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Blackrock Silver Appoints Sean Thompson as Head of Investor Relations

Investing 6 Mins Read

Blackrock Silver Corp. (TSXV: BRC,OTC:BKRRF) (OTCQX: BKRRF) (FSE: AHZ0) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Blackrock’) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Thompson as Head of Investor Relations for the Company.

Mr. Thompson is a seasoned capital markets professional with over 17 years of experience in the metals and mining sector. He has a proven track record of driving shareholder value through strategic communications and stakeholder relationship management, particularly for high-growth, development-stage companies.

Prior to joining Blackrock, Mr. Thompson held senior Investor Relations roles at several highly successful precious metals developers that were ultimately acquired in significant M&A transactions: Atlantic Gold Corp.: acquired for C$722 million and Kaminak Gold Corp.: acquired for C$520 million.

His excellence in the field has been recognized by the broader investment community. Mr. Thompson was awarded ‘Best IR by a TSX Venture listed Company’ at the IR Magazine Awards Canada 2018 and received a nomination for the same award in 2016.

Most recently, Mr. Thompson served as Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations at Westhaven Gold Corp. During his tenure, he was a key member of the leadership team that successfully transitioned the company from a grassroots discovery through to a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

Andrew Pollard, Blackrock’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: ‘With an updated preliminary economic assessment in view, a robust treasury, and permitting initiatives well-underway, Sean is joining the Company at a pivotal time as we seek to broaden our market profile. Sean brings an impressive track-record in broadening investor bases with other highly-followed precious metals developers, and we’re excited to welcome him to the team as we position ourselves as the next American silver developer.’

Mr. Thompson holds an MBA from Dalhousie University, providing him with the analytical depth required to help manage and communicate financial modeling and peer-group valuations across the gold and silver sectors.

In connection with Mr. Thompson’s appointment, the Company has granted him 200,000 stock options of the Company (‘Stock Options‘) pursuant to the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Compensation Plan. Each Stock Option entitles him to purchase one (1) common share of the Company (each, a ‘Common Share‘) at an exercise price per Common Share of $1.53 and will vest as to one-third on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, expiring on January 29, 2031.

About Blackrock Silver Corp.

Backed by gold and silver ounces in the ground, Blackrock is a junior precious metal focused exploration and development company driven to add shareholder value. Anchored by a seasoned Board of Directors, the Company is focused on its 100% controlled Nevada portfolio of properties consisting of low-sulphidation, epithermal gold and silver mineralization located along the established Northern Nevada Rift in north-central Nevada and the Walker Lane trend in western Nevada.

Additional information on Blackrock Silver Corp. can be found on its website at www.blackrocksilver.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ and ‘forward-looking information’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements‘) within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things: the advancement of the Tonopah West project towards development, including permitting and de-risking initiatives at the Tonopah West project; the intention to complete an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Tonopah West project and the timing of completion thereof; the Company’s intentions to broaden its market profile; and the Company’s positioning as an American silver developer.

These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; accuracy of assay results; geological interpretations from drilling results, timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; future operating costs; the historical basis for current estimates of potential quantities and grades of target zones; the availability of skilled labour and no labour related disruptions at any of the Company’s operations; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled activities; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations are received in a timely manner; the ability to secure and maintain title and ownership to properties and the surface rights necessary for operations; and the Company’s ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

The Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation and uncertainties of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project costs overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; availability of funds; failure to delineate potential quantities and grades of the target zones based on historical data; general market, political, economic and industry conditions; and those factors identified under the caption ‘Risks Factors’ in the Company’s most recent Annual Information Form.

Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Pollard, President & Chief Executive Officer
Blackrock Silver Corp.
Phone: 604 817-6044
Email: andrew@blackrocksilver.com

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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281989

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Capitol police arrest Rubio hearing disruptor; Republican senator says ‘off to jail’

Politics 2 Mins Read

The U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News Digital one person was arrested for disrupting Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. 

The individual was escorted from the hearing room at the Dirksen Senate Office Building as Rubio was about to deliver his opening statement about U.S. policy towards Venezuela.  

