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

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.

Clinical progress and policy shifts drive market interest

Interest in the space continued in H1 as drug candidates advanced into pivotal trials, particularly in the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Cybin (NYSEAMERICAN:CYBN) reported meaningful progress, citing investor and regulatory confidence in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, LSD analogs and DMT derivatives.

Cybin’s 2025 financial results, released on June 30, highlighted significant progress in its lead programs, as well as its strong financial position, with C$135 million in cash reported.

CEO Doug Drysdale emphasized the company’s progress in building a strong foundation for anticipated clinical and regulatory milestones.

Key highlights include strengthened intellectual property with new patents for CYB003 and CYB004, strategic partnerships with Osmind and Thermo Fisher Scientific, and promising Phase 2 efficacy data for CYB003 in MDD, showing 100 percent responder rates and 71 percent remission with two 16 mg doses. The Phase 2 study for CYB004 in GAD is underway and expected to be completed around mid-2025.

Likewise, COMPASS Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) announced that its COMP360 psilocybin treatment successfully met its primary goal in a Phase 3 trial for treatment-resistant depression on June 23.

A single 25mg dose of COMP360 significantly reduced depression symptoms compared to a placebo at six weeks, showing a clinically meaningful difference and strong statistical significance. This marks the first Phase 3 efficacy data reported for a classic psychedelic, and Compass Pathways said it plans to discuss these positive results with the FDA.

Policy signals were equally consequential. Notably, the Texas House and Senate passed SB 2308 in May, which will provide up to US$100 million in state funds for ibogaine trials.

The results of the trials will be presented to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for potential approval of ibogaine for opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder and other neurological or mental health conditions. Governor Abbott signed the bill into law on June 11, representing a notable and progressive shift in the Republicans’ approach to drug policy.

However, the sector continues to face real challenges, such as costly clinical access and inconsistent regulatory frameworks that have resulted in a patchwork of state-level regulations. Despite these challenges, there are ongoing efforts towards federal reform and standardized guidelines.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently told members of Congress that new therapeutics using psychedelic substances could revolutionize treatment for mental health challenges.

‘This line of therapeutics has tremendous advantage if given in a clinical setting and we are working very hard to make sure that happens within 12 months,” he said during a House subcommittee meeting regarding the Trump administration’s proposed budget for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

FDA head Marty Makary has likewise labeled the assessment of MDMA and other psychedelics as a “top priority,” announcing initiatives aimed at potentially expediting their approval.

One new program in particular aims to accelerate drug approval, potentially cutting review times from six months to one month.

This initiative might relax requirements for some drugs, possibly waiving placebo-controlled studies, which have been a hurdle for psychedelic research because patients often know if they’ve received the drug.

What is Ethereum and who invented it?

Co-founder Buterin said in a 2016 interview that Ethereum was born out of admiration for Bitcoin’s decentralized structure and frustration at its limited capabilities.

“I thought [those in the Bitcoin community] weren’t approaching the problem in the right way. I thought they were going after individual applications; they were trying to kind of explicitly support each [use case] in a sort of Swiss Army knife protocol,” Buterin said, summarizing his motivation to build something more adaptable.

From this foundational idea, Ethereum emerged as a decentralized, programmable blockchain — a “world computer” that would host smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps), cutting out middlemen and enabling new forms of coordination.

The foundation of the fledgling project was laid between 2013 and 2014. After releasing his white paper in late 2013, Buterin attracted a handful of co-founders, including Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Joseph Lubin, Anthony Di Iorio, Jeffrey Wilcke, Mihai Alisie, and Amir Chetrit. Together, they spearheaded a crowdfunding campaign in mid-2014 that raised over US$18 million, one of the earliest and most successful Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in crypto history.

Despite this momentum, the Ethereum blockchain didn’t launch until July 30, 2015. That release, dubbed “Frontier,” was a basic, raw, and developer-focused version of Ethereum designed for building the infrastructure that would follow.

ETH, Ethereum’s native coin, initially traded for under a dollar. The early months saw little market movement as ETH hovered between US$0.70 and US$2.00, supported mainly by enthusiasts and developers interested in dApp potential.

