A total of 29 states now allow for comprehensive medical marijuana programs, and recreational marijuana is legal in eight. There’s no question that the country’s opinion of marijuana has changed. Public support for making marijuana legal has continued to climb over the years, as 61 percent of Americans now think recreational use of marijuana should be legal and 88 percent favor medical marijuana use. A vast majority of the states and the citizens of this country support legalized marijuana in spite of antiquated federal government strictures.

These antiquated federal strictures create conflict. The states where it has been legalized, the citizens in those states and the businesses that engage in the marijuana industry operate in a nether world of uncertainty. Even with state sanctioned legality of cannabis there’s a cloud of potential issues created by the federal government, though no action has been taken nor is any action anticipated to occur. In keeping with the 71 percent who oppose any federal government effort to stop marijuana sales or its use in states that have legalized it, the federal government has ignored the issue and treated it with benign neglect. However, state approval and benign federal disregard have created a real financial conundrum for the states, businesses, operators and consumers of marijuana products. The problem lies within the banking system. Banks are governed by the Federal Reserve System and the FDIC and are subject and sensitive to federal laws.

Since marijuana hasn’t been legalized at the federal level, most banks are reluctant to have any business dealings with the marijuana industry. Subsequently, somewhere north of 70 percent of cannabis companies currently operate without access to a corporate bank account, forcing them and their patrons to operate as cash only businesses. This causes great risk and inconvenience to the businesses and customers and creates obstacles for the states to monitor, regulate and collect taxes.

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC: SING) recently announced a solution for cannabis businesses to legally break this banking roadblock and accept credit card payments (http://dtn.fm/8xjJc). In partnership with First BitCoin Capital, SinglePoint is creating a game changing bitcoin payment solution for the marijuana industry. This could easily provide marijuana businesses the answers they need and significant recurring revenue for the providers of the service.

SinglePoint is a specialized holding company that, through accretive acquisitions and partnerships, is fast becoming a dominant player in the cannabis services market. SinglePoint is building strong relationships as well as uncommon companies in its quest to become the dominant force supplying products and services to the cannabis industry. There’s little doubt the marijuana market in the United States is poised for further explosive upside growth. SinglePoint understands its destination and has just taken another huge step toward dominating markets and reaping the attendant rewards.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SinglePoint.com

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With more than a century of combined experience spanning the gamut from pancreas/GI tract issues in hepato-gastroenterology and infectious disease to the development of novel non-systemic (localized) therapeutic biologics and proteomics (protein engineering), the AzurRx BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: AZRX) core science team is the real strength behind the company’s developing portfolio of recombinant therapies. AzurRx has come quite a long way on the strength of its science-driven approach and today stands tall upon the IP foundation of its two main pipeline programs. The lead candidate of which, MS1819 lipase, is currently in ongoing, open-label Phase IIa trials in EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Human trialing where this novel, orally delivered, non-systemic (non-absorbable, locally-acting, does not reach systemic circulation), yeast-derived recombinant enzyme has already shown solid dose responses at various levels with no apparent safety issues.

Given such positive Phase IIa in vivo study data (reported in mid-April 2017), where the efficacy of MS1819 is characterized by a 20 percent increase in the coefficient of fat absorption in all patients (or CFA, the primary efficacy endpoint), AZRX is confident that its lead candidate will continue to show a marked superiority to currently marketed, porcine-derived pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERTs). With an anticipated completion of the MS1819 Phase IIa in the third-quarter of 2017 and strong applications for the drug in EPI associated with CF (cystic fibrosis), as well as demonstrably apparent efficacy in CP-associated EPI, the $8.50 valuation set by Zacks Small-Cap Research earlier this year (January, April) looks well within striking distance (given that the projection is based on a 2020 launch of MS1819).