‘All right, here we go … you know the drill, off to jail,’ Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said after a man in the audience got up and started yelling about a ‘war crime’ while holding a sign that said ‘Hands Off Venezuela.’ 

‘That’s a one-year ban from the committee. Anyone who is a persistent violator will be banned for three years. So, I don’t know whether the guy falls in that category, looks like it,’ added Risch, who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. ‘I hope after three years he’ll find a more productive means of employment.’

‘Secretary Rubio, we have two hearings a week. You know, you seem to have a more robust following than most of our witnesses that come before us,’ Risch added. 

‘There’ll be a couple more. Thank you for stopping the clock, but I appreciate it,’ Rubio responded. 

The U.S. Capitol Police said the individual was arrested for demonstrating in a committee.  

‘It is against the law to protest inside the congressional buildings,’ the U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News Digital.

Prior to the outburst, Risch thanked the audience for their attendance but also warned, ‘This is a public hearing. It is also the official business of the United States of America. And as a result of that, the committee has a zero-tolerance policy for interruptions or for attempts by anyone in the room to communicate with somebody up here or the witness.

‘So, as a result of that, if you do disrupt, you will be arrested. You’ll be banned for a year,’ he continued. ‘However, I’m told that we have some guests today who have completed their ban and are back with us again today. We hope you’ve had the time to think about your indiscretions and will behave yourself today. If you don’t, as a persistent violator, you’ll be banned for three years this time.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Gulf shipping operations grind to halt near Iran; US quietly prepares for possible strike: ‘Heightened risk’

Politics 4 Mins Read

Shipping in the Persian Gulf dipped sharply Wednesday as tensions with Iran intensified amid signs the U.S. was positioning military forces for a potential strike, according to maritime intelligence assessments.

The U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Monday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital, as President Donald Trump continued to keep military options on the table.

‘At this stage, it remains ambiguous, and probably intentionally ambiguous, what the objectives and desired outcomes are of any U.S. military action,’ Ambrey Intelligence’s Robert Peters told Fox News Digital.

‘This means that there are a wider range of possibilities and retaliatory scenarios under consideration.

‘That said, there are five U.S.-flagged merchant vessels, tankers and cargo ships in the Gulf today — two transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier without any apparent issues — but those already in the Gulf and destined for the U.S. are at heightened risk,’ he added.

Trump, who earlier this week indicated ‘numerous’ calls were received from Iran, also posted about the situation on Truth Social Wednesday morning.

‘A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela,’ he wrote.

‘Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!’

The post came as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported the death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 6,200 since the outset Dec. 28. 

The organization said nearly 17,100 more were under investigation with ‘a continuation of both scattered and mass arrests’ as internet restrictions continue.

Peters meanwhile, claimed that ‘shipping companies have been advised to reduce aggregate risk when operating in the Arabian/Persian Gulf.

‘This means limiting the number of ships that could be exposed to retaliatory action, and sometimes ships will await further instructions closer to their next port in the Gulf,’ he said. ‘At this point, it is more appropriate to wait further away in case of an escalation.’

Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that any military action by the U.S. from any origin and at any level ‘will be regarded as the start of a war, and the response will be immediate, all-out, and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all those who support the aggressor,’ according to Iran International.

‘Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,’ Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.

With tensions rising in the region, Peters described how shipowners may be approached by cargo charterers to load cargo in the Gulf.

‘Then they will make the decision to avoid the Gulf for the time being until the tensions reduce,’ Peters added. ‘Interestingly, last year the Iranians did not take retaliatory action in the maritime sphere. Israeli shipping was already avoiding the Gulf, and the U.S. military action was highly targeted at the nuclear capabilities.’

But Peters warned that the situation ‘may see something similar again. If there is a much broader, regime-destabilizing operation, the effects could be considerable for wider shipping.

‘During periods like this, we tend to see greater risk aversion and inquiries from those asked to pick up cargo for U.S. charterers and destined for the U.S.,’ he added.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Trump taps Colin McDonald for newly-created role of assistant attorney general for fraud enforcement

Politics 2 Mins Read

President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated federal prosecutor Colin McDonald to serve in the newly formed role of assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement.

