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(RTTNews) – Crude oil inventories in the U.S. increased by much more than expected in the week ended October 18th, according to a report released by the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.

As gold continues its record-breaking run, Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) spoke to the Investing News Network about what’s driven the yellow metal to all-time highs in 2024. While momentum began in the east, he now sees the west increasingly turning to gold as a safe haven. “I do really think what we’re looking at now is that this rush toward gold as a good, strong store of value — a good, strong measure of value, a good place to invest — is becoming a worldwide phenomenon,” he said. In terms of silver, Smallwood said that although the metal is moving, it needs western retail demand to see a true price breakout. Given its strong fundamentals, he thinks it won’t be long before that demand segment falls into place. “I think it’s really only a matter of time until that retail market wakes up in the silver space,” he said. Smallwood also outlined Wheaton’s strategy during today’s high precious metals price environment, saying that while the company hasn’t closed many deals so far in 2024, it’s hoping to make more moves before the end of the year. Watch the interview above for more of this thoughts on gold and silver, as well as Wheaton’s future plans. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence

Silver stocks in 2024 are benefiting from a strong performance from the price of silver, which has moved above the US$30 per ounce mark for the first time since 2012.It has been buoyed by a variety of factors, including those driving the gold price’s record-setting performance this year, as well as its own unique tailwinds.According to the Silver Institute, demand for silver is set to outstrip mine supply for the third year in a row, due in part to rising consumption from sectors dependent on the energy transition, including photovoltaics and electric vehicles.India in particular has seen silver demand soar after the country introduced regulations for domestic production of new solar projects. This has set the path for the country to nearly double its silver imports this year compared to the 3,625 metric tons of silver it imported in 2023.How has silver’s price movement benefited Canadian silver stocks on the TSX and TSXV? The five companies listed below have seen the best performances since the start of the year. Data was gathered using TradingView’s stock screener on October 16, 2024, and all companies listed had market caps over C$10 million at that time. 1. GR Silver Mining (TSXV:GRSL) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”GR Silver Mining Ltd.”,”url”:”https://www.grsilvermining.com”,”description”:”GR Silver Mining Ltd. is a Mexico-focused company engaged in cost-effective silver-gold resource expansion on its key assets which lie on the eastern edge of the Rosario Mining District.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:GRSL”,”sameAs”:[]} Press Releases Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 187.5 percentMarket cap: C$75.83 millionShare price: C$0.23GR Silver Mining is a small-cap explorer and developer that is working to advance its Rosario Mining District in Sinaloa, Mexico, to production. The district consists of three core mining areas: Plomosas, San Marcial and La Trinidad.The company’s primary focus has been the development of Plomosas and neighboring San Marcial, a 9,764 hectare land package that hosts a past-producing silver, gold, lead and zinc underground mine.In March 2023, the company released an updated resource estimate for Plomosas showing total indicated resources of 97 million silver equivalent ounces, with additional inferred resources of 53 million silver equivalent ounces.Shares of GR Silver saw significant gains in the first quarter alongside a rising silver price and a March 4 announcement that GR started small bulk sampling and test mining at Plomosas.The company provided results from the sampling program in an update on June 27. In the report, GR Silver said it had completed 280 meters of underground development and processed 15,170 metric tons of material. Silver recovery rates from the samples were between 84 and 92 percent. Assays from channel sampling produced high grades, with one sample grading 1,625 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 14.1 g/t gold over 2.5 meters.Since then, the company has spent time fundraising. Its most recent news came on September 27, when GR announced it had closed an oversubscribed private placement for C$2.37 million. The company said it intends to use the proceeds toward exploration activities at its Plomosas project.GR Silver’s share price reached a year-to-date high of C$0.235 on October 9. 2. Gatos Silver (TSX:GATO) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Gatos Silver Inc.”,”url”:”https://www.gatossilver.com”,”description”:”Gatos Silver, Inc. is a U.S.-based silver company focused on high-grade, large silver deposits in geopolitically stable jurisdictions. The company’s flagship asset is the Los Gatos District, including the Cerro Los Gatos Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSX:GATO”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647947&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647947&width=210″} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 174.8 percentMarket cap: C$1.6 billionShare price: C$23.55Gatos Silver is a silver-focused production and exploration company. Its flagship asset is the Cerro Los Gatos mine and district, located south of Chihuahua City, Mexico.The site consists of 14 predominantly silver, lead and zinc mineralization zones, and is a joint venture with Dowa Metals and Mining, which holds a 30 percent stake in the operation; Gatos owns the remaining 70 percent.On February 21, the company released its full-year results for 2023, indicating it had produced 9.2 million ounces of silver, marking a decline from the 10.3 million ounces produced in 2022. However, the company said it improved operational efficiencies to offset inflationary pressure, lowering all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) to the lower end of 2023 guidance.In the release, Gatos also notes that it expects similar production totals for 2024, with guidance of 8.4 million to 9.2 million ounces of silver at an AISC of US$9.50 to US$11.50 per payable ounce. The company said it anticipates that exploration efforts at the South-East Deeps target will further extend the life of the mine.On July 23, Gatos reported an update on regional exploration programs. Drilling at the South East Deeps zone extension resulted in a highlight of 214 g/t silver over 3.5 meters.Additionally, results from its ongoing drilling at the Portigueño target included a highlight of 49 g/t silver over 1.6 meters, and results from two holes testing the depth of the San Luis target produced a highlighted intercept more than 150 meters below surface of 66 g/t silver over 8.9 meters, including 111 g/t silver over 2.5 meters.On September 5, Gatos announced it had entered into a definitive merger agreement in which it will be acquired by First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG). Under the terms of the deal, Gatos shareholders will receive 2.44 common shares of First Majestic for each share of Gatos held at a price of US$13.49 based on the closing price of First Majestic on the NYSE on September 4, 2024. The transaction sets the total equity value of Gatos at US$970 million. The merger is expected to be completed in early 2025.In a Q3 production update on October 9, Gatos reported its silver equivalent production in Q3 increased 11 percent year over year. Additionally, through the first nine months of 2024, Gatos produced 7.1 million ounces of silver, up from 6.65 million ounces in the same period in 2023. The higher figures allowed the company to increase guidance for 2024 to 9.2 million to 9.7 million ounces of silver from its original guidance of 8.4 million to 9.2 million ounces.Shares in Gatos Silver reached a year-to-date high of C$23.55 on October 15. 3. Avino Silver and Gold Mines (TSX:ASM) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd.”,”url”:”http://www.avino.com”,”description”:”Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd is a mineral resource company. It is engaged in the exploration, extraction, and processing of silver, gold, and copper. The company generates most of its revenues through the sale of silver produced from its mines. Its project portfolio includes Avino; San Gonzalo; Oxide Tailings; Bralorne Gold and others.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSX:ASM”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647954&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647954&width=210″} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 145.07 percentMarket cap: C$226.98 millionShare price: C$1.74Avino Silver and Gold Mines is a precious metals miner with two primary silver assets: the producing Avino silver mine and the neighboring La Preciosa project in Durango, Mexico.The Avino mine is capable of processing 2,500 metric tons of ore per day ore, and in 2023 produced 928,643 ounces of silver, 7,335 ounces of gold and 5.3 million pounds of copper. While within the company’s guidance, there was a 6 percent decrease in silver production over 2022, when it produced 985,195 ounces in the same time period.In addition to its Avino mining operation, Avino is working to advance its La Preciosa project toward the production stage. The site covers 1,134 hectares, and according to a February 2023 resource estimate, holds measured and indicated quantities of 98.59 million ounces of silver and 189,190 ounces of gold.On February 28, the company provided an update for La Preciosa, saying it was preparing for the first phase of production at the Gloria and Abundancia veins. Avino also said it has the equipment needed to commence operations at the site once it receives the necessary environmental permits, which it expects later in 2024.In its Q2 2024 results released on August 13, Avino reported that it had generated record quarterly revenues of C$14.8 million during the second quarter, an increase of 60 percent over the same quarter in 2023. Additionally, the company said it had produced 543,589 ounces of silver through the first half of the year, a 16 percent increase from the 466,755 ounces of silver in the six months of 2023.Avino’s share price marked a year-to-date high of C$1.74 on October 15. 4. Endeavour Silver (TSX:EDR) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Endeavour Silver Corp.”,”url”:”https://www.edrsilver.com”,”description”:”Endeavour Silver Corp is a Canadian mineral company engaged in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration, development and exploitation of precious metal properties in Mexico and Chile. The company has three producing silver-gold mines in Mexico: the Guanacevi Mine in Durango, the Bolanitos Mine in Guanajuato and the El Compas Mine in Zacatecas. It also has three exploration projects in northern Chile: Aida project, Paloma project and the Cerro Marquez project.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSX:EDR”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29648215&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29648215&width=210″} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 132.32 percentMarket cap: C$1.49 billionShare price: C$6.11Endeavour Silver is a silver company with two operating silver-gold mines in Mexico — Guanaceví and Bolañitos — plus the advanced-stage Terronera development project and several exploration properties.Its primary focus for 2024 has been its Terronera project in Jalisco, Mexico, which is under construction. Once complete, the new mine will become the company’s flagship operation. According to a 2023 update to its 2021 feasibility report, Terronera will produce an estimated 4 million ounces of silver per year over a 10 year mine life.On July 24, Endeavour announced that construction at the site had progressed, with surface construction achieving 77 percent completion. The company said it should be ready for dry commissioning during Q3 2024 and that final earthworks and concrete pouring were also expected to take place during the third quarter.Endeavour reported on August 19 that, following a failure that occurred at the primary ball mill trunnion on August 12, it had resumed processing at its Guanacevi mine site. However, the company noted that its processing capacity would be halved during a ramp up with temporary modifications. At the time, it stated that permanent repairs to return to regular capacity should take 16 weeks for fabrication and installation.The company estimated that silver production for the year would be 900,000 to 1.1 million ounces lower than previous guidance due to this.In Endeavour’s Q3 production results released on October 8, the company said the failure and temporary fix had reduced throughput at the mill to 565 metric tons per day, resulting in production of 847,717 ounces of silver, a decrease of 24 percent compared to Q3 2023. For the first nine months of the year, Endeavour produced 3.65 million ounces of silver, 15 percent lower year-over-year.Endeavour expects Guanacevi to be back to full operations in December.Shares of Endeavour reached a year-to-date high of C$6.80 on July 15. 