A recent report from April of 2017 by GlobalData paints a bullish picture for the broader CF market with a CAGR of around 13.6 percent through 2025 when it will reach upwards of $7.6 billion on the strength of new drugs becoming available. This is exciting news when contrasted with the Transparency Market Research projection from last year, which depicts the EPI space alone to be worth around $2.85 billion by 2023, on a CAGR of some 8.3 percent, with the U.S. representing roughly 57 percent of that global pie. The PERT market is currently dominated by a small handful of players, with the AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) drug Creon accounting for the lion’s share, and newer, more technologically advanced entrants such as Allergan’s (NYSE: AGN) Ultresa currently being seen by analysts as having the highest future growth rate.

However, these drugs and other PERTs such as Nutrizym, Pancrease and Pancrex are derived from pig pancreas gland extracts, carry a pork viral contamination risk, and thus represent a biopharma niche that is ripe for disruption by an innovator like AZRX.

PERT Demand May be Larger than Expected

Somewhere from 10 to 12 million people in the U.S. are estimated to carry the defective CF gene that leads to CF, and while the patient population is only around 30,000 or more, it can be inferred from CDC statistics that there are approximately 400 or more new cases in the U.S. alone each year (around 1,000 worldwide). CF is also no longer considered a childhood disease like it was only a few decades ago, because patients are now able to more effectively manage the disease via therapy and have an average life expectancy of around 37 years. EPI is observed to occur in 85 to 90 percent of CF patients according to research done by one of the most trusted names in pathology, Robbins Basic Pathology.

With the rate of CP around 50/100,000, and a growing awareness of the influence of diabetes on pancreatic exocrine function, the emergence of a yeast-derived recombinant enzyme therapy such as MS1819 is really something to take note of, especially due to the fact that AZRX’s offering has shown high potency in low pH environments (stable in protease and bile salt environments), and activity in long chain fats. EPI affects as many as half of all the people with insulin-dependent diabetes by some estimates, and it is well-known that CP patients typically develop type 3c diabetes. The key takeaway in all of this is that there is a growing market for MS1819, a drug which is now clearly underscoring the success of earlier Phase Ib in vitro work, during in its ongoing Phase IIa in vivo trial.

Phase IIb Enabling Trial & Successful Placement Very Bullish

CEO of AzurRx BioPharma, Thijs Spoor, was clearly pleased by extant Phase IIa results with MS1819, pointing to the observably robust dose-response pattern and overall safety characteristics. Anticipation is high that MS1819 will prove to be a more effective and safer alternative to existing PERTs. Given the warm reception by patients, as well as physicians noted by the Clinical Investigator, this drug could gobble up market share very quickly.

It’s little wonder then that the recent private placement financing (closing announced June 8) went so well, with the issuance designed to fund the MS1819 program being over-subscribed, allowing AZRX to rake in gross proceeds of some $5 million. The $3.50 priced units in the placement consisted of a share of common stock, one Series A Warrant for 0.25 shares at $4.00 (exercisable through Dec 31, 2017), and one Series A-1 Warrant for 0.75 shares at $5.50 (exercisable six months after closing through June 6, 2022).

Potential Sleeper Hit in the Wings

The second program under development by AZRX at this time is another oral non-systemic, AZX1101 (recombinant beta-lactamase derived from a bacterial source), which is in the preclinical stage for localized shielding of the GI tract against HAIs (hospital-acquired infections) associated with broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotic use. Beta-lactam antibiotics (especially penicillins and cephalosporins) have really come into their own as the drugs of choice for many infections, but their use is also frighteningly threatened by the emergence of increasingly resistant strains of bacteria.

This could be a nice one-two punch lineup for AZRX, with MS1819 commercialization supercharging the development ramp for AZX1101, amid a global infection control market that is on-track to run a 6.5 percent CAGR through 2021, reaching around $17.78 billion on the dominance of factors such as the growing prevalence of HAIs. It is worth noting that the Zacks Small-Cap Research doesn’t even factor the potential upside from AZX1101 into its $8.50 price target, despite the admittedly substantial market opportunity.

To take a closer look, visit http://www.azurrx.com

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is focusing on the growth potential of its Aptito processing and management system by offering it, along with its new features, in a nationwide sales campaign, which culminates in a new lucrative dealer plan to earn commissions of up to $1,200 on each placement. The system offers digital menus, social media collaboration, mobile ordering and a suite of business management tools.

