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OpenAI’s ChatGPT is one of the latest technological breakthroughs in the artificial intelligence space. But what is ChatGPT, and can you invest in OpenAI?

This emerging technology is representative of a niche subsector of the AI industry known as generative AI — systems that can generate text, images or sounds in response to prompts given by users.

Precedence Research expects the global AI market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2 percent to reach US$3.68 trillion by 2034. Just how much of an impact OpenAI’s ChatGPT will have on this space is hard to predict, but Fortune Business Insights estimates that the total market revenue of generative AI will see a CAGR of 39.6 percent through 2032, increasing from US$67.18 billion last year to US$967.65 billion in 2032.

In September 2024, Reuters reported that OpenAI was planning a restructuring from a non-profit to a for-profit company in order to make it ‘more attractive to investors.’ However, after encountering backlash and potential legal conflicts, in May 2025 OpenAI’s management decided to remain a non-profit while still converting its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation.

OpenAI completed a new round of funding totaling US$40 billion in late March 2025 projected to bring its valuation to US$300 billion. Japanese multinational investment firm SoftBank made up 75 percent of the funding, while Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), and investment firms Coatue Management, Altimeter Capital and Thrive Capital also took part in the raise.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a US$200 million contract to OpenAI in June 2025 to provide the DoD with artificial intelligence tools for addressing national security challenges, including cyber defense and warfare.

In this article

    What is OpenAI’s ChatGPT?

    Created by San Francisco-based tech lab OpenAI, ChatGPT is a generative AI software application that uses a machine learning technique called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) to emulate human-written conversations based on a large range of user prompts. This kind of software is better known as an AI chatbot.

    ChatGPT learns language by training on texts gleaned from across the internet, including online encyclopedias, books, academic journals, news sites and blogs. Based on this training, the AI chatbot generates text by making predictions about which words (or tokens) can be strung together to produce the most suitable response.

    More than a million people engaged with ChatGPT within the first week of its launch for free public testing on November 30, 2022. The introduction of ChatGPT quickly ushered in a new era in the tech industry.

    Based on this success, OpenAI created a more powerful version of the ChatGPT system called GPT-4, which was released in March 2023. This iteration of ChatGPT can accept visual inputs, is much more precise and can display a higher level of expertise in various subjects. Because of this, GPT-4 can describe images in vivid detail and ace standardized tests.

    Unlike its predecessor, GPT-4 doesn’t have any time limits on what information it can access; however, AI researcher and professor Dr. Oren Etzioni has said that the chatbot is still terrible at discussing the future and generating new ideas. It also hasn’t lost its tendency to deliver incorrect information with too high a degree of confidence.

    Further improving on its product, in May 2024 OpenAI launched Chat GPT-4o, with the o standing for omni. OpenAI describes GPT-4o as ‘a step towards much more natural human-computer interaction—it accepts as input any combination of text, audio, image, and video and generates any combination of text, audio, and image outputs.’

    This version has done away with the lagging response time afflicting GPT-4. This proves especially helpful for producing immediate translations during conversations between speakers of different languages. It also allows users to interrupt the chatbot to pose a new query to modify responses.

    More recently, in December 2024, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Pro subscriptions targeting engineers and academics. For US$200 monthly, users have nearly unlimited access to all ChatGPT models and tools.

    The ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT-4 platforms are free to use, and can be accessed via the web. Those with an iPhone or iPad can also use ChatGPT through an app, and an Android version launched in July 2023. OpenAI also launched a paid subscription, ChatGPT Plus for business use, in August 2023. ChatGPT Plus gives users access to GPT-4 and the newest iteration GPT-4o.

    What is the Stargate Project?

    The Stargate Project is an AI joint venture focused on building new AI infrastructure in the US through US$500 billion in investments. It was announced on January 21, 2025.

    Stargate’s initial funding is coming from OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) and UAE-based technology fund MGX. In addition to OpenAI and Oracle, Stargate’s technology partners include Microsoft, NVIDIA, and British semiconductor and software design company Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM).

    Newly re-elected US President Trump unveiled Stargate during a press conference at the White House highlighting the importance of investment in US AI infrastructure. During the announcement, OpenAI’s Altman, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son credited President Trump’s return to office as a major catalyst in making Stargate a reality. The construction of data centers for the Stargate Project are already underway in Texas, according to Ellison.

    How much has Microsoft invested in OpenAI?

    Ascannio / Shutterstock

    Over the years, Microsoft has reportedly invested nearly US$14 billion in OpenAI to help the small tech firm create its ultra-powerful AI chatbot.

    As for how Microsoft could benefit from its investment in OpenAI, OpenAI officially licensed its technologies to Microsoft in 2020 in a then-exclusive partnership. Indeed, Pitchbook has described the deal as an “unprecedented milestone” for generative AI technology. Since then, Microsoft has made good use of OpenAI’s technology in developing new advancement in its Azure cloud computing business.

    However, the relationship between the two has changed in recent months.

    Notably, Microsoft is not a financier of the Stargate Project joint venture, and is instead just described as a technology partner. According to OpenAI’s press release, the new joint venture builds on its existing partnership with Microsoft.

    Microsoft’s lack of a funding role in Stargate led some to wonder if the trillion-dollar tech firm had soured on its relationship with OpenAI. This conclusion was understandable given reports that Microsoft refused to make a bigger contribution than the US$750 million it invested during the OpenAI US$6.6 billion funding round in October 2024.

    Additionally, Microsoft changed the contract between the two companies and is no longer the exclusive cloud provider for OpenAI, but has the right of first refusal for deals the AI firm may make with other cloud companies.

    As Bloomberg technology reporter Dina Bass explained, Microsoft stands to benefit from its role as a technology partner without having to invest a dime into the project.

    “Microsoft views the revised contract with OpenAI as advantageous, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking. The software giant retains its share of OpenAI’s revenue and is the largest investor in a company that may now become even more valuable — though the size of that stake could change as the startup works to restructure as a for-profit,” wrote Bass. “And Microsoft also still has access to OpenAI models, even if they’re trained in a data center funded by Softbank or Oracle.”

    Yet, there are reports that Microsoft and OpenAI’s relationship is on the brink of a big breakup. The tech giant has been pushing for a much larger percentage of OpenAI’s revenues than the 20 percent it currently enjoys. According to the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI is considering making antitrust complaints about Microsoft to regulators even though the two companies are still undergoing high level discussions about the future of the partnership.

    Elon Musk’s position on OpenAI

    DIA TV / Shutterstock

    OpenAI was founded in 2015 by Altman, its current CEO, as well as Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and other big-name investors, such as venture capitalist Peter Thiel and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Musk left his position on OpenAI’s board of directors in 2018 to focus on Tesla and its pursuit of autonomous vehicle technology.

    A few days after ChatGPT became available for public testing, Musk took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say, “ChatGPT is scary good. We are not far from dangerously strong AI.” That same day, he announced that X had shut the door on OpenAI’s access to its database so it could no longer use it for RLHF training.

    His reason: “OpenAI was started as open-source & non-profit. Neither are still true.”

    Furthering his feud with OpenAI, Musk filed a lawsuit against the company in March 2024 for an alleged breach of contract. The crux of his complaint was that OpenAI has broken the ‘founding agreement’ made between the founders (Altman, Greg Brockman and himself) that the company would remain a non-profit. Altman and OpenAI have denied there was such an agreement and that Musk was keen on an eventual for-profit structure.

    Musk dropped the lawsuit three months later without giving a reason, reported Reuters. The day before he dropped the lawsuit, he reacted to the news that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is partnering with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT with Apple devices. On X, Musk declared, ‘If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS (operating system) level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation.” It should be noted that OpenAI has said queries completed on Apple devices will not be stored by OpenAI. By August 2024, Musk had resumed his litigation in federal court.

    It seems that the US government also has questions about the restructuring of the private company and the involvement of tech giant Microsoft, as reported by Bloomberg. In early January 2025, the Financial Press also reported the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has raised questions about the potential anti-trust violations in the newly emerging AI technology space arising from Microsoft’s partnership with and investments in OpenAI.

    Of course, Musk took to X to weigh in on the Stargate Project, suggesting OpenAI and its partners don’t actually have the US$500 million they’ve pledged to invest. Sam Altman was quick to reply, telling Musk he’s mistaken and inviting him to visit their data center under construction in Texas.

    However, Musk is not alone in his skepticism. For example, Atreides Management Chief Investment Office Gavin Baker also questioned the deal on X. “Stargate is a great name but the $500b is a ridiculous number and no one should take it seriously,” Baker wrote, backing up his statement by explaining the financial positions of each of the partners. “Nowhere close to $500b. Everyone should just start issuing press releases for $1 trillion AI projects.”

    OpenAI criticisms and lawsuits

    While ChatGPT has served as a major step forward in generative AI technology, there are many technical and ethical concerns with the program that have emerged since it launched, including fears over job destruction and targeted disinformation campaigns.

