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September 24, 2024

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Equities Remain in Strong “Go” Trend, Powered by Financials

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Good morning and welcome to this week’s Flight Path. Equities saw the “Go” trend remain strong with an uninterrupted week of strong blue “Go” bars. Treasury bond prices remained in the “Go” trend as well but we saw weaker aqua bars as the week ended. U.S. commodities returned to a “Go” trend but the indicator painted weaker aqua bars this week. The dollar held on to its strong “NoGo” trend with purple bars.

$SPY Hits New Highs in “Go” Trend

The GoNoGo chart below shows that this week the “Go” trend remained strong as we saw blue bars all week. Price rallied from the last low to set a new higher high which is a good sign for the bulls. GoNoGo Oscillator remained in positive territory and volume increased as we saw it climb further from the zero line. Now, with a “Go” trend in place and momentum in positive territory but not yet overbought, we will look to see if price continues higher.

The longer time frame chart tells us that the “Go” trend is still very much in place. With another strong blue bar and a higher weekly close we can now see the drop in August as a higher low. GoNoGo Oscillator is in positive territory at a value of 3 so not yet overbought. We will look for price to consolidate at these highs and provide a base of support going forward.

“NoGo” Trend Continues on Weaker Pink Bars

Treasury bond yields rose from a new low at the beginning of the week and painted a string of weaker pink “NoGo” bars as price rallied. After setting a new lower low, we will watch to see if price rolls over this week and we see a new lower high. GoNoGo Oscillator is testing the zero level from below and this will be helpful in informing us as to whether the discussed scenario will play out. If the oscillator gets rejected and falls back into negative territory, we will know that momentum is resurgent in the direction of the “NoGo” trend and we will look for trend continuation to the downside.

The Dollar Remains in Strong “NoGo”

Although price has moved mostly sideways this past week staying in a longer trading range, GoNoGo Trend continues to paint strong purple “NoGo” bars. If we look at the GoNoGo Oscillator in the lower panel, we can see that it has struggled to move away from the zero level into positive territory, returning quickly to that level. Now, we see a new GoNoGo Squeeze beginning to build and we will watch to see in which direction it breaks. If it breaks back into negative territory then we will expect trend continuation to the downside.

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DP Trading Room: Analyzing Two New Stocks in SP500 (DELL, PLTR)

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In today’s free DP Trading Room Carl reviews the charts of two new members to the SP500, Dell (DELL) and Palantir (PLTR). Are they poised to break out on this news?

Carl also discussed the inflation on housing prices to open the show. Before going over the signal tables that reveal a clear bull market bias to the market right now.

Carl also gives us his take on the current trend and condition of the market and reviewed key areas of the market like Bonds and Yields, Crude Oil, the Dollar and the recent breakout move in Gold.

The Magnificent Seven are moving in different directions. See which stocks are configured bullishly and which are configured bearishly.

Erin jumps in with a review of sector rotation. How are defensive groups faring and what about big growth areas like Technology and Communication Services?

The pair finish with looking at viewer symbol requests.

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00:57 Housing Inflation

01:45 DP Signal Tables

04:03 Market Overview

13:56 Magnificent Seven

21:35 Two New Stocks in SP500

29:33 Sector Rotation

33:40 Symbol Requests

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MAC President Calls for Renewed Investment, Streamlined Approvals to Move Mining Sector Forward

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Pierre Gratton, president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada, gave his annual address in front of members of the association and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on September 17.

He spoke about the opportunities and challenges facing the country’s mining industry, saying that while there are areas to improve, he’s encouraged to see Canada’s federal and provincial governments stepping up to support the sector.

Read on for highlights from Gratton’s talk on the state of mining in Canada.

Canada’s mineral reserves in decline

Gratton indicated that the challenges faced by the mining industry in recent years have been manyfold, dominated by economic and geopolitical uncertainty, global conflict, fear of climate change and disrupted trade.

Looking at Canada, while inflation and interest rates have come down in recent months, the nation’s economy is still weak — Gratton said unemployment is rising, while families are focused on paying down debt.

He also called attention to declining economic growth in Canada, noting that in 2000 the country’s productivity was on par with that of Australia; however, today the average Australian is 10 percent more productive. This has caused the Australian economy to grow 50 percent faster than Canada’s in the past 25 years.

Gratton blames a lack of investment in Canada for these declines.