5. Defiance Silver (TSXV:DEF) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Defiance Silver Corp.”,”url”:”http://www.defiancesilver.com”,”description”:”Defiance Silver Corp is a Mexico-based silver, gold, copper, and polymetallic exploration and development company actively engaged in advancing two major projects in Mexico, including the Zacatecas silver projects in the historic mining region of Zacatecas, and the Tepal copper-gold project in Michoacan, Mexico.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:DEF”,”sameAs”:[]} Press Releases Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 129.17 percentMarket cap: C$135.07 millionShare price: C$0.66Explorer Defiance Silver is working to advance its district-scale Zacatecas silver project in Zacatecas, Mexico.The project consists of a 4,300 hectare land package and includes four project areas: San Acacio, Lucito, Panuco and Lagartos. Both San Acacio and Lagartos have seen previous exploration and mining activity.On January 15, the company announced results from its 2023 drill program at the San Acacio target, reporting well-developed silver and zinc values with elevated gold and copper. This includes a highlighted assay of 223.53 g/t silver over 12.82 meters with an interval of 306.86 g/t silver over 7.79 meters.Defiance provided an update on April 15 on a surface-sampling campaign at the Lucita target. The results show widespread high-grade polymetallic mineralization, with Defiance highlighting grades of up to 795 g/t silver from Lucita North and 2,350 g/t silver from Lucita South. The company said the results reinforce the district-scale potential at Zacatecas.On July 29, the company announced it closed the second and final tranche of a non-brokered private placement. The aggregate gross proceeds for both rounds came to a total of C$3.22 million, which the company intends to use for exploration and general working capital. Shares of Defiance reached a year-to-date high of C$0.425 on May 15. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Lithium demand is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades as the world turns to greener sources of energy to meet its net-zero goals. But extracting and processing lithium is not an easy task, and challenges and delays are common across projects in the industry. Many experts believe new technologies could be a way to bring more supply online at a faster rate, with direct lithium extraction (DLE) being called the next potential game changer for the industry. DLE refers to a variety of technologies used to extract lithium from brines. Some projects are already producing lithium using DLE methods in China and South America, and many junior miners looking into these processes to bring their projects online.For Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), DLE has the potential to significantly impact the lithium industry, “with implementation on the extraction of lithium brines potentially revolutionary to production/capacity, timing and environmental impacts/permitting.”Using filters, membranes, ceramic beads or other equipment, DLE technologies extract lithium from brines faster than traditional methods and have a lower carbon footprint. According to Fastmarkets, 13 percent of the world’s lithium will be produced using DLE by 2030.But questions remain as to when DLE might make a difference at a commercial scale, and there are also concerns related to water usage. Currently, the only commercially proven approach to DLE has been adsorption; other methods, such as ion-exchange or solvent extraction, are still in the pre-commercial stage. William Adams of Fastmarkets told the Investing News Network (INN) in 2023 that he believes DLE will work and that ultimately it is needed. “It’s certainly part of our long-term forecasts, but it is a question of time,” he said. “We are getting closer and closer to the stage where we will see it.” What to look for in a DLE stock? There are a variety of lithium companies working with direct lithium extraction technology. INN spoke with experts in 2023 to get their thoughts on DLE companies.Daniel Jimenez of iLi Markets told INN that when considering DLE, it’s important for investors to remember that a wide array of technologies fall under that umbrella. “We have to think of them separating what is brines in salt lakes, and maybe very low-grade lithium brines in other places,” he said. “To put it simply, I don’t think we will have any supply coming from these technologies in the next five years.”Similarly, Chris Berry of House Mountain Partners pointed out that direct lithium extraction is not a single technology.“It’s not a single process; your DLE process is going to be geared and engineered based on the complexity of your brine source,” he told INN. “One of the challenges in terms of picking winners on the DLE side is how scalable your technology is.”He added that when looking at companies to invest in, the basics — such as whether the management team has ever done this before — are key. “What is their capability with respect to very complicated chemical processing? There’s some experience out there, but we need a lot more of it,” Berry explained. For Rodney Hooper of RK Equity, DLE is an opportunity. “The way I look at DLE opportunities has always been to value it as optionality rather than as a project,” he said. “It’s a big bid on a new technology, but it is needed, it would fit very well in the ESG narrative, so we hope that it does work. But the timelines need to be more realistic in terms of building pilot plants or projects on a stage-by-stage basis, and then seeing that they pan out.” Which lithium companies are betting on DLE? One of the most well-known lithium producers in the western world currently using a proprietary DLE process is Argentina-focused Livent (NYSE:LTHM). Given Chile’s recent push for more DLE, producers SQM (NYSE:SQM) and Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) are also looking into this technology. Aside from that, diversified miner Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) invested in a DLE project in Argentina last year, and Eramet (ERA:EPA) is also developing an asset in the South American country using this technology alongside China’s Tsingshan Holding Group. Within the private sector, Controlled Thermal Resources, EnergyX, EnergySource Minerals, IBC Advanced Technologies and Cornish Lithium are some of the players in the DLE space.It’s clear there are many lithium companies looking to develop resources using DLE technologies. Here INN looks at 11 lithium stocks betting on DLE, listed by market cap. Only publicly traded companies listed on the NYSE, TSX, TSXV, CSE, LSE and ASX with market capitalizations of at least US$10 million and no more than US$2 billion were considered. Data was collected on October 18, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. 1. Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL,OTC Pink:VULNF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd”,”url”:”https://www.v-er.com”,”description”:”Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd is focussed on lithium supply solutions to European electric vehicle manufacturers. Principally, it is engaged in exploring and developing copper-zinc projects and other mineral opportunities. The company’s projects located in the Trondelag region in Norway, namely the Lokken Project, Tverrfjellet Project, Grimsdal Project, Killingdal Project, and Storwartz Project. Additionally, the company acquired the Vulcan Lithium Project in Germany which consists of the production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from geothermal brines. Its operating segment includes Exploration Germany, Exploration Norway and Australia.”,”tickerSymbol”:null,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=32070433&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=32070433&width=210″} Company Profile Market cap: US$622.12 millionShare price: AU$4.89Vulcan Energy Resources is focused on lithium production in Europe, with projects in Germany and Italy. The company says it is aiming to decarbonize lithium production by “producing a world-first lithium hydroxide monohydrate chemical product with carbon neutral footprint.” To this end, Vulcan is developing the Zero Carbon lithium project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley using a proprietary alumina-based adsorbent process. Vulcan draws on naturally occurring, renewable geothermal energy to power the lithium extraction process, and the process also creates a renewable energy by-product. This extraction method also uses significantly less water than traditional extraction methods and has a small footprint, according to the company.Vulcan has signed lithium offtake deals with Netherlands-based Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), Renault (EPA:RNO) and Volkswagen (OTC Pink:VLKAF,FWB:VOW). Starting in 2026, Vulcan is set to deliver between 26,000 and 32,000 metric tons (MT) of battery-grade lithium chemicals for an initial six-year term to Renault, and between 34,000 and 42,000 MT of battery grade lithium hydroxide over a five-year term to Volkswagen. Aside from signing supply deals with automakers, Vulcan has inked agreements with battery materials maker Umicore (EBR:UMI) and South Korea’s LG Energy Solutions. ​2. TETRA Technologies (NYSE:TTI)  Market cap: US$444.3 millionShare price: AU$3.38TETRA Technologies is an energy services and solutions company. In recent years, it has expanded its business into the low carbon energy markets. This includes the commercialization of its TETRA PureFlow ultra-pure zinc bromide clear brine fluid for stationary batteries and energy storage, as well as the development of its lithium and bromine assets in Arkansas. TETRA and Standard Lithium, the next DLE company on this list, inked agreements in 2017 and 2018 that allow Standard Lithium to extract lithium from a portion of Tetra’s brine leases. In August 2024, private DLE firm KMX Technologies announced it had secured funding from TETRA Technologies to help develop and bring to market products for the commercial processing of battery-grade lithium. TETRA CFO Elijio Serrano will also be joining the KMX board of directors. 3. Standard Lithium (TSXV:SLI,NYSEAMERICAN:SLI) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Standard Lithium”,”url”:”https://standardlithium.com/”,”description”:”Providing Innovative Lithium Processing Solutions\n”,”tickerSymbol”:”FRA:S5L”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/fra-s5l.png?id=27866567&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/fra-s5l.png?id=27866567&width=210″} Company Profile Market cap: US$381.01 million Share price: C$2.74Standard Lithium’s flagship projects, the Lanxess project and the South West Arkansas project, are located in Southern Arkansas, US, near the Louisiana state line. They are part of the Smackover formation, a geological formation that stretches across multiple US states and is a prolific source of oil. More recently, it has been looked at for its lithium brine potential.Standard Lithium completed a pre-feasibility study for the project in September 2023 based on an indicated mineral resource estimate of 269,000 MT of lithium with an inferred resource of 74,000 MT. The study demonstrated a base case after-tax net present value of US$3.09 billion with an internal rate of return of 32.8 percent and a payback period of four years.The company has a partnership with specialty chemicals company Lanxess (OTC Pink:LNXSF). At Standard’s DLE demonstration plant at the Lanxess project, the company is testing commercial lithium extraction and purification of brine. A definitive feasibility study for the plant also released in September 2023 shows an after-tax net present value of US$550 million and an internal rate of return of 24 percent, as well as an annual production of 5,700 MT of battery-quality lithium carbonate.The company is also pursuing the development of other projects in East Texas’ portion of the Smackover formation, as well as approximately 45,000 acres of mineral leases located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.Standard partnered on a 55/45 joint venture for South West Arkansas and East Texas with Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) in May 2024. In September, Standard announced it had been selected by the US Department of Energy for an award of up to US$225 million to develop the South West Arkansas project. 4. International Battery Metals (TSXV:IBAT) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”International Battery Metals”,”url”:”https://ibatterymetals.com/”,”description”:”3rd Generation Technologies for Lithium Extraction From Brine\n”,”tickerSymbol”:”CSE:IBAT”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/cse-ibat.jpg?id=27867162&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/cse-ibat.jpg?id=27867162&width=210″} Company Profile Market cap: US$88.17 millionShare price: C$0.44International Battery Metals is a DLE technology company that says it has “developed and patented the world’s fastest, scalable lithium-processing technologies and has pioneered the only patented technology able to achieve commercial-scale lithium production in just 18 months.”The company’s proprietary modular DLE technology quickly and efficiently recovers more lithium from brine than traditional methods, with recoveries of 68 percent, and is more environmentally friendly than traditional methods as well.International Battery Metals achieved first commercial production in July 2024 at its proprietary modular DLE plant in Utah. The company heralded it as “an industry landmark representing the first lithium produced from the only modular DLE operation in the world and the first commercial DLE operation in North America.” 