Net Element is a financial technology group which, in an omni-channel environment, digitally processes global transactions in what is becoming a world of cashless processing. From point-of-sale and mobile devices, Net Element processes electronic payments.

In the first quarter of 2017, the company generated 81% of its worldwide revenue from North American transactions — compared to 70% the prior year. That dominant revenue contribution was driven primarily by payment processing fees in North America, which jumped by 40%, exhibiting significant organic growth.

To further stimulate that rise, Net Element is making significant enhancements to its Aptito processing system. To trigger even more revenues, the company has announced, for software sales agents and dealers, a new incentive of up to $1,200 per placement of the cloud-based Aptito point-of-sale system. A number of enhancements to Aptito were also announced by Net Element.

In the fast-changing retail and restaurant industries where sales growth and customer retention are key, Aptito is being refined with enhanced options for reservations, bartending, reporting, and kiosks. It also includes advanced printing, monitoring, and inventory systems. The new Aptito permits users to import and export menus. It also enables modification to partially paid orders. Finally, there are new enhancements to its system security, inventory and gift cards.

In a news release, Oleg Firer, CEO of Net Element, said, “A vast majority of restaurants are still using old legacy POS systems that fail to accommodate digital changes and consumer demands for convenience, speed, accuracy and security when dining or shopping. With a suite of new enhancements, Aptito offers optional functionality and the most complete package of features to bring an establishment into the digital age.”

For more information, visit www.NetElement.com

It’s been an exciting few months for Player’s Network, Inc. (OTCQB: PNTV), and the markets have reacted with increased interest in this active diversified holding company, which recently recorded its first revenues (http://dtn.fm/GN3dT), received its state-issued medical marijuana licenses (http://dtn.fm/g69W7), and commenced operations at its 27,000-square-foot marijuana facility in North Las Vegas. These and other major milestones achieved so far in 2017 make PNTV an exciting company to watch.

In February, PNTV uplisted to the OTCQB Venture Market and paid down most of its outstanding debt. While PNTV says it has always been fully reporting, moving to the OTCQB increases its transparency and appeal in the investment community as the company cracks down on expanding its operations and raising brand visibility.

On par with the recent stock performance, the company is quickly advancing its position in the marijuana industry with the issuance of hard-hitting corporate news triggering heavy volume and increased market attention.

Shares of Player’s Network in the last two weeks has set several new 52-week highs and now trades in a range of $0.0023-$0.1315. The stock has, at times, nearly quadrupled its 60-day moving average of 2.4 million. The increase in price and volume isn’t limited to the last couple weeks, however; a look at the stock’s performance shows a year of persistent uptick, most recently accelerated by several key corporate milestones.

Here’s a look at exactly what’s behind the interest in Player’s Network, as the company continues its expansion in the burgeoning marijuana industry.

On May 30, PNTV announced it had received its medical marijuana licenses and was beginning operations at its Green Leaf Farms facility in Las Vegas – the news pushed the company’s stock to the sixth-highest volume on the OTCQB exchange that day, and the 10th-highest volume on May 31.

On June 1 came the news of PNTV’s first revenues and its receipt of state-issued licenses to provide recreational marijuana products to retail dispensaries in Nevada, followed by word that phase 1 of the Green Leaf Farms Holdings facility had been completed and that phase 2 was well underway.

In early May, PNTV launched a new division called Marijuana Accelerator, which is part of PNTV’s overall strategy to develop a national footprint in the legal medical marijuana industry. Marijuana Accelerator, as the name implies, serves as an accelerator and incubator-style mentor for companies finding their niche in the industry.

PNTV’s WeedTV.com subsidiary has also made many forward strides in 2017 and is on its way to becoming the ultimate resource for the marijuana lifestyle. By leveraging media, WeedTV.com is building long-term brand equity and connecting consumers to cannabis businesses. WeedTV.com offers fresh, relevant content, including branded television segments, blogs, user-created videos, editorials, lifestyle features, entertainment specials and more. Through WeedTV.com, PNTV is not only able to generate revenues by marketing products and services for other companies; it is also driving business and brand value for the company’s own cannabis products.