McDonald is currently serving as an associate deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice.

‘I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement, a new Division at the Department of Justice, which I created to catch and stop FRAUDSTERS that have been STEALING from the American People,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

‘My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen Hundreds of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,’ he continued.

Trump praised McDonald as a ‘very smart, tough and highly respected America First federal prosecutor who has successfully delivered justice in some of the most difficult and high-stakes cases our country has ever seen.’

‘Together, we will END THE FRAUD, and RESTORE INTEGRITY to our Federal Programs. Congratulations Colin — STOP THE SCAMS!’ the president wrote.

McDonald has been serving in the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said McDonald was ‘instrumental’ in the federal government’s efforts to curb crime across the country.

‘Colin is a rockstar, who was instrumental in our team’s mission of Making America Safe Again,’ Blanche wrote on X. ‘He is a consummate prosecutor who loves God, family, and country and will serve the President and the American people well.’

Vice President JD Vance announced the new role and the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice during a White House press briefing earlier this month, as the administration seeks to pursue a crackdown on alleged systemic fraud in federal programs, including in Minnesota and California.

‘Colin McDonald is widely regarded as a thorough and highly competent attorney. He has an exceptional prosecutorial track record, which we look forward to seeing him put to use in his new role as Assistant Attorney General,’ Vance said at the time ahead of McDonald’s formal nomination.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Senate Democrat fires back after VP Vance makes Forrest Gump comparison

Politics 2 Mins Read

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois fired back at Vice President JD Vance after he likened her sparring session with Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing about America’s Venezuela policy to an argument between the fictional character Forrest Gump and Isaac Newton.

‘Watching Tammy Duckworth obsessively interrupt Marco Rubio during this hearing is like watching Forest Gump argue with Isaac Newton,’ Vance quipped in a Wednesday post on X.

Duckworth responded, ‘Forrest Gump ran toward danger in Vietnam. Your boss ran to his podiatrist crying bone spurs. Petty insults at the expense of people with disabilities won’t change the fact that you’re risking troops’ lives to boost Chevron’s stock price. It’s my job to hold you accountable.’

Other Democrats also responded to Vance.

Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan shared Vance’s post and wrote, ‘Imagine watching Forrest Gump and your takeaway is to mock people with disabilities.’

‘That’s a U.S. Senator doing her job. This is a random troll tweeting at her,’ Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote in a post on X.

‘Comparing @SenDuckworth to Forrest Gump is classless and disgraceful. She’s a veteran who lost her legs fighting for this country. If you had any honor, you’d take this post down. But you work for Trump, so clearly you have none,’ Democratic Rep. John Garamendi of California declared in a post.

Duckworth served in the Illinois Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in 2004, according to a biography on her Senate website, which notes that ‘On November 12, 2004, her helicopter was hit by an RPG and she lost her legs and partial use of her right arm.’

She noted in 2022 social media posts that an RPG ‘tore through the cockpit of the helicopter I was co-piloting. The blast cost me my legs, partial use of my right arm and nearly my life,’ she noted.

Vance added in another post, ‘Thank God we have a Secretary of State who knows his facts AND has the patience of Job. Great job, @SecRubio.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Former Rick Scott staffer jumps into crowded Florida primary for open House seat

Politics 2 Mins Read

A former staffer for Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is launching his own congressional bid on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned.

Republican Austin Rogers is formally jumping into the race for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, a solidly Republican seat encompassing part of the Sunshine State’s panhandle. It’s currently being represented by Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., who is retiring at the end of this year.

Rogers invoked both President Donald Trump and Scott in a statement announcing his candidacy in a testament to the district’s conservative lean.

‘As President Trump and Senator Scott have shown, strong leadership matters,’ Rogers said. ‘I was raised right here in the 2nd District, fishing these bays, hunting these woods, and competing on these fields. I was taught to love this country, respect hard work, and stand up for what’s right. I’ve seen firsthand how broken Washington is. Our nation needs more fighters who will fearlessly root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government.’

