• Demand for lithium continues to climb
• Hard rock still major source of lithium
• Historic assays indicate potential of Irgon Mine

News from down under indicates that Aussie lithium miners are caught between a rock and a hard place. Not only is production of lithium-rich spodumene ores falling, but so also is the quality of those ores. These factors are likely to affect global supply, because, even though lithium headlines are dominated by activity in the South American theater, Australia is still the world’s largest producer of lithium. Most of this Aussie output comes from spodumene, which is why hard rock lithium continues to hold center stage, an encouraging trend for QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) (OTC: QMCQF). For the junior exploration company, this good news has been supplemented by analysis of previously conducted assays on the Irgon Dike at the prolific Cat Lake-Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field of S.E. Manitoba, results of which reveal ‘significant potential to quickly increase tonnage, as the Irgon Dike is open both along strike and to depth’ (http://ibn.fm/f9Dd5).

Hard rock continues as the major source of lithium, mainly due to Australian production. The island continent’s output was 18,700 metric tons in 2017, surpassing the 14,100 metric tons produced by Chile, the number two supplier, from brine. Global supply comes mainly from these two nations, with Argentina, in third place, supplying 5,500 metric tons; China, in fourth place, producing 3,000 metric tons; and Zimbabwe adding 1,000 metric tons (http://ibn.fm/lCnZY). Placed in this context, recently disseminated assay results show that Quantum Minerals has an opportunity to be a player in the hard rock arena, since the report estimates 1.2 million tons of lithium mineralization.

Grades are comparable or better than the Australian ores. For example, while the average grade of spodumene ore fed into the processing plant operated by Galaxy Resources fell to 1.11 percent over the past three months, assays at Irgon Dike have been graded at 1.5 percent lithium oxide (http://ibn.fm/8CMWR). These Irgon Dike tests date from the 1950s, and they were conducted by previous operator Lithium Corporation of Canada (LCOC).

From 1953 to 1954, LCOC drilled 25 holes at the Irgon Dike. The miner subsequently reported a historical resource estimate of 1.2 million tons grading 1.51 percent lithium oxide over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters (non-43-101 compliant). This estimate is documented in a 1956 assessment report by B. B. Bannatyne for the Lithium Corporation of Canada Ltd. (Manitoba Assessment Report No. 94932) and is believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, so that neither LCOC nor the qualified person (QP) have any reason to contest the document’s relevance and reliability. The detailed channel sampling and a subsequent drill program will be required to update this historical resource to current NI 43-101 standards. Historic metallurgical tests reported an 87 percent recovery from which a concentrate averaging 5.9 percent lithium oxide was obtained (http://ibn.fm/dTsBv).

During the 1950s, as tests were conducted, a complete mining plant with the capacity to process 500 tons of ore per day was installed. In addition, a three-compartment shaft was sunk to a depth of 243 feet. At the 200-foot level, lateral development was extended off the shaft for a total of 1,200 feet of drifting, from which six crosscuts transected the dike. Awaiting a more favorable time for lithium oxides, the work was suspended in 1957, the mine buildings were removed and the shaft was sealed in 1963. Now, with lithium demand climbing, it seems that favorable time has arrived.

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

• Acquired a cryptocurrency kiosk company, KryptoKiosk Ltd.
• Working to make cryptocurrency easier to understand and more accessible for everyone
• Creating an internationally recognizable brand with individual investors

AB International Group Corp. (OTCQB: ABQQ), a company based in China that focuses on acquisition and development of intellectual property, acquired, on April 9, 2018, the Australian-based cryptocurrency kiosk company KryptoKiosk Ltd., which focuses on servicing the cryptocurrency market. The acquisition enables ABQQ to operate and implement cryptocurrency ATMs, referred to as kryptokiosk™ booths, that provide users with privacy and security as they buy and sell bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethererum.

Through the installation of these recognizable, gold-colored booths, the company aims to create a physical aspect of cryptocurrency, making it less abstract and easier to access for everyday people. To leverage expansion, individuals are allowed to invest in a fully managed kryptokiosk™ business if they have access to a 24-hour location that meets seven performance indicators. Each kiosk, upon installation, is operated and maintained by an expert team of agents.

The mission of KryptoKiosk Ltd. is to make cryptocurrency easier to understand and more accessible to everyone. The brand wishes to be known for protecting customer privacy, promoting anonymity and providing security, all while educating and retaining customers. For people without access to banking systems, the education and technology that the company provides could help them regain control, autonomy and freedom over their financial future. The company’s website (www.KryptoKiosk.com) provides educational videos for beginners through advanced investors, along with a blog that highlights cryptocurrency news.