It has been a very eventful year so far for PNTV, and the company has achieved some impressive milestones in a very short amount of time. Investors should read the company press releases and company filings, and may want to take notice as it continues its upward climb.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PlayersNetwork.com

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ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) participated in SeeThruEquity’s 6th Annual Microcap Investor Conference on June 1, 2017, in New York. That conference gives investors the exclusive opportunity to discover publicly traded companies with market capitalization of less than $1 billion.

CIIX offers educational consulting services for Chinese investors. Most recently, it has been pursuing opportunities in the cannabis market. The goal of the company is to be a leading publicly-traded company within the nutritional industry. In addition to its online store based in the free trade zone of Shanghai, China, CIIX is building its first retail store in San Gabriel, California. There, it will sell primarily hemp oil-based products. The company is based in San Gabriel, California.

“SeeThruEquity gave CIIX a price target of $2.05 one year ago,” Warren Wang, founder and CEO of CIIX, noted in a news release. “Recently, the firm increased CIIX’s price target to $3.75, reflecting huge growth potential based on our legal medical cannabis initiatives. In addition, SeeThruEquity also gave CIIX a forecast for revenue from its hemp business projecting the revenue could grow from $0.7 million in FY2017 to reach 8-digit sales by FY2020E, with continued growth thereafter.”

SeeThruEquity (http://dtn.fm/HC0yY) increased the price target on CIIX based on the potential for the company’s legal cannabis initiatives. These include CIIX’s early stage efforts to penetrate the market and the research company’s belief that CIIX can capitalize on its approach to broad cannabis industry growth.

“We view CIIX as a high-risk/high-reward investment opportunity in the microcap space, with potential of upside if the company can generate renewed traction with its high margin investor relations services business and execute on the new cannabis initiatives,” the report said.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com

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BlastGard International Inc. (OTC: BLGA) is a manufacturer and distributor of protective products for military and law enforcement personnel. The Corporation operates under two segments, BlastGard Defense Group and Highcom Security.

Blastguard is a blast mitigation specialist with proprietary material proven to effectively mitigate blasts and suppress fires resulting from explosions. The company’s patented BlastWrap® technology acts as a “virtual tent” to effectively mitigate blast effects and suppress post-blast fires. This unique technology works by triggering physical and chemical processes to dissipate blast energy, thereby reducing the aftermath of acoustic and shock waves, peak overpressure, reflected peak overpressure, impulse and afterburn. The remaining, significantly reduced energy is transmitted at a slower, more sustainable level. Notably, BlastWrap does not dispense chemical extinguishants; uses neither alarms, sensors, nor an activation system; and is nontoxic and ecologically friendly.

Similarly, the company’s BlastGard MTR trash receptacles dramatically reduce lethal threats posed by the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED). Equipped with Triple Wall Technology, BlastGard MTR mitigates primary fragments, secondary fragments, mechanical effects (shock/blast pressure) and thermal effects (contact and radiation burn) from the fireball, after-burn and resultant post-blast fires.

BlastGard’s primary market focus lies on providing blast effects mitigation solutions for customers operating in the commercial sector, military, law enforcement and government agencies. With a vision of being recognized as the leading provider of environmentally responsible solutions to protect lives and structures from the hazards associated with fire and explosions, the company is capable of addressing a wide array of industry applications spanning from fire suppression for naval vessels and merchant ships to protection of buildings against vehicle bombs.

This vision is supported by the ban of Halon extinguishing agents, as outlined in the Montreal protocol, which effectively establishes BlastWrap® as the only blast and fire suppression means available for most applications, including adaptation for underwater use.

The company’s position at the head of the blast suppression market has helped BlastGard attain a number of government awards, including designation of its BlastWrap® product as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology and placement on the “Approved Products List for Homeland Security.” This designation was extended in early 2017, meaning that BlastWrap® is approved for use by the Department of Homeland Security under the SAFETY Act until November 2021.

