Company Interviews

Interview with Thomas Mumford, President of Scottie Resources Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/scottie-resources-tsxvscot-funded-to-advance-high-grade-2m-oz-gold-asset-in-bc-golden-triangle-5191Recording date: 17th November 2025Scottie Resources is positioning itself as a near-term gold producer through a direct ship ore (DSO) model that bypasses traditional milling infrastructure, targeting commercial production by mid-2028 at its flagship property 40 kilometers north of Stewart, BC. The company's strategic approach leverages existing deep water port facilities and high-grade mineralization outcropping at surface to accelerate project timelines while minimizing capital intensity in an environment of sustained elevated gold prices.The project's location adjacent to North America's northernmost ice-free deep water shipping port provides critical infrastructure advantages. Recently acquired by the Nisga'a First Nation in partnership with Tsimshian people, this facility already services established operations like Brucejack and Red Chris, eliminating concentrate transportation challenges that typically burden remote exploration projects. President Thomas Mumford emphasizes this represents "a simple project" that capitalizes on regional infrastructure rather than requiring standalone processing facilities costing $300-500 million.Ocean Partners secured an 11% equity position while committing $25 million US toward construction financing and an offtake agreement covering the feasibility-level resource. CEO Brent Omland joined Scottie's board concurrent with the transaction, aligning producer and offtaker interests. The agreement incorporates flexible buyout provisions and per-ton penalties rather than restrictive covenants, preserving Scottie's optionality as the project scales. This partnership capitalizes on favorable smelter market dynamics, with structural supply deficits in China driving negative treatment charges that enhance margins for direct ore shipments.Project economics demonstrate significant leverage to elevated gold prices, with preliminary economic assessment showing an NPV of $216 million CAD at $2,600 per ounce expanding to $670 million CAD at $4,200 per ounce with a 150% internal rate of return. The initial 18-month open pit phase targets 80,000 ounces at 7.7 grams per ton, generating sufficient cash flow to self-fund underground development and repay initial capital expenditures. This rapid payback profile reduces execution risk while accelerating unencumbered cash flow generation.Total capital requirements of $130 million CAD will be met through Ocean Partners' facility, traditional project financing structures evaluated post-feasibility study, and open pit cash flow. The company recently launched a $23 million financing round with strong insider participation, including mining entrepreneur Ross Beaty's 5% position. Management plans a competitive process for remaining funding, targeting a 70/30 debt-to-equity ratio that minimizes shareholder dilution while leveraging institutional appetite for senior secured positions in near-production precious metals projects.Permitting progresses through two-year environmental baseline studies initiated summer 2025, positioning Scottie to submit a Joint Permit Amendment Application in 2027. This streamlined pathway modernizes the property's historic mining permit rather than requiring full environmental assessment. Using Ascot Resources' eight-month approval precedent for a more complex operation, Mumford projects mid-2028 permitting completion enabling commercial production that year.First Nations relationships benefit from unique circumstances involving the Nisga'a Nation, BC's only treaty First Nation, whose recent port facility acquisition creates direct economic alignment with regional mining success. The company is negotiating an Impact and Benefit Agreement formalizing commercial terms and community commitments that underpin social license. Beyond near-term production, Scottie maintains active exploration targeting resource expansion from 700,000 ounces toward 2+ million ounces through a planned 10,000-meter drilling campaign in 2026.View Scottie Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/scottie-resources-corpSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with NexMetals Mining's CEO Morgan LekstromRecording date: 18 November 2025NexMetals Mining Corp has executed a comprehensive transformation that positions its two past-producing Botswana copper-nickel-cobalt assets as potential near-term development opportunities in a market characterised by acute supply constraints and major mining company acquisition activity.The company recently closed an US$80 million equity financing led by Texas-based institutional investor Condire Capital, which acquired a 9.9% stake, whilst existing major shareholder EdgePoint increased its position despite having no obligation to participate. The financing increased institutional ownership from 30% to 75% and eliminated US$21 million in legacy debt that had created a significant market overhang. With approximately US$90 million in cash, the company is fully funded for its 2026 work programme