Rogers previously worked as general counsel for Scott’s Senate office, which he argued helped him learn ‘how Congress actually works.’

‘I have drafted legislation, conducted congressional hearings, and led investigations holding the left accountable,’ Rogers said.

Scott’s campaign team told Fox News Digital that he has no current plans to make an endorsement in the race, however.

Rogers’ statement notably did not mention Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another central Republican figure in the Sunshine State, despite the district including the capital city of Tallahassee.

Rogers, a father of two with a third child on the way, was born and raised in his district and moved back there with his wife after a brief stint in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, a crowded field is forming to replace Dunn, a surgeon and retired Army major who first won his seat in 2016. 

Three Republicans and three Democrats have already filed to run for the district, with Rogers becoming the fourth GOP hopeful in the race.

Among the GOP candidates in the race is Evan Power, Florida’s Republican Party state chairman, and Keith Gross, a businessman who previously mounted a long-shot bid against Scott in 2024.

Dunn is part of a record number of House lawmakers announcing their departures from the lower chamber in the 119th Congress. Twenty-eight Republicans and 21 Democrats have announced retirements between this year and last year, more than during any other congressional term.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Investing

Peter Krauth: Silver Price at Triple Digits, Here’s What Happens Next

Investing 1 Min Read

Peter Krauth, editor of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor, shares his thoughts on what’s next for silver after its run into triple digits.

‘I do think that we’re going to end the year higher than where we are now. Perhaps to the tune of 20, 30, perhaps even 40 percent higher,’ he said.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Top 5 Canadian Graphite Stocks (Updated January 2026)

Investing 11 Mins Read

Graphite stocks and prices have experienced volatility in recent years recently due to bottlenecks in demand for electric vehicles, as graphite is used to create lithium-ion battery anode materials.

One major factor experts are watching is the trade war between China and the US.

China introduced export restrictions on certain graphite products on December 1, 2023, making it a requirement for Chinese exporters to apply for special permits to ship the material to global markets. In July 2025, the Trump administration in the US announced it would raise tariffs on battery-grade graphite imports from China to 93.5 percent.

Another trend that shaped the graphite market in 2025 was the increasing substitution of natural graphite with synthetic graphite in battery anode production; this comes in response to Chinese exports restrictions and US tariffs on natural graphite.

This led to much lower prices for natural graphite, and against that backdrop, many Canadian graphite stocks trended down. However, several graphite-focused companies have seen strong performances in the past year.

Below is a look at the year’s best-performing graphite stocks on the TSX, TSXV and CSE. Data was obtained on January 21, 2026, using TradingView’s stock screener, and all companies listed had market caps above C$10 million at that time. Read on to learn more about the operations and news of the top Canadian graphite companies.

1. Titan Mining (TSX:TI)

Year-to-date gain: 1,512.12 percent
Market cap: C$549.85 million
Share price: C$6.64

Titan Mining is a critical mineral mining and development company with zinc and graphite assets in New York, US. The company currently produces zinc concentrate and aims to become an end-to-end producer of natural flake graphite.

Its Empire State Mines (ESM) zinc operations include the ESM 4 mine, which restarted production in January 2018, along with six past-producing mines capable of supplying additional feedstock for its onsite mill.

In addition to zinc, the property also hosts the Kilbourne graphite deposit located 4,000 feet from the existing mill at its Empire Mines operation. A December 2024 maiden resource estimate demonstrates an open-pit inferred resource of 653,000 short tons of contained graphite from 22.42 million short tons of ore with an average grade of 2.91 percent graphitic carbon.

Throughout 2025, Titan focused on advancing its flake graphite demonstration processing facility at Kilbourne, with an initial capacity of 1,000 to 1,200 metric tons of graphite concentrate annually. This early production would be used for product qualification sales to defense companies and industrial companies in early 2026.

Construction of the demonstration plant began in May, and development continued throughout Q3 and Q4.

