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May 23, 2025

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MACD + ADX: Spot the Pullbacks Worth Trading

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In this video, Joe shares how to use MACD and ADX indicators to analyze stock pullbacks, focusing on the good while avoiding the weak setups. He explains how these indicators can complement one another. Joe then shows the Summary Page in ACP and how he uses it on a regular basis to look at different markets, including the SPX, COMP, S&P 600, 10-Year Rates, Copper, Gas, and a few Country Funds. Finally, he goes through the symbol requests that came through this week, including CRSP, VC, and more.

The video premiered on May 21, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.

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S&P 500 Slide Explained: What Past Price Action Reveals About Market Dips

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On Wednesday, only 4% of the S&P 500’s holdings logged gains — a pretty rare occurrence. Since the start of 2024, this has only happened three other times:

  • August 5, 2024: The last day of the summer correction
  • December 18, 2024: The Fed’s hawkish cut
  • April 4, 2025: Tariffs

Let’s recall that major trading lows were etched last August, and again just a few weeks ago in early April. The S&P 500 ($SPX) dropped 10% and 21%, respectively, from its peak to trough both times, with the lows being marked by emphatic capitulation events (April 7 was the real pivot low). The market’s rubber band violently snapped back in the ensuing weeks, both times.

FIGURE 1. PAST LOWS IN THE S&P 500 INDEX. Note the rebounds following the August 5, December 18, and April 4 drops.With the SPX now having gained 20% from the April low, the setup is more like mid-December 2024. The index had just gained 19% from early August through early December and was hovering near 6,100. The FOMC’s actions put a major dent in the calm uptrend.

The S&P 500 didn’t completely crumble after that, spending the next 10 weeks backing and filling. But the market’s character changed, and the cracks eventually gave way to the waterfall decline.

So, what does that tell us about this moment? There’s a clear risk given the one-sided advance the last few weeks, but, with bullish patterns still in play and the $SPX having built up a big cushion, it can afford to back and fill again now. It’s the first gut punch in four weeks, and the market must prove it can absorb it.

Short-Term View of the S&P 500

The drawdown measured from this Monday’s high now stands at -2.4% — most of which happened on Wednesday. Given how small the moves have been over the last few weeks, Wednesday’s big decline hit the 14-period relative strength index (RSI) on the two-hour chart very hard. It’s now at 41, which is very close to the 30-oversold threshold.

Again, we’ve seen the short-term indicator fall to oversold territory several times, even during the market’s upswing from August through December. Seeing that happen again this time wouldn’t be a surprise. If it happens, it will be important to see the ensuing bounce pull the SPX back to overbought territory relatively soon. Remember, we went nearly four months between overbought readings from late January through mid-May.

FIGURE 2. TWO-HOUR CHART OF THE S&P 500 WITH RSI.

S&P 500 Patterns

Despite the sell-off, there was no change in the patterns at work. The two bullish patterns remain in play, with targets of 6,125 and 6,555, respectively. The S&P 500 started Thursday, at about 2.5% above the last breakout zone (5,695).

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF THE S&P 500 WITH BULLISH PATTERNS. Here you see the pattern with a 6,125 target.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF S&P 500 WITH 6,555 PRICE TARGET.

Monitor the VIX

Not surprisingly, the Cboe Volatility Index ($VIX) gained 15% on Wednesday in response to the market’s sell-off. It remains close to 20, but continues to log higher lows, which has been the trend since late 2024. Indeed, it’s way off spike highs from April, but it’s a trend worth watching.

Let’s recall that the VIX never truly capitulated in 2022, but its trend of higher lows coincided with the equity market’s downtrend. When the SPX logged a true low in October 2022, lower lows in the VIX became evident. This lasted through this past summer.

If the snapback in the SPX turns into a longer, new uptrend, the VIX’s uptrend will morph into a downtrend again.

FIGURE 5. WEEKLY CHART OF THE CBOE VOLATILITY INDEX ($VIX).

Bonds Display Bullish Patterns

The bullish pattern in the weekly 30-Year Treasury yields and 10-Year Treasury yields is crystal clear. An acceleration through the 2023 highs after Wednesday would have an obvious negative effect on stocks.

As discussed before, the equity market has shown it can advance with higher rates, as long as said rates go higher gradually. The intermittent up-moves in rates have been capped for the last two years as well. Thus, stocks have been able to withstand it. That wasn’t the case from January to September 2022, and that’s the potential concern.

