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One victim had recently returned home after decades working abroad to enjoy a retirement filled with travel and family time; another hoped the trip into the beauty of Indian-administered Kashmir would cheer the spirits of his semi-paralyzed wife.

Both men were among 26 tourists shot dead by militants this week in a massacre that has ripped open old wounds between India and its neighbor Pakistan, tipping them a step closer to military escalation.

Both countries claim Kashmir in its entirety, but each control only part. They have fought three wars over the territory – which is famous for its dramatic mountains and lush meadows – since their independence from Britain in 1947.

A bloody, decades-long insurgency in India’s part of the region has killed tens of thousands, waged by militant groups demanding either independence or a merger with Pakistan.

India says those groups are supported by Pakistan, which Islamabad denies.

Tuesday’s attack – during which men were singled out and gunned down from close range, according to survivors’ testimony – was the latest in a list of bloody incidents to stain the region.

Balachandran Menonparambil feels as though he’s lost his “right hand,” after his friend of six decades Ramachandran Narayanamenon was killed in the attack.

Having spent decades working in Qatar, Narayanamenon “looked forward to a life of retirement,” according to his friend, who described him as “a happy man,” caring and reliable.

“He was on a trip with his wife Shiela, daughter Aarti, and two grandchildren and was looking forward to enjoying himself with his grandchildren,” said the 70-year-old.

He recalled how “excited” Narayanamenon, 69, sounded in their last call before he boarded the flight to Kashmir on Monday.

A day later, Menonparambil was told that his friend was dead.

“I was watching TV and they began to show what was happening in Kashmir… so I called him, but he did not pick up,” he said.

He then reached out to Narayanamenon’s son Arvind, who told him that “Dad is gone.”

He said people came up to offer condolences to him at the cremation. “Everybody was asking me what I will do, only half of me is working now. I told them he is there with me in my heart,” he said.

Other survivors speaking to local media said the gunmen accused some of the victims of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 2019, Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government stripped Muslim-majority Kashmir of its previous autonomy, sparking protests.

After Tuesday’s massacre, New Delhi swiftly pointed the finger at Pakistan, downgrading ties and suspending its participation in a crucial water-sharing treaty. Pakistan has denied involvement and said any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to it would be considered an act of war.

All three men, described as “loving fathers” and family breadwinners, came from just outside the megacity of Mumbai. They had taken the trip to Pahalgam together, according to Kadam.

Sanjay and Hemant were both accountants working for small private firms, while Atul worked for the Indian Railways, he said.

For the Leles, Kadam said, the trip was long planned. His sister-in-law suffers from a form of paralysis on the left side of her body that means she walks with difficulty.

“They had been planning this trip for a while but because of her health issues… it had gotten postponed. Once her health was doing better, they finally all lined up their schedules and managed to go,” he said.

“Lele told his wife that if you won’t go, none of us will go. So she agreed and finally they all went,” said Kadam.

Kadam himself did not go on the trip, but later traveled to Kashmir to help bring the shell-shocked survivors from his family back home.

The holidaying family bought food from a stall not long before the attack. Unaccustomed to the realities of the restive region, they initially mistook the sound of gunfire for fireworks, Kadam said, but were warned to take shelter by locals who sensed danger.

All three men were shot shortly after, he said. A bullet grazed his 20-year-old nephew Harshal’s hand.

It took almost four hours for disabled Kavita to struggle down the hill to safety, he said.

He said the families have taken hope from protests in India demanding justice for the victims and their families.

Still, their lives have been changed forever.

“This is not something that can end,” he said.

“We have to now live with this.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held crunch war talks in the heart of the Vatican minutes before the start of the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, as the White House mounts an increasingly urgent push to strike a peace deal in Ukraine.

Photographs released by the Ukrainian presidency showed the two leaders huddled in close discussion without aides in the ornate surroundings of St. Peter’s Basilica.

A White House spokesman accompanying Trump said that the two leaders “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.” A spokesman for Zelensky said the meeting lasted for about 15 minutes, and the leaders agreed to continue talks, possibly later Saturday.

It was the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Zelensky since a disastrous White House meeting in February, when the President and other US officials publicly berated Zelensky for being insufficiently grateful for US support and briefly suspended arms shipments and intelligence sharing.

US involvement in talks

The US has been applying more pressure on Ukraine after threatening last week it could walk away from the talks “within days” if it becomes clear a deal cannot be reached.

Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal” that would end the conflict, which Russia launched in 2014 and escalated with its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022.

“A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social after landing in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours on Friday, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who said the talks were “constructive and very useful.”

Before leaving Kyiv for Rome on Friday, Zelensky suggested a number of compromises with the goal of advancing peace talks.

“In the coming days, very significant meetings may take place — meetings that should bring us closer to silence for Ukraine,” he said.

“We are ready for dialogue, I emphasize again, in any format with anyone,” he said, but “only after a real signal that Russia is ready to end the war. Such a signal is a complete and unconditional ceasefire.”

Kyiv and Moscow have not met directly since the early weeks of Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of its smaller neighbor. Any direct talks would likely require further discussion and add delay to the diplomacy the Trump administration has hoped will yield results in a matter of days.

Accepting that Ukraine would not join NATO in the foreseeable future, he said: “I think we have to be pragmatic. We have to understand what security guarantees Ukraine needs.”

Zelensky said those guarantees might include a military contingent from Europe and what he called a “backstop” from the United States.

“For us, the backstop does not necessarily have to be boots on the ground in Ukraine,” Zelensky said, but could include cyber defense “and above all Patriot air defense systems.”

On Thursday, Kyiv was hit by the largest wave of Russian missile strikes since July last year. Twelve people were killed.

‘Ukraine Deal Framework’ still faces hurdles

Zelensky also spoke Friday of what he called “constructive” proposals drawn up in London this week between Ukrainian and European officials.

A copy of those proposals was obtained by Reuters. Titled “Ukraine Deal Framework,” it proposes a full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land and at sea, as Ukraine has previously agreed to.

