Don Hansen returns to share his thoughts on gold and silver, as well as the US economy.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Randy Smallwood, president and CEO of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM), shares his thoughts on the gold and silver markets, and discusses the company’s latest results.
He also weighs in on Wheaton’s long-term guidance and plans for the future.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM: CTL), an exploration and development lithium company in Chile, is pleased to announce that at the General Meeting (‘GM‘) held earlier today all the resolutions were duly passed.
Retail Offer
On 10 March 2025 the Company announced the Retail Offer had conditionally raised £143,980, in addition to the £2.4 million raised from a Placing announced on 11 February 2025. 899,873 new ordinary shares (‘Retail Offer Shares‘) will be issued to existing retail shareholders who subscribed via the BookBuild platform at a price of 16 pence per Retail Offer Share pursuant to the Retail Offer.
It is expected that Admission will become effective, and trading of the Retail Offer Shares will commence on AIM, at 8.00 a.m. on 25 March 2025.
Total Voting Rights
Following the issue of the Retail Offer Shares, the Company will have a total of 100,346,774 Ordinary Shares in issue. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury and accordingly the total number of voting rights in the Company is 100,346,774.
With effect from Admission, this figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company, under the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority.
Words and expressions defined in the Company’s announcement of 10 March 2025 shall have the same meaning in this announcement.
For further information please visit https://ctlithium.com/
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For further information contact: |
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CleanTech Lithium PLC |
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Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter |
Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 info@ctlithium.com Chile office: +562-32239222 |
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Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak |
+44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
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Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Daniel Fox-Davies |
+44 (0) 20 3884 8450 daniel@fox-davies.com |
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Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker) James Asensio |
+44 (0) 20 7523 4680 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited (‘Beaumont Cornish’) is the Company’s Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish’s responsibilities as the Company’s Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
Notes
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL) is an exploration and development company advancing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium’s mission is to become a new supplier of battery grade lithium using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and exploration stage projects in Llamara and Arenas Blancas (Salar de Atacama), located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two most advanced projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. All four projects have good access to existing infrastructure.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine resulting in no aquifer depletion. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine with higher recoveries, short development lead times and no extensive evaporation pond construction. www.ctlithium.com
Click here for the full release
Altech Batteries (ATC:AU) has announced Altech – Agreement to Secure EUR2.5M in Funding
Download the PDF here.
African Gold Ltd (ASX: A1G) (“African Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its plans to secure a strategic investment from Montage Gold Corp. (TSXV: MAU; OTCQX: MAUTF) (“Montage Gold”) and new investors with a total value of up to A$9,174,768.
Highlights
Key Terms:
This agreement follows the highly successful deal between Montage Gold and Sanu Gold, which enabled Sanu to aggressively advance drilling on its Guinea-focused projects and generate significant shareholder value. The Sanu Gold deal was conducted at C$0.072 per share, with Sanu’s share price rising as high as C$0.32 per share and currently trading at C$0.30 per share.
Africa Gold’s Chief Executive Officer, Adam Oehlman, said“We are excited to partner with Montage Gold given their extensive exploration track record and strong presence in Côte d’Ivoire. This collaboration offers an exciting opportunity to unlock exploration value at notably our flagship Didievi project. Furthermore, Montage’s robust technical due diligence process strengthens our belief that the Didievi project is highly prospective. We are very pleased with the ongoing 10,000-metre drill programme at our Didievi project and look forward to further drilling the property this year given our strengthened financial position.
“As part of this partnership, we are pleased to welcome Silvia Bottero to the African Gold board. With over 20 years of experience in mining, Silvia has a proven track record in driving greenfield discoveries and advancing brownfield projects, particularly in Africa and over the last decade she has been credited with the discovery of over 15Moz of M&I gold resources in Côte d’Ivoire.