FIGURE 6. WEEKLY CHART OF THE 30-YEAR US TRASURY YIELD INDEX.

FIGURE 7. WEEKLY CHART OF THE 10-YEAR US TREASURY YIELD INDEX.

Bitcoin Holding Strong

So far, Bitcoin has maintained noticeable relative strength even as stocks got hit hard on Wednesday. Simply put, continuing to hold above this breakout zone would keep the new measured move target of 142k in play.

FIGURE 8. WEEKLY CHART OF $BTCUSD WITH ITS MEASURED MOVE TARGET.

From another perspective, this move can also be viewed as the fourth wedge breakout since 2023. The prior three times, BTC’s 14-week RSI stayed very overbought for weeks before slowing down. The 14-week RSI is just approaching overbought levels, which suggests it has further to go.

FIGURE 9. WEEKLY CHART OF $BTCUSD WITH WEDGE BREAKOUTS AND RSI.

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Element79 Gold Corp. Comments on Peruvian Government Reform Centralizing Oversight of Small-Scale Mining Under Ministry of Energy and Mines

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(TheNewswire)

Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire – May 22, 2025 Element79 Gold Corp. (the ‘Company’ or ‘Element79’) (CSE: ELEM, OTC: ELMGF, FSE: 7YS0) wishes to comment on recent developments affecting the mining sector in Peru, where the Company’s flagship Lucero Project is located.

Highlights:

  • The Peruvian government has enacted Supreme Decree No. 009-2025-EM , transferring oversight of small-scale and artisanal mining from regional governments to the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) .

  • The deadline for the mandated Formalization of REINFO (Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry) permit holders with mineral right holders has been extended until December 31, 2025 , giving operators more time to formalize.

  • MINEM’s Directorate General of Mining Formalization will now handle all administrative, monitoring, and enforcement processes related to mining formalization.

  • Reform is grounded in Law No. 32213 , published in December 2024.

  • A new national traceability platform (SIPMMA) is being launched to improve transparency and monitoring of registered small-scale mining operations.

  • The reform has raised concerns among regional governments over loss of local oversight and potential impacts on decentralized governance.

  • The Lucero Project remains a core focus , with continued efforts to formalize local artisanal miners and advance exploration toward production.

  • The Company reaffirms its commitment to social investment and long-term community relationships in Chachas and surrounding areas.

In May 2025, the Government of Peru enacted Supreme Decree No. 009-2025-EM, which extends the validity of the Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry (REINFO) until December 31, 2025, and shifts responsibility for supervising small-scale and artisanal mining from regional governments to the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM).

Under this reform, the Directorate General of Mining Formalization within MINEM will assume exclusive responsibility for the administrative processing, monitoring, and enforcement of formalization-related matters. The changes are grounded in Law No. 32213, published in December 2024, and are designed to enable a more centralized, technical, and transparent regulatory process.

This centralization will be further supported by the implementation of a new national traceability platform, the Sistema Interoperable de la Pequeña Minería y Minería Artesanal (SIPMMA), which aims to improve oversight and data integration across registered mining activities.

While the reform has raised concerns among regional governments regarding reduced local oversight and the implications for decentralized governance, Element79 believes the changes may ultimately contribute to improved regulatory clarity and operational efficiencies across the sector.

‘We are closely monitoring this policy shift and its implementation,’ commented James Tworek, CEO and Director of Element79 Gold Corp. ‘Given Lucero’s location and strategic focus within the artisanal and small-scale mining segment, we view enhanced regulatory structure and centralized oversight as potentially beneficial, provided that community engagement and regional collaboration remain part of the process.’

The Company further notes that the extension of the REINFO deadline through December 2025 allows additional time for regional operators and stakeholders to advance their formalization efforts, which may support ongoing engagement strategies with artisanal miners operating within and around the Lucero Project.

Element79 Gold Corp believes in the long-term potential of the Lucero Project, continues to maintain the project’s mineral leases, and is proud of the community-based investments, social development efforts, and relationships it has built since acquiring Lucero at the end of June 2022. The Company will continue its efforts in forging contracts with the local community for both the formalization of local artisanal miners as well as the Company’s own exploration and development of Lucero into a producing mine.

