not be back into the triple digits, but its showing strong support despite a slump in artificial intelligence (AI) tech stocks. Silver, the most electrically and thermally conductive metal on the planet, is considered a key material for AI tech, particularly in data centers and high-performance computing. Silver is also in a structural supply deficit which continues to provide upward pressure on silver prices

      In silver mining news, Lundin Gold (TSX:LUG,OTCQX:LUGDF) announced a US$670 million silver stream deal with LunR Royalties (TSXV:LUNR) on its Fruta del Norte mine.

      Platinum price

      Platinum continues to be one of the top performing metals, reaching a 12-year high in recent weeks. This past week it has gained more than 8 percent. Sideways trading on Thursday (February 19) turned into an upward climb on Friday with prices for platinum rising from a low of US$2,060.10 to a high of US$2,117.40 per ounce.

      The first few days of this new week were marked by volatility with wider price swings. The platinum price reached a three week high of US$2,226.30 in late day trading Tuesday. The jump was driven by a combination of geopolitical tensions, trade uncertainty, and structural supply constraints.

      Platinum continued its ascent in overnight trading, reaching as high as US$2,360.50 in early morning trading, and managed to finish off the day just below the US$2,300 level.

      Platinum price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      Platinum prices are benefitting from renewed tariff jitters, geopolitical safe-haven demand, and persistent supply tightness from major producer South Africa.

      The emerging hydrogen economy is also adding to demand for the metal on top of robust demand from the auto sector. Consumers are shifting back toward internal combustion engine and diesel vehicles as hurdles to EV adoption remain challenging. This is highly supportive of demand for platinum as its primary use is in automotive catalysts.

      On the supply side, global platinum reserves remain critically low, especially as the world’s biggest producer South Africa continues to be plagued by power shortages and operational disruptions.

      In platinum mining news, Valterra Platinum declared a dividend of 45 rand a share for a total 2025 payout of 12 billion rand (US$757 million) after its net income more than doubled to 15.4 billion rand. Bloomberg reported that the size of the dividend “smashed analyst expectations as earnings jumped last year on soaring metals prices”.

      Palladium price

      Palladium has been the black sheep of the precious metals family for the past few years, remaining well below its March 2022 all-time record of US$3,440.76 per ounce.

      On Thursday (February 19), unlike its sister metals, palladium rallied 4.8 percent to an intraday high of US$1,767.50. The metal closed out last week with another nearly 3.9 percent gain to US$1,836.

      On Monday, palladium lost some of that ground to close out the day at US$1,820. After dipping to a low of US$1,763 in early morning trading on Tuesday, the price of the metal regained those losses and more by the end of the trading day reaching as high as US$1,843.

      Wednesday (February 25) morning brought a spike in palladium prices to US$1,935 as the metal went along for the same ride as platinum, before falling back to the US$1,860 level in afternoon trading.

      Palladium price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      As is the case with platinum, demand for palladium is getting support from the auto sector. Rising prices for platinum are leading automakers to make the swap to palladium.

      The US Department of Commerce’s preliminary statement of support for anti-dumping duties of approximately 133 percent on unwrought Russian palladium imports is still shaping the outlook for palladium on the supply side. This follows a petition from Sibanye-Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW) over allegations that Russian metal is being sold in the US at less than fair value. A final decision is expected in the case by June of this year.

      Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Dubbed a “central bottleneck of the electrified future,” copper demand is expected to far exceed supply. A recent outlook from S&P Global projects the market could face a shortfall of up to 10 million metric tons by 2040.

      Against this backdrop, Domestic Metals (TSXV:DMCU) offers a timely opportunity for investors. Listed on TSX Venture Exchange, OTCQB and Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the company is advancing its flagship Smart Creek Project in Montana, targeting discovery of a porphyry system and a carbonate replacement deposit (CRD).

      Smart Creek’s potential is further bolstered by its proximity to significant discoveries like Ivanhoe Electric’s (NYSEAmerican:IE,TSX:IE) Hog Heaven project, which announced the intersection of a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum system within a large, deep anomaly.

