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NioCorp Acquires FEA Materials to Build US Scandium Supply Chain

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NioCorp Developments (NASDAQ:NB) has completed the US$8.4 million acquisition of the manufacturing assets and intellectual property of Massachusetts-based FEA Materials.

NioCorp expects the move to position it as a domestic producer of aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) master alloy amid growing demand for the material in defense and commercial markets.

The all-cash purchase complements NioCorp’s Elk Creek critical minerals project in Nebraska, where it aims to produce scandium oxide alongside niobium, titanium and potentially rare earths once fully financed and operational.

FEA’s proprietary process converts scandium oxide directly into Al-Sc master alloy, bypassing intermediate metal production. NioCorp is also assessing the feasibility of producing finished Al-Sc alloy parts via casting, forging and machining for original equipment manufacturers in the US.

“This strategic acquisition positions NioCorp to potentially build America’s first vertically integrated scandium supply chain from mine to finished alloy parts,” NioCorp CEO Mark A. Smith said in a press release.

Eugene Prahin, CEO of FEA, praised NioCorp’s vertically integrated approach, adding that the company’s alloying technology “will be key to growing scandium-based structural alloys in the years to come.”

The FEA acquisition follows a US$10 million Pentagon Title III award to NioCorp’s subsidiary Elk Creek Resources. Announced in August, it is geared at supporting scandium oxide production.

NioCorp is also collaborating with Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) on aerospace-grade Al-Sc components.

“Working jointly with the Pentagon, NioCorp is committed to insulating the US from market manipulation by China, which has historically constrained scandium-based technologies,’ said Smith.

With the latest acquisition and the government funding, NioCorp envision building a complete US mine-to-market supply chain for scandium, spanning extraction, alloy production and finished parts manufacturing.

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

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Copper Quest Closes $1,927,000 Private Placement

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// Not for distribution to the United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States //

Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE: CQX,OTC:IMIMF; FRA: 3MX) (‘ Copper Quest ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated December 1, 2025, it has issued an aggregate of 10,142,104 flow-through shares of the Company (the ‘ FT Shares ‘, and each, a ‘ FT Share ‘) at a price of $0.19 per FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,927,000 in connection with its previously announced fully subscribed non-brokered private placement (the ‘ Private Placement ‘).

Each FT Share constitutes a ‘flow-through share’ within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ‘ Tax Act ‘) and the gross proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company for exploration and related programs, which qualify as ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ and ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’, as such terms are defined in the Tax Act, in connection with Copper Quest’s projects in British Columbia.

Brian Thurston, President & CEO of Copper Quest, commented: ‘ The team has spent the last 12 months building Copper Quest to be a standout junior explorer holding seven quality projects including the recent acquisitions of Stars, Stellar, Nekash, and pending Kitimat and Alpine. It is now time for the Company to grow shareholder value through advancing these properties through work on the ground and drilling. These funds will allow us advance multiple properties in 2026 while we continue vetting quality partners to help advance the rest. ‘

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid cash finder’s fees totaling $130,199.98 and issued 685,261 finder’s warrants (the ‘ Finder’s Warrants ‘) entitling the holder thereof to acquire one non-flow-through common share at an exercise price of C$0.19. The Finder’s Warrants will expire on December 5, 2027.

All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring April 6, 2026.

To accommodate increased interest in the Private Placement, the Company also announces that it may further issue up to 255,264 FT Shares under the same terms as above stated, no later than December 15, 2025. All securities to be issued thereunder will be subject to a statutory hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws of four months and one day from the date of issuance.

Related Party Participation in the Private Placement

Jason Nickel, Director of the Company, participated in Private Placement by purchasing 50,000 FT Shares for $9,500. The participation by Mr. Nickel, as an insider of the Company, constitutes a ‘related party transaction’ as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101’). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the FT Shares purchased by Mr. Nickel, nor the consideration for the FT Shares paid by Mr. Nickel, exceeded 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Private Placement, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances as the details of insider participation in the Private Placement were not settled until shortly prior to closing the Private Placement and the Company wished to complete the Private Placement in an expeditious manner.

The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘ U.S. Securities Act ‘), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold absent registration or compliance with an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Copper

Copper is an essential industrial metal at the heart of the global energy transition and modern infrastructure. It plays a critical role in electrification, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, data centers, and smart technologies. With global demand rising and new supply challenged by declining grades, complex permitting, and underinvestment, the copper market faces persistent deficits and growing geopolitical scrutiny. Recent U.S. policy announcements, including import tariffs and initiatives to secure domestic and allied supply chains, underscore copper’s strategic importance and the need for resilient, localized resource exploration, development, production and processing capacity.

ABOUT Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

Copper Quest (CSE: CQX,OTC:IMIMF; OTCQB: IMIMF; FRA: 3MX) is focused on building shareholder value through project acquisition, and exploration and development of its North American Critical Mineral portfolio of assets. The Company’s land package currently comprises five projects that span over 40,000+ hectares in great mining jurisdictions as well as the Kitimat Cu-Au Project and the past-producing Alpine Gold Mine that are both pending acquisition following due diligence.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Stars Property, a porphyry copper-molybdenum discovery, covering 9,693 hectares in central British Columbia’s Bulkley Porphyry Belt. Contiguous to the Stars Property, Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the 5,389 hectare Stellar Property. CQX also has an earn-in option up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the 4,700 hectare porphyry copper-molybdenum Rip Project, also in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Nekash Copper-Gold Project, a porphyry exploration opportunity located in Lemhi County, Idaho, along the prolific Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt that hosts world-class systems such as Butte and CUMO. The project is fully road-accessible via maintained U.S. highways and forest service roads and currently consists of 70 unpatented federal lode claims covering 585 hectares.