without near-term dilution requirements.Perhaps more significant than the financing itself is the metallurgical breakthrough that underpins the investment thesis. The original Selebi operation utilised a bulk concentrate smelter that subsequent owners dismantled. Rather than contemplate rebuilding infrastructure requiring over US$1 billion in capital, NexMetals' technical team developed concentrate-splitting technology that fundamentally alters project economics. Management now targets sub-US$500 million capital intensity per asset - a fraction of integrated smelter operations - whilst enabling cobalt recovery that previous operators could not economically achieve.The asset base comprises two distinct opportunities. Selebi represents an underground operation that produced continuously for over 30 years, with existing workings providing several years of access without additional development. The current resource stands at approximately 30 million tonnes grading 3.35% copper equivalent (roughly 1.75% copper and 1% nickel), with cobalt grades to be incorporated following metallurgical test work. Electromagnetic surveys have identified numerous additional conductive anomalies strongly associated with mineralisation, providing systematic drill targets for resource expansion.Selkirk presents a different profile as an open-pit deposit hosting over 200 million tonnes of mineralised horizon, though only 44 million tonnes currently feature in the resource estimate. The company completed a comprehensive 30,000-metre reassay programme of historical core and drilled 13 additional holes to support metallurgical test work, with a resource update expected in Q1 2026 and preliminary assessment-level economics targeted for Q2 2026.Management's strategy centres on demonstrating scale through 2026 exploration programmes before committing to development scenarios, targeting 15-20 year mine lives at optimal throughput rates. This approach positions the assets for either internal development or strategic transactions at substantially higher valuations than optimising smaller, near-term production scenarios. Selkirk, with its open-pit profile and platinum-palladium credits, may attract joint venture interest or acquisition proposals, potentially providing non-dilutive funding for Selebi North advancement.The board combines relevant experience across exploration, development, operations, and strategic transactions, including former BlackRock CIO Chris Leavy, former Gatos Silver CFO André van Niekerk (Gatos sold for US$1.2 billion), and Chairman Paul Martin (former CEO of Detour Gold). The team operates in Botswana's stable 59-year democracy with established mining infrastructure and government support for economic diversification away from diamonds.With preliminary assessments expected on both assets in 2026 and a compressed two-year strategic timeline, NexMetals has positioned itself as a potential acquisition target or development candidate in a copper-nickel market characterised by supply deficits and major company appetite for quality assets.

Interview with Nic Earner, Managing Director of Alkane Resources Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/alkane-resources-asxalk-post-merger-gold-producer-targets-180k-aueq-ounces-7916Recording date: 17th November 2025Alkane Resources has successfully completed its transformational merger with Mandalay Resources, establishing itself as a diversified mid-tier gold producer with three operating mines across Australia and Sweden. The integration, finalized in August 2025, has delivered on all key strategic objectives while positioning the company for its next phase of growth in a strengthening gold price environment.The merger has transformed Alkane's market profile substantially. Production guidance now stands at 160,000-175,000 ounces annually, with management targeting a 180,000-ounce run rate by next year. Market capitalization has expanded from approximately A$900 million at the pro-forma merger date to around A$1.4 billion currently. Trading liquidity has improved dramatically, with daily ASX turnover reaching A$8 million and the company securing placement in the ASX 300 index while approaching ASX 200 status.Perhaps most significantly, Alkane maintains a pristine balance sheet with A$170 million in cash and bullion and zero debt beyond equipment financing. This financial strength, combined with the company's largely unhedged production profile, creates substantial cash generation capacity. Managing Director Nic Earner explained the mathematics: with 80% of production unhedged, "each 100 bucks you add to the gold price, it's 15 million bucks" in additional cash flow.Looking ahead, management has established a 12-month timeline for potential acquisitions while maintaining strict jurisdictional discipline, focusing exclusively on tier-one regions including Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, and Scandinavia. Simultaneously, operational priorities center on cost reduction at Sweden's Bjorkdal mine, where initiatives could reduce all-in sustaining costs by 20-25% from US$2,700 to approximately US$2,200 through production increases and grade optimization.The company's disciplined capital allocation framework, operational focus, and accelerating cash generation position Alkane as a compelling investment opportunity in the current gold market environment, with management emphasizing that superior cash accumulation should drive valuation re-rating versus comparable peers.View Alkane Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/alkane-resourcesSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Justin van der Toorn, President & CEO of Greenheart Gold Inc.