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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

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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.

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After peaking above US$20,000 per metric ton (MT) in May 2024, nickel prices have trended steadily downward.

Behind the numbers is a persistent oversupply driven by Indonesia’s high output, the world’s largest nickel producer.

At the same time, demand from China’s manufacturing and construction sectors, a traditional driver of stainless steel, has been weak as the country’s beleaguered real estate sector continues to find its footing.

Read on to learn what other key factors moved the nickel sector in 2025.

Nickel price in Q4

There wasn’t much change at the start of the quarter; the price was essentially trading in the US$15,000 to US$15,500 range, the same as it had since recovering from the post-liberation day tariff announcement rout in the base metals market in April that sent the price spiraling to a year-to-date low of US$14,150.

Nickel price, December 19, 2024, to December 18, 2025.

Chart via TradingEconomics.

However, cracks began to form at the end of October as it became clearer that the oversupply situation was likely to persist, pushing prices back below the US$15,000 mark by mid-November.

Prices for nickel rebounded in late November, but failed to break the US$15,000 again and slid toward a yearly low, reaching US$14,235 on December 15.

Oversupply continues to weigh on nickel

At the end of the year’s third quarter, the expectation was that nickel prices would carry momentum as the monsoon season arrived in the Philippines; however, despite seasonal declines in output, the market ‘s supply glut persisted, and prices continued to trend lower at the end of the period.

As of September 30, London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses held 231,504 MT of nickel, and by November 28, stockpiles had grown to 254,364 MT, nearly 100,000 MT higher than the start of 2025.

According to a mid-December Shanghai Metals Market article, refined production decreased by 25,800 MT in November. Still, it was outpaced by inventory accumulation, as downstream demand remained soft.

On the demand side, stockpile buildups coincided with the traditional off-season for stainless steel producers, which accounts for 60 percent of total nickel demand, and weak end-use consumption led some producers to initiate output cuts. Additionally, Shanghai Metals Market notes that stainless demand was further impacted by the superior economics of recycled materials. The outlet also states that although production costs in Indonesia are lower than elsewhere, the price of nickel is rapidly approaching producers’ break-even point.

In February, the Indonesian government changed its quota system, increasing nickel ore output to 298.5 million wet metric tons from 271 million wet metric tons in 2024. The move from the top nickel producer was designed to alleviate supply pressures, with increased production limited to major production areas.

This was followed in October by a change to the length of time production quotas were valid, shortening it to one year from three years, and forcing miners to reapply for previously approved quotas for 2026 and 2027.

Changes were made to the application system after companies failed to meet environmental obligations, and companies will now have to submit proof they have the financial means to remediate land after operations are complete.

Adding to the metal’s woes at the end of the year is demand from the electric vehicle (EV) sector slipping as more battery producers pivot away from nickel in their chemistries, as cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate batteries improve efficiency.

For her part, Manthey, explained that everything has aligned for a bear market.

“LME stockpiles are at a four-year high, with Chinese and Indonesian cathode dominating,” she said, adding that growth in battery metals was slower than expected, and that demand for stainless steel was sluggish on the back of global weakness in manufacturing.

How did nickel perform for the rest of the year?

The rest of the year wasn’t much different for nickel.

The oversupply situation carried over from 2024, with Indonesian producers making up roughly 60 percent of the market. Likewise, curtailments continued among western producers as prices were unable to cover costs.

In April, the Indonesian government made a significant change to its royalty rates, hiking them to between 14 and 19 percent, depending on the nickel price. That’s up from the country’s previously imposed 10 percent flat rate, with a 2 percent royalty on nickel mattes destined for battery production.

As the second quarter began, base metal prices sank amid rising expectations of a global recession following US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement on April 2.

Markets rebounded after their initial tariff plans were walked back, following a bond market squeeze that pushed 10 year treasury yields up by more than half a percentage point.

