• Central banks bought 290 metric tons of gold during Q1 2024, while copper prices continue to climb as part of the green energy transition
• Torr Metals has three highly prospective Canadian gold and copper projects including Kolos, a major intrusive complex considered the last remaining to be tested in the southern Quesnel Trough with similarities to the Copper Mountain porphyry deposit; and Filion, an underexplored gold-bearing greenstone belt adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway in northern Ontario 
• TMET insiders are holding tight, controlling about 40% of the company’s outstanding shares as the stock enters a new uptrend

The global market is experiencing a surge in demand for two key commodities: gold and copper. This trend presents a significant opportunity for Torr Metals (TSX.V: TMET), a mineral exploration company focused on developing its highly prospective district-scale gold and copper projects; where significant potential exists for major new discoveries located in highway-accessible, prolific mining jurisdictions of British Columbia and Ontario, Canada.

Gold: A Haven in Times of Uncertainty

Geopolitical tensions and lingering inflation are driving investors towards safe-haven assets like gold.  Prices are near all-time highs, and central banks are increasingly adding gold to their reserves, highlighting its enduring appeal during market volatility.

In 2023, gold demand from central banks equaled 1,037.4 metric tons, narrowly below the record 1,081.9 metric tons set in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. There wasn’t a letdown in the first quarter of 2024, with 290 metric tons bought by central banks.

Copper: Fueling the Green Energy Transition

Copper, widely recognized as a barometer of economic trends, is experiencing a price increase due to strong global economic activity and surging demand from green energy technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy.

Copper is a key component in everything from wind turbines and solar panels to EVs and EV charging stations, making it a vital part of the clean energy infrastructure. With supply struggling to keep pace with this exploding demand, copper prices are expected to climb even higher.

According to research commissioned by the Intentional Copper Association, copper demand is forecast to grow 1.85% annually from 28.3 million tonnes in 2020 to 40.9 million tonnes in 2040.

The simultaneous surge in demand for gold and copper is a fortunate coincidence for miners. While exploring for gold, they often discover copper deposits as well, allowing them to capitalize on the booming market for both metals.

A Strategic Investment

Torr Metals sits at the heart of this booming market. The company is focused on defining and developing the substantial exploration potential of the 140-square-kilometer Kolos Copper-Gold Project, located within the prolific Quesnel Terrane in Central British Columbia. Year-round access is provided by Highway 5, with the project being favorably located 23 kilometers north of the city of Merritt and 286 kilometers by highway from Vancouver. This region is particularly exciting as it is regarded as the last major remaining untested intrusive complex with a comparable geological setting to the Copper Mountain Cu-Au porphyry deposit, located 106 kilometers to the south.

Copper Mountain is legendary for its copper mining that has been going on for 75 years. Last year, Hudbay Minerals (TSX: HBM) (NYSE: HBM) paid $439 million to buy Copper Mountain Mining Corp. to boost its copper portfolio.

Historical samples from Kolos have yielded values of up to 4.24 g/t Au, 0.52% Cu, and 11.3 g/t Ag within a 7-kilometer trend of multiple untested >200 ppm Cu soil anomalies. Results are eagerly anticipated from rock samples after a ZTEM survey confirmed five significant coincident geophysical anomalies typically associated with robust hydrothermal alteration and mineralization, suggestive of deep-rooted porphyry centers, extending up to 1.5 kilometers depth.

Also in BC, Torr has its 689-square-kilometer Latham Cu-Au Project in the vaunted Golden Triangle region. Here, select 2022 rock grab samples yielded up to 14.15 g/t Au, 4.31% Cu, and 63.1 g/t silver (“Ag”) from outcrop on untested exploration targets in addition to the Gnat Pass Cu-Au porphyry deposit that remains open to expansion beyond 200 meters depth.

That is not to discount Torr’s Filion gold project in Ontario where management has already identified at least six untested exploration targets as high priority, with road-accessibility 4 kilometers north of the Trans-Canada Highway 11. Historical rock grab sampling recorded up to 9.1 g/t gold (“Au”) with channel sampling reaching 91.4 g/t Au over 0.3m, showcasing high-grade potential within a larger multi-kilometer footprint of anomalous gold in soil (up to 1.32 g/t Au) defined by the company in early 2024.

Skin in the Game

Against this backdrop, it should not come as a huge surprise that insiders are holding tight to shares of TMET. Management and associates own about 40 percent of the 35.9 million outstanding shares. They’re being rewarded as evidenced by shares of TMET going into an uptrend recently, rising from an April low of CDN$0.045 to as high as CDN$0.19 on May 15.