“(There’s been) a shortfall in investment principally leading to deindustrialization in many parts of the country, which has cut into the country’s overall prosperity. Manufacturing is half what it was to the economy in 2000. A cornerstone of the Canadian economy, the auto sector and its inputs, aluminum and steel, are at risk,” he said.

Against that backdrop, Canada has shifted from being a leading producer of minerals like copper, nickel and zinc to now lagging. Between 1997 and 2022, the country’s copper reserves fell by 9 percent, nickel by 57 percent and zinc by 91 percent. During that time, gold was the only mineral that saw its reserves grow, gaining 110 percent.

“In my time in the sector, I’ve seen several smelters and refineries close and only one open. We’ve lost some head offices. We’ve fallen in our ranking in the production of many minerals and metals, and it leaves us and our allies, including the US and Europe, increasingly dependent on other countries, notably China, for supply,” Gratton said.

He added that according to RBC (TSX:RY,NYSE:RY), it’s regulatory uncertainty and taxes that are hindering investment in Canadian mining. Gratton told the audience that these issues persist despite years of promises from the government to improve efficiencies within the permitting system and shorten timelines.

Federal and provincial governments stepping up

Gratton pointed to Canada’s critical minerals strategy as a bright spot for boosting mining sector investment.

The primary component of the initiative involves the implementation a policy that would provide targeted investments and tax incentives while streamlining the regulatory process for critical minerals projects.

While he acknowledged that spending in the mining sector has been rebounding over the past few years, reaching C$13.1 billion in 2022, it’s still off from 2012, when the expenditures in the industry reached C$17 billion.

Gratton said the effects of the critical minerals strategy are unlikely to have made their way into the market yet, but conceded that support for the mining sector from federal and provincial governments is unprecedented in his lifetime.

“Mining is now a common topic of policy conversation in Ottawa and provincial capitals in a way that it has never been before. Above all, it’s because I think governments finally understand mining’s unique value proposition as a creator of good jobs and Indigenous employment opportunities, and as a driver of social and economic development in northern and remote regions,” Gratton explained during his speech.

He added that mining is the foundation of the clean energy transition, while also supplying important inputs to the Canadian economy and aiding in the country’s national security efforts.

More specifically, Gratton noted that the last three federal budgets have included funding for regulatory measures, streamlining efforts and tax incentives; this came after extensive consultation with the mining sector.

“I will give them credit — the government listened to our concerns and our advice,” Gratton said.

He was pleased to see a joint investment of C$195 million from the BC and federal governments to fund upgrades to highway infrastructure in Northwestern BC that will ultimately support critical minerals development.

What’s the future of Canada’s mining industry?

Gratton sees a great deal of potential for mining in Canada, but it doesn’t come without challenges.

He mentioned a C$46 billion initiative to fund electric vehicle and battery production and supply chains in the country, including four new battery manufacturing facilities. While he acknowledged that these will be a boon to the Canadian economy, the raw materials demand for the new factories will require 15 new mines.

This will require an investment of C$16.1 billion in mining and an additional C$16.1 billion in midstream processing.

“That’s only speaking from the standpoint of the four battery factories, to say nothing about all of the other needs that our economy requires, or that the US requires, including its defense industries. Unless we achieve the above, and this is the irony, our reliance on foreign sources for minerals and metals is only going to increase,” Gratton said.

He suggested that Canada is too focused on downstream development, and isn’t working to build support for upstream projects that will ultimately provide safe supply of the materials needed.

Additionally, the mining industry is facing a potentially bigger challenge — a lack of workers.

Gratton said unemployment within the mining sector is less than half the national average, and companies can’t find people fast enough. New mining operations will only increase the challenge of finding workers.

He doesn’t want to see a situation where mines are unable to operate because they can’t find enough staff.

Part of the problem is urbanization. Gratton pointed to youth leaving smaller communities and not returning, and an overall lack of excitement about the mining industry at the moment. He said the Mining Association of Canada is going to work with Canada’s Human Resources Council over the next few years to develop a strategy designed to increase interest in the mining sector and work with universities, colleges and high schools.

He wants more people to recognize the value of the high-paid, high-tech jobs in Canada’s mining sector.

Overall, Gratton remains positive about mining’s future in Canada. He sees challenges ahead over a changing political landscape, but also recognizes that many issues in the mining sector have become bipartisan.

