Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were on the rise this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 1.8 percent over the week to close Friday at 33,040.55, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fared even better, rising 4.28 percent to 1,091.13. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) also gained ground, rising 2.61 percent to close at 188.29.

The gold price continued to trade at all-time highs this week, reaching US$4,639 per ounce amid heightened tensions in the Middle East over protests in Iran and as the US contemplated military involvement. Overall, it gained 2.32 percent during the week, closing the week at US$4,582.81 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST.

The silver price performed even stronger, trading above US$93 per ounce on Wednesday at new highs. Although the price pulled back slightly by the end of the week, it still posted a weekly gain of 16.08 percent, closing Friday at US$89.36.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 2 percent drop this week to US$5.88.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) rose 1.45 percent to end Friday at 562.91.

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. Homeland Nickel (TSXV:SHL)

Weekly gain: 135.71 percent
Market cap: C$65.57 million
Share price: C$0.33

Homeland Nickel has a portfolio of nickel projects in Oregon, US: Red Flat, Cleopatra, Eight Dollar Mountain and Shamrock.

In addition, the company holds investments in mining companies with nickel projects, including Benton Resources (TSXV:BEX,OTCPL:BNTRF), Canada Nickel Company and Noble Mineral Exploration (TSXV:NOB,OTCQB:NLPXF).

Shares in Homeland surged this week following news on Tuesday that Canada Nickel’s Crawford project in Ontario was selected for the province’s “One Project, One Process” review framework, which will allow for an accelerated timetable for permitting and development of the asset.

Canada Nickel is Homeland’s top investment, holding 742,095 shares valued at C$1.08 million.

Homeland did not release news of its own this week, but its share price has also been supported by rising nickel prices, which climbed from a low of US$14,255 per metric ton in the middle of December to as high as US$18,785 on Wednesday.

2. Eskay Mining (TSXV:ESK)

Weekly gain: 89.66 percent
Market cap: C$108.21 million
Share price: C$0.55

Eskay Mining is an exploration company advancing its namesake project in the Golden Triangle region of British Columbia, Canada.

The property located in the province’s northwest sits on a land package of 130,000 acres, and hosts several gold and silver volcanogenic massive sulfide and magmatic nickel, copper and platinum group metals targets.

Final assay results from its summer 2025 sampling program at the site were released on November 7. The company said the batch consisted of 121 rock chip and channel samples, with 11 returning grades over 20 g/t gold and 31 with grades over 1 g/t.

At the time, the company said mineralization bears similarities to discoveries at Goliath Resources’ (TSXV:GOT,OTCQB:GOTRF) Surebet and Juggernaut Exploration’s (TSXV:JUGR,OTCPL:JUGRF) Big One projects. Eskay added that it can see a path to a maiden drill program in 2026.

The most recent news from Eskay came on Monday when it announced that Clinton Smyth had been hired as the company’s chief geologist for its 2026 exploration program. Smyth has spent 25 years in the industry working for Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) and Minorco.

3. Batero Gold (TSXV:BAT)

Weekly gain: 86.36 percent
Market cap: C$23.61 million
Share price: C$0.205

Batero Gold is an exploration company focused on advancing its Quinchia project in the Department of Risaralda, Colombia.

The property is composed of one tenement covering 1,407 hectares, with an additional 155 hectare concession under application. A September 2022 mineral resource estimate was included in its management discussion and analysis for the year ending August 2025.

Across three zones, the project’s La Cumbre deposit hosts a contained measured and indicated resource of 2.2 million ounces of gold and 6.43 million ounces of silver from 51.73 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 0.5 g/t gold and 1.47 g/t silver.

The company has not released news in the past week, but its share price has surged amid significant gains in precious metals prices since the start of 2026.

4. Auric Minerals (CSE:AUMC)

Weekly gain: 82.14 percent
Market cap: C$11.22 million
Share price: C$0.51

Auric Minerals is a uranium exploration company focused on its Route 500 and Bub properties in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

The projects are both located in Labrador’s Central Mineral Belt, with Route 500 consisting of 441 mineral claims across 11,025 hectares and Bub consisting of 318 claims across 7,949 hectares.

The more advanced Route 500 project hosts surface showings with high-grade uranium mineralization, while Bub includes strong radiometric anomalies covering 30 square kilometers and 20 square kilometers.

Auric announced on December 31 that it had acquired a 100 percent interest in the English Lake, Otter Lake and Kan projects, all located in Labrador, in exchange for 22 million common shares at C$0.315 per share, 8 million warrants, cash payments of C$32,000 and a 2.5 percent net smelter return.

