Josef Schachter, president and author at the Schachter Energy Report, shares his thoughts on oil and natural gas prices, supply and demand in 2026.
‘I think before the cycle is over, the 2007 high of US$147 (per barrel) will be breached, because the industry cannot respond quickly by bringing on new oil,’ he said.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
A securities lawsuit involving DeFi Technologies (NASDAQ:DEFT) highlights growing regulatory scrutiny on corporate crypto treasury strategies, signaling risks for investors eyeing similar plays.
While many crypto firms have faced class actions, the difference with the DeFi Technologies case is apparent: it targets operational delays and disclosure risks within a corporate treasury.
Most previous crypto lawsuits have concentrated on more common issues, such as promoter liability, token sales or exchange collapses, which primarily hit platforms and promoters.
Specifically, the DeFi Technologies lawsuit alleges that the company hid delays in its core DeFi arbitrage trading, its main revenue driver, while downplaying competition from rival digital asset treasury firms (DATs).
The class action, which seeks to represent those who purchased or acquired DeFi Technologies shares between May 12 and November 14 of this year, comes after two recent share price drops for the company.
Amid emerging risks in the DeFi space, the governance expert emphasized the need for clear business strategies and disclosures to shareholders, and highlighted the role of independent third-party advisors to protect boards.
Plaintiffs claim that DeFi Technologies misled investors from May to November 2025 by issuing revenue guidance of US$218.6 million, despite arbitrage execution snags and rivals eroding its edge.
The company’s share price fell more than 7 percent on November 6 after it issued an update, then crashed over 27 percent between November 14 and 17. The second decline was triggered by the release of its Q3 results — the firm reported a 20 percent revenue miss, cut its 2025 guidance to US$116.6 million and shifted its CEO to an advisory role.
Unlike typical crypto suits over token sales or exchange collapses, this one targets a corporate treasury’s operational delays in DeFi yield strategies, exposing how arbitrage hiccups and DAT rivals demand precise disclosures.
“I think it’s an indicator that we’re going to see more questions and concerns surrounding the regulatory environment and disclosures, because we kind of hit into uncharted … territory very rapidly,” said Bishara.
The lawsuit arrives amid new fair-value accounting rules, testing board liability for strategy risks before 2026 filings.
An emerging concern for regulators and investors is the distinction between companies with genuine transactional components and those using public markets to create artificial liquidity.
Bishara noted that smaller companies divesting from core businesses to pivot toward crypto could become targets for regulatory scrutiny due to a perceived change in control.
From his perspective, firms primarily pursuing a treasury strategy could come under fire for potentially prioritizing short-term stock value and liquidation over the best interests of shareholders.
In these smaller transactions, Bishara suggested that the shift can be viewed as a way to convert illiquid digital assets into US dollars by selling stock in the open market.
“You’re converting something that I can’t really sell, and I can’t really buy a piece of pizza with … and turning it into something that I can buy a piece of pizza with,” the expert explained. “It’s almost like laundering crypto into currency,” he added, clarifying that this is not a one-size-fits-all accusation.
Consequently, he believes investors should look for companies whose underlying business models have operational potential, rather than those focused purely on digital asset transactions.
The rapid evolution of DeFi has fundamentally outpaced the regulatory frameworks designed to govern it.
For investors, the DeFi Technologies case underscores the danger of imprecise disclosures around crypto assets, particularly when firms pivot their strategies without clear communication to shareholders.
Bishara observed that as stock volatility triggers these types of lawsuits, corporate boards are being forced to rethink the practical applications of their fiduciary responsibility.
To fulfill their duty to shareholders, the expert argued that boards must engage in active, expert-led evaluation. Engaging independent third-party advisors, such as attorneys or investment bankers, to evaluate crypto treasury deals will insulate and help companies protect themselves in this uncharted territory.
From his perspective, this process effectively transfers some of the risk from board members to advisors.
Bishara further emphasized the importance of documenting the specific evaluation of a transaction in board minutes, noting that if a director disagrees with a crypto strategy, they should “disagree with it in the minutes” in order to ensure that their individual interests are protected.
The need for rigorous board oversight is being driven home by the insurance market. Bishara observed that even if a company’s actual risk profile has not changed, the cost of mitigating risk through Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance is skyrocketing as the number of carriers willing to underwrite these risks has shrunk significantly.