The bottom line here is that in the face of declining production and exhausted historical plays, new district-scale greenfield discoveries – such as those TMET is pursuing – are crucial for rejuvenating the mining industry.

The bullish outlook for gold and copper presents an exciting opportunity for investors seeking exposure to these essential commodities. For Torr Metals, this market trend translates to a strategic advantage.  By successfully developing any or all its projects, Torr Metals intends to become a new significant player in this growing market while contributing to a sustainable energy future.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to TMET are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/TMET

• In an expansion of operations, GEMXX plans to finance the exploration of extensive oil reserves, specifically targeting giant fields with reserves of 500 million barrels and super-giant fields with over 3 billion barrels located primarily in Latin America
• By leveraging a comprehensive network in the oil and gas sector, GEMXX plans to develop strong strategic partnerships and secure funding to propel exploration efforts quickly
• GEMXX has also announced Richard Clowater as the new Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and the appointment of Deane Preston to its Board of Directors, effective May 15, 2024

GEMXX (OTC: GEMZ), an established mine-to-market gem enterprise, has announced that the company is actively broadening its business framework to incorporate private equity funding for oil and gas (“O&G”) exploration ventures. With a large network of global relationships and several strategic alliances recently established, GEMXX is setting the stage to finance the exploration of extensive oil reserves, specifically targeting giant fields with reserves of 500 million barrels and super-giant fields with over 3 billion barrels located primarily in Latin America (https://ibn.fm/gi2e3).

This initiative represents the company’s strategy for onshore O&G exploration opportunities that balance moderate risk and high potential returns. GEMXX is focusing on basins that have been historically neglected and are significantly underexplored yet are believed, based on thorough company research, to contain substantial untapped oil reserves. By leveraging its comprehensive network in the O&G sector, which includes major global industry players, GEMXX plans to develop strong strategic partnerships and secure the necessary funding to propel these exploration efforts forward rapidly.

GEMXX is nearing the completion of negotiations to obtain financing for a bold four-well, wildcat drilling program designed to uncover significant O&G reserves. This move towards private equity funding marks a strategic expansion for the company, aiming to establish GEMXX’s footprint in the global energy landscape and maximize shareholder value through potentially high returns on investment.

According to McKinsey & Company, investments in the energy sector are estimated at $1.5 trillion in 2024. These investments are projected to grow, reaching between $2.0 and $3.2 trillion by 2040 – representing a growth of between 35% and 120%. Accelerators in the energy sector include a renewed focus on affordability, reliability, industrial competitiveness, emission reduction, and the variability across countries and regions on energy system modernization (https://ibn.fm/SbO7b).

GEMXX also recently announced that, with the retirement of Founder Jay Maull, Richard Clowater becomes the new Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chairman of the Board. In addition, the company is pleased to announce the appointment of Deane Preston to its Board of Directors, effective May 15, 2024. Preston, who has an illustrious career characterized by his deep expertise in electrical infrastructure planning, installation, and management, is set to bring invaluable perspective and leadership to the GEMXX team.

Richard Clowater expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, stating, “Mr. Preston’s wealth of experience and proven track record in the energy infrastructure sector align perfectly with our strategic goals. We look forward to leveraging his expertise as we continue to drive innovation and excellence.”

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GEMZ are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/GEMZ

• Clene presented clinical data at the 2024 American Academy of Neurology (“AAN”) Annual Meeting, demonstrating that long-term CNM-Au8® treatment resulted in significant evidence of repair and remyelination across multiple paraclinical endpoints
• Clene entered into a sub-award grant agreement with Columbia University under the previously announced National Institute of Health (“NIH”) Grant
• Clene announced the publication of “Protein Corona Composition of Gold Nanocatalysts” in the ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science journal

Clene (NASDAQ: CLNN), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company dedicated to revolutionizing the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”) and multiple sclerosis (“MS”), along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Clene Nanomedicine, Inc., recently announced its first quarter 2024 financial results and provided an important update on the CNM-Au8 clinical program for MS (https://ibn.fm/hfocz).

In April, Clene presented clinical data at the 2024 AAN Annual Meeting, demonstrating that long-term CNM-Au8 treatment resulted in significant evidence of repair and remyelination across multiple paraclinical endpoints. Those participants initially randomized to CNM-Au8 treatment showed continued significant improvement in vision, as measured by low-contrast letter acuity.

