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Sitka Gold Corp. (TSXV: SIG) (FSE: 1RF) (OTCQB: SITKF) (‘Sitka’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce analytical results for three diamond drill holes completed at the Contact Zone target located at its 100% owned, road accessible RC Gold Project (‘RC Gold’ or the ‘Project’) within the Yukon’s prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. DDRCCC-25-113 returned impressive results with up to 119.0 metres of 1.01 g/t gold returned from surface, including 10.7 m of 4.1 g/t gold and 1.2 metres of 24.8 g/t gold, confirming significant gold mineralization at the Contact Zone. Assays are currently pending for an additional three drill holes that were completed at Contact along with three holes that were completed at the adjoining Pukelman target (see Figures 2 and 3). Assays are also pending for an additional 46 diamond drill holes that have been completed across the Rhosgobel, Blackjack, Saddle, Eiger, Bear Paw and MayQu targets. Approximately 32,000 metres of diamond drilling has been completed across the RC Gold Project this year.

  • Sitka’s initial drilling at Contact returns >100 gram-metre (g/t*m) gold interval from surface, confirming the presence of significant gold mineralization
  • DDRCCC-25-113 intersected 119.0 metres of 1.01 g/t gold from surface, including 10.7 m of 4.1 g/t gold including 1.2 m of 24.8 g/t Au, and 1.2 m of 12.25 g/t Au
  • Historical drilling at Contact has returned significant high-grade gold intercepts including hole CC10-022 which intersected 1.5 m of 147.0 g/t Au located approximately 335 m east of hole DDRCCC-25-113 (see news release dated August 19, 2025; Figures 2 and 3)
  • Mineralization at Contact-Pukelman zone remains open in all directions with drilling to date confirming a mineralized footprint of approximately 900 m x 650 m (see Figure 2)
  • Results for several holes are still pending, including from the adjacent Pukelman target area where numerous instances of visible gold were observed in the drill core.

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‘Initial results from Sitka’s first pass of diamond drilling at the Contact zone are very encouraging, demonstrating the strong gold values present within this higher-grade gold zone,’ stated Cor Coe, CEO and Director of Sitka. ‘With an interval of over 100 gram-metres (g/t*m) from surface in Hole 113, we can add the Contact zone to our growing list of targets that demonstrate the potential to host additional multi-million ounce gold deposits within the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex. We look forward to receiving the remaining holes from this zone, along with the holes that were completed this year at the adjacent Pukelman zone, where numerous instances of visible gold were observed throughout the drill core, as we continue to delineate the potential of this exciting target area to add ounces to the growing gold resources at RC Gold.’

Figure 1: A cross section through the Contact Zone showing the intercepts of 119.0 m of 1.01 g/t Au, including 10.7 m of 4.10 g/t Au and 3.9 m of 5.51 g/t Au in DDRCCC-25-113.

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Figure 2: A plan map of the Contact Zone target showing the drilling completed to date in 2025. All holes have intersected reduced intrusion-related gold system (RIRGS) style mineralization including centimetre-scale, sheeted, quartz veins within a structural corridor cutting the metasediments. Multiple occurrences of visible gold have been observed in most of the diamond drill holes completed to date (yellow stars). Assays are pending for the remaining holes. Drilling to date has traced gold mineralization across a lateral extent of approximately 900 m x 650 m and from surface to a depth of 430 m. Mineralization remains open in all directions.

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Figure 3: Plan map showing the broader Contact-Pukelman target area within a large 1.0 km x 1.5 km gold-in-soil anomaly. Drilling to date has been focused on the core of this target area and has traced gold mineralization across a lateral extent of approximately 900 m x 650 m and from surface to a depth of 430 m. Mineralization remains open in all directions.

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Figure 4: Examples of coarse visible gold (VG) observed in drill core at the Contact Zone. Drilling at the Contact Zone has intersected VG in all six holes completed this year, including the largest VG particles observed on the property in drill core to date (scale is the same for all pictures). Click HERE to see additional images of VG from the Contact Zone.

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Figure 5: Example of large particles of visible gold seen within a quartz vein in metasedimentary rock in the drill core of DDRCCC-25-115 from 39.4 to 39.7 m length drilled at the Contact zone

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Figure 6: An example of drill core from DDRCCC-25-113 showing quartz veins cutting strongly altered metasediments of the Contact Zone. The displayed section shows a well mineralized quartz vein containing 12.25 g/t Au over 1.2 m.

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CONTACT-PUKELMAN TARGET

In 2025, Sitka completed six diamond drill holes totalling 2,172 metres at Contact and three diamond drill holes totalling 1,876 metres at Pukelman (see Figure 2). Drilling intersected broad intervals of strongly altered metasediments cut by several quartz monzonite, and biotite-feldspar porphyritic dykes, along with abundant, cm scale, sheeted quartz veins. Visible gold was observed in the sheeted quartz veins and was often associated with arsenopyrite, bismuthinite, and minor scheelite (see Figures 3 and 4).

Sitka’s 2025 drill program was designed to expand the mineralized footprint of the Contact zone, test the zone with oriented diamond drill core to better understand controls on the mineralization and test the linkage between the metasedimentary and intrusion hosted mineralization of the Contact and Pukelman zones. The Contact zone was previously drilled in 2010 and 2011 with 1,660 metres in 12 holes of reverse circulation drilling and 254 metres in 2 holes of diamond drilling and encountered significant mineralization in quartz veining within metasedimentary rocks up to 450 metres south of the Pukelman intrusion. Current drilling to date has traced gold mineralization across a lateral extent of approximately 900 metres x 650 metres and from surface to a depth of approximately 430 metres.

* While visible gold observations are very encouraging and confirm the presence of gold mineralization, they are not intended to imply potential gold grades. Gold assays will be published after they are received from the lab for mineralized intervals in which visible gold particles were noted.

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Figure 7: A plan map of the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger, along with the newly discovered Rhosgoble zone and several other high-priority drill targets and multiple exploration targets. . The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the road network on the project and occur in an area measuring five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Additional areas highlighted by strong gold in soil anomalies are being advanced to the drill ready stage with additional geological work in 2025.