When was Ethereum’s first major peak?

Ethereum’s first major price rally came during the 2017 crypto bull run, when rising global interest in blockchain technology and the initial coin offering (ICO) boom brought ETH into the mainstream.

After beginning the year at just barely US$8, Ethereum surged to a then-record high of around US$1,400 by January 2018, capping off one of the most explosive price increases in the history of digital assets. This more than 17,000 percent rise was driven by a combination of speculative demand and the emergence of Ethereum as the preferred platform for launching new tokens via ICOs.

By early 2018, however, the market began to reverse. A sweeping crypto correction saw Ethereum’s price fall back below US$100 by the end of that year. The drawdown exposed Ethereum’s technical bottlenecks, such as high gas fees and slow confirmation times during network congestion.

What was the DAO Hack, and how did it influence Ethereum’s trajectory?

Ethereum’s ethos of decentralization was also tested early on. In 2016, an experiment in decentralized governance — the Decentralized Autonomous Organization or DAO — raised about US$150 million in ETH from the community. The idea was to create a venture capital fund governed entirely by smart contracts and token-holder votes.

But just weeks after launch, a vulnerability in the DAO’s code that allowed for recursive call exploit was discovered, draining 3.6 million ETH or about a third of the fund.

At just ten months old, Ethereum was now facing a crisis that tested its fundamental principles, chief among them the immutability of the blockchain and the inviolability of smart contracts.

Three primary responses were debated. One option was to do nothing, honoring the hacker’s actions as legitimate under the rules of the code and accepting the theft. Another was to implement a “soft fork” that would blacklist the child DAO’s address, effectively freezing the stolen funds.

The most radical option was a “hard fork” that would roll back the ledger and return all stolen Ether to the original investors, which would undo the hack entirely.

Ultimately, the hard fork went ahead, and Ethereum split into two chains: the main Ethereum chain (ETH), where the funds were returned to investors, and a new chain called Ethereum Classic (ETC), which preserved the original ledger including the DAO hack.

How has Ethereum performed post-2020?

Ethereum price performance July 30, 2015 – June 30, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ethereum reached its all-time high price of US$4,878 on November 10, 2021, during the peak of the 2020–2021 crypto bull run. The rally was driven by a convergence of factors: institutional adoption of crypto, a massive expansion of decentralized finance (DeFi), and explosive interest in NFTs, most of which were built on Ethereum’s ERC-721 standard.

By late 2021, Ethereum was settling billions in daily transaction volume and powering thousands of decentralized applications, cementing its position as the leading smart contract platform.

However, the peak was short-lived. Inflation fears and global risk aversion in early 2022 triggered a sharp correction across risk assets, including crypto. Ethereum’s price dipped below US$1,000 in June 2022 amid cascading liquidations and platform collapses like Terra and Celsius.

Still, even through the drawdown, Ethereum remained the backbone of DeFi, NFT markets, and layer-2 innovation, setting the stage for its long-planned transition to proof-of-stake later that year.

In the years that followed the fork, Ethereum faced growing pressure to scale and reduce its environmental impact, particularly as DeFi and NFT activity surged.

These challenges set the stage for a major protocol overhaul: Ethereum’s transition from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) was considered to be one of the most ambitious technical feats in blockchain history. Officially known as “the Merge,” the upgrade combined Ethereum’s execution layer (the mainnet) with the Beacon Chain, which introduced staking-based consensus.

The Merge took place in September 2022 and the environmental impact was immediate: Ethereum’s energy consumption dropped by over 99 percent.

While the Merge had little short-term effect on price, it marked a crucial moment for Ethereum’s long-term viability. At the time of the upgrade, ETH was trading at around US$1,600, which was a sharp decline from its all-time high of US$4,891 in November 2021 during the height of the crypto bull market.

That price peak had been driven by unprecedented network demand as NFTs and decentralized finance exploded in popularity, both largely built on Ethereum. By mid-2022, however, macroeconomic tightening, rising interest rates, and a series of high-profile crypto failures, including the collapse of TerraUSD and the insolvency of major lending platforms, had triggered a broad downturn.