“We are also excited to welcome Martino De Ciccio as a strategic advisor to African Gold given his extensive expertise and value creation track record. Moreover, Martino has a profound understanding of the African mining landscape, being recently recognized as one of the 20 most influential people in the African mining sector by Africa Business. Over the last year, under Martino’s leadership, Montage’s market capitalization grew from C$140 million to over C$1 billion given their success in obtaining environmental and mining permits, staffing a high-quality team, obtaining high profile strategic investors, securing over US$950 million in financing, delivering strong exploration results, and launching construction of their project.
“We look forward to working closely with Montage Gold, to maximise the potential of our assets in Côte d’Ivoire.”
Martino De Ciccio, CEO of Montage, commented:“We are very pleased to form a strategic partnership with African Gold and work alongside them to rapidly unlock exploration value across their highly attractive portfolio in Côte d’Ivoire, including the high-grade Didievi project, by leveraging our presence and expertise in the country. Our strategic investment in African Gold follows a thorough review of potential partnerships in Côte d’Ivoire, based on a value-driven approach that considers risk-adjusted geological potential and is supported by technical due diligence.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic production of critical minerals, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign sources — particularly China.
The order, signed on March 20, identifies mineral production as a national security imperative and authorizes the Department of Defense, in coordination with the International Development Finance Corporation, to facilitate financing, permitting and investment support for mining and processing essential minerals.
It also directs the Department of the Interior to expedite permits and prioritize mining operations on federal land.
‘Our national and economic security are now acutely threatened by our reliance upon hostile foreign powers’ mineral production,’ the order states. ‘It is imperative for our national security that the United States take immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.’
The Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law originally enacted in 1950, grants the government the authority to direct private industry toward national security objectives. In recent years, the law has been used to ramp up production of defense materials, medical supplies and renewable energy components.
Trump’s use of the act signals a strong shift toward prioritizing domestic resource extraction to counteract China’s dominance in the supply chain and dependence on other nations.
Despite possessing significant reserves, the US remains heavily dependent on mineral imports.
According to the US Geological Survey, the country imports at least 15 critical minerals in large quantities, with 70 percent of America’s rare earths coming from China.
The US also relies on imports for nearly 50 percent of its lithium, 90 percent of its gallium and nearly 100 percent of its graphite, all essential for defense applications and the growing electric vehicle industry.
The move to boost domestic production comes amid growing concerns over China’s tightening export controls.
Beijing has recently begun restricting shipments of germanium, gallium and antimony — materials that are vital for semiconductors and defense systems. In response, US policymakers have pushed for strategic stockpiles and expanded domestic production to reduce vulnerability.
Industry leaders have applauded the order, calling it a necessary step toward securing a stable supply chain.
Some US mining companies have also issued statements in support of the executive order.
Ucore Rare Metals (TSXV:UCU,OTCQX:UURAF), which is currently working with the Department of Defense on rare earth elements processing technology, called the order a move that ‘underscores the urgent need to establish robust, domestic rare earth processing capabilities’ in a recent press release.
CEO Pat Ryan noted that the Trump administration’s efforts align with Ucore’s plans to commercialize its refining technology, which would help reduce the country’s dependence on Chinese processing facilities.
Similarly, American Tungsten (CSE:TUNG,OTCQB:DEMRF) praised the initiative, citing the need for an independent tungsten supply chain. ‘This Executive Order is a clear endorsement for America’s mining industry. We believe our tungsten project, the IMA Mine, is a core example of why critical mineral production in the U.S. must be prioritized and addressed without delay,’ commented CEO Murray Nye in a statement.
However, environmental groups have criticized the order, warning that it could weaken safeguards meant to protect public lands from excessive mining activity. ‘Yet again, President Trump is trying to ignore the law and dictate that our national public lands be handed over to private companies for extraction and profit above all else,’ Bloomberg quotes Rachael Hamby, policy director at the Center for Western Priorities, as saying.
Many environmental advocates prefer stronger regulations, and have long warned that increased mining activity, particularly on federal lands, could lead to pollution, habitat destruction and water contamination.
The order directs federal agencies to produce a list of US mines that could be quickly approved, and to assess which federal lands, including those managed by the Pentagon, could be used for mineral processing.