    Accuracy of information in ChatGPT’s answers is not guaranteed. Its selection of which words to string together are actually predictions — not as fallible as mere guesses, but still fallible. Even the 4.0 version is “still is not fully reliable (it “hallucinates” facts and makes reasoning errors),” says the company, which emphasizes that users should exercise caution when employing the technology.

    Indeed, ChatGPT’s failings can have dangerous real-life consequences. Among other negative applications, the tech can be used to spread misinformation, carry out phishing email scams or write malicious code.

    There’s also the fear among teachers that the technology is leading to an unwelcome rise in academic dishonesty, with students using ChatGPT to write essays or complete their homework.

    “Teachers and school administrators have been scrambling to catch students using the tool to cheat, and they are fretting about the havoc ChatGPT could wreak on their lesson plans,” writes New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose.

    Many lawsuits against OpenAI have emerged as well. Multiple news outlets, including the the New York Times, have launched copyright lawsuits against OpenAI, and some of the plaintiffs are also seeking damages from the private tech firm’s very public partner Microsoft.

    Additionally, the Authors Guild, which represents a group of prominent authors, launched a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI that is calling for a licensing system that would allow authors to opt out of having their books used to train AI, and would require AI companies to pay for the material they do use.

    In October, OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji blew the whistle on the company, reporting that the firm was violating US copyright laws. He died one month later in what was ruled a suicide, but the investigation is still open.

    Cybersecurity risks are also a concern for ChatGPT users, and recent events along these lines add validity to Musk’s warning. For one, in 2024 ChatGPT for macOS was discovered to be breaching Apple’s security rules by storing data as plain text rather than encryption, making it possible for other apps to access.

    What’s the future of OpenAI and ChatGPT?

    What about the long-term goals for OpenAI and ChatGPT? For most of the tech leaders in this space, the end game is artificial general intelligence (AGI) — a system that can perform any function the human brain can, including self-teaching, abstract thinking and understanding cause and effect.

    As uptake increases, AI technology is taking over the role of humans and will likely continue doing so in a number of fields, from content creation and customer service to transcription and translation services, and even in graphic design, software engineering and paralegal fields.

    In addition to Microsoft’s use of the ChatGPT technology as part of Copilot, other companies are working with OpenAI to incorporate the technology into their platforms, including Canva, Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL), Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE), Intercom, Salesforce (NASDAQ:CRM), Stripe, Tinder, Upwork (NASDAQ:UPWK) and Visa (NYSE:V).

    For 2025, OpenAI is focusing on developing agentic AI capabilities into its ChatGPT platform. Agentic AI, a part of the evolution towards AGI, involves AI systems and models that can act autonomously and complete tasks without much human guidance. Early in January, OpenAI announced the rollout of new task features for ChatGPT Pro, Plus and Teams users. While still in the beta stage, these features allow users to schedule future tasks to be completed by ChatGPT, such as a weekly news brief or reminders about important meetings.

    OpenAI first debuted its foray into agentic AI in September 2024 with the introduction of ChatGPT o1, stating ‘We’ve developed a new series of AI models designed to spend more time thinking before they respond.’ The release of the next iterations of this model, ChatGPT o3 mini and o4 mini happened in the first half of 2025.

    The recent release of Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI assistant may present a problem for OpenAI and the US tech industry as a whole. In what tech gurus like Marc Andreesen call AI’s Sputnik moment, DeepSeek unseated ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app in the Apple App Store, at reportedly a fraction of the cost. For reference, in 1957 the Soviets launched Sputnik, the earth’s first artificial satellite, beating out the United States and sparking a Cold War space exploration race between the two nations.

    The DeepSeek launch set off a significant sell off in technology stocks on January 27, 2025, especially among the Magnificent Seven members, including NVIDIA, Microsoft and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL).

    When will OpenAI go public?

    OpenAI stock is not currently publicly traded, and following the May 2025 decision to remain a non-profit, there are no signs of an on initial public offering (IPO) in the works for 2025. For now, investors can gain exposure through related tech companies discussed below.

    Which stocks will benefit the most from AI chatbot technology?

    Other than companies directly tied to generative AI technology, which stocks are likely to get a boost from generative AI advancements?

    There are several verticals in the tech industry with indirect exposure to AI chatbot technology, such as semiconductors, network equipment providers, cloud providers, central processing unit manufacturers and internet of things.

    Some of the publicly traded companies in these verticals include:

      You can also take a look back at the market with our AI Market 2024 Year-End Review and AI Market Update: Q2 2025 in Review, or read projections for AI this year in our AI Market Forecast: 3 Top Trends that will Affect AI in 2025. Generative AI is also a major theme in the Top 10 Emerging Technologies to Watch.

      FAQs for investing in OpenAI and ChatGPT

      How is OpenAI funded?

      OpenAI raised US$57.9 billion over 11 funding rounds from 2016 to March 2025.

      Top investors include technology investment firm Thrive Capital, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and revolutionary technology investment firm Founders Fund.

      What is the market value of ChatGPT/OpenAI?

      OpenAI has a market valuation of US$300 billion as of June 2025. The company’s annualized revenue reached the US$10 billion mark in June 2025, up from the US$5.5 billion achieved in December 2024.

      Does ChatGPT use NVIDIA chips?

      ChatGPT’s distributed computing infrastructure depends upon powerful servers with multiple graphics processing units (GPUs). High-performance NVIDIA GPU chips are preferred for this application as they also provide excellent Compute Unified Device Architecture support.

      What is DeepSeek?

      DeepSeek is a Chinese AI company that launched new AI-driven, open-source language models known as DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1 into the market in January 2025. Reuters reports that ‘the training of DeepSeek-V3 required less than $6 million worth of computing power from Nvidia H800 chips.’

      DeepSeek-R1 is designed to compete with the performance of OpenAI-o1 across math, code, and reasoning tasks.

      Can ChatGPT make stock predictions?

      A University of Florida study from 2023 highlighted the potential for advanced language models such as ChatGPT to accurately predict movements in the stock market using sentiment analysis.

      During the course of the study, ChatGPT outperformed traditional sentiment analysis methods, and the finance professors conducting the research concluded that “incorporating advanced language models into the investment decision-making process can yield more accurate predictions and enhance the performance of quantitative trading strategies.”

      When to expect ChatGPT 5?

      In June 2025, during an OpenAI podcast Sam Altman responded with, ‘Probably some time this summer,’ when asked about when the market can expect to see ChatGPT-5.

      Previously, OpenAI filed a trademark application for ChatGPT-5 in mid-July 2023, which hinted that the next iteration of the generative AI technology is currently under development. There were rumors the company planned to complete training for ChatGPT-5 by the end of 2023, but this did not materialize. PC Guide noted in April 2024 that Sam Altman had teased an “amazing new model this year’ in an interview on the Lex Fridman podcast.

      In November 2024, Altman confirmed that ChatGPT-5 wouldn’t likely hit the market until later in 2025 as the company switched its focus to ChatGPT o1 and its successors.

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

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Lithium prices continued their downward trajectory in Q2 2025, with battery-grade lithium carbonate hitting a four-year low of US$8,329 per metric ton in late June.

      Lithium hydroxide followed suit, as oversupply and bearish sentiment weighed on the market.

      Despite strong electric vehicle (EV) demand, mined supply — driven largely by China, Australia, Argentina and emerging African producers — has outpaced consumption, with Fastmarkets forecasting a 260,000 metric ton surplus for 2025.

      “The industry is navigating a period of complexity,” said Paul Lusty, head of battery raw materials at Fastmarkets, speaking at the firm’s June lithium conference.

      Still, he emphasized that long-term fundamentals remain “anchored in mega trends,” including the global energy transition, AI expansion and climate change mitigation.

      In China, production ramp-ups and new fair competition rules have added volatility, while US policy uncertainty under the Trump administration has dampened investor sentiment. Brief price rebounds in July, spurred by speculation over supply cuts, were short-lived, reflecting the market’s sensitivity to rumors over fundamentals.

      Even with near-term headwinds, analysts say the structural case for lithium is solid, offering opportunities for long-term-focused investors.

      Against this backdrop, some lithium stocks are seeing share price gains. Below, we profile the lithium stocks in Canada, Australia and the US that have performed the best so far in 2025, updating investors on the lithium companies’ news and activities.

      This list of the top-gaining lithium companies is based on year-to-date as per TradingView’s stock screener. Data for Canadian stocks and US stocks was collected on July 22, 2025, and data for Australian stocks was gathered on July 23, 2025. Lithium stocks with market caps above $10 million in their respective currencies were considered.

      Top Canadian lithium stocks

      1. NOA Lithium Brines (TSXV:NOAL)

      Year-to-date gain: 58.82 percent
      Market cap: C$488.32 million
      Share price: C$0.30

      NOA is a lithium exploration and development company with three projects in Argentina’s Lithium Triangle region. The company’s flagship Rio Grande project and prospective Arizaro and Salinas Grandes land packages total more than 140,000 hectares.