Moreover, support for the industry is at an all-time high, with 80 percent of Canadians polled by the Mining Association of Canada supporting the industry. With that in mind, Gratton believes that even if there is a change in government, investment and growth in the mining market are gaining momentum.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Lode Gold Signs Letter of Intent to Execute Tax-Efficient Spin-Out, Creating Two Pure Play Companies

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Lode Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: LOD) (OTCQB: SBMIF) (‘Lode Gold ‘ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce its wholly-owned subsidiary, (‘1475039 B.C. Ltd.’ or ‘Gold Orogen’) has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) on September 23, 2024 to acquire Great Republic Mining (‘GRM’, ‘Great Republic’ or GRM:CSE), pursuant to which the GRM and the Company’s subsidiary propose to complete a Reverse Take Over (RTO) transaction pursuant to which GRM will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s subsidiary.

The Company plans to carry out a tax-efficient Spin-out transaction by way of a RTO of the currently CSE-listed GRM. Upon closing, the shareholders of Lode Gold (the target shareholders) will own up to 74.16% of the issued and outstanding shares of the company on a non-diluted basis, Fancamp Exploration Ltd. (‘Fancamp’) will own 19.9%, and existing GRM shareholders will own 5.94%. The resulting entity from the proposed RTO will continue the business as Gold Orogen. After the completion of the Spin-out, Lode Gold shareholders will receive shares in Gold Orogen.

‘We are systematically executing our strategic plan as we had promised. This Spin-out will unlock value for shareholders, creating two pure play companies to attract new investors,’ comments Wendy T. Chan, CEO of Lode Gold.

Bill Fisher, CEO of Great Republic Mining, adds, ‘We are glad to partner with Lode Gold to acquire highly prospective exploration packages in Yukon and New Brunswick. Launching a new company, in this challenging market, that is already funded with $3 million to pursue exploration work – is a great step forward.’

Proposed RTO and Plan of Arrangement

Pursuant to the terms of the Letter of Intent and the upcoming Definitive Agreement, the proposed RTO is expected to be completed by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement pursuant to the laws of British Columbia. The shareholders of Lode Gold and Gold Orogen will own directly the GRM shares exchanged from the transaction.

It is proposed that the Company will complete the Spin Out of Gold Orogen and each outstanding Gold Orogen share will be exchanged for GRM shares. In connection with the proposed RTO: (i) the resulting entity expects to change its name; (ii) the Company will hold a special meeting of shareholders to approve the transaction; (iii) GRM intends to seek the consent resolution approval; and (ii) GRM shares shall be consolidated so that 1,973,684 GRM post-consolidation shares shall be issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the proposed RTO, or about 5.94% of total issued and outstanding shares on the closing.

The Letter of Intent includes exclusivity provisions, pursuant to which the company and GRM have agreed to negotiate and deal exclusively with one another with respect to the proposed RTO.

Conditions of closing the proposed RTO

The terms of the transaction will be set out in a definitive agreement. The completion of the proposed RTO is subject to a number of conditions, which include, but are not limited to:

Receipt of all required shareholder, regulatory and other approvals, authorizations and consents for the proposed RTO as may be required;1,875,000 of founder and seed investors’ GRM shares (pre-consolidation) are escrowed for 12 months following the close of transaction, with the right for equal quarterly releases of the shares; No material adverse change in the business, results of operations, assets, liabilities, financial conditions or affairs of the parties subsequent to the date of the letter agreement;No legal proceedings or regulatory actions against the company or GRM that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the company or GRM, in the reasonable opinion of the other party, as applicable;No inquiry, action, suit, proceeding or investigation commenced, announced or threatened by any securities regulatory authority or stock exchange in relation to the company or GRM;There being no prohibition at law against the completion of the proposed RTO; Compliance by the company and GRM with all representations, warranties, covenants, obligations and conditions of such party as set out in the definitive agreement to be negotiated between the parties;GRM having a minimum of $250,000 cash at closing and no liabilities; GRM terminating the Porcher Island property option agreement immediately prior to closing.

Timing

The transaction will be subject to necessary regulatory approvals, including acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSXV’) and Canadian Securities Exchange (the ‘CSE’).

The anticipated timing of Definitive Agreement and submission to the CSE and TSXV will be within the next two weeks. Audited financial statements and updated NI 43-101’s for the listing projects: Golden Culvert/WIN, McIntyre Brook and Riley Brook have been completed.

Gold Orogen plans to raise an additional $1.5 million to add to the Spin Co’s current $3.0 million budget for Fiscal 2025, resulting in a total $4.5 million spend in the first 12 months. This ensures systematic exploration and drilling can be executed in Yukon and New Brunswick. Please reference the Company’s Strategic Alliance in the August 30, 2024 news release.