It also mandates the creation of a centralized forum for buyers and sellers in the critical minerals industry.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The energy transition demands substantial funding as participants look to build out infrastructure and supply chains, but experts say new solutions are emerging to help navigate this landscape.
During the ‘Financing the Energy Transition’ panel at the Benchmark Summit, participants discussed the role of government and public sector investment, as well as the outlook for Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.
Moderated by Adam Webb, head of battery raw materials at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the discussion at the Toronto-based event opened with a snapshot of Canada’s EV battery supply chain buildout.
Daanish Hussein, senior manager of grants and direct funding at BDO Canada, highlighted the downstream, midstream and upstream development happening in Ontario and Québec.
“If you look at the last four years, just looking at Ontario, we’ve secured over C$45 billion in this industry,” he said, adding that Ontario’s strategy has initially been focused on downstream growth.
“Whereas in Québec, I think what you’ve seen is a bigger focus on the midstream and upstream,” added Hussein.
Moving forward, he expects both provinces to prioritize midstream and upstream expansion.
“We want to make sure that Canada has the breadth and depth to get supply chain security, but also it’s an economic development imperative to develop the north, and there’s a lot of private and public sector support for this,” he noted.
During the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, which coincided with the Benchmark Summit, Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources, made several announcements aimed at supporting the country’s exploration, mining and development sectors.
The first was an extension to the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) until March 31, 2027.
The 15 percent METC aims to support junior exploration, mining and mineral processing companies, providing an estimated C$110 million to drive exploration investment.
Wilkinson also announced a second round of funding under Canada’s Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund. It will offer up to C$500 million for energy and transportation projects to boost the mining sector.
Last year’s round approved over 31 projects with C$300 million pending final review.
Hussein noted that these types of funding initiatives are imperative to encourage northern development.
Despite focusing largely on Canada, the panel could not escape talks of US tariffs.
While acknowledging the uncertainty that the tariff threat presents, Hussein explained that the EV supply chain project pipeline in Québec and Ontario is robust and financially strong.
He pointed to Linamar’s (TSX:LNR,OTC Pink:LINAF) C$1 billion investment in six Ontario automotive technology sites, announced in January, as an example. The Ontario-based global auto parts manufacturer is also receiving support from the provincial (C$100 million) and federal (C$169.4 million) governments.
“So yes, there is reason for trepidation, but I think there’s a lot of compelling reasons to be optimistic,” said Hussein.
Webb next asked where investors are currently finding value.
Arun Viswanathan, senior equity analyst for chemicals and packaging at RBC (TSX:RY,NYSE:RY), told the audience that investors are currently grappling with three issues.
“First off, they’re a little bit anchored to the recent peak as a potential possibility as to how high they think prices can go, and there isn’t really support for investors to get to that level,” he said.
In addition to unrealistic expectations about metals prices returning to peaks seen in late 2021 and early 2022, Viswanathan pointed to apprehension in EV sales growth in the EU and North America.
“Investors are also struggling with the idea that (in) North America and Europe, EV demand is very weak, and that demand has coincided with this downturn in pricing,” Viswanathan said.
“Even though 80 percent of the supply chain in lithium is in China, 99 percent of LFP capacity production is there, people actually do think that the North American and European markets do matter to drive pricing.”
A lack of transparency was the final factor impacting investor sentiment Viswanathan underscored.
“The third thing I would mention is opacity in the market,” he said. “And when you think about what is actually observable in China and elsewhere, I think investors struggle with data.”
He suggests that investors often “hone in” on inventory numbers, which do not always paint a complete picture.
Viswanathan went on to say that the lithium industry was once seen as a high-growth sector, but major producers are now scaling back their forecasts. For example, Albemarle (NYSE:ALB), has reduced its expected production growth from double digits to low single digits for 2025 and possibly 2026.
With a significant surplus in the market, there’s little immediate catalyst for change. Many investors remain focused on the short term, limiting interest in long-term opportunities despite potential value over the next decade.