5. Anson Resources (ASX:ASN,OTCQB:ANSNF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Anson Resources”,”url”:”https://www.ansonresources.com/”,”description”:”Developing a Near-Term Clean Energy Project in Utah”,”tickerSymbol”:”ASX:ASN”,”sameAs”:[“https://twitter.com/anson_ir?lang=en”],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/resource-expansion-drilling-program-update-target-depth-reached-at-priority-mississippian-units-at-long-canyon-no-2-well.png?id=33746027&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/resource-expansion-drilling-program-update-target-depth-reached-at-priority-mississippian-units-at-long-canyon-no-2-well.png?id=33746027&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$68.59 millionShare price: AU$0.079Anson Resources, via its subsidiary A1 Lithium, is developing the Paradox lithium project in Utah, US. The project hosts a mineral resource estimate of 1.04 million MT of lithium carbonate equivalent and 5.27 million MT of bromine. The company partnered with Sunresin, a Chinese company offering DLE lithium technology, to use its proprietary DLE process at Paradox. Anson has reached a number of important milestones in 2024. In May, the company secured a binding offtake agreement with LG for 4,000 dry metric tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate over five years beginning in 2027. Shortly after, Anson received its first permit approval from Utah’s Department of Natural Resources to source water, or brine, for lithium extraction at its Green River lithium project. Anson partnered with Koch Technology Solutions in June to use Koch’s Li-Pro process for a pilot Lithium Selective Sorption unit at the Green River lithium project. The company announced in August that it had produced its first battery-grade lithium carbonate from brines at Paradox, and can now provide product samples to potential off-take partners. 6. E3 Lithium (TSXV:ETL,OTCQX:EEMMF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”E3 Lithium”,”url”:”https://www.e3metalscorp.com”,”description”:”E3 Metals Corp is a resource company with mineral properties in Alberta that is currently focused on technology development for lithium extraction from Alberta brines. It is engaged in the exploration of Clearwater and Exshaw Projects covering the Leduc Reservoir in south-central Alberta. The company’s properties can be further sub-divided into five separate sub-properties namely Clearwater Sub-Property, Exshaw Sub-Property, Rocky Sub-Property, Sunbreaker Sub-Property and Drumheller Sub-Property.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:ETL”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=30126261&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=30126261&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$64.01 million Share price: C$1.23E3 Lithium is developing the Clearwater lithium project in Alberta with the goal of producing high-purity, battery-grade lithium products. E3 plans to process brine from Clearwater using its DLE ion-exchange technology, which it is scaling towards commercialization.The company’s technology uses a proprietary sorbent designed to be highly selective toward lithium ions, allowing it to “quickly and efficiently reduces large volumes of low-grade brine into a high-grade lithium concentrate in one step, simultaneously removing nearly all impurities.” It achieves over 90 percent recoveries and reduces impurities by over 98 percent.The company received C$3.5 million in funding from Natural Resources Canada for a pilot project using its DLE technology to extract lithium from Leduc brines in Alberta, and data from it helped to inform the June 2024 pre-feasibility study, which confirmed the economic viability of the Clearwater project. In October 2024, E3 Lithium stated it had successfully completed all milestones of the pilot project.Earlier in the year, E3 Lithium completed expansion work at its Calgary-based lab to include the production of battery-grade lithium carbonate. The company announced plans in August to construct a fully integrated lithium brine demonstration facility in Alberta aimed at producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from brines within the Leduc reservoir. The Government of Alberta has invested C$5 million in the plant. That same month, E3 Lithium entered into a partnership with Pure Lithium to design a lithium metal anode and battery pilot plant in the province. 7. Lake Resources (ASX:LKE,OTCQB:LLKKF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Lake Resources”,”url”:”https://lakeresources.com.au/”,”description”:”Focused on producing high-purity sustainable lithium at a low-cost.”,”tickerSymbol”:”ASX:LKE”,”sameAs”:[“https://twitter.com/lake_resources?lang=en”],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/lake-resources.jpg?id=28860374&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/lake-resources.jpg?id=28860374&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$59.697 millionShare price: AU$0.07Lake Resources is a lithium developer using state-of-the-art ion-exchange extraction technology for the production of sustainable, high-purity lithium from its flagship Kachi project in Catamarca, Argentina. The company’s technology partner is California-based Lilac Solutions, which says its technology protects the environment while accelerating project development, increasing recovery and yielding a high-purity product.The low price environment for lithium carbonate and difficulty finding a strategic partner led Lake Resources to place the project on hold in June 2024. The company is still planning to bring the project into production in 2027 if market conditions improve. 8. Arizona Lithium (ASX:AZL,OTCQB:AZLAF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Arizona Lithium”,”url”:”https://investingnews.com/stocks/au-azl/arizona-lithium/”,”description”:”Arizona Lithium Ltd, formerly Hawkstone Mining Ltd is a mineral exploration and development company.”,”tickerSymbol”:”AU:AZL”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=35043629&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=35043629&width=210″} Company Profile Market cap: AU$50.69 millionShare price: AU$0.017Arizona Lithium is an exploration company headquartered in Australia and engaged in the development of North American lithium projects, with its Big Sandy lithium project in Arizona and Lordsburg lithium project in New Mexico. At the end of 2022, Arizona Lithium acquired Prairie Lithium, a lithium exploration and technology company. The acquisition brought the Prairie lithium project in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the company’s DLE technology, into Arizona Lithium’s portfolio.In November 2023, the company commence operations at a pilot DLE test plant at the Prairie project, using Prairie’s proprietary lithium extraction technology. The DLE method employs an ion-exchange material to selectively extract lithium from brine using equipment that is expected to be readily available at commercial scale. The following month, Arizona Lithium completed a positive preliminary feasibility study confirming “average operating costs of US$2,819 per tonne over the operating life of the project,” which it said make Prairie one of the lowest cost projects globally.The pilot plant project, completed in April 2024, processed over 200,000 liters of brine and produced over 13,500 liters of lithium concentrate. The steady-state phase achieved an average lithium recovery rate of 95 percent. The next month, Arizona Lithium started production drilling at the Prairie lithium project. As of October 2024, construction of Pad 3 had been completed with drilling commencing in the coming weeks. The company plans to identify another nine pads with the goal of reaching total steady state production of 24,000 MT per year. 9. Century Lithium (TSXV:LCE,OTCQX:CYDVF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Century Lithium”,”url”:”https://centurylithium.com/”,”description”:”Developing One of Nevada’s Largest Lithium Projects Towards Production”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:LCE”,”sameAs”:[“https://twitter.com/CenturyLithium”],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/century-lithium-tsxv-lce.png?id=32973550&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/century-lithium-tsxv-lce.png?id=32973550&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$45.64 millionShare price: C$0.40Century Lithium is advancing its wholly owned Angel Island mine, previously named the Clayton Valley project, which hosts an extensive surface lithium-bearing claystone deposit adjacent to Albemarle’s Silver Peak brine operation in Nevada, US. Of key importance for Nevada-based lithium operations, the company has secured a water rights permit that will cover the majority of the project’s future water requirements.Century has outfitted its lithium extraction pilot plant in Nevada’s Amargosa Valley with Koch Technology Solutions’ DLE equipment to produce an intermediate concentrated lithium solution. In August 2023, testing completed at Saltworks Technologies in British Columbia, Canada, once again showed that product solutions processed via DLE at Century’s pilot plant are capable of producing low-cost, high-purity lithium carbonate for the electric vehicle and battery storage markets.The following April, the company released a positive feasibility study for the Angel Island project outlining a three-phase production plan to produce an average of 34,000 MT per annum of battery-quality lithium carbonate over the 40-year life of the mine. Century Lithium added a lithium carbonate stage to the lithium extraction pilot plant in August, and began producing 99.5 percent lithium carbonate in September. 10. CleanTech Lithium (LSE:CTL,OTCQX:CTLHF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”CleanTech Lithium”,”url”:”https://ctlithium.com/”,”description”:”Prolific Lithium Assets with a sustainable approach to Meet EV Battery Demand “,”tickerSymbol”:”AIM:CTL”,”sameAs”:[“https://twitter.com/ctlithium”],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/cleantech-lithium-otcqb-ctlhf.png?id=33065978&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/cleantech-lithium-otcqb-ctlhf.png?id=33065978&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$20.45 million Share price: GBX 11.10CleanTech Lithium is an exploration and development company focused on lithium projects in Chile. The company has three prospective lithium projects: Laguna Verde, Francisco Basin and Llamara. CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing, and it is using DLE in part to reduce the environmental impact of its lithium production. The company says the DLE method, which is being provided by Sunresin, offers short development lead times and low upfront capital expenditure, as well as no extensive site construction and no evaporation pond development. This means there is no water depletion from the aquifer or harm to the local environment.In July 2024, CleanTech reported that the first stage of production at the DLE pilot plant was complete with the production of a sample of battery-grade lithium. The company and its partners are working to optimize the downstream process to further lower energy use and carbon emissions as well as capital and operating costs. 11. LithiumBank Resources (TSXV:LBNK,OTCQX:LBNKF) {“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”LithiumBank Resources”,”url”:”https://www.lithiumbank.ca/”,”description”:”Developing Direct Brine Battery-Grade Lithium Resources in Western Canada”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:LBNK”,”sameAs”:[“https://twitter.com/Lithium_Bank”],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/lithiumbank-resources.png?id=29621084&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/lithiumbank-resources.png?id=29621084&width=210″} Press Releases Company Profile Market cap: US$14.38 millionShare price: C$0.405LithiumBank Resources is a development company focused on lithium-enriched brine projects in Western Canada — including its Boardwalk lithium project in Alberta — where it says low-carbon-impact, rapid DLE technology can be deployed.The company has partnered with Conductive Energy to use its ion-exchange DLE process at Boardwalk. Conductive’s ion-exchange materials extract lithium from brine resources to produce lithium chloride, which is then processed using Conductive’s electrolytic refining process to create battery-grade lithium.LithiumBank announced in September that initial pilot plant operations at its DLE facility in Calgary, Alberta, resulted in recoveries greater than 98 percent of lithium from brine and over 40,000 liters of brine sourced from four wells at Boardwalk.“Successfully recovering over 98 (percent) lithium from Boardwalk brine at the pilot scale is a very significant achievement for LithiumBank,” stated Executive Chairman Paul Matysek. “Consistently achieving this level of recovery at scale is of paramount importance as we work towards efficiently producing a battery grade lithium.” Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: Lake Resources, Century Lithium and CleanTech Lithium are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