Titan announced in its Q3 results on November 5 that commissioning had begun and the facility was expected to produce its first graphite concentrate during Q4. Additionally, mining of the Kilbourne demonstration pit began in Q3, and the company had stockpiled 8,000 short tons of ore, with 500 short tons crushed for initial plant feed.

On December 11, the company announced that graphite processing had begun at the facility.

Titan released the preliminary economic assessment for the full Kilbourne project at the start of December. The operation is planned with a 13 year mine life and average graphite production of 37,438 metric tons per year. The study reports an after-tax net present value of US$513 million, an internal rate of return of 37 percent and a payback period of 2.69 years.

Then, on December 23, Titan said it had closed on a US$5.5 million financing package with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, which would be used to support accelerated resource drilling, metallurgical test work and engineering programs necessary for the completion of a 2026 feasibility study.

Shares in Titan Mining reached a high of C$7.09 on January 21.

2. HydroGraph Clean Power (CSE:HG)

Year-to-date gain: 1,336.73 percent
Market cap: C$1.11 billion
Share price: C$3.52

HydroGraph Clean Power produces cost-effective, high-purity graphene, hydrogen and other strategic nanomaterials.

Graphene, a pure carbon material extracted from graphite, has myriad potential applications in industries such as transport, solar cells, medicine, electronics, energy, defense and desalination.

HydroGraph has an exclusive license from Kansas State University to produce graphene and hydrogen via the organization’s patented detonation process. While lower-purity graphene is typically produced using natural graphite, HydroGraph’s patented process produces 99.8 percent pure carbon content graphene using acetylene and oxygen.

Much of HydroGraph’s news flow in 2025 centered on strategic partnerships.

Results from a research study conducted with Arizona State University demonstrated that the company’s HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene is well suited for ultra-high-performance concretes and 3D-printed structures.

In February, HydroGraph announced a technical collaboration with an unnamed global leader in synthetic fiber manufacturing to assess the potential of its graphene technology in high-performance fiber applications.

The following month, HydroGraph shared the launch of a line of advanced graphene dispersions developed in collaboration with battery materials and testing services company NEI. The products have the potential to be used to produce high-performance electrodes for use in energy storage solutions.

The company signed a letter of intent in April that could lead to a North American industrial gas supplier providing it with access to large volumes of high-purity acetylene, an essential feedstock will help the firm advance its plans to build a new graphene production facility in Texas with the capacity to produce over 350 metric tons of graphene annually.

HydroGraph launched its Compounding Partner Program in July with the goal of attaining commercial-scale production of its high-performance Fractal Graphene in thermoplastics. In August, the company announced a partnership with Hawkey Bio to supply graphene for use in its Lung Enzyme Activity Profile early lung cancer detection test.

Then, in September, HydroGraph signed a letter of intent with SEADAR Technologies to provide it with graphene material to coat current and future undersea products.

As for 2026, the company announced on January 6 that it had moved from a tier 2 to tier 1 member with the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at the University of Manchester. The move will establish a HydroGraph lab in the center and increase access to its facilities.

HydroGraph reached a high of C$4.07 on October 31.

3. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials (TSXV:FMS)

Year-to-date gain: 394.12 percent
Market cap: C$45.47 million
Share price: C$0.42

Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is both a graphite miner and a battery technology company. Its wholly owned flagship Lac Knife high-grade crystalline flake graphite project is located in Northeastern Québec, Canada.

With a completed feasibility study, Lac Knife is one of North America’s most advanced graphite deposits. The company also holds Lac Tétépisca, the highest-purity graphite project in Québec.

In terms of battery technologies, Focus Graphite has a patent-pending proprietary silicone-enhanced spheroidized graphite technology that is designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency.

Throughout 2025, the company has reached several use-case milestones for graphite sourced from Lac Knife.

In mid-June, thermal purification testing on Lac Knife flake graphite resulted in refined concentrate to a purity level of 99.999 percent carbon, which Focus Graphite said “underscores (the company’s) potential to supply ultra-high-purity graphite material for nuclear energy applications, a market historically dominated by synthetic graphite.”

