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Standard Uranium Retains 100% Unencumbered Ownership of the Sun Dog Project Through Conclusion of Property Option Agreement

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Standard Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: STND,OTC:STTDF) (OTCQB: STTDF) (FSE: 9SU0) (‘Standard Uranium’ or the ‘Company’) announces the conclusion, effective December 11, 2025, of an arm’s length property option agreement (the ‘Agreement’) with Aero Energy Ltd. (‘Aero’) dated October 20, 2023, that had allowed Aero to earn up to 100% interest in the Sun Dog Project (‘Sun Dog’, or the ‘Project’). Following the conclusion of the Agreement, full and unencumbered ownership of the Project has been returned to the Company. Standard Uranium is currently working on plans to advance exploration on Sun Dog, building upon recent drilling and geophysical programs in 2024 and 2025.

Sun Dog covers an area of 48,443 acres (19,604 ha) across nine mineral claims and is located 15 km Southeast of Uranium City on the northern margin of the Athabasca Basin (Figure 1). It hosts the historical Gunnar Uranium Mine, discovered in 1952, which doubled Canada’s uranium production and became the largest uranium producer globally in 1956. The Gunnar Mine produced approximately 18M lbs of U3O8 between 1953 and 19811,2.

Jon Bey, CEO & Director of Standard Uranium, commented, ‘Sun Dog is a fantastic project that continues to garner a great deal of interest from multiple companies. We are excited to have the Sun Dog project returned to our portfolio and confident that we will have another joint venture partner funding further exploration in the next year. I would also like to wish the team at Aero Energy future success as they focus their sites on their other uranium projects in Canada and the USA. They were a great partner to work with the past two years.’

Figure 1. Overview of the Sun Dog Project highlighting drill target areas, historical high-grade* uranium occurrences3, and EM-conductors4.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10633/277772_82df2fcd64d3c957_001full.jpg

Sun Dog Highlights

  • History of Production: The project hosts the historical Gunnar Mine which produced 18M pounds of U3O8 between 1953 and 1981 and was formerly the world’s largest uranium producer1,2.

  • Uranium Above and Below the Unconformity: Numerous recent and historical high-grade* uranium assays from outcrop samples across the Project range from 0.01% to 17.4% U3O83,4. These showings occur in both basement rocks below the Unconformity and perched within Athabasca sandstones above the Unconformity thus confirming the presence of unconformity-related high-grade uranium on the Sun Dog Project.

  • Verified Targets: Stacked graphitic structural zones associated with uranium mineralization and prospective hydrothermal alteration have been intersected in multiple target areas during modern drill programs. The drill program results to date confirm a favorable geological environment for fluid movement and uranium deposition on the Project.

Modern Exploration

Recent exploration efforts by Standard Uranium have focused on multiple target areas across the Project, testing down-dip extensions of structures hosting uranium at surface with the aim of discovering high-grade unconformity mineralization and basement ‘roots’ of the mineralizing systems underlying the Athabasca sandstones.

Prospecting & Surface Exploration

Prospecting in 2020 led to the discovery of a new high-grade uranium showing named the Haven discovery and several zones of visible uranium mineralization at surface that returned uranium assay results of 3.58% U3O8, 1.7% U3O8, and 0.7% U3O8.5

In the summer of 2022, Standard Uranium executed a field mapping and prospecting program to expand upon the results of the 2020 prospecting program. Handheld RS-120 and RS-125 scintillometers were used to track radioactivity with more than 80 new mineralized boulder and bedrock locations discovered on Johnston and Stewart islands.

In 2024, occurrences of strong to intense radioactivity in outcropping basement rocks were identified at surface while prospecting at the Wishbone and Spring-Dome target areas, returning highly anomalous assays ranging from 0.02% to 13.0% U3O8.6

Additionally, the analytical results revealed a correlation between uranium and gold, while boron and other pathfinder elements highlighted the potential for a robust alteration footprint associated with uranium mineralization. Surficial grab samples from faults and veins cutting sandstone outcrop returned high concentrations of dravite (up to 75%), a uranium pathfinder mineral commonly associated with uranium-fertile systems.

Geophysical Surveys

In the winter of 2022, MWH Geo-Surveys Ltd. carried out a ground gravity survey and UAV-borne magnetic surveys in the areas of Johnston and Stewart islands on behalf of Standard Uranium. The gravity survey consisted of 3,388 unique gravity measurement stations with a station spacing of 50 to 100 m. The survey identified several variations in residual gravity and outlined multiple gravity low target areas on and around Stewart and Johnston islands.

An airborne VTEMTM Plus survey was completed in 2024 to pinpoint graphitic rocks (conductors) favourable for hosting significant concentrations of uranium. This modern electromagnetic (‘EM’) survey improved upon historical surveys which have identified at least 40 km of combined conductor strike length.

In 2025, MWH Geo-Surveys Ltd. completed high-resolution ground gravity surveys along known conductive exploration trends across the Wishbone, McNie, and Armbruster South target areas, filling in the gaps between the previous 2022 gravity grids (Figure 2). These surveys have identified numerous density-low bullseye anomalies representing potential zones of hydrothermal alteration or structural disruption which are commonly associated with uranium mineralization events.