More than half of the participants improved by ten or more letters on a low-contrast Sloan eye chart, with increases of up to 38 letters (vs. original baseline, measured by mixed model repeat measures analysis, or MMRM; p < 0.001). Additionally, participants treated with CNM-Au8 experienced up to 29 points (max score = 110) of significant improvement in cognition and working memory, as measured by the Symbol Digit Modality Test (“SDMT”) (vs. original baseline by MMRM analysis, p < 0.001). The study also demonstrated functional and structural evidence of repair and remyelination. The results of the Visionary-MS long-term extension study, presented at the 2024 AAN Annual Meeting, are available for review.

Corporate updates provided by the company included:

• Sub-Award Grant Agreement with Columbia University: In April, Clene entered into a sub-award grant agreement with Columbia University under the previously announced NIH Grant. The sub-award includes reimbursement of company expenses for the NIH Expanded Access Program for CNM-Au8 in ALS (ACT-EAP) of up to $7.3 million from September 25, 2023, to August 31, 2024.
• NIH Grant Collaboration: In October 2023, Clene announced a four-year, $45.1 million grant from the NIH in collaboration with Columbia University and Synapticure, a neurology specialty health clinic. This grant is intended to support a ACT-EAP for CNM-Au8 treatment of ALS, with funds disbursed to Clene based on invoice submissions for reimbursement on a monthly or quarterly basis.
• Research Publication: In March, Clene announced the publication of “Protein Corona Composition of Gold Nanocatalysts” in the ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science journal. This publication, in the American Chemical Society journal, highlights innovative and impactful research with translational relevance across a broad spectrum of biological sciences. The protein corona is a feature of CNM-Au8’s neuroprotective mechanism of action, enabling the drug’s longevity in circulation without provoking an inflammatory response and aiding in the drug’s transport across the blood brain barrier.

The full publication can be found at https://ibn.fm/p5pPn.

Rob Etherington, President and CEO of Clene, underscored that the company is working diligently to advance FDA discussions in ALS while continuing to generate more data supporting the neurological benefits and mechanism of action of CNM-Au8. “We look forward to a productive and collaborative FDA meeting by mid-2024 and laying the groundwork towards filing of a New Drug Application in the second half of the year,” Etherington said. “Additionally, we are very pleased to see the recent data from our long-term extension of the VISIONARY-MS study. These data represent significant evidence of repair and remyelination across multiple paraclinical endpoints and provide us with greater support for the continued clinical evaluation of CNM-Au8 for this important indication.”

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CLNN are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CLNN

• ECGI Holdings is a diversified holding company with a distinctive portfolio comprising viticulture and luxury brands
• The company in 2023 made a strategic investment in Pacific Saddlery, a premier manufacturer and retailer of luxury equestrian tack, apparel and accessories
• In 2024, ECGI Holdings’ 40-acre Lake County, California, property was approved by Evolve vacation rental management as Vintner’s Caldera Ranch, a luxurious short-term rental destination
• In 2024, the company introduced Pacific Saddlery’s new mobile retail boutique at specific equestrian events as a highlight of its future outlook

ECGI Holdings (OTC: ECGI) is a diversified holding company with a distinctive portfolio encompassing viticulture and luxury fashion. The company owns and manages a five-acre vineyard in Lake County, California, specializing in cultivating the Petite Sirah varietal, known for its bold and rich character, aligning with the growing demand for unique and high-quality wine experiences.

In the fashion sector, ECGI has strategically invested in Pacific Saddlery, a premier manufacturer and retailer of luxury equestrian tack, apparel and accessories. This unique blend of wine and fashion investments reflects ECGI Holdings’ commitment to delivering sophistication and innovation across diverse markets, positioning the company as a distinctive player in the intersection of technology, viticulture and luxury lifestyle.

Moving forward, ECGI Holdings is focused on identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities that align with the company’s business objectives and continuing to improve its financial structure. In 2024, ECGI Holdings was approved by Evolve — a distinguished name in vacation rental management. This partnership will transform the company’s 40-acre Lake County property into a luxurious short-term rental destination aptly named Vintner’s Caldera Ranch.

ECGI Holdings is excited about the possibilities that Vintner’s Caldera Ranch creates for shareholders and looks forward to further developments poised to unlock the value of other underutilized assets. The company believes that it is laying a solid foundation for sustained success and profitability in the years to come.

ECGI Holdings is headquartered in Irvine, California.

Operational Philosophy

ECGI Holdings has embarked on an ambitious new vision and strategic direction to build and nurture luxury brands that resonate with its core values and market aspirations. Its joint venture with Pacific Saddlery epitomizes ECGI Holdings’ strategic shift toward luxury branding, leveraging Pacific Saddlery’s tangible and established market presence in equestrian products.

