Analyst Articles

Part of the PDAC 2026 technical program will examine supply security challenges across critical minerals, uranium, and potash, highlighting their strategic importance to energy, food production, and national security. Sessions will address by-product recovery from existing operations, uranium’s evolving role in the energy transition, and potash’s exposure to trade and geopolitical risks. Industry leaders, analysts, and technical specialists will discuss processing innovations, market fundamentals, and policy considerations shaping future supply. The program reflects how governments and companies are responding to resource constraints, geopolitical pressures, and shifting demand across these strategically significant commodity markets. [more]

Written by Edward G. Thompson, this article reflects on more than six decades in the gold mining industry and the evolution of gold price cycles. Beginning in the fixed-price era of the 1950s, Thompson traces how inflation, financial crises, and geopolitical shifts reshaped gold’s role across multiple market regimes. The narrative moves through the 1970s bull market, the post-financial crisis recovery, and the structurally driven rally of the 2020s. Drawing on firsthand experience with discoveries, financing cycles, and investor behavior, the article concludes that gold itself does not change. Instead, the world around it does, redefining gold’s role from speculative asset to strategic reserve. [more]

SoftBank has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge in a $4 billion cash transaction, marking a strategic pivot toward AI infrastructure assets. The deal values DigitalBridge at $16.00 per share and reflects premium valuation multiples tied to scarce, power-secured data center capacity. As AI demand accelerates, SoftBank is shifting from software-focused venture investing to owning the physical backbone required to support large-scale computing. The acquisition strengthens SoftBank’s exposure to data centers, fiber, and power-ready land while supporting large AI initiatives such as the Stargate project. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026. [more]

PDAC 2026 Technical Sessions outline how artificial intelligence and advanced geophysics are being applied in mineral exploration. The program includes an AI session covering computer vision, machine learning for structural modeling, and implementation considerations for large language models. Two geophysics sessions focus on integrated exploration case histories and newer methods, including magnetotellurics, inversion workflows, airborne geophysics analytics, and muon tomography. Regional technical sessions add examples from Latin America and brownfield exploration. Across the agenda, presentations emphasize multi-dataset interpretation, risk reduction, and operational constraints. The sessions collectively frame technology adoption as workflow-driven and incremental. This article summarizes sessions and key themes. [more]

We have written a 23-page Update Report on Silver Bullet Mines Corp. (“SBMI” or “the Company”) (TSXV: SBMI | OTC: SBMCF), a Canadian-based precious metals exploration and development company operating in Arizona and Idaho. The company has transitioned from development to commercial production, completing its first concentrate sales in 2025 from the King Tut gold mine and Super Champ silver mine. With three active projects and a fully operational mill in Globe, Arizona, SBMI is advancing toward multi-asset production. We maintained a Speculative Buy rating but increased our one-year price target to $0.40, based on forward cash flow estimates from the company’s three active mining operations. [more]

We have written a 20-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management (DCM) after it released its Q3/2025 financials. DCM reported Q3/2025 revenue of $105.4 million, down 3.1% year-over-year, reflecting softer enterprise spending and Canada Post labour disruptions. Despite revenue pressure, operating discipline supported stable profitability, with Adjusted EBITDA of $12.3 million and a 15% reduction in SG&A expenses. Management highlighted growing traction in AI-enabled platforms, including contentcloud.ai and CCM360, with a solid pipeline into 2026. Net Debt was $80.6 million, with over $40 million in liquidity. We maintain our Buy rating but lower our one-year target price to $4.00 from $6.55. [more]

Canada has outlined a national strategy to secure digital sovereignty and expand AI adoption. In speeches delivered in Montreal and Toronto, Minister Evan Solomon emphasized the risks of foreign jurisdiction over Canadian data and the need for sovereign compute infrastructure. The plan is structured around three pillars: capital, customers, and compute, with government procurement supporting domestic AI champions such as Cohere. Additional priorities include updating data privacy laws, strengthening trust, and retaining research talent. A 30-day AI Task Force will accelerate policy development, with a full national strategy expected by year-end. [more]

Elemental Altus Royalties Corp. (TSXV: ELE | OTCQX: ELEMF) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire EMX Royalty Corp. (TSXV: EMX | NYSE American: EMX) in an all-share transaction valued at US$456 million. The Elemental EMX merger is expected to close in Q4/2025, subject to shareholder, court, and regulatory approvals. The combined company will operate as Elemental Royalty Corp., holding 16 producing royalties and more than 200 assets globally. Management expects the Elemental EMX merger to support approximately US$80 million in adjusted revenue by 2026. [more]