ABQQ’s vision is for the gold booths, as well as vans, to become a part of the international modern landscape. This will be done through low saturation in premium locations, easy 24-hour access and security, and the individual investment of distributors who will have a direct interest in expanding territories rapidly. At this time, the company plans to invest in kiosks and sell sub-licenses in the Asia-Pacific region with future worldwide expansion. Sub-licensing fees from apps and smartphone makers, sales of licensed products, and video mix apps are all part of the company’s revenue plan.

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

Bitcoin watchers and traders alike voiced a measure of relief earlier this week after the world’s number one cryptocurrency hit a six-week high over the weekend. While a single bitcoin is still nowhere near its highest value of just under $20,000 before Christmas – it topped $9,000 on Sunday and is now jostling for position around $8,750 – there are some analysts who believe that the recent turnaround in digital currencies bodes well for bitcoin’s future.

“We believe the winter is ending for Bitcoin, as the crypto to fiat pressures from tax day subside, and as headline risks seem to be fading,” Tom Lee, managing partner at Fundstrat Global Advisors and one of the biggest bitcoin bulls with a year-end price target of $25,000, said in a MarketWatch report (http://ibn.fm/yxuOO).

The price of bitcoin has increased by 27 percent since the start of April, leading one cryptocurrency expert to note that historical data supports the notion that this rally will follow not fade.

“Bitcoin has been growing at 165 percent a year for the six years that we have been in business,” Pantera Capital CEO Dan Morehead said on CNBC (http://ibn.fm/zhdId). “Something that is growing that fast hardly ever gets down below its 200-day moving average. When it does, it is a very good time to buy. It did five years ago when we launched our first fund, and it just crossed that earlier in April.”

Bitcoin’s price has shown a remarkable ability to bounce back, said Garrick Hileman, cofounder of cryptocurrency data and research firm Mosaic.io.

“Bitcoin’s price has shown resilience multiples times this year when it has dropped below $7k, even in the wake of negative events such as India’s recent ban on banks engaging in cryptocurrency-related activity, Mt Gox trustee sales, and tax-related selling,” Hileman said in a Forbes article (http://ibn.fm/alghv). “Positive drivers include reports that major financial institutions, such as Barclays, are getting more serious about entering the crypto space.”

Another Bitcoin holder, Tim Draper of Draper Associates, who famously purchased close to 30,000 bitcoin from the Silk Road auction sale in 2014, reaffirmed his optimistic outlook for the cryptocurrency to MarketWatch.

“This is bigger than the internet. It’s bigger than the iron age, the Renaissance. It’s bigger than the industrial revolution,” said Draper, who recently upped his price target on bitcoin to $250,000 by 2022.

Cryptocurrency traders are watching other digital coins as well. Among those outperforming bitcoin early in the week were Ether, up 2.5 percent; Bitcoin Cash, up 16.6 percent; and Litecoin, up 3.1 percent.

• Fundamental research remains the bedrock of value investing
• AI-based algorithms aid financial data analysis
• CapitalCube platform provides data and analysis on over 50,000 securities

Ever since Columbia Business School professors Graham and Dodd published their seminal work, ‘Security Analysis’, in 1934, fundamental research has become central to stock valuation. Over the years, no less an authority than Warren Buffett has perennially extolled the virtues of that venerable text and its philosophy of value investing, while a multitude of investment bankers have followed its precepts. Yet, despite its obvious benefits, fundamental analysis was never easy in a paper spreadsheet world or even after the advent of electronic versions, so its practice has remained the preserve of Wall Street analysts. However, now that data has become more accessible over faster connections and powerful remote servers facilitate cloud computing, the esoteric art of fundamental analysis is being democratized. AnalytixInsight Inc. (TSX.V: ALY) (OTCQB: ATIXF) has developed a financial analytics platform that provides the data and tools to value stocks. By doing so, the artificial intelligence (AI) company is democratizing fundamental research. It plans to spread the gospel by presenting at the Planet MicroCap Showcase on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 (http://ibn.fm/KfQp0).