      Company Highlights

      • Exceptional Surface Grades: The 2025 field campaign returned high-grade samples, highlighted by 102 g/t gold, 23.1 percent copper, and 3,810 g/t silver.
      • World-Class Team: Dr. Peter Megaw, a globally recognized authority on Carbonate Replacement Deposits (CRDs) and discoverer of MAG Silver’s Juanicipio, has joined the team to guide exploration, together with President & CEO Gordon Neal who has had a successful track record building MAG Silver and New Pacific Metals
      • Mining-Friendly Jurisdiction: Operations are focused in Montana, USA, a mining-friendly state ranked 6th in 2024 by the Fraser Institute for investment attractiveness, with a legacy of massive production at the nearby Butte Mine.

      This Domestic Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

      Click here to connect with Domestic Metals (TSXV:DMCU) to receive an Investor Presentation

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      Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (February 23) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

      Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

      Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$64,409.84, down by 4.4 percent over the last 24 hours.

      Bitcoin price performance, February 23, 2026.

      Chart via TradingView.

      XS.com senior market analyst Linh Tran suggested that the medium-term uptrend is limited without major catalysts. She predicts that Bitcoin will fluctuate between US$65,000 support and US$70,000 resistance; however, if current pressures persist, there is a risk of Bitcoin retesting the US$60,000 low, which could trigger a deeper decline.

      Software stocks slipped alongside a further decline in crypto prices after Anthropic said its Claude platform can help ‘break the cost barrier to COBOL modernization,’ a high-level, compiled computer programming language that the firm says ‘runs in production every day, powering critical systems in finance, airlines, and government.’

      Ether (ETH) was priced at US$1,860.34, down by 4.1 percent over the last 24 hours.

      Altcoin price update

      • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.36, down by 2 percent over 24 hours.
      • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$78.37, down by 5.6 percent over 24 hours.

      Today’s crypto news to know

      Yield Basis thrives on market volatility

      Some parts of the DeFi ecosystem have benefited from the chaos of Bitcoin’s sudden price drop in January, which liquidated billions of dollars’ worth of positions. A DeFi project called Yield Basis, which helps people trade Bitcoin and Ether through its liquidity pools, says it’s handled US$769 million in trades since the beginning of 2026, with more than half occurring after January 28, when crypto prices began swinging wildly.

      According to a recent report, the protocol has collected US$12.15 million in fees since it launched its v2 pools in November 2025, compared to US$5.31 million worth of tokens it paid out as rewards, leaving about US$6.84 million in net profit for the users providing liquidity and holding the project’s tokens.

      Open-source AI project distances itself from crypto

      An open-source AI agent framework known as OpenClaw has inadvertently become the center of a crypto controversy. The project, built to power autonomous agents capable of browsing the web and executing complex tasks, was briefly rebranded amid a naming dispute before scammers launched a fake Solana-based token using its former branding.

      The token’s market capitalization surged to roughly US$16 million within hours before collapsing more than 90 percent after developer Peter Steinberger disavowed any connection.

      Steinberger publicly rejected the speculation, writing on X: “To all crypto folks: please stop pinging me, stop harassing me. I will never do a coin. Any project that lists me as coin owner is a SCAM.”

      USDT contraction flashes rare stress signal

      Tether’s USDT stablecoin is signaling liquidity strain reminiscent of the market turmoil following the FTX collapse.

      According to CryptoQuant, the 60 day change in USDT supply has dropped to negative US$3 billion, which marks only the second time such a contraction has occurred. Bloomberg reported that USDT is on pace for its steepest monthly supply decline since December 2022, already shrinking by roughly US$1.5 billion in February alone.

      Large-scale redemptions typically suggest institutions or major holders are pulling capital out of the crypto ecosystem rather than simply rotating between tokens. The last comparable contraction came as Bitcoin fell toward US$16,000 during the FTX crisis before stabilizing and beginning a multi-year recovery.

      Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      The era of “smooth globalization” is over, and mining is entering a more fragmented, politically charged phase defined by strategic nationalism, according to speakers at S&P Global’s latest webinar.

      Jason Holden, who opened the “State of the Market: Mining Q4 2025” session with a macro overview, said the industry is operating in a world increasingly shaped by supply chain security and state intervention.

      “For decades we operated under a model of frictionless trade,” said Holden, a senior mining analyst at the firm. “That era is over. We’ve entered a world of strategic re-nationalization.”

      While the base economic outlook remains resilient, with moderate growth and easing headline inflation, Holden warned that “sticky core inflation remains stubbornly high.”