“I am quite certain that we are going to see policy language that specifically discusses or removes some of these potential pieces of liability, specifically in companies that are not insuring for these types of transactions,” Bishara predicted, adding that standard insurance companies will likely add no-crypto clauses to their policies.
“I would definitely expect that more, not from the crypto underwriters, but more from the non-crypto underwriters, to really make sure that they’re not winding up on a risk accidentally,’ he also noted.
For investors, Bishara suggested that a company’s inability to secure affordable D&O insurance should be viewed as a significant red flag regarding the health of its balance sheet.
Bishara’s front-row seat to operational crypto-utility and high-frequency transactional modeling has helped shape his view of where the market is headed in 2026 and beyond. While the DAT model dominated the 2024/2025 cycle, he believes the space is rapidly evolving into a new phase of business.
“I think it’s a great space for really exploring how the world is going to evolve and change,” he said.
For investors, the key to long-term value may lie in distinguishing between a company that is simply HODLing, and a firm that is building a transactional component.
Bishara pointed to emerging business models where firms are moving beyond treasury strategies to become operational, transactional companies that use crypto to power everyday transactions.
As the 2026 regulatory and insurance landscape tightens, focus will likely shift away from those chasing short-term stock premiums and toward those using DeFi to build sustainable, potentially undervalued business models.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned four companies operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and identified four oil tankers as blocked property, saying the move targets oil traders involved in alleged sanctions-evasion that helps finance Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Treasury said the vessels, some described as part of a ‘shadow fleet’ serving Venezuela, ‘continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s illegitimate narco-terrorist regime’ in Tuesday’s press release.
‘President Trump has been clear: We will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs,’ Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. ‘The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump’s campaign of pressure on Maduro’s regime,’ he added.
Treasury said the sanctions block property and interests in property of the designated entities within U.S. jurisdiction and generally prohibits Americans from transactions involving them.
The action follows U.S. measures against Venezuela’s state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA).
OFAC designated PDVSA in January 2019 under Executive Order 13850, and President Trump later took additional steps to block PDVSA in August 2019 under Executive Order 13884, Treasury said.
Treasury said Wednesday’s move also complements actions announced Dec. 11 and Dec. 19 targeting PDVSA-linked officials, associates and vessels.
OFAC designated Corniola Limited and Krape Myrtle Co LTD and identified the tanker NORD STAR as blocked property. OFAC also designated Winky International Limited and identified ROSALIND, also known as LUNAR TIDE, as blocked property. OFAC designated Aries Global Investment LTD and identified the tankers DELLA and VALIANT as blocked property, Treasury said.
Treasury said blocked property within U.S. jurisdiction must be reported to OFAC, and warned that violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties.
Treasury said the goal of sanctions is to bring about a positive change in behavior, noting there is a formal process for seeking removal from an OFAC list consistent with U.S. law.
The number of American citizens arrested and held in Venezuela has risen in recent months, according to a new report.
Several Americans have been detained by Venezuelan security forces as the Trump administration stepped up efforts to isolate President Nicolás Maduro, including sanctions enforcement and an expanded military presence in the Caribbean, The New York Times reported.
A U.S. official familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the outlet that while some detainees face what Venezuelan authorities describe as legitimate criminal charges, Washington is considering designating at least two Americans as ‘wrongfully detained.’
.’
This can speed up diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
Those arrested currently are said to include three Venezuelan-American dual nationals and two U.S. citizens with no known ties to Venezuela, the official told the outlet.
Maduro’s government has long been accused by U.S. officials and critics of using detained foreign nationals as leverage in negotiations with the U.S.
President Trump has made the release of Americans held overseas a priority during both of his presidencies. During his first term, he followed a campaign of maximum pressure against Maduro.
On his return to office in January, Trump also sent envoy Richard Grenell to Caracas to push for a prisoner agreement.
Grenell met Maduro in person and was tasked with securing the return of detained Americans, announcing he was bringing home six who had been imprisoned, per Reuters.
In May, Venezuela also released a U.S. Air Force veteran who had been detained for roughly six months.