This transition will also allow ECGI Holdings to explore new pathways to monetize its underutilized assets, including the company’s vineyard. A key highlight of the company’s future outlook is the debut of Pacific Saddlery’s new mobile retail boutique at specific equestrian events in 2024. This innovative venture represents a significant step in ECGI Holdings’ strategy to enhance brand visibility and engage directly with the company’s target market.

In addition, the Vintner’s Caldera Ranch development marks a significant step in advancing the company’s strategy to revitalize and leverage underutilized assets. Vintner’s Caldera Ranch is set against the backdrop of Lake County’s breathtaking scenery, offering an exclusive getaway experience that blends natural beauty with luxury. Choosing Evolve is a strategic move to ensure that Vintner’s Caldera Ranch not only meets but exceeds the high standards of service that luxury guests expect.

Evolve’s expertise in maximizing rental potential and delivering exceptional guest experiences is crucial to the company’s vision of making Vintner’s Caldera Ranch a preferred choice for discerning travelers. With this venture, ECGI Holdings is not only expanding its footprint within the luxury rental marketplace, but also contributing to the local economy and enhancing the appeal of Lake County as a tourist destination.

The company’s focus remains steadfast on strategic growth, operational excellence and customer satisfaction.

Market Outlook

A report from Grand View Research, a global market research and consulting company, estimated the value of the worldwide luxury brands market at $366.23 billion in 2023 and projects the market to grow to a value of $580.43 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period.

Rising disposable income and wealth in various regions of the world, particularly in emerging markets such as China and India, have propelled the growth of the market, according to the report.

Younger consumers, such as millennials and Generation Z, are increasingly entering the luxury market, driving demand for more contemporary and experiential luxury offerings. The rise of social media and influencer marketing has greatly impacted the visibility and desirability of luxury products, the report states.

Management Team

Jamie Steigerwald is CEO of ECGI Holdings, Inc. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience. Most recently, he was COO of Sugarmade Inc. (OTC: SGMD), a California cannabis real estate, cultivation, manufacturing and services company. He is the owner of SwiftLead, an Orange County web marketing, design and development company. He previously was COO for First USA Home Loans, a retail mortgage lender, and co-founder and President of SwiftLead Software, a mortgage lead tracking system.

Nick Collins is CEO at Pacific Saddlery. He brings over 25 years of expertise in equestrian luxury goods. He previously founded Rolling Meadows and created the Allon Equestrian and Renard et Cheval apparel brands. He was instrumental in creating and launching Kaval.com, an online equestrian apparel and accessories site.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ECGI are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ECGI

DGE invites professionals and executives from pharma, biotech, and medical device companies, to attend the 3rd Transparency & Aggregate Spend Conference being held on June 3-4, 2024. The event is being organized by DGE in Philadelphia. With the growing need of transparency in compliance programs, the 3rd Transparency and Aggregate Spend Summit addresses the complex issues of the state, Open Payments, and global transparency reporting systems.

DGE (Dynamic Global Events), a life science leader in organizing B2B events, strives to meet the dynamic informational and networking needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, medical devices, and allied industries.

Topics of discussion:

• CMS Keynote Address
• Prepare for a CMS Audit
• Improve documentation of decisions and reasoning
• Enhance knowledge of state transparency reporting requirements
• Navigate global compliance reporting arena
• Ensure compliance for speaker program reporting
• Optimize compliance monitoring
• Uncover valuable transparency data analytics

The summit holds a discussion-based meeting format where attendees learn the latest trends for the collection, analysis, and reporting of HCP Spend data compliantly. Experts will also discuss ways of adapting to data capture, preparing audits, risk monitoring, and catering to the growing internal demand for analytics.

The event will feature the very popular interactive breakout groups dedicated to medical devices, global reporting, and collecting HCP identifying information for better acceptance submissions. (This meeting shares the same venue as AI for Life Sciences Compliance summit.)

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/g6dhl.

• SUIC Worldwide Holdings is a venture financing and support company committed to providing research and development and venture financing for private and public enterprises
• SUIC’s i.Hart Group is implementing long-term strategies aimed at helping it tap into the growth opportunities within the Asian and US continent
• Asia and US accounts for majority of the global food market, a market expected to continue growing, driven by population and an increase in expenditure
• i.Hart Group aims to integrate additional successful brands into its portfolio in Asia and US, complementing Monga Fried Chicken, one of its leading brands
• SUIC and i.Hart Group have signed additional franchise authorizations in China and Japan, opening a new store in the Hong Kong-Macau area, signing a co-branding agreement with 7-Eleven Group Taiwan, and rolling out a franchise development plan in China

Asia and US accounts for majority of the global food market – which covers all edible products, including prepared food and meals – with Statista putting the size of the continent’s food market at $4.46 trillion in 2024 (https://ibn.fm/4yCb1) against the global market size of $9.13 trillion (https://ibn.fm/Wkgwt). With the region’s population expected to grow by about 250 million people by 2030 and expenditure similarly anticipated to more than double to $8 trillion within that time, according to the International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) (https://ibn.fm/9AYn6), Asia and US are seen as a massive opportunity for companies like i.Hart Group.