Figure 2. 2025 ground gravity survey areas covering the Armbruster South, Wishbone, and McNie EM conductor trends. Density-low anomalies representing potential alteration zones are highlighted by cool colours on the inverted gravity grids.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10633/277772_82df2fcd64d3c957_002full.jpg

Drill Programs

Standard Uranium carried out two drill programs on the Project during the winters of 2022 and 2023, in addition to operating a program in 2024 funded by Aero. In total, 4,062 m of diamond drilling has been completed by the Company across 21 drill holes on the Project.

Historical exploration efforts primarily focused on the ‘Beaverlodge-style’ deposit model, targeting lower-grade, fault-hosted mineralization visible at the surface. This approach did not target, and would not have been effective for, the high-grade ‘Unconformity-related’ basement-hosted deposits associated with graphitic rocks more recently discovered near the Athabasca Basin’s edge (e.g. Arrow, Triple R).

Recent diamond drill programs have been successful in identifying key geological characteristics prospective for significant uranium mineralizing systems on the Project, which in turn will aid in planning and prioritization of additional exploration targets for follow-up drill programs.

Drilling highlights include3,8:

  • Widespread hydrothermal alteration zones containing illite-rich and dravitic clays and abundant iron-oxide minerals intersected in multiple drill holes, indicating a robust fluid system with prospective chemistry for uranium.

  • Significant structural influence evidenced to control high-grade uranium mineralization and anomalous radioactivity in drill holes.

  • Reactivated graphitic shear zones & quartz-hematite breccias intersected over 10s of metres in several drill holes indicate ideal structural regime providing the plumbing system for uranium mobilization.

  • Favorable geochemistry returned in multiple drill holes, including prospective clay spectroscopy results (dravite), elevated pathfinder elements, and anomalous uranium correlated to lead isotope ratios which may be used as an additional exploration vector.

  • Uranium mineralization confirmed by anomalous uranium assays was intersected in multiple drill holes, coinciding with prospective structure and favorable alteration.

Qualified Person Statement

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Sean Hillacre, P.Geo., President and VP Exploration of the Company and a ‘qualified person’ as defined in NI 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Samples collected for analysis by the Company were sent to SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for preparation, processing, and ICP-MS multi-element analysis using total and partial digestion, gold by fire assay, and boron by fusion. Basement samples were tested with ICP-MS2 uranium multi-element exploration package plus boron. All basement samples marked as radioactive upon arrival to the lab were also analyzed using the U3O8 assay (reported in wt %). Basement rock split interval samples range from 0.1 to 0.5 m. SRC is an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and Standards Council of Canada certified analytical laboratory. Blanks, standard reference materials, and repeats were inserted into the sample stream at regular intervals in accordance with Standard Uranium’s quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocols. All samples passed internal QA/QC protocols, and the results presented in this release are deemed complete, reliable, and repeatable.

Samples containing clay alteration were sent to Rekasa Rocks Inc. in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to be analyzed by Short Wavelength Infrared Reflectance (‘SWIR‘) via a Portable Infrared Mineral Analyzer (‘PIMA‘) to verify clay species. All depth measurements reported are down-hole measurements and true thicknesses are yet to be determined.

Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company’s future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects. Any historical grab samples disclosed are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralization.

Natural gamma radiation from rocks reported in this news release was measured in counts per second (‘cps’) using a handheld RS-125 super-spectrometer and RS-120 super-scintillometer. Readers are cautioned that scintillometer readings are not uniformly or directly related to uranium grades of the rock sample measured and should be treated only as a preliminary indication of the presence of radioactive minerals. The RS-125 and RS-120 units supplied by Radiation Solutions Inc. (‘RSI‘) have been calibrated on specially designed Test Pads by RSI. Standard Uranium maintains an internal QA/QC procedure for calibration and calculation of drift in radioactivity readings through three test pads containing known concentrations of radioactive minerals. Internal test pad radioactivity readings are known and regularly compared to readings measured by the handheld scintillometers for QA/QC purposes.

References

  1. Gunnar Uranium Mine: From Cold War Darling to Ghost Town, L. Schramm, Saskatchewan Research Council, 2018.
  2. Geology and Genesis of Major World Hardrock Uranium Deposits, United States Geological Survey, Open-File Report 81-166, 1981.
  3. Technical Report on the Sun Dog Property – Northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, Effective date June 30, 2023
  4. Information obtained from Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index and historical report from Uranium City Resources, 2007

*The Company considers uranium mineralization with concentrations greater than 1.0 wt% U3O8 to be ‘high-grade’.

**The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 65,535 counts per second (cps) on a handheld RS-125 Super-Spectrometer to be ‘off-scale’.

***The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) on a handheld RS-125 Super-Spectrometer to be ‘anomalous’.

About Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND,OTC:STTDF)

We find the fuel to power a clean energy future

Standard Uranium is a uranium exploration company and emerging project generator poised for discovery in the world’s richest uranium district. The Company holds interest in over 235,435 acres (95,277 hectares) in the world-class Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. Since its establishment, Standard Uranium has focused on the identification, acquisition, and exploration of Athabasca-style uranium targets with a view to discovery and future development.

Standard Uranium’s Davidson River Project, in the southwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, comprises ten mineral claims over 30,737 hectares. Davidson River is highly prospective for basement-hosted uranium deposits due to its location along trend from recent high-grade uranium discoveries. However, owing to the large project size with multiple targets, it remains broadly under-tested by drilling. Recent intersections of wide, structurally deformed and strongly altered shear zones provide significant confidence in the exploration model and future success is expected.