The draft proposed Ukraine would receive “robust security guarantees including from the US … while there is no consensus among Allies on NATO membership.” Those would be similar to those in NATO’s Article 5, under which all members are obliged to assist an attacked nation.

One part of the draft that is likely to be opposed by Moscow says that “the guarantor states will be an ad hoc group of European countries and willing non-European countries.” There would be “no restrictions on the presence, weapons and operations of friendly foreign forces on the territory of Ukraine,” nor on the size of the Ukrainian military.

The draft says negotiations on territory would begin after the ceasefire comes into effect, and their starting point would be the current frontlines. But it adds that Ukraine would regain control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March 2022.

On the proposed minerals agreement between the US and Ukraine, which would give the US access to billions of dollars-worth of rare metals, the draft says Ukraine will be fully compensated financially, including through Russian assets that will remain frozen until Russia compensates damage to Ukraine.

Moscow is also likely to oppose that.

The draft obtained by Reuters does not mention specifically mention Crimea. Witkoff’s plan proposed the US recognize Crimea as part of Russia, but did not suggest that Ukraine also had to. Recognizing Russian control of Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, would cross a major red line for Ukraine and its European allies, and would be in breach of established international law.

Zelensky rejected the idea, saying there was “nothing to talk about” as such a recognition would be against Ukraine’s constitution. He told reporters Friday: “I agree with President Trump that Ukraine does not have enough weapons to regain control of the Crimean peninsula by force of arms. But the world has sanctions opportunities, other economic pressure.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

During the Francis papacy, the role of women in the church emerged as a pressing priority, with Catholics across the globe calling for change.

The Argentine pontiff listened, breaking some important glass ceilings in the Vatican when it came to appointing female leaders to senior positions. He chose to make gradual changes that, to the outside may have seemed like small steps, but were huge leaps to those on the inside.

The pope appointed the first woman leader of a department in the church’s central administration and the first female president of the office governing the Vatican City State. Francis also chose the first women to sit at the board level in the church’s central administration, including at the influential department for choosing bishops.

By 2023, 10 years into his pontificate, the percentage of women in the Vatican workforce had risen from 19.2 to 23.4%. More broadly, Francis gave women the power to vote for the first time at a major global gathering of bishops, known as a synod, and formally opened up non-ordained ministry roles as he sought to increase participation.

On Holy Thursday last year he broke with tradition by travelling to a female prison in Rome to wash the feet of 12 women prisoners. It was the first time a pontiff had only washed the feet of women in the annual ceremony that emphasizes humility.

But while the pope made some landmark reforms, many will be hoping that his successor moves further, and faster, and there was sometimes sharp criticism of his stance on the role of women in society.

Kim Daniels, the director of Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and a Vatican adviser on communication, said the pope had “made significant strides towards greater inclusion of women in church decision-making” and that his reforms to broaden participation would be key to his legacy.

The lack of opportunity for women in the church is likely to come into sharp focus during the forthcoming papal conclave: Only members of the all-male body which is the College of Cardinals will vote on who will become the next pope.

It highlights a wider concern that Catholics across the world have raised in recent years: That while women frequently make up a majority in the pews on Sunday, they are scarcely represented at the church’s decision-making levels. Although lay people are increasingly more involved in church administration, it is primarily bishops and priests who make final decisions.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that women are on the front lines of the church’s work on the ground, with nuns providing healthcare and education in developing countries and plenty of women leading Catholic schools and universities.

On the question of female involvement in a conclave, some have argued that women could be made cardinals, given the role of a cardinal is primarily to advise a pope and elect his successor.

Ordination questions

Sister Christine Schenk, an American nun, author and founder of international reform-focused group “FutureChurch,” said it was time to give a “deliberative voice” to women and lay people at “every level of the church,” adding that if the same model of electing a pope remains in place, “we need as many female cardinals as male cardinals at the conclave.”

A more realistic possibility in the short term is allowing women to once again become deacons, an ordained ministry distinct from the priesthood. Deacons can witness marriages, perform baptisms and preach during Mass. Those in favor point to evidence for female deacons in scripture and their presence in the early church right up until the Middle Ages.

Women deacons could also bolster the church’s presence in schools, hospitals and prisons, along with providing leaders for Catholic communities. Church leaders in the Amazon, where priests are in short supply, raised the question at a 2019 synod, calling on the pope to “promote and confer ministries for men and women in an equitable manner.” A 2024 synod concluding document, approved by the pope, said that the question of ordaining women as deacons should remain an “open” question.

To that end, several Vatican commissions were set up study the question of female deacons were established by Francis, although no findings were never made public.

Francis maintained the ban on women’s ordination as priests and deacons, something which disappointed those keen to see women in more visible church leadership roles, but insisted that decision-making and leadership doesn’t depend on whether someone is ordained. He repeatedly stated that the church is female and asked for theologians to help in trying to “de-masculinize” it.

Centuries of misogyny

Significantly, a live debate in the church about the role of women is being allowed to take place. Schenk described it as the most impactful shift during the Francis pontificate, ending the marginalization of “Catholics who wish to discuss full inclusion of women in every aspect of church ministry and decision-making.”

“The question Francis looked at is how to get more people involved in the work of the church, in as many ways and places as possible. That is why he appointed women to senior roles in the Vatican,” said Hofstra University Professor Phyllis Zagano, a member of the first commission on female deacons.

“On the question of women deacons, Francis was trying to deal with centuries of misogyny that misunderstood the role of women in the church and society. The synod process he started tried to get the church away from a male-only perspective and to look at women, rather than as a problem to be solved, but as able to be fully involved in the church’s work. Restoring women to the ordained diaconate reinforces the trajectory the church has been on.”

Despite the various ways Francis initiated reforms and made appointments, there is still a long way to go until women are given greater roles and responsibility in the church. The next pope is likely to find this topic right at the top of his in-tray.

“Previously the Vatican – indeed many, if not most, prelates – were leery of even using the words ‘women’ and ‘ministry’ in the same sentence,” said Schenk. “Now such issues are being openly discussed – something long overdue and a sign of newfound strength and maturity in a church that no longer fears discerning (and) discussing changes in how we walk together as the People of God.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that his country has regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Ukraine’s army says fighting continues.