“I think in general, investors are optimistic on the long-term story. But even though prices have come down significantly, I don’t know if we’re at value stages yet,” he said.
From there, the discussion shifted to the importance of ESG credentials in financing projects.
Weighing in on the topic, Shelley Gilberg, markets leader of managed accounts at PwC, noted that it “depends on whose money you are taking’ and said alternative forms of financing are emerging.
“You’re starting to see the emergence of much more purpose capital that understands what they’re investing in. They’re prepared to potentially take a slightly lower rate of return in exchange for the thematic investing that they’re doing.”
Gilberg highlighted the Canada Growth Fund’s recent equity stake in the Nouveau Monde Graphite (TSXV:NOU,NYSE:NGM) as part of the shift in financing strategies. Announced in December, the C$57 million investment aligns with the Canada Growth Fund’s goal of supporting national critical minerals development.
Gilberg went on to suggest that companies seeking financing have to pay attention to a multitude of factors, including boardroom dynamics, shareholder activism and industry partnerships.
In today’s geopolitical climate, some market expectations conflict — some US buyers reject ESG commitments, while European buyers demand them, leaving Canadian firms navigating a middle ground.
“I think the most difficult thing for every company right now — this isn’t unique to mining — is how do you line up customer sentiment around this stuff with investor sentiment?” she said. “And I can tell you, it’s difficult.”
Ultimately, Gilberg explained that these are strategic business decisions, not just ESG concerns.
Although the landscape is rough, companies that are able to mesh customer needs with investor concerns are likely to benefit from what Gilberg described as a “reset” of the sustainability and ESG lens.
‘I think the greatest risk and the greatest opportunity right now for mining companies comes from aligning the customers you’re going to serve with the investors whose money you’re using,” she said. “That has to be the magic.”
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Embattled genetic testing company 23andMe, once valued at $6 billion, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Missouri federal court on Sunday night.
The company’s CEO, Anne Wojcicki, has resigned from her role as chief executive effective immediately, though she will remain a member of the board. Joseph Selsavage, 23andMe’s chief financial and accounting officer, will serve as interim CEO, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“We have had many successes but I equally take accountability for the challenges we have today,” Wojcicki wrote in a post on X early Monday morning. “There is no doubt that the challenges faced by 23andMe through an evolving business model have been real, but my belief in the company and its future is unwavering.”
23andMe declined to comment further on the filing.
The former billionaire co-founded 23andMe in 2006, and the company rocketed into the mainstream because of its at-home DNA testing kits that gave customers insight into their family histories and genetic profiles. The five-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company went public in 2021 via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, which valued the company at around $3.5 billion at the time.
23andMe’s stock has mostly been in free fall in recent years as the company struggled to generate recurring revenue and stand up viable research and therapeutics businesses. As of Monday morning, the company has a market capitalization of around $25 million.
Last March, 23andMe’s independent directors formed a special committee to evaluate the company’s potential paths forward. Wojcicki submitted multiple proposals to take the company private, but all were rejected. The special committee “unanimously determined to reject” Wojcicki’s most recent proposal earlier this month.
If 23andMe’s plan to sell its assets through a Chapter 11 plan is approved by the court, the company will “actively solicit qualified bids” over a 45-day process. Wojcicki plans to pursue the company as an independent bidder, she said in her post on Monday.
23andMe has between $100 million and $500 million in estimated assets, as well as between $100 million and $500 million in estimated liabilities, according to the bankruptcy filing.
Beyond its financial woes, privacy concerns around 23andMe’s genetic database have swirled in recent years. In October 2023, hackers accessed the information of nearly 7 million customers.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Friday issued a consumer alert urging residents to consider deleting their genetic data from 23andMe’s website.
23andMe said there will be no changes to the way that it stores, protects or manages customer data through the sale process, and it will continue operating business as usual.
“As I think about the future, I will continue to tirelessly advocate for customers to have choice and transparency with respect to their personal data, regardless of platform,” Wojcicki said.