In trading on Tuesday, shares of Commercial Metals Co. (Symbol: CMC) crossed below their 200 day moving average of $54.13, changing hands as low as $53.46 per share. Commercial Metals Co. shares are currently trading off about 2.8% on the day. The chart below shows the one yea

Samarco Mineração, along with parent companies Vale (NYSE:VALE) and BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), has confirmed ongoing settlement negotiations with Brazilian authorities over the Fundão dam collapse. The incident is recognized as Brazil’s worst environmental disaster, and parties to the negotiations include public prosecutors, the federal government and the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. They are focused on a proposed settlement that could reach up to US$31.7 billion. The agreement aims to address both civil and environmental liabilities, while compensating affected individuals, Indigenous communities and businesses. The Fundão dam disaster occurred on November 5, 2015, when the tailings dam operated by Samarco in Mariana, Minas Gerais, collapsed, subsequently unleashing around 60 million cubic meters of iron ore tailings. The toxic sludge inundated nearby villages, including Bento Rodrigues, and contaminated over 600 kilometers of waterways. It reached the Atlantic Ocean, decimating ecosystems along the way. The disaster claimed a total of 19 lives, while also displacing thousands in the process. The tailings, which contained heavy metals, polluted the nearby Doce River. This impacted local communities’ access to water and crippled the region’s economy, which primarily relied on agriculture and fishing. Indigenous groups, such as the Krenak, consider the Doce River sacred. Efforts to restore the river and the surrounding ecosystems have been slow, and a full recovery still remains elusive. Under the proposed terms, Samarco will take primary responsibility for settlement obligations, with Vale and BHP acting as secondary obligors. The settlement includes an estimated 8 billion Brazilian reais specifically allocated to compensate Indigenous peoples and traditional communities affected by the disaster. The collective funds will be used to assist impacted residents, primarily through residential resettlement. In addition to the compensation, individuals opting into the settlement could receive 30,000 Brazilian reais each, with an additional 13,000 Brazilian reais for water contamination claims. While the companies have already invested around 38 billion Brazilian reais since 2016 in remediation and compensation efforts, they are expected to continue paying into recovery programs over the next two decades. Despite the progress in negotiations, not all lawsuits related to the Fundão dam collapse have been resolved. Internationally, BHP is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in the UK scheduled for later this month, where claimants are seeking additional damages for the environmental and economic harm caused by the disaster “BHP will continue to defend the action which it believes is unnecessary because it duplicates matters already covered by the ongoing reparation work and legal proceedings in Brazil,” BHP said about those proceedings. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates! Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

The New South Wales (NSW) government has outlined a AU$250 million royalty deferral initiative for critical minerals projects as part of its new Critical Minerals and High-tech Metals Strategy.Announced on October 18, the strategy aims to make NSW a global leader in critical minerals, and will examine the implementation of a rapid assessment framework for critical minerals projects.“The strategy identifies a number of improvements we can make to help enhance the system. These will provide greater guidance to the industry and improve collaboration between government agencies and departments in project assessment,” said Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully.At the strategy’s core is the goal of fully realising the state’s critical minerals and high-tech metals deposits. Priority commodities identified by NSW include rare earths, silver, scandium, copper and cobalt.The government also recognises the importance of moving beyond extracting and exporting resources. That means looking into opportunities to pilot common-user refineries and supporting domestic manufacturing. Overall, the Critical Minerals and High-tech Metals Strategy has five key pillars: Minimising investment risk in greenfield exploration and promoting exploration in new areas.Creating an attractive investment environment and removing barriers to help exploration projects move forward.Providing training and education pathways to encourage careers in critical minerals mining, and develop future-ready skills among professionals and workers.Examining local processing facilities, driving research and development and investigating critical minerals recycling to establish resilient supply chains.Ensuring responsible mining by engaging local communities.The NSW government said the initiative will be an opt-in scheme, with the first five years of royalties deferred. Critical minerals projects that can start production between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2030, will have access.Companies should also have market caps under AU$5 billion, and should predominantly mine critical minerals. The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) commended NSW for the initiative, saying that the royalty deferral will provide “a massive boost” to the state’s critical minerals industry.“It’s difficult to secure investment and receive appropriate approvals for new projects at the best of times. But doing so in emerging sectors, like critical minerals, is an added challenge to overcome,” said AMEC CEO Warren Peace. “Recognising these companies need assistance at the ground level, to get projects up and running and create jobs both in the construction and operational phases,” he added. AMEC also said it has strongly advocated for the new strategy, and noted that it is “very encouraging” to see the state focusing on necessary processes, including approvals and planning.According to the NSW government, there are currently 12 investment-ready critical minerals mining and processing projects in the state needing around AU$7.6 billion in capital investment value. These are expected to generate about 4,600 jobs during construction and 2,700 ongoing jobs.NSW also hosts 21 out of 31 nationally declared critical minerals. “We are sending a clear message to Aussie and global miners: invest in NSW. This is about backing regional jobs and manufacturing jobs, and taking advantage of the critical minerals boom,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns.“We’ve got the metals and minerals the world needs, and NSW is open for business.”Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

St. George Mining (ASX:SGQ) said on Monday (October 21) that it has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global steel materials trading house SKI HongKong for a potential strategic partnership to advance the Araxa niobium-rare earths project, located in Brazil. “The MoU establishes a general framework for collaboration on marketing, offtake and financing aspects of the project with the aim of progressing feasibility studies for a mine development,” the company said.St. George announced plans to acquire Araxa in August, and shareholders voted in favor of the deal on October 8. Currently the company is working on the final steps required to complete the transaction. The Araxa acquisition comes by way of the purchase of a subsidiary of Itafos (TSXV:IFOS,OTC Pink:MBCF).Under Monday’s agreement, St. George and SKI HongKong will consider and negotiate a potential binding partnership to further support the development of the project within nine months of signing the MOU. Key project development parameters such as product mix and global marketing arrangements will be discussed during this time.“SKI is an impressive strategic partner for St George, based on its substantial trading track record in steel materials and its particular industry-leading expertise in niobium products,” said John Prineas, executive chairman of St. George.The companies will also discuss offtake arrangements, with SKI HongKong potentially securing 20 percent of niobium products produced by Araxa. Currently, the compay exclusively sources niobium products from Canada’s Niobec mine.SKI HongKong may also provide funding for St. George via an investment or offtake prepayment. Araxa is adjacent to CBMM’s flagship niobium mine, which produces 80 percent of the world’s niobium.High-grade rare earths and phosphate mineralisation has been confirmed at the project via drilling.St. George is planning to produce sample niobium products in the first quarter of 2025 using the Araxa pilot plant, depending on specifications to be agreed with SKI HongKong and the results of product testing by SKI HongKong. The first stage of on-the-ground exploration work is set to commence before the end of this year. St. George has assembled a highly experienced team in Brazil to oversee the process. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO,OTCQX:ISENF) and Purepoint Uranium (TSXV:PTU,OTCQB:PTUUF) have formed a joint venture focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. The collaboration will consolidate a portfolio of 10 uranium projects covering over 98,000 hectares in the region, which is renowned for its rich uranium resources and high-grade discoveries.The joint venture will bring together assets from both companies, including IsoEnergy’s Geiger, Thorburn Lake, Full Moon and other properties, alongside Purepoint’s Turnor Lake and Red Willow projects. The assets cover ground along the Larocque Trend, a regional structure that is home to high-grade uranium properties including Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) and Orano’s Dawn Lake joint venture. In total, IsoEnergy will contribute eight properties to the joint venture, while Purepoint will contribute two. Together, these assets will form a large, contiguous land position on the east side of the Athabasca Basin.IsoEnergy will initially hold a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, while Purepoint will manage the exploration phase with a 40 percent interest. They will both have the option to adjust the ownership structure to a 50/50 setup within six months by exercising put/call options, and IsoEnergy will take operational control in the pre-development phase. Purepoint will undertake a 10:1 share consolidation in connection with the deal, and will also complete a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to C$2 million. IsoEnergy will subscribe for C$1 million of the financing. Philip Williams, CEO and director of IsoEnergy, emphasized the synergies between the firms in a press release. “Purepoint has proven itself an exceedingly capable operator and the Joint Venture will allow us to have several of our highly prospective projects advanced, while remaining focused on dual priorities of exploring and advancing the Larocque East project … and restarting our past producing uranium mines in Utah,” he said.Purepoint CEO Chris Frostad also spoke about the benefits of the partnership in Tuesday’s (October 22) announcement, commenting, “By combining forces and pooling resources, we are accelerating exploration efforts and setting the stage for potential large-scale discoveries that can meet the growing demand for clean energy.” Uranium market heating up amid favorable conditions The deal between IsoEnergy and Purepoint is one of several recent collaborations in the uranium sector. Earlier this month, Greenridge Exploration (CSE:GXP) announced plans to acquire ALX Resources (TSXV:AL,OTC Pink:ALXEF), a move that will expand its portfolio to include stakes in 16 uranium projects in Canada.The combined entity will also have exposure to lithium, nickel, copper and gold projects. It will control over 435,000 hectares, which it says will position it as a significant player in the Canadian uranium market.In the US, Uranium Energy Corporation (UEC) (NYSEAMERICAN:UEC) added to its uranium portfolio at the end of September by acquiring Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSELRIO) uranium assets in Wyoming.The deal includes the Sweetwater plant and several uranium projects, bolstering UEC’s portfolio as the US seeks to ramp up its uranium production. The assets acquired from Rio Tinto include 175 million pounds of historic resources and a licensed processing facility with the capacity to produce 4.1 million pounds of U3O8 annually. These developments reflect a broader trend in the uranium sector, where companies are increasingly consolidating resources and forming partnerships to capitalize on growing demand for the commodity.As demand for clean energy continues to rise, the uranium industry is likely to see further collaboration, especially in regions like the Athabasca Basin, which remains one of its most prolific sources. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: Purepoint Uranium and ALX Resources are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