A part of SUIC Worldwide Holdings (OTC: SUIC), i.Hart Group is implementing long-term strategies to help it tap into the growth opportunities within the Asian and US continent. i.Hart Group currently operates 150 global franchised locations, a majority of which are in Asia, under a variety of brands and products, including Monga(C) Taiwan-style Fried Chicken, cloud kitchen management, dumplings, flower tea drinks, and more.

Still, i.Hart is keen on integrating additional successful brands into its portfolio in Asia, including Thai Food, Hainan Chicken, and Asia-style BBQ skewer. In all, i.Hart aims to grow its family of brands to 25 different brands (https://ibn.fm/Chd3H). In addition to expanding its portfolio, i.Hart is keen on adding the number of franchised locations and has worked with SUIC to ink agreements that push this agenda forward.

In February, for example, SUIC and i.Hart signed a co-branding agreement with 7-Eleven Group Taiwan (operated by President Chain Store Corporation) to grow the Monga Fried Chicken brand. The co-branding agreement granted 7-Eleven Group Taiwan the exclusive rights to use Monga Fried Chicken’s trademarks and logos as well as its manufacturing, distribution, sales, and marketing assets within Taiwan. The agreement effectively joined the two iconic brands, opening Monga Fried Chicken up to the more than 6,800 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan as well as to 7-Eleven’s international network of stores (https://ibn.fm/TYi6b).

“The co-branding partnership with 7-Eleven represents an unprecedented prospect to promote our long-term growth. Leveraging SUIC’s fast-growing competitive affiliations, we are committed to offering additional value to customers in different parts of the world. Looking forward, SUIC will continue to introduce more co-branding partners in the U.S. with other prestigious brands to expand our business. We seek to realize improved corporate and shareholder value,” said SUIC CEO Hank Wang in the press release announcing the agreement.

That same month, SUIC and i.Hart celebrated the grand opening of the fourth Monga Taiwan Style Fried Chicken store in the Hong Kong-Macau area. i.Hart Group also rolled out a franchise development plan in China that saw it initially team up with partners in the Chinese province of Fujian to open Monga Fried Chicken stores in six major cities (https://ibn.fm/LGP2Q).

In April, i.Hart Group extended its commitment to increasing the number of Monga Fried Chicken stores in Asia by signing franchise authorizations with partners in the Chinese province of Shandong and Japan. As a result of these authorizations, i.Hart Group now has a presence in 11 countries and operates 95 Monga Fried Chicken stores, although the latter figure is set to grow as the new partners open additional stores.

For example, the franchisee in Shandong, China’s second-largest province, has committed to opening 10 Monga Fried Chicken stores in the first year and 300 stores within the subsequent five years. In addition, during a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode, Mr. Hank noted that the company is looking to open the first Monga Fried Chicken store in Tokyo, Japan, in July of this year (https://ibn.fm/Kii5i). The company is now organizing operating and franchising the team in the U.S.

SUIC Worldwide Holdings is a venture financing and support company committed to providing research and development and venture financing for private and public enterprises that develop products and services adopting the Internet of Things (“IoT”), cloud computing, mobile payments, big data, blockchain and artificial intelligence (“AI”), and other new and exciting technologies to enhance and streamline existing processes and establish new and exciting business models. SUIC is the major operating partner and primary shareholder of Beneway Holdings Group Ltd., which itself owns i.Hart Group and Boom Fintech Inc.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SUIC are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SUIC

• Recent bans on Russian-origin metals raise concerns of tightening supply and price increases through 2025
• Copper is used in solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, crucial for the renewable energy industry due to its conductivity and durability
• Copper prices are expected to hit $12,000 this year according to recent Goldman Sachs report
• TMET is advancing three copper and gold exploration projects: Kolos Copper-Gold Project, Filion Gold Project, and Latham Copper-Gold Project; that were strategically acquired due to geological settings akin to regional mines in British Columbia and Ontario, suggesting multiple potentials for major new discoveries adjacent to established infrastructure
• Work in 2023 identified 5 large-scale copper and gold soil targets on the Kolos Project, all of which are road-accessible and undrilled with coincident geophysical anomalies extending up to 1500 meters into the subsurface. Six undrilled gold soil targets were also identified in 2023 on the Filion Project, one of which extends 1200 meters in length and is coincident with a historical rock chip sample of 91.4 g/t gold over 0.3 meters. While also containing 5 undrilled copper and gold soil targets the Latham Project also has the Gnat Pass porphyry deposit which remains open to expansion beyond 200 meters depth