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Figure 8*: A plan map of the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger, and the six additional areas that have drill targets indicated by the mauve hatched areas. The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the road network on the project and occur in an area measuring five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Additional areas highlighted by strong gold in soil anomalies are being advanced to the drill ready stage with additional geological work in 2025.

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* References for Figure 7 drilling intervals:

Rhosgobel Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated November 25, 2024
Pukelman Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated January 7, 2025
Contact Intervals: O’Brien, 2010; Assessment Report, 2010 Diamond Drilling Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment report 095539)

Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984)
Bear Paw Intervals: Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984)

Figure 9: Regional map of the RC Gold Project located in the western portion of Yukon’s prolific Tombstone Gold Belt.

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Quality Assurance/Quality Control

On receipt from the drill site, the HTW/NTW-sized drill core was systematically logged for geological attributes, photographed and sampled at Sitka’s core logging facility. Sample lengths as small as 0.3 m were used to isolate features of interest, otherwise a default 2 m downhole sample length was used. Each sample is identified by a unique sample tag number which is placed in the bag containing the core to be assayed. Core was cut in half lengthwise along a predetermined line, with one-half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis and one-half stored as a record. Standard reference materials, blanks and duplicate samples were inserted by Sitka personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Bagged samples were placed in secure bins to ensure integrity during transport. They were delivered by Sitka personnel or a contract expeditor to ALS Laboratories’ preparatory facility in Whitehorse, Yukon, with analyses completed in North Vancouver.

ALS is accredited to ISO 17025:2005 UKAS ref. 4028 for its laboratory analysis. Samples were crushed by ALS to over 70 per cent passing below two millimetres and split using a riffle splitter. One-thousand-gram splits were pulverized to over 85 per cent passing below 75 microns. Gold determinations are by fire assay with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish on 50 g subsamples of the prepared pulp (ALS code: Au-ICP-22). Any sample returning over 10 g/t gold was re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50 g subsample (ALS code: Au-GRA21). In addition, a 51-element analysis was performed on a 0.5 g subsample of the prepared pulps by an aqua regia digestion followed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) finish (ALS code: ME-MS41).

About Sitka’s Flagship RC Gold Project

Sitka’s 100% owned RC Gold Project consists of a 431 square kilometre contiguous district-scale land package located in the heart of Yukon’s Tombstone Gold Belt. The project is located approximately 100 kilometres east of Dawson City, which has a 5,000 foot paved runway, and is accessed via a secondary gravel road from the Klondike Highway which is usable year-round and is an approximate 2 hour drive from Dawson City. It is the largest consolidated land package strategically positioned mid-way between the Eagle Gold Mine and the past producing Brewery Creek Gold Mine.

The RC Gold Project now has pit-constrained mineral resources that are contained in two zones: the Blackjack and Eiger gold deposits with 1,291,000 ounces of gold in 39,962,000 tonnes grading 1.01 g/t gold in an indicated category and 1,044,000 ounces of gold in 34,603,000 tonnes grading 0.94 g/t in an inferred category at Blackjack and 440,000 ounces of gold in 27,362,000 tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold in an inferred category at Eiger. These resource estimate numbers are supported by the recently updated technical report for RC Gold, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, entitled ‘Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory’, prepared by Ronald G. Simpson, P. Geo., of GeoSim Services Inc. with an effective date of January 21, 2025. This report is available on SEDAR+ (http://www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company’s website (www.sitkagoldcorp.com).

Both of these deposits begin at surface, are potentially open pit minable and Initial bottle roll metallurgical testing confirmed the non-refractory characteristics of the gold mineralization and returned gold extraction rates averaging around 85%. Further metallurgical testwork in 2024 returned recoveries ranging from 77.6 to 93% for gravity followed by cyanidation.

For the purposes of the current resource model, it is assumed that a likely mill flowsheet would consist of a gravimetric, flotation, and cyanidation circuit.

The company has now completed 165 diamond drill holes for a total of 59,770 metres across the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC), and an additional 3 holes for 858 metres in the May-Qu Intrusion. Drilling continues to outline higher grade mineralization at all zones including hole DDRCCC-24-068 at Blackjack which intersected 678.1 metres of 1.04 g/t gold starting from surface (see news release dated October 21, 2024), and hole DDRCCC-25-075 which intersected 352.8 metres of 1.55 g/t gold including 108.9 metres of 3.27 g/t gold and 45.0 metres of 4.52 g/t gold (see news release dated April 22, 2025). Drilling in 2024/2025 has resulted in the discovery of a new higher grade zone at Rhosggobel including hole DDRCRG-25-010 at Rhosgobel which intersected 235.9 metres of 1.11 g/t gold, including 40.0 m of 2.01 g/t gold and 10.0 m of 5.29 g/t gold, from surface (see news release dated September 18, 2025).

RC Gold Deposit Model

Exploration on the Property has mainly focused on identifying an intrusion-related gold system (‘IRGS’). The property is within the Tombstone Gold Belt which is the prominent host to IRGS deposits within the Tintina Gold Province in Yukon and Alaska. Notable deposits from the belt include: Fort Knox Mine in Alaska with current Proven and Probable Reserves of 230 million tonnes at 0.3 g/t Au (2.471 million ounces; Sims 2018)(1); Eagle Gold Mine with current Measured and Indicated Resources of 233 million tonnes at a grade of 0.57 g/t Au at the Eagle Main Zone (4.303 million ounces; Harvey et al, 2022)(2); the Brewery Creek deposit with current Indicated Mineral Resource of 22.2 million tonnes at a gold grade of 1.11 g/t (0.789 million ounces; Hulse et al. 2020)(3); the AurMac Project with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 112.5 million tonnes grading 0.63 gram per tonne gold (2.274 million ounces)(4) plus an Inferred resource of 280.6 million tonnes grading 0.60 g/t gold (5.454 million ounces)(4), the Valley Deposit, with a current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 7.94 million oz gold at 1.21 g/t and an additional Inferred Mineral Resource of 0.89 million oz at 0.62 g/t gold(5), and the Raven deposit with an inferred mineral resource of 1.1 million oz (19.96 million tonnes at 1.67 g/t gold)(6). The QP has been unable to verify the information regarding the above resource estimations and the information is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the property that is the subject of the disclosure.