The silver price has seen impressive gains in 2024, with the bulk of its move coming during the first half of the year, when it jumped from US$22 per ounce to over US$32 for the first time since 2012.The white metal remained elevated during Q3, but traded below the US$30 mark for much of the three months. Toward the end of the period it moved up as the US Federal Reserve made a long-awaited interest rate cut.Read on to learn more about silver’s Q3 performance and what experts think is next. How did the silver price perform in Q3? Silver started the third quarter at US$29.46 on July 1 and had surged above US$31 by the middle of the month. The precious metal’s increase came alongside renewed speculation that the Fed would cut rates in July. However, backed by another strong US jobs report, the central bank left rates unchanged. Against that backdrop, the price of silver began to fall and by July 30 had reached US$29.04.The silver price sank to a quarterly low of US$26.65 on August 7, even as speculation about a rate cut in September took hold among market participants. The retreat, which mirrored a dip in the gold price as investors looked to take profits, was short-lived, and by mid-month the white metal was once again trading above the US$29 mark. Chart via Trading Economics.Silver price, Q3 2024.Silver reached US$30.14 on August 27 after remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell at his annual address at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. His dovish statements were the clearest indication yet of an upcoming rate cut. September started with silver in a slide. It bottomed out on September 6 at US$27.93, but saw a reversal after August’s US jobs report fell short of expectations and boosted expectations of a larger rate cut.This provided tailwinds for silver, which broke through the US$30 level before the Fed slashed rates by 50 basis points at its September meeting. Silver climbed to its quarterly high of US$32.15 on September 24. Industrial demand still a key silver price driver Silver is valued as a precious metal, but is also driven by industrial demand, particularly photovoltaics. According to the Silver Institute, silver demand for solar power has more than doubled in the past five years, rising from 74.9 million ounces in 2019 to a forecast 232 million ounces by the end of this year.India in particular has become a major factor in global photovoltaics market, and has been one of the largest silver consumers in 2024. The country reportedly imported 4,554 metric tons of silver during the first half of the year, putting it on pace to double the 3,625 metric tons of silver it imported in 2023. In April, India reintroduced a requirement for major photovoltaics projects in the country to use domestically sourced panels. The requirements were put on hold for the 2023 fiscal year due to insufficient domestic manufacturing. Their return has led to a ramp up in Indian photovoltaics production and an increased need for silver.Additionally, TopCon cells, which have higher efficiency, but require 50 percent more silver content, have begun to dominate the photovoltaics market, contributing to an increasing strain on the supply of silver. Speaking to the Investing News Network (INN), Peter Krauth, editor of Silver Stock Investor, noted that in addition to increasing demand from India’s photovoltaics sector, the government has changed import duties.“One important development was when India decided to reduce import duties on gold and silver from 15 percent to 6 percent. That led to a second surge of imports into that country,” he said.Overall, the silver market remains in a deficit. The Silver Institute is forecasting that demand from all sectors will rise to 1.22 billion ounces in 2024, while mine supply will reach just over 1 billion ounces. Given that difference, why hasn’t the silver price seen a bigger run?Part of the reason is that aboveground reserves are being drawn down. However, Krauth believes market participants are only just realizing that the deficit situation isn’t going away any time soon.“Supply has been flat for a decade. Mine supply peaked eight years ago. Demand has grown to 20 percent above annual supply since 2020. The main reason prices haven’t exploded is that silver consumers have been able to tap stockpiles of ‘secondary inventories’ at major futures exchanges and exchange-traded funds,” he explained. “That may have 12 to 18 months before running out.” M&A activity increasing as silver price rises As the silver price rises higher, M&A activity in the sector is strengthening. First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG) announced on September 5 that it plans to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of Gatos Silver (TSX:GATO,NYSE:GATO) in a US$970 million transaction.The deal will provide First Majestic with a 70 percent stake in the Cerro Los Gatos mine in Northern Mexico. The combined entity’s anticipated annual production is 30 million to 32 million silver equivalent ounces.On October 4, Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE) agreed to acquire SilverCrest Metals (TSX:SIL,NYSE:SILV) for US$1.7 billion. The deal will create one of the largest silver producers in the world, with output of 21 million ounces projected by 2025. The deal gives Coeur 100 percent ownership of the recently opened Las Chispas mine in Sonora, Mexico, which is projected to sell 9.8 million to 10.2 million silver equivalent ounces this year. Krauth said M&A involving smaller companies may follow as the silver price moves higher. “Current silver prices are positive for profits, but replacing reserves is a big challenge. I think silver crossing the US$35 mark and sustaining it will give miners confidence that high silver prices are here to stay. With that, they are likely to start moving down the food chain to developers and explorers,” he said. Investor takeaway Both Krauth and Mind Money CEO Julia Khandoshko see significant gains ahead for silver. “Silver may hit more than US$40 and even $50 this year or mid-2025,” Khandoshko commented to INN, noting that strong geopolitical and economic issues continue to impact the precious metal. “Although silver is less popular than gold, traders might consider it to diversify their investment portfolios, valuing the possibility of using silver as a hedge during periods of uncertainty and high inflation,” she added.Krauth was similarly positive about silver’s prospects. “We are near a crucial level of US$32. Once silver stays consistently above that level, I think it can continue to US$35, which I would expect by the end of this year. Beyond that, I think silver will continue to rise and is likely to reach US$40 at some point in 2025,” he said. However, he expressed a degree of caution, saying there are near-term factors that could pose challenges for investors. He’s primarily concerned that a rally in the US dollar could lead to a retreat in precious metal prices.“In my view, the approach in Q4 should be mostly the same for both metals and equity investors. I’m still cautious that we will see a price pullback in silver, which will bleed into the equities. For that reason, I’d only be adding on weakness in either the metal or the miners,” Krauth said. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

Lithium carbonate values saw further declines in the third quarter, starting the 90 day session at US$12,999 per metric ton and shedding 22 percent by September 10, hitting a three year low of US$10,019.Despite the contraction, market watchers and analysts are viewing Q3 as a price stabilization period for lithium, noting that the battery metal, which was previously in free fall, likely bottomed out in September.This theory has been reinforced by an upward trend in prices during the first weeks of the fourth quarter.Some of Q3’s price stability came as lithium producers scaled back output and expenditures to counter slower demand growth, particularly from the electric vehicle (EV) sector, which is the primary driver of lithium demand.Their response also benefited other segments of the lithium market.“Chemical prices remained fairly stable over the quarter, ticking down slightly,” Sophia Jang, an analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, explained by email to the Investing News Network (INN). “Prices for lithium carbonate in China remained at a premium to hydroxide in a reflection of the growing regional preference for LFP cathode chemistries over high-nickel NCM. However, this gap remained narrow.” While chemical prices remained close to equal, spodumene prices fell. Jang said this was a delayed response to the decline in chemical prices, as most spodumene pricing contracts reference the chemical spot market. The decrease in spodumene prices was also mentioned in a July price assessment from S&P Global Commodity Insights. It notes that spodumene has registered a steep price decline since peaking during Q4 2022. According to Platts data, spodumene with 6 percent lithium oxide content was assessed at US$950 per metric ton on July 15, FOB Australia basis. That’s down US$7,250, or 88 percent, from its peak on November 18, 2022.“Spodumene prices over the past one-and-a-half years have faced severe downward pressures from a slump in lithium chemical prices and demand that has wavered on weaker-than-expected global EV output and sales figures,” wrote Leah Chen, team lead, battery metals pricing, at S&P Global Platts, in a July email to INN. Lithium supply and demand trends in Q3 Market oversupply, subdued spot market activity and a shift in preferred battery chemistries emerged as the most prevalent trends impacting the lithium market between July and the end of September.“Q3 has been a quiet quarter on the spot market. The majority of demand from midstream consumers of lithium chemicals was satisfied by volumes delivered under contract,” Jang commented. “Cathode producers secured limited extra material on the spot market, adjusting this according to their demand.”Prices also faced headwinds from a supply imbalance. “Inventories of chemicals in China remained high, which did not support prices. Several lithium producers, especially those higher up the cost curve that were producing from hard rock, reduced or stopped production due to the deteriorating price environment,” she added.On the battery side, the once-dominant NCM chemistry lost some of its market share to the lithium-rich LFP design.“LFP demand growth proved stronger than NCM, resulting in increased LFP production, with some cathode producers undertaking the approximately nine month process of switching a portion of their capacity from NCM to LFP,” said Jang. ​EV sales climb as market recovers Although US EV sales figures for 2024 have come in below projections, the broader EV sector made large gains in September when global sales tallies topped 1.7 million units, setting a new monthly record.According to data from Rho Motion, the banner month for EV sales represents a 22 percent year-to-date increase. Regionally, the Chinese market saw the most significant increase, with 1.1 million new EVs sold. “This record-breaking month of EV sales brings new hope to the industry,” said Charles Lester, data manager at Rho Motion, in a mid-October article. He went on to note, “While the electrification of transport seems inevitable, the recent slowdown of sales in many parts of the world has sewn seeds of doubt which can now start to be swept aside. However, the regional disparities are astonishing, with China alone accounting for well over half the global total, meanwhile Europe’s numbers are shrinking, and the US and Canada are steadily growing.”Another end-use segment that saw demand growth in Q3 was the energy storage system (ESS) sector. Jang noted that it grew steadily even as downstream EV sales growth continued to vary widely between different regions.”We saw this particularly in North America, where it triggered ESS market participants to secure carbonate ahead of the presidential election in November, fearing tariff increases following either election result,” she said. Tariffs incentivizing North American EV production As the third largest producer of lithium and the leader in battery and EV manufacturing, China’s dominance in these markets has led the US, EU and Canada to implement steep tariffs on Chinese EVs.Most recently, Canada levied a 100 percent tariff on EV imports from the country, citing “unfair” trade policies. China responded quickly by filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the 100 percent EV tariffs, as well as Canada’s 25 percent tariffs on aluminum and steel products from the Asian nation. Although the EV tariffs are meant to protect Canadian automakers and the sector, they do little to address the nation’s supremacy in battery manufacturing, nor do they incentivize regional lithium production.“Tariffs on raw material imports are likely to be more impactful in spurring regional lithium production than tariffs on EV imports. But domestic automakers tend not to be too fond of this as it raises their cost of production. Domestic automakers are more interested in EV import tariffs of course, but the impact of this on regional lithium production is less direct,” noted Adam Megginson, an analyst at Benchmark Mineral IntelligenceIn the US, tariffs on Chinese lithium-ion batteries for EVs are set to jump from 7.5 percent to 25 percent in 2025, while tariffs on EV imports will climb to 100 percent. However, even as the Biden administration hikes taxes on Chinese EVs, it is offering help to the domestic auto sector.“We have seen strong funding support at the federal level, with a second round of grants from the US Department of Energy unveiled targeted at battery raw materials projects,” said Megginson.The analyst went on to note that SWA Lithium, a joint venture company owned by Canada’s Standard Lithium (TSXV:SLI,NYSEAMERICAN:SLI) and Norwegian energy company Equinor (NYSE:EQNR), received a US$225 million grant from the US for the construction of Phase 1 of the South West Arkansas project.The Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, which oversees the funding, also awarded a grant to another US-based company. “American lithium project developer TerraVolta was selected by the (Department of Energy) to receive a US$225 million grant for its Liberty Owl project, located in Texarkana, Texas. TerraVolta plans to commence construction in 2028, with production the following year,” said Megginson. Lithium projects in the pipeline Although the lithium market remained depressed and well supplied during the third quarter, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence is forecasting a supply shortage starting as early as 2025.While there are currently 101 lithium mines globally, future supply may struggle to meet growing demand, particularly with China expected to drive a 20 percent annual increase over the next decade.Low lithium prices have already led to reduced project investments and capital expenditures. However, as Jang pointed out, several significant investments in future supply were made during the third quarter. “In July 2024, European Lithium (ASX:EUR,OTCQB:EUEMF) and Obeikan Group signed a 50/50 joint venture agreement to jointly develop the construction and operation of a lithium hydroxide facility in Saudi Arabia,” she said.The Benchmark Mineral Intelligence analyst also noted that the EU signed a framework agreement on critical raw materials supply with the Republic of Serbia in July.Of course, there were also challenges in the quarter. July saw Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) plans to advance the Jadar lithium project in Serbia met with opposition. Protestors were demanding that the country’s government revoke permission for the proposed mine and implement a lithium-mining ban.An October 7 parliamentary vote in Serbia failed to enact such a ban.Jang also outlined other notable development news from the quarter, including Ganfeng Lithium’s (OTC Pink:GENF,SZSE:002460,HKEX:1772) August investment in Lithium Argentina’s (TSXV:LIT,OTCQX:LILIF,FSE:OAY3) Pastos Grandes lithium brine project in Salta, Argentina, marking a significant expansion in its South American operations.Also in August, E3 Lithium (TSXV:ETL,OTCQX:EEMMF) entered a joint development agreement with Pure Lithium to explore the design of a lithium metal anode and battery pilot plant in Alberta, Canada.“In September 2024, Ganfeng Lithium announced a RMB 500 million (US$70.5 million) investment to boost cathode production at its mica mine and processing project in Inner Mongolia,” she said. “Additionally, SQM Australia (NYSE:SQM) partnered with Andrada Mining (LSE:ATM,OTCQB:ATMTF) in September to jointly develop the Lithium Ridge asset in Namibia.”Continuing this trend, Rio Tinto announced plans to spend US$6.7 billion to acquire US-based Arcadium Lithium (NYSE:ALTM,ASX:LTM) in early October. Lithium trends to watch as 2024 continues If the lithium market has indeed bottomed, there may be opportunities for those with the right risk appetite. According to a late July report from Sprott, while the long-term outlook for lithium miners remains positive due to rising demand, many producers have experienced significant share price drops throughout 2024.The firm believes that given lithium’s demand outlook, these stocks could be well positioned for future growth. For investors, this could mean a chance to invest in lithium miners at lower prices compared to 2023.On a different note, Megginson encouraged investors to watch the US election moving forward. “All eyes will be on the US election to see whether a Trump presidency brings about significant structural changes to the (Inflation Reduction Act), or a Harris presidency strengthens this policy support picture,” he said. “We typically expect demand for lithium chemicals to be highest heading into Q4, as it tends to be the strongest quarter for EV sales. Given that feedstock supply upstream remains fairly strong, and chemicals supply in the midstream remains robust, we may not see much movement in prices to the end of the year,” added Megginson. Looking ahead to 2025, the analyst said he expects to see more market consolidation if prices remain rangebound. This could also lead to companies looking for merger and acquisition opportunities. “In 2025, it will be interesting to see which projects are forced to pause or halt production due to the price level challenging their economics,” he said. “Lastly, we will be watching lithium project developments in Africa closely, as several companies are actively developing capacity in the continent, particularly in Zimbabwe and Namibia.”Megginson added, “Should this new hard-rock supply come online, and at a sufficient grade quality and consistency, it could pose a challenge to incumbent producers who sit higher up on the cost curve.” Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article. Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