“The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed,” Putin said Saturday, congratulating the Russian forces that he said defeated the Ukrainian military in the region in what would be a symbolic boost for Moscow at a crucial point in the war.

But the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a Telegram post that Putin’s claim about the end of hostilities in Kursk was “not true.”

“The defensive operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the designated areas in Kursk region continues. The operational situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold their positions and perform their assigned tasks,” the Telegram post said.

Ukraine launched its shock incursion into Kursk in August, swiftly capturing territory in what was the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II.

Since then, Russia, with support from North Korean soldiers, has been fighting to oust Ukraine’s forces from its borders, while Kyiv had poured precious resources into holding onto its territory there, with the view of using it as a key bargaining chip in any peace talks. The operation was also launched to relieve pressure from the embattled eastern frontline.

In his address, Putin said recapturing Kursk “creates conditions for further successful actions of our troops in other important areas of the front.”

In a post on Telegram, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, thanked the North Korean soldiers, praising their “high professionalism, steadfastness, courage and heroism in battle.”

Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence reports found that about 12,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to fight in Russia.

If Putin’s claims are true, hopes of using Kursk as a bargaining counter are now gone and Ukraine’s retreat has the potential to dent Kyiv’s political clout as well as its military’s morale after three years of war and with intense efforts underway towards finding peace.

Though the US has attempted to broker peace talks between Ukraine and Russia over recent months, tensions between the leaders of the three countries have meant that very little has come to fruition.

Another whirlwind week of diplomacy saw US President Donald Trump accuse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of making it “so difficult to settle this war” for refusing to accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea but later saying Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal.”

On Saturday morning, at the funeral of the late Pope Francis in the Vatican, Zelensky briefly met with Trump for talks on potential peace negotiations. A White House spokesperson called the meeting “productive,” while Zelensky thanked Trump for the meeting, writing on X that it “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”

This story has been updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$93,529.14 as markets closed for the day, up 2.2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range has seen a low of US$92,078.75 and a high of US$94,122.31.

Bitcoin performance, April 23, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Fueledby the re-entry of institutional investment, the crypto markets appear to be headed towards a robust recovery; however, the long-term trajectory remains to be seen.

Ethereum (ETH) ended the day at US$1,785.14, a 5.2 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,767.67 and a high of US$1,815.24.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) ended the day valued at US$150.05, up four percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$149.31 and peaked at $153.47.
  • XRP traded at US$2.22, reflecting a three percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$2.20 and reached its highest point at US$2.29.
  • Sui (SUI) was priced at US$2.98, showing an increaseof 21 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$2.89 and a high of US$3.06.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.6981, up 6.3 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Wednesday was US$0.6873, with a high of US$0.7138.

Today’s crypto news to know

Riot Platforms secures US$100 million credit facility backed by Bitcoin

Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) secured a US$100 million credit facility from Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) on Wednesday (April 23), using a massive Bitcoin stockpile as collateral.

Data from Bitcoin Treasuries indicates that Riot holds 19,223 BTC valued at approximately US$1.8 billion, making the company the third-largest corporate Bitcoin treasury behind Michael Saylor’s Strategy and MARA Holdings.

“Riot has entered into its first bitcoin-backed facility, which provides us with non-dilutive funding at an attractive cost of financing,” said Jason Les, CEO of Riot, in a press release. “This credit facility is a key part of our efforts to diversify sources of financing to support our operations and strategic growth initiatives, with a view towards long-term stockholder value creation.”

Brandon Lutnick forms new Bitcoin investment vehicle

Brandon Lutnick, son of US Commerce Secretary and former Cantor Fitzgerald Chairman Howard Lutnick, will launch a listed Bitcoin investment vehicle through a reverse merger with Cantor Equity Partners, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). This is according to a Tuesday (April 22) report by the Financial Times (FT).

The newly-established entity, purportedly named Twenty One Capital, will be led by co-founder Jack Mallers, the CEO of Bitcoin-focused payments app Strike, and majority owned by Tether (USDT) and cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex. SoftBank (TSE:9984, OTCPINK:SOBKY) will also own a ‘significant minority’ stake. Sources for FT say Tether will contribute at least US$1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin.

The company will also raise US$385 million through a convertible bond and US$200 million via a private equity placement, which will be used to acquire more Bitcoin. Eventually, SoftBank, Tether and Bitfinex’s investments will be converted from Bitcoin into shares in Twenty One Capital, with a price of US$13 per share for the private placement and US$10 per share for the convertible bond.

According to the report, Twenty One Capital will launch with 42,000 BTC, making it the world’s third-largest Bitcoin reserve. “With a visionary leader at the helm and backing from two renowned industry leaders, Twenty One is designed to help investors capture value from Bitcoin’s growing global demand and increasing institutional adoption,” Lutnick said in a press release on Wednesday. The deal values the new company at US$3.6 billion based on an approximate US$85,000 Bitcoin valuation. As of writing, Bitcoin is valued at US$93,808.31.

Trump to Host Exclusive Dinner for $TRUMP Token Holders

Lauded as “the most exclusive invitation in the world”, US President Donald Trump will host a dinner for the top 220 holders of his $TRUMP token in Washington, D.C. on May 22. News of the event, which was announced on the memecoin’s official website, sent $TRUMP’s valuation up by over 55 percent in under an hour. $TRUMP reached US$14.44 at around midday on April 23, its highest valuation since mid-February. As of writing, $TRUMP is valued at US$13.46.

Top token holders are required to link their wallets for holding verification. The top 25 holders will gather for a private reception with the President before dinner.

Around 40 million $TRUMP tokens, or roughly 20 percent of the tokens’ circulating supply, were unlocked on April 17, valued slightly above US$300 million at the time. $TRUMP reached an all-time high of US$75.35 on January 19, according to data from CoinMarket Cap. This was followed by an abrupt reversal and steady decline in Q1 to valuations between US$9 – US$7 in April.