Bitcoin is more closely correlated to the Nasdaq than it is to gold most of the time, and investors could benefit from viewing it as another big tech stock, says Standard Chartered.
Bitcoin’s correlation with the Nasdaq is currently at about 0.5, after it approached 0.8 earlier this year, according to the bank. Meanwhile, its correlation with gold has been falling since January, touching zero at one point, and is now just above 0.2.
“Bitcoin trading is highly correlated to the Nasdaq over short time horizons,” Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, said in a note Monday. “This Nasdaq correlation leads to the idea that bitcoin could be included in a basket of large tech stocks; if it were included, the implication would be more institutional buying as BTC would serve multiple purposes in investor portfolios.”
Bitcoin is frequently viewed as “digital gold” and a hedge against risks facing the traditional financial sector. Kendrick said he still sees the flagship cryptocurrency serving that purpose but that “in reality … the need for such hedges is very infrequent.”
Standard Chartered created a hypothetical index dubbed “Mag 7B,” in which it added bitcoin to the Magnificent 7 tech stocks — Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla — and removed Tesla.
“Mag 7B has outperformed Mag 7 by about 5% over the period since December 2017,” he said. “On a calendar year basis, Mag 7B outperformed Mag 7 in five out of seven years, albeit by a very small margin in 2022. Mag 7B’s relative returns are decent on both an absolute basis (averaging around 1% a year above Mag 7) and a calendar-year basis.”
Kendrick said bitcoin has been trading in a similar volatility-adjusted fashion to Nvidia since President Trump’s inauguration. They’re down 16% and 12%, respectively, since Jan. 20. Meanwhile, Tesla, which has lost 36% in the same period, is trading more like ether (down 38% since Jan. 20).
“Investors can view bitcoin as both a hedge against [traditional finance] and as part of their tech allocation,” Kendrick said. “Indeed, as BTC’s role in global investor portfolios becomes established, we think that having more than one use will bring fresh capital inflows to the asset. This is particularly true as bitcoin investment becomes more institutionalized.”
Bitcoin is down about 5% for the year after Trump’s tariff threats in recent weeks have brought new volatility to the market. Investors are expecting relief in the second quarter, however, given bitcoin’s two of its most persistent correlations: its positive correlation with money supply growth, also known as M2, and its negative correlation with the U.S. dollar index, or DXY.
—CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed reporting.
Israeli operations intensified in southern Gaza with the military ordering evacuations and Hamas reporting the death of a senior figure in an airstrike.
The militant group said Salah al-Bardawil, a member of the group’s political bureau, was killed along with his wife in an Israeli strike on their tent in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis.
The Israeli military resumed air and ground operations in Gaza earlier this week, blaming Hamas for refusing to agree revised terms on extending the first phase of the ceasefire.
Israel blocked aid going into Gaza ahead of its renewed operations, in an attempt to force Hamas to accept the new terms and release the hostages it is still holding.
Early on Sunday the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a warning to people to leave the Tel Sultan area of Rafah in southern Gaza immediately as its troops launched an offensive in the area.
The IDF said it had “launched an attack to strike at terrorist organizations… The area you are in is considered a dangerous combat zone,” the post said, instructing civilians to move north to the Mawasi area immediately.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said four of its ambulances had been surrounded after responding to an Israeli attack in Rafah. Contact had been lost with a civil defense crew west of Rafah that was trying to rescue an ambulance crew.
Also in the south, Hamas-affiliated media reported that three people had been killed when a municipal vehicle in Khan Younis was struck.
The IDF is continuing its ground operations in northern Gaza. It said on Saturday that troops had begun operating in the Beit Hanoun area “to target Hamas’ terror infrastructure sites in order to expand the security zone in northern Gaza.”
It added that fighter jets struck several Hamas targets.
On Saturday, the Health Ministry in Gaza said that 130 bodies had been brought into Gaza hospitals after being killed by the Israeli operations, and 263 people had been injured in the previous 48 hours.
The ministry said that since Israel resumed attacks in Gaza, 634 people had been killed, bringing the total to 49,747 since October 7 2023.