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

This week’s tech sector performance

The US market kicked off the holiday‑shortened week with many tech stocks opening lower after Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) unveiled its new AI model, Qwen 3.5, on Monday (February 16), amplifying concerns about risks from the Chinese market. Major indices closed little changed after a day of subdued trading.

This caution, she added, is compounded by uncertainty in the broader macro backdrop, driving down stocks in AI‑exposed sectors. She concluded that this process reflects a maturing market, predicting that in 2026, capital will concentrate around firms with clear, monetizable AI strategies.

Futures gained ground on Wednesday morning (February 17) ahead of the release of the FOMC minutes from its latest meeting, which highlighted a divide: some participants favored another rate hike if inflation remains above target, directly contradicting market expectations of additional cuts amid forecasts of economic weakness.

Also on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr outlined three potential scenarios for how AI could impact the labor market during a speech at the New York Association for Business Economics.

The first, and currently favored, scenario is gradual adoption, where slow AI integration minimizes job loss and any brief skill mismatch is addressed through training. The second scenario is rapid advancement, where AI outpaces the labor market, potentially rendering many people “unemployable.” In this case, fast‑moving AI startups could displace older firms, triggering mass unemployment and requiring a complete overhaul of the social safety net to share productivity gains.

The third possibility suggests that electricity or capital shortages will limit AI’s full potential, making it an indispensable tool but not a truly revolutionary force. Barr concluded that the degree of disruption will ultimately depend on societal investment in creating new jobs, training workers, and implementing mitigation strategies.

Stocks rallied midday but pulled back in a late‑session softening tied in part to the release of the FOMC minutes. A volatile session in tech saw the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) pare earlier strength, finishing up 0.8 percent.

On Thursday (February 19), the market retraced the mid‑week bounce, with the Nasdaq closing down 0.3 percent.

Friday’s PCE report suggested inflation could be reigniting, keeping rate‑sensitive equities range‑bound in early trading, but the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down US President Trump’s global tariffs caused a rally in Wall Street’s heavyweights in the afternoon.

3 tech stocks moving markets this week

1. Shopify (NYSE:SHOP)

Shopify led NDXT gainers, advancing 14.73 percent. Phillip Securities upgraded the stock to “Strong‑Buy”.

2. AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP)

AppLovin saw a 14.68 percent gain, extending its post‑earnings rally.

2. DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH)

DoorDash advanced by 9.36 percent after Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) raised its price target to U$272, citing AI and chatbot efficiencies as well as grocery expansion, while Citizens analyst Andrew Boone reiterated “market outperform” on strong order growth and unchanged 2026 EBITDA outlook.

Shopify, DoorDash and AppLovin performance, February 16 to 20, 2026.

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 1.83 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.77 percent.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 1.76 percent.

Tech news to watch next week

Next week, tech‑focused investors will be watching NVIDIA’s Q4 print on February 25 as the key driver of sentiment across semiconductor and other AI‑related names.

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

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Investing

Western Copper and Gold Announces Filing of Final Short Form Prospectus

Final Short Form Prospectus Accessible on SEDAR+

western copper and gold corporation. (TSX: WRN) (NYSE American: WRN) (the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated February 11, 2026 and February 12, 2026, it has filed a final short form prospectus dated February 20, 2026 (the ‘Final Prospectus’) with the securities commissions in each of the provinces of Canada, except Quebec, in connection with its bought deal public offering of common shares of the Company (the ‘Common Shares’) at a price of C$4.15 per Common Share for gross proceeds to the Company of approximately C$80,001,625 (the ‘Offering’).

The Offering is being conducted through a syndicate of underwriters including Stifel Canada, as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, along with ATB Capital Markets Corp., National Bank Financial Inc., Agentis Capital Markets, BMO Capital Markets, Canaccord Genuity Corp., CIBC World Markets Inc. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (collectively, the ‘Underwriters‘). The Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the ‘Over-Allotment Option‘), exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time until and including 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 2,891,625 Common Shares of the Offering. If this option is exercised in full, an additional C$12,000,243.75 in gross proceeds will be raised pursuant to the Offering and the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering will be approximately C$92,001,869.

Access to the Final Prospectus and any amendment to the documents is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a prospectus. The Final Prospectus is accessible on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Final Prospectus and any amendment may be obtained, without charge, from Stifel Canada by 161 Bay Street, Suite 3800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2S1 or by email at syndprospectus@stifel.com by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable. The Final Prospectus contains important detailed information about the Company and the Offering. Prospective investors should read the Final Prospectus and the other documents the Company has filed on SEDAR+ before making an investment decision.