Joseph St Clair, who served in Afghanistan, had traveled to South America for treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
In July, as reported by Fox News Digital, 10 more Americans and U.S. permanent residents were released after a prisoner swap that saw more than 250 Venezuelans held in El Salvador also returned home. The U.S. State Department confirmed that release on July 18, 2025.
‘Our commitment to the American people is clear: we will safeguard the well-being of U.S. nationals both at home and abroad and not rest until all Americans being held hostage or unjustly detained around the world are brought home,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time.
.
That diplomatic push led to talks between U.S. and Venezuelan officials and resulted in the release of at least 16 American citizens and permanent residents by mid-2025.
Those negotiations were later suspended as the administration shifted toward broader pressure.
The U.S. began expanding sanctions enforcement, redeploying naval assets to the Caribbean, and increased operations targeting vessels allegedly linked to drug-trafficking networks tied to Maduro’s regime.
Meanwhile, the New York Times reported Wednesday that among those Americans currently reported missing is James Luckey-Lange, 28, of Staten Island, New York, who went missing after crossing Venezuela’s southern border in early December.
Luckey-Lange is the son of musician Diane Luckey, known as Q Lazzarus.
Another former detainee, Renzo Huamanchumo Castillo, a Peruvian-American, told the outlet he was arrested last year and accused of terrorism and plotting to kill Mr. Maduro.
‘We realized afterward, I was just a token,’ he said. He was released in the July prisoner swap after months of harsh detention.
At least two others with U.S. ties remain imprisoned, according to their families: Aidel Suarez, a U.S. permanent resident born in Cuba, and Jonathan Torres Duque, a Venezuelan-American, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The exact number of newly detained Americans has not been publicly disclosed by U.S. officials.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of State for comment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his New Year’s address to deliver a blunt message to the West and to his own troops: Russia is not backing down in Ukraine.
As 2026 arrived in Russia’s far eastern regions, Putin vowed victory in the nearly four-year war, praising Russian soldiers and framing the conflict as a fight for the nation’s survival — even as the United States ramps up diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the bloodshed.
‘We believe in you and our victory,’ Putin said in remarks broadcast nationwide and released by the Kremlin on Wednesday. Addressing troops directly, he congratulated ‘all our soldiers and commanders’ and pledged continued support for what Moscow calls its ‘special military operation.’
Putin cast the war as a struggle for Russia’s homeland, ‘truth and justice,’ signaling determination to press ahead despite mounting losses and international pressure.
In a separate message, ex-President Dmitry Medvedev — Putin’s security council deputy — said of victory in Ukraine: ‘I sincerely believe that it is near.’ Echoing Putin, he spoke of ‘our great and invincible Russia.’
The defiant tone comes as the war approaches grim milestones. On Jan. 12, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will surpass the 1,418 days the Soviet Union fought Nazi Germany in Europe during World War II. On Feb. 24, the conflict will enter its fourth year. Western estimates place the number of killed and wounded at more than 1 million — a figure the Kremlin disputes.
Putin’s rhetoric stood in sharp contrast to renewed diplomatic activity led by Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Sunday, as the White House explores possible paths to end Europe’s largest land war since World War II.
After the meeting, Trump said Ukraine and Russia were ‘closer than ever’ to peace, while acknowledging that major obstacles — particularly territorial disputes — remain unresolved. Reuters separately reported that Trump and Zelenskyy discussed potential U.S. troop involvement as part of broader security guarantees, though no decisions were announced.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas is calling for the complete and permanent abolition of diversity, equity and inclusion ideology, noting that he only wants to be judged based on his ‘character,’ ‘competence’ and ‘results.’
‘DEI should be abolished, permanently. I never want to be chosen, promoted, or rewarded because of how I look. I want to earn every opportunity on merit, through hard work, grit, discipline, and determination,’ the Army veteran declared in a post on X.
‘Equality means equal standards, not engineered outcomes. The dignity of achievement comes from effort, not entitlement. Judge me by my character, my competence, and my results. Anything less is an insult to everyone striving to be their best,’ he added.
Billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk heartily endorsed the lawmaker’s comments.
‘And this is how anyone of honor should be!’ Musk wrote when sharing Hunt’s post on X.
Hunt has previously expressed his disdain for DEI.