With gains of nearly 30 percent in 2024, gold has outpaced many other investments since the start of 2024. The final high of Q3 was set on September 26, when the gold price hit US$2,682.79 per ounce. This was partly driven by the US Federal Reserve’s decision to slash 50 basis points from its benchmark rate following its meeting on September 17 and 18. The move bolstered investor sentiment across precious metals markets. In addition to the Fed factor, gold has also been buoyed throughout the year by high levels of central bank gold purchases, particularly out of Asia, alongside rising tensions in the Middle-East that have sent investors looking for safe-haven assets amidst geopolitical uncertainty.With that backdrop, how have record-breaking gold prices affected TSX-listed gold stocks? These companies are the best performers so far this year. Data was retrieved on October 10, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$50 million are included. 1. Perpetua Resources (TSX:PPTA) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:” Perpetua Resources”,”url”:”https://investingnews.com/stocks/ppta-cc/perpetua-resources/”,”description”:”Perpetua Resources Corp is focused on the exploration, site restoration, and redevelopment of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed…”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSX:PPTA”,”sameAs”:[]} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 203.3 percentMarket cap: C$794.22 millionShare price: C$12.86Perpetua Resources is advancing its Stibnite gold-antimony project in Central Idaho, US, which has received strong support from the US government. The project is nearing a construction decision, which is expected next year.The Stibnite project lies within a historic mining district that hosted large-scale operations dating back to the early 1900s. Perpetua is working to reclaim the historic Yellow Pine and Hangar flat open pit mines, while also reprocessing historic tailings and restoring streams and fish migration routes on the site.In the company’s November 2020 feasibility study, it reported an after-tax net present value of US$1.9 billion based on an average gold price of US$1,850 per ounce, providing for an internal rate of return of 27.7 percent and a payback period of 2.5 years. It also indicated a total gold recovery of 4.28 million ounces of gold over a 15 year lifespan of the mine with an annual recovery of 301,000 ounces.The site also hosts significant amounts of antimony, which is classed as a critical mineral, with measured and indicated quantities of 205.89 million pounds. This has allowed the company to secure funding from the US government under the Defense Production Act, with the most recent US$34.6 million being awarded on February 12. Perpetua spent much of 2024 awaiting a critical decision from the United States Forest Service (USFS) on the authorization of its mining plan. This came in early September, when the USFS issued a draft record of decision authorizing the gold project and completed the final environmental impact assessment. The final Record of Decision is expected by the end of the year.Shares in Perpetua reached a year-to-date high of C$13.61 on September 25. 2. Jaguar Mining (TSX:JAG) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Jaguar Mining Inc.”,”url”:”https://www.jaguarmining.com”,”description”:”Jaguar Mining Inc is a junior gold mining company. The company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of gold producing properties in Brazil. Its principal operating assets are located in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Gold Mine Complex (Pilar and Roca Grande mines, and Caete Plant) which combined, produce more than 95,000 ounces of gold annually. The company also owns the Paciencia Gold Mine Complex.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSX:JAG”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647976&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647976&width=210″} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 191.16 percentMarket cap: C$413.73 millionShare price: C$5.27Jaguar Mining is a mining and development company that owns several gold-mining complexes near the city of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Jaguar’s MTL complex hosts the Turmalina mine and a processing plant. According to the company’s Q3 production update released on October 10, the mine site produced 6,479 ounces of gold, a decrease from the 8,529 ounces produced in the same quarter of 2023. In addition to mining operations, the MTL complex is home to the advanced stage Faina exploration project. A December 2023 mineral resource estimate from the project pegged measured and indicated resources at 1.43 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 5.08 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold for 233,000 ounces of contained gold. Inferred resources stand at an additional 232,000 ounces of gold from ore grading 5.09 g/t. In Jaguar’s management and discussion analysis on August 7, the company reported it is accelerating development at Faina to define its ore structures. Ore taken from the site during the second quarter was processed by the Turmalina plant, and gold recovery exceeded expectations at 414 ounces. The company said production from stoping should gradually increase through the start of 2025 to 15,000 metric tons per month, before reaching full capacity of 25,000 metric tons in 2026. The company’s other producing mining operation is the Caete complex, which includes the Pilar gold mine and the Caete processing plant. Production for Q3 saw the mine deliver 10,433 ounces for the quarter, an increase from the 8,787 ounces produced in Q3 2023. Jaguar announced on September 5 that it had progressed on access development at the Pilar mine’s BA zone in the first half of the year, with 374 meters completed across five sub-levels. Processing the 30,547 metric tons of ore feed generated from those activities in H1 resulted in 4,032 ounces of gold at an average grade of 4.64 g/t. Shares in Jaguar mining reached a year-to-date high of C$5.69 on September 23, alongside a surge in the gold price. 3. Orvana Minerals (TSX:ORV) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Orvana Minerals Corp”,”url”:”https://www.orvana.com”,”description”:”Orvana Minerals Corp is a Canadian mining and exploration company that is involved in the evaluation, development, and mining of precious and base metal deposits. It operates in three segments: Orovalle, which is the key revenue generator; EMIPA, and Corporate. It owns and operates the underground gold, copper, and silver El Valle Mine and Carles Mine in the Rio Narcea Gold Belt in northern Spain. It also owns an interest in The Don Mario District. The company primarily operates in the gold and copper mining industry and its products are gold dore and gold & copper concentrates.”,”tickerSymbol”:”OTCMKTS:ORVMF”,”sameAs”:[],”image”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29734303&width=980″,”logo”:”https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29734303&width=210″} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 156.25 percentMarket cap: C$51.23 millionShare price: C$0.41Orvana Minerals is a gold, silver and copper miner with assets in Spain and Bolivia.Its principal asset is the OroValle operation in Northern Spain. The site consists of the El Valle Boinas underground mine and El Valle processing plant, as well as the Carles open pit and underground mines, which are currently on care and maintenance. The company also owns the Don Mario District in Eastern Bolivia. Mining operations at the site were suspended in 2019 following the depletion of resources. Since then the company has been working to raise capital to finance a plant expansion to begin treatment of ore stockpiles. In the company’s consolidated financial results for Q2 released on August 12, it noted that it had completed 80 percent placement of its bond program units, raising US$37.7 million toward restarting operations at Don Mario. The company said it expected construction on the plant expansion to begin before the end of 2024. The announcement also detailed the production of 10,832 ounces of gold from OroValle during the quarter, and revised full year gold production guidance to 37,000 to 39,000 ounces. Shares in Orvana reached a year-to-date high of C$0.43 on September 19. 4. G2 Goldfields (TSX:GTWO) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”G2 Goldfields Inc.”,”url”:”https://www.g2goldfields.com”,”description”:”G2 Goldfields Inc is a Canada-based company engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring mineral properties. The company’s project portfolio includes Sandy Lake Gold Project in Canada, Aremu / Oko Gold Project in Guyana, and Peters Mine in Guyana.”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:GTWO”,”sameAs”:[]} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 130.67 percentMarket cap: C$406.196 millionShare price: C$1.73G2 Goldfields is a gold exploration and development company that is working to advance projects in South America and West Africa. Company founders were previously involved in the financing and development of the Aurora gold mine in Guyana, the country’s largest gold mine, for Guyana Goldfields, before Zijin Mining (OTC Pink:ZIJMF,SHA:601899) acquired the latter company in 2020. The company graduated to the TSX from the TSXV in April. G2’s flagship Oko-Aremu gold project is located in Guyana’s Cuyuni mining district. The company released an updated mineral resource estimate for the combined Oko Main Zone and Ghanie Zone in April, with an increase of 320 percent in indicated gold resources to 922,000 ounces and a 69 percent increase in total contained gold to 2 million ounces. G2 said the maiden resource estimate for Ghanie is a step toward realizing the scale of the Oko gold system.On September 10, G2 announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire exploration rights to a 30,000 acre land package within the Oko-Aremu district, which brought its land holdings for the project to 58,000 acres. The new properties are composed of three sets of permits and host multiple historic gold occurrences, but have not been subject to modern exploration methods. G2 is working to fast-track drilling on several targets in the area.The company is performing a drill program using five diamond drills with the objective of expanding mineral resources at Oko. In the most recent update from the project on October 15, the company reported it had discovered multiple new gold zones, including the Eastern Ghanie zone. One of the drill holes in the release included an interval of 3 meters grading 18.8 g/t gold, as well as an interval of 23 meters grading 4.4 g/t gold, including 9 meters grading 8.5 g/t.Shares in G2 Goldfields reached a year-to-date high of C$1.95 on September 15. 5. Calibre Mining (TSX:CXB) {“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Corporation”,”name”:”Calibre Mining”,”url”:”http://www.calibremining.com/”,”description”:”Partnered for Discovery\n”,”tickerSymbol”:”TSXV:CXB”,”sameAs”:[]} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 105.88 percentMarket cap: C$2.044 billionShare price: C$2.80Calibre Mining is a gold mining and development company that owns several producing assets in Nicaragua as well as the Pan gold mine in the US. Additionally, it is constructing the Valentine gold mine in Canada, which it acquired through a merger with Marathon Gold in November 2023. Between its El Limon, Libertad and Eastern Borosi properties in Nicaragua, the company owns seven producing mines, two mills with a total capacity of 2.75 million metric tons per annum and several exploration targets. In the US, its Pan gold mine is located along Nevada’s Eureka gold trend. According to the company’s second quarter consolidated results released on August 12, Calibre produced 120,521 ounces of gold during the first half of the year, down from the 134,526 ounces produced in H1 2023. The company attributed the decline to a geotechnical issue at the Limon Norte open pit.The release also noted that construction at the Valentine gold project in Newfoundland, Canada, was 77 percent complete, on track for gold production to begin in Q2 2025. Calibre said that it had received Federal approval for the development of the additional Berry open pit mine at Valentine.Once complete, the mine is expected to produce 195,000 ounces of gold per year, drawing from a combined 3.96 million ounce measured and indicated mineral resource.Shares in Calibre reached a year-to-date high of C$2.86 on October 10. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates! Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, own shares of Calibre Mining.