The anticipated Spin-out will be in Q4 2024 when Spin Co Gold Orogen will be trading as a public entity. Shareholders of Lode Gold will receive shares of Gold Orogen at that time in a tax-efficient manner.

About Lode Gold

Lode Gold (TSX.V: LOD) is an exploration and development company with projects in highly prospective and safe mining jurisdictions in Canada and the United States.

Its Golden Culvert and WIN Projects in Yukon, covering 99.5 km2 across a 27-km strike length, are situated in a district-scale, high-grade-gold-mineralized trend within the southern portion of the Tombstone Gold Belt. Gold deposits and occurrences within the Belt include Fort Knox, Pogo, Brewery Creek and Dublin Gulch, and Snowline Gold. A NI 43-101 technical report entitled ‘Technical Report on the WIN-Golden Culvert Property for Lode Gold’ with an effective date of May 15, 2024, summarizing the work to date on these properties is available on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company’s website (www.lode-gold.com).

In New Brunswick, Lode Gold has created one of the largest land packages with a 42km strike within 420km2. Its McIntyre Brook Project, New Brunswick, covering 111 km2 and a 17-km strike length in the emerging Appalachian/Iapetus Gold Belt, is surrounded by Puma Exploration’s Williams Brook Project (5.55 g/t Au over 50m)1 and is hosted by orogenic rocks of similar age and structure as New Found Gold’s Queensway Project. The Fancamp’s Riley Brook is a 309 km2 package covering a 25 km strike of Wapske formation with its numerous felsic units. Previous exploration efforts have focused on just VMS-style mineralization hosted in the felsic intrusions, and mostly focused on the base metals – the Company is the first to focus on and assay for gold. This transaction will close upon Exchange’s acceptance.

The Company is also advancing its Fremont Gold development project in the historic Mother Lode Gold Belt of California where 50,000,000 oz of gold has been produced. Fremont, located 500km north of Equinox Gold’s Castle Mountain and Mesquite mines, has a Preliminary Economic Assessment(‘ PEA’) with an after-tax NPV (5%) of USD $217M, a 21% IRR, 11-year LOM, averaging 118,000 Oz per annum at USD $1,750 gold. A sensitivity to the March 31, 2023 PEA at USD $2,000/oz gold gives an after-tax NPV (5%) of USD $370M and a 31% IRR over an 11-year LOM. The project hosts an NI 43-101 resource of 1.16 MOz at 1.90 g/t Au within 19.0 MT Indicated and 2.02 MOz at 2.22 g/t Au within 28.3 MT Inferred. The MRE evaluates only 1.4 km of the 4 km strike length of the Fremont property which features five gold-mineralized zones. Significantly, three step-out holes at depth hit the mineralized structure, typical of orogenic deposits that often occur at depth. Fremont is located on 3,351 acres of 100% owned private land in Mariposa, the original Gold Rush County, and is 1.5 hours from Fresno, California. The property has year-round road access and is close to airports and rail.

Please refer to the Fremont Gold project NI 43-101 PEA technical report dated March 31, 2023, which is available on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company’s website (www.lode-gold.com). The PEA technical report has been reviewed and approved by independent ‘Qualified Persons’ Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET, and Andrew Bradfield, P.Eng. both of P&E, and Travis Manning, P.E. of KCA.

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, Director, BSc (Hons) (Economic Geology – UCT), FAusIMM, and who is a ‘qualified person’ as defined by NI-43-101.

About Great Republic Mining Corp.

Great Republic is a Canadian exploration company engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring mineral resource properties – founded by a team with extensive geological, mining, and capital markets experience. Great Republic has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Porcher Property, which is composed of nine contiguous mineral titles covering an area of 3,560.4 hectares in the northwest part of British Columbia, Canada, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of the city of Prince Rupert on Porcher Island.

ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY

Wendy T. Chan, CEO & Director

Information Contact

Winfield Ding, CFO
info@lode-gold.com
+1-416-320-4388

Kevin Shum
Investor Relations
kevin@jeminicapital.com
+1 (647) 725-3888 ext. 702

Cautionary Note Related to this News Release and Figures

This news release contains information about adjacent properties on which the Company has no right to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company’s properties.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

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.