‘DEI should be DOA,’ he wrote in a May 2025 post on X. ‘America was built on merit, grit, determination, and hard work—not skin color, quotas, or political games. The promise of this nation is simple: we rise by the strength of our character, not the shade of our skin. I’ve lived by that truth—and it drives the left absolutely insane.’
The lawmaker, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023, is running for U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is up for re-election this year. Lone Star State Attorney General Ken Paxton is also aiming to unseat Cornyn in the Republican U.S. Senate primary.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday outlined a list of its accomplishments during President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, arguing that the agency has ended the political weaponization it says existed under the Biden administration.
The DOJ claimed in a statement posted on X that it has ‘turned around’ the agency, restoring fairness and law enforcement priorities.
‘Instead of keeping Americans safe, the Biden DOJ weaponized its power against political opponents: conservatives, parents, pro-lifers, Christians, and most of all, President Trump,’ the DOJ stated.
The DOJ said that after President Trump inherited a justice system it described as ‘in chaos,’ he charged the department with restoring ‘integrity, accountability and equal justice under the law.’
‘In 2025, the DOJ returned to its core mission: upholding the rule of law, vigorously prosecuting criminals, and keeping the American people safe,’ the department wrote.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to face legal challenges and the Justice Department faces potential legal action after missing a statutory deadlinedeadline to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The DOJ outlined 10 ‘wins’ since President Trump took office on Jan. 20, including efforts to pursue major fraud cases, particularly in Minnesota, which it described as ‘rife with fraud.’
According to the DOJ, 98 people have been charged — including 85 individuals identified as being of Somali descent — in Medicaid fraud and related case programs, leading to 64 convictions to date.
The statement outlines actions taken to roll back policies it said were targeting conservatives and parents, reduce crime nationwide, increase law enforcement activity in major cities, seize record amounts of illegal drugs and secure favorable rulings at the Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X that the bureau is working to restore trust in federal law enforcement.
‘Dismantling public corruption is a top priority of our leadership team here — we’ve worked day and night on that mission and will continue to do so until justice is done,’ he wrote.
The Justice Department said more enforcement actions are planned in 2026, signaling an escalation of arrests, court victories and action ‘against those who threaten the safety and well-being of the American people.’
Rio Silver Inc. (‘Rio Silver’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has settled an aggregate of $293,250 of indebtedness (the ‘Debts’) through (1) the issuance of an aggregate of 1,396,428 common shares of the Company at a deemed issuance price of $0.21 per share, of which 976,190 shares were issued to non-arm’s length creditors; and (2) the issuance of an aggregate of 420,238 common share purchase warrants entitling the holders to purchase an aggregate of 420,238 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.28 per share until December 31, 2028, none of which share purchase warrants were issued to non-arm’s length creditors. All common shares and share purchase warrants issued to settle the Debts will be subject to a hold period expiring May 1, 2026. Completion of the securities for debt transaction will allow the Company to improve its current working capital deficiency position.
About Rio Silver Inc.
Rio Silver Inc. (TSX-V: RYO | OTC: RYOOF) is a Canadian resource company advancing high-grade, silver-dominant assets in Peru, the world’s second-largest silver producer. The Company is focused on near-term development opportunities within proven mineral belts and is supported by a seasoned technical and operational team with deep experience in Peruvian geology, underground mining, and district-scale exploration. With a clear development strategy, and a growing portfolio of highly prospective silver assets, Rio Silver is establishing the foundation to become one of Peru’s next emerging silver producers. Learn more at www.riosilverinc.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Rio Silver INC.
Chris Verrico
President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director
To learn more or engage directly with the Company, please contact:
Christopher Verrico, President and CEO
Tel: (604) 762-4448
Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com
Website: www.riosilverinc.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia
Zinc companies were supported in 2025 as prices rebounded during the second half of the year and, by the end of December, had crossed above US$3,000 per metric ton.
However, the metal still faces headwinds, as its biggest demand driver is its use in the production of galvanized steel destined for construction projects. Weak outlook comes amid diminishing expectations of a resurgence in the Chinese housing sector.
Additionally, US trade policy has softened demand, as uncertainty has dampened investor sentiment.
Although surpluses in the mined supply of zinc have narrowed, a significant amount of refined product remains in warehouses, which continues to contribute to an oversupply.