According to the same release, the company also amended its option agreements for the Route 500, Bub and Portage properties deal to waive its additional obligations, including future cash payments, share issuances, and exploration expenditures, in exchange for 500,000 shares to each of the optioners for a total of 1.5 million shares.

On January 8, Auric officially acquired 100 percent of the three properties after issuing the shares.

5. Patagonia Gold (TSXV:PGDC)

Weekly gain: 80.22 percent
Market cap: C$432.5 million
Share price: C$0.82

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.

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.

Its Calcatreu project, located in the Rio Negro province, is currently under construction. Calcatreu hosts a measured and indicated resource 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 Thursday when it provided an update on construction activities at Calcatreu, which it has resumed following a holiday break.

In the announcement, Patagonia said it has extracted and stockpiled 40,000 metric tons of mineralized material from the Veta 49 pit. Of the material, the company said that 5,200 metric tons are expected to be stacked on the leach pad following electric leak detection tests later in January.

Additionally, Patagonia expects the carbon-in-column circuit construction will also be completed in January. After stockpiled material begins being leached and processed, the metal doré product will be sent to Canada to be refined in Ontario.

Patagonia expects to release an updated technical report for the project during the second quarter of the year.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

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

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

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

How do you trade on the TSXV?

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

1. Ucore Rare Metals (TSXV:UCU,OTCQX:UURAF)

Ucore Rare Metals claimed the top overall position on this year’s OTCQX Best 50 list.

Ucore is focused on developing downstream rare earths separation and refining infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on heavy rare earths used in permanent magnets for defense, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Central to that strategy is the company’s planned Strategic Metals Complex in Louisiana, US, which is being developed with backing from the Department of Defense and the state of Louisiana.

In August, Ucore moved to strengthen its future feedstock supply by signing a non-binding letter of intent with Critical Metals (NASDAQ:CRML) for a proposed 10 year offtake arrangement tied to the Tanbreez rare earths project in Southern Greenland. Deliveries will start in in 2027 or upon commercial production — whichever is later.

The company has also advanced the technical and financial foundations of its US refining plans. In mid-2025, Ucore and representatives of the defense department completed the formal project kickoff for an US$18.4 million Phase 2 award to support construction of the company’s first commercial-scale RapidSX separation system at the Louisiana site.

The Phase 2 funding focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of Ucore’s proprietary technology in separating key rare earth elements, including dysprosium, a critical input for high-performance permanent magnets.

2. Discovery Silver (TSX:DSV,OTCQX:DSVSF)

Discovery Silver ranked third overall on this year’s OTCQX Best 50 list, capping a year marked by a major acquisition that repositioned the company as a Canada-based gold producer.

In early 2025, Discovery reached an agreement with Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) to acquire the Porcupine operation in Ontario for total consideration of US$425 million. The deal represented the final phase of Newmont’s divestiture program as it streamlined its portfolio to focus on tier-one assets.

Located in Ontario’s Timmins Mining Camp, the Porcupine Complex is one of Canada’s most prolific gold-producing districts, with approximately 70 million ounces of gold produced since 1910.

The assets acquired by Discovery include the Hoyle Pond underground mine, one of North America’s highest-grade gold mines with more than 4 million ounces produced since the late 1980s.

Following completion of the acquisition, Discovery said it intends to continue both production and exploration activities across the Porcupine Complex as part of its broader growth strategy.

3. Andean Precious Metals (TSX:APM,OTCQX:ANPMF)

Andean Precious Metals placed fourth on this year’s list.

In November 2025, Andean secured a new US$40 million revolving credit facility with National Bank of Canada, enhancing its financial flexibility as it advances its strategic and operational priorities. Andean said the facility improves liquidity and provides a more efficient cost of capital compared with its previous arrangements.

Earlier in the year, the company entered into a long-term agreement with Corporación Minera de Bolivia (COMIBOL) to purchase up to 7 million tonnes of oxide ore from mining concessions located within a 250 kilometer radius of Andean’s San Bartolomé processing facility. The 10 year agreement provides Andean with a potential long-term source of feedstock, subject to economic viability under prevailing market conditions.

4. Lundin Mining (TSX:LUN,OTCPL:LUNMF)

In seventh place is Lundin Mining. In late 2025, Lundin agreed to sell its Eagle nickel-copper mine and the associated Humboldt mill in Michigan to Talon Metals (TSX:TLO,OTCID:TLOFF), consolidating its US nickel-copper assets under a single operator, while sharpeing its focus on larger-scale copper operations in Brazil and Chile.