The Common Shares will also be offered in the United States pursuant to a prospectus filed as part of a registration statement on Form F-10 (together with any amendments thereto, the ‘Registration Statement‘) under the Canada/U.S. multi-jurisdictional disclosure system. The Registration Statement relating to the Common Shares has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Registration Statement is available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein may be obtained, for free upon request, from Stifel Canada at 161 Bay Street, Suite 3800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2S1 or by email at syndprospectus@stifel.com. The Registration Statement and prospectus included therein contains important detailed information about the Company and the Offering. Prospective investors should read the Registration Statement and such prospectus and the other documents the Company has filed on EDGAR before making an investment decision.

The Offering is scheduled to close on or about February 26, 2026, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE American and the applicable securities regulatory authorities.

About western copper and gold corporation

western copper and gold corporation is advancing the Casino Project, Canada’s premier copper-gold mine in the Yukon and one of the most economic greenfield copper-gold mining projects in the world.

The Company is committed to working collaboratively with First Nations and local communities to progress the Casino Project, using internationally recognized responsible mining technologies and practices.

On behalf of the board,

‘Sandeep Singh’

Sandeep Singh
Chief Executive Officer
western copper and gold corporation

For more information, please contact:

Cameron Magee
Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
western copper and gold corporation
437-219-5576 or cmagee@westerncopperandgold.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning the timing and completion of the Offering, the gross proceeds of the Offering and the use of proceeds from the Offering, the over-allotment option to be granted to the Underwriters, the necessary regulatory approvals required for the Offering being received and the expected closing date of the Offering. Statements that are not historical fact are ‘forward-looking statements’ as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other U.S. securities law and ‘forward-looking information’ as that term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 (‘NI 51-102’) of the Canadian Securities Administrators (collectively, ‘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. The material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the assumptions that all regulatory approvals of the Offering will be obtained in a timely manner; all conditions precedent to completion of the Offering will be satisfied in a timely manner; and that market or business conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual results, performance or achievements of the Company and its subsidiaries may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks involved in fluctuations in gold, copper and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties related to raising sufficient capital in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s AIF and Form 40-F, including those under the heading ‘Risk Factors’ and other information released by the Company and filed with the applicable regulatory agencies.

The Company’s forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284767

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Investing

Cellulose Breakthrough Could Simplify Rare Earths Separation

A team of researchers at Penn State have developed a plant-based nanomaterial capable of selectively extracting dysprosium from rare earth mixtures, according to a recent report.

The findings published in the study detail how the team engineered a modified form of cellulose capable of isolating dysprosium, a heavy rare earth element used in semiconductors, electric motors, and generators.

Rare earths tend to occur together in nature and share nearly identical chemical properties, making separation complex and costly. Commercial processes typically rely on large-scale solvent extraction systems that require extensive chemical inputs and multiple repetitive stages to achieve high purity.

“As technology advances, manufacturers will need more and more dysprosium — some forecasts estimate the demand for this material may surge over 2,500 percent in the next 25 years,” said Amir Sheikhi, associate professor of chemical engineering at Penn State.

The research builds on earlier work by the team, which previously used cellulose-based compounds to recover neodymium from electronic waste.

In the latest study, the focus shifted to dysprosium and the challenge of separating heavier rare earth elements from lighter ones more efficiently.

To achieve this, the researchers modified cellulose at the molecular level, creating nanoscale crystalline particles roughly 100 nanometers long. When introduced into a water-based mixture containing both neodymium and dysprosium, the nanocellulose selectively captured dysprosium through adsorption.

The team observed that the modified cellulose chains behaved differently in the presence of dysprosium, effectively isolating it from the mixture.

“Separating rare earth elements from one another has been extremely difficult, due to the metals’ very similar chemical structures,” Sheikhi explained. “We have been looking for a reliable way to separate heavy elements like dysprosium from lighter elements like neodymium, while avoiding the negative environmental side effects that come from current separation approaches.”

The simplicity of the approach contrasts sharply with traditional rare earth separation facilities, which often require sprawling industrial plants and dozens of equilibrium stages to achieve magnet-grade purity.

Industry studies have shown that separating similar rare earth elements can require upward of 60 repetitive extraction stages, underscoring the technical barrier that has helped concentrate processing capacity in countries such as China.

China currently accounts for the majority of global rare earth processing, particularly for heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium that are critical for high-temperature magnets and defense applications.

The Penn State team argues that a cellulose-based system could reduce chemical usage and lower the environmental footprint of rare earth recovery if successfully scaled.

Future work will focus on refining the material and testing its ability to isolate additional rare earth elements.

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

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Investing

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Belo Sun is Radiant with 109 Percent Gain

On Tuesday (February 17) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of Canada’s first Defense Industrial Strategy, aimed at supporting the nation’s defense sector and overall sovereignty.