      For mining companies, that has two major implications: higher capital costs and less room for the easy-money valuation surges seen in past cycles. Central banks, led by the US Federal Reserve, are no longer aggressively tightening, but are also not on a clear-cut path to interest rate cuts.

      “We’re no longer on a predictable path of easing,” Holden explained to listeners. “The market is now focused on if and when cuts might resume.” At the same time, geopolitical disputes are increasingly spilling into trade policy. The conversation around critical minerals, he noted, has shifted decisively.

      “It’s no longer just about economics,’ said Holden. “It’s explicitly framed as national security.”

      That shift is driving greater government intervention, subsidies, capital screening and “friend-shoring,” where materials are sourced from politically aligned nations.

      Gold’s insurance premium

      Nowhere has geopolitical risk been more visible than in gold.

      The metal surged to fresh highs in early 2026 after setting 40 new records in 2024 and 53 more in 2025, a pace not seen since 1979. The price briefly pushed beyond US$5,500 per ounce at the start of the year.

      “The message from this price action is unmistakable,” Holden said. “In an uncertain world, the market is paying a premium for insurance, and gold is the ultimate safe asset.”

      While short-term flashpoints helped fuel the rally, the structural driver has been central bank buying. Since sanctions in 2022 prompted reserve managers to rethink US dollar exposure, official sector purchases have accelerated.

      “The sustained buying from central banks is the real engine behind the rally,” Holden said.

      S&P’s base case sees gold averaging US$4,247 per ounce in 2026, with upside potential toward US$6,000 by 2027 in a more bullish scenario.

      Copper tightness, nickel politics

      Luiz Amaral from S&P’s exploration team said copper ended 2025 on strong footing, with London Metal Exchange (LME) prices reaching US$12,500 per metric ton in December.

      Supply-side tightness, a weaker US dollar and copper’s growing role in electrification supported prices. The US decision to formally list copper as a critical mineral reinforced its strategic importance.

      S&P has lifted its 2026 copper price forecast to US$11,400 per metric ton, projecting a 543,000 metric ton concentrate deficit next year. However, the refined market is expected to move into surplus later in the decade as new smelter capacity ramps up. Longer term, the concentrate picture darkens again.

      “Our base case shows a 3 million metric ton shortfall by 2036,” Amaral said.

      Nickel’s recent rally, by contrast, has been driven more by policy than fundamentals. The price broke above US$18,000 per metric ton in January after Indonesia reduced its 2026 production quota.

      “The market is responding emotionally to policy updates,” Amaral said, noting that despite the rally, the broader market remains in surplus and LME inventories are building.

      Lithium rebounds amid persistent surplus

      Lithium prices have also staged a sharp rebound, rising 57 percent in China between mid-December and mid-January on renewed demand optimism and supply concerns. Yet S&P expects the market to remain oversupplied for most of the decade, with deficits not emerging until the early 2030s.

      New supply from Australia, Latin America and China continues to outpace demand growth, even as electric vehicles account for roughly 75 percent of lithium consumption through 2035.

      Diverging margins

      At the mine level, gold producers are enjoying some of the strongest margins in years, with prices rising faster than all-in sustaining costs. Silver has outperformed even more dramatically, climbing 154 percent in 2025 versus gold’s 71 percent gain, compressing the gold-silver ratio to below 70.

      Battery metals face a tougher backdrop.

      “Lithium and nickel continue to face margin pressure as prices lag elevated costs amid oversupply,” said Monica Ramirez from S&P’s mine economics and emissions team.

      Across 12 metals analyzed, S&P sees a structurally higher cost environment emerging due to inflation, energy expenses and maturing ore bodies. Precious metals retain the strongest buffers, while copper remains positive but increasingly sensitive at the upper end of the cost curve.

      Exploration at a crossroads

      Despite record prices in some commodities, exploration spending tells a more cautious story.

      Global exploration budgets totaled US$12.4 billion in 2025, down 1 percent year-on-year. Adjusted for inflation, spending has slipped back to levels last seen nearly two decades ago.

      “Gold continues to dominate,” Amaral said, accounting for roughly half of global exploration budgets. Lithium, once a standout, saw budgets fall nearly 50 percent amid weaker prices.

      More concerning is the structural shift away from grassroots exploration.

      In the mid-1990s, two-thirds of spending targeted generative programs. Today, that share has fallen to a record low as companies prioritize near-mine and late-stage work.