Nickel faced further pressures in July as the One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law in the US, ending the federal EV tax credit, as well as other tax credits for expanding charging infrastructure. The change came into effect on September 30 and eliminated a US$7,500 rebate on the purchase of new EVs. Before the end of the tax credit, data showed that American EV sales reached a record 1.2 million through the first nine months of 2025, with the share for EVs climbing to 12 percent in Q3 as consumers made purchases ahead of the program’s end.

Q4 data shows EV sales have declined significantly since the tax credit expired, and interest in EVs has fallen by 20 percent. The fall caused Ford Motor (NASDAQ:F) to pull back on its EV plans and take a US$19.5 billion writedown.

Investor takeaway

Nickel prices continued on a downtrend in 2025, and expectations aren’t much different for the year ahead.

Until the metal see ssustained upward momentum, it’s unlikely that curtailed western operations will be restarted.

For experienced investors, this may offer an opportunity to enter a market closer to the bottom than the top. However, until there is a significant correction in supply and demand fundamentals, the nickel market won’t have much of a tailwind, leading to a riskier market, that may have a lengthy period before returns are realized, if at all.

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

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Investor Insight

With a tight capital structure, experienced management and strategic gold, silver and copper project locations near major past-producing mines, Questcorp is well-positioned to deliver discovery-driven growth to investors.

Overview

Questcorp Mining (CSE:QQQ,OTC:QQCMF,FSE:D910) is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on unlocking value in two high-potential mineral districts: the Sonoran Gold Belt in Mexico and Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

The company aims to build shareholder value through disciplined exploration of assets with near-surface mineralization and proven geologic continuity. The company operates in mining-friendly jurisdictions, close to infrastructure and within major metal-producing belts. Its flagship La Union gold project offers high-grade gold-silver-lead-zinc potential in Mexico, while the North Island copper project provides exposure to porphyry copper and skarn systems in a district that hosts multi-billion-pound copper resources.

With gold prices near all-time highs and a copper supply crunch emerging, Questcorp is targeting discoveries that can drive exponential value from a tightly held share structure.

Company Highlights

  • Flagship Asset – La Union Gold Project (Mexico): A high-grade carbonate replacement gold system in the Sonoran Gold Belt, boasting historical production, strong geologic signatures and drill-ready targets with >80 g/t gold surface samples.
  • Copper Exposure in Tier-1 Jurisdiction: The North Island copper project lies just north of BHP’s historic Island Copper Mine. It shows promising porphyry and skarn-style mineralization and is adjacent to Northisle’s multi-million-ounce copper-gold deposits.
  • Tight Capital Structure and Strategic Investors: ~93 million shares outstanding with over 80 percent held by long-term, high-net-worth, US and International investors with 3-5 year investment window.
  • Execution-focused Management: Led by Founding President & CEO Saf Dhillon, a veteran builder of public companies, and geologist Tim Henneberry, with over 45 years of global exploration success.
  • Immediate Catalysts: Near-term exploration at both assets with active permitting, drill programs and news flow expected throughout 2025.

Key Projects

La Union Gold Project – Sonora, Mexico (Flagship Asset)

The La Union gold project is a 2,604-hectare, road-accessible high-grade carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) located at the edge of the Sonoran Gold Belt, one of the richest gold-producing regions in Mexico. The property is located near major mines, including La Herradura (6.7 Moz, measured and indicated) and San Francisco (1.4 Moz, measured and indicated), and boasts historical production from underground operations by Peñoles and others, reportedly yielding ~50,000 ounces of gold in the 1950s at grades of 7 to 20 grams per ton (g/t) gold.

La Union gold project location

Work done to date includes consolidation of seven historical properties into a single district-scale project by Riverside Resources, which invested more than US$2.5 million in geological mapping, sampling and target definition. Sampling has returned high-grade grab samples including 83.2 g/t gold, 4,816 g/t silver, 30 percent zinc, and 19.8 percent lead. Channel sampling and geological work identified eight mineralized zones, three of which – Plomito, La Famosa and La Union – are drill-ready and fully permitted.