The strategy will shift procurement’s focus to prioritize Canadian manufacturers, aiming to create 125,000 new jobs throughout the supply chain, and will include accelerating critical mineral projects.

Not included in the prime minister’s official announcement, the strategy will also create a critical minerals stockpile to support the independence of domestic supply chains. The news follows a February 7 announcement out of the US, which said it will create its own critical minerals stockpile through Project Vault, a multibillion-dollar plan aimed at reducing dependence on the foreign supply chain and providing access to minerals needed for advanced manufacturing.

Statistics Canada released its December monthly mineral production survey on Friday (February 20).

The data shows an increase in the production and shipment of gold and copper over November’s figures.

Copper output increased to 43.65 million kilograms, from 39.7 million the previous month; meanwhile, gold production rose to 18,210 kilograms from 18,086 kilograms in November. For shipments, copper jumped to 57.86 million kilograms from 45.87 million kilograms, while gold shipments increased to 19,233 kilograms from 17,625 kilograms.

As for silver, production saw a slight fall to 22,747 kilograms from 23,198 kilograms in November, meanwhile shipments increased to 26,888 kilograms versus 26,207 kilograms.

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

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were mixed this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 3.96 percent over the week to close Friday (February 13) at 33,817.51, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) rose 4.99 percent to 1,042.56.

The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) gained 2.6 percent to 165.86.

The gold price gained 3.5 percent to close at US$5,094.04 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The silver price fared better, closing the week up 11.89 percent at US$84.16 on Friday.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 1.71 percent increase this week to US$5.93.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was up 3.3 percent to end Friday at 602.33.

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. Belo Sun Mining (TSX:BSX)

Weekly gain: 108.93 percent
Market cap: C$508.45 million
Share price: C$1.17

Belo Sun Mining is an explorer and developer focused on advancing its Volta Grande gold project in Brazil.

The property covers approximately 2,400 hectares within the Tres Palmeiras greenstone belt in Pará, Brazil. The company has been working on the project since 2003, and acquired the necessary development permits in 2014 and 2017.

A 2015 mineral reserve estimate demonstrated a proven and probable reserve of 3.79 million ounces of gold from 116 million metric tons of ore with an average gold grade of 1.02 per metric ton (g/t).

Development at the site stalled in April 2017 after a suspension order was issued by the Brazilian Federal Regional court until an indigenous study was completed. The decision was later upheld by courts in December of that year.

Then, early in 2018, a federal judge ruled that the Federal Brazilian Institute of the Environment (IBAMA) would be the competent authority for issuing environmental permits. The decision was overturned in 2019, with the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability of the State of Pará (SEMAS) reassuming its permitting authority. The decision was once again reversed in September 2023, returning authority to IBAMA.

In January 2025, Belo Sun announced that the Federal Court of Appeals had reassigned SEMAS as the permitting authority for the Volta Grande project. The company said it was pleased with the decision, as the agency is familiar with the project and enjoys a constructive and transparent relationship with it.

The most recent news on the case came on February 14, when the company announced that the project’s installation license had been reinstated. The court found Belo Sun had complied with the conditions imposed to complete the Indigenous Component Study and that consultation had been conducted in good faith and accordance with protocol.

The company noted that respondents to the appeal will be given the opportunity to file their response with the court and said they would provide further updates as appropriate.

2. Walker River Resources (TSXV:WRR)

Weekly gain: 48.05 percent
Market cap: C$32.66 million
Share price: C$0.57

Walker River is an exploration company focused on advancing its Lapon Gold project in Nevada, US.

The project, located southeast of Reno, consists of 149 claims covering 3,101 acres and hosts three key target areas: Pikes Peak, Lapon Canyon/Rose, and Range Front Rattlesnake.

According to the project page, small-scale underground historic mining at the site dates back to 1914, with more modern exploration occurring in the 1990s after it was acquired by Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK). During its exploration, low-grade surface-mineralization was discovered over a strike length of 450 meters.

In December 2025, Walker River announced the most recent assays from the site, which returned grades of 3.05 grams per metric ton (g/t) over 117.4 meters, which included an intersection of 6.67 g/t over 18.3 meters.

The company has not released news in the past week.

3. Chesapeake Gold (TSXV:CKG)

Weekly gain: 37.43 percent
Market cap: C$228.17 million
Share price: C$4.92

Chesapeake Gold is a precious metals explorer and developer advancing the Metates and Lucy projects in Mexico. Metates is the more advanced of the two projects and is located northeast of Mazatlan. A July 2021 preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the project indicated a post tax net present value of US$930 million, with an internal rate of return of 55.9 percent and a payback period of 1.6 years based on a gold spot price of US$1,786 per ounce.