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/greenheart-gold-tsxvghrt-proven-explorer-accelerates-guiana-shield-drilling-for-major-discovery-8003Recording date: 17th November 2025Greenheart Gold (TSXV:GHRT) is leveraging a proven management team and substantial capital base to pursue multiple gold discoveries across Guyana and Suriname. Led by President and CEO Justin van der Toorn, the executive team previously built Reunion Gold and discovered the 6-million-ounce Oko West deposit, which is now advancing toward production in 2027. This track record provides credibility as Greenheart pursues its disciplined exploration strategy across the highly prospective Guyana Shield.The company's most distinguishing feature is its approximately $35 million cash position—unusual for a junior explorer. This capital cushion enables Greenheart to operate differently than competitors, maintaining exploration momentum across multiple projects simultaneously without the constant pressure of capital raises and shareholder dilution. As van der Toorn explains, this financial flexibility allows systematic project evaluation where promising targets advance quickly while underperforming projects are dropped without hesitation.Greenheart has already demonstrated this discipline by relinquishing certain Guyana projects that failed to generate attractive drilling targets or lacked the scale necessary for economic development. The company recognizes that discovery thresholds vary significantly based on location—projects near existing operations like Newmont's Merian mine could be valuable with smaller discoveries, while remote interior projects require substantially larger deposits.Currently, Greenheart is executing an active drilling program at its Majorodam project in Suriname, with 1,500 meters planned by year-end. The program builds on earlier reverse circulation and diamond drilling that established structural controls on mineralization. Additional drilling campaigns are scheduled for Igab in January 2026 and Tosso Creek in Q1 2026, creating multiple discovery opportunities over approximately six months.Operating in Guyana and Suriname provides significant jurisdictional advantages, including efficient permitting and established infrastructure. The Oko West example demonstrates what's achievable: a seven-year timeline from discovery to production, remarkably fast by global standards. Greenheart maintains all-in drilling costs of approximately $300 per meter despite challenging jungle terrain, reflecting operational efficiency developed through years of regional work.Despite favorable gold market conditions creating investor demand for rapid results, Greenheart maintains its methodical approach of thorough soil sampling, trenching, and structural mapping before committing significant drill capital. This strategy optimizes capital efficiency even if it doesn't generate the rapid-fire news releases some investors expect in strong markets.With three Suriname projects at various advancement stages, proven management expertise, operational efficiency, and financial flexibility to maintain exploration momentum, Greenheart Gold has positioned itself to systematically pursue new discoveries in one of the world's premier exploration environments.View Greenheart Gold's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/greenheart-gold

Interview with Riaan Davel, CFO, and Henriette Hooijer, CFO Designate and GM: Finance of DRDGOLD Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/drdgold-nysedrd-moving-towards-200000-oz-gold-production-from-tailings-8411Recording date: 17th November 2025DRDGOLD Limited, a 130-year-old South African gold mining company, is executing a carefully orchestrated leadership transition as CFO Riaan Davel prepares to hand over responsibilities to Henriette Hooijer on February 1, 2026. The succession, built on a 20-year working relationship including nine years together at DRDGOLD, reflects the company's commitment to maintaining strategic continuity as it pursues ambitious growth plans.The company operates a distinctive business model focused on surface tailings retreatment—processing historical mining waste to extract gold while simultaneously remediating over a century of environmental damage. This "mega volumes, nano recovery" approach processes material containing just 200 parts per billion of gold, demonstrating that environmental restoration and economic viability need not be mutually exclusive. As Davel explains, "We own waste essentially. So how do we make the most of that?"DRDGOLD's disciplined execution has generated impressive results. Market capitalization has grown to approximately $2 billion, enabling capital deployment of roughly 