Standard Uranium’s eastern Athabasca projects comprise over 43,185 hectares of prospective land holdings. The eastern basin projects are highly prospective for unconformity related and/or basement hosted uranium deposits based on historical uranium occurrences, recently identified geophysical anomalies, and location along trend from several high-grade uranium discoveries.

Standard Uranium’s Sun Dog project, in the northwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, is comprised of nine mineral claims over 19,603 hectares. The Sun Dog project is highly prospective for basement and unconformity hosted uranium deposits yet remains largely untested by sufficient drilling despite its location proximal to uranium discoveries in the area.

For further information contact:

Jon Bey, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
Suite 3123, 595 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, V7X 1J1

Tel: 1 (306) 850-6699
E-mail: info@standarduranium.ca

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ or ‘forward-looking information’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations; timing of the Company’s exploration programs; and estimates of market conditions.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are highlighted in the ‘Risks and Uncertainties’ in the Company’s management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company’s actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation: that the transaction with the Optionee will proceed as planned; the future price of uranium; anticipated costs and the Company’s ability to raise additional capital if and when necessary; volatility in the market price of the Company’s securities; future sales of the Company’s securities; the Company’s ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the success of exploration, development and operations activities; the timing and results of drilling programs; the discovery of mineral resources on the Company’s mineral properties; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); uncertainties related to title to mineral properties; assessments by taxation authorities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements and the assumptions made with respect thereto are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/277772

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Silver Dollar Completes Sale of Ranger-Page Silver-Zinc-Lead Project to Bunker Hill Mining

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Located in Idaho’s prolific Silver Valley, the historical Ranger-Page workings and mineralized zones are geologically continuous with the Bunker Hill system

Silver Dollar Resources Inc. (CSE: SLV,OTC:SLVDF) (OTCQX: SLVDF) (FSE: 4YW) is pleased to announce that, further to the news release of October 27, 2025, it has completed the sale of the Ranger-Page Project, whereby Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and its subsidiary (together, ‘Bunker Hill’) have acquired from Silver Dollar Resources Inc. and its subsidiary (together, ‘Silver Dollar’ or the ‘Company’), the right, title and interest in the assets related to the Ranger-Page Project located in Shoshone County, Idaho, USA, which includes Silver Dollar’s 75% interest in the Government Gulch property and its related option rights under the Government Gulch Option and Joint Venture Agreement and the Page Mine Mineral Rights Lease and Option Agreement.

Figure 1: Plan map showing the location of the Bunker Hill – Ranger-Page land package in the Silver Valley.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Ranger-Page/BNKR-RP_Silver-Valley.jpg

‘Finalizing this transaction represents the successful execution of our strategic vision for Ranger-Page. The closing immediately establishes Silver Dollar as a significant and supportive shareholder in a near-term producer, providing our investors with direct, leveraged exposure to the restart of the Bunker Hill Mine that is on track for first production in H1 2026,’ said Greg Lytle, President and CEO of Silver Dollar. ‘We believe this transaction delivers an accelerated path to value creation for our shareholders compared to the independent development of Ranger-Page, and we look forward to the growth of Bunker Hill in the years ahead through production and exploration.’

Figure 2: Cross-Section showing the Bunker Hill – Ranger-Page underground workings and target area.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Ranger-Page/BunkerHill_RP-X-Section-Target-Area.jpg

Strategic Highlights:

  • Consolidated Land Position: The acquisition unites the Ranger-Page and Bunker Hill properties into a contiguous land package, creating one of the largest and most prospective holdings by any single company in the Silver Valley.

  • Exploration Upside: Historical drilling and production data from the Ranger-Page indicate high-grade silver-lead-zinc mineralization along the Page vein system, which remains open at depth and along strike.

  • Infrastructure Synergies: The Ranger-Page Mines’ existing underground workings and surface access points could provide additional flexibility for future mine planning, ventilation, and exploration access to deeper levels of the Bunker Hill system.

  • Complementary to Restart Plan: The acquisition is aligned with Bunker Hill’s ongoing restart of operations at the Bunker Hill Mine, targeted for H1 2026, and enhances the Company’s upside optionality for future resource expansion and mill feed sources.

  • Community benefits: This has the potential to create more local employment opportunities within the Silver Valley and stimulate procurement from regional suppliers in ways that benefit the local communities.

Transaction Summary

Under the terms of the asset purchase agreement with Bunker Hill, Silver Dollar received 23,333,334 common shares of Bunker Hill valued at approximately $5,800,000 based on yesterday’s closing price of Bunker Hill’s shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Bunker Hill common shares will be subject to a statutory six-month hold period and contractual escrow, and will be released in accordance with the following schedule:

Release Date Release Schedule from Contractual Escrow
6-month anniversary of Closing Date 2,333,333 Shares
9-month anniversary of Closing Date 2,333,333 Shares
12-month anniversary of Closing Date Balance of Shares (18,666,668 Shares)

 

About the Ranger-Page Project

Located in a world-class silver district, the Ranger-Page land package covers six historic mines and adjoins the Bunker Hill Mining property. The primary target areas are up and down plunge from historic underground mining, along strike where ground-induced polarization (IP) surveys have identified anomalies, and where surface trenching has identified near-surface mineralization. Additional exploration targets have also been identified away from historic mine infrastructure, using soil geochemical data, mapping, and ground IP survey data.