Data was gathered on December 24, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and only zinc stocks with market caps greater than C$50 million at that time were considered. Read on to learn more about their operations and plans.
Market cap: C$31.25 billion
Share price: C$62.65
Teck Resources is a major global polymetallic miner, as well as one of the world’s top zinc producers. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Canadian company produced 615,900 metric tons (MT) of zinc in concentrate in 2024, with 555,600 MT coming from its Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska, US. The remaining 60,300 MT came from Teck’s 22.5 percent share of zinc production from the Peru-based Antamina copper-zinc mine.
Teck’s total 2025 production guidance for the base metal is set in a range of 525,000 to 575,000 MT. As of September, the company’s zinc production for the year totaled 456,000 MT.
In addition to the sites mentioned, Teck owns the Trail operations, which it describes as “one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes.” Located in BC, the Trail operations produced 256,000 MT of refined zinc in 2024, with 190,000 to 230,000 MT of the material expected in 2025.
In September, Teck agreed to combine with mining giant Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) in a C$70 billion ‘merger of equals’ to create Anglo-Teck. The merged company would remain headquartered in Vancouver and become BC’s largest company ever.
Then on December 15, Canada’s federal government announced it had approved the deal after both companies committed to securing 4,000 Canadian jobs and spending C$4.5 billion over five years within Canada. The merger’s completion still requires approvals from other countries and regulatory reviews.
Market cap: C$2.62 billion
Share price: C$4.87
Foran Mining is a development company advancing its McIlvenna Bay project in Saskatchewan, Canada, toward production.
The property consists of 113 claims covering an area of 140,445 hectares near Flin Flon on Saskatchewan’s border with Manitoba.
A technical report from the project released in March 2025 demonstrated an indicated resource of 1.86 billion pounds of zinc at an average grade of 2.18 percent from 38.6 million metric tons of ore, plus an inferred resource of 260 million pounds at a grade of 2.6 percent from 4.5 million metric tons.
In December 2025, Foran announced that development on the project was 79 percent complete, advancing on schedule and on budget, and the company remained on track to begin commercial production in mid-2026. It also said that at the end of November, ore stockpiles had reached approximately 165,000 metric tons.
‘Pre-commissioning activities are well underway, and progress to date demonstrates the operational readiness of our team and infrastructure,’ Foran Executive Chairman and CEO Dan Myerson stated. ‘… 2026 (is) an important transition year for Foran as the Company moves into production, while advancing Phase 2 planning and continued exploration focused on unlocking district scale potential.’
Market cap: C$1.14 billion
Share price: C$6.66
Trilogy Metals is focused primarily on copper, zinc and cobalt at its Alaskan Upper Kobuk projects, which are held by Ambler Metals, a joint venture operating company owned equally by Trilogy and South32 (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF).
Its most advanced zinc project is the Arctic copper-zinc-lead-gold-silver volcanogenic massive sulfide project, which is in the feasibility stage and has proven and probable reserves of 43.44 million MT grading 3.12 percent zinc.
In addition, early stage 2023 field work at the company’s wholly owned Helpmejack project in Alaska’s Ambler belt outlined two target areas prospective for volcanogenic massive sulfide and shale-hosted zinc deposits.
Trilogy had been focusing on improving access to the region with its Amber Access project, but it was rejected by the US Bureau of Land Management under the Biden administration in June 2024 due to the impact the proposed road could have on the environment and communities in the region, which has seen little development.
However, the current Trump administration has enacted a series of executive and secretarial orders focusing on developing Alaska’s natural resources, leading to the reversal of the decision.
On October 24, the company announced that the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority had issued a right-of-way permit for the road, re-establishing federal authorization for the project.
‘The execution of these federal permits marks a pivotal milestone for the Ambler Road and the State of Alaska,’ Trilogy Metals President and CEO Tony Giardini said.
Market cap: C$579.91 million
Share price: C$2.73
Fireweed Metals is a critical metals company whose flagship Macmillan Pass zinc project is located in Canada’s Yukon. In 2023, the company acquired the Gayna River zinc project in the Northwest Territories, as well as the Mactung tungsten project, which is adjacent to Macmillan Pass and straddles the border between Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
In November 2023, the Fireweed team, led by Dr. Jack Milton, the firm’s vice president of geology, received the Association for Mineral Exploration’s H.H. ‘Spud’ Huestis Award for its work at the Macmillan Pass property.