The Eagle mine, which Lundin acquired in 2013, had been a long-running contributor to the company’s base metals portfolio. As of the third quarter of 2025, the operation had produced more than 194,000 metric tons of nickel and 185,000 metric tons of copper, generating over US$3.2 billion in revenue.

Aside from that, Lundin is advancing what it has described as a “generational” discovery at the Filo del Sol deposit in Argentina. Last May, the company released an initial mineral resource estimate for the Filo del Sol sulfide deposit, as well as updated resource estimates for the oxide portion of Filo del Sol and the nearby Josemaria deposit.

Held in a 50/50 joint venture with BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), the combined assets — collectively referred to as the Vicuña resource — rank among the world’s largest copper, gold and silver resources and are considered to be within the top 10 copper resources globally by size.

5. Graphite One (TSXV:GPH,OTCQX:GPHOF)

Claiming the eight spot on the OTCQX Best 50 list is Graphite One, which in November of last year confirmed the presence of rare earths at its Graphite Creek deposit, located north of Nome, Alaska. Geochemical analysis of drill core samples identified elevated levels of heavy rare earths, as well as all five principal permanent magnet rare earths.

Graphite One is currently advancing a fully integrated, US-based graphite supply chain, encompassing mining at Graphite Creek, transport through the port of Nome, and downstream processing at a planned advanced graphite and battery materials facility in Warren, Ohio. The Ohio complex is also designed to include a co-located recycling facility intended to reclaim graphite and other battery-related materials. The project has received significant federal backing, including a US$37.5 million Defense Production Act Title III grant.

6. G Mining Ventures (TSX:GMIN,OTCQX:GMINF)

G Mining Ventures placed ninth on this year’s OTCQX Best 50 list.

In 2025, shares of G Mining were added to several major equities indexes, including the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (INDEXNYSEGIS:GDM), the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) and the iShares MSCI Canada ETF (ARCA:EWC).

The company is anchored by the Tocantinzinho gold mine in Brazil and the Oko West gold project in Guyana. A key development came this past December, when the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission granted G Mining a 20 year mining license for its 100 percent owned Oko West project.

The mining license followed the issuance of a final environmental permit in September and the company’s formal construction decision in October. Early works that began under an interim environmental permit have continued under the final approval, allowing construction activities to progress without interruption.

7. Heliostar Metals (TSXV:HSTR,OTCQX:HSTXF)

Gold producer Heliostar Metals comes in at number 10 on the OTCQX Best 50 list.

Heliostar’s growth strategy is centered on its portfolio of Mexican assets, including two producing mines and four development-stage projects, which have become the foundation of its expansion plan. Ana Paula is its flagship development project, with a feasibility study scheduled for completion in H1 2027.

Alongside Ana Paula, Heliostar is focused on increasing production and extending mine life at its La Colorada and San Agustin operations in Mexico.

Regulatory fatigue reshapes supply chains, critical minerals take center stage

Trade tensions, protectionist policies and political fatigue around sustainability regulation are pushing climate and human rights risks in supply chains out of the spotlight.

S&P Global notes that as regulatory momentum slows in some jurisdictions, companies may increasingly need to treat climate exposure as a core risk management issue rather than a compliance exercise.

The EU remains a key exception, though its policy direction is evolving. While the bloc has introduced far-reaching disclosure and due diligence rules, it is also simplifying parts of its regulatory framework.

Meanwhile, the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism, which took full effect on January 1, is expected to add at least US$15 billion in costs to imports from carbon-intensive producers, potentially reshaping global trade flows.

Furthermore, the firm said critical minerals will sit at the center of these dynamics in 2026.

Materials such as copper, lithium and rare earths underpin electrification, clean energy deployment and AI infrastructure, making access to them a central feature of trade diplomacy and investment.

China is expected to retain its lead in cleantech manufacturing, reinforcing its role as both a key supplier and a strategic risk for countries pursuing energy transitions.

Energy policy diverges as fossil fuels rebound, renewables expand

Another aspect of fragmentation is most visible in energy policy, where global fossil fuel demand rebounded faster than many policymakers expected after the pandemic and is projected to continue growing modestly.

In contrast, renewable energy remains the fastest-growing segment, though from a smaller base. S&P Global Energy estimates that fossil fuel demand will rise by less than 1 percent in 2026 compared with 2025, while solar and wind generation are expected to grow by more than 17 percent.

Similarly, the divergence between the world’s two largest economies is particularly stark.

The US has prioritized expanding fossil fuel exports, while China continues to invest heavily across clean energy supply chains such as solar manufacturing and electric vehicles.

The report said that this same divergence leaves many countries navigating trade offs between supply security and dependence. China continues to maintain a dominant position in clean energy technologies and has demonstrated its willingness to use export controls on strategic materials such as rare earths.