      As NOA works to advance its flagship asset, the company brought on Hatch in April to lead the preliminary economic assessment (PEA).

      The PEA will evaluate the project’s economic and development potential with a target production of 20,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) annually, with a scalable plant design that could double capacity to 40,000 metric tons per year.

      NOA has also been working to secure a water source in the arid region through a drilling program targeting fresh water. In late June, the company discovered a fresh water source at the project, located near high-grade lithium zones in the project’s northeast area. According to the company, the location means the water source could support future production facilities or evaporation ponds.

      The well, drilled to 190 meters in the northern part of the property, is being tested and developed.

      Shares of NOA reached a year-to-date high C$0.425 on July 17, 2025.

      2. Wealth Minerals (TSXV:WML)

      Year-to-date gain: 40 percent
      Market cap: C$23.93 million
      Share price: C$0.07

      Wealth Minerals is focused on the acquisition and development of lithium projects in Chile, including the Yapuckuta project in Chile’s Salar de Atacama, as well as the Kuska Salar and Pabellón projects near the Salar de Ollagüe.

      Wealth Minerals’ shares spiked to a year-to-date high of C$0.095 on February 9, 2025, following the company’s acquisition of the Pabellón project.

      According to Wealth, Pabellón has been shortlisted by Chile’s Ministry of Mining as a potential site for a Special Lithium Operation Contract based on its geological and environmental suitability. Located in Northern Chile near the Bolivia border, the project spans 7,600 hectares across 26 exploration licenses about 70 kilometers south of the Salar de Ollagüe.

      In May, Wealth formed a joint venture with the Quechua Indigenous Community of Ollagüe to advance the Kuska project. The new entity, Kuska Minerals SpA, is 95 percent owned by Wealth and 5 percent by the community, which also holds anti-dilution rights and a seat on the five-member board.

      3. Avalon Advanced Materials (TSX:AVL)

      Year-to-date gain: 37.5 percent
      Market cap: C$38.26 million
      Share price: C$0.055

      Avalon Advanced Materials is a Canadian mineral development company focusing on integrating the Ontario lithium supply chain. Avalon is developing the Separation Rapids and Snowbank lithium projects near Kenora, Ontario, and the Lilypad lithium-cesium project near Fort Hope, Ontario.

      Separation Rapids and Lilypad are part of a 40/60 joint venture between Avalon and SCR Sibelco, with Sibelco serving as the operator.

      Avalon started the year with a revised mineral resource estimate for the Separation Rapids project, which boosted resources in the measured and indicated category by 28 percent.

      Company shares rose to C$0.07, a year-to-date high, on July 15, the day after Avalon released its results for its fiscal quarter ended May 31.

      A week later, Avalon announced an additional C$1.3 million in funding through its C$15 million convertible security agreement with Lind Global Fund II. The drawdown, expected to close within two weeks, will support project development and general corporate needs, according to the company.

      Top US lithium stocks

      1. Sociedad Química y Minera (NYSE:SQM)

      Year-to-date gain: 10.43 percent
      Market cap: US$10.82 billion
      Share price: US$40.64

      SQM is a major global lithium producer, with operations centered in Chile’s Salar de Atacama. The company extracts lithium from brine and produces lithium carbonate and hydroxide for use in batteries.

      SQM is expanding production and holds interests in projects in Australia and China.

      Shares of SQM reached a year-to-date high of US$45.61 on March 17, 2025. The spike occurred a few weeks after the company released its 2024 earnings report, which highlighted record sales volumes in the lithium and iodine segments. However, low lithium prices weighed on revenue from the segment, and the company’s reported net profit was pulled down significantly due to a large accounting adjustment related to income tax.

      In late April, Chile’s competition watchdog approved the partnership agreement between SQM and state-owned copper giant Codelco aimed at boosting output at the Atacama salt flat. The deal, first announced in 2024, reached another milestone when it secured approval for an additional lithium quota from Chile’s nuclear energy regulator CChEN.

      Weak lithium prices continued to weigh on profits, with the company reporting a 4 percent year-over-year decrease in total revenues for Q1 2025.

      2. Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC)

      Year-to-date gain: 9.67 percent
      Market cap: US$719.1 million
      Share price: US$3.29

      Lithium Americas is developing its flagship Thacker Pass project in Northern Nevada, US. The project is a joint venture between Lithium Americas at 62 percent and General Motors (NYSE:GM) at 38 percent.

      According to the firm, Thacker Pass is the “largest known measured lithium resource and reserve in the world.”

      Early in the year, Lithium Americas saw its share rally to a year-to-date high of US$3.49 on January 16, coinciding with a brief rally in lithium carbonate prices.

      In March, Lithium Americas secured US$250 million from Orion Resource Partners to advance Phase 1 construction of Thacker Pass. The funding is expected to fully cover development costs through the construction phase. On April 1, the joint venture partners made a final investment decision for the project, with completion targeted for late 2027.

      Other notable announcements this year included a new at-the-market equity program, allowing the company to sell up to US$100 million in common shares.

      3. Lithium Argentina (NYSE:LAR)

      Year-to-date gain: 8.46 percent
      Market cap: US$467.28 million
      Share price: US$2.90

      Lithium Argentina produces lithium carbonate from its Caucharí-Olaroz brine project in Argentina, developed with Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,HKEX:1772).

      The company is also advancing additional regional lithium assets to support EV and battery demand.

      Previously named Lithium Americas (Argentina), the company was spun out from Lithium Americas in October 2023.

      While shares of Lithium Argentina spiked in early January to a year-to-date high of US$3.10, the share price has been trending higher since June 19 to its current US$2.90 value.

      Notable news from the company this year includes its name and ticker change and corporate migration to Switzerland in late January and the release of the full-year 2024 results in March.

      In mid-April, Lithium Argentina executed a letter of intent with Ganfeng Lithium to jointly advance development across the Pozuelos-Pastos Grandes basins in Argentina. The plan includes a project fully owned by Ganfeng as well as two jointly held assets majority-owned by Lithium Argentina.

      The company released its Q1 results on May 15, reporting a 15 percent quarter-over-quarter production reduction, which it attributed to planned shutdowns aimed at increasing recoveries and reducing costs.

      Overall, the production guidance for 2025 is forecasted at 30,000 to 35,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate, reflecting higher expected production volumes in the second half of the year.

      Top Australian lithium stocks

      1. Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL)

      Year-to-date gain: 123.26 percent
      Market cap: AU$35.94 million
      Share price: AU$0.48

      Perth-based Jindalee Lithium is currently focused on its McDermitt lithium project, which it regards as a potential low-cost and long-life lithium source for North America.

      On April 22, McDermitt was declared among the US Trump administration’s first 10 resource projects designated as Fast-41 Transparency Projects, which is intended to fast track resource projects important to the US’s critical minerals supply chain. The designation secures publicly accessible permitting timelines and enhances interagency cooperation for the project.

      Shares of Jindalee Lithium spiked to a year-to-date high of AU$0.565 April 30, the day after Jindalee released its March 2025 quarterly activities report.

      On July 10, Jindalee announced a memorandum of understanding with US-based LiChem Operations, which is developing its lithium refining process for battery grade lithium. Jindalee will initially supply LiChem with 100 kilograms of ore from McDermitt for testwork.

      If both companies are satisfied with the result, Jindalee will provide up to 20 metric tons of further ore to LiChem in stages. There is also potential for Jindalee to negotiate for a license to use LiChem’s process in place of the sulfuric acid flowsheet from its prefeasibility study.

      2. Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR)

      Year-to-date gain: 75.47 percent
      Market cap: AU$2.34 billion
      Share price: AU$0.93

      Liontown Resources has two assets in Western Australia, including the producing Kathleen Valley mine and processing plant. The mine entered open-pit production during the second half of 2024, and the plant reached commercial production in January 2025.

      The company is currently transitioning from open-pit to underground mining operations at Kathleen Valley. Underground production stoping kicked off in April of this year, making Kathleen Valley Western Australia’s first underground lithium mine.

      Liontown also owns the Buldania lithium project in the Eastern Goldfields province of Western Australia. The project has an initial mineral resource of 15 million metric tons at 1.0 percent lithium oxide.

      On June 30, Liontown announced executive leadership changes, appointing Graeme Pettit as interim chief financial officer and Ryan Hair as chief operating officer after CFO Jon Latto and COO Adam Smits decided to step down from the positions.

      The company released its fiscal 2025 results on July 29, reporting that Kathleen Valley produced over 300,000 wet metric metric tons of spodumene concentrate during its first 11 months of operations.

      Shares of Liontown Resources reached a year-to-date high of AU$1.03 on July 21.