Like its sister metal gold, silver has been attracting renewed attention as a safe-haven asset. Although it continues to exhibit its hallmark volatility, many silver investors believe that a bull market is starting up for the precious metal. Experts are optimistic about the future, and as a result, some market watchers are putting forth price forecasts and asking themselves, “What was the highest price for silver?”The answer reveals how much potential there is for the silver price to rise. Read on for a look at silver’s historical moves, and what they could mean for both the price of silver today and the white metal’s price in the future. How is silver traded? Before discovering what the highest silver price was, it’s worth looking at how the precious metal is traded. Knowing the mechanics can be useful in understanding why and how its price changes on a day-to-day basis and beyond.Put simply, silver bullion is traded in dollars and cents per ounce, with market activity taking place worldwide at all hours, resulting in a live silver price. Key commodities markets like New York, London and Hong Kong are just a few locations where investors trade the metal. London is seen as the center of physical silver trade, while the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, called the NYMEX, is where most paper trading is done.There are two popular ways to invest in silver. The first is through purchasing silver bullion products such as bullion bars, bullion coins and silver rounds. Physical silver is sold on the spot market, meaning that in order to invest in silver this way, buyers pay a specific price for the metal — the silver price per ounce — and then have it delivered immediately.The second is accomplished through paper trading, which is done via the silver futures market, with participants entering into futures contracts for the delivery of silver at an agreed-upon price and time. In such contracts, two positions can be taken: a long position to accept delivery of the metal or a short position to provide delivery.Paper trading might sound like a strange way to get silver exposure, but it can provide investors with flexibility that they wouldn’t get from buying and selling bullion. The most obvious advantage is perhaps the fact that trading in the paper market means silver investors can benefit long term from holding silver without needing to store it. Furthermore, futures trading can offer more financial leverage in that it requires less capital than trading in the physical market.Market participants can also invest in silver through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a silver ETF is similar to trading a stock on an exchange, and there are several silver ETFs to choose from. Some ETFs focus on physical silver bullion, while others focus on silver futures contracts. Still others focus on the silver stocks or follow the live silver price. What is silver’s all time high price? The silver all-time high was US$49.95 per ounce, a level it reached on January 17, 1980. However, the price didn’t exactly reach that level by honest means. As Britannica explains, two wealthy traders called the Hunt brothers attempted to corner the market by buying not only physical silver, but also silver futures — they took delivery of those silver futures contracts instead of taking legal tender in the form cash settlements. Their exploits ultimately ended in disaster: On March 27, 1980, they missed a margin call and the silver market price plunged to US$10.80. This day is infamously known as Silver Thursday. That record silver price wouldn’t be tested again until April 2011, when it reached US$47.94. This was more than triple the 2009 average silver price of US$14.67, with the price uptick coming on the back of very strong silver investment demand. ​Silver price history Chart via Trading Economics.Silver price chart, January 1, 2009, to October 21, 2024.After its 2011 peak, silver’s price pulled back over the following years before settling between US$15 and US$20 for much of the second half of last decade.An upward trend in the silver price started in mid-2020, when it was spurred on by the economic uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The price of silver breached the key US$26 level in early August 2020, and soon after tested US$30. However, it failed to make substantial progress past that.In the spring of 2023, the silver price surged by 30 percent, briefly rising above US$26 in early May, but the precious metal cratered back down to US$20.90 in early October. Later that month, silver advanced toward the US$23 level on the back safe-haven demand due to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Following remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, rate cut speculation sent the price of silver to US$25.48 on November 30, its highest point for the fourth quarter. ​Silver price in 2024 Chart via Trading Economics.Silver price chart, January 1, 1999, to October 21, 2024.After starting 2024 on a low note, the white metal saw gains in March on rising Fed rate cut expectations. The resulting upward momentum led silver to reach a Q1 high of US$25.62 on March 20 before breaking through the US$30 mark on May 17. The silver price reached a then 12 year high of US$32.33 per ounce on May 20.In Q3 this year, prices for the metal slid down below the US$27 mark to as low as US$26.64 by August 7 alongside its industrial cousin copper. Heading into the fourth quarter, silver has reversed course to the upside, tracking the record breaking moves in the gold price. Silver prices once again breached the US$30 level on September 13 and continued higher. On October 21, the silver price moved as high as US$34.20 during the trading day, up more than 48 percent since the start of the year and its highest level in 12 years.This latest run-up came “as US election jitters, escalating Middle East tensions and bets on further monetary easing drove safe-haven demand for precious metals,” according to Trading Economics. “Expectations of stronger silver demand amid the global shift toward cleaner energy also supported prices, as silver is a major industrial component used in solar panels.”Market watchers are curious as to whether the silver price will continue its upward trajectory. Only time will tell, and it will depend on the white metal’s ability to remain above the critical US$30 level.Like other metals, the silver spot price is most heavily influenced by supply and demand dynamics. However, as the information above illustrates, the silver price can be highly volatile. That’s partially due to the fact that the metal is subject to both investment and industrial metal demand within global markets.In other words, it’s bought by investors who want it as a store of wealth, as well as by manufacturers looking to use it for different applications that are incredibly varied. For example, silver has diverse technological applications and is used in devices like batteries and catalysts, but it’s also used in medicine and in the automotive industry.In terms of supply, the world’s three top producers of the metal are Mexico, China and Peru. Interestingly, even in those countries silver is usually a by-product — for instance, a mine producing primarily gold might also have silver output.The Silver Institute’s latest World Silver Survey, put together by Metals Focus, outlines a 1 percent decrease in global mine production to 830.5 million ounces in 2023. This was in large part the result of a four month suspension of operations at Newmont’s (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) Peñasquito mine in Mexico due to strike action among workers. In addition, lower ore grades and mine closures curtailed production in Argentina, Australia and Russia.The firm is forecasting a 0.8 percent decline in global silver mine production to 823.5 million ounces in 2024. In countries such as the US and Morocco, expansions and new projects are expected to contribute to supply growth. However, a significant drop in silver production out of Peru and China is expected to offset these increases.Looking at demand, Metals Focus is projecting 2 percent growth for 2024 as industrial fabrication is expected to reach another all-time high on a projected 20 percent increase in demand from the solar market. This could be tempered by an anticipated contraction of 13 percent for physical investment in silver bars and coins.The silver market is expected to experience a substantial deficit of 215.3 million ounces in 2024, amounting to the second highest discrepancy in over two decades. Is the silver price manipulated? As a final note on silver, it’s important for investors to be aware that manipulation of prices is a major issue in the space.For instance, in 2015, 10 banks were hit in a US probe on precious metals manipulation. Evidence provided by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) showed “smoking gun” proof that UBS Group (NYSE:UBS), HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC), the Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) and other firms were involved in rigging silver rates from 2007 to 2013. In May 2023, a silver manipulation lawsuit filed in 2014 against HSBC and the Bank of Nova Scotia was dismissed by a US court.JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) has been long at the center of silver manipulation claims as well. For years the firm has been in and out of court for the accusations. In 2020, JPMorgan agreed to pay US$920 million to resolve federal agency probes regarding the manipulation of multiple markets, including precious metals.In 2014, the London Silver Market Fixing stopped administering the London silver fix, which had been used for over a century to fix the price of silver. It was replaced by the LBMA Silver Price, which is run by ICE Benchmark Administration, in a bid to increase market transparency.Market watchers like Ed Steer have said that the days of silver manipulation are numbered, and that the market will see a significant shift when the time finally comes. Investor takeaway While silver has neared US$50 multiple times, including its all-time high, it’s anyone’s guess whether it will reach those heights once again. Many commentators say prospects are bright for silver, and investors will no doubt be watching to see how the metal fares. This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2015.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Mining giant BHP (ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP,NYSE:BHP) reported a solid start to its 2025 fiscal year.For the quarter ended in September, BHP’s copper production rose by 4 percent year-on-year, driven by higher feed grades and recoveries at its Escondida mine in Chile, one of the world’s largest copper mines. Iron ore production at BHP’s Western Australia Iron Ore operations also increased, rising 3 percent year-on-year. BHP is maintaining its iron ore production guidance at 255 million to 265.5 million tonnes for its 2025 fiscal year. BHP’s steelmaking coal operations posted a significant 20 percent increase in production. The company attributes this rise to improved operational stability following challenges in previous quarters. However, it’s worth noting that these numbers exclude BHP’s recently divested Blackwater and Daunia mines. When they are included, coal production was down 19 percent year-on-year. Steelmaking coal output for the year is expected to be within the 16.5 million to 19 million tonne range. The potash sector is another area of focus for BHP, with the Jansen Stage 1 project in Canada now 58 percent complete. The company is targeting first production in approximately two years. The asset is seen as a long-term growth driver for BHP as global demand for potash, a key ingredient in fertilisers, is expected to rise over the next decade. Nickel production faced a 3 percent decline, with BHP announcing a temporary suspension of operations at its Nickel West site. The decision was prompted by lower nickel prices and the company’s intent to reduce production costs. BHP plans to invest about US$300 million annually to maintain operational readiness should market conditions improve. ​Olympic Dam faces temporary halt A day after the release of BHP’s quarterly results, news hit that operations at the company’s Olympic Dam mine have been temporarily halted after transmission infrastructure was damaged by electrical storms. According to the Australian Financial Review, surface infrastructure at the South Australian site has been switched to care-and-maintenance mode, and is running off of backup generators. Tom Koutsantonis, the state’s energy minister, said Olympic Dam would be offline for five to seven days. “We have paused the majority of our underground mining and surface processing operations. Backup generation is providing power to Roxby Downs township, along with critical on-site infrastructure,” a BHP spokesperson said, adding that transmission lines that supply Olympic Dam were structurally damaged by the electrical storms. Olympic Dam is a major producer of copper, gold and uranium, and the company is currently evaluating a potential expansion that could double its smelting and production capacity by 2027. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates! Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Cygnus Metals (ASX:CY5) announced plans to merge with Doré Copper Mining (TSXV:DCMC,OTCQB:DRCMF), saying it will acquire 100 percent of Doré’s issued and outstanding common shares via a definitive arrangement.In an October 15 press release, Cygnus said the deal will create a Québec-focused copper and lithium company, with Doré’s Chibougamau copper-gold project and Cygnus’ James Bay lithium projects as its main assets.The new entity sees the potential for resource growth, as well as brownfield and greenfield discoveries at the properties. Chibougamau has a resource of 10.8 million tonnes at 3.5 percent copper equivalent, while the James Bay-based Pontax project has a resource of 10.1 million tonnes at 1.04 percent lithium oxide.The Chibougamau project has the only processing facility within a 250 kilometre radius. The plan is to implement a “hub-and-spoke” strategy where this facility will be used to process material from various nearby deposits.“The Doré team is delighted at the thought of working with the Cygnus team to create a critical metals company and to maximise the value of what we know is an outstanding asset at Chibougamau,” said Doré President and CEO Ernest Mast. “This merger will provide the funding, additional expertise and the strategy to hopefully generate superior shareholder returns through brownfields exploration at Chibougamau,” he added. Cygnus said it intends to raise AU$11 million through a placement with two tranches. It will use the funds for resource and production advancement at Chibougamau, and development of the lithium exploration pipeline at James Bay.“We intend to devise and implement an aggressive exploration programme, utilising highly experienced geologists and the latest technology, with the aim of driving strong resource growth at a time when the world desperately wants more copper from tier-one locations,” explained Cygnus Executive Chair David Southam. The transaction is expected to close at the end of December. It is subject to various conditions, including the receipt of conditional approval from the TSXV for the listing of Cygnus’ shares. Once complete, Cygnus shareholders will own 55 percent of the merged group, while Doré shareholders will hold 45 percent.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