Geology and history of La Union

Questcorp executed a definitive agreement with Riverside in May 2025 to earn up to 100 percent interest in the project. The planned Phase I program includes drilling 10 diamond drill holes averaging 300 meters in depth across the three priority targets, alongside geophysical (gravity and EM) surveys to refine targets. Questcorp will also continue surface exploration at the remaining five targets to identify additional drill candidates. The project’s polymetallic nature and porphyry potential at depth suggest significant resource upside. Riverside remains as the operator during the earn-in, bringing proven success in similar deposits such as Alamos Gold’s Mulatos.

North Island Copper Project (NICP) – Vancouver Island, BC

The North Island copper property is an exploration-stage project located on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, approximately 7.5 km northwest of BHP’s historic Island Copper Mine. The Island Copper operation historically produced 1.2 billion kg copper, 35,268 kg gold, 360,800 kg silver, and significant molybdenum and rhenium from 367 million tonnes of ore, underscoring the district’s endowment.

NICP hosts eight documented copper-silver skarn occurrences and displays porphyry-style mineralization associated with the Island Intrusive suite. The property is geologically anchored by two main target areas: skarns associated with Quatsino limestones in the east and a porphyry copper target to the west, known as the Marisa Zone. Historical drilling by previous operators at Marisa intersected broad zones of copper mineralization, including:

  • DDH92-01: 0.078 percent copper over 56.39 m, including 0.171 percent copper over 16.17 m
  • DDH92-03: 0.041 percent copper over 70.71 m, with increasing grade at depth

Despite promising results, these zones were never followed up. Questcorp intends to revisit and expand on this historic work. The next steps include completing a 3D induced polarization (IP) survey to model chargeability and resistivity anomalies, followed by a focused drill campaign targeting extensions of the Marisa porphyry.

The project benefits from excellent access via the Vancouver Island Highway and logging roads, plus nearby hydro infrastructure, offering low-cost exploration potential. With a favorable neighborhood, including Northisle Copper & Gold Inc. (TSXV:NCX) with a ~$800 million market cap, NICP represents a high-upside copper exploration story in a Tier-1 jurisdiction.

Founding Directors and Management Team

Saf Dhillon – President, CEO and Director

Saf Dhillon has been involved in the development of public companies for over 20 years, holding various positions including investor relations, business development and senior management, as well as board directorships, building an extensive worldwide list of contacts. He was a key member of the Idaho-based US Geothermal’s management team, which grew the company from an approximately US$2 million startup to a successful independent renewable energy power producer with three new power plants operating in the Pacific Northwest. Saf is President & CEO of iMetal Resources Inc. (TSXV:IMR), President & CEO of Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE:BYRG). He is also a founding director of Torrent Gold (CSE:TGLD), a board member of Lake Winn Resources (TSXV:LWR), and provides assistance to several other private and public companies.

R. Tim Henneberry – Director

R. Tim Henneberry is a professional geoscientist with over 43 years of experience in domestic and international exploration and production for base and precious metals and industrial minerals. He founded Mammoth Geological in 1991, providing geological consulting services to numerous private and publicly traded companies. Henneberry has been involved in senior management of several TSX Venture and CSE-listed companies over the last 30+ years, serving as director, senior officer or advisor, including the founding of several.

Scott Davis – Director

Scott Davis is a partner of Cross Davis & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, providing accounting and management services for publicly listed companies. His experience includes CFO positions of several companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, and his past experience consists of senior management positions, including four years at Appleby as an assistant financial controller. Prior to that, he spent two years at Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as an auditor, and five years with Pacific Opportunity Capital as an accounting manager.

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(TheNewswire)

  

Vancouver, B.C. TheNewswire – December 22, 2025 Armory Mining Corp. (CSE: ARMY) (OTC: RMRYF) (FRA: 2JS) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Armory’) a resource exploration company focused on the discovery and development of minerals critical to the energy, security and defense sectors, is pleased to announce it has engaged Castello Q Exploration Corp to carry out an initial phase one work program at its 100% owned Ammo Antimony-Gold project, located in Nova Scotia, Canada.