Corporate Strategy Refocus

In addition to ongoing efforts and campaigns to work in Chachas, the Company’s management and board identifies that following notable successes in developing and monetizing assets in Nevada, it will be carrying out a renewed strategic focus in the region.  This strategic shift will include dealing and development of its current portfolio of Nevada projects, growth of the management team with regionally-specific exploration experience, as well as is reviewing additional M&A opportunities in the region.

For more information about the Company and its projects, please visit: www.element79.gold

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

James C. Tworek

Chief Executive Officer, Director

Element79 Gold Corp.

E: jt@element79.gold

Investor Relations Contact:

E: investors@element79.gold

T: +1.403.850.8050

About Element79 Gold Corp.

Element79 Gold Corp. is a mining company focused on the exploration and development of high-grade gold and silver projects in the Americas. The Company’s flagship asset, the Lucero Project, is a past-producing high-grade gold-silver mine located in Arequipa, Peru. The Company is actively advancing Lucero toward renewed production and tailings reprocessing while supporting formalization initiatives with local operators.

The Company also holds several exploration projects along Nevada’s Battle Mountain trend, a region renowned for prolific gold production, and these assets are under contract for sale in the first half of 2025.  Additionally, Element79 has transferred its Dale Property in Ontario to its subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp., as part of a Plan of Arrangement spin-out process.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press contains ‘forward‐looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable securities laws (collectively, ‘forward‐looking statements’). These statements relate to future events or the Company’s future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made considering management’s experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the timing and completion of the arrangement and the timing and completion of the amalgamation. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward‐looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as ‘seek’, ‘anticipate’, ‘plan’, ‘continue’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘predict’, ‘forecast’, ‘potential’, ‘target’, ‘intend’, ‘could’, ‘might’, ‘should’, ‘believe’ and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be ‘forward‐looking statements’.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Harvest Gold Soil Sampling Program Reveals Several New Gold Targets At Its Quebec Mosseau Project

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Harvest Gold Corporation (TSXV: HVG) (“Harvest Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results of its fall 2024 soil sampling program carried out at its Quebec Mosseau property. The Mosseau project covers 21 km of favourable strike in the Urban-Barry greenstone belt region (Figure 1).

The soil sampling program was carried out by IOS Services Geoscientifiques in October and November 2024 and included the collection of 605 soil samples covering favourable geology and a distinctive magnetic domain in the central part of the property (Figures 2 and 3).

Rick Mark, CEO of Harvest Gold states: “This soil geochemical survey, remarkably, the first of its kind on this property, has yielded a breakthrough in our understanding of the gold potential surrounding the Kiask River Mineralized Corridor. These soil geochemistry results, layered upon historic information and Harvest’s recent geophysical, prospecting and mapping results produce target opportunities previously unseen. The geo team is meeting this week to prioritize drill targets.”

Results from the soil geochemical program* highlight distinctive gold targets; the greater than 98th percentile Au Z-Score** values define eight zones in and parallel to the Kiask River Mineralized Corridor (KRMC) (Figure 4). Three of the gold trains are immediately to the south and down-ice of the KRMC, confirming known mineralization from previous drilling and prospecting results. Another five (5) gold trains are parallel to the KRMC, to the North and the South of the KRMC. These targets are also associated with magnetic highs and geologically by diorite and gabbro’s in the local stratigraphy (Figure 5, Figure 6).

The soil sampling program, in conjunction with the recently released results of the prospecting and geological mapping was carried in the central part of the Mosseau property The soil sampling program has confirmed existing drill targets along the Kiask River Mineralized Corridor, as well as identified new targets in the central part of the Mosseau property. Previously recognized mineralization in the central part of the property along the Kiask River Mineralization Corridor, identified by Vior in 2017, included 2.93 g/t Au over 5.0 m from drilling and grab samples up to 12.9 g/t Au. The mineralization was confirmed and extended along strike from results of the 2024 prospecting and mapping program (Press release May 15, 2025)

The soil sampling program included lines at a 200 m spacing, perpendicular to the known ice flow direction, and sample stations at every 25 m. The significance of the anomalies is not only determined by the gold grade and Z-score*, but also by the contiguity of the anomalous samples.