TradeTalks spotlights emerging trends in compliance and regulation and spotlights Jim Lewis, who shares his insights on how data governance will evolve.

Cryptocurrency is still a relatively new concept, one that the majority of society has not fully adopted. Whether you’ve embraced the idea of decentralized currency or not, there’s one notorious…

Despite once referring to bitcoin as a “scam” that weakens the dollar, former President Donald Trump has now embraced cryptocurrency to the point where he bills himself as the “pro-crypto”…

Mark Cuban and Elon Musk are two of the world’s most famous billionaires — and recently, the “Shark Tank” shark and the brash and outspoken Tesla boss have found themselves publicly at odds. Musk has…

TradeTalks highlights insights from Mainnet 2024 and spotlights Glenn Kurban, Partner, Data & Analytics at Capco, who discusses the importance of keeping data secure.

Cryptocurrency is one of the most hotly debated asset classes in the world. On one side, passionate advocates view it as the currency of the future, supplementing or even substituting money as we know…

Suze Orman is a financial host and author, and in a recent interview with CNBC, she said she believes “everyone should absolutely” own the cryptocurrency bitcoin. Usually, people who support bitcoin…

If the stock markets are any indication, cryptocurrency investors are nervous about the prospect of Vice President Kamala Harris winning the presidential election in November. As Reuters recently…

Diving into the world of cryptocurrency offers explosive growth potential, but comes with significant risk. While crypto can be volatile, the key is finding coins that provide significant returns with…

If you’re trying to diversify your portfolio, cryptocurrency is an option. Crypto has been gaining popularity because of the decentralized nature of the blockchain. Many countries, like Canada,…

In the world of cryptocurrency, fortunes can quickly change. Some of the world’s richest crypto billionaires helped build the blockchain world at the dawn of the industry. Others are new arrivals…

The crypto space has been on a huge recovery path in 2024 — a year which saw the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds) in January, deemed by many a landmark decision for the crypto…

Since the first digital blockchain currency was mined way back in 2009, Bitcoin millionaires have come, gone and come again. Since then, new crypto coins have flooded the market, with some — like…

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While Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has been much less vocal about the crypto industry than her opponent Donald Trump, things are picking up steam as the election…

(RTTNews) – Symrise AG (SYIEY.PK), a German maker of flavors and fragrances, reported Thursday that its third-quarter sales grew 5.2 percent in the reporting currency, while overall sales increased organically by 10.2 percent.

(RTTNews) – Danone S.A. (DANOY.PK), a food and beverage company, Thursday reported sales of 6.826 billion euros for the third quarter, 1.2 percent down from 6.906 billion euros in the comparable quarter last year.

(RTTNews) – Telia Company (0H6X.L, TLSNY.PK) reported that its third quarter net income from continuing operations increased to 2.5 billion Swedish kronor from 1.8 billion Swedish kronor, last year. Earnings per share from continuing operations was 0.59 kronor compared to 0.41 kr

(RTTNews) – European stocks are seen opening broadly lower on Thursday even as U.K. markets may open on a firm note following declines for four straight sessions.

(RTTNews) – Lonza Group (LZAGF.PK), a Swiss manufacturer focused on the pharmaceutical and nutrition businesses, on Thursday reported that its third-quarter performance was in line to deliver on its fiscal 2024 outlook, with sales accelerating in the fourth quarter, based on the

(RTTNews) – Norwegian petroleum refining firm Equinor ASA (EQNR) reported Thursday that its third-quarter net income fell 9 percent to $2.29 billion from last year’s $2.50 billion.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

(RTTNews) – Indian shares were slightly lower in early trade on Thursday, tracking mixed global cues and due to disappointment on the earnings front.

(RTTNews) – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 751 announced on social media that 64% of its members voted to reject a new labor contract proposal from Boeing Co. (BA). As a result, the strike will continue at all designated picket locations.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

(RTTNews) – Asian stock markets are trading mostly lower on Thursday, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight, as traders react to rising bond yields and amid bets the US Fed will take a more measured approach on interest rate cuts. The continued tension in

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) recently reported its Q1 fiscal 2025 results (P&G’s fiscal ends in June), with revenues missing and earnings slightly ahead of our estimates. The company reported revenue of $21.7 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.93 per share, compared

Chinese luxury electric vehicle maker Nio stock (NYSE:NIO) has seen a strong rally in recent weeks, rising by about 45% since late August, roughly in line with its peers Xpeng (NYSE:XPEV) and Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI). While broader market factors, such as the Chinese government’

We believe Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) is positioned to grow its valuation by well over 3x from the already huge $2-trillion figure now – potentially becoming the world’s most valuable company by a huge margin – as its often-overlooked Waymo autonomous driving busine

Spirit Aerosystems (SPR) came out with a quarterly loss of $3.03 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.16. This compares to loss of $1.42 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring i

Northrim BanCorp (NRIM) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.57 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.53 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.48 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recu

Northfield Bancorp (NFBK) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.16 per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This compares to earnings of $0.19 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

The wheat complex saw mixed action across the three markets on Wednesday. Chicago SRW futures were fractionally to 2 ½ cents higher on the day. KC HRW contracts were steady to down a penny on the session. MPLS spring wheat was mixed on the day, with contracts anywhere from a…

Live cattle futures were down 5 to 42 cents across the board on Wednesday. The Central Stockyards online Fed Cattle Exchange auction showed no sale on the 2,380 head for sale, with bids of $183-186.50. Feeder cattle futures were down 85 cents to $2.60. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was…

Soybeans settled Wednesday with contracts firm to 5 ¾ cents higher across the board. The average close for November soybean futures so far in October is $10.11. That is $1.44 below the February base insurance price. CmdtyView’s national front month Cash Bean price was up 6 1/4 cents at $9.41…

Cotton futures closed out the Wednesday session with contracts up 15 to 52 points. The outside markets were adding pressure, with crude oil down 79 cents/barrel and the US dollar index 356 points higher. The Seam reported 1,134 bales of online sales on October 22 at an average price of…

Corn futures closed the Wednesday session with contracts steady to 3 cents higher across the board. The national average Cash Corn price from cmdtyView was up 3 cents at $3.86 per bu. The average close for December corn futures so far in October is $4.17. That is 49 cents below…

Lean hog futures posted gains of a nickel to $1.05 on Wednesday in the front months, with a few deferreds down 7 to 10 cents. The national average base hog price was reported at $77.84 on Wednesday afternoon, up 73 cents from the previous day. The CME Lean Hog Index…

Helix Energy (HLX) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.19 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.21 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.19 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring

Patterson-UTI (PTEN) reported break-even quarterly earnings per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.01. This compares to earnings of $0.20 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

Patterson-UTI (PTEN) reported break-even quarterly earnings per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.01. This compares to earnings of $0.20 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.