The PEA also reports a measured and indicated resource of 19.8 million ounces of gold and 542 million ounces of silver with average grades of 0.47 g/t gold and 12.9 g/t silver from 1.3 billion metric tons of ore.

The company also owns the less-advanced Lucy project in Sinaloa, Mexico. The property covers 483 hectares and hosts zinc- and gold-bearing skarn systems. A 10 hole, 900 meter exploration program in 2024 produced one highlighted sample grading 6.11 g/t gold over 24 meters from surface.

The most recent news from the company came on Tuesday, when it announced it was named to this year’s TSX Venture 50 list. It delivered annual share price growth of 388 percent and a 415 percent increase to its market cap.

4. New Zealand Energy (TSX:NZ)

Weekly gain: 33.33 percent
Market cap: C$12.85 million
Share price: C$0.38

New Zealand Energy is an oil and gas producer focusing on projects in New Zealand’s Taranaki basin.

According to the company’s December 2024 oil and gas reserves summary, it holds proven and probable quantities of 1.15 million barrels of oil equivalent across a range of producing, non-producing, and undeveloped projects. The main producing projects are the Tariki 5 and Tariki 5A wells, which are 50 percent joint ventures with L&M Energy.

The most recent news from New Zealand came on February 9, when it announced that it had closed a non-brokered private placement for 17.5 million common shares for gross proceeds of C$3.5 million.

The company said that the funds raised will be directed to advancing its gas storage project and general working capital.

5. Unigold (TSXV:UGD)

Weekly gain: 32.43 percent
Market cap: C$64.66 million
Share price: C$0.245

Unigold is an exploration company advancing its Nieta Concession in the Dominican Republic.

The property consists of two primary areas, Nieta Sur and Nieta Norte, totaling approximately 21,000 hectares in the Northwest Dominican Republic, near the border with Haiti.

The Candelones project, Unigold’s main focus, is hosted at Nieta. A December 2022 feasibility study for the project indicated a post-tax net present value of US$30.64 million with an internal rate of return of 43.6 percent.

The study also included a mineral resource estimate with measured and indicated open-pit quantities of 974,000 ounces of gold, 59.24 million pounds of copper, and 2.43 million ounces of silver with average grades of 1.56 g/t gold, 0.14 percent copper, and 3.89 g/t silver from 19.37 million metric tons of ore.

The most recent news from Unigold came on Tuesday, when it announced the appointments of Juana Barcelo and Andrés Marranzini to its board of directors. Barcelo has more than 15 years of business and legal experience in the Latin American and Caribbean mining sector, and was most recently the president/country manager for the Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) and Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) joint venture, Barrick Pueblo Viejo.

Meanwhile, Marranzini is a lawyer and the current CEO of Punta Bergantín Development, and has previously held positions within the Dominican government.

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 December 2025, 898 mining companies and 71 oil and gas companies are listed on the TSXV, combining for more than 60 percent of the 1,531 total companies listed on the exchange.

As for the TSX, it is home to 175 mining companies and 51 oil and gas companies. The exchange has 2,089 companies listed on it in total.

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.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Gold and Silver Stocks Dominate TSX Venture 50 List

This year’s TSX Venture 50 list represents a major shift in investor sentiment, particularly to gold and silver.

The TSX Venture 50 ranks the top 50 companies on the TSX Venture Exchange based on annual performance using three criteria: one year share price appreciation, market cap growth and Canadian consolidated trading value.

This year’s list includes 51 companies due to a tie based on the ranking system.

Together, the 51 companies have an average share price appreciation of 431 percent — that’s compared to just 207 percent achieved by last year’s group. These companies successfully raised C$1.5 billion in new capital.

Market value growth was an impressive 775 percent for C$17.9 billion in market cap creation.

That market value growth is not only more than double the 333 percent averaged in 2025, but also represents the largest annual gain since the TSX Venture 50 list began in 2006.

The unprecedented performance of the TSX Venture 50 companies, even in the face of mounting global economic uncertainty, is a clear indication that investor confidence in Canadian capital markets remains solid.

“The Venture 50 list this year really does reflect the global interest in mining and this entrance into a commodity super cycle,’ said Robert Peterman, chief commercial officer at TSX & Global Capital Formation.

Overall the list’s composition highlights how historic 2025 was for junior miners. Compared to last year’s list, which included only 10 mining companies, this year’s list is made up of 48 mining companies, the vast majority of which are gold and silver juniors. With an average share price increase of 443 percent in 2025, they have a total market cap value of C$19.9 billion.