      3. Anson Resources (ASX:ASN)

      Year-to-date gain: 57.14 percent
      Market cap: AU$145.61 million
      Share price: AU$0.11

      Newport Beach-based Anson Resources is advancing development of its flagship Paradox lithium project and its Green River lithium project, both located the Paradox Basin of Utah, US. It plans to produce lithium from the projects using direct lithium extraction (DLE).

      Anson Resources has shared significant developments at Green River this year. According to its March quarterly activities report, the company completed a DLE pilot program with Koch Technology Solutions, producing 43,000 gallons of lithium chloride eluate with an average lithium recovery of 98 percent from brine extracted from Green River’s Bosydaba #1 well.

      A June maiden JORC mineral resource for Green River estimated 103,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent based solely on drilling at the Bosydaba #1 well. The prior month, the company negotiated a lower royalty rate agreement with the Utah government.

      On July 1, the company announced it signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490) to co-develop a DLE demonstration plant at Green River, which POSCO will fully fund.

      Anson Resources’ share price spiked in mid-July, ultimately climbing to a year-to-date high of AU$0.11 on July 21, following a pair of announcements.

      On July 14, Anson reported it shipped about 2 tons of lithium brine to POSCO in South Korea for test work and due diligence. Two days later, it announced that its polishing system, which is installed at Green River, successfully reduced the minor contaminants from the lithium chloride eluate produced in the KOCH DLE pilot program.

      FAQs for investing in lithium

      How much lithium is on Earth?

      While we don’t know how much total lithium is on Earth, the US Geological Survey estimates that global reserves of lithium stand at 22 billion metric tons. Of that, 9.2 billion MT are located in Chile, and 5.7 billion MT are in Australia.

      Where is lithium mined?

      Lithium is mined throughout the world, but the two countries that produce the most are Australia and Chile. Australia’s lithium comes from primarily hard-rock deposits, while Chile’s comes from lithium brines. Chile is part of the Lithium Triangle alongside Argentina and Bolivia, although those two countries have a lower annual output.

      Rounding out the top five lithium-producing countries behind Australia and Chile are China, Argentina and Brazil.

      What is lithium used for?

      Lithium has many uses, including the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, smartphones and other tech, as well as pharmaceuticals, ceramics, grease, lubricants and heat-resistant glass. Still, it is largely the electric vehicle industry that is boosting demand.

      How to invest in lithium?

      Those looking to get into the lithium market have many options when it comes to how to invest in lithium.

      Lithium stocks like those mentioned above could be a good option for investors interested in the space. If you’re looking to diversify instead of focusing on one stock, there is the Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (NYSE:LIT), an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focused on the metal. Experienced investors can also look at lithium futures.

      Unlike many commodities, investors cannot physically hold lithium due to its dangerous properties.

      How to buy lithium stocks?

      Through the use of a broker or an investing service such as an app, investors can purchase lithium stocks and ETFs that match their investing outlook.

      Before buying a lithium stock, potential investors should take time to research the companies they’re considering; they should also decide how many shares will be purchased, and what price they are willing to pay. With many options on the market, it’s critical to complete due diligence before making any investment decisions.

      It’s also important for investors to keep their goals in mind when choosing their investing method. There are many factors to consider when choosing a broker, as well as when looking at investing apps — a few of these include the broker or app’s reputation, their fee structure and investment style.

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

      Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced on its La Union Project in northwest Sonora, Mexico. This work is being carried out by property vendor and operator Riverside Resources Inc. (TSXV: RRI).

      Highlights

      • Initial drill program is designed to expand known zones of mineralization, test new targets, and explore areas surrounding multiple historical mine workings within the 25 km² project area.
      • Drill program will consist of + 1,500m of diamond core drilling across six holes, each averaging 250m in depth.
      • Drilling to test the carbonate-hosted replacement deposit (CRD) style of mineralization, with gold associated with mantos, chimneys, and along structural zones.
      • Angled drill holes are aimed at cutting perpendicular to stratigraphic targets and some structural targets which is typical in CRD systems
      • Structural features may have served as mineralizing conduits and are key targets in the current drill program.

      The recent exploration work over the past three months by Riverside has improved the understanding of the structural geology and stratigraphy in the Sierra El Viejo, the mountain range immediately to the west of La Union Project. The La Union district lies along the flanks of this range, where these updated interpretations help guide current exploration efforts. The exploration target focus is for a large potential gold discovery that expands from previous smaller scale mine operations on the property. The drill program will begin to test the new concepts and expand past previous mining.

      Saf Dhillon, President & CEO states, ‘Questcorp is proud to be working with John-Mark and his whole team at Riverside in what is a historic moment in the development of this property. The La Union Project has had work conducted on it for decades, including the production of 50,000 ounces of gold itself but, it has never had a drill bit pierce the ground until now!’

      Earlier this year, Questcorp entered into a definitive option agreement with Riverside’s wholly owned subsidiary, RRM Exploracion, S.A.P.I. DE C.V. to acquire a 100% interest in the La Union Project. As part of the agreement, Questcorp issued shares to Riverside, making Riverside a shareholder and aligning both parties’ interests in the Project’s success. With funding provided by Questcorp, an initial C$1,000,000 exploration program is now underway. This marks the first phase of a larger, C$5,500,000 work commitment, contingent on exploration results and Questcorp’s continued participation.

      The Drill Program Targets include more than four different areas, beginning with this early-stage stratigraphic and orientation phase of drilling exploration aimed at evaluating the scale of alteration and indications of a mineralized system. This will be the first drilling ever conducted on most of the targets, despite past mining having occurred in the majority of these areas. The initial program will consist of one to three holes per area, primarily for orientation purposes. Follow-up drilling is planned and can be expanded based on initial results, which will help verify the stratigraphy, lithologies, and structural features allowing for improved modeling and next-stage discovery targeting. The four areas are listed below:

      • Union Main Mine Area – The program will use angled drill holes to test limestone and other carbonate stratigraphic hosts within the Clemente Formation, with the potential to reach the underlying Caborca Formation. These units are considered the primary hosts for replacement-style mineralization.
      • North Union Mine Area – The initial focus of the program will be on testing structural interpretations. Additional drilling is anticipated following this first phase, as results will help guide future drill testing of areas with past mining activity and various structural orientations.
      • Cobre Mine Area – The Clemente Formation is the primary host unit, and structural features combined with areas of past mining provide multiple target zones. Drilling will begin with an initial stratigraphic test hole to help orient around the thickness of the host unit and extend into the lower Caborca Formation, which is also a favorable host for CRD-style mineralization.
      • Central Union Area – Structural targets, as possible mineralization feeder zones, are a key focus in this past mining manto area. There are extensive additional target zones in the area, and this initial orientation drilling will provide vectoring for the next stage of drilling and further study of the Clemente Formation, and possibly into the Caborca Formation as currently interpreted.

      General Overview of La Union Project

      The Project is summarized in a recently published NI 43-101 Technical Report available under Questcorp’s SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca). Riverside initially acquired the Project and subsequently consolidated additional inlier mineral claims, building a strong land position. Riverside then advanced the Project through surface access agreements and drill permitting, making it a turn-key exploration opportunity for Questcorp.

      The Project was originally identified through Riverside’s exploration work in the western Sonora Gold Belt, conducted in collaboration with AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Centerra Gold Inc., and Hochschild Mining Plc. Earlier research by Riverside Founder John-Mark Staude also contributed to recognizing the district’s potential. Initial work by members of the Riverside team, drawing on more than two decades of geological compilation and analysis, further confirmed the region as highly prospective.

      At the Project, historical mining by the Penoles Mining Company targeted chimney and manto-style replacement bodies within the upper oxide zones. As a result, the underlying sulfide zones represent immediate and compelling drill targets for further exploration.

      The Project features favorable limestone host rocks, an extensive alteration footprint, and multiple small-scale historical workings, with mineralization styles similar to those at the Hermosa Project in southern Arizona. At Hermosa, South32 is advancing mine development following its acquisition of the project from Arizona Mining. On 15 February 2024, South32’s board approved a US $2.16 billion capital investment to develop the Taylor zinc-lead-silver deposit, representing the largest private mining investment in Southern Arizona’s history. The project is now considered one of the most significant undeveloped base-metal assets in the United States.

      At the La Union Project, immediate drill targets offer the potential for significant-scale discoveries. La Union is well positioned for near-term exploration success, with targets that include both oxide and deeper sulfide mineralization.

      Figure 1. Geologic map with the tenure of the Union internal concession shown in pink. Manto and chimney type CRD targets are shown as red polygons. All mineral tenures on this map comprise the La Union project. The drill program will focus on the Union Mine and areas north of the Union Mine with the initial drill work.