 

Ammo is 3,092-hectare exploration package that completely surrounds and is contiguous to the historical West Gore antimony-gold mine.  West Gore produced both antimony and gold in the years leading up to World War I.  The ground has since changed hands multiple times, and is currently held by Military Metals Corp.

 

West Gore was a significant producer during World War One, with production shipped to England.  Records document nearly 32,000 metric tons of production between 1914-1917, yielding over 7,000 metric tons of antimony concentrate grading 46%.
Total gold recovered up to 1917 was 6,861 ounces. Limited work was conducted in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1980s by several companies along with the Nova Scotia government*.

 

‘We have established budgets for the phase one exploration program at Ammo and are happy to begin working with Castello Q Exploration,’ said Alex Klenman, CEO. ‘This initial program will provide geologically important data that will contribute significantly to drill targeting. We’re excited that meaningful exploration work is on the horizon and eager to move the project forward in a positive way,’ continued Mr. Klenman.

 


Click Image To View Full Size

 

Figure 1: Map showing Armory’s Ammo Project surrounding the historical West Gore antimony-gold mine

 

The initial work program is expected to consist of data compilation, prospecting and reconnaissance, to identify favorable geology, followed by detailed surface sampling and geophysics to assist in determining priority drill targets. The Company plans to budget up to $656,000 CDN for the initial phase of exploration.  

 

* Source: NI 43-101 Technical Report, Battery Metals Corp, Mark S. King, P. Geo., Michael C. Corey, P. Geo., May 25, 2021

Note: The Company considers historical data at West Gore to be relevant. Readers are cautioned that the Company has not independently verified the information, and notes that the mineralization on this property may not be indicative of the mineralization on the Company’s property.

 

About Armory Mining Corp

Armory Mining Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on minerals critical to the energy, security and defense sectors. The Company controls an 80% interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi Salar, Salta Province, Argentina. In addition, the Company controls 100% interest in both the Ammo antimony-gold project located in Nova Scotia and the Riley Creek antimony-gold project located in British Columbia.

 

Qualified Person

 

Harrison Cookenboo, Ph.D., P. Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.

 

Contact Information

 

Alex Klenman

CEO & Director

alex@armorymining.com

 

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.   This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the Company’s securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company’s securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘1933 Act’) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the  1933 Act) unless registered under the  1933 Act  and applicable  state  securities  laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

 

Forward-looking statements:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the intended use of funds. The words ‘expects,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘intends,’ ‘plans,’ ‘will,’ ‘may,’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, political and regulatory risks in Canada, operational and exploration risks, market conditions, and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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International Lithium Corp. (TSXV: ILC,OTC:ILHMF) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH) (the ‘Company’ or ‘ILC’) will hold its 2025 Annual General Meeting today, December 22, at 9.30 a.m. Pacific Time. At that meeting, John Wisbey, Chairman and CEO, will make the following statement:

‘Good morning, and welcome to the 2025 Annual General Meeting of International Lithium Corp. (‘ILC’ or the ‘Company’). I would like to share a few comments on the year-to-date and the outlook ahead before proceeding with formalities.

‘In summary, 2025 has been a successful year for ILC, improved further by a major turnround in the lithium market from June onwards. The Company completed the sale of its Avalonia property in Ireland, and made a major advance in Southern Africa through obtaining an option to acquire an 80% interest in the company owning the important Karibib project in Namibia. It is important to note that ILC has become much more than a lithium company, and the expansion into other critical minerals will be especially notable if ILC exercises its option in Namibia. As well as lithium, the Karibib project contains the largest declared rubidium resource in Africa, and also enough cesium that, when refined, would meet a year of global demand. Rubidium and cesium are both valuable critical metals with multiple commercial uses.

‘The year for the lithium market has been one of two halves. In H1 2025, the lithium price, and that of related minerals such as spodumene, continued to be very weak, reaching a low in June of circa 10% of the 2023 highs. This, combined with the resultant impact on share prices, was painful for every company in the lithium sector, including ILC. However, in H2 2025, the position has seen a considerable improvement.