Source

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With a mission to “supply the fuel for a clean energy future,” Standard Uranium (TSXV:STND,USOTC:STTDF,FRA:9SU0) is unlocking the next generation of high-grade uranium discoveries to power global nuclear growth. The company’s dual-track strategy drives value through aggressive exploration at its flagship Davidson River Project—a premier discovery opportunity in the heart of the Athabasca Basin.

With a fully funded drill program scheduled for spring 2026 at its flagship Davidson River project, and joint ventures on other highly prospective projects, the company provides investors early stage exposure to the emerging nuclear energy market.

Located in the southwest Athabasca Basin, approximately 25 kilometres west of NexGen’s Arrow deposit and Paladin Energy’s Triple R deposit, the Davidson River project spans 30,737 hectares across 10 contiguous mineral claims. The property lies along the same structural trends that hosts these globally significant discoveries.

Company Highlights

  • Flagship Davidson River Project: Large-scale, high-priority exploration asset in the southwest Athabasca Basin, along trend from NexGen’s Arrow and Paladin Energy’s Triple R uranium deposits, positioned for a significant uranium discovery.
  • Extensive Portfolio in the Athabasca Basin: Over 235,000 acres (95,000+ hectares) across 13 projects in Canada’s premier uranium district, including active joint ventures at Sun Dog, Corvo, and Rocas.
  • Project Generator Model: Leverages strategic partnerships to fund exploration and generate cash flow while retaining upside through 25 percent ownership and a 2.5 percent net smelter return (NSR) royalty on joint-venture projects.
  • Fully Funded for Davidson River Drill Campaign: Financing completed to support 8,000 to 10,000 meters of drilling at Davidson River, planned for spring 2026.
  • Rocas Drill Program: The first-ever drill program to be conducted on Rocas will commence in winter 2026, comprising approximately 1,800 metres.
  • Corvo Drill Program: A skid-assisted diamond drill program totalling approximately 3,000 metres is planned for winter 2026, which will mark the first drill program on the Project in more than 40 years.
  • Riding the Nuclear Power Renaissance: Positioned to benefit from global decarbonization trends and a long-term rise in uranium demand.
  • Proven Team: Led by experienced geologists and exploration professionals with a track record of discoveries in the Athabasca Basin.

This Standard Uranium profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with Standard Uranium (TSXV:STND,USOTC:STTDF,FRA:9SU0) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Peter Schiff, chief economist and global strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management and founder of Schiff Gold, shares his outlook on gold and silver prices.

He also discusses Bitcoin and emerging markets.

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

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Regardless of how the gold price is doing, the top gold-mining companies are always making moves.

Right now, gold is in the limelight — stimulated by increasing global inflation, geopolitical turmoil and economic uncertainty, the gold price is repeatedly setting new highs in 2025, and broke through the US$4,400 per ounce mark in October.

Rising safe-haven demand for gold alongside concerns over gold mine supply have pushed the metal to record highs in recent years. and market watchers are eyeing world’s top gold-mining companies to see how they respond to market dynamics.

While the future of the economy remains uncertain, the rising gold price has been a boon to gold-mining companies as it improves their margins after several years of high inflation increasing the costs associated with mining operations.

According to US Geological Survey data, gold production came in at 3,300 metric tons in 2024. China, Australia and Russia were the top three gold-producing countries last year.

But what were the top gold-mining companies by production in 2024?

Read on to find out which companies produced the most gold this past year.

1. Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM)

Production: 213.03 metric tons

Newmont is the world’s top gold-mining company. In 2024, the company reported production of 192.96 metric tons of gold.

Newmont has a diverse portfolio of assets, with significant operations in North and South America, Australia and Africa.

Its portfolio includes a 38.5 percent interest in Nevada Gold Mines in Nevada, US, through a joint venture with majority owner Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B).

In 2024, the Nevada Gold Mines complex produced 2.68 million ounces (83.48 metric tons) of gold. Newmont’s attributable share is 1.03 million ounces, or 32.14 metric tons.

The company’s next largest operation is its wholly owned Ahafo South Complex in Ghana. It consists of three mines, the Subika and Awonsu open pits, and the Subika underground mine. Last year, the asset produced 798,000 ounces (24.28 metric tons) of gold for Newmont. The company’s Ahafo North open pit mine achieved commercial production in late 2025 and is expected to average 275,000 and 325,000 ounces of gold per year.

In January 2025, Newmont sold its Porcupine Complex in Ontario, Canada, to Discovery Silver for total consideration of US$425 million. In 2024, the mine produced 270,000 ounces (8 metric tons) of gold. The sale is part of Newmont’s larger divestiture of US$4.3 billion in non-core assets.

2. Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B)

Production: 121.65 metric tons

Barrick Mining produced 121.65 metric tons of attributable gold in 2024, landing it as the second highest gold producer in the world. Like Newmont, Barrick is a global producer and owns assets on nearly every continent.

Barrick’s largest operation is its 61.5 percent stake in Nevada Gold Mines alongside Newmont. The gold complex accounted for 1.65 million ounces, or 51.34 metric tons, of Barrick’s gold production in 2024.

The company’s second-largest producing asset is its 80 percent owned Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali, which produced 578,400 ounces of gold in 2024 for Barrick.

While much of Barrick’s production has remained steady over the past several years, disagreements with the Malian government, run by a military junta since a 2021 coup, has brought uncertainty to its operations there.

In 2024, the government accused Barrick of failing to pay its taxes amid changes to royalty rights and mining licenses. It arrested four workers there and issued an arrest warrant for then-CEO Mark Bristow.