      To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
      https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/261433_a2ed3d4fb471dade_001full.jpg

      Figure 2. Cross section looking west with conceptual drill targets and schematic drillhole traces. Assays from Riverside’s sampling of rock dump materials from the two mine areas are labeled in black. Red areas are interpreted as manto and chimney target bodies that are now well defined and drill ready. Assays shown on figures 1 and 2 have been previously released and disclosed as summarized below the geochemical QA/QC and in published NI 43-101 Report that Questcorp published 2025 on Sedar+.

      To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
      https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/261433_a2ed3d4fb471dade_002full.jpg

      The La Union Project

      The La Union Project is a carbonate replacement deposit (‘CRD’) project hosted by Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks (limestones, dolomites, and siliciclastic sediments) overlying crystalline Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Caborca Terrane. The structural setting features high-angle normal faults and low-to-medium-angle thrust faults that sometimes served as mineralization conduits. Mineralization occurs as polymetallic veins, replacement zones (mantos, chimneys), and shear zones with high-grade metal content, as shown in highlight grades of 59.4 grams per metric tonne (g/t) gold, 833 g/t silver, 11% zinc, 5.5% lead, 2.2% copper, along with significant hematite and manganese oxides, consistent with a CRD model (see the technical report entitled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Union Project, State of Sonora, Mexico’ dated effective May 6, 2025 available under Questcorp’s SEDAR+ profile). These targets also demonstrate intriguing potential for large gold discoveries potentially above an even larger porphyry Cu district potential as the Company’s target concept at this time.

      Questcorp cautions investors that grab samples are selective by nature and not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the property.

      The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (BC), a director of the Company and a ‘qualified person’ under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

      About Questcorp Mining Inc.

      Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

      Contact Information

      Questcorp Mining Corp.

      Saf Dhillon, President & CEO

      Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
      Telephone: (604) 484-3031

      This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to Riverside’s arrangements with geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

      To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/261433

      News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Fortune Bay Corp. (TSXV: FOR) (FWB: 5QN) (OTCQB: FTBYF) (‘Fortune Bay’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive option agreement (the ‘Agreement’), dated July 25, 2025, with Neu Horizon Uranium Limited ACN 653 749 145 (the ‘Optionee’), a private Australian arms-length party. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Optionee will be granted the option (the ‘Option’) to acquire an eighty percent interest in The Woods Uranium Projects (‘The Woods’ or the ‘Projects’) located on the northern margin of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan (Figure 1).

      Figure 1: The Woods Uranium Projects – District-Scale Opportunity (CNW Group/Fortune Bay Corp.)

      The Woods Highlights:

      • District-scale opportunity, including five projects covering approximately 40,000 hectares.
      • A dominant land position along the Grease River Shear Zone (‘GRSZ’) within 30 kilometres of the northern Athabasca Basin margin.
      • The GRSZ is significantly underexplored relative to other major Athabasca Basin structures (less than 20 historical drill holes northeast of Fond du Lac, and only 3 historical drill holes on the Projects).
      • Geological settings and structural features are prospective for; 1) unconformity-related basement-hosted uranium deposits, 2) magmatic intrusive uranium deposits and, 3) rare earth element (‘REE’) deposits.
      • Abundant historical uranium and REE showings, and the highest lake sediment uranium anomalies in Saskatchewan.

      Dale Verran, CEO of Fortune Bay, commented: ‘We are pleased to have executed a Definitive Option Agreement with Neu Horizon for the advancement of The Woods Uranium Projects. This partnership combines strong technical capabilities and capital markets expertise to accelerate exploration efforts on these high-potential projects at a time of strengthening uranium market fundamentals. The transaction reflects our disciplined approach to capital allocation—prioritizing spend on our core gold assets at Goldfields and Poma Rosa—while unlocking blue-sky potential from earlier-stage projects through partnerships that preserve upside for our shareholders.’

      Martin Holland, Executive Chairman of Neu Horizon Uranium, added: ‘We’re pleased to have successfully closed the earn-in agreement with Fortune Bay and to partner with an experienced in-country team, complementing Neu’s strong technical expertise. With this foundation in place, we’re eager to hit the ground running and carry out substantial work to position the project for drilling ahead of our planned ASX IPO in Q1 2026.’

      Key Terms

      Consistent with the Letter of Intent (the ‘LOI’) signed in May, 2025, the Option is exercisable by the Optionee completing staged cash payments and share issuances, and incurring the following exploration expenditures on the Project:

      Cash

      Consideration
      Shares

      Exploration
      Expenditures

      Interest Earned

      Signing of Definitive Agreement

      A$50,000

      A$50,000

      Nil

      80 %

      31 December 2025

      Nil

      A$200,000

      A$700,000

      31 December 2026

      Nil

      A$500,000

      A$2,300,000

      Total

      A$50,000

      A$750,000

      A$3,000,000

      The Company will act as the operator during the Option period and will be entitled to charge a management fee of 10% of expenditures incurred on the Projects. A participating Joint Venture (‘JV’) will be formed at the end of the Option period, consistent with customary JV Terms. The JV will allow for dilution and should the Company’s interest fall below 10% the Company will be granted a 2% net smelter returns (‘NSR’) royalty. One-half (1%) of the NSR may be purchased at any time prior to commercial production for a cash payment of A$5 million, subject to Consumer Price Index increase.

      Further Projects details are provided in the Company’s News Release dated May 29, 2025.

      Qualified Person

      The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gareth Garlick, P.Geo., Technical Director of the Company, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Garlick is an employee of Fortune Bay and is not independent of the Company under NI 43-101.

      Technical Disclosure on Historical Results

      The historical uranium and REE occurrences referenced in the ‘Woods Highlights’ section derive from the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposits Index. The lake sediment uranium anomalism referred to in the same section refers to historical results derived from the Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database file number 74O09-0004, in comparison with the open-source regional Saskatchewan lake sediment geochemistry database available on the Government of Saskatchewan Mining and Petroleum GeoAtlas. Historical results are not verified and there is a risk that any future confirmation work and exploration may produce results that substantially differ from these. The Company considers these unverified historical results relevant to assess the mineralization and economic potential of the property.

      About Fortune Bay

      Fortune Bay Corp. (TSXV:FOR, FWB:5QN, OTCQB:FTBYF) is an exploration and development company with 100% ownership in two advanced gold projects in Canada, Saskatchewan (Goldfields Project) and Mexico, Chiapas (Poma Rosa Project), both with exploration and development potential. The Company is also advancing seven uranium exploration projects on the northern rim of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, which have high-grade potential. The Company has a goal of building a mid-tier exploration and development Company through the advancement of its existing projects and the strategic acquisition of new projects to create a pipeline of growth opportunities. The Company’s corporate strategy is driven by a Board and Management team with a proven track record of discovery, project development and value creation. Further information on Fortune Bay and its assets can be found on the Company’s website at www.fortunebaycorp.com or by contacting us as info@fortunebaycorp.com or by telephone at 902-334-1919.

      About Neu Horizon

      Neu Horizon is a public unlisted Australian company focused on discovering and developing Tier 1 uranium deposits in premier exploration jurisdictions. Through this exciting new partnership with Fortune Bay, the company has access to a dominant land package with over 100,000ha of prime exploration ground covering three projects in Sweden and five projects in Canada.

      Sweden is Europe’s leading mining nation and also hosts the world’s largest low-grade uranium resource within the Alum-shale, where Neu Horizon has a significant landholding. The company aims to take advantage of the Swedish Government’s plans to lift the 2018 moratorium on uranium exploration and mining to delineate a significant European uranium deposit.

      Canada’s Athabasca Basin is the world’s leading source of high-grade uranium. Access to this land package along the northern rim of the basin provides Neu Horizon direct access to this underexplored uranium exploration frontier.

      These strategic projects align Neu Horizon with the global demand for clean, sustainable and low-carbon energy, by taking advantage of both countries’ rich uranium resources and supportive mining legislation.

      On behalf of Fortune Bay Corp.

      ‘Dale Verran’
      Chief Executive Officer
      902-334-1919

      Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

      Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management’s current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Words such as ‘expects’, ‘aims’, ‘anticipates’, ‘targets’, ‘goals’, ‘projects’, ‘intends’, ‘plans’, ‘believes’, ‘seeks’, ‘estimates’, ‘continues’, ‘may’, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

      Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company’s objectives, goals, intentions or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to failure to identify targets or mineralization, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, inability to reach access agreements with other Project communities, amendments to applicable mining laws, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing or partnerships needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and those risks set out in the Company’s public documents filed on SEDAR+. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. For more information on Fortune Bay, readers should refer to Fortune Bay’s website at www.fortunebaycorp.com.

      Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


      Source

       

       

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      The stock market’s momentum from earlier this week, which saw the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) and the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) reach new record highs, came to a halt on Friday (August 1).

      Investors were reacting to a series of mixed tech earnings reports. Many were accompanied by cautious forward-looking guidance despite strong top-line numbers. This sentiment was further soured by fresh economic data out of the US showing that while employment remains strong, there are signs inflation is reaccelerating.