About Bunker Hill Mining Corp.

Bunker Hill is an American mineral exploration and development company focused on revitalizing its historic mining asset: the renowned zinc, lead, and silver deposit in northern Idaho’s prolific Coeur d’Alene mining district. This strategic initiative aims to breathe new life into a once-productive mine, leveraging modern exploration techniques and sustainable development practices to unlock the potential of this mineral-rich region. Bunker Hill Mining Corp. aims to maximize shareholder value by responsibly harnessing the mineral wealth in the Silver Valley mining district, focusing its efforts on this single, high-potential asset. Information about the Company is available on its website, www.bunkerhillmining.com, or within the SEDAR+ and EDGAR databases.

About Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Silver Dollar is a dynamic mineral exploration company focused on North America’s premier mining regions. Our portfolio includes the advanced-stage La Joya Silver (Cu-Au) Project, and the early-stage Nora Silver-Gold Project, both located in the prolific Durango-Zacatecas silver gold belt. The Company is fully funded for 2026 having recently closed a financing with continued support from financial backers that include renowned mining investor Eric Sprott, our largest shareholder. Silver Dollar’s management team is committed to an aggressive growth strategy and is actively reviewing potential acquisitions with a focus on drill-ready projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions.

For additional information, you can visit our website at silverdollarresources.com, download our investor presentation, and follow us on X at x.com/SilverDollarRes.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Signed ‘Gregory Lytle’

Gregory Lytle,
President, CEO & Director
Silver Dollar Resources Inc.
Direct line: (604) 839-6946
Email: greg@silverdollarresources.com
179 – 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416
Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the closing of the transaction, the benefits of the transaction for the Company, the exploration and development potential of the Ranger-Page and Bunker Hill projects, and the Company’s strategy and future plans, are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by words such as ‘pro forma,’ ‘plans,’ ‘expects,’ ‘will,’ ‘may,’ ‘should,’ ‘budget,’ ‘scheduled,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘forecasts,’ ‘intends,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘potential’ or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has made certain assumptions, including without limitation, the operational restart of the Bunker Hill Mine will proceed as planned, the integration of the Ranger-Page and Bunker Hill properties will deliver the anticipated operational and exploration synergies, and that market conditions for silver, zinc, and lead will remain supportive.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the operational restart of the Bunker Hill Mine may be delayed or unsuccessful, the integration of the Ranger-Page and Bunker Hill properties may not deliver the anticipated operational and exploration synergies, and market conditions for silver, zinc, and lead may deteriorate. 

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release except as otherwise required by law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/277808

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Aurum Returns High Grade Gold Intercepts at Tchaga, Napié Gold Project, Côte d’Ivoire

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Aurum Resources (ASX: AUE, “Aurum” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce encouraging, broad gold intercepts from its ongoing 30,000m drilling program at the 0.87Moz Napié Gold Project1 in Côte d’Ivoire. The drill program is designed to grow Mineral Resources at Napié and has successfully confirmed multiple shallow, open-pitable gold intercepts from 18 holes drilled for 5,479m at the Tchaga deposit (0.54Moz @ 1.16g/t Au).

Encouraging new drill intercepts from Napié’s Tchaga deposit include2:

  • Tchaga Deposit:
    • 5.00m @ 10.09 g/t Au from 209.00m inc. 1.00m @ 49.10 g/t Au (NADD062)
    • 50.00m @ 0.62 g/t Au from 363.00m inc. 1.00m @ 7.55 g/t Au (NADD062)
    • 10.80m @ 4.52 g/t Au from 73.00m inc. 1.90m @ 23.45 g/t Au (NADD060)
    • 36.70m @ 0.66 g/t Au from 93.30m inc. 4.70m @ 1.06 g/t Au (NADD076)
    • 6.00m @ 3.82 g/t Au from 226.00m inc. 1.00m @ 22.37 g/t Au (NADD064).

Exploration Growth & Project Development:

  • Mineralisation remains open: Gold mineralisation confirmed over 2,300m and remains open along strike and at depth (tested to over 400m vertical), indicating significant potential for resource growth.
  • Drilling fleet expanded: Aurum has two drill rigs working at Napié and 12 drill rigs at Boundiali and is targeting more than 130,000m of drilling at Boundiali and Napié in CY2025.
  • Major Resource updates pending: Two major MRE updates (Boundiali and Napié) are scheduled for Q1 CY2026, aimed at growing the Company’s current 3.28Moz resource base.
  • Well-funded for growth: Aurum maintains a strong balance sheet with ~$43M cash3 to fund its exploration and development programs.

Aurum’s Managing Director Dr. Caigen Wang said: “We are hitting multiple broad shallow, open-pitable gold intercepts from this latest round of step-back diamond drilling at Napié’s Tchaga deposit. Most of these intercepts are outside of the current MRE and have been drilled on a 100m line spacing, and in places down to over 400m vertical depth, well below the current MRE. Within this we are seeing a higher-grade core of around 400m strike, which includes our previous result 17m @ 9.38 g/t gold4 from 236m. Drilling is ongoing and we are awaiting assays which will be used for the planned MRE update in Q1 CY2026.