Despite continued growth in renewables, S&P Global expects 2026 to mark the first year-on-year decline in global solar capacity additions, driven largely by a slowdown in China.

While overall renewable capacity will still expand, analysts said the period of uninterrupted growth is ending.

At the same time, increasing renewable penetration is pushing wholesale power prices lower in some markets while accelerating demand for battery storage and more flexible power purchase agreements.

AI adds new strain to power systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) is adding further strain to energy systems.

The rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers is driving electricity demand sharply higher, complicating sustainability targets for both governments and corporations.

S&P Global estimates that data center power consumption could exceed 2,200 terawatt-hours by 2030, roughly equivalent to India’s current electricity use. Grid constraints, rising power prices in some regions and growing water stress are emerging as political and social flashpoints, particularly in parts of the US.

While major technology companies have made high-profile net-zero commitments, the report’s data shows that sustainability ambition across the data center sector remains uneven.

According to the firm’s 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment, 38 percent of assessed companies with data center operations do not have a net-zero target.

Analysts warned that rising AI-related energy demand may lead to increased fossil fuel use in the near term, with some regions delaying planned coal and gas plant retirements to maintain grid reliability.

Climate adaptation gains priority

The implications of rapid energy shifts also mean that climate adaptation and resilience are gaining prominence.

S&P Global said governments and investors increasingly recognize that the world is likely to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degree Celsius warming goal, making adaptation unavoidable.

Global economic losses from natural disasters reached US$320 billion in 2024, according to Munich Re, while UN data suggests the number of natural disasters could rise by 40 percent by 2030 without stronger mitigation.

Therefore, investment in adaptation is emerging as a major opportunity as well as a necessity. Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, for instance, estimates that adaptation and resilience investments could total US$9 trillion by 2050.

That theme featured prominently at Climate Week NYC in 2025 and at COP30, where governments agreed to triple public adaptation finance by 2035 from 2025 levels.

Taken altogether, S&P Global’s outlook points to a sustainability landscape that is less coordinated but no less consequential. While global consensus is weakening, pressures from various sectors are forcing governments and companies to make increasingly difficult trade offs as they chart their paths through 2026.

Bitcoin and Ether price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$95,649.68, down by 1.5 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, January 16, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$3,311.49, down by 2.0 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

• XRP (XRP) was priced at US$2.07, down by 3.3 percent over 24 hours.

• Solana (SOL) was trading at US$143.12, down by 1.5 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Trump pushes emergency power auction, shifts AI energy costs

US President Donald Trump and several state governors are pressing the operator of the largest US power grid to hold an emergency auction that would force major data center operators to finance new electricity generation needed for AI growth.

According to the Financial Times, the proposal would require tech companies to bid for long-term power contracts, potentially underwriting roughly US$15 billion in new power plants whether or not the electricity is ultimately used.

The push targets PJM Interconnection, which supplies power across the US Northeast and Midwest and sits at the center of the country’s fastest-growing data center corridor.

The administration is framing the move as a response to rising household electricity bills, which have climbed 13 percent since early 2025 amid surging demand from AI infrastructure.

Belgium’s KBC becomes first bank to offer Bitcoin, Ether trading under MiCA

Belgium’s KBC Bank is set to let retail customers buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether directly through its Bolero investment platform starting mid-February, marking a first for the country’s traditional banking sector.

The launch follows the full implementation of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which gives banks a clear legal pathway to offer crypto services.

Until now, Belgian investors largely relied on foreign exchanges or fintech apps to access digital assets.

The bank has completed the required Crypto-Asset Service Provider notification under MiCA, with oversight shared between Belgium’s market and central banking authorities. Under the framework, Bitcoin and Ether fall into a general category of crypto-assets rather than stablecoins.

ETH founder says blockchain is nearing its 2014 vision

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin says the network is finally delivering on its original 2014 vision, as a series of technical upgrades push the blockchain closer to scalable, decentralized application infrastructure.

‘Ethereum is now scaling, it is now cheap, and it is on track to get more scalable and cheaper thanks to the power of ZK-EVMs,’ Buterin posted on X.

His comments come as Ether climbed above US$3,300, reflecting renewed market confidence in the network’s long-term roadmap. Buterin also pointed to Ethereum’s shift to proof-of-stake, lower transaction fees, and advances in zero-knowledge scaling and sharding as foundational progress.

He acknowledged that competing narratives over the past several years distracted from the core mission, but argued the underlying technology has continued to strengthen. Improvements in decentralized messaging and privacy-focused tools were also cited as signs of ecosystem maturity.