Copper Quest has a 100% interest in the Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern BC which spans over 20,658 ha with 10 high-priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization potential.

Copper Quest’s leadership and advisory teams are senior mining industry executives who have a wealth of technical and capital markets experience and a strong track record of discovering, financing, developing, and operating mining projects on a global scale. Copper Quest is committed to sustainable and responsible business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which it operates. The Company’s common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘CQX’. For more information on Copper Quest, please visit the Company’s website at www.copper.quest.

On behalf of the Board of Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

Brian Thurston, P.Geo.
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Tel: 778-949-1829
For further information contact:

Investor Relations
info@copper.quest

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘ forward-looking statements ‘) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding the terms and completion of the Flow-Through Offering, the payment of finder’s fees and issuance of Finder’s Warrants, the anticipated closing date and the planned use of proceeds of the Flow-Through Offering, and future operations and activities of Copper Quest, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as ‘expects’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘potential’, ‘possible’, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results ‘will’, ‘may’, ‘could’, or ‘should’ occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability to obtain regulatory approval of the Flow-Through Offering, risks associated with possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, risks associated with the interpretation of exploration results, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company’s exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company’s business and prospects. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these items. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release, and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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Editor’s Picks: Silver Price Smashes All-time High, Nearly Hits US$60

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The final month of the year has begun, and it’s definitely silver’s time to shine.

The white metal has put on a record-setting performance that really began at the end of last week, when it broke through US$56 per ounce for the first time.

Silver continued on up this week, passing the US$58 level and later breaching US$59.

What’s driving this big move? There’s a lot going on, and I want to break it down in a couple of different ways. First, let’s look at the white metal’s more traditional drivers.

Silver is impacted by many of the same factors as gold, and one point that’s working in their favor is higher expectations for a December interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve.

While market participants were previously divided on whether another cut is coming, CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool now shows strong expectations for a reduction.

Target rate probabilities for December US Federal Reserve meeting.

Target rate probabilities for December Fed meeting.

Chart via CME Group.

Both metals also benefit from geopolitical turmoil, which has ramped up due to US-Venezuela tensions. And silver specifically has had various other elements in its corner recently — a supply squeeze in London helped boost the price in October, as did strong Indian demand.

Chinese silver stockpiles are now also reportedly at low levels.

But when it comes to silver’s latest rise there’s been a lot of talk about other factors that may be in play. When silver started moving at the end of last week, its increase coincided with a trading halt on the Comex. At the time, CME Group said in an X post that a ‘cooling issue’ at a CyrusOne data center located in a Chicago suburb was responsible for the outage.

The problem took about 10 hours to resolve, and left market watchers questioning if there was more to the story, especially in terms of the connection to silver.

Opinions vary, but a key point that’s been mentioned by industry participants is that with Comex futures trading unavailable, the physical side of the silver market came to the forefront — the idea is that an entity or multiple entities were looking to stand for delivery, and perhaps the Comex was deliberately taken offline to remove that pressure from the market.

There’s a lot of speculation going on, and it’s worth noting that not everyone thinks this type of behind-the-scenes activity is happening. I heard from Clem Chambers of aNewFN.com, who said these types of outages do happen from time to time, especially in hot markets.

Here’s how he explained it:

‘What happened at the CME — it doesn’t take a Bond villain to do that. It takes a bit more traffic than normal, something weird, some guy didn’t show up for work, some update that wasn’t checked properly. It’s a myriad of reasons and it happens a lot. So don’t get paranoid about evil forces. And of course it will absolutely go down when the market is a fast market — that is the pinch point.’

This is a complex topic, and next week I’ll be talking to experts like Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor and Gary Wagner of TheGoldForecast.com to get their thoughts as well. If you have any questions you’d like me to ask, please drop a comment below.

For now, I’ll leave you with a few expert opinions on silver heading into 2026.

I’ve been asking guests to share their pick for next year’s top-performing asset, and the white metal has definitely been a popular choice.

Here’s Brien Lundin of Gold Newsletter on why he chose silver:

‘If I’m looking at what would be the best, I would probably say silver and silver stocks … I would say that because I don’t think — you know, silver leverages gold, and silver’s playing catch up right now. Mining stocks leverage gold, silver stocks leverage silver. So you’re adding leverage on top of leverage. So that would probably be my bet.’

Rich Checkan of Asset Strategies International is also most bullish on silver in 2026:

‘In terms of price, value and appreciation, I think it’s going to be silver. There’s no question. We’re not the end, but I think we’re past (the) midway point, and we’re probably going toward the late stages of a bull market — that usually favors silver, right? So I expect to see silver outpace gold at this point.’

Finally, this is why Jay Martin of VRIC Media thinks the big money is in silver:

‘The sure money is on gold, but the big money is on silver. And I think we’re going to see that materialize in 2026, so if I had to pick one to go all in with the purpose of maximal return and accepting the risk, I’m going with silver.’

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

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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Bayhorse Silver Runs With 73 Percent Gain

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Statistics Canada released November’s job data on Friday (December 5). The numbers show the Canadian economy added 54,000 jobs over the month, with gains largely coming from part-time work. The increase surprised analysts, who had been expecting losses, and marked the third consecutive month of gains for a total of 181,000 new jobs since the start of September.

Headlining the data were increases of 46,000 health care and social service workers, 14,000 new employees in accommodation and food services, and 11,000 new jobs in the natural resources sector. However, gains were offset by 34,000 fewer workers in the wholesale and retail trade.