Russian-origin metals such as copper were recently banned by commodity exchanges in the United States and the United Kingdom, raising concerns that tightened supplies will lead to rising metal prices through 2025 (https://ibn.fm/VIyP2). Torr Metals (TSX.V: TMET), a Canada-based company focused on advancing mineral properties with early-stage discovery potential, aims to capitalize on current market conditions through its portfolio of copper and gold projects in prolific mining districts of British Columbia and Ontario.

Copper holds significant value for the renewable energy industry due to its exceptional conductivity, durability, and corrosion resistance. The metal is used extensively in wiring, electrical connections, and components for power transmission and distribution in solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. In the manufacturing sector, copper is utilized for a wide range of applications, including metal fabrication, machinery production, and equipment manufacturing. Moreover, its excellent conductivity makes it ideal for electrical wiring, circuitry, and electronic components in appliances, machinery, and industrial equipment.

According to a recent report, the price of copper is expected to hit $12,000 this year (https://ibn.fm/660uW). Analysts cite ongoing geopolitical conflicts and a potential stock market downturn driving demand for commodity investment by institutional funds and central banks from emerging economies. Coupled with intensified demand by global supply chains, the price of copper is expected to remain high throughout 2025 and beyond.

TMET is strategically advancing three promising exploration projects within its portfolio, each poised to unlock substantial value. Stretching over 140 square kilometers within the highly productive southern Quesnel Trough of British Columbia, the company recently identified multiple geophysical anomalies coincident with surface copper and gold mineralization on the Kolos Copper-Gold Project that suggests strong potential for substantial underlying intrusion-sourced hydrothermal alteration and mineralization extending up to 1500 meters depth and 1400 meters width. Historical samples have revealed noteworthy overlapping high-grade values in outcrop, including assays up to 4.24 g/t Au, 0.52% Cu, and 11.3 g/t Ag. Further anticipated insights into the project’s exploration potential are expected from pending rock assay results in conjunction with additional geophysical interpretation.

The Latham Copper-Gold Project, sprawling across 689 square kilometers in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle, comprises five never-drilled copper-gold anomalies, including the Gnat Pass copper-gold porphyry deposit which has yielded significant intercepts from historical drilling including 0.72% Cu over 89 meters and 0.44% Cu over 198 meters. High-grade rock grab samples extracted in 2022 demonstrated promising results, with values reaching up to 14.15 g/t Au, 4.31% Cu, and 63.1 g/t Ag.

Located across 261 square kilometers in Ontario, the Filion Gold Project promises significant exploration potential with six unexplored gold targets along the highly prospective Filion Fault, recognized as a prominent gold-bearing structure. Historical sampling revealed high-grade samples yielding up to 9.1 g/t Au in rock grabs and channel sampling demonstrating an impressive 91.4 g/t Au over 0.3 meters. Recent soil sampling endeavors have further enforced TMET’s optimism, with assay results showcasing up to 1.32 g/t Au within a notable anomaly, measuring 1200 meters in length and 500 meters in width covering multiple paralleling structures.

TMET is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on identifying and advancing mineral properties in strategic locations across British Columbia and Ontario. With a diverse portfolio spanning over 1,000 square kilometers and drill permits pending on the Kolos and Filion Projects, TMET is well-positioned to capitalize on the surging demand for metals amid rising trade restrictions and a tightening market supply.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to TMET are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/TMET

• CNN report notes that “after thousands of years of use, copper continues to play a key role in the global economy and human development”
• Copper mining stocks are not only one of the easiest ways for investors to gain exposure to the copper market, but they also tend to leverage rising metals prices
• With its 20% interest carried to production in the Storm Copper Project, Aston Bay and its investors may be looking at money in the bank with the project

With the copper market heating up, increasing numbers of investors are looking for opportunities in copper. CNN has even jumped on the bandwagon with a recent article focused on investing in the red metal (https://ibn.fm/3112z). One junior mining company that offers an exciting and unique copper investment opportunity is Aston Bay Holdings (TSX.V: BAY) (OTCQB: ATBHF). In addition to two high-grade projects (gold and copper) that the company is developing in the state of Virginia, Aston Bay also holds a 20% interest in the Canada-based Storm Copper Project.

“After thousands of years of use, copper continues to play a key role in the global economy and human development,” stated CNN in the recent coverage. “That will become even more true as the energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy gains steam.”