‘While much of the commodity market’s focus has been on gold, silver and platinum, the rebound in lithium prices has not been widely reported and has been largely overlooked. Yet in H2 2025, the spodumene price has risen by more than 100%, outperforming all precious metals. Most of that gain has come in Q4 2025. The main benchmark lithium carbonate price Li2CO3 has risen by around 65% from its June 2025 lows. If this trend continues, it will be very positive for the lithium sector.

‘The Company’s flagship Raleigh Lake project in Ontario, Canada is again, at today’s prices for spodumene, an economically viable project even if ILC were to focus solely on lithium. Moreover, it also carries a significant rubidium resource, and one of ILC’s goals in 2026 is to put a formal economic value on that rubidium resource, as we did in the PEA for lithium two years ago.

‘In September 2025, ILC announced that it had acquired an option to buy Lepidico’s 100% interest in Lepidico Mauritius for C$975,000. This brings with it an 80% interest in the Namibian company that owns 100% of the Karibib Lithium, Rubidium and Cesium project. As announced at the time, this is a major project that has received substantial investment and, indeed, reached the Definitive Feasibility Study stage under JORC in 2020. If the option is exercised, ILC will have a major stake in the largest declared rubidium resource in Africa and one of the largest in the world. There is also enough cesium at Karibib that, when refined, could meet a year of world demand. We are still waiting for the outcome of an arbitration case that Lepidico is engaged in and will decide whether or not to exercise the option shortly after receiving that result.

Lepidico’s 80% ownership of Karibib resulted from its 2019 acquisition of TSXV-listed Desert Lion Energy in exchange for shares and other securities valued at that time at AUD$ 22.9 million (approximately CAD$20.7 million). Since acquiring the company in 2019, Lepidico invested a further AUD$ 12.1 million (approximately CAD$ 10.9 million) in the Karibib project, excluding central group overheads, with a significant portion directed towards drilling, an environmental study and subsequently a Definitive Feasibility Study and a further Resource Estimate.

This project could become highly important to ILC in 2026, and the Company’s Southern Africa strategy will hopefully also be supplemented by progress on the announced Zimbabwe EPO applications.

‘The Company completed the sale of the Avalonia project in Ireland to a subsidiary of its partner, Ganfeng Lithium, whereby ILC also retains a 2% Net Smelter Royalty. The total of C$2.5m generated from this was used to advance the investment in the Namibian project and other ongoing initiatives.

Outlook

‘The good work done in 2025, and the upturn in the lithium market, gives a strong possibility of 2026 being a successful period for ILC. As well as extra work at the flagship Raleigh Lake project in Canada, if ILC exercises its option to buy Lepidico Mauritius, it will, at Karibib in Namibia, have a project that could otherwise have taken several years and tens of millions of dollars to bring a similar greenfield project to the same stage, let alone the time to identify such a project. Karibib would bring ILC not only lithium, but also a world-class resource in rubidium and one of the larger cesium deposits not controlled by a Chinese company.

‘Lithium and spodumene prices are now back up to the level where mine development is economically viable at Canadian prices. If their rise continues, this will be positive for ILC and the lithium industry overall. ILC’s additional focus on rubidium and cesium gives further strings to its bow that could turn ILC into a much larger company.

‘In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our valued shareholders, advisors and other stakeholders a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.’

On behalf of the Company,

John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO
www.internationallithium.ca

For further information concerning this news release, please contact +1 604-449-6520 or info@internationallithium.ca or ILC@yellowjerseypr.com.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include: the timing of completion of any offering and the amount to be raised, the likelihood or otherwise of the Company exercising its option on Lepidico Mauritius, the outcome of arbitration involving Lepidico Namibia, the effect of results of anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Karibib or Raleigh Lake or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge projects, the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, lithium or rubidium or copper recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the company’s projects, the Company’s budgeted expenditures, future plans for expansion in Southern Africa and planned exploration work on its projects, increased value of shareholder investments in the Company, the potential from the Company’s third party earn-out or royalty arrangements, the future demand for lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our joint venture partners or third party operators of projects or royalty partners. Such forward-looking information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled ‘Risks’ and ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ in the interim and annual Management’s Discussion and Analysis which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. 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 information. Forward-looking information herein, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278761

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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.