Overall, the increase pushed the employment rate up by 0.1 percentage points to 60.9 percent and lowered the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points to 6.5 percent.

The release is the last major economic news on the calendar before the Bank of Canada (BoC) Board of Governors meets December 10 to make its final interest rate decision of 2025.

Economists are predicting that the BoC will hold rates steady until 2027.

The first Friday of the month is also typically the release date for the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ own jobs report; however, due to the lengthy government shutdown, the agency noted in the September release issued on November 20 that October’s data would be rolled in with November’s and its release would be delayed until December 16.

However, a report from payroll firm ADP on Wednesday (December 3) indicated that its records show the US private sector employment shed 32,000 jobs in November, with weak hiring in the manufacturing, professional services, information and construction sectors, which was partially offset by an 8,000 job gain in the mining sector.

The release shows that job growth in the US has stalled and without the release of official government data may be the last important indicator ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting set for December 9 and 10.

Given the news of a weak labor market, US analysts are predicting the Fed will make another 25 basis point cut, which would lower the Federal Funds Rate to the 3.5 to 3.75 percent range.

The expectations of cuts provided tailwinds for precious metals prices ahead of the central bank’s meeting, with the gold price trading up 1.03 percent on the week at US$4,200.53 on Friday at 4 PM EST, and the silver price up a massive 9.43 percent at US$58.42 after setting a new all-time high of US$59.28 per ounce during morning trading on Friday.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets posted modest gains this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 0.25 percent over the week to close Friday at 31,311.41.

Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) rose 1.04 percent to 939.76, and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) increased 4.1 percent to close at 155.40.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price ended the week up 2.83 percent at US$5.45 per pound.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) gained 2.74 percent to end Friday at 564.72.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

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

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

1. Bayhorse Silver (TSXV:BHS)

Weekly gain: 73.33 percent
Market cap: C$31.13 million
Share price: C$0.13

Bayhorse Silver is a silver-focused company currently working to bring the Bayhorse silver, copper and antimony mine in Oregon, US, back online.

The mine was originally in operation until late 1984 and closed when the price of silver dropped to under US$6 per ounce. Historic sampling during the 1980s identified grades of 2,146 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver, and a bulk sampling program conducted by Bayhorse in 2014 found bonanza grades of 150,370 g/t silver.

The company has continued to explore the property and, in October 2018, produced a maiden resource estimate that showed the property hosts inferred resources of 6.33 million ounces of silver from 292,300 US tons of ore with an average grade of 21.65 ounces per US ton.

Bayhorse anticipates receiving complete operating permits for the mine in mid-2026 and achieving full production in 2027.

Although the company did not release news this week, shares surged alongside the silver price, reaching new all-time highs.

2. Omineca Mining and Metals (TSXV:OMM)

Weekly gain: 72.73 percent
Market cap: C$14.42 million
Share price: C$0.095

Omineca Mining and Metals is a gold exploration and mining company working to advance its Wingdam project in British Columbia, Canada.

The project, a 50/50 joint venture with D&L Mining, consists of 61,329 hectares of hard rock and placer claims within the Cariboo mining district. The site currently hosts mining operations focused on extracting placer gold from gravels 50 meters beneath Lightning Creek.

According to the company, the mine is extracted through gravity separation, which uses an existing reusable water supply without chemicals, mill waste or tailings.

On Thursday (December 4) the company announced it had mobilized for an eight-hole, 4,000 meter, winter drill program at Wingdam. Exploration will focus on following up on mineralization discovered during the 2024 program and at depths below the Wingdam underground placer workings.

The company stated that drilling will continue until the end of December and that results will be released early in 2026.

Shares surged after Omineca’s Friday news that it restarted underground placer gold recovery at the site, with gold recovered via the company’s water wash plant and shaker table.

3. Selkirk Copper Mines (TSXV:SCMI)

Weekly gain: 57.3 percent
Market cap: C$74.56 million
Share price: C$0.70

Selkirk Copper Mines is a gold and copper exploration and development company working to advance the Minto mine project in the Yukon, Canada.

The property covers 26,850 hectares of mineral tenure centered around the past-producing Minto copper-gold-silver mine. The mine was abandoned in 2023, but was purchased by the Selkirk First Nation earlier in 2025, becoming the first Indigenous nation in Canada to own a mine.

On July 7, Selkirk Copper Mines released an updated mineral resource estimate for the project demonstrating a total indicated resource of 333.8 million pounds of copper, 186,600 ounces of gold and 1.73 million ounces of silver from 12.59 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 1.2 percent copper, 0.46 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold and 4.3 g/t silver.

Shares in Selkirk Copper posted gains this week after a pair of news releases.

The first came on Monday (December 1), when the company released initial drill results from exploration activities at the North West Zone. Highlighted assays included one hole with 2.39 percent copper, 0.32 g/t gold and 11.61 g/t silver over 23.4 meters, which included an intersection with 5.21 percent copper, 0.47 g/t gold and 26.68 g/t silver over 8.7 meters.

The results are part of a larger 50,000 meter campaign, the first to be carried out by Selkirk Copper Mines at the property, which has been designed to test the size and continuity of the North West zone. The company said that results have met and exceeded expectations.

The second release came on Tuesday (December 2) when the company announced that it had appointed Selkirk First Nations citizens Kevin McGinty as Vice President of Lands and Environment, and Morris Morrison as Manager of Community Relations.

4. Iconic Minerals (TSXV:ICM)

Weekly gain: 52.94 percent
Market cap: C$18.66 million
Share price: C$0.13

Iconic Minerals is an exploration company focused on its New Pass Gold property in Nevada, United States.