Bitcoin ETFs see US$936 million in daily inflows

US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their strongest day of inflows since January, pulling in a combined US$936 million on Tuesday (April 22) across 10 issuers.

Leading the charge were Ark & 21Shares with US$267.1 million, Fidelity’s FBTC with US$253.8 million and BlackRock’s IBIT, which added US$193.5 million.

Over the past three days, total net inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have surpassed $1.4 billion, signaling renewed institutional confidence in crypto markets. Analysts attribute the momentum to persistent inflation, a weakening US dollar and growing fears over geopolitical instability, prompting investors to turn to Bitcoin as a hedge.

While still volatile, Bitcoin is increasingly being framed as “digital gold,” with ETF flows suggesting it’s becoming a staple in diversified portfolios. This week’s influx also reflects optimism that regulatory conditions are maturing, particularly in the US, where ETFs are rapidly gaining legitimacy among mainstream investors.

Bitcoin becomes fifth largest global asset, overtakes Google

Bitcoin has climbed to a market capitalization of US$1.86 trillion, overtaking Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to become the world’s fifth-largest asset by market value. The price of Bitcoin surged past US$94,000, helped by easing trade tensions between the US and China and renewed bullish sentiment across tech and risk-on assets.

This marks a symbolic milestone for the cryptocurrency, which has now outpaced several of the world’s most valuable tech giants. Analysts point to Bitcoin’s increasing correlation with macroeconomic tailwinds — such as falling bond yields and speculative interest in risk assets — as drivers of the recent price action.

Its breakout relative to the Nasdaq also suggests growing investor confidence in crypto as a parallel to tech. If Bitcoin maintains this trajectory, some believe it could soon challenge silver’s position as the fourth-largest global asset.

Trump backs crypto regulation, Trump Media eyes retail crypto products

During a public appearance, US President Donald Trump called for regulatory certainty in the crypto industry and vowed to provide ‘clear rules of the road’ for digital asset innovation.

His statement coincided with Trump Media & Technology Group’s announcement that it will partner with Crypto.com and Yorkville America Digital to launch retail investment products, including crypto-focused ETFs aligned with Trump’s “America First” platform. The planned offerings aim to capitalize on the president’s growing presence in the digital asset space following prior ventures like Trump NFTs and crypto-affiliated partnerships.

While no official ETF filings have been submitted yet, the initiative signals Trump’s commitment to making crypto a policy priority as part of his economic strategy.

Tesla reports US$951 million in Bitcoin holdings despite earnings miss

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) revealed it continues to hold $951 million worth of Bitcoin on its balance sheet, despite posting weaker-than-expected quarterly revenue of US$19.34 billion.

The automaker’s Bitcoin holdings, totaling 11,509 BTC, remained unchanged during the quarter, with no buy or sell activity recorded. This comes as Bitcoin’s price dipped from late December highs, impacting Tesla’s valuation of its digital asset portfolio under the new Financial Accounting Standards Board rules.

These rules now require corporations to mark digital assets to market on a quarterly basis, increasing transparency but also exposing earnings to crypto market volatility. Tesla’s crypto exposure, while relatively small compared to its core business, still makes it one of the top public holders of Bitcoin globally.

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

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

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This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Equity Insider News Commentary

Issued on behalf of Rua Gold Inc.

Equity Insider News Commentary Despite the hyperactivity in the markets and with gold prices, analysts at JP Morgan are still predicting $4,000 oz gold prices by Q2 2026 . And the optimism for gold bugs doesn’t end there, as a new report from Morningstar Equity Research is highlighting how these high gold prices support gold miner stocks. Now analysts from Jefferies are raising their price targets for gold mining stocks ahead of upcoming earnings reports. Several gold stocks are providing reason for their recent market attention, including developments from Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Contango Ore Inc. (NYSE-American: CTGO), Prime Mining Corp. (TSX: PRYM) (OTCQX: PRMNF), Troilus Gold Corp. (TSX: TLG) (OTCQX: CHXMF), and Goliath Resources Limited (TSXV: GOT) (OTCQB: GOTRF).

Seen as a safe haven, demand for the precious metal is on the rise along with prices themselves. As far as miners go, one can look to the ETFs to see that both the VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) have had a stellar 2025 so far, with +44.80% and +39.58% year-to-date performance respectively (as of April 24, 2025 ).

New Zealand -focused gold exploration company, Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) , recently reported encouraging new drill results from its Auld Creek project in the historic Reefton Goldfield, with assays pointing to improved gold grades at depth along the Fraternal ore shoot. Standout intercepts include 9.0 meters at 5.9 g/t gold equivalent (5.2 g/t Au and 0.16% Sb) from hole ACDDH027, and 1.25 meters at 48.3 g/t AuEq (13.3 g/t Au and 8.1% Sb) from ACDDH028. Importantly, these results—returned from 80 to 100 meters beneath the current resource envelope—appear to confirm that gold-antimony mineralization intensifies with depth, supporting the company’s model of a high-grade, south-plunging zone that remains open.

The Auld Creek project represents just one component of RUA’s broader 2025 exploration push across the Reefton district, where the company now holds 95% control over the historic goldfield.

Infographic – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2673500/Equity_Insider.jpg

RUA Gold is taking a fresh approach to one of New Zealand’s most storied gold districts—becoming the first modern explorer to deploy advanced geological modeling and AI-driven targeting across the Reefton Goldfield.

And it’s working.

At Auld Creek, the company’s flagship project, early drill campaigns have already delivered hits like 12 meters at 12.2 g/t gold equivalent, including a standout 2 meters at 54.8 g/t gold, while surface sampling has uncovered antimony grades topping 40%. Four mineralized shoots have been confirmed so far, but only two are factored into the current inferred resource: 700,000 tonnes grading 3.1 g/t gold and 1.1% antimony—suggesting considerable room to grow.

Meanwhile, the 2025 drill season is expanding across the district.