1. Prospector Metals (TSXV:PPP)

Share price appreciation: 1,130 percent
Market cap growth: 3,122 percent

Prospector Metals’ flagship property is the 10,869-hectare ML gold project near Dawson City and 25 kilometers northeast of the former Brewery Creek God Mine in Yukon, Canada. It’s located within the Tintina Gold Belt which hosts significant historic mining operations and current exploration and development projects. B2Gold (TSX:BTO,NYSEAMERICAN:BTG) is a strategic partner in the project and holds a 19.9 percent equity stake in Prospector Metals.

Prospector’s exploration work at ML in 2025 led to the discovery of the new TESS gold-copper zone in October. High-grade and near surface intercepts included 288 g/t over 1 meter within 21.93 g/t over 24.65 meters.

Keep an eye out for more drill results coming from Prospector as the company has more than C$40 million in working capital and plans to kick off a 25,000 meters program in 2026.

2. Santacruz Silver (TSXV:SCZ)

Share price appreciation: 1,100 percent

Market cap growth: 1,137 percent

Santacruz Silver has producing operations in Bolivia and Mexico which include a 45 percent stake in the Bolivar and Porco mines and a 100 percent ownership of the Caballo Blanco Group mines in Bolivia and its wholly-owned Zimapan mine in Mexico.

For 2025, Santacruz Silver’s production came in at 5,598,680 ounces of silver, down 17 percent from the year prior. The company attributed the decline to a major flooding event at Bolivar in May which led to a temporary shutdown of mining activities in certain areas. However, its silver production has consistently improved in the last two quarters of the year.

For 2026, Santacruz is working toward improving operational efficiencies and recovery rates at its operations in order to increase production.

3. Goldgroup Mining (TSXV:GGA)

Share price appreciation: 875 percent
Market cap growth: 2,711 percent

Goldgroup Mining is building a portfolio of high-quality gold assets in Mexico, its cornerstone property is the producing Cerro Prieto heap-leach gold mine in Sonora. In the same state, the company recently acquired the formerly producing San Francisco gold mine and is evaluating the potential to restart production.

Cerro Prieto has been in continuous production since 2013 and currently produces about 11,500 ounces of gold annually. For 2026, Goldgroup is undertaking an optimization and exploration program to more than double the mine’s output to more than 30,000 ounces.

Through a definitive merger agreement with Gold Resource (NYSE:GORO), Goldgroup will soon add the producing Don David gold mine in Oaxaca to its portfolio. The deal is expected to close in Q2 2026.

4. Golconda Gold (TSXV:GG)

Share price appreciation: 700 percent
Market cap growth: 695 percent

Golconda is a precious metals producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration projects in South Africa and New Mexico. This includes the producing Galaxy Gold mine in South Africa’s prolific gold district, the Barberton Greenstone Belt. In New Mexico, the company is working to restart the Summit high-grade silver-gold mine.

In 2025, Golconda’s Galaxy mine produced 13,020 ounces of gold, up 69 percent compared to the previous year. Golconda’s goal is to triple production over the next three years.

At Summit, the company is working to bring the mine back into production in Q2 2026 and then spin it out as a standalone US-focused gold-silver producer by the end of the year.

5. Fuerte Metals (TSXV:FMT)

Share price appreciation: 646 percent
Market cap growth: 1,481 percent

Fuerte Metals is exploring and developing advanced base and precious metals projects across Canada, Mexico and Chile. Its flagship project is the wholly-owned Coffee gold project in the Yukon, Canada. A measured and indicated resource estimate of 3.0 million ounces of gold makes it one of the top 10 largest heap-leach development projects in the world.

Fuerte’s asset portfolio also includes the Placeton-Caballo Muerto copper-gold project in Chile and the Christina gold-silver-zinc project and Yecora copper-silver-molybdenum project in Mexico. Fuerte’s shareholder base includes Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) and Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM).

The Coffee project is in the final stages of permitting, engineering, and resource expansion drilling as Fuerte prepares for a construction decision.The company expects to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment for the first half of 2026, and a feasibility study in the second half of the year.

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

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Investing

Nuvau Minerals Announces Amendment to Private Placement Terms

Nuvau Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NMC,OTC:NMCPF) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Nuvau’) announces that, further to its news release dated January 30, 2026, it has amended the terms of its previously announced ‘best efforts’ brokered private placement offering, co-led by Clarus Securities Inc. and Integrity Capital Group Inc. (together, the ‘Agents’), comprised of (i) the offering of up to 18,750,000 units of the Company (the ‘Units’) at a price of $0.80 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $15,000,000 (the ‘Unit Offering’) and the offering of up to 5,555,555 FT Shares (as defined herein) at a price of $0.90 per FT Share for gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000 (the ‘FT Offering’ and together with the Unit Offering, the ‘Offering’).