*Soil sampling surveys are not definitive, and the results are still at an early stage of interpretation, with no guarantee of a mineral discovery

**The anomaly thresholds were determined by IOS using a probabilistic approach. In that the assays results are first transformed into logarithmic data. The Z-score is then calculated for each element of each sample. This significantly limits the range of values and enables the use of a normal distribution for the probability modelling. The anomaly threshold for an element is determined by the difference between the sample’s Z-score and the expected Z-score for a log-normal population with an average of 0 and a standard deviation of 1, which represents the regional background as confirmed by the analysis of IOS’s large database. Any sample deviated from that regional trend is likely related to an anomalous population.

About Harvest Gold Corporation

Harvest Gold is focused on exploring for near surface gold deposits and copper-gold porphyry deposits in politically stable mining jurisdictions. Harvest Gold’s board of directors, management team and technical advisors have collective geological and financing experience exceeding 400 years.

Harvest Gold has three active gold projects focused in the Urban Barry area, totalling 377 claims covering 20,016.87 ha, located approximately 45-70 km west of Gold Fields – Windfall Deposit (Figure 1).

Harvest Gold acknowledges that the Mosseau Gold Project straddles the Eeyou Istchee-James Bay and Abitibi territories. Harvest Gold is committed to developing positive and mutually beneficial relationships based on respect and transparency with local Indigenous communities.

Harvest Gold’s three properties, Mosseau, Urban-Barry and LaBelle, together cover over 50 km of favorable strike along mineralized shear zones.

QA/QC Statement

All soil samples collected during the program were securely transported to Activation Laboratories (Actlabs) in Ancaster, Ontario, an independent and ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory. Sample analysis included aqua regia digestion on 30g aliquots followed by ICP-MS analysis for major and trace elements (method UT-1-30g). Digestion with aqua regia consists of a solution of 75% hydrochloric acid and 25% nitric acid, which is highly aggressive and oxidizing, allowing metals, sulphides and gold to be dissolved. The contents of silicate minerals only partially enter solution, however, which subtracts them from the results reported, since solubilization depends on the mineral species and metals present. Thus, most of the iron and magnesium present in these ferromagnesian minerals is solubilized, leaving a residue of insoluble silica and alumina. However, digestion with aqua regia does not bring refractory minerals into solution, including quartz, feldspars, zircon and several oxides. For 5 samples with aluminum results above the UT-1-30g limit, aluminum was analyzed by ICP-OES after lithium borate fusion. 68 certified reference materials (Oreas 46 and Oreas 47), internal reference material (MRIHB23-2 and Till09) and blanks pulverized at <90 microns were added to the samples by IOS before they were sent to Actlabs. The Company follows industry-standard QA/QC protocols, including the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks, and duplicates to ensure the accuracy and precision of the results.

Qualified Person Statement

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo., Technical Advisor to the Company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rick Mark
President and CEO
Harvest Gold Corporation

For more information please contact:

Rick Mark or Jan Urata
@ 604.737.2303 or info@harvestgoldcorp.com

Neither 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.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward looking statements’. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Harvest Gold expects to occur, are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur.

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 may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Source

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Silver47 Announces Graduation to Tier 1 Status on the TSX Venture Exchange

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Silver47 Exploration Corp. (TSXV: AGA) (OTCQB: AAGAF) (‘Silver47’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has been approved for graduation from Tier 2 to Tier 1 issuer status on the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘TSXV’) effective May 23, 2025.

The TSXV classifies issuers into different tiers based on various factors, including financial performance, stage of development, and available resources. Tier 1 is the TSXV’s highest designation and is reserved for more advanced companies with significant financial resources. This upgrade signifies Silver47’s continued growth and its commitment to providing long-term value for its shareholders.

As a result of this graduation to Tier 1 status, the securities of Silver47, previously subject to the escrow provisions of Tier 2 issuers, will now be governed by the release provisions of Tier 1 issuers, with the securities being released over an 18-month period. The following securities will be immediately releasable: 3,952,748 common shares, 462,500 options, and 131,250 restricted share units and/or any common shares after the exercise of such convertible securities. The remaining escrowed securities will be ‎releasable as follows: 3,952,763 common shares, 462,500 options, and 131,2500 restricted share units will be releasable on November 14, 2025, which is 12 months from listing (and/or any common shares after the exercise of such convertible securities); and 3,952,764 common shares, 462,500 options, and 131,250 restricted share units will be releasable on May 14, 2026, which is 18 months from listing (and/or any common shares after the exercise of such convertible securities).