AnalytixInsight’s financial analytics platform, CapitalCube, is available on its own dedicated website and provides comprehensive analysis that includes portfolio evaluation and screening tools on over 50,000 global equities and North American ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds), as well as on-demand fundamental research. The platform also provides peer-to-peer performance evaluations, accounting and earnings reports and reports on dividend strength, while its AI algorithms generate investment ideas and suggest likely corporate actions such as dividend changes, share buybacks and acquisitions.

Every stock and ETF available on the portal is tracked closely, with an iterative series of analyses that become the basis of several reports. The company covers worldwide stocks and says that some 100 billion calculations are performed nightly using overnight closing prices, with the results made available before the opening bell of the London Exchange is rung. Such scale dwarfs the proprietary databases of many investment banks and financial portals, many of whom focus only on marquee names. While CapitalCube covers large cap stocks, its scope goes beyond those well-known securities by providing information on OTC public companies.

The site offers three subscription options. Free access that provides basic financial information is available on signup. For individual investors, expanded access to quant tools is available for $24.99 a month or $249.00 a year. Its premium package, offering detailed reports on companies, is available for $299.00 a month or $2,999.00 annually.

The CapitalCube portal also publishes 3,000 articles daily and has multi-language capabilities. Content partners include Africa Investor, Euronext NV, The Wall Street Journal, Thomson Reuters and Yahoo Finance.

In February 2018, AnalytixInsight was named a Top 10 Technology Company on the TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange) Venture Exchange 50 (http://ibn.fm/CRRsP). This recognition reflects several of the company’s achievements during 2017, which include the acquisition of Euclides Technologies, the advancement of the joint venture with Intesa Sanpaolo to launch the Marketwall mobile trading app, the posting of record revenues and the attainment of operating profitability targets during the third quarter.

AnalytixInsight will present at the Planet MicroCap Showcase at 1:30 pm PST on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, and will conduct one-on-one meetings on April 26, 2018. The Planet MicroCap Showcase conference is scheduled for April 24-26, 2018 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

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

• As of March 2018, the combined market value of cryptocurrencies rose by 2,640% in less than a year to $450 billion
• Major cryptocurrency exchanges are sparking new forms of B2B and peer-to-peer economic activity with the global cryptocurrency ATM market projected to surpass $285 million by 2025
• Virtual Crypto bridges giants of cryptocurrency sector – exchanges, wallets and payments – with the world of Fiat exchanges, granting access to immediate cash exchange
• Proprietary, algorithmic technology can confirm Bitcoin and its equivalent transactions in real-time, allowing for immediate and user-friendly purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies

Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) is a developer of software and hardware for the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies through ATMs, tablets, PCs and mobile devices. The company’s proprietary algorithmic technology trading platform, called NetoBit Trader, can instantaneously confirm the purchase or sale of Bitcoin, a process that typically can take between 10 minutes to 24 hours. All trades and exchanges are insured up to $3,000 per trade. The global cryptocurrency ATM market is predicted to surpass $285 million by 2025, yet, at present, only 30 percent of these machines allow two-way trades.

With NetoBit Trader, cryptocurrency holders enjoy immediate confirmation of Bitcoin and its crypto equivalents at the best crypto exchange rate at the point of transaction – providing a major breakthrough in the quest to bring cryptocurrencies to the mass market. Virtual Crypto’s cryptocurrency ATM, embedded with currency exchange transaction validation (CETV) in its hardware and software, accepts and dispenses cash and cryptocurrency in seconds.

Virtual Crypto’s NetoBit Trader and mobile retail point-of-sale platform incorporates advanced technologies tailored to the needs of primary market players, users, investors, and business owners. Virtual Crypto’s platform bridges the three main functions of the cryptocurrency sector – exchanges, wallets and payments – to the world of fiat exchanges, granting access to immediate cash exchanges between consumers and businesses worldwide.

NetoBit Trader’s over-the-counter, two-way transaction solution is available through one app, providing online cryptocurrency transactions at ecommerce and gaming portals. The app provides real-time cryptocurrency validation and exchange, easy buying and selling of Bitcoin with cash, enables traders to buy and trade crypto, and gamers to transfer cryptocurrency into cash after play. Crypto users can withdraw funds from their crypto accounts through a NetoBit cryptocurrency ATM or software-enabled tablet, and consumers can purchase retail with crypto from businesses that offer and use the NetoBit software.