As amended, the Company proposes to issue up to 5,555,555 flow-through common shares of the Company (the ‘FT Shares‘) at an offering price of $0.90 per FT Share (the ‘FT Share Price‘). All FT Shares will be common shares of the Company that qualify as ‘flow-through shares’ within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and section 359.1 of the Taxation Act (Québec). The gross proceeds from the offering of FT Shares will be used by the Company to incur eligible ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ (as defined in the ITA), a portion of which may qualify as ‘flow-through mining expenditures’ and at least 30% of which will qualify as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’ (‘FTCMME‘) (each as defined in the ITA) (the ‘Qualifying Expenditures‘). At the sole discretion of the Company certain subscribers of FT Shares may be allocated a higher percentage of Qualifying Expenditures that qualify as FTCMME. All Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred by the Company on or before December 31, 2027, and will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares with an effective date on or before December 31, 2026.

All other terms of the Offering remain unchanged. Please refer to the Company’s news release dated January 30, 2026, for additional information.

In connection with the Offering, a director of the Company, plans to sell up to 400,000 common shares of the Company (‘Common Shares‘) held, directly or indirectly, through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘Exchange‘) and intends to use the proceeds from such sales to subscribe for 400,000 FT Shares under the FT Offering. The sale of such Common Shares is expected to be effected pursuant to pre-arranged trades made through the facilities of the Exchange.

Participation in the Offering by a director of the Company constitutes a ‘related party transaction’ within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101‘). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, will not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

Closing of the Unit Offering is expected to occur on or about February 24, 2026, with the closing of the FT Offering expected to occur on or about March 6, 2026. Completion of the Offering remains subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the conditional approval of Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance thereof.

The Agents will have an option (the ‘Agent’s Option‘), exercisable in whole or in part up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Unit Offering, to offer for sale up to any combination of additional Units (or any combination of their underlying components) and/or additional FT Shares, at their respective offering prices, to raise up to an additional $5,000,000 in gross proceeds.

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. 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 Nuvau
Nuvau is a Canadian mining company, incorporated under the OBCA, currently in the exploration and development phase. Nuvau’s principal asset is its right to earn-in a 100% undivided interest from Glencore in the Matagami property located in Abitibi region of central Québec, Canada pursuant to an amended and restated earn-in agreement dated January 28, 2026, among Nuvau, Nuvau Minerals Corp., and Glencore.

Further Information
All information contained in this news release with respect to the Company was supplied by the respective party for inclusion herein, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

For further information please contact:
Nuvau Minerals Inc.
Peter van Alphen
President and CEO
Telephone: 416-525-6063
Email: pvanalphen@nuvauminerals.com

Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements‘) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipate’, ‘will’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’ ‘expects’ and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the timing and ability of the Company to close the Offering on the terms announced, the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, the Company’s ability to incur Qualifying Expenditures and renounce the Qualifying Expenditures to subscribers, and the Company’s ability to obtain exchange approval for the Offering. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the Matagami Property. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements 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. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284780

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Politics

Trump White House ballroom proposal gets approval by Commission of Fine Arts

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has officially fast-tracked the estimated $400 million proposal to build President Donald Trump’s new White House East Wing ballroom Thursday.

While Thursday’s session was originally intended only for design discussion, Chairman Rodney Mims Cook Jr. moved for an immediate final approval.

‘Our sitting president has actually designed a very beautiful structure,’ Cook said before the vote. ‘The United States just should not be entertaining the world in tents.’

The project involves building the ballroom on the site where the East Wing once stood, following its October demolition.

Six of the seven commissioners voted in favor. Commissioner James McCrery abstained, having served as the project’s architect.

‘This is an important thing to the president. It’s an important thing to the nation,’ Fine Arts chairman Rodney Mims Cook Jr. said in the panel’s first public hearing on Trump’s proposal earlier this month.

Administrations long before Trump’s complained about having to host State Dinners and major events in temporary structures. The old East Wing dining room had just a 200-seat capacity, according to the White House, making this expansion more than triple the seats and nearly double the square footage of the main White House structure.

The estimated $400 million project has faced criticism from Democrats, but Trump has vowed the funding to be private and the benefits to be immense.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation had filed a federal lawsuit to halt construction.

‘We’re donating a $400 million ballroom, and we got sued not to build it – for 150 years they’ve wanted a ballroom,’ Trump said in December. ‘And we’re giving them, myself and donors are giving them free of charge for nothing. We’re donating a building that’s approximately $400 million.

‘I think I’ll do it for less, but it’s 400. I should do it for less. I will do it for less, but just in case they say 400; otherwise, if I go $3 over, the press will say it costs more.’

Despite Thursday’s approval, the project faces further review March 5 by the National Capital Planning Commission, led by a top White House aide.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Politics

Rick Scott says Prince Andrew ‘absolutely’ must face US trial in Epstein case if American laws were broken

A top Senate Republican demanded that if former Prince Andrew is found to have broken American laws with his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, he should stand trial in the U.S.