After the Merge, ETH remained volatile. It already lost ground by as much as 70 percent against crypto leader Bitcoin since the Merge, and the introduction of EIP-1559 in 2021 had already created a more deflationary pressure on ETH supply through base fee burns.

Despite this setback, ETH showed relative resilience compared to many altcoins. In 2023, Ethereum hovered mostly between US$1,200 and US$2,100, with price movements closely tracking investor sentiment toward regulatory developments, Bitcoin’s performance, and broader market liquidity. Institutional interest in Ethereum also grew during this period, with more funds launching ETH products and staking services expanding.

Entering 2024, Ethereum gained momentum amid improving macroeconomic conditions and renewed optimism about real-world applications for blockchain technology. The network saw moderate success in sectors like tokenized assets, layer-2 infrastructure, and decentralized identity.

ETH briefly reclaimed the US$4,000 level in early March 2024 before retreating again due to renewed regulatory scrutiny in the US. Despite the pullback, Ethereum remained the second-largest cryptoasset by market capitalization and retained the majority share of developer activity across all chains.

The 2025 Swing

Ethereum 1-year price performance, July 28, 2024 – July 28, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ethereum, as well as the rest of the crypto landscape, saw a full positive swing in 2025 as regulatory clarity dominated the first half of the year.

In June, the US Senate approved the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act with bipartisan support. President Donald Trump, now serving his second term, publicly backed the bill, calling it “a win for American innovation and financial leadership.”

The GENIUS Act establishes a regulatory framework for US-pegged stablecoins, requiring full reserve backing, independent audits, and federal licensing for large issuers. It also clarifies that qualifying stablecoins are not securities, pulling them out of the SEC’s jurisdiction and instead aligning oversight with banking regulators like the OCC and Federal Reserve.

Crucially, the law defines “payment stablecoins” as a new category of digital cash, and Ethereum has emerged as one of the largest beneficiaries of this policy shift. The majority of dollar-backed stablecoins, which include USDC, USDT, and newer entrants like PayPal USD, are issued and transacted on Ethereum.

The GENIUS Act’s legal recognition of stablecoins has given institutional players more confidence to engage with Ethereum-based infrastructure.

As a result, capital inflows into Ethereum have accelerated, with analysts noting a sharp uptick in demand for ETH as a “platform asset” powering tokenized dollars and digital settlement rails.

ETH’s price also soon followed. Following the Senate’s approval of the GENIUS Act in June 2025, ETH jumped over 25 percent in two weeks, briefly reaching US$3,824 — outperforming Bitcoin and breaking out of a multi-month consolidation range.

The act has also prompted strategic shifts among financial institutions. BlackRock, Fidelity, and JPMorgan have expanded their Ethereum-based offerings, including on-chain fund administration, tokenized treasuries, and collateralized lending protocols that rely on smart contracts.

Several US banks are also piloting internal payment rails using tokenized dollars on Ethereum rollups.

What’s next for Ethereum?

Buterin himself has acknowledged that Ethereum’s current roadmap is not the end. Speaking in late 2022 before the Merge, he noted that “Ethereum is 55 percent complete.”

The long-term vision includes greater privacy features, zero-knowledge proofs for secure scalability, and expanding the reach of dApps to a billion users.

As of mid-2025, Ethereum currently trades around US$3,400, buoyed by strong institutional adoption, continued growth of layer-2 networks like Arbitrum and Base, and early signs of real-world asset tokenization gaining traction among banks and fintech firms.

While Ethereum’s price remains well below its 2021 peak, its performance since 2020 reflects growing maturity, with fewer speculative surges and more interest anchored in a more crypto-friendly environment.

Investor Insight

With high-quality, drill-ready assets with world-class discovery potential, Piche Resources is a compelling business case for investors looking to leverage a bull market for uranium and gold.

Overview

Piche Resources (ASX:PR2) is an ASX-listed mineral exploration company focused on uranium and gold exploration in Tier-1 jurisdictions: Western Australia and Argentina. The company holds 100 percent ownership of all of its projects and is supported by a highly experienced board and technical team.