In June 2025, the Mali government placed the mine under provisional administration, as a resolution of the dispute failed to materialize.

3. Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM)

Production: 108.41 metric tons

In 2024, Agnico Eagle produced 108.41 metric tons of gold, taking third place among the world’s biggest gold producers. It wholly owns its portfolio of 11 mines, with seven in Canada, two in Mexico and one in each of Australia and Finland.

The company’s Detour Lake and Canadian Malartic mines in Canada are some of the world’s biggest gold mines.

In 2024, its Detour Lake operation, in Ontario near the Québec border, produced 671,950 ounces (20.9 metric tons) of gold. Just behind was the Canadian Malartic Complex in Québec, which produced 655,654 ounces (20.4 metric tons) in 2024.

Gold production at Canadian Malartic peaked at 715,000 ounces (22 metric tons) in 2021 The mine is a combination of open pit and underground mines; however, the main open pit was depleted in 2023, and the mine is expected to transition to fully underground operations by 2029.

4. Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Company

Production: 96.42 metric tons

In 2024, Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Company produced 96.42 metric tons of gold. NMMC is the largest mining company operating in Uzbekistan, with 12 mines. The company has been in operation since the 1960s, when the country was still part of the Soviet Union.

NMMC’s primary asset is the Muruntau mine, which produced an estimated 2.68 million ounces of gold in 2024. Muruntau is the world’s largest open pit mine and the second highest gold producing mine in the world. It has been in production since 1969.

The company is working on modernizing its operations and considering a potential public listing.

5. Polyus (LSE:PLZL,MCX:PLZL)

Production: 93.36 metric tons

Polyus produced 93.37 metric tons of gold in 2024. The gold company is the largest gold producer in Russia from five wholly owned operations in the country.

Polyus holds significant proven and probable gold reserves of 101 million ounces, or 3,141 metric tons.

Its largest asset is the Olimpiada mine in Eastern Siberia. In 2024, the mine produced 1.48 million ounces (46.93 metric tons) of gold, putting it among the top gold operations in the world. Its second biggest mine is Blagodatnoye, also in Siberia, which produced 500,300 ounces (15.56 metric tons) of gold in 2024.

6. AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,ASX:AGG)

Production: 82.35 metric tons

AngloGold Ashanti produced 82.74 metric tons of attributable gold in 2024, putting it among the top Africa-based gold mining companies.

The company has a portfolio of nine mining assets spread across seven countries in Africa, South America and Australia, as well as numerous exploration projects around the world.

AngloGold’s largest wholly owned operation is the Geita mine in Northwest Tanzania. The property consists of multiple open-pit and underground operations, which produced 483,000 ounces (15 metric tons) of gold in 2024.

The company also owns a 45 percent interest in the Kibali mine located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mine is the largest gold operation in Africa, producing 686,000 ounces (21.34 metric tons) in 2024, with 308,700 ounces (9.6 metric tons) attributable to AngloGold. The remaining ownership in the mine is held by Barrick Mining at 45 percent and the DRC government at 10 percent.

7. Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC)

Production: 66.19 metric tons

Kinross Gold ranked seventh on our list of top gold producers with 66.17 metric tons of attributable gold equivalent production in 2024. Kinross maintains considerable and steady output from a portfolio of six assets across Canada, the US, Brazil, Chile and Mauritania.

Kinross has full ownership over all its operating assets, with the exception of its 70 percent owned Manh Choh mine in Alaska, US. The company began processing ore from Manh Choh at its Fort Knox operations through the Peak Gold joint venture in 2024.

The biggest contributor to Kinross’s output is its Tasiast mine in Western Mauritania, which produced 622,394 ounces (19.36 metric tons) of gold in 2024. Tasiast is currently an open-pit operation, and the company has been working to explore the underground potential of the mine at several key targets.

Among Kinross’ other assets, Paracatu stands out with its 528,574 ounces (16.44 metric tons) of gold production in 2024, making it the third largest gold mine in Brazil.

8. Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI)

Production: 64.21 metric tons

Gold Fields was the eighth biggest gold company in 2024, producing 61.75 metric tons of the yellow metal. The company is a globally diversified gold producer with nine mining operations across Australia, Chile, Peru, Ghana and South Africa. The company also owns the Windfall gold project in Canada.

Gold Fields’ most significant gold operation is the Tarkwa mine in Southern Ghana, one of the largest gold mines in West Africa. Gold Fields holds a 90 percent interest in the mine, with the remaining 10 percent owned by the Government of Ghana.

The mine consists of four open pits. In 2024, the operation produced 537,000 ounces (16.7 metric tons) for Gold Fields.

Its next largest asset is its wholly owned St Ives complex in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. The operation, which commenced production in the 1980s, currently consists of two open pits and two underground mines. It delivered 331,000 ounces (10.3 metric tons) of gold in 2024.

9. Zijin Mining Group (OTC Pink:ZIJMF)

Production: 62.21 metric tons

In 2024, Zijin Mining Group produced 62.21 metric tons of attributable gold from its mines across Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. Although the company is not exclusively a gold producer, its substantial portfolio of assets has helped it become China’s leading gold company.

Its most significant contributor to gold production came from its Norton complex near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The asset is a conglomeration of several different mines and delivered 263,000 ounces (8.18 metric tons) of gold in 2024.

Zijin’s next largest gold operation is Buriticá, an underground gold mine located near Medellín, Colombia, of which it holds 69.28 percent ownership. In 2022, the mine underwent an expansion that included upgrades to its mining equipment, improving the overall processing capacity. In 2024, the mine produced 322,000 ounces (10.02 metric tons) of gold, with 223,000 ounces (6.94 metric tons) attributable to Zijin.

10. Harmony Gold Mining Company (NYSE:HMY,JSE:HAR)

Production: 47.51 metric tons

In 2024, Harmony Gold Mining Company produced 47.51 metric tons of gold, making it the world’s 10th largest gold mining company.

The majority of the company’s large portfolio of wholly owned operations are located in South Africa, and it also operates the Hidden Valley mine in Papua New Guinea.