About Silver47 Exploration Corp.

Silver47 Exploration Corp. is a Canadian-based exploration company that wholly-owns three silver and critical metals (polymetallic) exploration projects in Canada and the US. These projects include the Red Mountain Project in southcentral Alaska, a silver-gold-zinc-copper-lead-antimony-gallium VMS-SEDEX project. The Red Mountain Project hosts an inferred mineral resource estimate of 15.6 million tonnes at 7% ZnEq or 335.7 g/t AgEq, totaling 168.6 million ounces of silver equivalent, as reported in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated March 2, 2023. The Company also owns the Adams Plateau Project in southern British Columbia, a silver-zinc-copper-gold-lead SEDEX-VMS project, and the Michelle Project in the Yukon Territory, a silver-lead-zinc-gallium-antimony MVT-SEDEX project. For detailed information regarding the resource estimates, assumptions, and technical reports, please refer to the NI 43-101 Technical Report and other filings available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. The Common Shares are traded on the TSXV under the ticker symbol AGA.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.silver47.ca and see the Technical Report filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and titled ‘Technical Report on the Red Mountain VMS Property Bonnifield Mining District, Alaska, USA with an effective date January 12, 2024, and prepared by APEX Geoscience Ltd.’.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates:

    On Behalf of the Board of Directors

    Mr. Gary R. Thompson
    Director and CEO
    gthompson@silver47.ca

    For investor relations
    Meredith Eades
    info@silver47.ca
    778.835.2547

    No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘upon’ ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: trading as a Tier 1 issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange and release from escrow of escrowed shares; the statements in regards to existing and future products of the Company; and the Company’s plans and strategies. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: the ability to close the Offering, including the time and sizing thereof, the insider participation in the Offering and receipt of required regulatory approvals; the use of proceeds not being as anticipated; the Company’s ability to implement its business strategies; risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; stakeholder engagement; marketing and transportation costs; loss of markets; volatility of commodity prices; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; industry and government regulation; changes in legislation, income tax and regulatory matters; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; and the additional risks identified in the Company’s financial statements and the accompanying management’s discussion and analysis and other public disclosures recently filed under its issuer profile on SEDAR+ and other reports and filings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators. The forward-looking information are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws.

    No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/253159

    News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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    Rio Tinto Partners with Codelco to Develop Lithium Project in Chile

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    Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO)said on Monday (May 19) that it has signed binding agreements with Corporación Nacional Del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) to develop and operate a high-grade lithium project.

    The asset is located in the Salar de Maricunga, a large lithium-containing resource base in Atacama, Chile. Its brine is said to have one of the highest average grades of lithium content in the world.

    According to Rio Tinto, it will acquire a 49.99 percent interest in the company Salar de Maricunga, through which Codelco holds its licenses and mining concessions related to the resource base.

    Codelco is a state-owned firm formed in 1976. Its full name translates to “National Copper Corporation of Chile.”

    “We are honoured to be chosen as Codelco’s partner to deliver a world-class project using Direct Lithium Extraction technology in the Salar de Maricunga, leveraging our expertise as a leading producer of lithium for the global market,” said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm. “Developing this significant lithium resource will deliver further value-adding growth in our portfolio of critical minerals essential for the energy transition.”

    In 2023, Rio and Codelco entered a joint venture for the exploration of Nuevo Cobre, situated within the Potrerillos mining district, also in Atacama. Codelco owns about 43 percent of Nuevo Cobre, while Rio Tinto owns about 58 percent.

    For the Salar de Maricunga partnership, Rio will invest AU$350 million in initial funding for additional studies and resource analysis that will assist in creating a final investment decision.

    Once a decision is made, AU$500 million will be dedicated toward construction costs. Another AU$50 million will be allocated should the venture deliver its first lithium target by the end of 2030.

    The new partnership with Codelco forms part of Rio Tinto’s long-term lithium plan, which includes a production goal of over 200,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent annually by 2028.

    The company recently completed its acquisition of Arcadium Lithium, making it the world’s third top lithium producer.