Active programs are now underway at Murray Creek and the Gallant prospect within the Cumberland camp. As a target prioritized by modern AI technology, Gallant sits just 3 kilometers from the historic Globe Progress mine, where OceanaGold pulled more than 610,000 ounces of gold between 2007 and 2016, on top of the 424,000 ounces produced before 1950. Taken together, the Reefton belt has historically yielded over 2 million ounces, with grades that once reached 50 g/t.

Gallant is being tested for potential extensions of a previously reported 20.7-meter vein grading 62.2 g/t gold, including a 1-meter blast of 1,911 g/t. At Murray Creek, visible gold has now been noted in the majority of holes—an encouraging sign for a system still in its early innings.

But RUA’s ambitions don’t end in Reefton.

On the North Island, the company is advancing its Glamorgan Project , located near OceanaGold’s Wharekirauponga (WKP) deposit. There, two large gold-arsenic anomalies—spanning more than 4 kilometers—have been mapped, and rock samples have returned assays as high as 43 g/t gold. With drill targeting already underway, Glamorgan could emerge as the company’s next high-impact play.

Although gold remains the central theme, antimony is quietly shaping up as a strategic wild card . In January 2025 , New Zealand added antimony to its official Critical Minerals List . With global supplies tightening and prices rising above US$50,000 per tonne , intercepts like 0.3 meters at 27.2 g/t gold and 1.35% Sb are starting to draw meaningful investor attention.

With a team behind $11 billion in mining exits , and $5.75 million in fresh capital, Rua Gold is not just exploring—it’s executing on a clear plan to unlock overlooked, high-grade potential across one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most underexplored gold belts.

CONTINUED… Read this and more news for Rua Gold at: https://equity-insider.com/2025/04/24/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:

Contango Ore Inc. (NYSE-American: CTGO) recently announced a $9 million cash distribution from the Peak Gold JV , bringing total proceeds from Manh Choh gold sales in 2025 to $33 million .

‘Operations remain on track at Manh Choh with Contango’s share of gold production for 2025 expected to be 60,000 ounces at the previously guided all-in-sustaining costs (‘AISC’) of $1,625 per ounce of gold sold for 2025,’ Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse , President and CEO of Contango Ore . ‘We plan to release financial results from the Q1-2025 on May 14, 2025 .’

The first of four production campaigns has now been completed, with 20,000 ounces delivered to Contango’s account. A second campaign is scheduled to begin mid-May, with full-year production guidance holding at 60,000 ounces.

‘On our Johnson Tract, we are in final stages of completing the previously announced preliminary economic assessment(‘ PEA’) and expect to have it released by the end of April,’ added Van Nieuwenhuyse .

Prime Mining Corp. (TSX: PRYM) (OTCQX: PRMNF) continues to advance its Los Reyes Project in Sinaloa, Mexico , with high-grade gold-silver intercepts from multiple zones, including Z-T, Central, Guadalupe East, Las Primas, and Fresnillo . Recent drilling highlights included 42.07 g/t AuEq over 1.0 m at Guadalupe East and 9.39 g/t AuEq over 10.5 m at Z-T, while new results from the Fresnillo generative target show near-surface mineralization extended by 120 metres .

‘2024 proved to be another transformational year for Prime: we drilled over 50,000 metres, expanded the Los Reyes resource, advanced technical de-risking and worked closely with our communities to earn our social license to operate,’ said Scott Hicks , CEO of Prime . ‘In 2025, we are looking forward to continuing our track record of exploration success while demonstrating our deep commitment to our local communities and the environment. We additionally plan to advance our understanding of Los Reyes toward a Preliminary Economic Assessment.’

Troilus Gold Corp. (TSX: TLG) (OTCQX: CHXMF) recently signed a mandate letter with a syndicate of global financial institutions, including Societe Generale , KfW IPEX-Bank , and Export Development Canada , to arrange up to US$700 million in structured project debt financing. This follows US$1.3 billion in previously announced LOIs from export credit agencies and marks a major step toward a fully funded construction package.

‘Securing this mandate with three globally recognized financial institutions that have expertise in structuring financing solutions for large-scale mining development is a pivotal step in delivering a fully funded construction package for the Troilus project,’ said Justin Reid , CEO of Troilus . ‘These institutions bring world-class mining finance expertise, and their participation further validates the project’s strong fundamentals and strategic importance. Project due diligence is underway in parallel with continued permitting and detailed engineering; our development schedule is on track as we advance Troilus towards construction.’

Goliath Resources Limited (TSXV: GOT) (OTCQB: GOTRF) recently definitively confirmed its Surebet discovery as part of a large-scale, high-grade Reduced Intrusion Related Gold (RIRG) system, following a detailed geological study by the Colorado School of Mines . The study confirms two distinct but related mineralization styles tied to a single magmatic source, with visible gold increasing in grade and coarseness at depth.

Drilling has intercepted gold in 100% of 243 holes across a 1.8 km² area, including intercepts of 34.52 g/t AuEq over 39.0 meters. With the system still open in all directions, Surebet presents a compelling case for a major gold discovery in the heart of British Columbia’s Golden Triangle.

‘When you consider how widespread the high-grade gold mineralization is in the veins and RIRG zones, the source is potentially extremely large,’ said Roger Rosmus , Founder and CEO of Goliath Resources . ‘The more drilling and scientific studies we do at the Surebet discovery, the better it gets, and we are still high in the system that is open in all directions, and we are delighted with the prospect with what can be found as we continue to laterally and drill deeper for the source of the high-grade gold system.’

Article Source: https://equity-insider.com/2025/04/24/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

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(TheNewswire)

DR. QUINTON HENNIGH TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire – April 25 th, 2025 Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: JUGR) (OTCQB: JUGRF) (FSE: 4JE) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Juggernaut’), further to its April 14 th and April 23 rd 2025, news releases, the Company is pleased to announce a further increase in its non-brokered financing of up to $9,557,000. Juggernaut welcomes this strategic investment from Crescat Capital Funds LLC (‘Crescat’) and technical support from Dr Quinton Hennigh. Juggernaut’s Big One Project is garnering strong interest and support from leading institutions and miners globally, confirming the quality of the newly discovered 11 km Highway of Gold surrounding the Eldorado porphyry system on the Big One property. The exciting discovery is in an area of glacial and snowpack abatement next door to the gold-rich porphyry systems at Newmont Mining’s Galore Creek. The Big One Property is a discovery previously announced Jan 20 th (Click Link) with assays up to 79.01 gt gold (2.54 ozt gold) and 3157.89 gt silver (101.5 ozt silver) from over 200 gold-silver-copper rich polymetallic veins up to 8 m wide and striking for up to 500 m that all remain open at surface. The Big One Project covers 33,693 hectares in a world-class geologic terrane with tremendous additional discovery potential in the heart of the Golden Triangle, British Columbia.