This news release includes ‘forward-looking statements’ and ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the completion of the transaction and the timing thereof, the expected benefits of the transaction to shareholders of the Company, the structure, terms and conditions of the transaction and the execution of a definitive agreement, the timing of submission to the CSE and TSXV, Gold Orogen raising an additional $1,500,000 and the anticipated use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘plan’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘potential’, ‘target’, ‘budget’ and ‘intend’ and statements that an event or result ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘could’ or ‘might’ occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: that the Company and GRM will be able to negotiate the definitive agreement on the terms and within the time frame expected, that the Company and GRM will be able to make submissions to the CSE and TSXV within the time frame expected, that the Company and GRM will be able to obtain shareholder approval for the transaction, that the Company and GRM will be able to obtain necessary third party and regulatory approvals required for the transaction, if completed, that the transaction will provide the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include adverse market conditions, general economic, market or business risks, unanticipated costs, the failure of the Company and GRM to negotiate the definitive agreement on the terms and conditions and within the timeframe expected, the failure of the Company and GRM to make submissions to the CSE and TSXV within the timeframe expected, the failure of the Company and GRM to obtain shareholder approval for the transaction, the failure of the Company and GRM to obtain all necessary approvals for the transaction, and r other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading ‘Risks and Uncertainties’ in the Company’s most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.

1 See Puma Exploration Inc.’s news release dated September 15, 2021.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/224340

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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E25’s High-Purity Manganese Project Selected for US$166M Grant Under U.S. DoE Grant Program

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Element 25 Limited (E25 or Company) (ASX: E25; OTCQX: ELMTF) is pleased to announce it has been selected for award negotiations for a US$166 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) under the Battery Materials Processing Grant Programme. This funding will support the construction of its proposed battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility in Louisiana, USA. The grant award is in addition to the US$115 million already committed by offtake partners General Motors LLC (GM) and Stellantis N.V. (Stellantis).

HIGHLIGHTS:

E25’s planned HPMSM facility in Louisiana selected for award negotiations for US$166 million grant from the U.S. DoE.Project selected under DoE’s Battery Materials Processing Grant Program.E25 and DoE expect to finalise a binding funding agreement for the grant as soon as practicable.E25 has previously secured financing and offtake from GM and Stellantis including US$115 million in project funding.

The grant application was submitted under the DoE’s Battery Materials Processing Grant Programme of the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program is designed to provide grants for battery materials processing to ensure that the United States has a viable battery materials processing industry. The grant forms a key element of E25’s financing strategy, and the execution team will now work to finalise the project schedule, subject to grant finalisation.

E25 plans to produce HPMSM from manganese ore sourced from its Butcherbird mine in Western Australia and shipped to Louisiana. It has developed an innovative, advanced processing flowsheet to convert Butcherbird manganese concentrate into HPMSM, a critical raw material for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. The proprietary flowsheet reduces energy consumption, virtually eliminates waste and delivers the lowest reported carbon intensity HPMSM globally1.

Element 25 Managing Director Justin Brown said: “This grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, once finalised, represents a major milestone in our development of the Louisiana HPMSM Project and adds to the commitments already received from GM and Stellantis which include both offtake and financing agreements in support of the refinery. The grant will fund up to half of the construction capital costs for the project and when combined with existing commitments, will propel the project towards financial close and commencement of construction, creating long-term jobs for Louisiana and delivering ethically sourced, IRA compliant HPMSM to our customers.”

E25’s process offers a pathway to the delivery of expanding volumes of ethically sourced, traceable, transparent HPMSM supply to US markets. E25 plans to produce up to 135Kt per annum of HPMSM for US electric vehicle (EV) supply chains2 in a facility that is a first-of-its-kind processing facility in Louisiana.

PROJECT FINANCING STRATEGY

In mid-2023, E25 secured a US$85 million loan under an agreement with GM, whereby E25 will, in turn, supply up to 32,500 metric tons of manganese sulphate annually for GM’s Ultium battery plant requirements, which added to the commitments from Stellantis that include take-or-pay offtake commitments for 45ktpa of HPMSM over five years and U$30 million of project funding3.

The two transactions total U$115M in financing support for the project, providing an important cornerstone to the Company’s project financing activities. E25 has been co-ordinating a process to secure the balance of funding for the project’s construction costs, which were estimated in the Company’s April 2023 Feasibility Study at US$289 million2.

DoE’s Battery Materials Processing Grants Program is designed to provide up to US$3 billion in grants for battery materials processing to ensure that the United States has a viable battery materials processing industry. Funds can also be used to expand domestic capabilities in battery manufacturing and enhance processing capacity.