CNN also quoted Jason Crawshaw, portfolio manager with investment firm Polaris Capital Management, who noted that “copper really is the commodity for the future and particularly for the future of electrification.”

Copper mining stocks are not only one of the easiest ways for investors to gain exposure to the copper market, but they also tend to leverage rising metals prices. In addition, they offer extraordinary value opportunities at current price levels.

Located in Nunavut, Canada, Aston Bay’s Storm Project hosts high-grade, near-surface copper mineralization that is currently being advanced toward production. Project operator American West Metals Ltd. has already done sufficient work on the Storm Copper Project to earn its 80% interest.

American West is now working toward a maiden resource estimate, anticipated for release in May 2024. On April 22, 2024, Aston Bay announced the next phase of project development by American West (https://ibn.fm/9OZ5V).

For investors new to Aston Bay Holdings and the Storm Copper Project, American West has previously released some mouth-watering high-grade copper intercepts:

• 110 meters @ 2.45% copper (Cu) from surface
• 56.3 meters @3.07% Cu (from a depth of 12.2 meters)
• 41 meters @ 4.18% Cu (from 38 meters depth)
• 48 meters @ 2.92% Cu (from 8 meters depth)

In its announcement, Aston Bay also laid out for investors the next steps in project development. Those steps include a new reverse-circulation (“RC”) drilling program that will test high-priority exploration targets as well as defining a copper resource from the 2023 high-grade copper discovery in the Thunder Zone. In addition, electromagnetic targets adjacent to the Cyclone Deposit will be drilled, seeking to expand overall copper mineralization.

Several drill rigs will also be mobilized for this new drilling program. As additional rigs are added, there will be further expansion and infill drilling at both the Cyclone and Chinook Zones, testing mineralization at depth in the Storm Zone, and new drilling of large-scale copper targets from the Tornado, Blizzard and Tempest Prospects.

Along with this flurry of drilling activity, American West will be conducting a Moving Loop Electromagnetic (“MLEM”) geophysical survey. This is designed to increase definition of known zones of copper mineralization along with identifying more high-priority drilling targets.

“This is the first of two significant drill programs our partner, American West, will be conducting this spring and summer, expanding on the known zones of mineralization and drilling for new discoveries,” said Thomas Ullrich, CEO of Aston Bay Holdings, framing the news for Aston Bay investors. “The drill bit has proven the effectiveness of Moving Loop Electromagnetics, so we are pleased to see this geophysical program underway again as well. By tweaking the parameters and increasing the power used in the survey, we believe we will investigate deeper with more confidence.”

With its 20% interest carried to production in the Storm Copper Project, Aston Bay and its investors may be looking at money in the bank with the project.

Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade copper and gold deposits in Virginia and Nunavut, Canada. The company is led by CEO Thomas Ullrich with exploration in Virginia directed by the company’s advisor, Don Taylor, the 2018 Thayer Lindsley Award winner for his discovery of the Taylor Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit in Arizona. The company is currently exploring the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia and is in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade copper potential in the area.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://AstonBayHoldings.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ATBHF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ATBHF

Mid-cap mining company, McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) recently reported its first quarter results for 2024. (https://ibn.fm/ZDZ5U). It wasn’t a stellar quarter for the company’s gold/silver/copper operations.

However, in pricing in this news it appears that the market and institutional investors, in particular, took their eye off the ball here – and lost track of the Big Picture.

The Big Picture right now for McEwen Mining is McEwen Copper.

McEwen Copper is a private company, with ownership roughly split between McEwen Mining (47.7%), institutional investors (33.9%), and other major investors including Rob McEwen himself (12.9%). For those not already aware, it’s also worth noting that McEwen Mining has previously telegraphed its plans for an IPO for McEwen Copper.

Some number-crunching is necessary here.

Based on its last financing, McEwen Copper has an implied valuation of $800 million. That means that MUX’s own stake has an implied value of $381.6 million. McEwen Mining views McEwen Copper as a potential “copper unicorn” when it commences public trading – for obvious reasons.

Premier investors like Stanley Druckenmiller see a bull market for copper for at least the next six years (https://ibn.fm/4j6vv). Goldman Sachs is predicting “peak mine supply” in 2025 (https://ibn.fm/EBqxj) and warns that Western copper warehouses could effectively run out of inventory by Q4 of this year (https://ibn.fm/hFcZW).

McEwen Copper’s prized asset is the Los Azules Copper Project (https://ibn.fm/cegnt). In a world suddenly starved for copper, this is the world’s 8th largest undeveloped copper project, with very robust economics.