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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.

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Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) (‘Sankamap’ or the ‘Company’) the Company and its auditor continue to work diligently toward the completion and filing of the Company’s annual audited financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 (the ‘Required Filings’). The Company has obtained approval from the Alberta Securities Commission to extend the Management Cease Trade Order (‘MCTO’) under National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders (‘NP 12-203’) until January 31, 2026. Sankamap confirms that substantially all audit work has been completed, with only one minor confirmation and customary completion procedures remaining. The Company is actively working to provide the outstanding items and is in contact with the relevant party. Subject to completion of these matters, the audit is expected to be finalized shortly.

The Required Filings were due to be filed by October 28, 2025. In connection with the anticipated delays in making the Required Filings, the Company made an application for a MCTO under NP 12-203 to the Alberta Securities Commission, as principal regulator for the Company, and the MCTO was issued on October 29, 2025. The MCTO restricts all trading by the Company’s CEO and CFO in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect. The MCTO does not affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or insiders of the Company to trade their securities. The MCTO will remain in effect until the Required Filings are filed or until it is revoked or varied.

The Company expects to proceed with the filing of its interim first-quarter financial statements shortly after the Required Filings have been completed and submitted.

The Company confirms that it intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines described in NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of a news release until it meets the Required Filings requirement. The Company has not taken any steps towards any insolvency proceeding and the Company has no material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

For further information with respect to the MCTO, please refer to the Company’s news releases dated October 21, 2025, November 4, 2025, November 18, 2025, December 3, 2025, December 17, 2025, December 30, 2025, and January 13, 2026, available for viewing on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Sankamap Metals Inc.

Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) is a Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of high-grade copper and gold deposits through its flagship Oceania Project, located in the South Pacific. The Company’s fully permitted assets are strategically positioned in the Solomon Islands, along a prolific geological trend that hosts major copper-gold deposits; including Newcrest’s Lihir Mine, with a resource of 71.9 million ounces of gold¹ (310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred).

Exploration is actively advancing at both the Kuma and Fauro properties, part of Sankamap’s Oceania Project in the Solomon Islands. Historical work has already highlighted the mineral potential of both sites, which lie along a highly prospective copper and gold-bearing trend, suggesting the possibility of further, yet-to-be-discovered deposits.

At Kuma, the property is believed to host an underexplored and largely untested porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) system. Historical rock chip sampling has returned consistently elevated gold values above 0.5 g/t Au, including a standout sample assaying 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au2; underscoring the area’s significant potential.

At Fauro, particularly at the Meriguna Target, historical trenching has returned highly encouraging results, including 8.0 meters at 27.95 g/t Au and 14.0 meters at 8.94 g/t Au3. Complementing these results are exceptional grab sample assays, including historical values of up to 173 g/t Au3, along with recent sampling by Sankamap at the Kiovakase Target, which returned numerous high-grade copper values, reaching up to 4.09% Cu. In addition, limited historical shallow drilling intersected 35.0 meters at 2.08 g/t Au3, further underscoring the property’s strong mineral potential and the merit for continued exploration. With a commitment to systematic exploration and a team of experienced professionals, Sankamap aims to unlock the untapped potential of underexplored regions and create substantial value for its shareholders. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Sankamap’s profile.

1.Newcrest Technical Report, 2020 (Lihir: 310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred)

2. Historical grab, soil and BLEG samples from SolGold Kuma Review June 2015, and SolGold plc Annual Report 2013/2012

3. September 2010-June 2012 press releases from Solomon Gold Ltd. and SolGold Fauro Island Summary Technical Info 2012

QP Disclosure

The technical content for the Oceania Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person in accordance with CIM guidelines. Mr. John Florek is in good standing with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (Member ID:1228) and a director and officer of the Company.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

s/ ‘John Florek’
John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol
Chief Executive Officer
Sankamap Metals Inc.