Harmony Gold’s top operation is the Mponeng mine in Northern South Africa. The underground mine is among the deepest in the world, where gold is retrieved from depths of approximately 4 kilometers. In the calendar year 2024, Mponeng produced 320,993 ounces (9.98 metric tons) of gold.

Harmony also owns the Moab Khotsong mine in Northern South Africa, an underground mine consisting of three vertical shaft systems. It started production in 2003, making it one of South Africa’s younger deep-level underground mines. In 2024, the mine contributed 202,742 ounces (6.31 metric tons) to Harmony’s total output.

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

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Chris Marcus, founder of Arcadia Economics, shares his thoughts on silver and gold.

While it’s impossible to know exactly how precious metals prices will move in the short term, he’s confident they will maintain an upward trajectory in the long term.

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

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Investor Insight

With strategic, US-based assets, Trigg Minerals is well-positioned to become a cornerstone supplier of antimony and tungsten into the United States and allied markets. With a sharpened focus on critical minerals in Tier-1 jurisdictions, Trigg is executing a strategy that aligns with urgent national security and energy transition needs.

Overview

Trigg Minerals (ASX:TMG,OTCQB:TMGLF) is an emerging leader in the global critical minerals space, focused exclusively on the development of antimony and tungsten assets in the US – both metals designated as critical minerals by the United States, Canada, Australia and the European Union for its role in national defense, energy transition technologies, and advanced industrial applications.

Global supply of both antimony and tungsten is highly concentrated, with more than 80 percent controlled by China and Russia. Export restrictions, sanctions and the depletion of strategic stockpiles have created acute shortages, driving demand for alternative, conflict-free sources. This geopolitical backdrop creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for new suppliers to anchor Western supply chains.

Trigg’s strategy is firmly focused on developing critical minerals projects in Tier-1 US jurisdictions, where stable regulatory frameworks, established infrastructure and strong government support provide a competitive advantage.

The company’s flagship Antimony Canyon project in Utah is one of the largest undeveloped antimony systems in the country, now secured through patented mining claims that streamline the pathway to production. Complementing this is the Tennessee Mountain tungsten project in Nevada, a historic tungsten district with confirmed high-grade mineralisation, and the newly acquired Central Idaho antimony project, which offers district-scale potential in a historically productive region.

By advancing this portfolio, Trigg aims to establish itself as a vertically integrated supplier, from mine development through to downstream smelting and refined metal production. With strong shareholder support, active engagement with US government and defence stakeholders, and membership in international industry associations, Trigg Minerals is positioned to play a leading role in rebuilding secure Western supply of antimony and tungsten.

Company Highlights

  • ASX-listed explorer advancing critical mineral projects in the United States, with a focus on antimony and tungsten.
  • Antimony Canyon Project (Utah) – flagship project with patented claims, high grades and a streamlined pathway to development.
  • Tennessee Mountain Project (Nevada) – historic tungsten district with confirmed high-grade mineralisation.
  • Central Idaho Antimony Project – district-scale landholding with grades up to 17.6 percent antimony.
  • Optionality in Australia, including Wild Cattle Creek, one of the world’s highest-grade undeveloped antimony resources.
  • Strong financial position and strategic investment support, including backing from Tribeca Investment Partners.
  • Proposal to rebrand as American Antimony and Tungsten at the November 2025 AGM to reflect US focus.

Key Project

Antimony Canyon Project

Antimony Canyon, located in Utah, is Trigg’s flagship project and one of the largest undeveloped antimony systems in the United States. Historically mined during the 20th century but never subject to modern exploration, the district hosts multiple high-grade stibnite deposits. In 2025, Trigg consolidated control through the acquisition of 20 patented claims, giving the company full ownership of both surface and mineral rights. This control materially de-risks permitting by allowing the project to proceed under Utah’s streamlined Mined Land Reclamation Act, avoiding lengthy federal processes.

An exploration target of 6.1 to 6.9 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.4 to 2.3 per cent antimony, containing between 86,000 and 158,000 tonnes of antimony metal, has been established on these claims. Sampling programs have confirmed exceptional grades, including channel results up to 33.2 percent antimony. With no active US antimony production, Antimony Canyon offers a unique opportunity to establish domestic supply, with Trigg advancing studies for a pilot-scale mining operation and downstream smelting in partnership with Metso, leveraging Ausmelt technology for the production of refined antimony metal.

Tennessee Mountain Tungsten Project

In August 2025, Trigg expanded into tungsten through the acquisition of the Tennessee Mountain project in Nevada, another Tier-1 US jurisdiction. This historic mining district hosts the Garnet Mine and widespread skarn-hosted tungsten mineralisation. Historical trenching and drilling reported thick intersections of mineralised zones, including 24.9 metres at 0.65 percent tungsten trioxide and 10.67 metres at 0.98 percent tungsten trioxide. A non-JORC historical estimate of 0.71 Mt, grading 0.3 to 0.5 percent tungsten trioxide, underscores the scale and potential of the system. With tungsten also recognised as a critical mineral for defence and clean energy technologies, Tennessee Mountain provides diversification and growth within Trigg’s US portfolio.

Central Idaho Antimony Project

In September 2025, Trigg acquired the Central Idaho antimony project, located within the historically productive Swanholm Mining District. Early fieldwork has already confirmed very high-grade mineralisation, including assays up to 17.6 percent antimony from surface samples, with associated gold values. The project covers a district-scale landholding in an area geologically analogous to Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite gold project, which has received substantial US federal support. With minimal historic disturbance and no legacy tailings, the project offers a clean environmental baseline and a potentially straightforward permitting pathway.

Australian Projects

While Trigg’s near-term focus is firmly in the US, the company maintains optionality through its Australian portfolio. The Wild Cattle Creek deposit in New South Wales contains a JORC 2012 resource of 1.52 Mt at 1.97 percent antimony, representing ~30,000 tonnes of contained metal and ranking as one of the world’s highest-grade undeveloped antimony deposits. Additional Australian projects, including Taylors Arm, Spartan and Nundle, as well as the Drummond gold project in Queensland, provide longer-term exploration upside.