‘If he’s violated American law, absolutely,’ Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.

Scott’s comments came after the news that the former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who is linked to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in the United Kingdom on Thursday.

British authorities were reportedly investigating whether Mountbatten-Windsor had shared confidential trade information with Epstein while acting as Britain’s special envoy for trade over a decade ago, the Associated Press reported.

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, despite being one of his most well-known associates. He was also accused by the late Virginia Giuffre — one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers — in her memoir of having sex with her when she was a minor.

The list of co-conspirators and those connected to Epstein continues to grow, following Congress’ move to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release millions of documents related to him, known as the ‘Epstein Files.’

But criminal action against those alleged to have ties with Epstein has remained scarce, given that appearing in the files doesn’t directly translate to criminal charges. Scott argued that if people ‘violate the law, you should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.’

‘It’s as simple as that. It’s despicable what Epstein did,’ Scott said. ‘I can’t imagine these people who had relationships with Epstein, especially after he was convicted the first time, and they kept their relationship.’

‘If they’ve done anything wrong, they should be held accountable,’ he continued. ‘I don’t know if Prince Andrew has done anything wrong, but everybody who has should be held accountable. What you read that happened to these young girls is just like — I’ve got two daughters, I’ve got a granddaughter, and I can’t imagine, you know, the position that Epstein and, it seems like, some other people put these young women in.’

The Senate voted unanimously last year in favor of legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law that required the DOJ to release all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials ‘publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format’ related to the late financier and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Several names of prominent Americans, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, were revealed in the trove of unredacted documents.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., when asked if Lutnick or others should face consequences, said earlier this month that ‘transparency is something we all ought to aspire to here.’

‘And if there are folks who are, you know, named in there or discussed in there in some way, they’re going to have to answer for that,’ Thune said.

Millions of files and a handful of months later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced earlier this week that the DOJ had unloaded all the documents. But lawmakers have said it’s not enough.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., charged that the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files ‘is a travesty.’

‘But in France, the Paris prosecutor’s office just opened two investigations based on new leads from the released files,’ Schumer said on X. ‘And in Britain, former Prince Andrew has been arrested over ties to Epstein. When will there be justice in America?’

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Politics

Trump jokes about Nobel Prize at inaugural Board of Peace meeting, says Norway will host Gaza aid gathering

President Donald Trump welcomed leaders from around the world on Thursday as he hosted the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, D.C.

One country that would not be joining the board but will be hosting a related event is Norway.

The U.S. president announced the plan for Norway to host a meeting on Palestinian aid during the inaugural meeting of the board Thursday. However, as he announced Norway’s plans, he joked about getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

‘I’m excited to announce that Norway has agreed to host an event bringing together the Board of Peace. Oh, I thought when I saw this note, ‘I’m excited to announce that Norway,’ I thought they were going to say that they’re giving me the Nobel Prize. Oh, this is less exciting,’ Trump quipped.

‘Oh, it says, ‘I’m excited to announce that Norway,’ and I’m saying, ‘Oh, great, I’m getting the Nobel Prize. Finally, finally, they got it right.’ But I don’t care, I don’t care about the Nobel Prize. I care about saving lives.’

Trump received several nominations for the prize. However, they were declared past the Nobel Committee’s nomination deadline. In the end, the award was given to then-exiled Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

After the capture of Venezuela’s dictatorial leader Nicolás Maduro, Machado came to the U.S., where she met with Trump and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize.

‘I presented the president of the United States the medal … the Nobel Peace Prize, and I told him, ‘Listen to this, 200 years ago, General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with George Washington’s face on it,’ Machado said while speaking at the U.S. Capitol in January.

‘He kept that medal for the rest of his life. Actually, when you see his portraits, you can see the medal.’

She said Lafayette gave the medal to Bolívar as a symbol of the partnership between the people of the U.S. and the people of Venezuela and their shared fight for freedom against tyranny.

Trump thanked Machado for the medal in a post on Truth Social.

‘It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,’ Trump wrote. ‘She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!’

Norway has said it would not join the Board of Peace. However, it will convene its Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHCL) for Palestinian aid, according to The Times of Israel. The outlet noted that Norway has led the AHCL for decade. It was established in the wake of the Oslo Accords, which were also aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict.

A spokesperson for the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told The Times of Israel that Norway ‘remains firm’ in its position against joining the Board of Peace.

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Politics

Built for weeks of war: Inside the firepower the US has positioned near Iran

The U.S. military has assembled one of its most substantial concentrations of naval and air power in the Middle East in decades, a force built near Iran not for a limited strike, but for sustained combat operations if ordered.