Our unique advantage is our owned and operated fleet of 12 diamond drill rigs, which allows us to aggressively and cost- effectively test these major gold systems, and we continue to drill with two rigs at Napié in parallel with our aggressive program at Boundiali. We have 12 diamond drill rigs active at Boundiali on multiple deposits, as we focus on delivering an increase in quantity and confidence in our Mineral Resources.

As we close out CY2025 we have a strong cash balance of $43M, a clear development pathway with the Boundiali PFS underway, and resource growth from major updates at both gold projects pending. This places Aurum in an excellent position to continue to deliver substantial shareholder value in 2026.’


Click here for the full ASX Release

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Finlay Minerals Announces Grant of Stock Options

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finlay minerals ltd. (TSXV: FYL,OTC:FYMNF) (OTCQB: FYMNF) (‘Finlay’ or the ‘Company’) announces that it has granted an aggregate of 2,725,000 stock options of the Company (each, a ‘Stock Option’) to certain directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. Each Stock Option entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.13 until December 10, 2030. The Stock Options were issued pursuant to the terms of the Company’s rolling 10% stock option plan, which was most recently approved by the shareholders of the Company on June 20, 2025.

The above-noted stock option grant brings the total number of the Company’s issued and outstanding stock options to 11,925,000.

The Stock Options vest as of the date of the grant. The Stock Options and any common shares of the Company issued upon exercise of the Stock Options will be subject to a four-month resale restriction from the date of grant of the Stock Options.

About finlay minerals ltd.

Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits through the advancement of its ATTY, PIL, JJB, SAY and Silver Hope Properties; these properties host copper-gold porphyry and gold-silver epithermal targets within different porphyry districts of northern and central BC. Each property is located in areas of recent development and porphyry discoveries with the advantage of hosting the potential for new discoveries.

Finlay trades under the symbol ‘FYL’ on the TSXV and under the symbol ‘FYMNF’ on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company’s website at www.finlayminerals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Robert F. Brown,
Executive Chairman of the Board

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 Information: This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘project’, ‘target’, ‘potential’, ‘schedule’, ‘forecast’, ‘budget’, ‘estimate’, ‘intend’ or ‘believe’ and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’ or ‘might’ occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the exploration plans for the Properties. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay’s proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. 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, and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. 

SOURCE finlay minerals ltd.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2025/10/c0609.html

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Uranium Price 2025 Year-End Review

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After 2024’s rapid rise, the U3O8 spot price remained more constrained through 2025, fluctuating between a relatively short range of US$63.17 (March 13) and US$83.33 (September 25) per pound.

Entering the year, the price was sitting at US$74.56 before economic and geopolitical uncertainty pushed values to a year-to-date low of US$63.71 in mid-March. Long-term positivity in the demand forecast began pushing the price upward in April through to the end of June, when spot U3O8 touched US$78.93, an H1 high.

Following a brief dip to an H2 low of US$70.98 in mid-July, investor appetite, supply concerns and government support converged, driving the price to US$83.33 on September 25, a year-to-date high. Starting December at US$76.36, U3O8 appears to have found a floor at the US$75 level, holding above the threshold since the end of August.

U3O8 spot price, December 5, 2024, to December 5, 2025.

Chart via Trading Economics.

Despite a subdued stretch for the price, uranium’s long-term drivers remain firmly intact, and arguably have only improved over the course of the year. Combined with renewed investor appetite, that strength has helped lift uranium equities throughout 2025, reinforcing confidence in the sector’s long-term thesis.

Uranium investment demand surges

For Joe Kelly, CEO of Uranium Markets, one of the most compelling uranium market trends in 2025 was the growth in investor demand, particularly for physical uranium.

SPUT had added 7.8 million pounds, growing its uranium holdings to 74.04 million pounds, as of December 2, a 12 percent increase from 2024’s tally. Its net asset value had increased to US$5.68 billion.

Kelly explained that SPUT’s momentum was the result of broader investor enthusiasm, allowing the trust to purchase millions of pounds from the spot market, which “drove the price considerably higher.”

That dynamic extended beyond institutional vehicles.

“You also had investors buying uranium directly because they thought it was cheap and a good investment,” he said.

The result was a layer of financial demand on top of utility needs. According to Kelly, this speculative interest created demand outside of the nuclear power plants in the world. “That drove the price up a little bit higher than it would have been otherwise, without that enthusiasm from the investing community,” he added.

SPUT’s aggressive accumulation has become a clear market signal.

The trust’s growing holdings highlight how institutional investors increasingly view uranium as scarce, tightening available supply by removing material from the open market. As inventories shrink, upward pressure on prices builds.

At the same time, SPUT’s rising net asset value reflects renewed investor confidence tied to reactor buildouts, energy security priorities and the broader clean energy shift.

If the trust keeps buying while mine output lags and utilities lock in long-term contracts, the market could be moving toward a structural deficit, drawing even more attention to uranium equities and physical vehicles.

Uranium term price underscores market momentum

Often described as a more accurate barometer of market activity and sentiment, the long-term contract price displayed less volatility in 2025, starting the 12 month period at US$80 and reaching US$86 at the end of November.