Targeting globally significant discoveries in Tier-1 mineral provinces

Piche’s portfolio includes the advanced-stage Ashburton uranium project in Western Australia and two large-scale exploration projects in Argentina: the Cerro Chacon gold-silver project and the Sierra Cuadrada uranium project. These projects have delivered high-grade exploration results and are drill-ready, positioning the company to unlock significant shareholder value through systematic exploration programmes.

Piche has an internationally recognized board focused on creating long-term shareholder value, and an in-country technical team in Argentina with a proven track record of taking projects from discovery through to development.

Company Highlights

• Flagship Ashburton uranium project in Western Australia with recent high-grade drilling results over wide intercepts.
• Sierra Cuadrada uranium project in Argentina showing extensive near-surface mineralisation with assays up to 2.86 percent U₃O₈.
• Cerro Chacon gold-silver project with high-grade surface results (up to 11.65 g/t gold and 333.7 g/t silver) across a 14 km mineralised corridor.
• Fully permitted and EIA-approved for drilling at Cerro Chacon (Chacon South and Middle).
• Large, 100-percent-owned tenement package across all projects (Ashburton: 335 sq km; Cerro Chacon: 414 sq km; Sierra Cuadrada: 1,310 km²).
• Board of directors includes former leaders of Peninsula Energy, Orano, Rio Tinto Uranium and Barrick Gold.
• Upcoming drill campaigns planned at Cerro Chacon and Ashburton to test multiple high-priority targets.

Key Projects

Gold: Cerro Chacon, Argentina

Cerro Chacon interpreted geology and tenement holding

Cerro Chacon is a large-scale, early-stage gold-silver exploration project located in the Chubut Province of Argentina. The project is situated within a region known for hosting world-class low-sulphidation epithermal systems, including Cerro Negro and Cerro Vanguardia. With multiple gold-bearing structures confirmed over a 14 km corridor, Cerro Chacon is emerging as a highly promising and underexplored precious metals system with substantial scale and grade potential.

Project Highlights

Location: ~40 km southwest of Paso de Indios, Chubut Province

Tenure: 414 sq km across multiple tenements

Highlights:

• A 14 km-long mineralised corridor has been delineated across Chacon Grid, La Javiela and Toro Hosco prospects.
• High-grade geochemical results include:
  • 11.65 g/t gold and 120.3 g/t silver at Toro Hosco
  • 333.7 g/t silver, 9.48 percent lead, and 8.57 percent zinc at La Javiela South
• Maiden RC drilling programme of 57 holes (7,905 m) scheduled across three main targets:
  • Chacon Grid: 45 holes (5,590 m)
  • La Javiela: 8 holes (1,740 m)
  • Toro Hosco: 4 holes (575 m)
• EIA approvals for Chacon South and Chacon Middle were received in May 2025, enabling drilling to proceed.
• Vein systems range from 2 to 6 km in strike length and up to 50 m in width; hosted within structurally controlled low-sulphidation epithermal veins (LSEV).

Uranium: Ashburton Project, Australia

The Ashburton project is Piche’s flagship uranium exploration asset in Australia, situated in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Located within a historically underexplored but highly prospective unconformity-related uranium district, the project provides the company with strong leverage to the growing global demand for uranium. The project is geologically analogous to world-class Proterozoic uranium systems, with multiple confirmed mineralised zones and a regional corridor of 60 km.

Project Highlights

• Location: Pilbara region, ~1,150 km north of Perth
• Tenure: 335 sq km following the recent application for tenement E52/4461 (214 sq km), adding to the existing 122 sq km holdings.
• Highlights:
  • 2024 RC and diamond drilling confirmed high-grade uranium mineralisation at multiple stratigraphic levels.
  • Best intercepts include:
    • 3.45 m @ 5,129 ppm eU₃O₈ from 137.62 m (ARC006)
    • 10.48 m @ 1,412 ppm eU₃O₈ from 114.30 m (ADD005)
    • 2.42 m @ 2,681 ppm eU₃O₈ from 155.10 m (ADD003).
    • 7.86 m @ 2,266 ppm eU₃O₈ from 105.42 m (ADD006)
  • The company has outlined a 60 km structural corridor hosting multiple uranium occurrences including Angelo A & B, Canyon Creek, Ristretto and Atlantis.
  • Atlantis prospect: historical drilling returned up to 7,400 ppm U₃O₈ over 2.2 m; rock chip samples have returned up to 37 percent U₃O₈.