HighCom Security, develops, tests, manufactures and distributes body armor and personal protective equipment, including more than two dozen NIJ (National Institute of Justice) compliant hard and soft armor products. Highcom Security has a 20-year history of producing quality armor with no operational failures and no recalls of its American made products.

Highcom Security was founded in 1997 and has produced close to 1 million pieces of armor for the Global community. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified and the first company in the world to be BA 9000:2012 certified compliant.

For the past decade, Highcom Security has also been able to offer some of the largest armor manufacturers with private label/OEM hard armor solutions for end use by military and law enforcement agencies globally, a market reach obtained because of the company’s reputation for innovative technology, exceptional customer service and superior quality performance.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.BlastGardIntl.com

Patriot One Technologies, Inc. (TSX.V: PAT) (OTCQB: PTOTF) is leveraging seven years of development to create powerful technologies that mitigate security risks by detecting concealed weapons via novel radar technology.

Developed through a NATO-funded project at McMaster University, Patriot One’s disruptive NForce CMR1000 (PATSCAN) technology is the first cost-effective solution available for active shooter prevention, the need for which is evidenced by an increasing number of active shooter events in the United States and worldwide.

A recent study that surveyed data going back as far as 1966 demonstrates that there have been significantly more mass shootings in the U.S. than any other country for decades. Statistics for the 46-year period shows that even though America only holds 5% of the world’s population, it took count of 31% of all public mass shootings. According to the FBI, there were an astounding 160 incidents from 2000 to 2013 that resulted in 486 people killed and 557 wounded. In years 2014 and 2015, there were nearly six times as many incidents compared to 2000 and 2001. The disturbing trend shows that there will be increasingly more incidents if better preventative measures aren’t taken.

Patriot One’s patent-pending solution to this alarming progression enables stand-off detection, even on moving targets, with a “cognitive” ability to learn and identify new threats once deployed. The product is not intended to threaten the constitutional rights of legal gun carriers, and it is also void of privacy and health concerns of traditional detection technologies, which require subject compliance, present false positives, and are often slow, inefficient and costly.

In contrast, Patriot One’s technology is small in size and can be “covertly” placed in a doorway or hallway to prevent planned attacks in public places like schools, concerts, stadiums, banks, airports, offices, hospitals, shopping centers and other facilities for which there are concerns. With this method of deployment, there is no subject compliance requirement. In addition, because an image of the target is not generated, there are also no privacy concerns. Detection is real-time and entirely computer-based, which means there is no need for human operators to alert security. This eliminates the safety concerns of a would-be operator, reduces the expense of a human operator, and enables overall accuracy of 93%.

The technology is designed to identify if someone is carrying a gun, knife, suicide vest, etc., by analyzing metal content and relating it to a database of known weapon signatures. Patriot One believes the widespread use of this detection technology could act as an effective deterrent, thereby diminishing the epidemic phenomena of active shooters across the nation and around the world.

The company is guided by a team of experts in the areas of high-frequency electromagnetics, counter-terrorism, conflict resolution, government/corporate interface, sensor development, proactive security and business development. Senior Management has partnered with, among other affiliates, Ridge Global, which was founded by recently appointed advisory board member Tom Ridge, the first head of the Department of Homeland Security, first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and 43rd governor of Pennsylvania.

Along with its partners, Patriot One is addressing global concerns of active shooting events and other violent terrorist attacks. The key is to short-circuit the event through effective prevention technologies and security protocols.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Patriot1Tech.com

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There is no doubt that in the West, online-to-offline (O2O) commerce is mostly about click-and-collect (C&C). Consumers purchase their stuff online and then pick it up later at a store. However, in China, O2O goes much further, covering a variety of services (like having a barber come to your home) which may not be cost-effective to offer in Western markets. Therefore, with O2O growing by leaps and bounds in the U.S. and Europe, its prospects for growth, as you can imagine, are much, much greater in Zhōngguó, which is the name the Chinese give to their homeland. That is why the future of O2O pioneer Moxian, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOXC) is so bright. The mainland China-based ecommerce company provides an online platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with brick-and-mortar stores to expand their marketing reach by using many cloud-based social and commercial tools currently available.