Tiggre stressed that the uranium sector’s “real market is the long-term contract price,” not the day-to-day noise of the spot price. Long-term contracting, he said, is where “actual buyers, sellers, users and suppliers” negotiate prices that determine what it really takes to bring new pounds to market.

The challenge, however, is opacity. “It’s not transparent … they don’t disclose individual contracts,” he said. That leaves analysts to piece together trends from quarterly averages.

Long-term contract price, January 1 to November 30, 2025.

Chart via Cameco.

That underlying market has continued to strengthen from 2024 to 2025.

As Tiggre noted, the long-term price has been “going up, pausing, consolidating, going up,” reaching levels that “clearly do incent production” — yet even the world’s biggest producers have struggled to deliver.

Global uranium majors Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) and Kazatomprom “both failed to hit their targets and have officially moved their goal posts,” a signal he called “significant and … bullish.”

Meanwhile, would-be junior producers have not stepped in to fill the gap.

“None of them have been able to say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to build this or rehabilitate that’ and deliver on time,” he noted. What looked like low-hanging fruit has proven “thorny,” reinforcing that supply remains constrained.

At the same time, demand momentum has only accelerated. Headlines showcasing new reactor builds are now “weekly,” Tiggre said, with BRICS nations expanding aggressively and western governments shifting decisively pro-nuclear. Even in the US, he noted, “Trump has doubled down … he’s strongly pro-nuclear.”

The result: A structurally tight market where volatile spot moves obscure a far more durable trend.

“The fundamentals are just super strong,” Tiggre said. “I’m very bullish.”

Uranium doubles as a tech play

Part of uranium’s demand story is tied to forecast growth in artificial intelligence (AI) data center deployment, a segment where electricity consumption has grown by 12 percent since 2019, as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Currently data centers use 415 terawatt hours (TWh), representing 1.5 percent of global electricity demand, and that number is projected to increase rapidly over the next five years.

“Our Base Case finds that global electricity consumption for data centres is projected to double to reach around 945 TWh by 2030 in the Base Case, representing just under 3 percent of total global electricity consumption in 2030,” the IEA’s Energy Demand from AI report reads. “From 2024 to 2030, data centre electricity consumption grows by around 15 percent per year, more than four times faster than the growth of total electricity consumption from all other sectors.”

For Gerardo Del Real, publisher at Digest Publishing, the uranium sector’s momentum has shifted as an unexpected coalition of “tech bros” and “mining bros” reshapes the narrative around nuclear power.

“Who would have thought?” said Del Real, noting that after an 18 month stretch where the uranium trade “seemed stuck in the mud,” sentiment turned sharply once markets began viewing nuclear as a technology story.

“The market is one part fundamentals and the other part psychology,” Del Real explained, adding that the psychological boost from the booming tech sector has been powerful.

While he’s skeptical that every AI-fueled data center proposal will materialize, Del Real argued that even limited progress could supercharge energy demand. If tech companies “fulfill 35 percent to 50 percent of their promises,” he said, the resulting power requirements would be “absolutely spectacular.”

This comes as the uranium market was already heading toward a significant deficit by 2026, a trend Del Real believes has now accelerated. Leaning into his contrarian instincts, he said he has written “more checks than ever” for early stage uranium companies with trusted management teams.

“I am thrilled with the results thus far,” said Del Real.

“I think 2026 is going to be an inflection year where the breakout is really pronounced across the board.”

Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article

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Sankamap Metals

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Investor Insight

Sankamap Metals offers exposure to new copper–gold discovery potential in one of the last underexplored regions of the Ring of Fire, with two fully owned, drill-ready assets positioned along a world-class mineral belt.

Company Highlights

  • Two 100 percent owned copper and gold properties – Kuma and Fauro – within a highly prospective copper-gold trend in the Solomon Islands.
  • Drill-ready targets supported by strong historical sampling, including grab samples up to 11.7 percent copper, 13.5 grams per ton (g/t) gold at Kuma, and 173 g/t gold; plus, drill intercepts of 35 m at 2.08 g/t gold at Fauro.
  • Strategically located along the same mineral belt as major deposits, including Newmont’s 71.9 Moz Lihir gold mine.
  • Underexplored mining-friendly jurisdiction with strong government support and established local workforce.
  • Large-scale system potential, including a km-scale copper-gold anomaly at Kuma and multiple high-grade epithermal and porphyry-style targets at Fauro.
  • Inaugural drilling at Kuma, scheduled to begin in January 2026, marking a major catalyst for the project.
  • Strong technical leadership, with a management team that has collectively raised over $1 billion and delivered significant shareholder returns.

Overview

Sankamap Metals (CSE:SCU) is a Canadian exploration company advancing the Oceania Project, a high-impact copper–gold opportunity in the mineral-rich South Pacific. The project includes two fully permitted properties – Kuma and Fauro – in the Solomon Islands, one of the last untapped frontiers of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The company’s land package is strategically positioned near world-class deposits, such as Newmont Mining’s 71.9 Moz Lihir gold mine and Bougainville Copper’s historic Panguna deposit with 19.3 Moz gold and 5.3 Mt copper resources.

CEO John Florek investigating mineralized outcrop at Kuma property during the summer site visit

Kuma and Fauro are 100 percent owned and drill-ready. Both assets benefit from compelling historical sampling, large-scale geophysical anomalies, and district-scale geological characteristics that support the potential for major porphyry and epithermal systems.