      The most significant blow, however, came from geopolitical developments that reignited global trade tensions, prompting new fears of retaliatory tariffs and the potential for a renewed surge in inflation.

      1. Samsung and Tesla strike deal

      Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk announced a US$16.5 billion deal with Samsung Electronics (HKEX:2814) that would see the electronics conglomerate produce AI6 semiconductors for the carmaker until 2033.

      Production will take place at Samsung’s new fab in Taylor, Texas. The news led to a 6.8 percent rise in Samsung’s shares on Monday (July 28), as well as a 1 percent increase for Tesla. Last week, the carmaker saw its share price decline after reporting a 12 percent drop in revenue, marking its biggest quarterly decline in over 10 years.

      Musk called the deal’s strategic importance “hard to overstate’ in a post on X. “Samsung agreed to allow Tesla to assist in maximizing manufacturing efficiency. This is a critical point, as I will walk the line personally to accelerate the pace of progress. And the fab is conveniently located not far from my house,” Musk added in another post.

      “The $16.5B number is just the bare minimum,” he also said. “Actual output is likely to be several times higher.”

      2. Bell Canada and Cohere partner on sovereign AI

      BCE (TSX:BCE,NYSE:BCE) and Canadian artificial intelligence (AI) company Cohere announced a partnership on Monday that will see them work together to provide AI services to Canadian companies and government agencies.

      The deal is focused on sovereign AI, meaning all data will stay within Canada.

      “At a critical time for Canada, we’re proud to partner with Cohere to create a sovereign, full-stack AI solution, custom-built to support the Canadian government and business. Working together, we will both transform Canadian businesses through cutting-edge AI capabilities, while ensuring that the data remains secure and within Canada,” said Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of BCE, previously known as Bell Canada Enterprises.

      “Our partnership with Bell Canada will provide the Canadian government and enterprises with world-class options for sovereign, security-first AI,’ added Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of privately owned Cohere.

      This has the potential to be truly transformative for organizations looking to massively increase their productivity and efficiency without any compromise on data security and privacy.’

      Under the terms of the deal, Bell will provide the physical infrastructure, including its national network and data centers. Meanwhile, Cohere will provide its powerful AI models to offer a secure, all-in-one AI solution. This helps Canadian organizations adopt new technology. It also ensures their sensitive information is kept safe at home.

      3. Palo Alto Networks to acquire CyberArk

      On Wednesday (July 30), Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) announced plans to acquire Israeli AI cybersecurity firm CyberArk Software. The Wall Street Journal had reported on Tuesday (July 29) that they were in talks.

      Under the terms of the agreement, CyberArk shareholders will receive US$45 cash and 2.2005 shares of Palo Alto per share of CyberArk. Palo Alto expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its revenue growth and gross margin, and accretive to free cash flow per share in fiscal year 2028.

      In a press release announcing the acquisition, Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo Alto, said:

      “Our market entry strategy has always been to enter categories at their inflection point, and we believe that moment for Identity Security is now. This strategy has guided our evolution from a next-gen firewall company into a multi-platform cybersecurity leader. Today, the rise of AI and the explosion of machine identities have made it clear that the future of security must be built on the vision that every identity requires the right level of privilege controls, not the ‘IAM fallacy’. CyberArk is the definitive leader in Identity Security with durable, foundational technology that is essential for securing the AI era. Together, we will define the next chapter of cybersecurity.”

      Udi Mokady, founder and executive chairman of CyberArk, called the news a ‘profound moment in CyberArk’s journey,’ saying that they combination will accelerate the mission it began more than two decades ago.

      Palo Alto Networks performance, July 29 to August 1, 2025.

      Chart via Google Finance.

      The deal is expected to close in the second half of Palo Alto’s 2026 fiscal year, subject to regulatory and CyberArk shareholder approval. Although Palo Alto hit a high of US$210.39 on Tuesday, shares of the company declined by 5 percent following the announcement and closed 17.83 percent below Tuesday’s high.

      4. Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Apple report quarterly results

      Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) ended its fourth fiscal quarter of 2025 with record revenue, driven by strong AI and cloud service growth. Microsoft Cloud revenue exceeded US$168 billion, a 23 percent increase, and Intelligent Cloud, including Azure, grew 26 percent to US$29.9 billion, with Azure up 39 percent. Although significant AI investments (over 100 million monthly Copilot users) caused a slight gross margin dip, the firm’s operating income rose 23 percent.

      CEO Satya Nadella expressed confidence in long-term growth. For her part, CFO Amy Hood noted that commercial bookings surpassed US$100 billion; she anticipates double-digit revenue and operating income growth in the 2026 fiscal year, though data center capacity may remain constrained through the first half of the period.

      Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) also had a positive Q2, with revenue up 22 percent to US$47.52 billion and net income up 36 percent to US$18.34 billion. Earnings per share rose 38 percent to US$7.14.

      CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the company’s focus on “personal superintelligence.”

      The Family of Apps saw daily active people increase 6 percent to 3.48 billion, and advertising revenue grew with impressions up 11 percent and average price per ad up 9 percent.

      Q3 revenue is projected to be US$47.5 billion to US$50.5 billion. However, regulatory challenges in the EU could impact European revenue. Meta is also heavily investing in AI and infrastructure, with 2025 capital expenditures narrowed to US$66 billion to US$72 billion, and similar growth expected in 2026.

      Microsoft, Apple, Meta Platforms and Amazon performance, July 29 to August 1, 2025. 

      Chart via Google Finance.

      Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) delivered a strong second quarter, with overall net sales growing 13 percent year-on-year to $167.7 billion. The company’s net income also saw a significant increase, rising 35 percent year-on-year to $18.16 billion.

      The growth was fueled by strong performance across all three of its major segments. The North America segment, which accounted for 60 percent of total net sales, saw a revenue increase of 11 percent year-on-year to $100.07 billion.

      The International segment saw its net sales grow by 16 percent year-on-year to $36.76 billion, with a particularly notable 448 percent increase in operating income. Amazon Web Services continued its steady performance, with net sales reaching $30.87 billion, up 17 percent year-on-year. Despite its strong revenue growth, the company’s trailing 12 month free cashflow declined by 66 percent year-on-year to $18.18 billion.

      Finally, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) posted strong results for its third fiscal quarter of 2025, with total net sales increasing to US$94.04 billion, up from US$85.78 billion in the same quarter last year.

      The company’s net income rose to US$23.43 billion, an increase from US$21.45 billion year-on-year. This performance translated to earnings per share of US$1.57, up from US$1.40 in the prior year. The growth was primarily driven by its products and services, with the iPhone and Mac categories seeing notable increases in net sales. Apple’s services segment also continued its expansion, with sales rising to US$27.42 billion from US$24.21 billion a year ago.

      5. Figma makes public debut

      Figma’s highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) generated significant buzz this week, with its share price and valuation surging dramatically on its first day of trading.

      On Monday, Figma increased its IPO price range to US$30 to US$32 a share, up from US$25 to US$28. This new pricing valued the company at up to a US$18.7 billion market cap and a US$17.2 billion enterprise value. According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the matter indicated that the IPO was approaching 40 times oversubscribed.

      The company had its first day of trading on the NYSE on Thursday (July 31).

      Figma’s shares surged by 250 percent from US$33 to US$115 following a blockbuster IPO, with the company raising US$1.22 billion. Its market cap reached US$67 billion by the end of the market’s close. On Friday, Figma opened at US$134.82 before pulling back alongside other major tech stocks and risk assets to finish the week at US$122. Its debut surge and end-of-day valuation made it one of the largest and most successful tech IPOs in recent memory.

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

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      On Thursday (July 31) Statistics Canada released gross domestic product figures for May. The data shows the Canadian economy shrank for the second month in a row, edging down by 0.1 percent.

      The decline was headlined by decreases in the resource sector, which posted a 1 percent contraction, led by a 2.1 fall in the mining and quarrying subsector. Oil and gas extraction was also down, recording a drop of 0.8 percent, marking the first back-to-back months of negative growth for the subsector since April and May 2023.

      However, the agency reported that advance figures for June show a reversal, with its data indicating a 0.1 percent growth during the month, and flat GDP for the second quarter. StatsCan will post its official figures on August 29.

      The Bank of Canada held its rate meeting this week, opting to hold its interest rate steady at 2.75 percent, citing resilience in the economy despite the trade dispute with the United States.

      The economic news comes against a backdrop of tariff threats from the United States. In July, the White House vowed to increase the tariff rate of non-CUSMA-compliant goods from Canada from the 25 percent imposed earlier in the year to 35 percent if a deal wasn’t negotiated by the August 1 deadline.

      On Thursday evening, the night before the deadline, Donald Trump signed an executive order increasing levies on goods entering the US from Canada. While CUSMA-compliant goods are largely exempt, the new tariff rate will have a significant impact on Canada’s auto, steel and softwood lumber industries.