10 billion rand in recent years, with another 8 billion rand planned over the next three years. This investment is building infrastructure designed for 20-40 year operational lifespans at operations like Far West, while repositioning the older Ergo facility for improved cost efficiency.Despite favorable gold prices—currently around 2.2 million rand per kilogram versus 600,000 rand when Far West was initially planned- management maintains the cost discipline developed during tougher market conditions. The company has paid dividends for 18 consecutive years while internally financing major capital projects, balancing stakeholder interests through what Davel describes as keeping "all your stakeholders equally unhappy" to optimize long-term resource extraction over short-term profit maximization.Looking ahead, DRDGOLD is exploring expansion opportunities across Africa and potentially South America, considering partnerships with established operators in unfamiliar jurisdictions while maintaining gold as its primary focus. Hooijer's operational project experience, combined with Davel's continued 12-month consulting support, positions the company to execute its Vision 2028 strategy while exploring how its proven retreatment model might address tailings challenges for major mining companies globally.View DRDGOLD's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/drdgold-limitedSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Hayden Locke, President & CEO of Marimaca Copper Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/marimaca-copper-tsxmari-environmental-milestone-clears-path-for-q1-2026-ground-breaking-8471Recording date: 14th November 2025Marimaca Copper is advancing its Pampa Medina project in northern Chile with drill results that significantly exceed expectations and confirm the potential scale of a sedimentary-hosted copper system. The latest intercepts include nearly 50 meters at 2% copper within a broader 160-meter zone grading 1% copper, representing a material extension to the oxide envelope with grades surpassing current resource models.The company's aggressive exploration strategy has delivered impressive results from long-distance stepout drilling. Holes positioned 900 meters south of known mineralization successfully intersected the same sedimentary horizon, encountering zones of 20 to 40 meters at 1.5% copper. According to CEO Hayden Locke, these results were "thicker higher grade zones than we were expecting in that area where we thought it was going to be thinning," prompting continued drilling in multiple directions.Marimaca is executing a 30,000-meter drill program split between aggressive 300-meter-spaced stepouts to define deposit limits and tighter infill drilling to establish grade continuity. The approach reflects confidence that sedimentary-hosted copper systems "tend to be laterally and regionally quite extensive," with early results suggesting mineralization across a basin spanning multiple kilometers.Perhaps most significantly, geological review has prompted a fundamental reassessment of the deposit's development potential. The mineralized sedimentary horizon averages over 200 meters thickness with consistent grades, leading management to reconsider what was previously viewed as an underground-only opportunity. The identification of lower-grade material in halos around high-grade cores suggests potential for large-tonnage open-pit development, fundamentally expanding the project's scale.The oxide resource, originally expected to add 20,000 tons of annual copper production, now appears poised to deliver "significantly more than that" according to Locke. The company is targeting release of a standalone Preliminary Economic Assessment by December 2025, which will provide initial economics for the oxide opportunity while sulfide potential continues to be evaluated through ongoing exploration.View Marimaca Copper's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/marimaca-copperSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Trey Wasser, CEO of Dryden Gold Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/dryden-gold-tsxvdry-centerra-backed-explorer-targets-district-scale-gold-in-ontario-8109Recording date: 17th November 2025Dryden Gold Corp (TSXV: DRY) has emerged as a compelling strategic acquisition target in Ontario's gold sector following successful execution of its 2025 exploration program and explicit endorsement from major mining company partners. The company controls 70,000 hectares in northwest Ontario hosting multiple high-grade gold discoveries across four distinct mineralization types, with fully funded drilling planned for 2026 under management explicitly targeting a Great Bear Resources-style exit.The investment thesis centers on systematic district-scale exploration designed to attract strategic buyers rather than pursue standalone mine development. Recent drilling fundamentally reshaped the geological understanding at the Gold Rock target area, revealing nine interconnected high-grade structures within a 300-meter span—including intercepts of 300 grams per ton over 3.9 meters and 55 grams per ton over 3.5 meters—connected by continuous one gram per ton mineralization. This