McEwen Copper not only looks like a probable unicorn, but an attractive take-out target with estimated production of 321 pounds of copper per year (based on the June 2023 PEA) and total resources of 37.6 billion pounds of copper.

This means that once McEwen Copper goes public, McEwen Mining’s stake could quickly rise to a value of $500 million or more.

Yet, following MUX’s Q1 results, the McEwen Mining’s total market cap slid as low as ~$500 million. Depending on how McEwen Mining is valued, McEwen Copper represents somewhere from one-half (50%) to two-thirds (67%) of MUX’s market cap.

Translation: MUX shares could easily be viewed as a very cost-effective means of acquiring a position in McEwen Copper. And that’s without factoring in McEwen Mining’s 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty (“NSR”) on Los Azules.

In speaking with IBN recently, Chairman Rob McEwen did a back-of-the-envelope calculation on the potential value of the NSR: $460 million.

MUX’s share price is already bouncing back, and institutional investors may be missing one of their last pre-IPO buying opportunities for McEwen Copper.

McEwen Mining is a publicly traded gold/silver/copper mining and exploration company. It operates the Gold Bar Mine in Nevada and the Fox Mine Complex in Timmins, Ontario; plus holds a 49% interest in the San Jose Mine in Argentina. Chairman and Chief Owner, Rob McEwen, is globally renowned as the founder of Goldcorp, building it into an $8+ billion company (https://ibn.fm/kwkoY). And, again, MUX’s 47.7%-owned Los Azules Project is the world’s 8^th largest undeveloped copper project.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MUX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/MUX

• United Nations researchers report billions of people worldwide lack safe drinking water and safely managed sanitation, and that the conditions are worsening each year
• Innovative green tech engineering services company Energy and Water Development is building its technology portfolio to address the water concerns, as well as similarly situated global energy needs
• EAWD has filed patent applications for its green tech and derivative services in the United States and internationally
• The company also entered into a joint MOU with a 200,000 resident municipality of Mexico City, where drought is threatening the metropolis’ water supply, to use its Atmospheric Water Generating (“AWG”) technology to help alleviate the water crisis

A report last year (updated in February of this year) by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”) observed that over a quarter of the world’s population lacks “safe drinking water” and nearly half “lack access to safely managed sanitation,”  with between 2 billion to 3 billion people experiencing “water shortages for at least one month per year” as part of a worsening trend (https://ibn.fm/xMe5s).

Mexico City, one of the world’s most populated cities, with nearly 22 million people, is at risk of running entirely out of water before the rainy season begins in the fall, according to some experts (https://ibn.fm/BYuXA).

Florida-based green tech engineering services company Energy and Water Development (OTCQB: EAWD) has signed a joint memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with a municipality within the Mexico City to provide its patent-pending water generation services as the company builds its mission of using green technology to make access to clean water a universal right.

EAWD announced in March that it filed with Mexico to patent its innovative self-sufficient energy supplied system for generating atmospheric water (“AWG”) plus a novel method to control the system (https://ibn.fm/kCXP9).

In addition to its off-the-grid AWG water generation, EAWD is developing off-the-grid water purification systems, off-the-grid electric vehicle charging stations, and off-the-grid battery energy storage power systems. This is according to the company’s recent amended filing to register as a public operation in preparation for its anticipated listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (https://ibn.fm/o1VKu).

In April, the company filed a patent application in the United States for its technology, building on the international patent application PCT/EP2021/074299 and other filings in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia (https://ibn.fm/OVzQc).

“With water scarcity becoming an increasingly pressing issue globally, our innovative technology offers a ray of hope by providing a reliable source of clean water while reducing reliance on traditional water sources,” CEO Irma Velazquez stated in one of the announcements.

Each year, World Water Day in March provides the United Nations a forum for addressing freshwater accessibility for the planet’s populations and a focus for its efforts to advocate for the sustainable management of resources that deliver fresh water worldwide. This year’s event highlighted the role of water access in establishing peace between nations.

UNESCO’s report predicted urban populations facing water scarcity worldwide will double between 2016 and 2050, adding “the growing incidence of extreme and prolonged droughts is also stressing ecosystems, with dire consequences for both plant and animal species.”

EAWD is an UN-accredited vendor.

“We set out to establish an outsourcing green tech platform to commercialize our state-of-the-art technologies while providing engineering and technical consultation services to design the most sustainable technological solutions that can provide water and energy,” the company’s amended registration filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) states. “We believe that we are poised to become a pivotal player in an industry that is not only rapidly expanding, but also unlocking numerous new markets in response to these urgent environmental issues.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Energy-Water.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to EAWD are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/EAWD