Uranium: Sierra Cuadrada, Argentina

Sierra Cuadrada is Piche’s primary uranium asset in Argentina, covering a vast area within the San Jorge Basin. This large-scale project has demonstrated strong surface uranium mineralisation with multiple drill-ready prospects. With mineralisation confirmed across extensive zones and supported by historical radiometric and geochemical data, Sierra Cuadrada has the potential to host multiple Tier-1 uranium deposits in a cost-effective, near-surface setting.

Teo 5 and 6 prospect 2024 auger drill programme

Project Highlights:

Location: San Jorge Basin, ~200 km north of Comodoro Rivadavia

Tenure: 1,310 sq km across multiple licences

Highlights:

• The project area contains broad, flat-lying mineralisation at multiple stratigraphic levels.
• High-grade uranium assays include:
  • 28,650 ppm U₃O₈ (2.86 percent) from rock chip sampling at Teo 8
  • 24,017 ppm U₃O₈ from channel sampling
  • 2,772 ppm U₃O₈ over 0.5m from auger drill sample
• Mineralised zones extend over a strike of 60 sq km, with confirmed targets on the majority of tenements.
• 2024 auger drilling and sampling confirmed uranium continuity across a sandstone and conglomerate sedimentary package with 14 samples exceeding 200 ppm U₃O₈.
• Rock chip sampling has returned 114 samples >200ppm U₃O₈
• RC drilling is planned to follow up on anomalies identified in the auger and channel sampling programmes.

Management Team

John (Gus) Simpson – Executive Chairman

John Simpson has over 37 years of experience in mineral exploration, development and mining. Previously the executive chairman and founder of Peninsula Energy Limited (ASX:PEN), a USA uranium producer.

Stephen Mann – Managing Director

Stephen Mann is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in exploration, discovery and development of mining projects, including 20 years in the uranium sector. Formerly the Australian managing director of Orano, the world’s third-largest uranium producer.

Pablo Marcet –Executive Director

Pablo Marcet is a senior geoscientist with 38 years of experience in exploration, discovery and development of mineral deposits. Currently an independent director of lithium producer Arcadium Lithium (NYSE:ALTM) and previously a director of Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) and U3O8 (TSX:UWE).

Clark Beyer – Non-executive Director

Clark Beyer is an internationally recognized nuclear industry executive with over 35 years of experience. Formerly the managing director of Rio Tinto Uranium and currently principal of Global Fuel Solutions, providing strategic consulting to the international uranium and nuclear fuels market.

Stanley Macdonald – Non-executive Director

Stanley Macdonald is a nationally recognized mining entrepreneur, founding director and instrumental in the success of numerous ASX-listed companies, such as Giralia Resources, Northern Star and Redhill Iron. He is currently a director of Zenith Minerals.

1. Camino Minerals (TSXV:COR)

Year-to-date gain: 655.56 percent
Market cap: C$13.5 million
Share price: C$0.34

Camino Minerals is a copper exploration and development company with a portfolio of projects in South America.

Among its primary focuses since the start of the year is the construction-ready Puquois copper project in Chile, a 50/50 joint venture with Nittetsu Mining (TSE:1515). The partners jointly acquired Cuprum Resources, the project’s owner, through a October 2024 definitive agreement that was completed on April 17, and are now focused on project financing.

Prior to the closing of the acquisition, the partners completed a prefeasibility study for the project in Chile on March 17.

The study results demonstrate a post-tax net present value of US$118 million, with an internal rate of return of 23.4 percent and a payback period of 3.1 years at a fixed copper price of US$4.28. It also outlines all-in sustaining costs of US$2.00 per pound for the 14.2 year mine life.

In addition to the economic details, the included mineral resource estimate shows a measured and indicated resource of 149,000 metric tons of copper from 32.16 million metric tons of ore grading 0.46 percent copper.

Camino also owns the Los Chapitos project, located near the coastal town of Chala, Peru, which covers approximately 22,000 hectares and hosts near-surface mineralization. Nittetsu Mining has an earn-in agreement for the project through which it can earn a 35 percent interest in the project for a total investment of C$10 million over three years.