The project is a 50/50 joint venture with McEwen Mining and comprises 107 mining claims covering 2,140 acres in northern Nevada. According to the project page, New Pass hosts a gold equivalent inferred resource of 341,750 ounces.

In addition to New Pass, the company also owns the Midas South gold project, Smith Creek Valley, Grass Valley, and the Bonnie Claire lithium projects, all in Nevada.

Shares in Iconic posted gains this week, but the company has not released news since October 17, when it announced that it had entered into negotiations for a private placement to raise gross proceeds of C$2.55 million. The company said it intends to use the proceeds to fund exploration at New Pass and general working capital.

5. Scandium Canada (TSXV:SCD)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$43.52 million
Share price: C$0.135

Scandium Canada is a scandium exploration company working to advance its Crater Lake scandium project in Northern Québec, Canada. The property consists of 96 contiguous claims covering an area of 47 square kilometers. To date, the company has identified five primary zones of interest at Crater Lake.

An updated mineral resource estimate, released on May 12, shows an indicated resource of 16.3 million metric tons of ore at an average grade of 277.9 grams per metric ton (g/t) scandium oxide, plus an inferred resource of 20.9 million metric tons at 271.7 g/t. The MRE also included grades of other rare earths at the project.

Scandium was recently added to the list of eligible minerals under the Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit in the Canadian budget, which passed on November 17.

The most recent news from the company came on November 17, when it announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its La Roncière gold project to a subsidiary of Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B).

Under the terms, Scandium Canada will receive an initial payment of C$390,000, followed by an additional C$200,000 upon the condition that Barrick completes a pre-feasibility study with specific minimum gold content in the mineral resource.

Although it released no news this week, Scandium Canada’s share price jumped significantly Tuesday.

The gains may be related to the Wall Street Journal reporting on Monday that Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) was eyeing a sale of its scandium production facility in Sorel-Tracy, Québec, as part of a larger asset sale in the province. Rio Tinto confirmed these plans on Thursday.

The news came one month after a commitment by Canada to make a C$25 million royalty investment in the site through the Canada Growth Fund to shore up domestic supply of the critical mineral.

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 May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 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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Tech Weekly: S&P 500 Closes Near Record Ahead of Fed Interest Rate Decision

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We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.

In this article:

    This week’s tech sector performance

    Major US equity indexes opened the month lower on Monday (December 1), with Big Tech and crypto‑linked stocks under pressure after Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda spoke to business leaders in Nagoya.

    During his speech, Ueda said the BoJ will weigh “pros and cons” of a rate hike at its December 18-19 meeting, fueling yen carry trade fears. The unwind echoed August 2024 volatility but stayed contained.

    By Tuesday (December 2), large indexes had stabilized and moved higher, helped by ongoing enthusiasm for AI infrastructure names after MongoDB (NASDAQ:MDB) reported its third quarter revenue after hours on Monday, beating estimates and igniting a rally for cloud and software companies.

    Major indices closed higher, and markets pushed further up on Wednesday (December 3) on weak ADP jobs data, boosting Fed cut odds to 85 percent; however, AI demand doubts surfaced amid reported high-bandwidth memory shortages.

    On Thursday (December 4), the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) ticked up slightly premarket, then flattened, while the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) dipped amid yield pressure.

    Tech weakened as investors took profits before rotating into small caps.

    The week culminated with the S&P 500 closing near record levels on Friday (December 5), while the Nasdaq also notched gains after a week of volatility and leading up to next week’s Federal Reserve meeting.

    3 tech stocks moving markets this week

    1. MongoDB (NASDAQ:MDB)

    MongoDB, a database company, surged after-hours on Monday after Q3 earnings beat estimates.

    The company reported US$628 million in revenue, far past expectations of US$594. Earnings per share came in at US$1.32, blowing past expectations of US$0.79. Revenue for Atlas, MongoDB’s fully managed cloud database service, grew by 30 percent from last year’s report, driven by AI workloads.

    The company raised its 2026 fiscal year guidance, sparking a rally that extended into Tuesday’s trading day, lifting cloud peers such as Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) and Datadog, as well as enterprise software like Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) and ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW).

    2. Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL)

    Marvell Technology announced plans to acqure optical chip startup Celestial AI for US$3.25 billion in a mix of cash and stock on Wednesday, sending its shares up by over 10 percent.

    The company plans to harness Celestial’s Photonic Fabric to accelerate photonics tech for AI data centers.

    “The acquisition of Celestial AI is a transformative step in Marvell’s evolution and expands our leadership in AI connectivity, as scale-up becomes the next frontier in AI infrastructure,” said Matt Murphy, Chair and CEO of Marvell. “This builds on our technology leadership, broadens our addressable market in scale-up connectivity, and accelerates our roadmap to deliver the industry’s most complete connectivity platform for AI and cloud customers.”

    After the announcement, Roth Capital Markets analyst Suji Desilv raised his price target for Marvell to US$135 from US$150, reiterating a “buy” rating.

    3. Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

    Shares of Salesforce jumped over eight percent postmarket on Wednesday after the company reported a strong performance in Q3 that surpassed analyst expectations. Revenue rose 9 percent year-on-year to US$10.3 billion, meeting estimates, while EPS of US$3.25 surpassed expectations of US$2.41.

    The company’s AI agent platform, Agentforce, exploded with nearly US$1.4 billion in combined Agentforce/Data 360 bookings growth, up 114 percent YoY. Further fueling positive investor sentiment, the company raised FY26 revenue guidance to between US$41.45 and US$41.55 billion, reaffirming its +US$60 billion revenue target by FY30.