Click-and-collect commerce is one of the hottest trends in U.S. retailing, and examples of its growing acceptance have appeared in the press. For the Christmas holiday season in 2015, CNBC reported (http://nnw.fm/0tODu), citing an International Council of Shopping Centers’ Holiday Consumer Purchasing Trends Study, that about one-third of consumers selected and purchased their items online, and then picked them up at the store. In a program that kicked off on April 19, 2017, Walmart customers are now being offered discounts on about 10,000 items if they are willing to purchase and pay online and then pick up in a store.

In China, the potential of O2O commerce to become a billion dollar industry is due to three factors. Firstly, like coffee in Brazil, there are an awful lot of shoppers in China. At 1.4 billion, the population of China is more than four times that of the U.S., and some 650 million of these individuals use the internet. Therefore, according to an observation in an Economist Special Report, ‘It is easier in China than elsewhere to achieve scale quickly because the local market is both enormous and fairly homogeneous—and Western rivals are deterred by both the unfamiliarity of Chinese culture and by censorship.’

Second, in China, the O2O mix is more weighted to services than it is to tangible products, according to eMarketer (http://nnw.fm/7vwWj), which gives the Chinese market an added advantage since many of these services have decidedly lower labor costs. You can get a haircut at a salon in China for 25-30 RMB ($3.50-$7.00) and one at home for not much more. A haircut at home in America from an “Uber for Haircuts” outfit will set you back much, much more. One such, with the clever moniker Shortcut, charges $75 for a “premium” cut.

Third, the Chinese O2O market also encompasses a wider range of services, such as dining out and medical services, that most Westerners would not consider online-to-offline, suggesting that, at present, the online aspect of O2O is more important for the Chinese consumer than it is for Americans. Bear in mind that O2O commerce differs from a purchase-and-pay transaction at a brick-and-mortar establishment, where the consumer “window-shopped” the merchant’s website. In O2O, the purchase is paid for or initiated by an order online and consumed or picked up offline.

The recognition that Chinese shoppers are more likely to consider the O2O transition as one integral experience makes the Moxian platform an essential tool for them. A survey cited in the eMarketer report has revealed that a majority of internet users in China have purchased services through O2O, ranging from 50.6% in the 60+ age group to over 75% for those aged 20-39. From teens to grandparents, they are all in on O2O. These consumers can access the platform through the Moxian+ User App, designed expressly for use with mobile devices. For Merchant Clients, there is a separate app called the Moxian+ Business App.

Moxian+ gives SMEs with an established brick-and-mortar presence an online platform to conduct business, interact with existing customers and obtain new customers. Its social media engine not only facilitates discourse between merchant clients and consumers but also allows consumers to connect with each other and act as brand promoters. Merchant clients can publish information on products, offer coupons, advertise events and sales and keep consumers educated with blogs. Likewise, consumers can order products at the online shops for express delivery or for pick up later.

On November 14, 2016, Moxian announced the completion of a public offering of 2,501,250 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $4.00 per share. Its stock now trades on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol MOXC.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Moxian.com

In the modern world, zinc plays second fiddle to iron. About half of the blue-white or blue-gray metal mined is used in coating iron to prevent the latter from rusting, a process known as galvanization. However, it is clear from archaeological discoveries that zinc had a much more important role in earlier times. For example, brass artifacts dated before 1000 BCE have been found in Palestine. Brass is a metal alloy composed of copper and zinc. Given zinc’s venerable past, the Kootenay Zinc Corporation (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) is betting the lustrous mineral will continue to have an important role in the future. A sextet of star prospectors is guiding the British Columbia-based junior exploration and mining company as it continues its quest for the metal with atomic number 30.