Camino announced on January 22 that it had initiated a discovery exploration program at Los Chapitos, with work funded by Nittetsu. The company said the program would consist of 11 holes and 1,200 meters of drilling along the La Estancia fault, focusing on newly identified copper breccias and mantos to determine their extension at depth.

Camino released results from the program on May 6, reporting continuity of mineralization at depth at the Pampero prospect, with a 0.5 meter interval found 157.6 meters downhole grading an average of 0.5 percent copper and 3.15 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver. The company also reported that rock chip samples at the prospect graded up to 3.8 percent copper and 4 g/t silver.

The company has continued its exploration efforts at Los Chapitos, with another fully funded campaign running from June 1 to November 30. On July 16, it reported trench results from the newly identified Mirador zone, including 1.07 percent copper over 90 meters, with a 4 meter section grading 3.05 percent copper.

Shares of Camino reached a year-to-date high of C$0.34 on July 16.

2. Finlay Minerals (TSXV:FYL)

Year-to-date gain: 425 percent
Market cap: C$15.84 million
Share price: C$0.105

Finlay Minerals is an exploration company with a portfolio of five projects in British Columbia, Canada.

In 2025, the company has largely focused on its ATTY and PIL projects, which cover 3,875 hectares and 13,374 hectares respectively in BC’s Toodoggone mining district. The region is known for copper-molybdenum-gold porphyry deposits and gold-silver epithermal deposits.

Finlay’s shares rose sharply early in the year after Amarc Resources announced the significant AuRORA discovery at its JOY property, located just south of the PIL project in the same porphyry corridor as PIL and ATTY. On January 20, shortly after the discovery, Finlay announced it would be renewing its focus on its PIL project’s PIL South target, which lies approximately 750 meters from AuRORA.

One month later, Finlay reported it had outlined numerous copper targets at both the PIL and ATTY properties after reviewing geological data, and was planning its 2025 exploration program at PIL to delineate drill targets.

Shares surged in Q2 after Finlay announced on April 17 that it had entered into an earn-in agreement with Freeport McMoRan for PIL and ATTY. Under the terms of the agreement, Freeport can earn an 80 percent stake in the properties through a total of C$35 million in exploration expenditures and C$4.1 million in cash payments over the next six years.

In an update on June 18, Finlay reported that it had begun its exploration programs at both properties, fully funded by Freeport. At both properties, exploration will include property-wide airborne magnetic surveys, and induced polarization geophysical surveys. It will also include detailed geological and alteration mapping, along with rock and soil sampling, on up to eight targets at PIL and three targets at ATTY.

The most recent news came on July 17, when Finlay announced it had increased the exploration program budget for PIL to C$2.6 million from C$750,000 and the budget for ATTY to C$1 million from C$500,000. The company stated that the additional funding will be utilized to identify and prioritize as many targets as possible for drilling in 2026.

3. King Copper Discovery (TSXV:KCP)

Year-to-date gain: 420 percent
Market cap: C$52.92 million
Share price: C$0.26

King Copper Discovery is a copper, silver and gold explorer that is developing a portfolio of projects in South America. The company changed its name from Turmalina Metals in March.

Its primary focus is the Colquemayo project in Moquegua, Peru. In July 2024, King Copper entered into an option agreement with Compania de Minas Buenaventura (NYSE:BVM) to wholly acquire the property.

The company has been relogging the historic drill core from the site. The 6,600 hectare site has seen more than 20,000 meters of historic core drilling and hosts multiple porphyry targets that have been identified but had gone untested. Highlighted drill samples show results of 2.4 percent copper and 10 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver over 237.3 meters, including 14.8 percent copper and 47 g/t silver over 31.3 meters.

In a broad corporate update on February 12, the company said it was intensifying its focus on the project and rebranding from Turmalina to reflect that. Additionally, it hired Insideo, a Lima-based environmental consulting firm, to help advance baseline studies and the drill permit process. Additionally, CEO Roger James stepped down, maintaining a seat on the board, and was replaced by Jonathan Richards as interim CEO.