Management Team

Timothy Morrison – Executive Chairman

Tim Morrison is a highly experienced executive in the Australian resource and capital markets sector. With a background in law and investment banking, Morrison has held senior roles in both private and public resource companies, including those focused on critical minerals, base metals, and energy. His leadership at Trigg is defined by a clear strategic focus: unlock value from the Wild Cattle Creek deposit and position the company as a cornerstone in the global antimony supply chain. Morrison brings extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, project financing, and government relations, having previously led funding rounds, IPOs, and major project negotiations across multiple jurisdictions. His vision for Trigg is underpinned by a disciplined growth strategy and sovereign supply positioning.

Jonathan King – Chief Geologist

Jonathan King is a seasoned geologist with over 20 years of experience in mineral exploration and resource development. He has worked across a broad range of commodities including antimony, gold, copper, and rare earths, and has been instrumental in leading exploration teams across Australia, Southeast Asia and Africa. At Trigg, King is responsible for designing and executing the company’s exploration programs, including the upcoming high-impact drill campaign at Wild Cattle Creek. His technical leadership ensures that resource expansion is driven by rigorous geoscientific methodology, with a focus on unlocking district-scale potential across the broader Achilles project area.

Andre Booyzen – Non-executive Director

Andre Booyzen is an experienced mine operator and leader and has 25+ years of experience in operational, senior and executive roles, and is a specialist in antimony mining. He brings extensive experience in mine development, operational strategy, and off-take agreements. Booyzen previously served vice-president of Mandalay Resources (TSX:MND,OTCQB:MNDJF), where he had full strategic and operational control including product sales, off takes and funding negotiations at the Costerfield gold-antimony mine in Victoria, currently Australia’s only producer of antimony concentrate. Booyzen also served on the board of the Minerals Council of Australia (Victoria) for more than five years and was chairman for three of those.

Chris Gregory – Non-executive Director

Chris Gregory is a highly accomplished global mining executive and geologist with over 30 years of experience. He has an extensive leadership track record in discovery, development, mine operation and strategic growth across a wide range of commodities and jurisdictions. Gregory’s career included 22 years with Rio Tinto, where he led the discovery and evaluation of Sepon gold/copper deposit in Laos. He was vice-president, exploration and geology at Mandalay Resources, where he was instrumental in the success of the Costerfield Antimony/Gold mine in Victoria for more than 10 years up to 2022.

Nicholas Katris – Non-executive Director and Company Secretary

Nicholas Katris has over 15 years of experience in corporate advisory and public company management, having begun his career as a chartered accountant. He has been actively involved in the financial management of public companies within the mineral and resources sector, holding roles on both the board and executive management teams. His expertise spans the advancement and development of mineral resource assets, as well as business development. Throughout his career, Katris has worked across Australia, Africa, Brazil and Canada, gaining extensive experience in financial reporting, capital raising, and treasury management for resource companies. He currently serves as company secretary for Leeuwin Metals (ASX:LM1) and Perpetual Resources (ASX:PEC).

James Graf – Non-executive Director

James Graf has over 35 years of international capital markets, M&A and corporate management experience, including roles as CEO, CFO and/or board director of eight US-listed special purpose acquisition companies, and as a managing director at Deutsche Bank in Hong Kong and Merrill Lynch in Singapore. Graf currently serves as CEO and board director of Graf Global (NYSE:GRAF) and as interim CFO of NKGen Biotech (OTC:NKGN). He was previously a board director of Velodyne Lidar (Nasdaq:VLDR) and also founded an enterprise software company with operations in the US, Malaysia and Ukraine.

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House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, will not seek re-election in 2026.

The senior Republican lawmaker will have finished serving a decade in Congress when he leaves at the end of next year.

‘I have a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career,’ Arrington said.

And the conservative Texan told Fox News Digital he felt he was leaving on a high note, having played a key role in crafting President Donald Trump’s big, beautiful bill.

‘It was a very unique, generational impact opportunity, to be almost ten years into this and to have the budget chairmanship, and to lead the charge to successfully pass that and to help this president fulfill his mandate from the people,’ Arrington said. ‘It just seems like a good and right place to leave it.’

He cited multiple legislative items across his tenure as Budget Committee chair when asked what he took pride in, but added, ‘It’s more of changing the narrative and the culture in Congress and in my party that I’m most proud of.’

‘I’m from a rural district and I can tell you, raising the profile among urban and suburban members as to the unique challenges of rural America and the unique contributions of rural America — like food security and energy independence and how much the nation depends on these plow boys and cowboys in rural areas — that’s another thing I’m proud of,’ he said.

Arrington said he had faith Republicans in Washington would pick up his mantle of fiscal hawkishness, or as he’s often called it, ‘reversing the curse’ of public debt.

‘The president’s committed to it, he talks about it all the time. He’s actually doing something about it with very difficult decisions, not politically popular decisions. This is all about political will,’ Arrington said. ‘Trump’s doing it. Mike Johnson is committed to it… And we have a growing number of fiscal hawks who are absolutely dogged on this issue.’

But he said he would continue to push for further fiscal reforms for his remaining year on Capitol Hill, including another budget reconciliation bill to follow up on the big, beautiful bill.

‘I don’t know where the Senate Republicans are. I don’t know where the president is and can’t speak for the White House. But the House is at the ready,’ Arrington said. ‘It’s been our most consequential tool to support the president and the strength of the country, and I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t utilize it to its fullest extent.’

The West Texas Republican said he had not given much thought to what he would do next but said he wanted to ‘remain in the fight,’ adding he would seek a ‘new leadership challenge’ that ‘allows me to make the biggest difference on as many people as I can.’

‘And then I would say…I am looking forward to quality time with my wife and kids and focusing on my leadership and service, not in the people’s house, but in my own house,’ Arrington said.

He said he hoped to ‘make a difference’ in the lives of his two young sons and daughter.