The company’s newly redesigned corporate website, www.Virtual-Crypto.com, delivers a simple, clean design with enhanced functionality, features and navigation. Virtual Crypto’s new corporate website includes:

• Downloadable NetoBit Trader app link and contact forms for more information
• MarketWatch provides real-time tracking of the Bitcoin market, with other currencies to follow
• Improved security utilizing https certificates to protect personal information and site integrity
• Media room with downloadable product brochures, corporate presentations and other relevant content
• Investor’s page provides transparency to investors with direct access to Virtual Crypto’s progress through press releases, SEC filings, senior management team bios, and stock performance charts
• Social Media integration with buttons for LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook jump to Virtual Crypto’s social media profiles, providing real-time updates from the online community

“Our primary objective is to make cryptocurrencies accessible to everyone, and that was the motivation for our redesign,” said Alon Dayan, Chief Executive Officer of Virtual Crypto. “The updated content provides real value for our customers, shareholders and employees, showcasing our products and services, in an intuitive, easy to navigate way.”

Virtual Crypto’s strategic vision of “Cryptocurrency Made Easy” allows crypto traders and users to overcome the complex hurdles currently hampering the cryptocurrency sphere.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Virtual-Crypto.com

• Unparalleled proprietary digital technology remasters, dramatically improves audio recordings without compromising original sound
• Recent projects include Grammy Song of the Year, ‘We are Young’ by Fun
• World-class engineering and mastering portfolio includes biggest names in the music business, including Aftermaster co-owner Justin Timberlake
• Aftermaster team’s discography includes more hit records than any other audio technology company in the world
• State-of-the-art recording and mastering facilities located in the heart of Hollywood, California

Aftermaster, Inc. (OTCQB: AFTM), with corporate offices in Scottsdale, Arizona, is an award-winning, leading-edge audio technology company that specializes in the development of proprietary and groundbreaking audio technologies and products. The company’s subsidiary, Aftermaster Audio Labs, is an industry leading mastering and recording company with studios located in the heart of Hollywood, California, in the famous Crossroads of the West complex along Sunset Boulevard.

The Aftermaster Recording and Mastering Studios include the renovated production facilities of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and the iconic recording studios of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Aftermaster’s groundbreaking technology is used by professional mastering engineers to master music for some of the world’s leading musicians and for online music mastering by independent artists who seek to create a richer, fuller sound quality that is not otherwise available in digital audio.

The mission of Aftermaster Audio Labs is to bring texture, shape, form and emotion back to consumer audio by bringing unparalleled clarity, depth, fullness and significant volume increase to audio recordings without distorting or altering the original recording. Aftermaster’s revolutionary audio technology brings sound alive, creating imaging and adding depth to the flat sound field inherent in digital audio. Its versatility and smart processing characteristics make it effective across a broad range of applications stemming from professional recording studios to a standalone speaker unit.

Aftermaster Labs maintains five primary business units: professional music mastering, consumer electronics, online mastering, Aftermaster Recording and Master Studios, and audio consulting services. Aftermaster and its subsidiaries are engaged in the development and commercialization of proprietary (patents issued and pending), leading-edge audio and video technologies for professional and consumer use, including the award-winning Aftermaster® audio technology, Promaster™, Aftermaster Pro™ and MyStudio®.

Aftermaster has increasingly attracted interest from some of the music industry’s leading audio companies. A newly expanded partnership with TuneCore, the leading digital music distribution and publishing administration provider, gives TuneCore members access to Promaster through its instant mastering service, which offers audio mastering of unparalleled quality at the click of a button. With Promaster’s state-of-the-art proprietary algorithms, artists will receive four CD quality mastered versions of their track including ‘Powerful’, ‘Radio Ready’, ‘Bass Enhanced’, and ‘Vocal Enhanced’.  TuneCore artists have access to exclusive pricing on the Promaster pay-as-you-go instant mastering, as well as unlimited monthly and annual subscriptions, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/YwlXY).

“At TuneCore, we are constantly driving the independent music industry forward by continually offering artists best-in-class services and support,” TuneCore CEO Scott Ackerman said in a news release. “Partnering with state-of-the-art technology like Promaster ensures our artists can easily access world-class, studio quality instant mastering that is consistent, professional and affordable.”

Aftermaster also recently entered into a license agreement with headphone manufacturer Muzik, Inc. for the use of Aftermaster’s patented audio remastering and audio enhancement technology (http://ibn.fm/xLepa). Known as the smartphone of headphones, award-winning Muzik has created the world’s most advanced wireless headphone with proprietary voice command and multiple ‘hot keys’ that allow a user to access Spotify and Siri and connect their headphones to over 300 apps.