      “We are underinvesting at the very front end of the supply chain,” Amaral warned. Without renewed grassroots spending, the long-term discovery pipeline could suffer.

      M&A: Quality over quantity

      Mining M&A remained active into late 2025, though deal value normalized after earlier mega-mergers. Transaction value fell 45 percent quarter-on-quarter to US$16.1 billion, but deal count rose to its highest level in more than five years.

      Gold led activity, with buyers focusing on large-scale, long-life assets in low-risk jurisdictions.

      “Gold M&A today is no longer about simple volume growth,” Ramirez emphasized to viewers. “It’s about asset quality, jurisdictional safety and durable cashflow.”

      As the webinar made clear, mining is navigating a landscape defined by geopolitical risk, tighter capital and structural cost pressures. For companies able to secure high-quality assets and control costs, opportunities remain, but the margin for error is narrowing.

      Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Gold and silver prices experienced declines early in the week, but ended higher.

      The yellow metal closed the week at US$5,111.88 per ounce, while silver finished at US$84.65 per ounce, buoyed by reignited tariff uncertainty out of the US.

      On Friday (February 20), the US Supreme Court stuck down tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He quickly responded by announcing a new 10 percent global tariff and then increasing it to 15 percent, ramping up trade tensions.

      Earlier in the week, Wednesday (February 18) brought the release of the US Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes, which show that although officials largely agreed with the January decision to hold interest rates steady, they aren’t aligned about the path forward as 2026 continues.

      What’s received more attention is the Lunar New Year holiday.

      Most Asian markets are closed for the occasion, and will reopen next week. I asked Ole Hansen of Saxo Bank about the significance of the closure, and he said that in his view, the more important question is what will happen when they’re back in business next week.

      Here’s how he thinks that could play out:

      ‘I think … if they come back to more or less unchanged prices, they will see that probably as a buying opportunity. Simply — well, they probably hope that they might be able to pick it up cheaper in the absence. But if we can manage to hold these levels, then there could be a positive story building as we as we see China reopen.’

      Hansen is bullish on gold this year, saying he sees it reaching US$6,000 in the next 12 months.

      But interestingly, he has a different take on silver — he thinks the white metal’s upside could be limited by demand-side factors like substitution and higher supply from scrap material.

      ‘Gold over time can go to US$10,000, it can go to US$20,000 — it’s a monetary metal, which doesn’t really depend on demand from areas where demand could be negatively impacted with the price.

      ‘Silver hasn’t got that luxury. And that basically means if gold moves towards US$6,000, I would believe that — I would think that silver, at some point, will struggle to keep up, and we will see basically gold relatively outperform silver. But when that point, when that time comes, I can’t see. Again it’s very unclear, especially given the speculative demand, which can carry on for a while longer.’

      I also heard this week from Christopher Aaron of iGold Advisor and Elite Private Placements, who has a much brighter outlook for silver — he said given that the metal has just broken out of a 45 year consolidation period, it still has much further to go:

      ‘Now that whole process, the 45 year consolidation breakout and now coming back, that is — for a number of people here — that is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime breakout. We’re talking a multi-generational breakout happening in silver right now. And it’s really important to — I mean, the bottom line is this: After 45 years of consolidation, a market doesn’t end just two months after a breakout and then kind of withering and petering out for the next 45 years. Again, that’s not how 45 year breakouts happen when we look back.’

      Ultimately Aaron sees US$250 to US$350 as a reasonable price level for silver.

      Bullet briefing — TSX Venture 50, BHP/Wheaton deal

      Gold, silver dominate TSX Venture 50

      The latest TSX Venture 50 list was released on Wednesday, with gold and silver juniors dominating. In fact, of the companies included, only three fall outside the mining sector.

      The list ranks TSXV companies’ annual performance by market cap growth, share price performance and Canadian consolidated trading value. Taking the top spot was Santacruz Silver Mining (TSXV:SCZ,NASDAQ:SCZM), which had an impressive share price increase of over 1,100 percent.

      As a group, the companies on the list delivered a share price increase of 431 percent.

      We’ll have to wait and see whether these types of gains are repeated — or exceeded — in 2026, but the list definitely underscores the strength in gold and silver prices, and shows that their momentum is boosting not just the majors, but also the juniors.

      BHP, Wheaton sign streaming deal

      On the M&A side, BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) has entered into a long-term streaming agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM).