Graphite from the site was further validated in August, when it was used as part of nozzle components aboard Pluto Aerospace’s successful Dash 1 rocket Flight 003. The test was done to evaluate hypersonic performance and thermal resistance. The nozzle temperature exceeded 3,000 degrees Celsius.

The company said the collected data would be used to validate the performance characteristics of the graphite in high-stress environments for use in defense systems.

Then, on October 22, Focus reported that the anode material passed phase 1 battery validation conducted by Charge CCCV and American Energy Technologies Company. The independent lab tests confirmed near-theoretical electrochemical capacity around 371 milliampere-hours per gram, as well as strong suitability for lithium-ion batteries.

Shares of Focus Graphite reached a high of C$0.66 on November 3.

4. First Canadian Graphite (TSXV:FCI)

Year-to-date gain: 340 percent
Market cap: C$10.39 million
Share price: C$0.33

Formerly known as Green Battery Minerals, First Canadian Graphite is an exploration company advancing its Berkwood graphite project in Central Québec. The property sits adjacent to Nouveau Monde Graphite’s NPV Uatnam graphite project.

A June 2019 mineral resource estimate (MRE) demonstrated an indicated resource of 299,200 metric tons of graphitic carbon from 1.76 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 17 percent graphitic carbon, and an inferred resource of 250,200 metric tons graphitic carbon from 1.53 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 16.4 percent.

In April 2025, the company announced its name change to First Canadian Graphite from Green Battery Minerals.

Much of First Canadian’s focus in 2025 was on its corporate governance and financing. On August 26, the company appointed Florent Baril to its board of directors. Baril has more than 40 years of experience in project engineering and resource development and was also the co-author for the Berkwood project’s MRE.

Then, on November 18, the company announced its intention to open a hard dollar financing round for up to 1.5 million units to raise gross proceeds of up to C$225,000 for general working capital. It also stated that it would offer an additional 1.5 million flow-through shares to raise C$300,000, to be directed to exploration expenses at Berkwood.

In a follow-up on December 12, First Canadian said it was applying to the TSX for approval to increase the hard dollar financing to a total of C$740,000, consisting of 4.93 million shares.

The most recent news came on January 12, when First Canadian reported that it had initiated airborne electromagnetic (EM) and magnetic surveys over Berkwood, covering five high-priority targets, to assess the probability and scope of hosted graphite occurrences.

The release also said that the company staked an additional 125 claims, bringing the total to 315 claims covering 16,542 hectares. First Canadian noted it was reviewing the claims and may add additional EM flyovers of the new property area.

First Canadian reached a high of C$0.43 on January 12.

5. Northern Graphite (TSXV:NGC)

Weekly gain: 58.82 percent
Market cap: C$17.04 million
Share price: C$0.135

Northern Graphite is a flake graphite developer and producer. In Ontario, Canada, it owns the producing Lac des Iles mine and the construction-ready Bissett Creek project, and in Namibia, it owns the past-producing Okanjande graphite mine.

According to a February 2024 technical report, the company’s flagship Lac des Iles mine hosts an indicated resource of 213,000 metric tons of graphitic carbon, with an additional inferred resource of 106,000 metric tons.

According to the company’s 2024 results released on May 1, the mine produced 11,697 metric tons of graphite concentrate in 2024. Northern Graphite noted that the mine was closed for maintenance and repair between November and mid-January.

However, in its Q1 report released on May 30, the company said it expected the existing pit at Lac-De-Iles to be exhausted by the fall of 2025 and was seeking support from various levels of government for the funding needed to extend the mine life by an additional 8 years.

On August 26, that support came in the form of up to C$6.23 million from Natural Resources Canada. At the time, Northern Graphite said it would begin work to extend the pit as soon as it could to avoid putting the mine on care and maintenance.

However, due to a bearing failure at the mill, the company chose to place the mine and mill on temporary care and maintenance on November 20 to begin repairs and to prepare for pit extension in 2026.

“Rather than stopping the plant now and again in January, we decided to start the maintenance program immediately in order to avoid having two separate shutdowns,” Northern CEO Hugues Jacquemin said.