The company’s first groundbreaking consumer product – the Aftermaster Pro – is designed to solve the widespread problem of the annoying, variable audio levels of virtually all audio-enabled devices. Aftermaster Pro, which is smaller than an iPhone, masters and remasters inconsistent sound in real-time, creating an audio experience that offers new, clear, full-bodied depths of sound. Aftermaster Pro significantly enhances the audio of televisions, smartphones, headphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and any other audio-enabled device. The Home Shopping Network (HSN) featured Aftermaster Pro in mid-March.

“With HSN, we’ve found a retail partner whose enthusiasm and passion for bringing revolutionary technology to the masses matches our own. With an incredible presence on TV and online, HSN is a retail industry powerhouse, and we’re excited to join forces to bring the Aftermaster Pro to consumers worldwide.” Aftermaster CEO Larry Ryckman said in a news release (http://ibn.fm/QhhSG).

Aftermaster won the Envisioneering Innovation and Design Award at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for both its AfterMaster TV device and its BelaSigna 300 processor semiconductor chip created through a partnership with ON Semiconductor (http://ibn.fm/lylUx). The company, which was also named an honoree for its ProMaster audio technology, has continued to expand its product offerings and online software solutions.

Aftermaster Audio Labs is headed by a group of world-class audio engineers and music industry veterans who have been involved with the development and implementation of countless successful proprietary audio technologies and products over the last 25 years, as well as an unrivaled resume of hit music recordings.

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

• Sharing Services’ Blue Ocean strategy set to disrupt the travel industry through elevated entrepreneurship
• Its ‘Elepreneurs’ platform provides a channel for home-based entrepreneurs to grow their businesses
• Company plans a roadshow to spread messages from its highly successful Elepreneur convention in March 2018

Based in Plano, Texas, Sharing Services, Inc. (OTC: SHRV) is a company focused on providing a dynamic channel for entrepreneurs in network marketing and the direct selling industry to succeed and grow their businesses. The company owns, operates or has a controlling interest in a range of companies in the health and wellness, energy, technology, training, media, insurance services and travel industries. These companies specialize in offering services in these industries or selling products directly to consumers via independent representatives. Sharing Services also strives to advance the efforts of home-based entrepreneurs by supporting direct selling, word-of-mouth type programs.

With background experience of several years in the travel industry, the company has developed a Blue Ocean strategy that aims to diversify travel offerings. This initiative was prompted by Sharing Services’ perception of stagnation in the industry, with no new developments or options offered to travelers in many years. Its innovative strategy merges three key elements, namely direct word-of-mouth selling, the promotion of home-based entrepreneurs and providing as many opportunities as possible for families to go on vacation.

The company’s Blue Ocean strategy starts with a company called Elepreneurs that is revolutionizing how travel and social networks are used for direct selling and relationship marketing. On March 7, 2018, Sharing Services announced that it had signed a joint venture agreement with Health Wealth & Happiness Limited, a Hong Kong-based company, to deploy its Elepreneurs brand throughout Asia.

Apart from this initiative in the travel industry, Sharing Services has subsidiaries that offer a range of services, including:

• Insurance for automotive, home and life
• Health insurance and health benefit discounts
• Health and wellness products
• Wholesale travel and payment programs with travel concierges
• Live seminars and training events for entrepreneurs worldwide, including Edutainment and Vacationars™
• Unique compensation and reward programs for entrepreneurial businesses in the health, wellness and happiness space

The company has been actively broadcasting its message through the entrepreneur community. In early March 2018, Sharing Services held a highly successful event, called the Elepreneur Happiness Convention, in Dallas, Texas. It was attended by almost 1,000 people from several countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore. Several internationally recognized keynote speakers provided presentation materials and discussion forums that fostered active attendee engagement.

Robert Oblon, chairman of Sharing Services, was excited by the success of this conference and the level of company growth it generated. “The enthusiasm of our attendees and the early success that we are experiencing is incredible considering our growth has been 100 percent organic, with almost no marketing from the company,” he stated in a news release. “I’m speechless by the dedication of our Elepreneur leaders and their entire teams, as they share our incredible line of products that have helped so many people.” The company is planning a roadshow of several mini conferences to spread the messages presented at its Dallas convention.

Sharing Services recently moved to a 10,000 square foot facility in Plano, Texas, that offers room to accommodate the company’s anticipated growth, both domestically and internationally. The new premises will also house its expanding customer service department, training rooms and video production suite.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SharingServicesInc.com, or contact Investor Relations directly at 714-203-6717.