While diplomats in Geneva trade proposals, the Pentagon has moved beyond a ‘show of force’ to an operational footing that represents the largest concentration of U.S. air power in the region since the Iraq War.

Two-carrier war

Two carrier strike groups now anchor the alignment.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is operating in the Arabian Sea, supported by Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, including the USS Spruance, USS Michael Murphy, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and USS Pinckney.

Transiting the Mediterranean is the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, escorted by the USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan. Once the Ford arrives in theater, the Navy will establish a dual-carrier strike posture rarely seen outside major conflict.

Under high-tempo conditions, a single carrier air wing can generate more than 100 sorties in a 24-hour period depending on tanker support and target distance. With two carriers operating in parallel, planners can sustain continuous strike cycles — rotating decks so that aircraft are launching from one carrier while the other rearms and recovers.

That posture allows for sustained pressure over multiple days rather than isolated waves.

Hardened targets, repeated strikes

The buildup comes as satellite imagery reveals Tehran, Iran, accelerating defensive preparations.

Commercial imagery published in a report by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) shows Iran reinforcing the Taleghan 2 facility at Parchin with fresh concrete and overburden. Similar hardening is underway at tunnel entrances near Natanz.

‘The core issue is all these efforts would complicate the battle damage assessment (BDA) in a post-strike environment,’ defense analyst Can Kasapoğlu said. Hardened subterranean targets require repeated ‘drill’ strikes, multiple munitions on the same coordinates, followed by confirmation missions to determine whether facilities have been disabled.

That kind of campaign demands sustained sortie generation and deep munitions reserves.

Suppression and strike depth

While the Department of War has not released exact aircraft numbers, the regional air presence has expanded significantly.

Advanced fighter jets, including F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning IIs, have been repositioned at regional hubs. These stealth platforms are designed to suppress air defense systems such as Iran’s S-300 and Bavar-373 batteries.

Once air defenses are degraded, aircraft such as F-15E Strike Eagles and carrier-based F/A-18 Super Hornets would conduct follow-on strikes against missile infrastructure, command nodes and IRGC facilities.

Further depth is provided by long-range bombers.

B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, operating from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri with aerial refueling, are capable of 30-hour round-trip missions. They are the only platforms configured to deliver the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) against deeply buried targets.

The logistics backbone: A weeks-long window

Senior U.S. officials have disclosed that the Pentagon is preparing for ‘sustained, weeks-long operations’ if conflict erupts — surgical Operation Midnight Hammer strikes conducted in June 2025.

Defense analysts say that timeline reflects the realities of munitions burn rates and forward-positioned stockpiles.

In high-intensity conflict simulations, forward-positioned precision munitions can be significantly depleted within roughly three to four weeks depending on sortie tempo and target density. After that point, forces would rely increasingly on resupply from the continental United States, a process that can take additional weeks to scale into a full maritime logistics bridge.

Operations may not come to a halt, but campaign duration would depend heavily on replenishment cycles and industrial production, not just aircraft availability.

No ground invasion posture

Notably absent is the kind of troop buildup associated with a ground invasion.

There are no large-scale Army combat formations staging in Kuwait or Iraq for an occupation. The emphasis remains on stand-off strikes and precision airpower, a campaign designed to degrade targets from a distance rather than seize and hold territory.

That distinction carries political weight.

A January 2026 Quinnipiac University poll found that 70% of American voters oppose a direct war with Iran, with even higher resistance to deploying ground troops.

‘Talk of the U.S. military potentially intervening in Iran’s internal chaos gets a vigorous thumbs down, while voters signal congressional approval should be a backstop against military involvement in any foreign crisis,’ said Quinnipiac analyst Tim Malloy.

Retaliation risk: ‘All-out war’

Iranian officials have warned that U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey would be targeted if Washington launches an attack. Senior Iranian military figures have said any U.S. strike would be treated as ‘all-out war.’

In response, the U.S. has distributed Patriot and THAAD missile defense batteries across regional hubs to shield its assets from potential missile retaliation.

Diplomacy still on the table

Despite the military posture, talks are ongoing. Iranian officials have said they will return within weeks with additional proposals aimed at narrowing gaps in negotiations.

President Donald Trump has framed the moment in blunt terms.

‘We have to make a deal, otherwise it’s going to be very traumatic, very traumatic,’ Trump said recently, warning that Iran would face consequences if diplomacy collapses.

‘The presence of so much firepower in the region creates a momentum of its own,’ said Susan Ziadeh, a former U.S. ambassador. ‘Sometimes that momentum is a little hard to just put the brakes on.’

The force now in position — from dual carriers to stealth bombers — is structured not for a single weekend strike, but for endurance.

Whether it is used, and for how long, will depend on decisions made at the negotiating table.

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