Dr. Quinton Hennigh has taken on the role of special technical advisor to the Company. He is the technical consultant for all Crescat’s gold and silver mining investments. Dr. Hennigh is a world-renowned exploration geologist with over 40 years of experience with major gold mining firms, Homestake Mining, Newcrest Mining, Newmont Mining, and Kirkland Lake/Fosterville. In just the last five years, Dr. Hennigh was instrumental in several material discoveries, including Goliath / Surebet, Newfound / Queensway, SCM / Isidorito, Eloro / Iska Iska, Snowline / Valley, Sitka / RC Gold Project, and Tectonic / Flat.

Dr. Hennigh stated , ‘The Big One gold-silver project has a very similar feel to Goliath’s Surebet gold discovery. To date, reconnaissance prospecting and sampling conducted by Juggernaut’s exploration team have identified a multitude of multi-meter thick quartz-sulfide veins, many of which have yielded +oz per tonne Au and multi-oz per tonne Ag assays. Early indications suggest there is a genetic association of veins with late-stage magmatism in the area, an association seen at Surebet. This season, Juggernaut has a clear mandate to follow up on these results with detailed mapping and channel sampling, much like Goliath did during the early days of the Surebet discovery. The Company’s mission is to get as many targets as possible ready for drill testing either late season or for 2026. I am very eager to see if a new ‘Surebet’ type discovery is in hand.

View Juggernaut videos by Clicking Here .

The charity flow-through funding will now consist of up to 9,160,000 charity flow-through units (‘CFT Units’), priced at $0.825 each, for gross proceeds of up to $7,557,000. Each CFT Unit will consist of one charity flow-through common share plus one warrant to purchase one non-flow-through common share at $0.75 for a sixty-month period with a forced accelerated conversion after 10 consecutive trading days at or above $1.50, callable at management’s discretion.

Juggernaut is concurrently raising up to 4,000,000 hard dollar units priced at $0.50 each for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000. Each hard dollar unit will consist of one common share plus one warrant at $0.75 for a sixty-month period with a forced accelerated conversion after 10 consecutive trading days at or above $1.50, callable at management’s discretion, upon completion of the charity flow-through and hard dollar financings for a combined total of $9,557,000, which is projected to close on or before May 15, 2025. The proceeds will be used to explore Juggernaut’s properties located in Northwestern B.C. and for general working capital.

‘Gold exploration is all about swinging for the fence. Persevering with a diversified portfolio of great management and technical teams with bold targets is the key. The cool thing about Juggernaut is that it has the same geologic team as the one behind Goliath Resources, where their Surebet gold discovery has already been a home run, based on personal experience. We are happy to invest in Juggernaut and this team. It’s time for Big One, which may be the best target yet for this company and team. We are eager to support them with capital for another at-bat.’ – Kevin Smith, CFA, Founder & CEO of Crescat Capital .

Directors and officers of the company may acquire securities under the placement, which participation would be a ‘related party transaction’ as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 (‘MI 61-101’). Such participation is expected to be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101.

Mr. Dan Stuart, Director, President, and CEO of Juggernaut, states:

‘We are pleased to strengthen our relationship, both with Crescat Capital as a strategic investor and Dr. Hennigh as a Special Technical Advisor and investor. I look forward to working with our partners who bring a proven track record of both financial and technical strength. This will enable Juggernaut to unlock the full potential of its assets over the long term, building value for all shareholders. This investment and strategic partnership, coupled with the ongoing support and interest from other globally recognized Institutions and senior miners, is a strong endorsement that clearly demonstrates the significant near-term discovery potential of our 100% controlled properties. Post financing, Juggernaut will have an extremely tight capital structure of just 30,025,297 shares, no debt, and a strong cash position of ~ $9,600,000. As such, we are well-positioned to move forward with our plans of drilling The Big One Discovery. With much anticipation, we look forward to executing the inaugural exploration program and reporting results.’

The Company may pay finder’s fees of the gross proceeds from the financing in cash, and compensation options on units being sold. This non-brokered private placement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. All shares issued pursuant to this offering and any shares issued pursuant to the exercise of warrants will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date.

About Crescat Capital LLC

Crescat is a global macro asset management firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Crescat’s mission is to grow and protect wealth over the long term by deploying tactical investment themes based on proprietary value-driven equity and macro models. Crescat’s goal is industry-leading absolute and risk-adjusted returns over complete business cycles with low correlation to common benchmarks. Over the last several years, Crescat has been building activist stakes in a portfolio of precious metals explorers to express one of its primary macro themes. The company’s investment process involves a mix of asset classes and strategies to assist with each client’s unique needs and objectives, and includes Global Macro, Long/Short, Large Cap, and Precious Metals funds.

About Juggernaut Exploration Ltd.

Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. is an explorer and generator of precious metals projects in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. Its projects are in world-class geological settings and geopolitical safe jurisdictions amenable to Tier 1 mining in Canada. Juggernaut is a member and active supporter of CASERM, an organization representing a collaborative venture between the Colorado School of Mines and Virginia Tech. Juggernaut’s key strategic cornerstone shareholder is Crescat Capital.

For more information, please contact

Juggernaut Exploration Ltd.

Dan Stuart

President, Director, and Chief Executive Officer

604-559-8028

info@juggernautexploration.com

www.juggernautexploration.com

Qualified Person

Rein Turna P. Geo is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, for Juggernaut Exploration projects, and supervised the preparation of, and has reviewed and approved, the technical information in this release.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT

Certain disclosures in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to Juggernaut’s operations that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including its ability to complete the contemplated private placement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR AN INVITATION TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN IT.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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South of the border, cooling rhetoric from the Trump administration led what turned out to be a relatively quiet news week.