• Study will measure the cardiovascular and cognitive health effects of patented DehydraTECH, its disruptive delivery technology
• Data generated will help company’s development of next-generation cannabinoid product formulations
• Chris Bunka, CEO, and John Docherty, president, to present at the ‘Next Generation Nicotine Delivery USA 2018’ conference in Atlanta on April 24 and 25

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has started a human clinical study in Europe on the health effects of its high absorption TurboCBD™ capsules. LXRP, a drug delivery platform innovator, will be conducting the study to evaluate the cardiovascular and cognitive health effects of its patented DehydraTECH™ technology, the company announced (http://ibn.fm/CocLR).

The study will measure the impact of the TurboCBD capsules on vascular function and cognitive performance improvement. The same DehydraTECH technology used in this study was utilized in the company’s recent rodent-based nicotine-absorption study. The two studies exhibit the wide applicability of LXRP’s proprietary drug delivery platform, the company said.

Based in British Columbia, Canada, LXRP out-licenses its disruptive delivery technology that promotes healthier ingestion methods, lower dosing and higher effectiveness. LXRP holds a patent for oral delivery of all cannabinoids.

The company will present on April 24 and 25 in Atlanta the results of its recent ingestible nicotine absorption study. At the ‘Next Generation Nicotine Delivery USA 2018’ conference, LXRP’s Chris Bunka, CEO, and John Docherty, president, will speak (http://ibn.fm/Pz5RM).

Recently, LXRP conducted a lab study on animals that evaluated DehydraTECH technology as an alternative nicotine delivery method. Top line results showed that it might have potential as a possible nicotine replacement therapy.

Depending on results of the European human study, a second phase clinical study on the elderly may be conducted in later 2018, LXRP said.

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

• Joint business agreement opens door to predictive sports analysis for cricket fans
• Mobile gaming growing in United Kingdom, Europe after $50 billion year in 2017
• Company building opportunities in mobile industry verticals

Since the early 1900s, when legendary baseball general manager Branch Rickey helped sustain a successful combination of teams through his statistical and analytical approach to players’ performance and potential (http://ibn.fm/YKOSS), team executives as well as fans have turned to the evaluation of individualized numbers as a means of celebrating achievements and predicting new victories. The art (and science, naturally) of predictive analysis in sports has been enhanced by the technological advances of recent decades, which include a move to mobile platforms that make a global array of information available practically anywhere in the world.

Consorteum Holdings, Inc. (OTC: CSRH) has turned the power of its complex mobile platform pursuits to a product designed for fans of cricket, a sport with the world’s second-largest fan base, despite the powerhouse proselyting of the United States’ pro basketball phenomenon (http://ibn.fm/HSujW). Consorteum’s product will offer a huge amount of historical data and continuous updates on cricket teams and players to a potential market of some 2.5 billion fans worldwide (http://ibn.fm/2rRnf). The Cricket DV-PA app will be available this summer for all Android and iOS devices, merging the database technology behind Consorteum subsidiary 359 Mobile, Inc.’s Universal Mobile Interface (UMI) with DevLex Ltd.’s mobile analytics solutions to provide a big data mining product for the sports entertainment industry.

The upcoming launch of the cricket app is just the latest of Consorteum’s joint business agreements to capitalize on its fintech focus. One primary target of the UMI platform has been the mobile gaming industry, an interest that works cooperatively with sports enthusiast activities online. That synergistic development exemplifies Consorteum Holdings’ aim to establish technological solutions for vertically related industries, as well as those that mirror the company’s interests. The company has spent the last several years building relationships and licensing agreements to support its endeavors in the burgeoning fintech marketplace.

“In order to initiate and maintain connections with mobile consumers, we believe it is absolutely critical for our platform to be interoperable between any mobile network and device. This full-service approach redefines how (brands) develop mobile strategies to strengthen their connection to consumers. CSRH recognizes that our cutting edge UMI platform can be utilized in the multiple business verticals,” the company’s website states.

Mobile gaming is growing particularly rapidly in the United Kingdom and Europe, generating an estimated $50 billion in revenue last year, according to gaming and mobile market analyst Newzoo (http://ibn.fm/yefJz). Online gambling transactions could reach into the trillion-dollar range by 2021, according to Juniper Research (http://ibn.fm/ailMr).