ABOUT THE HPMSM LOUISIANA PROJECT

Element 25 (Louisiana) LLC (E25LA) plans to build and operate a first-of-its-kind, environmentally sustainable refining facility in the Baton Rouge area, Louisiana, to produce HPMSM, a critical raw material in lithium-ion batteries.

Element 25 Louisiana will construct a 230,000 square-foot (~21,000m2) HPMSM refining facility that will employ an innovative process to produce approximately 71,650 tons (65,000 metric tonnes) of HPMSM annually from manganese ore sourced from Element 25’s Butcherbird manganese mine in Western Australia (Project). It will be one of the first commercial facilities to produce HPMSM in the U.S., reducing current dependency on Chinese sources. The project will create hundreds of highly-skilled, permanent jobs for Louisianans.

Element 25 Louisiana has secured offtake and funding agreements, including five and seven-year supply agreements with global automakers GM and Stellantis.

Element 25 Louisiana controls all intellectual property to develop and operate the HPMSM facility. It also has developed a proprietary process to remove solid waste residue as byproducts, which each have industrial applications, thus eliminating the need for a solid waste landform.

Click here for the full ASX Release

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Constellation to Revive Three Mile Island, Sell Power to Microsoft for AI Data Centers

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Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) plans to revive Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit 1 under a 20 year power purchase agreement with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced on Friday (September 20).

According to the company, the deal will bring 835 megawatts of carbon-free energy back to the grid and will create over 3,400 jobs. It is expected to generate over US$3 billion in taxes and US$16 billion for Pennsylvania’s economy.

The long-term power purchase agreement with Microsoft is the largest in Constellation’s history, and will facilitate the restart of TMI Unit 1, which was shut down in 2019 for economic reasons.

TMI Unit 2 was the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history in 1979, when its reactor core partially melted down. It is separate from TMI Unit 1 and has a different owner. The reactor is currently being decommissioned.

Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, underscored the critical role of nuclear energy in sustainably meeting the state’s energy needs. Microsoft plans to use the power to run data centers used for technology like artificial intelligence.

‘We are especially honored to name this new plant after our former CEO Chris Crane, who was a fierce advocate for our business, devoting his entire career to the safe, reliable operation of our nation’s nuclear fleet, and we will continue that legacy at the Crane Clean Energy Center,’ Dominguez added in Constellation’s press release.

The restart process will involve extensive upgrades to key components, including the turbine, generator and control systems. The restoration is expected to take several years, with the facility projected to be back online by 2028.

Constellation is also seeking approval to extend TMI Unit 1’s operating license through 2054.

For its part, Microsoft described the agreement as a major milestone in its decarbonization efforts.

“Microsoft continues to collaborate with energy providers to develop carbon-free energy sources to help meet the grids’ capacity and reliability needs,” said Bobby Hollis, Microsoft’s vice president of energy.

In an effort to further support the local community, Constellation has committed to providing US$1 million in philanthropic funding over the next five years. The company has indicated that funds will be directed toward workforce development programs and other community initiatives.

Public support for nuclear energy is strong in Pennsylvania.

A recent poll by Susquehanna Polling & Research found that 70 percent of state residents support the continued use of nuclear energy, while also revealing that a majority of respondents favor TMI Unit 1’s restart.

The restart comes amid renewed global interest in nuclear energy as countries seek to decarbonize. Nuclear reactors, which can operate continuously for extended periods, are seen as a key solution for providing stable, clean energy.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Chris Blasi: Gold’s Biggest Gains Still to Come, Key Price Driver is Simple

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‘You can’t say gold is at a high — you have to look at why, at what brings it to this number and is that still valid. The US they say is creating a trillion dollars of new debt every 100 days,’ he said.

‘I would say gold is not at its high, and looking at it thinking it’s at a high because you value it like a stock or a bond — that would mislead you and prevent you from taking a position that I think you should to preserve your wealth.’

Explaining why it’s important to establish a position in gold sooner than later, Blasi pointed to large entities like central banks, many of which continue to make large purchases of the yellow metal.

‘The central banks see that we are devaluing this currency,’ he said. ‘A lot of people don’t get it, they say we have inflation — well that’s what it is, inflation is the devaluation of the currency. And the move is on for sound money.’

Watch the interview above for more from Blasi on gold. He also discusses the silver, platinum and palladium markets.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Japanese warplanes use flares to warn a Russian spy plane to leave airspace

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Tokyo, Japan (AP) — Japan said its warplanes used flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft to leave northern Japanese airspace on Monday.