    Salesforce, MongoDB and Marvell performance, December 1 to 5, 2025.

    Salesforce, MongoDB and Marvell performance, December 1 to 5, 2025.

    Chart via Google Finance.

    Top tech news of the week

          Tech ETF performance

          Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

          This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 5.59 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) saw a weekly gain of 5.36 percent.

          The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) increased by 4.38 percent.

          Tech news to watch next week

          Investors will be watching for signals ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision on December 18. As of Friday afternoon, the market had priced in a rate cut at odds of over 90 percent.

          Growth stocks could sell off hard next week if a cut is delayed.

          The Bank of Japan’s interest rate decision on December 19 is another key event. A rate hike could trigger an unwind of the yen carry trade, potentially causing another dip in tech stocks.

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

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          Crypto Market 2025 Year-End Review

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          Q4 started strong for crypto and DeFi after a broadly bullish Q3, but the markets quickly slid into fear and uncertainty as hopes of macro easing faded and amid renewed artificial intelligence (AI) overvaluation fears.

          Over-leveraged positions in Bitcoin and DeFi unraveled, triggering forced selling and a painful reset.

          Risk-off sentiment sent Bitcoin falling from an all-time high near US$126,000 in October to a late-November trough below US$86,000. It had stabilized in the US$92,500 to US$93,000 range by early December.

          Q4 marked Bitcoin’s second worst quarterly return after 2022’s post-peak capitulation.

          “Yet beneath the volatility, the market showed growing maturity: capital and developer attention shifted toward utility-driven sectors. This quarter reinforced that the next phase of crypto growth is being built on fundamentals, not leverage,’ said Elkaleh, also noting a decisive shift in Q4 from short-term trading to long-term portfolio integration.

          “Compared to Q3, Q4 showed a clear pivot toward tokenized assets, stablecoins and on-chain yield instruments becoming core allocations,’ he continued. In his view, the shift reflects confidence in crypto’s key role in global finance.

          Keep reading to learn more about what trends drove the crypto market in 2025.

          Bitcoin price in Q4

          During the fourth quarter, cryptocurrencies traded in line with broader tech market and AI volatility — when high-growth AI stocks sold off, risk appetite faded across Bitcoin, DeFi and AI-themed tokens.

          Bitcoin price, October 1 to December 5, 2025.

          Bitcoin price, October 1 to December 5, 2025.

          Chart via CoinGecko.

          At the infrastructure level, Bitcoin miners pivoted aggressively into high-performance computing and AI workloads. Companies like Hive Digital Technologies (TSXV:HIVE,NASDAQ:HIVE) have repurposed data centers to rent GPU capacity to AI firms, using the same power infrastructure for steadier HPC revenue alongside mining.

          This convergence deepened ties between crypto energy assets and the AI buildout.

          Privacy coins showed relative strength amid the downturn, led by Zcash’s roughly 700 percent rally from September lows on technical upgrades and accumulation, although most still corrected with the market after peaking.

          Growing crypto utility and infrastructure

          Despite liquidity outflows, infrastructure quietly expanded with new tokenized assets, cross-chain tools and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). US spot Bitcoin ETFs now hold 1.36 million BTC, roughly 6.9 percent of the circulating supply, with total AUM at US$168 billion, according to data cited by analysts for Coinglass and Fasanara.

          In mid‑September, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved generic listing standards for commodity‑based trust shares, cutting maximum approval timelines for exchanges to list qualifying spot crypto ETFs to about 75 days. That decision set the stage for a wave of new altcoin and staking ETFs in Q4.

          Meanwhile, new long‑dated and continuous futures gave institutions better tools to hold or hedge exposure. Cross‑chain liquidity routers and higher‑quality oracle data also reduced fragmentation and pricing risk across chains.

          “The market’s underlying strength lies in the accelerating adoption of tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi infrastructure, supported by steady institutional inflows and scalable technical progress,’ Elkaleh said.

          Growing utility was evident in product adoption.

          Tokenized cash and bonds helped grow the on‑chain liquidity pool, and the launch of SPXA, the first licensed S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) token, quickly drew over US$500 million from institutions during Bitcoin’s Q4 crash.

          Parallel‑EVM chains aimed to add scalable blockspace compatible with Ethereum tools, while regulated prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket emerged as a new channel for event‑driven trading and liquidity.

          Finally, the decentralized perpetual sector experienced explosive and sustained growth as the fourth quarter progressed, capturing 16 percent of the global perpetual trading volume.

          Leading exchange Hyperliquid became a top crypto asset by fee revenue, demonstrating a structural migration away from centralized trading and toward on-chain systems built for performance and transparency.

          US regulatory clarity unlocks TradFi integration

          Q4’s US government shutdown stalled a bipartisan market structure bill in Congress, delaying a split on spot trading oversight between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the SEC.

          In mid-November, a Senate committee released a bipartisan discussion draft, giving the CFTC clearer authority over spot digital commodities; however, it will not be voted on until at least 2026.

          Despite this speed bump, joint guidance from the SEC and CFTC makes clear that regulated exchanges and banks can list and hold certain crypto assets under the existing rules.

          The SEC’s Project Crypto speeches in mid‑November also lay out a token classification and exemption framework: digital assets, including network tokens, collectibles and utility tools ,are classified as commodities, while tokenized securities, such as on-chain stocks and bonds, are to remain under normal SEC rules.

          This regulatory clarity has unlocked progress in TradFi integration for the crypto market.

          Q4 saw large banks begin using blockchains for payments and settlement.

          JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) launched a USD deposit token on Base, with clients like Mastercard (NYSE:MA) and B2C2 successfully testing transactions for near-instant 24/7 settlement. Ant International teamed with UBS Group (NYSE:UBS) on tokenized-deposit cross-border payments.

          Meanwhile, on‑chain collateral networks for traditional assets moved closer to production.

          These networks deal in tokenized securities, such as tokenized bonds and credit, allowing these macro assets to be used as efficient collateral in the decentralized ecosystem.

          “Institutional money is finally treating tokenization as a real use case, not a science project,” said Nicolas Mersch, portfolio manager at Purpose Investments. “Tokenized Treasuries and money-market funds are leading, with tokenized real estate and private credit close behind. The appeal is straightforward: faster settlement, better collateral mobility, and lower operational friction for banks and asset managers.”

          SEC Chair Paul Atkins also floated future crypto regulation with tailored disclosures and exemptions, giving tokens a regulated path from fundraising phase to regular trading.

          Regulatory clarity also led to a surge in market capitalization for stablecoins. The stablecoin market surged to an all-time high of over US$290 billion in Q4, accelerated by clearer US regulations.

          “Segments such as privacy assets, decentralized AI and stablecoin ecosystems weathered the downturn more effectively because they are tied to practical use cases and diversification strategies,” explained Elkaleh. “These areas are less dependent on speculative leverage and more on real demand, creating a buffer against the volatility that disproportionately affects Bitcoin as a high-beta macro asset.”

          Investor takeaway

          The painful leverage reset seen in 2025’s fourth quarter has laid a much healthier foundation for the market, confirming the shift from speculation to fundamental utility. The dominant trends of institutional real-world asset integration and regulatory clarity are setting the stage for a dramatic acceleration in 2026.

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

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          RZOLV Technologies Announces Investor Relations and Market Making Agreements

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          Rzolv Technologies Inc. (TSXV: RZL) (the ‘Company’ or ‘RZOLV’) announces it has entered into agreements with the following investor relations and market-making service providers.

          Investor Relations Agreements

          Outside the Box Capital Inc. (‘OTB’): Effective October 22, 2025, RZOLV engaged OTB to provide marketing and distribution services for a six-month term. OTB will receive $150,000, payable in six monthly instalments of $25,000.

          OTB’s services include owned media, social media outreach, financial influencers and short-form video content, paid advertising, partner syndication, and targeted campaigns across platforms such as Reddit, Discord, Telegram, X, and StockTwits.

          OTB is an arm’s length party to the Company and currently holds no securities of RZOLV, though it may acquire securities in the future. No stock options, performance factors, or additional compensation are included in the agreement.

          Apaton Finance GmbH (‘Apaton’): Effective November 21, 2025, RZOLV entered into an investor relations agreement with Apaton to support market awareness through multi-platform content, video production, and newsletter distribution in English and German, primarily targeting Germany.

          Apaton will receive €12,000 for a 12-week term, with the option for extension at the Company’s discretion. Apaton is an arm’s length party and holds no securities of RZOLV, though it may acquire securities in the future. No stock options, performance factors, or additional compensation are included.

          Market Making Agreement

          Effective October 22, 2025, RZOLV retained Independent Trading Group (ITG) Inc. (‘ITG’) to provide market-making services. The agreement is ongoing and may be terminated by either party with 30 days’ notice. RZOLV will pay ITG a monthly fee of $5,500.

          ITG is an arm’s length party and to the Company’s knowledge currently holds 30,000 common shares of the Company. No stock options or performance-based compensation are included in the agreement.

          About Rzolv Technologies Inc.

          Rzolv Technologies Inc. is a clean-tech company developing innovative, non-toxic solutions that aim to transform gold extraction and mine-site remediation. The Company’s flagship product, RZOLV, is a proprietary water-based hydrometallurgical formula that provides a sustainable, safe alternative to sodium cyanide for the dissolution and recovery of gold.

          Cyanide has been the industry standard for more than a century, yet its toxicity has resulted in bans or restrictions across multiple jurisdictions, along with significant permitting, handling, and ESG challenges for mining companies. RZOLV delivers comparable performance and cost metrics to cyanide while offering a non-toxic, reusable, and environmentally sustainable profile, enabling gold extraction in regions, ore types, and project settings where cyanide use is impractical, prohibited, or socially unacceptable. For more information: https://www.rzolv.com.

          Cautionary Note

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

          For further information, please contact:

          Contact

          Duane Nelson
          Email: duane@rzolv.com
          Phone: (604) 512-8118

          Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

          This news release contains statements that constitute ‘forward-looking statements.’ Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects,’ ‘plans,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘intends,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will,’ ‘would,’ ‘may,’ ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur.

          By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

          The forward-looking information in this news release is based on management’s reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements were made.

          The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

          To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/277068

          News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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          SAGA Metals Announces Closing of Oversubscribed Brokered LIFE Offering for Gross Proceeds of C$6.0 Million

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

          Saga Metals Corp. (‘ SAGA ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSXV: SAGA,OTC:SAGMF) (OTCQB: SAGMF) (FSE: 20H), a North American exploration company advancing critical mineral discoveries, is pleased to announce, further to its news release dated November 12, 2025, the closing of its ‘best efforts’ private placement (the ‘ Offering ‘) for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$6,000,000, which includes the exercise in full of the $1,000,000 agent’s option. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company sold (i) 7,761,362 units of the Company (each, a ‘ Unit ‘) at a price of C$0.44 per Unit (the ‘ Unit Price ‘) and (ii) 5,170,000 flow-through units of the Company (each, a ‘ FT Unit ‘, and collectively with the Units, the ‘ Offered Securities ‘) at a price of C$0.50 per FT Unit. Red Cloud Securities Inc. (‘ Red Cloud ‘) acted as sole agent and bookrunner in connection with the Offering.

          Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a ‘ Unit Share ‘) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each FT Unit consists of one common share of the Company issued as a ‘flow-through share’ within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a ‘ FT Share ‘) and one Warrant. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a ‘ Warrant Share ‘) at a price of C$0.60 at any time on or before December 5, 2028.

          The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for the exploration of the Company’s properties in Labrador, Canada, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes, as is more fully described in the Offering Document (as herein defined).

          ‘We are thrilled to announce the successful closing of our oversubscribed C$6 million LIFE offering — a powerful endorsement from the market and a major milestone for the Company,’ stated Mike Stier, CEO & Director of Saga Metals. ‘This strong vote of confidence validates our strategy and assets, and most importantly, it fully funds our high-impact 2026 drill program to deliver a maiden mineral resource estimate on the Radar Project. The drill continues to turn at Radar’s Trapper zone—with mineralization already confirmed across 1.5 km. Samples from drill holes R-0008 and R-0009 have been received by the lab and we look forward to sharing those results in the coming weeks.’

          The gross proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used by the Company to incur eligible ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ that qualify as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’ as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ‘ Qualifying Expenditures ‘) related to the Company’s Radar Project in Labrador, Canada on or before December 31, 2026. All Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Units effective December 31, 2025.

          In accordance with National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘ NI 45-106 ‘), the Offered Securities were sold to Canadian purchasers pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the ‘ Listed Issuer Financing Exemption ‘). The securities issuable from the sale of the Units are immediately freely tradeable in accordance with applicable Canadian securities legislation. The FT Units and securities issuable in connection therewith will be subject to a voluntary hold period ending on the date that is four months plus one day following the issue date, being April 6, 2026.

          As consideration for its services, Red Cloud received aggregate cash fees of C$376,818.99 and 809,511 non-transferable common share purchase warrants (the ‘ Broker Warrants ‘). Each Broker Warrant is exercisable into one common share of the Company at the Unit Price at any time on or before December 5, 2028. The Broker Warrants are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day and may not be traded until April 6, 2026 except as permitted by applicable securities laws. The Company also paid cash finder’s fees of $800.80 and issued 1,820 Broker Warrants to a finder in connection with certain President’s List investors.

          There is an offering document (the ‘ Offering Document ‘) related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at: www.sagametals.com. At the time of announcement, the Offering Document contemplated charity flow-through units forming part of the Offering. No charity flow-through units were issued as part of the Offering.

          The closing of the Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

          The securities to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 , as amended (the ‘ U.S. Securities Act ‘) or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

          About Saga Metals Corp.

          Saga Metals Corp. is a North American mining company focused on the exploration and discovery of a diversified suite of critical minerals that support the North American transition to supply security. The Radar Titanium Project comprises 24,175 hectares and entirely encloses the Dykes River intrusive complex, mapped at 160 km² on the surface near Cartwright, Labrador. Exploration to date, including a 2,200m drill program, has confirmed a large and mineralized layered mafic intrusion hosting vanadiferous titanomagnetite (VTM) with strong grades of titanium and vanadium. The Double Mer Uranium Project, also in Labrador, covers 25,600 hectares featuring uranium radiometrics that highlight an 18km east-west trend, with a confirmed 14km section producing samples as high as 0.428% U 3 O 8 and uranium uranophane was identified in several areas of highest radiometric response (2024 Double Mer Technical Report).

          Additionally, SAGA owns the Legacy Lithium Property in Quebec’s Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. This project, developed in partnership with Rio Tinto, has been expanded through the acquisition of the Amirault Lithium Project. Together, these properties cover 65,849 hectares and share significant geological continuity with other major players in the area, including Rio Tinto, Winsome Resources, Azimut Exploration, and Loyal Metals.

          With a portfolio that spans key commodities crucial for the clean energy future, SAGA is strategically positioned to play an essential role in critical mineral security.

          On Behalf of the Board of Directors

          Mike Stier, Chief Executive Officer

          For more information, contact:

          Rob Guzman, Investor Relations
          Saga Metals Corp.
          Tel: +1 (844) 724-2638
          Email: rob@sagametals.com
          www.sagametals.com

          Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service 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 Disclaimer

          This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘will’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipates’, ‘expects’, ‘believes’, and similar expressions or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering and receiving final approval of the Offering from the TSX Venture Exchange. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, environmental risks, limitations on insurance coverage, inherent risks and uncertainties involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, particularly given the early-stage nature of the Company’s assets, and the risks detailed in the Company’s continuous disclosure filings with securities regulations from time to time, available under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable law.

          Primary Logo

          News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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          4 Factors That Drive Silver Demand

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          Silver is known as the most versatile precious metal, and its end uses range from silverware to medicine, as well as industrial and technological applications, which account for well over half of annual global demand.

          In 2024, global physical silver demand reached 1.16 billion ounces, shy of the record of 1.28 billion ounces set in 2022, as per the Silver Institute’s latest World Silver Survey released in April 2025.

          Industrial demand is on an upward trend from the push toward renewable energy — in particular, silver demand should benefit from the expansion of the solar energy sector, electric vehicles and the growing use of AI and data centers. The metal is a great conductor of both heat and electricity, making it perfect for use in solar panels.

          In 2025, the Silver Institute expects global demand for silver to decline by 1 percent to 1.15 billion ounces, but remain at historically high levels. With all of that in mind, here’s a look at four factors driving silver demand.