Markets were volatile at the start of the week, however, after US President Donald Trump suggested on April 17 that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s “termination couldn’t come fast enough.”

The president softened his stance on Tuesday (April 22) when he said he had no intention of firing the head of the US central bank, but called him a “major loser.” Trump has been critical of Powell, saying that he has been slow to react to the markets in making rate cuts.

For his part, Powell has remained steadfast in waiting for more data before making decisions to tackle interest rates, most recently saying the Fed was taking its time to analyze the effect of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

This week, the president also implied that the high tariffs of 145 percent he implemented against China may come down in the future, although he said they would not be removed entirely. The comments helped to ease market tension on Tuesday, although he didn’t say when he would lower them.

However, economists believe that unless there is a substantial reduction to the 10 to 20 percent range, trade between the countries will not be normalized.

China said it was open to working out a deal, but not until the US remove all tariffs levied against Chinese imports. The Chinese foreign ministry also contradicted Trump’s statements that the two countries had been in negotiations.

As for Canada, Statistics Canada released its monthly mineral production survey for February on Tuesday.

The report showed that metallic mineral production was down from January. Copper production fell to 32.42 million kilograms from 34.1 million kilograms, gold production fell to 16,431 kilograms from 16,969 kilograms and silver production declined to 20,543 kilograms from 22,634 kilograms.

Shipments mostly increased compared to January’s figures. Copper rose to 29.23 million kilograms from 28.58 million kilograms and gold shipments increased to 15,328 kilograms from 14,751 kilograms. Silver saw the only decline, dropping to 16,592 kilograms from 17,227 kilograms.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 2.24 percent during the week to close at 24,710.51 on Friday (April 25), the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) rose 2.25 percent to 653.82 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) surged 6.05 percent to 120.11.

US equity markets were highly volatile this week, but posted significant gains by close on Friday, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) adding 5.67 percent to close at 5,525.22, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gaining 7.82 percent to 19,432.56 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) rose 3.1 percent to 40,113.51.

The gold price climbed to a new high early in the week, touching the US$3,500 per ounce mark on Tuesday. However, by the end of the week it was in retreat, closing out Friday down 0.75 percent at US$3,307.54. The silver price went the opposite direction, rising 1.79 percent during the period to US$33.05.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price gained 3.16 percent over the week to US$4.89 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) fell 0.25 percent to close at 537.20.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Here’s a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Tag Oil (TSXV:TAO)

Weekly gain: 76.47 percent
Market cap: C$32.77 million
Share price: C$0.15

Tag Oil is an oil and gas development company working to advance assets in Egypt’s Badr oil field.

The oilfield was first discovered in 1982 and has seen significant production since that time. Tag has been focused on exploration of the Abu Roash formation, and according to a November 2022 report, has estimated that its BED-1 concession contains more than 531.5 million barrels of oil in place, and represents an opportunity for successful commercial development.

Shares in Tag gained this week after the company announced on Tuesday that it had closed the sale of its 2.5 percent gross overriding royalty interests on the Cheal, Cardiff, Sidewinder, Puka and Cheal East operations in New Zealand. The company received the royalties in 2018 when it sold the assets.

Under the terms of the sale, the company received US$2.2 million, with the possibility of an additional US$300,000 in milestone payments. Tag stated the sale allows it to reallocate its resources to advancing its core business in Egypt.

2. Critical One Energy (CSE:CRTL)

Weekly gain: 63.27 percent
Market cap: C$12.65 million
Share price: C$0.40

Critical One is a critical mineral and uranium exploration company working to advance projects in Canada and Namibia.

The company’s uranium projects are located in Namibia and consist of the Madison West and the Madison North projects. They are situated in a region that hosts two producing uranium mines, the China National Nuclear Power (SHA:601985) led Rössing mine and CGN Power’s (OTC Pink:CGNWF,HKEX:1816) Husab mine.

The Madison West site covers an area of 35 square kilometers and hosts four primary prospects, including ML121, which has geological similarities to the deposits found at Rössing. The Madison North site covers an area of 26.13 square kilometers and has seen 50 holes completed over 3,720 meters.

Critical One’s newest asset is the Howells Lake antimony-gold project located near Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada. The site is composed of 697 claims covering an area of 13,991 hectares. According to the project page, a historic resource estimate shows 51 million pounds of contained antimony from 1.7 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1.7 percent antimony.

Multiple parties previously owned the property, and on January 13, Critical One announced it had entered into a definitive purchase and sale agreement with Bounty Gold and the other vendors to acquire 100 percent of the project.

The company has not released any project news in the last week.

3. Patagonia Gold (TSXV:PGDC)

Weekly gain: 55.56 percent
Market cap: C$32.55 million
Share price: C$0.07

Patagonia Gold is a precious metals production and development company primarily focused on advancing its Cap-Oeste and Calcatreu underground projects in Argentina.

Located in Santa Cruz province, Cap-Oeste hosted open-pit mining operations until 2018. While Patagonia is working on the exploration and development of the underground resource at the site, it has been able to recover gold and silver from residual leaching on site.

In Patagonia’s management discussion and analysis, released on November 29, it reported that it had produced 1,415 ounces of gold and 65,046 ounces of silver from Cap-Oeste during the first nine months of 2024.

According to the company’s website, a 2018 mineral resource estimate for Cap-Oeste reported measured and indicated values of 704,300 ounces of gold and 21.43 million ounces of silver from 10.56 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 2.07 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold and 63.2 g/t silver.

Acquired in a deal with Pan American Silver (NYSE:PAAS,TSX:PAAS) in 2017, the Calcatreu project is located in Argentina’s Rio Negro province and covers approximately 90,000 hectares. A 2018 mineral resource estimate for Calcatreu reported measured and indicated values of 669,000 ounces of gold and 6.28 million ounces of silver from 9.84 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 2.11 g/t gold and 19.8 g/t silver.