      Canada is not alone, as new tariffs rates will be applied on imports from all countries that were part of his original April 2 announcement. Those countries that have successfully negotiated agreements will also pay tariffs, but at a lower rate. However, the US also announced that it won’t begin collecting tariffs on imports until August 7. The delay is intended to allow more time for completing negotiations and for US Customs to adjust to the new policy.

      The United States also released a slew of economic news this week, with fresh GDP, inflation and jobs data.

      The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released its second-quarter advance GDP estimate on Wednesday (July 30). While it shows solid growth of 3 percent after a 0.5 decline in the first quarter, analysts suggest it may be masking underlying weakness in the overall economy.

      Decreases in Q1 were mainly due to a rise in imports, which are deducted from GDP calculations, as companies stockpiled goods in anticipation of US tariffs taking effect. However, the second quarter’s increase was due to companies reducing imports and working through their pre-tariff stockpiles.

      US GDP is up a modest 1.2 percent since the start of the year, well below the 2.5 percent growth rate in 2024.

      On Thursday, the US BEA released its personal consumption expenditures index (PCE) data. The report shows that inflation surged to 2.6 percent in June on an annual basis, above analysts’ expectations of a 2.5 percent rise and up from May’s 2.4 percent. Less the volatile food and energy categories, PCE came in at 2.8 percent, matching numbers from the previous month.

      How much tariffs played a role in that increase is uncertain, but the PCE is a critical factor for the Federal Reserve’s decision in setting its benchmark Federal Funds Rate.

      The central bank board met for its July meeting on Tuesday (July 29) and Wednesday, and ultimately decided to continue to hold the rate at 4.25 to 4.5 percent. Although it noted there was less uncertainty compared to its last meeting, Powell noted that they were still unsure whether inflation due to tariffs would be a one-time increase or if it would have longer-term implications.

      Finally, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released July’s nonfarm payroll report on Friday (August 1), reporting that an estimated 73,000 jobs were added to the economy in July. While additional government and business reports resulted in significant downward revisions to the initial May and June job estimates, dropping May’s numbers from 144,000 to 19,000 added jobs and June’s from 147,000 to 14,000. The figures indicate a rapid slowdown in employment growth in the United States.

      Outside of the pandemic, employment growth in the United States has recorded the slowest start to the year since 2010.

      Following the report’s release, Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, accusing her without evidence of manipulating job data to make him look worse. The decision has drawn wide-spread criticism and concern that government sources on economic data will no longer be trustworthy.

      Markets and commodities react

      In Canada, equity markets were negative this week as Canada was unable to secure a deal with the United States. Although it reached a new all-time high Wednesday, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) ultimately declined 1.3 percent over the week to close at 27,020.43 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fell further, moving down 5.08 percent to 761.21. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) was the lone gainer, rising 0.76 percent to 134.37.

      US equity markets were broadly down on Friday on the new US tariffs and poor job data. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) fell 2.07 percent to 6,238.00, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) dropped 1.89 percent to 22,763.31 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) shed 2.61 percent to 43,588.57.

      In precious metals, after falling mid-week, the gold price rebounded sharply on Friday, ultimately ending the week up 0.77 percent to US$3,362.94 by Friday at 4 p.m. EDT. Meanwhile, the silver price dropped dramatically during the week. While it also bounced Friday, it still fell 5.66 percent to US$37.01.

      In base metals, copper prices plummeted 23.16 percent to US$4.48 per pound after President Trump announced refined copper exemptions to the 50 percent copper tariff earlier in the week. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was up mid-week but slumped on Friday, registering a 0.57 percent loss to finish the week 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 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations 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. Helius Minerals (TSXV:HHH)

      Weekly gain: 72.94 percent
      Market cap: C$48.93 million
      Share price: C$1.47

      Helius Minerals is a precious metals exploration company with a portfolio of assets in Nevada and Brazil.

      The company has spent the first part of the year fundraising in support of the acquisition of Colossus Minerals and its 75 percent stake in the Serra Pelada gold-platinum-palladium project in the Para state of Brazil.

      In 2009, Colossus reported significant assay results following its early exploration of the site, with one drill hole returning 8.04 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold, 154.5 g/t platinum and 245.8 g/t palladium.

      The company had already completed most of the construction for the underground mine in 2013 when its dewatering measures at the site failed to prevent water ingress in the mine. Colossus was not able to finance the work necessary to fix the issues and became insolvent, putting the mine on care and maintenance.

      In 2023, Colossus’ former geologist Christian Grainger was named Helius President and CEO.

      On May 8, Helius reported that Colossus shareholders approved the sale of the company and its assets. Under the terms of the deal, Helius said it has a 12 month exclusivity period to conduct financing and also to develop a plan that is compliant with local mining laws and regulations. It also stated that it will need to address outstanding debts and a rehabilitation strategy for the site.

      Shares gained this week, but the company has not issued further news.

      2. Labrador Gold (TSXV:LAB)

      Weekly gain: 58.82 percent
      Market cap: C$20.4 million
      Share price: C$0.13

      Labrador Gold is an explorer focused on the advancement of its assets in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario, Canada.

      The company owns the Hopedale gold project in Eastern Labrador. The site hosts 998 claims and five licenses covering an area of 249 square kilometers in the Florence Lake greenstone belt.

      In an announcement on February 8, the company reported high-grade gold from 2023 rock samples at the Fire Ant target, with grades of up to 106 g/t gold and 20.4 g/t silver. Additional rock and soil samples from other targets at Hopedale show grades of up to 0.28 percent nickel, 0.97 percent zinc and 3,493 parts per million copper.

      Labrador also owns the Borden Lake project near Timmins, Ontario. Exploration at the site has been limited, mainly consisting of till samples and geophysical surveys to target areas for drill testing.

      In a news release on February 19, Labrador said it was planning to conduct exploration work at both properties in 2025. On June 19 the company announced that it had mobilized to the Hopedale property and would focus on an area along the Thurber Gold trend at the northern portion of the site. It did not provide an update on exploration at the Borden Lake.

      The company has not released news in the past week.

      3. Torq Resources (TSXV:TORQ)

      Weekly gain: 52.94 percent
      Market cap: C$21.37 million
      Share price: C$0.13

      Torq Resources is an exploration company working to advance its Santa Cecilia gold and copper project in Chile.

      Torq acquired the property through an option agreement in October 2021. The company can earn a 100 percent stake in the property if it makes a total of US$25 million before October 21, 2028, and exploration expenditures of US$15.5 million by October 21, 2025.

      The deal will also see the original owner retain a 3 percent net smelter return, half of which can be purchased by Torq based on the fair value of the project.

      The site covers an area of 3,250 hectares and lies adjacent to the Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) and Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) owned Norte Abierto project, the fourth largest undeveloped gold project in the world.

      In late 2024, Torq entered into a joint venture with Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI), in which Gold Fields can earn up to a 75 percent indirect interest in the project through a US$48 million investment over six years, with minimum annual spending of US$6 million.

      On July 17, Torq completed the first drill program at the project under the joint venture, The work consisted of five holes covering 4,062 meters and was designed to test the undrilled Gemelos Norte target and to follow up on the Pircas Norte target discovered during the 2024 drill campaign.

      Torq’s most recent announcement came on July 31, when it terminated its option to acquire the Margarita project in Chile due to financial constraints and a shift in focus to Santa Cecilia. It also said it would retain its 100 percent interest in the La Cototuda concession, which is surrounded by Margarita and which it believes would be necessary for any future development at Margarita.

      4. Happy Creek (TSXV:HPY)

      Weekly gain: 41.18 percent
      Market cap: C$18.45 million
      Share price: C$0.12

      Happy Creek Minerals is an explorer focused on advancing a portfolio of assets in British Columbia, Canada.

      Its primary focus has been on its Fox tungsten property located in the South Caribou region of the province. It comprises 135.9 square kilometers of mineral tenure and hosts deposits containing tungsten, molybdenum, zinc, indium, gold and silver. In total, 21,125 meters of exploration drilling have been carried out at the site.

      The most recent news came on July 16 when Happy Creek announced a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to C$3.25 million in flow-through units at C$0.07 per share and non-flow-through units at C$0.05 per share. The following day, Happy Creek upsized the offering to C$3.75 million.

      The company plans to use the gross proceeds for drilling, exploration and development at Fox, as well as other exploration work in the Caribou.

      5. Star Copper (TSXV:STCU)

      Weekly gain: 38.78 percent
      Market cap: C$58.81 million
      Share price: C$2.04

      Star Copper is an exploration company with a portfolio of assets in British Columbia.

      Its flagship Star project, located in BC’s Golden Triangle, consists of 19 mineral claims covering an area of 6,829 hectares of crown lands. The property hosts five high-priority targets, which have seen exploration dating back to 2013.