discovery transformed what appeared to be isolated veins into an integrated system where lower-grade material provides economic continuity while high-grade shoots create exploration upside.Strategic validation provides perhaps the most compelling near-term catalyst. Centerra Gold invested in 2024 and has explicitly directed management to continue district-scale exploration rather than focus exclusively on infill drilling at known high-grade zones. Alamos Gold maintains similar engagement, while additional confidentiality agreements with unnamed major and mid-tier mining companies indicate active corporate interest. These sophisticated mining companies endorse the systematic approach because it generates the comprehensive geological understanding and high-quality data they require for acquisition decisions.The technical team significantly de-risks execution. President Maura Kolb led the Red Lake mine exploration team for five years, managing 90 personnel and a $50 million annual budget while reducing finding costs from $500 to $50 per ounce. Her major-mine experience directly informs Dryden's exploration protocols including oriented core drilling, 100% core assaying, and property-wide geochemical surveys—practices that distinguish systematic explorers from promotion-focused juniors. Kolb's team discovered the hanging wall structures specifically because they assayed all rock types rather than only visible quartz veins.The property's geological diversity creates multiple value pathways. Beyond the Archean lode gold system at Gold Rock—which Kolb compares directly to Red Lake geology—the company has confirmed intrusive-related mineralization at Sherridon, granite diorite-hosted stockwork at Hyndman analogous to NexGold's 1.5-million-ounce Goliath Gold project, and VMS-style mineralization elsewhere. CEO Trey Wasser characterizes this as a "Timmins-like camp" where exceptional gold endowment manifests across multiple geological settings, creating optionality for project-specific joint ventures or staged transactions.Infrastructure advantages reduce development risk and enhance acquisition appeal. Highway 502 provides direct access from Sherridon through Gold Rock to the town of Dryden, while the Trans-Canada Highway accesses Hyndman. Both regional projects have been clear-cut for logging, creating existing access roads. The northwest Ontario location provides political stability, established mining regulations, available contractors and skilled labor, and proximity to operating mines including Red Lake—attributes that command premium valuations as mining companies reassess exposure to jurisdictions with increasing political risk.Dryden enters 2026 fully funded from August 2025 financing to complete 20,000-25,000 meters of drilling, with approximately 50% dedicated to Gold Rock expansion and the remainder advancing multiple district targets. At $4,000 gold, the company offers leveraged exposure to exploration success, strategic transaction, or both, backed by partner validation and systematic technical approach designed specifically for strategic buyer requirements.View Dryden Gold's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/dryden-goldSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Paul Gow, CEO, Tribeca ResourcesOur previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/tribeca-resources-trbc-why-copper-start-up-is-hitting-it-big-2978Recording date: 14th November 2025Tribeca Resources Corporation has rapidly emerged as a focused copper exploration company in northern Chile, backed by a recent C$6.5 million financing that exceeded its original C$5 million target. The raise, completed in a strengthening copper market, brought 82 investors onto the register, including 67 new shareholders, and diversified ownership while still keeping management significantly aligned through a 22% stake. This capital provides roughly 18 months of runway and positions the TSX Venture-listed junior to advance a three-project portfolio across several of Chile’s most prolific copper belts.At the core of Tribeca’s strategy is a portfolio approach to early-stage exploration, designed to manage the inherent risk of discovery. The flagship La Higuera project, located in Chile’s coastal iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) belt, is the most advanced asset, with about 10,000 meters of drilling completed. Results outline a 1.5-kilometer mineralized strike with broad copper intersections amenable to open-pit, bulk-tonnage development. Low all-in drilling costs of roughly 300 USD per meter, shallow cover, and strong infrastructure support an efficient exploration model. Planned 4,000-meter drilling will expand known zones, test additional targets, and refine the project toward eventual resource definition, while metallurgical work highlights copper, gold, magnetite, and cobalt recovery potential.Complementing La Higuera, the newly acquired Jiguata project offers high-risk, high-reward exposure to a large porphyry system in a belt hosting world-class deposits such as Chuquicamata. A back-end loaded, five-year option agreement totaling 15 million USD minimizes early cash outlay and mandates 3,000 meters of deep drilling to