In September 2024, after its largest regional exploration campaign ever at Macmillan Pass, the company released an updated resource estimate for the Tom and Jason deposits, as well as inaugural resource estimates for the Boundary zone and End zone deposits.
Fireweed launched its 2025 field program in early June, planned to include 12,000 meters of diamond drilling at Macmillan Pass and 3,000 meters at Gayna.
On September 23, Fireweed reported one of the best assays ever recorded at Macmillan Pass from a 115 meter step-out hole at the Tom South target, which hosted a 54.82 meter intersection grading 18.2 percent zinc, including an interval of 7.1 meters with 32.82 percent zinc.
Then, in an update on December 11, the company announced its inaugural drilling at Gayna intersected zinc mineralization, with a highlighted assay of 51.22 meters grading 4.4 percent zinc, including 24 meters with 7.3 percent.
‘Our first season of drilling at Gayna successfully intersected significant zinc and lead mineralization at the Intrepid target, validating the prospectivity of the project,’ Fireweed Metals President and CEO Ian Gibbs said.
Market cap: C$167.89 million
Share price: C$0.57
Emerita Resources has a portfolio of high-grade, large-scale polymetallic projects covering more than 26,000 combined hectares in Spain’s Iberian Pyrite Belt. The company’s flagship asset is the Iberian Belt West project, which hosts three massive sulfide deposits: La Infanta, La Romanera and El Cura.
Emerita released a resource estimate for Iberian Belt West in May 2023. It finished environmental baseline studies the following month, and completed supporting documentation for its mining license application in December 2023.
In July 2024, the Andalusian government granted Iberian Belt West a declaration of strategic interest, which will streamline the process of moving the project through development.
Phase 2 metallurgical testing results for the La Romanera and La Infanta deposits released in late 2024 show that commercial-grade copper, lead and zinc concentrates can be obtained from both deposits.
In March of this year, Emerita announced an updated resource estimate for Iberian Belt West, showing a 35 percent increase to the total indicated mineral resource tonnage and a 44 percent increase in total inferred mineral resource tonnage.
The total indicated resource stands at 547,000 metric tons of zinc, with an average grade of 2.88 percent zinc, from 18.96 million metric tons of ore, and the inferred resource is 221,000 metric tons from 6.8 million metric tons grading 3.25 percent zinc.
The company has continued to explore the site through the rest of 2025. On October 17, the company announced it had extended the El Cura deposit by 90 meters and highlighted one intersection measuring 4.1 meters with a grade of 8.5 percent zinc.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / 55 North Mining Inc. (CSE:FFF,OTC:FFFNF)(FSE:6YF) (‘55 North‘ or the ‘Company‘) is pleased to announce the appointment of Wayne Parsons as Executive Chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2026.
Mr. Parsons brings over 20 years of experience in the investment business, having worked at BMO, RBC and most recently at National Bank Financial. He has since established a consulting practice focused on the mining sector and provides strategic advisory services to mining companies focused on capital markets strategy, financing execution and investor engagement. Mr. Parsons has served on a number of boards, most recently with Bunker Hill Mining Corp.
‘Wayne’s skills and experience are exactly what 55 North needs as we advance this project toward production,’ said Bruce Reid, Chief Executive Officer of 55 North Mining. ‘He is well connected globally and will be a tremendous help in connecting us with the right people to get this project financed. We met in the early days of Bunker Hill Mining, and when that project encountered challenges, Wayne stepped in, personally funded the recapitalization, and helped assemble the team to move it forward. His reputation will be highly valuable to our future success.’
The Company believes Mr. Parsons’ appointment significantly strengthens its leadership and positions 55 North to execute on its strategy of advancing the Last Hope Gold Project toward development and production.
About 55 North Mining Inc.
55 North Mining Inc. is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing its high-grade Last Hope Gold Project located in Manitoba, Canada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
|
Mr. Bruce Reid |
Mr. Vance Loeber |
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release of 55 North contains statements that constitute ‘forward-looking statements.’ Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: 55 North Mining Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
News Provided by ACCESS Newswire via QuoteMedia