      The most recent exploration update from Star came on Tuesday, when the company provided a summary of its ongoing drill program at the site and said it was halfway through a six-hole, 4,000 meter drill campaign designed to test mineralized zones laterally and at depth.

      The company has also been advancing work at its Indata property, where it holds a 60 percent optioned interest. The site in northern BC consists of 16 mineral claims across 3,189 hectares and hosts mineralization of copper, gold and molybdenum.

      In a July 10 news release, the company reported that soil grids that were deployed to test for gold and copper have also returned clusters of anomalous antimony that exceed 100 parts per million over 5 kilometers.

      Additionally, the company announced on July 16 that it had entered into an agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Copperline property in North-central BC. The project consists of eight mineral claims covering 4,502 hectares and exploration at the site has produced a highlighted assay of 2.54 percent copper, 50.4 g/t silver over 25 meters.

      FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

      What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

      The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

      How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

      As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

      Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

      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.

      Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN 
      THE UNITED STATES

      Quimbaya Gold Inc. (CSE: QIM,OTC:QIMGF) (OTCQB: QIMGF) (FSE: K05) (‘Quimbaya’ or the ‘Company’) announces that Denarius Metals Corp. has elected to terminate the binding Letter of Intent (the ‘LOI’) previously announced on May 7, 2025. The LOI contemplated the formation of a 50:50 joint venture to advance the formalization of artisanal mining at Quimbaya’s Tahami Project in the Segovia District of Colombia.

      Quimbaya thanks Denarius for the time and consideration given to this opportunity. While the parties were unable to reach a definitive agreement, the Company appreciates the constructive dialogue and shared interest in advancing responsible development in one of Colombia’s most prolific gold regions.

      Quimbaya retains 100% ownership of the Tahami Project, including the drill-ready Tahami South. The Company remains focused on executing its fully funded 2025-2026 exploration program, which includes a 4,000-meter drill campaign scheduled to commence at Tahami South soon.

      In parallel, Quimbaya will continue to pursue alternative structures to support the formalization of artisanal mining in the region, aligning with its long-standing commitment to responsible mining, inclusive economic participation, and strong community engagement.

      ‘This is a strategically important district, and we remain confident in both the geological potential of Tahami and the strength of our position,’ said Alexandre P. Boivin, Chief Executive Officer. ‘Our exploration plans are on track, and we continue to evaluate opportunities that can responsibly advance the project and generate long-term value for all stakeholders.’

      About Quimbaya
      Quimbaya aims to discover gold resources through exploration and acquisition of mining properties in the prolific mining districts of Colombia. Managed by an experienced team in the mining sector, Quimbaya is focused on three projects in the regions of Segovia (Tahami Project), Puerto Berrio (Berrio Project), and Abejorral (Maitamac Project), all located in Antioquia Province, Colombia.

      Contact Information

      Alexandre P. Boivin, President and CEO apboivin@quimbayagold.com 

      Sebastian Wahl, VP Corporate Development swahl@quimbayagold.com

      Quimbaya Gold Inc.
      Follow on X @quimbayagoldinc
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      Follow on Facebook @quimbayagoldinc

      Cautionary Statements

      Certain statements contained in this press release constitute ‘forward-looking information’ as that term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘intends’, ‘expects’ or ‘anticipates’, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’, ‘would’ or ‘occur’. Forward-looking statements herein include statements and information regarding the Offering’s intended use of proceeds, any exercise of Warrants, the future plans for the Company, including any expectations of growth or market momentum, future expectations for the gold sector generally, the Colombian gold sector more particularly, or how global or local market trends may affect the Company, intended exploration on any of the Company’s properties and any results thereof, the strength of the Company’s mineral property portfolio, the potential discover and potential size of the discovery of minerals on any property of the Company’s, including Tahami South, the aims and goals of the Company, and other forward-looking information. Forward-looking information by its nature is based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Quimbaya to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, that the Company’s exploration and other activities will proceed as expected. The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to: future planned development and other activities on the Company’s mineral properties; an inability to finance the Company; obtaining required permitting on the Company’s mineral properties in a timely manner; any adverse changes to the planned operations of the Company’s mineral properties; failure by the Company for any reason to undertake expected exploration programs; achieving and maintaining favourable relationships with local communities; mineral exploration results that are poorer or better than expected; prices for gold remaining as expected; currency exchange rates remaining as expected; availability of funds for the Company’s projects; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; the Offering proceeds being received as anticipated; all requisite regulatory and stock exchange approvals for the Offering are obtained in a timely fashion; investor participation in the Offering; and the Company’s ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Although Quimbaya’s management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Quimbaya as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Except as required by law, Quimbaya does not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change. 

      To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/261086

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      (TheNewswire)

       

         

         
           

       

      TORONTO, ON TheNewswire – August 1, 2025 Silver Crown Royalties Inc. ( Cboe: SCRI,OTC:SLCRF; OTCQX: SLCRF; FRA: QS0) ( ‘Silver Crown’ ‘SCRi’ or the ‘Company’ ) is pleased to announce it has executed an amendment (the ‘ Amendment ‘) to its silver royalty agreement originally dated December 13, 2024 (the ‘Agreement’ ) with PPX Mining Corp. ( TSXV: PPX; BVL: PPX) ( ‘PPX’ ) with respect to a silver royalty (‘ Silver Royalty ‘) on the Igor Project. The Amendment changes the capital deployment structure of the second tranche of the purchase price for the Silver Royalty (the ‘ Second Tranche Payment ‘) and the commencement date of the quarterly minimum Silver Royalty payments under the Agreement (the ‘ Minimum Royalty Payments ‘).

       

        The Second Tranche Payment, originally set at US$1,470,000 and payable on or before August 6, 2025, has now been divided into two payments, with Silver Crown paying US$833,000 of the Second Tranche Payment to PPX today and with the remaining US$637,000 of the Second Tranche Payment now being due on or before December 31, 2025. Additionally, the commencement date for the Minimum Royalty Payments has been deferred from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, subject to earlier commencement upon the startup of metallurgical operations at the Beneficiation Plant.  

       

        In accordance with the terms of the Agreement as amended by the Amendment, the payment of the first US$833,000 of the Second Tranche Payment today increased Silver Royalty payable to SCRi to the cash equivalent of 5.1% of the silver produced at the Igor Project (to an aggregate 11.1%), and the total payable silver ounces under the Silver Royalty increased by 76,500 ounces (to an aggregate total of 166,500 ounces). Upon payment of the remaining US$637,000 of the Second Tranche Payment on or before December 31, 2025, the Silver Royalty will further increase by 3.9% of the cash equivalent of the silver produced at the Igor Project (to a total of 15%), and the total payable silver ounces under the Silver Royalty will increase by an additional 58,500 ounces (to an aggregate total of 225,000 ounces) as contemplated by the Agreement.  

       

        Peter Bures, Silver Crown’s CEO, stated, ‘Increasing our royalty to 11.1% of the cash equivalent of the silver produced at Igor 4 (up from 6% in the first half of the year) is expected to be instrumental to our revenue growth in the immediate term. Amending the Second Tranche Payment offers flexibility to our partners as they continue to develop their infrastructure and presents an opportunity for SCRI to deploy capital in a more advantageous manner for shareholders. Furthermore, adjusting the Minimum Royalty Payments to a more advantageous timeline enables for any fine tuning during the initial phase of the Beneficiation Plant’s operation. We emphasize that the overall transaction terms remain unchanged per the Agreement: SCRI is still expected to receive the cash equivalent of 225,000 silver ounces over the next four years, of which approximately the cash equivalent of 1,600 silver ounces have already been delivered and will now be delivered at an increased rate.  

       

        ABOUT Silver Crown Royalties INC.  

       

        Founded by industry veterans, Silver Crown Royalties (   Cboe:   SCRI |   OTCQX:   SLCRF |   BF:   QS0   ) is a publicly traded, silver royalty company. Silver Crown (SCRi) currently has four silver royalties of which three are revenue-generating. Its business model presents investors with precious metals exposure that allows for a natural hedge against currency devaluation while minimizing the negative impact of cost inflation associated with production. SCRi endeavors to minimize the economic impact on mining projects while maximizing returns for shareholders.   For further information, please contact:  

       

        Silver Crown Royalties Inc.  

       

        Peter Bures, Chairman and CEO  

       

        Telephone: (416) 481-1744  

       

        Email:   pbures@silvercrownroyalties.com  

       

        FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  

       

        This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable   Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, SCRi anticipates that Elk Gold will pay this residual amount owing on or before March 31, 2025. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which SCRi will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; SCRi’s ability to enter into definitive agreements and close proposed royalty transactions; the inherent uncertainties related to the valuations ascribed by SCRi to its royalty interests; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects SCRi; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on SCRi’s business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees. SCRi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, 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 are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SCRi undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.  

       

        This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.  

       

        CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.  

       

         

       

      Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

       

       

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