Supplies of zinc have been contracting since late 2015, when a number of major mines were closed or were winding down operations. In April 2015, Vedanta Resources announced that it would close its Lisheen Mine in Ireland. The last shipment from the mine in Tipperary County took place in January 2016, according to this report (http://dtn.fm/cX1bz) in the Irish Times. Lisheen was Europe’s second largest zinc mine with a capacity of around 175,000 tons. Then, in October 2015, Australian-Chinese concern MMG Limited (HKG: 1208) announced (http://dtn.fm/Y4Pf3) that, after 16 years, mining at Century, Australia’s largest open-pit zinc mine, had “completed” in August 2015. At one time the world’s third largest zinc mine, Century was still producing around 465,696 tons, or 3.5% of global zinc output, in its last full year. Also in October 2015, the Anglo-Swiss mining giant Glencore said it would cut zinc production across its mines worldwide by 500,000 tons, about one-third of its annual output, according to CNBC (http://dtn.fm/R1ThX).

That wasn’t the end of it. Zinc mines in China were also shuttered. A 2016 report (http://dtn.fm/tmE0J) disclosed that Beijing has ordered the shutdown of a number of zinc mines in Hunan Province, the center of Chinese production, owing to safety and environmental concerns. However, at the same time as these supply constraints multiplied, demand was set to increase, since China’s gargantuan infrastructural One Belt, One Road initiative was gathering pace. Formally announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the global project is expected to increase demand for steel and, consequently, zinc. As a result, analysts at Goldman Sachs wrote in a research note recently that “Zinc Has by Far The Most Bullish Supply Side Dynamic”, according to several reports.

As Kootenay continues its search for zinc at the Sully property, a 1,375 hectare concession located near Kimberley, B.C., it has enlisted the talent of six star prospectors. Making up that illustrious sextet are Peter Meredith, Jonathan Rubenstein, Stuart (Tookie) Angus, Paul Ransom, David Broughton and Brian Jones.

Peter Meredith sits on the advisory board. He is a current director of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. and a former deputy chairman and CFO. The chairman of Mag Silver Corp., Jonathan Rubenstein is also on the advisory board, as is Tookie Angus, the current chairman of zinc producer Nevsun Resources Ltd., which operates one of the highest-grade open-pit copper mines in the world.

The technical team includes Paul Ransom, a geologist and noted Sullivan SEDEX deposit expert. He worked for 33 years at the Sullivan Mine and Cominco (now Teck Resources). Ransom has also authored and/or co-authored 10 papers on the geology of the Sullivan deposit. He is Sully Project Manager. Dr. David Broughton, senior technical advisor, is also on the technical team. He is a recognized expert in sediment-hosted copper deposits and spearheaded the discovery of two major mineral deposits, Kamoa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Platreef in South Africa for Ivanhoe Mines. The technical team also includes Brian Jones (Excel Geophysics), a noted gravity expert involved in high profile, large-scale surveys for mineral exploration and resource estimates, including the Voisey’s Bay Project.

The Sully property is hosted in rocks of similar age and origin as those of the legendary Sullivan deposit. Located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) east of Kimberley and the Sullivan Mine, Kootenay’s star team could strike zinc any day.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.KootenayZinc.com

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Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), operator of a payments-as-a-service transactional and value-added services platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (“SME”) in the U.S. and selected emerging markets, announced recently that its PayOnline subsidiary is now offering a loyalty program to its merchants.

This new program provides clients access to valuable special offers and discounts for business services they are likely using. Companies participating in the loyalty program include Livetex, CoMagic, VertComm, Trilan, ISPserver, UiS and ExpressRMS. According to the press release, active PayOnline merchants in Russia and Kazakhstan have immediate access.

Current offerings include:

• SEO optimization and competitive analysis (Trilan)
• Online consultation (Livetex)
• Digital telephony (UiS)
• Website hosting and domain registration (ISPserver)
• Analysis of the effectiveness of advertising on the Internet (CoMagic)
• Fulfillment and courier services (ExpressRMS)
• Souvenir products for business (VertComm)

“Payment is at the heart of any online company, but by providing access to a select few business service providers PayOnline is aiming to become a gateway for merchants starting or developing their business,” stated Marat Abasaliev, CEO of PayOnline.

Professional e-commerce service providers who wish to join the PayOnline Loyalty Program can visit the following website: http://payonline.ru/en/whoweare/