    Subject to regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary conditions, the Salar de Maricunga transaction is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

    Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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    Trump’s image of dead ‘white farmers’ came from Congo, not South Africa

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    U.S. President Donald Trump showed a screenshot of Reuters video taken in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of what he falsely presented on Wednesday as evidence of mass killings of white South Africans.

    “These are all white farmers that are being buried,” said Trump, holding up a print-out of an article accompanied by the picture during a contentious Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

    In fact, the video, published by Reuters on February 3 and subsequently verified by the news agency’s fact check team, showed humanitarian workers lifting body bags in the Congolese city of Goma. The image was pulled from Reuters footage shot following deadly battles with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

    The blog post showed to Ramaphosa by Trump during the White House meeting was published by American Thinker, a conservative online magazine, about conflict and racial tensions in South Africa and Congo.

    The post did not caption the image but identified it as a “YouTube screen grab” with a link to a video news report about Congo on YouTube, which credited Reuters.

    The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Andrea Widburg, managing editor at American Thinker and the author of the post in question, wrote in reply to a Reuters query that Trump had “misidentified the image.”

    She added, however, that the post, which referred to what it called Ramaphosa’s “dysfunctional, race-obsessed Marxist government”, had “pointed out the increasing pressure placed on white South Africans.”

    The footage from which the picture was taken shows a mass burial following an M23 assault on Goma, filmed by Reuters video journalist Djaffar Al Katanty.

    “That day, it was extremely difficult for journalists to get in… I had to negotiate directly with M23 and coordinate with the ICRC to be allowed to film,” Al Katanty said. “Only Reuters has video.”

    Al Katanty said seeing Trump holding the article with the screengrab of his video came as a shock.

    “In view of all the world, President Trump used my image, used what I filmed in DRC to try to convince President Ramaphosa that in his country, white people are being killed by Black people,” Al Katanty said.

    Ramaphosa visited Washington this week to try to mend ties with the United States after persistent criticism from Trump in recent months over South Africa’s land laws, foreign policy, and alleged bad treatment of its white minority, which South Africa denies.

    Trump interrupted the televised meeting with Ramaphosa to play a video, which he said showed evidence of genocide of white farmers in South Africa. This conspiracy theory, which has circulated in far-right chat rooms for years, is based on false claims.

    Trump then proceeded to flip through printed copies of articles that he said detailed murders of white South Africans, saying “death, death, death, horrible death.”

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

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    Prince William’s new docuseries spotlights ‘one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet’

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    Wildlife rangers are being killed at a rate of nearly two a week, and it’s a toll Prince William has said the world can no longer ignore.

    This is the reality laid bare in “Guardians,” a new six-part docuseries from the Prince of Wales which offers a rare insight into the dangerous work of rangers operating on the front lines of conservation across the globe.

    A champion of the environment for over a decade, William introduces each episode of the series, which aims to capture both the beauty of the natural world, and the brutality of the protectors’ fight to defend it.

    “I’ve been dying to do something around this sort of space for a while,” William said after making an unexpected appearance at a screening in London on Tuesday. “This one is particularly special to me, because I’ve got lots of friends and people I’ve met over the years on my trips and going abroad who are living this life on a daily basis.”

    Rangers make huge sacrifices and take incredible risks as nature’s front line by standing between poachers and numerous endangered species. They endure similar ordeals to soldiers in combat, routinely facing death, injury, or torture from poachers, and the animals they protect can kill them too.

    William, 42, who founded United for Wildlife through his Royal Foundation in 2013 to combat illegal wildlife trade, said the series was shaped by firsthand accounts from rangers he’s met and the “vital yet unseen” work they do to protect the planet.

    They’re “unsung heroes,” William told the audience. “I like to see the ranger as the glue between the human world we live in and the natural world.”

    Chris Galliers, chair of the International Ranger Federation, echoed William, describing rangers as playing an “indispensable role in securing and maintaining the health of our planet.”

    “Although often under resourced and supported, their tireless work secures our natural and cultural heritage and the stability of global economies, proving that environmental protection is deeply interconnected with human survival,” he said.

    The series follows stories from rangers working in the Central African Republic, the Indian Himalayas, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Sri Lanka, and the Caru Indigenous land in Brazil.

    William has spent years advocating for rangers and conservation teams. He has witnessed the risks firsthand, and has met those who patrol some of the world’s most volatile environments, where many have lost their lives while safeguarding nature.