The company is also advancing several battery anode material facilities projects’ the Baie-Comeau facility in Québec, the Yanbu facility in Saudi Arabia and a processing facility in Northern France.

In mid-April, the company announced a partnership with infrastructure and business development company BMI Group to evaluate the feasibility of developing its Canadian battery anode material facility in a former paper mill in Baie-Comeau that BMI is developing as a hub. This was quickly followed by a letter of support from the Port of Rotterdam on April 23.

On November 3, Northern announced that its consortium with Rain Carbon Canada had received a research and development grant of up to C$860,00 under the Canada-Germany Collaborative Industrial Research Program. The project will focus on transforming low-value natural graphite fine fractions into high-performance, battery-grade anode material.

Most recently, on January 14 of this year, the company signed a term sheet with Obeikan Investment Group to create a joint venture to develop and operate the US$200 million Yanbu battery anode facility in Saudi Arabia. Once complete, the facility will have a production capacity of 25,000 metric tons of battery anode material per year. Obeikan Investment Group will have a 51 percent ownership stake, with Northern Graphite holding the remaining 49 percent.

Shares in Northern Graphite reached a high of C$0.355 on January 14.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Adrian Day: Gold “Nowhere Near” Top, Next Big Buyer Awakening

Investing 1 Min Read

Adrian Day, president of Adrian Day Asset Management, shares his thoughts on gold’s latest price activity, saying the metal is still ‘nowhere near a top.’

In his view, its long-term drivers remain in place, and two new ones have now emerged.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Hecla Mining to Sell Casa Berardi Gold Mine to Orezone for Up to US$593 Million

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Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) has agreed to sell its Casa Berardi gold operation in Québec to Orezone Gold (TSX:ORE,OTCQX:ORZCF) for total consideration of up to US$593 million.

The deal, announced on Monday (January 26), involves the sale of Hecla Québec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hecla that holds the Casa Berardi mine and related exploration properties.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hecla expects to receive up to US$593 million through a mix of upfront cash, equity, deferred payments and contingent consideration.

Hecla will receive US$160 million in cash at closing, along with about 65.7 million Orezone common shares, representing about 9.9 percent of Orezone’s pro forma shares outstanding, currently valued at roughly US$112 million.

In addition, Hecla is set to receive US$80 million in deferred cash payments, split into US$30 million payable 18 months after closing and US$50 million payable after 30 months.

The remaining consideration is contingent and could total up to US$241 million.

It includes up to US$211 million in production-based royalty payments tied to future open-pit output, calculated at US$80 per ounce for the first 500,000 ounces of gold and US$180 per ounce thereafter.

Hecla may also receive a US$20 million payment upon the granting of certain permits, as well as up to US$10 million linked to a gold price exceeding US$4,200 per ounce.

The transaction is supported by Franco-Nevada (TSX:FNV,NYSE:FNV), which Orezone said is a sponsor in the acquisition.

“The sale of Hecla Quebec represents an important milestone in Hecla’s transformation as we concentrate capital allocation and operational focus on our world-class silver portfolio,” said Rob Krcmarov, president and CEO of Hecla.

For Orezone, the acquisition marks a major expansion into Canada and adds a producing gold mine to its portfolio. The company said Casa Berardi will complement its Bomboré project in Burkina Faso and will provide diversification in a jurisdiction known for stable mining regulations and established infrastructure.

“This Transaction marks a significant inflection point for Orezone as it adds a proven, cash-flow-generating asset to our portfolio, and provides asset diversification in a Tier 1 Jurisdiction,” said Patrick Downey, president and CEO of Orezone.

Casa Berardi is an underground and open-pit mine located in Québec’s Abitibi region that has been in operation since the late 1980s. It has produced over 3.2 million ounces of gold to date.

As of the end of 2024, its proven and probable reserves stood at 1.3 million ounces, with additional measured, indicated and inferred resources supporting future operations.

Casa Berardi’s gold production guidance for 2026 is between 83,000 and 91,000 ounces.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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