The company focuses on systematic exploration, delineating high-priority drill targets to unlock discovery opportunities. With strong national support for mining and a leadership team deeply experienced in major global jurisdictions, Sankamap is well positioned to generate early and meaningful shareholder value as exploration advances.

Key Properties

Kuma Property

The Kuma property spans 43 sq km and lies 37 km southeast of Honiara on Guadalcanal Island. The property is considered a highly compelling drill-ready porphyry target. Historical sampling returned values up to 11.7 percent copper and 13.5 g/t gold, accompanied by a kilometre-scale copper-gold geochemical anomaly. Airborne geophysical surveys, including mobile magnetotelluric (MT), reveal resistive and conductive features consistent with porphyry, epithermal and skarn-style mineral systems.

Kuma benefits from year-round access and proximity to the Gold Ridge mine. Lidar, surface geochemistry, and geophysics surveys have advanced target definition toward a 2026 drill program. Alteration mapping defined a 2 km lithocap, indicating a potential significant porphyry below that’s not yet tested by drilling.

Kuma is positioned for discovery potential on a scale comparable to other major systems in the region.

Current work at Kuma is focused on refining priority drill targets through ongoing analysis of newly released geophysical and geological datasets. A field visit in November was aimed at ground-truthing these targets, confirming interpretations, and finalizing on-the-ground logistics. Pad and camp construction began in late November, ahead of the inaugural drilling campaign set for January 2026, an important milestone in advancing the Kuma property toward discovery.

Fauro Property

The 147 sq km Fauro property encompasses a high-grade epithermal gold target with indications of a porphyry system at depth. Formed by the collapse of the Fauro calc-alkaline volcano, the property hosts seven prospects, three of which are drill-ready. Historical results include a grab sample of 173 g/t gold, trench results of 8 m at 27.95 g/t gold, and drilling intercepts such as 35 m at 2.08 g/t gold. Multiple zones, including Meriguna, Ballyorlo and Kiovakase, exhibit robust soil anomalies and magnetic highs, underscoring the property’s potential to host a large-scale deposit comparable in setting to the Lihir gold system.

Since 2024, new sampling has confirmed continued high-grade potential, with assays returning up to 19.25 g/t gold and up to 4 percent copper, expanding evidence for a hybrid epithermal-porphyry system. With year-round drilling access and efficient transport via helicopter and boat, Fauro represents a major exploration opportunity with multiple existing gold intercepts and untested porphyry indicators.

Management Team

John Florek – Chief Executive Officer

John Florek has more than 35 years of experience with major and junior mining companies, including BHP, Placer Dome, Barrick, Teck, and Detour Gold/Kirkland Lake Gold/Agnico Eagle. He has identified and advanced significant mining assets from early exploration through development and currently sits on the board of McEwen Mining. He is also CEO, president and director of Emperor Metals.

John Williamson – Chairman, Co-founder and Director

A professional geologist with more than 35 years in the global mining sector, John Williamson founded more than 20 successful companies and the Metals Group. He has raised more than $1 billion across public and private markets, delivering strong returns to shareholders.

Sean Mager – CFO and Director

With 30+ years in the global mining sector, Sean Mager brings extensive experience in corporate development, stakeholder relations, regulatory affairs, finance and operations. He is a co-founder of the Metals Group.

Krystle Adair – Vice-president, Exploration

A geologist with more than 13 years of exploration experience across the Americas, Krystle Adair has managed projects across multiple deposit types. She has worked extensively with Metals Group companies and is a registered professional geoscientist in British Columbia.

Hannett – Director

A Bougainville Island national and professional engineer with 17+ years of experience, Arthur Hannett has worked with major operators including Placer Dome, Barrick, Glencore and Agnico Eagle.

Donald Marahare – Director

A seasoned legal professional with 20+ years of experience in the Solomon Islands, Donald Marahare is the principal at DNS & Partners Law Firm, admitted to the High Court in 2000. He also serves as president of the Solomon Islands Football Federation.

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Copper Price Forecast: Top Trends for Copper in 2026

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Copper prices were volatile in 2025 due to supply-side constraints, high demand and geopolitical concerns.

Experts are calling for many of these trends to carry over into 2026, sending the market into deficit.

Beyond supply and demand fundamentals, copper will also be met with global uncertainty as China continues with its recovery efforts, the US pursues new trade plans, including a renegotiation of the Canada-US-Mexico trade pact, and XXX pressures to end the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.

Copper supply in 2026

A significant copper story that developed in 2025 was strained supply. Throughout the year, significant events dragged on the availability of mined copper, delaying its arrival to global markets.

Early on, there was a temporary shutdown of BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) Escondida mine, the largest copper mine in the world. However, the most significant disruption came late in the year, when 800,000 metric tons (MT) of wet material poured into the primary Grasberg block cave (GBC) at Freeport-McMoRan’s (NYSE:FCX) Grasberg mine in Indonesia. The incident cost seven workers their lives and halted production across the operation.

While the company plans to restart the Big Gossan and Deep Level zones before the end of 2025, a phased restart at the GBC won’t start until the middle of 2026, with full operations not resuming until 2027.

Elsewhere, a seismic event at Ivanhoe Mines’ (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) Kamoa-Kakula mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May caused flooding and forced the temporary suspension of mining activities. Although some underground operations have resumed, the company is focused on dewatering the lower portions of the mine.