Contact:
John Florek, CEO
T: (807) 228-3531
E: johnf@sankamap.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to Sankamap and there is no assurance that the actual results will meet management’s expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘targets,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘plans,’ ‘expects,’ ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘could’ or ‘would.’

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding management’s expectations about obtaining the MCTO and completing the Required Filings within the anticipated timeline. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Sankamap does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements or information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company’s continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281882

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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The silver price was on the rise once again this week — it surged past the US$67 per ounce level on Friday (December 19), hitting a new record before pulling back.

As for gold, it spent much of the period around the US$4,330 per ounce level, although it rose as high as US$4,360 on Thursday (December 18), approaching its own all-time high.

Investors were eyeing November US consumer price index (CPI) data, which came out on Thursday. It was up 2.7 percent year-on-year, while core CPI was measured at 2.6 percent.

Those figures were quite a bit lower than analysts’ estimates, and data collection issues caused by the US government shutdown have left market participants questioning the results.

Notably, Bureau of Labor Statistics officials had to make ‘certain methodological assumptions’ because the October CPI report was canceled entirely. The bureau also started November data collection later than usual, driving concerns about a rebound in numbers for December.

US jobs data for both October and November came out this week as well, showing that the unemployment rate for last month rose to 4.6 percent, the highest since 2021.

While 64,000 jobs were added in November, 105,000 were lost in October, and revisions took 33,000 jobs away from the months of August and September.

Outside US economic data, it’s worth noting that for silver there’s still a lot of focus on behind-the-scenes actions that could be impacting the price.

Here’s what Substack newsletter writer John Rubino had to say about that:

‘A lot of the discontinuities that we’re seeing in the silver market right now are due to the fact that the big exchanges like Comex may not have enough silver to satisfy the demands of futures contract holders.

‘In other words, there are a lot more people out there with long futures contracts that could come in and demand silver than there is silver to satisfy that demand. And the number of people who are standing for delivery on futures contracts is rising, and the amount of silver in these exchanges is shrinking.’

Bullet briefing — Platinum beats gold, copper hits new record

Platinum price on the move

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also take a moment to mention platinum.

While gold and silver have been making headlines, platinum’s 2025 rise has been quiet, but significant — it’s up over 100 percent year-to-date and nearly hit US$1,980 per ounce this week.

Platinum is somewhat similar to silver in that they both have precious and industrial sides, and they’ve both seen persistent deficits in recent years.

Platinum’s deficit has definitely helped it rise this year, but looking forward to next year the World Platinum Investment Council is expecting a balanced market. When I saw that, I wondered if that would mean lower prices in 2026. But that may not necessarily be the case.

Edward Sterck said there are a couple of nuances in the council’s outlook — for example, it’s anticipating profit taking from exchange-traded funds, but if that doesn’t happen, then the platinum deficit may persist. He also noted that balance in 2026 wouldn’t erase years of deficits:

‘A balanced market doesn’t solve for the fact we’ve had three years of deficits. It doesn’t in any way, I suppose, rebuild aboveground stocks. And it’s the shortage of aboveground stocks that seems to be one of the major catalysts behind this price action and behind the market tightness.’

Copper price hits new high

It’s not only precious metals that have been hitting new highs this year.

The price of copper has been climbing as well, hitting a new all-time high of close to US$12,000 per metric ton last week on the London Metal Exchange.

It’s pulled back slightly since then, but market watchers agree the copper outlook remains strong as rising demand meets constrained supply. In fact, I’ve been asking experts what they think the top-performing asset of next year will be, and copper has been a popular pick.

Lobo Tiggre of IndependentSpeculator.com chose the base metal as his highest-confidence trade of 2025, and he said he’s sticking with it next year.

Here’s what he had to say about copper:

‘Top pick for 2026 is copper. Similar reasons to 2025 —the copper price has been kicked around, up and down by what I think of as sort of extraneous issues. But the fundamentals mean the demand scenario just looks phenomenal, and the supply has been really constrained.’

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

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