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that the Russian Il-38 plane breached Japan’s airspace above Rebun Island, just off the coast of the country’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, for up to a minute in three instances, during its five-hour flight in the area.

It came a day after a joint fleet of Chinese and Russian warships sailed around Japanese northern coasts. Kihara said the airspace violation could be related to a joint military exercise that Russia and China announced earlier this month.

Japan scrambled an undisclosed number of F-15 and F-35 fighter jets, which used flares for the first time after the Russian aircraft apparently ignored their warnings, Kihara said.

“The airspace violation was extremely regrettable,” Kihara said. He said Japan “strongly protested” to Russia through diplomatic channels and demanded preventive measures.

“We will carry out our warning and surveillance operations as we pay close attention to their military activities,” he said.

Kihara said the use of flares was a legitimate response to airspace violation and “we plan to use it without hesitation.”

Japanese defense officials are highly concerned about growing military cooperation between the China and Russia, and China’s increasingly assertive activity around Japanese waters and airspace. It led Tokyo to significantly reinforce defenses of southwestern Japan, including remote islands that are considered key to Japan’s defense strategy in the region.

Earlier in September, Russian military aircraft flew around southern Japanese airspace. A Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft briefly violated Japan’s southern airspace in late August.

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, accompanied by two destroyers, sailed between Japan’s westernmost island of Yonaguni and nearby Iriomote, entering close to Japan’s waters.

According to Japan’s military, it scrambled jets nearly 669 times between April 2023 and March 2024, about 70% of the time against Chinese military aircraft, though that did not include airspace violations.

Japan and Russia are in a teritorial dispute over a group of Russian-held islands, which the former Soviet Union seized from Japan at the end of World War II. The feud has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their war hostilities.

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Israeli strikes cause deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly 2 decades. Here’s what we know

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Israel launched an intense barrage of airstrikes across swathes of Lebanon on Monday in what was the deadliest day for the country since at least the 2006 war fought between Israel and the powerful Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Terror and despair gripped Lebanese residents as Israeli bombs killed at least 492 people, including dozens of children and wounded more than 1,600 others, authorities said, as residents fled their homes desperate to reach safety.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is changing the “balance of power” on its northern front as its military said it struck 1,600 Hezbollah assets across Lebanon on Monday and has not ruled out the possibility of a ground invasion.

Several countries have warned the strikes increase the risk of a wider regional war and have called for urgent international pressure to de-escalate the situation. Despite the scale and intensity of Monday’s strikes, neither side is calling the current escalation a war.

Here’s what we know.

What happened?

On Monday, Israel intensified its air campaign on Hezbollah, launching “extensive strikes” targeting the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon. It marked the deadliest day of Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the 2006 war and hit multiple parts of the country, mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the country near Lebanon’s border with Syria and where the militant group has a strong presence.

Women, children and medics were among those killed and wounded, Lebanon’s health ministry said Monday. It is unclear how many of the casualties were civilians or Hezbollah militants, but many of the locations described by Israel as Hezbollah targets are also residential neighborhoods and villages.

Isarel said that among the Hezbollah targets were “cruise missiles” that had a reach of hundreds of kilometers, rockets, and explosive warheads, according to military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, who claimed the munitions were stored in civilian homes.

Residents began to flee their homes after their phones began pinging with text messages from Israel and calls from unknown numbers urging them to evacuate immediately. A popular Lebanese radio station said it was hacked and its broadcast interrupted by an Israeli evacuation warning. The Israeli military warned civilians to leave areas in which Hezbollah operates, such as those used to store weapons.

Residents said they had little time to flee to safety before the bombing started. One resident in the southern city of Tyre on the coast of Lebanon said he heard Israeli warplanes “raining” bombs near his home from 5 a.m. local time on Monday.

Classes in schools and universities were canceled across the country and some flights to and from Beirut were suspended. Many schools were closed to be used as shelters for those seeking refuge.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah said it fired multiple rocket barrages into northern Israel, targeting the Ramat David airbase, Meggido airfield, and the Amos base, all located in the vicinity of the town of Afula in northern Israel.

Were civilians targeted?

Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, but video shows destruction of residential areas and the large death toll reflects the scale and intensity of the strikes.

The nearly 500 killed on Monday alone is roughly half the number of Lebanese killed throughout the entire 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

Israeli warplanes were also seen flying over different parts of the country late afternoon, including over Mount Lebanon where Hezbollah does not have a notable presence.