Arrington’s Lubbock-anchored district leans heavily Republican, meaning it’s unlikely to flip to blue in the 2026 midterms.

And come the end of his time next year, the conservative lawmaker said he would leave with no regrets.

‘I’m thankful that God called me and gave me the grace to succeed and to achieve the things that we’ve achieved,’ Arrington said.

‘His grace looks like the members of Congress that I’ve been doing battle with, my budget hawks who I’ve been in the trenches with, my constituents who I run into in the grocery store, who want to pray with me right there in the aisle while I’m checking out. The grace of God looks like my wife being both mom and dad about two-thirds of the time, because I’m in Washington doing battle for the country.’

He finished, ‘Did I make my share of mistakes? You bet. Did I learn along the way? You bet I did. But we left [the country] better than we found it, and it gives me great satisfaction.’

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Critics once called it isolationist. But national security experts now say Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy is proving to be something else entirely — a hard-nosed policy of deterrence built on strong alliances, especially with Israel.

Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security and former chief of staff at the National Security Council, told Fox News Digital that ‘The America First approach to U.S. national security means a strong national security policy, a decisive president, keeping our nation out of unnecessary wars, having members of alliances carry their own weight, but it also means standing strongly with Israel and fighting antisemitism.’

He said supporting Israel is not about sentiment. ‘Standing with Israel is in our strategic interest,’ he said. ‘Israel is dealing with enemies in the region that the U.S. would have to deal with if it were not there. So it’s in our strategic interest.’

Israel as America’s forward defense

Mike Makovsky, CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), said Israel effectively absorbs threats that would otherwise demand U.S. military action. ‘Historically, there are about three reasons why we have interests in the region,’ he said. ‘One is Israel. Two is oil. And three is Islamic extremism — terrorism, Shia and Sunni.’

Makovsky said it is ironic that the America First debate has resurfaced ‘only a few months after Israel smoked America’s Mideast enemies.’ He pointed to Iran’s nuclear advances and the role of its proxies. ‘They’re building ballistic missiles… They could reach the eastern seaboard of the United States,’ he said. ‘You marry missiles with nukes that could hit the U.S. — you’ve got the North Koreans on the West Coast; do you really want Iran that could hit the East Coast?’

According to Makovsky, Israel’s campaign against those threats shows the alliance’s strategic value. ‘What did the Israelis just do? They took care of it. The United States came in with the B-2 at the very end… but it was Israel that did all that work,’ he said.

He added that Israel ‘pretty much finished off Hamas,’ weakened Hezbollah — ‘which has hundreds of American soldiers’ blood on their hands’ — and continues to confront the Houthis to ‘ensure freedom of navigation.’ That, he argued, is deterrence in action: ‘As long as we support Israel, we give them some help, we give them the weapons they need, they’re really doing our work.’

Countering Iran and its allies

Fleitz called Iran ‘the biggest threat,’ encompassing ‘Iran and Iran’s proxies in the region. This includes Hamas, Hezbollah in Syria, Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and then Iran itself, with its nuclear weapons program and its sponsorship of terror.’

He said Israel’s actions have ‘destroyed Hamas proxies and significantly weakened Iran,’ adding that ‘we joined Israel in June in taking on Iran’s nuclear program, which was a threat to global security.’

Both analysts framed Iran as part of a wider axis of power alongside Russia and China, each exploiting Middle East instability to undermine U.S. influence — by fueling proxy wars, spiking energy prices, and threatening trade routes through the Gulf and the Red Sea. Fleitz said Trump’s willingness to act decisively ‘to attack Iran’s nuclear program’ exemplified using strength to prevent costlier wars later.

Energy and economic security

Both agree that energy policy is where America First becomes measurable. Fleitz said that ‘energy independence is a very important part of President Trump’s America First policy to free Americans from high energy bills.’ At the same time, he noted, energy diplomacy abroad reinforces economic security at home. ‘By pushing the Saudis — and the Saudis, I think, are happy to help us with this — to produce more oil, it may actually help us end the war in Ukraine,’ he said.

Makovsky made a similar case for regional stability: ‘The biggest threat to the Gulf Arab oil exporters … is Iran,’ he said. Without Israel’s containment of Tehran, ‘Iran would have taken over the Middle East, most likely. And if you care about oil prices, that’s not too good.’

Both experts said that when Israel shoulders the burden of defending energy corridors and trade routes, Americans save in both dollars and deployments.

Avoiding unnecessary wars

Fleitz said Trump’s doctrine is about selective force, not retreat. ‘He wants to keep our country out of new and unnecessary wars, but he will use military force prudently to defend our national security,’ he said. ‘He is going to avoid sending American troops into certain situations and using military force. But that doesn’t mean he won’t do these things when it is in U.S. strategic interests.’

He pointed out U.S. personnel who are currently stationed in Israel but ‘they’re not going to Gaza’ and ‘will not be engaging in combat operations against Hamas.’ Their mission, he said, fits the model of minimal footprint, maximum leverage.

Credibility and global deterrence

Makovsky warned that abandoning Israel would erode America’s credibility worldwide. He recalled what a senior Arab leader once told him: ‘If America doesn’t help Israel attack the nuclear facilities of Iran, it will be one of the great catastrophes.’

‘That’s because everybody in the Mideast, everyone in Asia, knows that the U.S.–Israel relationship is one of the closest in the world,’ Makovsky said. ‘If we don’t help Israel, it undercuts our credibility. The Chinese and the Russians and the North Koreans know that if we’re not going to support Israel, we’re not going to help other allies … and it would make us more vulnerable to the Chinese without a doubt.’

Peace through strength

Fleitz said Trump’s ’20-point peace plan’ for Gaza exemplifies the America First balance between toughness and diplomacy. ‘It achieved its two primary objectives, getting all the living hostages out of Israel and enacting a ceasefire,’ he said, acknowledging that ‘the ceasefire is fairly shaky.’ The next step, he added, is ‘an international stabilization force’ — a complex process still under negotiation.