Since the incident, Ivanhoe has been processing stockpiled materials, but in an update on December 3, it suggested that those stores will be depleted during the first quarter of 2026. Subsequently, it has set its 2026 guidance at 380,000 to 420,000 MT before ramping back up to the 500,000 to 540,000 MT range in 2027.

“Grasberg remains a significant disruption that will persist through 2026, and the situation is similar to constraints at Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-kakula, which experienced output cuts this year,’ he said.

‘We believe these outages will keep the market in deficit in 2026.’

Some relief on the copper supply side may come from the restart of operations at First Quantum Minerals’ (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) Cobre Panama mine. It was forced to shut down in November 2023 after Panama’s supreme court cancelled new 20 year mining contract signed in October 2023. This past Septembe, the Panamanian government ordered a review of the mining lease to restart operations at the site in late 2025 or early 2026.

Similar to Grasberg, restarting mining operations may take some time to return to full production, causing a lag before material from the mine can ease undersupplied market conditions.

Copper demand in 2026

Copper demand is on the rise due to demand from the energy transition, artificial intelligence (AI) and the expansion of data centers, as well as the rapid urbanization of the Global South. However, in 2025, significant demand was also driven by US tariff concerns, as traders have worked to import refined material into the country.

“A huge amount of this tightness has to do with US tariff concerns with refined copper inflows into the US having jumped MT over the year, putting inventory in the country to 750,000 MT,” she said.

Scott-Gray pointed to a “perfect storm” brewing in 2025’s fourth quarter , including a warming outlook driven by easing China-US tensions, US interest rate cuts and China’s 15th five year plan, set to run from 2026 to 2031.

Historically, one of the biggest demand drivers for copper has been the Chinese real estate sector; however, tighter regulations, high debt and low liquidity led to its collapse in 2021, even though the Chinese government has instituted several policies over the past several years to stimulate the sector, to no avail.

According to Reuters, Chinese home prices are set to fall 3.7 percent in 2025, and are expected to decline into the new year as well. Despite these issues, the Chinese economy proved to be robust in 2025 and is expected to post growth of 4.9 percent in 2025 and 4.8 percent in 2026, fueled by high-tech exports.

Additionally, the five-year plan outlays upgrades to the metals sector and growth in new energy.

“Weakness in the property market is likely to continue in 2026, but the story for copper is constructive. Policy focus and capital are expected to prioritize expanding the electricity grid, upgrading manufacturing, renewables and AI-related data centers. These copper-intensive areas are set to more than compensate for a subdued property market, yielding net growth in China’s copper demand next year,” White said.

Copper crunch keeps building

“These things are taking years to fix — so let’s say it takes some of them a year to get fixed and back on track, some of them two years. We’re looking at 2027; by then, the copper demand side will have kicked up even more. My base case is actually for copper deficits to broaden in the next couple of years, then just continue broadening,” he said.

The supply side is also facing headwinds as new operations haven’t come online to replace existing mines that are increasingly challenged by declining grades. While there is new supply in the pipeline, like Arizona Sonoran Copper Company’s (TSX:ASCU,OTCQX:ASCUF) brownfield Cactus project and the Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and BHP joint venture Resolution project, both in Arizona, they’re still years away.

“While new projects may add tonnage at the margin, demand growth is likely to outpace any supply additions, which points to further supply deficits that escalate over the coming years,” White said.

A May 1 report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development notes that demand is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2040, requiring US$250 billion in investment capital and the construction of 80 new mines.

The report stated that half of the world’s copper reserves are currently located in just five countries.

Chile, Australia, Peru, the DRC and Russia, with structural challenges setting up that go beyond declining grades, most notably geopolitical risk and long mining times.

The scale of the challenges was recently outlined in a report from Wood Mackenzie, which forecast demand increasing by 24 percent to 43 million MT per year by 2035. To balance the market, the report states that 8 million MT of new supply will be required, along with 3.5 million MT from scrap.

Investor takeaway

Overall, according to the International Copper Study Group’s (ICSG) most recent forecast, released on October 8, mine production is expected to increase 2.3 percent in 2026 to 23.86 million MT.

However, refined production is only predicted to increase by 0.9 percent to 28.58 million MT.

Regarding demand, the group stated that refined copper use is expected to grow by 2.1 percent to 28.73 million MT in 2026, outpacing production growth and leading to a 150,000 MT deficit by the end of the year.

White is bullish on copper in 2026, citing low inventories and mine and concentrate deficits. He also suggested tariff threats may not be over, and that regional price differentials and high physical premiums are likely to continue.

With copper deficits expected to accelerate in 2026, prices are set up to hit record highs. Scott-Gray said 2026 could see the average price climb to US$10,635 per MT, with higher prices likely to be off-putting to more price-sensitive buyers.

Additionally, with long-term premiums near record highs, she said market players may look to make purchases on a “just-in-time” basis from alternative sources, such as bonded warehouses or directly from smelters.

Depending on price and supply, consumers could also look to swap out copper for aluminum where practical, though Scott-Gray noted that the switch would have its own limitations.

In data provided by Scott-Gray from StoneX’s Base Metal Front Desk Call, 40 percent of respondents to an LME Metals Poll believe that copper will be the best-performing base metal in 2026.

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

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