      Under the deal, which was signed by subsidiaries of BHP and Wheaton, BHP will receive an upfront payment of US$4.3 billion in exchange for the delivery of silver from the Peru-based Antamina mine, plus ongoing payments when metal is delivered. According to BHP, this is the most valuable streaming transaction to date based on upfront consideration received.

      Antamina is a joint venture between commodities giants BHP, Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF), Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) and Mitsubishi (TSE:8058,OTCPL:MSBHF), and Wheaton already has a silver stream in place with Glencore. Once the BHP arrangement closes, Wheaton will receive a combined 67.5 percent of the mine’s silver.

      Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Nuvau Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NMC,OTC:NMCPF) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Nuvau’) announces that, further to its news release dated January 30, 2026, it has amended the terms of its previously announced ‘best efforts’ brokered private placement offering, co-led by Clarus Securities Inc. and Integrity Capital Group Inc. (together, the ‘Agents’), comprised of (i) the offering of up to 18,750,000 units of the Company (the ‘Units’) at a price of $0.80 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $15,000,000 (the ‘Unit Offering’) and the offering of up to 5,555,555 FT Shares (as defined herein) at a price of $0.90 per FT Share for gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000 (the ‘FT Offering’ and together with the Unit Offering, the ‘Offering’).

      As amended, the Company proposes to issue up to 5,555,555 flow-through common shares of the Company (the ‘FT Shares‘) at an offering price of $0.90 per FT Share (the ‘FT Share Price‘). All FT Shares will be common shares of the Company that qualify as ‘flow-through shares’ within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and section 359.1 of the Taxation Act (Québec). The gross proceeds from the offering of FT Shares will be used by the Company to incur eligible ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ (as defined in the ITA), a portion of which may qualify as ‘flow-through mining expenditures’ and at least 30% of which will qualify as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’ (‘FTCMME‘) (each as defined in the ITA) (the ‘Qualifying Expenditures‘). At the sole discretion of the Company certain subscribers of FT Shares may be allocated a higher percentage of Qualifying Expenditures that qualify as FTCMME. All Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred by the Company on or before December 31, 2027, and will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares with an effective date on or before December 31, 2026.

      All other terms of the Offering remain unchanged. Please refer to the Company’s news release dated January 30, 2026, for additional information.

      In connection with the Offering, a director of the Company, plans to sell up to 400,000 common shares of the Company (‘Common Shares‘) held, directly or indirectly, through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘Exchange‘) and intends to use the proceeds from such sales to subscribe for 400,000 FT Shares under the FT Offering. The sale of such Common Shares is expected to be effected pursuant to pre-arranged trades made through the facilities of the Exchange.

      Participation in the Offering by a director of the Company constitutes a ‘related party transaction’ within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101‘). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, will not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

      Closing of the Unit Offering is expected to occur on or about February 24, 2026, with the closing of the FT Offering expected to occur on or about March 6, 2026. Completion of the Offering remains subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the conditional approval of Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance thereof.

      The Agents will have an option (the ‘Agent’s Option‘), exercisable in whole or in part up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Unit Offering, to offer for sale up to any combination of additional Units (or any combination of their underlying components) and/or additional FT Shares, at their respective offering prices, to raise up to an additional $5,000,000 in gross proceeds.

      The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

      About Nuvau
      Nuvau is a Canadian mining company, incorporated under the OBCA, currently in the exploration and development phase. Nuvau’s principal asset is its right to earn-in a 100% undivided interest from Glencore in the Matagami property located in Abitibi region of central Québec, Canada pursuant to an amended and restated earn-in agreement dated January 28, 2026, among Nuvau, Nuvau Minerals Corp., and Glencore.

      Further Information
      All information contained in this news release with respect to the Company was supplied by the respective party for inclusion herein, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

      For further information please contact:
      Nuvau Minerals Inc.
      Peter van Alphen 
      President and CEO
      Telephone: 416-525-6063
      Email: pvanalphen@nuvauminerals.com

      Cautionary Statements
      This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements‘) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipate’, ‘will’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’ ‘expects’ and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the timing and ability of the Company to close the Offering on the terms announced, the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, the Company’s ability to incur Qualifying Expenditures and renounce the Qualifying Expenditures to subscribers, and the Company’s ability to obtain exchange approval for the Offering. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the Matagami Property. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

      The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

      Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

      NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

      To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284780

      News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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