For both experts, the takeaway is the same: America First doesn’t mean isolation. It means strategic partnerships that keep U.S. troops out of long wars while preserving American dominance.

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The House of Representatives appears to be on a glide path to ending the longest government shutdown in history, with lawmakers racing back to Capitol Hill after six weeks out of session.

The House Rules Committee will meet to consider the Senate’s amended federal funding plan sometime after 5 p.m. Tuesday, two sources told Fox News Digital.

In other words, the 42-day shutdown — which has led to thousands of air travel delays, left millions of people who rely on federal benefits in limbo, and forced thousands of federal workers either off the job or to work without pay — could come to an end before the end of this week.

The House Rules Committee is the final hurdle for most legislation before it sees House-wide votes. Lawmakers on the key panel vote to advance a bill while setting terms for its consideration, like possible amendment votes and timing for debate.

The funding bill at hand is expected to advance through the committee on party lines. Democrats on the panel are likely to oppose the measure in line with House Democratic leaders, while Republicans have signaled no meaningful opposition.

Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., the two Republicans on the committee who have most often opposed GOP leaders’ legislation for not being conservative enough, both suggested they would be supportive of the funding measure.

Roy told Fox News Digital on Monday night that he would vote ‘yes’ on the bill on the House floor, meaning he would likely not oppose it in the House Rules Committee.

The Texas Republican is currently running to be attorney general of the Lone Star State.

Norman told Fox News Digital via text message Tuesday morning, when asked about both his Rules Committee and House floor votes, ‘My support is based on READING the FINE PRINT as it relates to the 3 bills especially VERIFYING the top line spending limits as we previously passed.’

‘If ‘THE FINE PRINT MATCHES’ what’s being reported, I will be a yes,’ Norman said.

The South Carolina Republican, who is running for governor, was referring to three full-year spending bills that are part of the latest bipartisan compromise passed by the Senate on Monday night.

Terms of the deal include a new extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Jan. 30, in order to give congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term deal on FY 2026 spending.

It would also give lawmakers some headway with that mission, advancing legislation to fund the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration; the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction; and the legislative branch.

They are three of 12 individual bills that are meant to make up Congress’ annual appropriations, paired into a vehicle called a ‘minibus.’

In a victory for Democrats, the deal would also reverse federal layoffs conducted by the Trump administration in October, with those workers getting paid for the time they were off.

It also guarantees Senate Democrats a vote on legislation extending Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which are set to expire at the end of this year.

Extending the enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was a key ask for Democrats in the weekslong standoff.

No such guarantee was made in the House, however, so Democrats effectively folded on their key demand in order to end the shutdown — a move that infuriated progressives and left-wing caucus leaders in Congress.

The full House is expected to take up the measure sometime after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a notice sent to lawmakers.

There will first be a ‘rule vote’ for the bill where lawmakers are expected to green-light debate on the House floor, followed by a vote on the measure itself sometime Wednesday evening.

House schedules for both Tuesday and Wednesday were left intentionally fluid to allow for lawmakers to return to Washington amid nationwide flight delays and cancellations, mostly imposed by the shutdown.

The House was last in session on Sept. 19, when lawmakers passed legislation to keep the government funded through Nov. 21.

It passed with support from one House Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and opposition from two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.

No further House Republicans have signaled public opposition to the new measure so far.

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Senators believe that after reaching a deal to end the longest shutdown on record, they won’t be in the same position early next year.

The bipartisan package that advanced from the Senate late Monday night would, if passed by the House this week, reopen the government until Jan. 30. Lawmakers believe that extension would give them enough time to fund the government the old-fashioned way, making another shutdown a moot point.

But that all depends on whether they can complete work on spending bills, find agreement with the House, and get them on President Donald Trump’s desk before the new deadline.

There’s also the possibility that if the guarantee for a vote on expiring Obamacare subsidies does not go how Senate Democrats want, that could significantly hamper Congress’ ability to avert yet another shutdown.

‘We’ll take them one day at a time,’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. ‘Obviously, it’s another deadline we have to deal with. But the immediate objective is to get the government open and enable those conversations to commence.’

‘There are Democrats and Republicans who are both interested in trying to do something in the healthcare space,’ he continued. ‘And clearly, there is a need. I mean, there is an affordability issue on healthcare that has to be addressed, and the current trajectory we’re on isn’t a sustainable path.’

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital that Democrats needed to be united in their demand that ‘Republicans be held to their promise of having a vote on the healthcare subsidies in December.’

Thune reiterated his guarantee on Sunday and teed up the second week of December as the deadline for getting a Democratic proposal to the floor.

‘The future is unpredictable, but we need to continue our fight unequivocally, unyieldingly, for affordable healthcare insurance through extending the subsidies and other measures under the [Affordable Care Act],’ Blumenthal said. ‘Republicans have a reflexive obsession with repealing or destroying the ACA.’

The hope is that funding the government with appropriations bills will be the key to preventing another shutdown.

Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, said that she anticipated Thune to tee up a new package of spending bills, this one combining the defense, labor, transportation and housing bills into one chunk.

‘The more appropriations bills that we’re able to pass, the better off we’re going to be, the better off the American people will be served,’ she said.

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was unsure if lawmakers would be in the same spot again come January.

But he believed that the desire to move forward with spending bills, spurred largely by the bipartisan deal struck to reopen the government, was a good start.

‘It makes it a whole lot easier not to have a shutdown again,’ he said.

Despite the rancor and frustration from the Democratic side of the aisle over the collapse of their healthcare demand, they also want to pass bipartisan funding bills, largely in a bid to push back against cuts made by the Trump administration.

However, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., predicted that it would be quite difficult to pass a long-term bipartisan budget.

‘We cannot sign on to a long-term budget that does nothing on healthcare and has nothing to stop the destruction of our democracy,’ he said. ‘You know, there are no real protections in the short-term spending bill against Trump’s illegality.’

For now, some see the January deadline as ‘light years away,’ like Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., while others aren’t ready to make a prediction about what comes next.

‘Just one step at a time,’ Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told Fox News Digital.

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