Lebanon’s representative to the United Nations General Assembly said there was a mass “exodus” of people fleeing. One Lebanese NGO said more than 100,000 people had been displaced.

Residents described seeing buildings collapse and towns being emptied, while images and video show roads blocked by heavy traffic in both directions as people try to flee. Reuters video  from the southern suburbs of Beirut showed debris from damaged buildings and shards of glass littering the ground.

“We have nowhere to go, we have nothing, Mohamed Hamayda, a Syrian man displaced from Deir al-Zahrani, told Agence France-Presse news agency.

Lebanon’s Health Minister Dr. Firass Abiad said convoys of vehicles evacuating people from areas under fire had been “targeted,” as had two ambulances, a fire truck and a medical center. Two first responders were killed, he added.

The Israeli military said it was trying to “mitigate the harm to Lebanese civilians as much as possible,” Hagari said. Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of long using civilians as human shields while aiming rockets at Israeli citizens.

Why is Israel attacking Lebanon?

Hezbollah and Israel have been in conflict for decades – but the two have ramped up their cross-border attacks on each other since last October, when Israel’s war in Gaza began following the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on Israel.

Hezbollah is part of a Tehran-led alliance spanning Yemen, Syria, Gaza, and Iraq that has attacked Israel and its allies since the war with Hamas began. The group has said it will continue striking Israeli targets as long as the war in Gaza goes on.

The increasing escalations have once again brought the region to the edge of an all-out war.

Last week, Hezbollah – one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the region – was left reeling after a deadly twin attack by Israel, when pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members simultaneously exploded across the country. The attack was followed by an Israeli strike on a building in a densely populated southern Beirut, which killed at least 45 people including a top commander and other senior operatives, as well as women and children.

The following days saw some of the most intense exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in almost a year of war in Gaza, as the Lebanese militant group fired projectiles deeper into Israeli territory than has previously been seen and Israel fired hundreds of projectiles into southern Lebanon.

It came as Israel made a new war objective to return diplaced residents to their homes near the northern border after being evacuated due to Hezbollah attacks.

Though weakened militarily and its secretive lines of communication exposed, Hezbollah’s second-in-command has declared “a new chapter” in the confrontations which he called “a battle without limits.”

Is Lebanon and Israel at war?

While the airstrikes, attacks and rhetoric from both Israel and Hezbollah suggest they are in open conflict, neither side is calling the current escalation a war.

The head of Israel’s military Herzi Halevi said it is “preparing for the next phases” and Netanyahu in a televised speech told the people of Lebanon that his country is not at war with them, but with Hezbollah.

There is a renewed effort from the international community to de-escalate the situation. Qatar, one of the key mediators in talks between Israel and Hamas, said the region is on the “brink of the abyss” and France has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address the strikes.

World leaders will be gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly this week and there are feverish efforts behind the scenes to convince Israel not to escalate further and launch a ground incursion into Lebanon.

Though the United States is Israel’s closest ally and biggest weapons supplier, a senior State Department official said the US and its partners are attempting to find a diplomatic solution.

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Hurricane John slams into Mexico’s southern coast after rapidly intensifying

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Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern coast on Monday night after rapidly strengthening into a major Category 3 storm, triggering warnings of ‘life-threatening’ floods and mudslides.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (193 kph), the storm made landfall south-southwest of the city of Marquelia in Guerrero state at around 9:15 p.m. local time, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Just a day ago, the storm was pacing at 35 mph (56 kph), but it underwent two rapid intensifications in a 24-hour period, ramping up speed by more than three times.

“This heavy rainfall will likely cause significant and possibly catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides to the Mexican States of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeast Guerrero, particularly in areas near the coast,” the center said.

Oaxaca state is a popular tourist spot known for its beautiful landscapes and beaches.

Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters, while authorities had suspended classes in several costal zones on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

Businesses in Puerto Escondido, a tourist destination in the southern part of the state, have closed after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches, the news agency reported.

Ana Aldai, who works for a restaurant there, told AP she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly.

“There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases,” she said.

Torrential rainfall of 10 to 20 inches, with isolated totals near 30 inches, could pummel areas along the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero until Thursday.

The coastal areas of Chiapas are also expected to be hit by rainfall of six to 12 inches, with isolated totals around 15 inches, during the same period.

The rainfall could cause a life-threatening storm surge, producing significant coastal flooding near the landfall location, the National Hurricane Center said.

The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves in coastal areas, it added.

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