The most recent news from the company came on Tuesday when it announced it had increased its loan facility with Cantomi Capital to US$50 million from US$45 million with a maturity date of December 31, 2026. The company intends to use the additional funds to continue the development at Calcatreu.

4. Azincourt Energy (TSXV:AAZ)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$11.23 million
Share price: C$0.03

Azincourt Energy is a uranium exploration and development company working to advance projects in Canada.

One of its main focuses in 2025 is the Snegamook uranium project in the Central Mineral Belt of Newfoundland and Labrador. In October 2024, the company signed an option agreement to acquire a 100 percent stake in the property from BR Corporation.

The belt contains multiple uranium deposits including Paladin Energy’s (TSX:PDN,ASX:PDN) Michelin deposit, which hosts a measured and indicated resource of 82.2 million pounds of U3O8.

The property consists of 17 claims covering an area of 423 hectares and hosts proven shallow uranium mineralization. Previous exploration work discovered 1.3 kilometers of uranium bearing strike.

The most recent news from the project came on March 25, when Azincourt announced it was planning its inaugural work program that would include up to 1,000 meters of initial diamond drilling to confirm and expand on known uranium mineralization.

Its other focus this year has been at its East Preston project in the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan. The site covers 20,647 hectares and is one of the largest landholdings in the region.

Azincourt announced on April 1 that it was planning a geophysical program at the property in the fall, and in the winter it may perform follow-up diamond drilling on clay alteration zones discovered at the site in 2023 and 2024.

5. Novagold (TSX:NG)

Weekly gain: 49.88 percent
Market cap: C$2.31 billion
Share price: C$6.18

Novagold is a development company working to bring its Donlin Gold asset into production. The property, located in West-central Alaska, US, is currently a 50/50 joint venture between Novagold and Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD).

According to a June 2021 technical report, the property hosts proven and probable reserves of 33.85 million ounces of gold from 504.81 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 2.09 g/t gold.

The report also demonstrated an after tax net present value of US$3.04 billion with an internal rate of return of 9.2 percent over a payback period of 7.3 years, all of which is based on a gold price of US$1,500 per ounce.

On Tuesday, the company announced that it and Paulson Advisers had entered into a definitive agreement with Barrick Gold to acquire Barrick’s 50 percent interest in the project for US$1 billion, with Novagold purchasing 10 percent of it for US$200 million. Upon completion, Novagold’s stake will increase to 60 percent and Paulson Advisers will hold a 40 percent stake.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

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

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

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

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

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

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It was quite a week for the gold price.

The yellow metal continued its record-breaking streak early in the period, touching the US$3,500 per ounce level for the first time, but then saw a sharp pullback, even dropping briefly below US$3,300.

What’s behind gold’s latest moves? Market watchers have pointed to US President Donald Trump’s comments about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as the trigger for its latest spike.

In a Truth Social post on Monday (April 21), Trump said there could be a ‘SLOWING of the economy’ unless Powell — who he referred to as ‘Mr. Too Late’ — lowers interest rates.

Trump has criticized Powell heavily in recent days, saying last week that his ‘termination cannot come fast enough!’ That statement reignited discussions on whether Trump is able to fire Powell — Powell has said it can’t be done, and there isn’t any precedent since no president has ever tried to oust a Fed chair.

For now, the tension has subsided — Trump walked back his harsh words about Powell on Tuesday (April 22), saying he doesn’t intend to fire him, but still wants to see rate cuts.

‘I have no intention of firing him. I would like to see him be a little more active in terms of his idea to lower interest rates’ — Trump

Bullet briefing — Barrick to sell Donlin stake, CMOC to buy Lumina

Barrick to sell Donlin stake

Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD) has reached an agreement to sell its 50 percent stake in the Donlin gold project to affiliates of Paulson Advisers and NOVAGOLD Resources (TSX:NG,NYSEAMERICAN:NG).

The major gold miner will sell its interest in Donlin for US$1 billion in cash, with Paulson providing US$800 million and NOVAGOLD contributing the other US$200 million. Once the deal closes, Paulson will have a 40 percent interest in Donlin, while NOVAGOLD’s stake in the asset will rise from 50 percent to 60 percent.

Barrick President and CEO Mark Bristow said Donlin is an asset that ‘might be better suited in the hands of others,’ adding that the company is exiting at an ‘attractive valuation.’

While Donlin is one of the world’s largest gold projects, it is located in Alaska where infrastructure is scarce. At the same time, Barrick is looking to hone in on tier-one assets and boost its copper exposure.

Thomas Kaplan, chair of NOVAGOLD, said in a conference call after the sale was announced that his company ‘did not see eye-to-eye on a couple of things’ with Barrick, including the timing for a feasibility study for Donlin and the amount of drilling to conduct at the property.

Paulson Advisers, a longtime NOVAGOLD shareholder, is chaired by John Paulson, who is known for betting against the housing market during the great financial crisis.

In an interview with Bloomberg this week, the American billionaire said gold is ‘moving to a new level of valuation’ as central banks continue to buy.

CMOC to acquire Lumina

In other gold M&A news, CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF,HKEX:3993,SHA:603993) has agreed to buy Lumina Gold (TSXV:LUM,OTCQB:LMGDF) in a transaction worth C$581 million.

The all-cash deal will see CMOC pay C$1.27 per Lumina share.

Lumina is focused on its Cangrejos project, which it says is the largest primary gold deposit in Ecuador. A 2023 prefeasibility study outlines a 26 year mine life, with average annual payable production of 371,000 ounces of gold, plus average annual payable by-product output of 41 million pounds of copper.

‘After advancing the Cangrejos project for over 10-years and taking it from no defined resources to being poised to be one of the largest gold projects globally, the Lumina Group is excited for the transition of the Cangrejos project to CMOC,’ said Marshall Koval, CEO of Lumina Gold.

Well-known mining industry figure Ross Beaty is Lumina’s largest shareholder, while CMOC is a major producer of metals like molybdenum, tungsten, copper and cobalt.

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

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