          1. Industrial fabrication

          Expected demand in 2025: 677.4 million ounces

          Silver is the best electrical and thermal conductor of all the metals, so it’s no surprise that it’s used in industrial fabrication. Industrial silver demand has seen steady growth in recent years. Coming in at just 491 million ounces in 2016, industrial demand rose to 592.3 million ounces in 2022, 657.1 million ounces in 2023 and a record 680.5 million ounces in 2024.

          For 2025, the Silver Institute believes industrial demand will see a slight regression of 0.5 percent to 677.4 million ounces.

          Here’s a brief rundown of the main industrial uses driving silver demand:

          Electronics — In electronics, industrial silver is used mainly in multi-layer ceramic capacitors, membrane switches, silvered film, electrically heated automobile windshields, conductive adhesives and the preparation of thick-film pastes.

          Electronics is expected to remain an important driver for silver going forward, as per the Silver Institute, which expects overall industrial silver consumption to reach 456.6 million ounces in 2025. Photovoltaics form the largest portion of electronic demand, totaling 197.6 million tons in 2024.

          Using silver as conductive ink, photovoltaic cells transform sunlight into electricity. These cells are combined to form solar panels. The use of silver in the fabrication of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells, is seen as an area of rapid growth in the short to medium term. In fact, SolarPower Europe reported that total installations reached 2.2 terawatts by the end of 2024, and are expected to more than triple to more than 7 terawatts by 2030.

          Automotive industry — Every electrical action in a modern car is activated with silver-coated contacts. Basic functions such as starting the engine, opening power windows, adjusting power seats and closing power trunks are all activated using a silver membrane switch. Furthermore, in January 2021, the Silver Institute reported that, depending on the model, battery electric vehicles contain between 25 and 50 grams of silver, while hybrid vehicles use 18 to 34 grams of silver. That’s compared to 15 to 28 grams of silver in a light internal combustion engine vehicle.

          The Silver Institute has projected that automotive demand for silver could reach 90 million ounces by 2025. The association states that silver demand from the car industry will be driven by infrastructure investment, broader decarbonization efforts and the expansion of charging stations.

          Brazing and soldering — Adding silver to the process of soldering or brazing helps produce smooth, leak-tight and corrosion-resistant joints when combining metal parts. In addition, silver-brazing alloys are used widely in everything from air conditioning and refrigeration to electric power distribution. The Silver Institute predicts demand from this segment to total 52.9 million ounces in 2025.

          2. Jewelry

          Expected demand in 2025: 196.2 million ounces

          Jewelry is often what laypeople think about when they consider silver demand. And for good reason — few materials are better suited for jewelry than silver. Lustrous but resilient, silver responds well to sculpting, requires minimal care and lasts a lifetime.

          While silver and gold possess similar working qualities, the white metal enjoys greater reflectivity and can achieve a brilliant polish. A vast amount of silver supply from mine production gets turned into a form of jewelry. The segment grew moderately by 3 percent in 2024, rising to 208.7 million ounces, but the Silver Institute is predicting a significant reversal in 2025, with a 6 percent decline to 196.2 million ounces.

          3. Silver bullion, coins and bars

          Expected demand in 2025: 204.4 million ounces

          Another source of silver demand is for silver as an investment in the form of silver coins, bars and rounds. This category includes the silver used to fabricate the bullion, as well as small bar purchases by retail investors, according to the Silver Institute.

          Silver coins have a long history. Minted silver coins were first used in the Eastern Mediterranean region in 550 BCE, and by 269 BCE the Roman Empire had adopted silver as well. Silver was the main circulating currency until the 19th century, when it was phased out of regular coinage.

          While silver is not used in many circulating coins today, mints in many countries still create high-purity bullion coins and bars for investors.

          Physical silver investment demand reached a record high of 338.3 million ounces in 2022, but declined considerably to 244.3 million ounces in 2023, before falling another 22 percent to 190.9 million ounces in 2024.

          However, with rising uncertainty in global financial markets, the institute is predicting 7 percent growth in 2025 to 204.4 million ounces.

          Silver exchange-traded products (ETPs) and silver ETFs purchase significant amounts of physical silver. Silver ETPs have experienced high volatility over the last five years, with demand peaking in 2020 with net inflows of 331.1 million ounces of silver, which fell to to 64.9 million ounces in 2021. Following the pandemic, ETPs experienced heavy outflows with investors selling off 117.4 million ounces in 2022 and 37.6 million ounces in 2023.

          In 2024, as uncertainty began to seep into global financial markets, investors once again returned to ETPs, pushing demand to 61.6 million ounces of silver flowing into the products.

          The Silver Institute expects demand to grow by 14 percent in 2025 to 70 million ounces, attributing these inflows to cuts to the Federal Funds rate, concerns over US debt load, and instability in the Middle East.

          4. Silverware

          Expected demand in 2025: 46 million ounces

          Sterling silver has been the standard for silver holloware and silver flatware since the 14th century. Silver cutlery and other decor lasts for generations as it resists tarnish and is a traditional decoration in homes around the world. Base metal copper is mixed with silver to strengthen it for use as cutlery, bowls and decorative items.

          Demand for the metal from the silverware industry reached 73.5 million ounces in 2022 but has declined since then to 54.2 million ounces in 2024. The Silver Institute expects the market to shed another 15 percent in 2025 to 46 million ounces.

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

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          Frank Holmes: Next Gold, Silver Price Calls, Plus Top 2026 Asset

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          Frank Holmes of US Global Investors (NASDAQ:GROW) shares his forecast for gold and silver.

          He sees gold testing US$5,000 per ounce next year and then reaching US$7,000 by the end of US President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

          ‘And I think that silver will be over US$100,’ he added.

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

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