    “This is now one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet,” William said. “And really it shouldn’t be. Protecting the natural world, it shouldn’t be that dangerous.”

    “At some point,” he added, “we have to say enough’s enough.”

    William also reflected on the power of documentary storytelling, citing David Attenborough as a “big inspiration” during his childhood. The renowned veteran broadcaster’s ability to bring “wonderful parts of the world” into people’s homes is something “Guardians” also strives for, the heir to the British throne said.

    “Any future we want from the natural world, has to come from the ranger community being valued, respected, seen,” William continued. “We value them, we care for them, and we hope that momentum builds, and that people support them.”

    The series launches just weeks after William paid tribute to two rangers who were killed and another who was severely injured in an attack in Mozambique, which he described as “yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those protecting our natural world.”

    In November, William announced a new life insurance initiative for rangers across Africa. The five-year financial package, funded in part by his foundation, will benefit 10,000 rangers, giving them access to health and life insurance cover, as well as opportunities for training and development.

    The digital series, launched by United for Wildlife and co-produced with award-winning studio ZANDLAND, will premiere globally on BBC Earth’s YouTube and social channels on Friday with episodes released weekly.

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

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    Germany deploys permanent troops to another country for the first time since World War II

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    Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated a groundbreaking German brigade in Lithuania that is meant to help protect NATO’s eastern flank and declared Thursday that “the security of our Baltic allies is also our security” as worries about Russian aggression persist.

    He said Berlin’s strengthening of its own military sends a signal to its allies to invest in security.

    The stationing in Lithuania marks the first time that a German brigade is being based outside Germany on a long-term basis since World War II. “This is a historic day,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said after meeting Merz. “This is a day of trust, responsibility and action.”

    German brigade to be at full strength in 2027

    Germany has had troops in Lithuania — which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus — since 2017, as part of efforts to secure NATO’s eastern fringe, but the new brigade deepens its engagement significantly.

    An advance party started work on setting it up just over a year ago and expanded into an “activation staff” of about 250 people last fall. The 45 Armored Brigade is expected to be up to its full strength of about 5,000 by the end of 2027, with troops stationed at Rukla and Rudninkai.

    Dozens of military helicopters roared over the central cathedral square in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, as the inauguration wrapped up on a rainy Thursday afternoon, with hundreds of troops and spectators attending. Merz told the event that “protecting Vilnius is protecting Berlin.”

    The deployment in Lithuania has been taking shape as Germany works to strengthen its military overall after years of neglect as NATO members scramble to increase defense spending, spurred by worries about further potential Russian aggression and pressure from Washington.

    Beefing up the Bundeswehr

    Merz said that, beyond the new brigade, “Germany is investing massively in its own armed forces.”

    “With this, we also want to send a signal to our allies: let us now invest with determination in our own security,” he added. “Together with our partners, we are determined to defend alliance territory against every — every — aggression. The security of our Baltic allies is also our security.”

    Shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to increase Germany’s defense spending to the current NATO target of 2% of gross domestic product and announced the creation of a 100 billion-euro ($113-billion) special fund to modernize the Bundeswehr.

    Germany met that target thanks to the fund, but it will be used up in 2027. Even before it took office earlier this month, the new governing coalition pushed plans through parliament to enable higher defense spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt.

    Merz, the first chancellor to have served in the Bundeswehr himself, told parliament last week that “the government will in the future provide all the financing the Bundeswehr needs to become the strongest conventional army in Europe.”

    Lithuania to spend more than 5% on defense

    Host Lithuania said in January that it would raise its defense spending to between 5% and 6% of GDP starting next year, from a bit over 3%. That made it the first NATO nation to vow to reach a 5% goal called for by US President Donald Trump.

    A plan is in the works for all allies to aim to spend 3.5% of GDP on their defense budgets by 2032, plus an extra 1.5% on potentially defense-related things like infrastructure — roads, bridges, airports and seaports.

    Merz said in Lithuania that those figures “seem sensible to us, they also seem reachable — at least in the time span until 2032 that has been stipulated.”

    German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier this week that the plan is to increase defense spending by 0.2 percentage points each year for five to seven years.

    Merz has plunged into diplomatic efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Ukraine since taking office earlier this month.

    “We stand firmly by Ukraine, but we also stand together as Europeans as a whole — and, whenever possible, we play in a team with the US,” he said.

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

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