Mobile gaming recorded remarkable growth during 2017, granting it nearly half of the total gaming market takeaway (http://ibn.fm/hfEzq). The mobile app store market is predicted to grow another 30 percent to exceed $110 billion by the end of 2018 (http://ibn.fm/DJ26D). For companies like Consorteum Holdings, that creates room to breathe while product developments unfold.

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

• New drilling initiative using predictive technologies now underway
• Company aims to generate cash flow by processing available surface minerals
• Plans to scale up further through acquisition

Algorithms are ruling the world, according to a Guardian feature (http://ibn.fm/lsAyi), helping a variety of organizations sift through massive amounts of data and distill that data into knowledge. On financial trading platforms and dating sites, the algorithm reigns, using data analysis to seize investment opportunities and make matches. These powerful new technologies are transforming society. If they can guide our investments and find us soulmates, both very difficult undertakings, then surely they can discover cobalt in cobalt-rich terrain. That’s the line of thought you’ll find at First Cobalt Corp. (OTCQB: FTSSF) (TSX.V: FCC). In a recent interview, Trent Mell, CEO of the junior miner, talked about the company’s use of predictive analytics in its exploration activities and much more (http://ibn.fm/G2Zjy).

“We’re going to apply some new techniques to an old camp,” he stated. “Taking data from a century of mining… developing 3D models… applying algorithms and predictive technologies. Let’s look at what was mined in the past, what wasn’t mined… And see if we can predict where future mines should be.”

The old camp Mell was referring to is Cobalt Camp, home to rich mineral deposits. Cobalt was first discovered there in the 1880s but its use as a coloring agent was not lucrative enough to arouse commercial interest. As late as 1916, total cobalt output was only 554 tons of which 400 tons were produced as oxides for colorings. Instead, the focus was on silver mining, and, by 1908, the camp had become the world’s largest producer. Cobalt’s role in ancient cultures is as well documented as that of silver. Glazes containing cobalt have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and cobalt colored pottery dating back a millennium has been unearthed in China. The metal was isolated in 1735 by G. Brandt, a Swedish scientist.

First Cobalt’s name reveals its mission: to be the first to discover a meaningful new supply of cobalt. It is a mission which has taken on urgency because of the present supply shortfall of cobalt, a deficit driven by the strong demand for electric vehicles (EVs). The company has already crossed one milestone, which was to be the world’s largest pure play cobalt explorer. It intends to use that scale to go out and find meaningful deposits to satisfy the shortage that it anticipates will continue for the next several years.

First Cobalt now controls about half of the Canadian Cobalt Camp, an area that contains some 50 past producing mines. It plans to commence drilling and testing on 15 of those, hoping to develop a clearer picture of potential by year-end. A 26,500 meter, $7 million drill program announced earlier this year is designed to test near-surface mineralization of 15 past-producing mines that have never been assessed for their cobalt content. Recent results in the Cobalt North area of the Cobalt Camp indicate a potential zone of cobalt mineralization that can be tracked across more than 100 meters. This initiative is the first part of First Cobalt’s winning strategic trifecta.

First Cobalt will also engage in mineral processing. It expects to utilize its mill and refining facilities on surface material on the site. Studies are now underway on muck pile and waste rock material found throughout the Cobalt Camp. The muck pile sampling program was launched in 2017, while waste rock material and mill residue piles near the company’s mill are being studied in a separate program. The company is assessing whether the mill facility could be relocated and reactivated at the permitted First Cobalt Refinery Complex to generate early cash flow from the production of a saleable concentrate. Further processing of the concentrate into refined battery materials may also be possible.

“The last part of the plan is going to be opportunistic,” Mell continued. “We are going to look for growth opportunities. Are there assets in North America that we can roll into our company… to grow the platform and get ourselves to production faster?”

If First Cobalt’s history is anything to go by, the answer to that question is undoubtedly in the affirmative. The company recently announced a friendly merger with US Cobalt, Inc. (TSX-V: USCO, OTCQB: USCFF) (http://ibn.fm/CylzL). US Cobalt’s primary asset is the Iron Creek cobalt project in Idaho, which has a historic mineral resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt and 0.3 percent copper. A 10,700-meter drill program was recently completed at Iron Creek to confirm this historic estimate, and a current mineral resource estimate is expected during 2018. US Cobalt’s security holders will vote on the proposed transaction on May 17, 2018.

For more information, please visit http://ibn.fm/FTSSF