On March 11, the company began trading under its new name and ticker.

The company has not provided any updates from its projects in the second quarter of the year, but shares have traded higher alongside a rising copper price. On July 15, it released an updated corporate presentation with plans for a 15,000 meter drill program in Q4 testing porphyry systems at the site with holes over 1,000 meters deep.

Shares of King Copper reached a year-to-date high of C$0.26 on July 16.

4. Amarc Resources (TSXV:AHR)

Year-to-date gain: 251.22 percent
Market cap: C$166 million
Share price: C$0.72

Amarc Resources is a copper exploration company primarily focused on advancing its JOY district in Northern British Columbia.

The 495 square kilometer property lies within the Toodoggone region and hosts the AuRORA prospect.

Shares in Amarc surged early in the year after it announced the discovery of AuRORA on January 17. In the release, it outlined the high-grade potential of the deposit, highlighting an assay of 0.63 percent copper over 162 meters, including an 81 meter intersection grading 0.92 percent copper, from near surface depths.

The exploration program was funded as part of a May 2021 earn-in agreement with Freeport McMoran that could see Freeport earn a 70 percent stake in the project once funding milestones are met.

Amarc provided more drill assays from its 2024 program on February 28. One assay graded 0.63 percent copper over 132 meters, including 0.81 percent over a 90 meter segment.

On February 11, Amarc agreed to acquire the Brenda property, which lies directly to the east of the AuRORA discovery, from Canasil Resources. Under the terms of the deal, Amarc has the option to acquire a 100 percent interest in Brenda over five years. Canasil will retain a 2 percent net smelter return.

The most recent news from JOY came on July 16, when the company announced it commenced drilling at targets including the AuRORA and PINE deposits and the Twins and Canyon discoveries. The announcement also reported the expansion of the JOY district through Freeport’s options on Finlay’s PIL property.

In addition to exploration at JOY, Amarc also released assay results from its 2024 exploration at its IKE copper-gold project in Southern British Columbia on May 14. The company reported copper grades of 0.29 percent copper over 181 meters, including an intersection with 0.56 percent copper over 60 meters.

Shares in Armac reached a year-to-date high of C$0.77 on July 4.

5. C3 Metals (TSXV:CCCM)

Year-to-date gain: 233.33 percent
Market cap: C$74.91 million
Share price: C$0.80

C3 Metals is an exploration company working to advance its assets in Jamaica and Peru.

C3’s primary Jamaican asset is the Bellas Gate project, a 13,020 hectare site featuring 14 porphyry and over 30 epithermal prospects along an 18 kilometer strike. To date, drilling at the site has concentrated on a 4 kilometer zone encompassing the Provost, Geo Hill, Camel Hill and Connors prospects.

Shares of C3 experienced significant gains after it announced on February 11 that it had signed an earn-in agreement with a Freeport-McMoRan subsidiary, which can gain up to a 75 percent interest in the project. Under the agreement, Freeport must contribute US$25 million in exploration and project expenditures over five years to earn the initial 51 percent interest, and an additional US$50 million over the following four years for the remaining 24 percent.

In Peru, C3 has focused on advancing its Jasperoide copper-gold project. The site in Southern Peru spans 30,000 hectares and hosts two porphyry and more than 15 skarn prospects across two 28 kilometer belts.

According to a July 2023 technical report, a resource estimate outlines a measured and indicated resource of 51.94 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.5 percent copper and 0.2 g/t gold for contained metal totaling 569.1 million pounds of copper and 326,800 ounces of gold.

C3 released an exploration update from its Khaleesi copper-gold project area in Jasperoide on February 19, reporting that a soil sampling campaign defined a copper-molybdenum anomaly extending 1,900 meters by up 650 meters. Two zones contain average concentrations of 950 parts per million copper and 650 ppm of copper.

The company said it is working to complete geophysical surveys by the end of March and will use the data to implement a maiden diamond drill program at the target. It closed a US$11.5 million bought-deal private placement on March 19 that will be used in part for exploration and development at the Khaleesi target.

The company has not provided further updates on the project.

Shares of C3 reached a year-to-date high of C$0.80 on July 17.