properly test the system. Tribeca aims to generate clear technical outcomes that can either justify a major joint venture or allow disciplined exit. A third project, Chiricuto, remains in the portfolio as an earlier-stage opportunity, underscoring the company’s willingness to follow data and recycle assets as value and results dictate.Tribeca augments traditional geological expertise with artificial intelligence, partnering with WovenAI to interrogate Chile’s SIGEX database of more than 1,200 prospects and rank the top IOCG targets for potential acquisition. Operating with a lean team and directing a high proportion of capital into the ground, the company offers investors leveraged exposure to copper discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction, balancing near-term advancement at La Higuera with the scale potential of Jiguata and future AI-driven project generation.Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/tribeca-resourcesSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Recording date: 14th November 2025The precious metals sector is experiencing a convergence of favorable conditions that veteran investors describe as one of the best commodity setups in decades. At the recent Precious Metals Summit in Zurich, industry leaders including Pierre Lassonde, Frank Giustra, and Marc Faber highlighted observable market fundamentals supporting this outlook: global liquidity at record highs, structural demand emerging from technological infrastructure, and mining companies generating unprecedented cash flows while trading at reasonable valuations.Global liquidity continues expanding despite recent volatility. The People's Bank of China maintains liquidity injections, while the New York Fed has announced plans for substantial liquidity injection into US markets during Q1 2026. The recent government shutdown ending will release capital trapped in the treasury system for over a month. This liquidity expansion creates sustained support for precious metals as fiat currency purchasing power deteriorates.A less obvious but transformative demand driver emerges from artificial intelligence infrastructure development. The US needs to build at least 350 gigawatts of power dedicated to AI infrastructure—equivalent to 50 nuclear power plants—representing a trillion-dollar investment cycle for power generation alone. This excludes electrical grids, transmission infrastructure, and computing hardware. Recent government partnerships with Brookfield, Cameco, and Westinghouse for nuclear facility development signal the beginning of infrastructure spending requiring massive copper, steel, and concrete quantities while necessitating continued government liquidity injection supportive of gold prices.Third quarter 2025 results demonstrated the financial leverage inherent in gold mining operations. AngloGold Ashanti increased quarterly operating cash flow from $300 million to $1.4 billion—more than quadrupling while gold prices doubled. Even accounting for the Centamin acquisition contributing 20% of production, cash flow expansion significantly exceeds gold price appreciation. The company now operates with zero net debt, increased dividends, and strategic flexibility for acquisitions or capital returns while trading at roughly half the valuation of Agnico Eagle Mines despite comparable cash generation.K92 Mining offers equally compelling value, posting six consecutive quarters of free cash flow while organically funding construction of a complete new mill, twin declines, and associated infrastructure. The Phase 3 expansion completing commissioning in Q4 2025 will drive significant cash flow growth as throughput increases with minimal incremental operating costs. Operating costs scale favorably—an 800 tonne per day mill requires similar oversight as a 3,000 tonne per day mill. Market valuations have not yet reflected this coming cash flow expansion, creating opportunity for investors who understand the timeline and trust management execution.The M&A cycle is accelerating as producers with pristine balance sheets deploy capital. Recent examples include B2 Gold taking a 19.9% stake in Prospector Generator (now funded with $40 million for 2026 exploration), Probe Gold's acquisition, New Gold's pending takeover, and Gold Fields committing $50 million to junior investments. The competition for quality assets remains in early stages despite this activity.Investment opportunities span the market capitalization spectrum: established producers generating record profits at reasonable valuations, funded developers approaching major cash flow inflections, and well-backed exploration companies positioned for discoveries. Current Q4 volatility represents tactical entry opportunities before typical Q1 seasonal strength, with multiple fundamental drivers supporting sustained outperformance of real assets over the coming decade.Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.comSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Shaun Bunn, Managing Director of Empire Metals Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/empire-metals-loneee-titanium-market-disruptor-targets-2026-pilot-pant-7736Recording date: 12th November 2025Empire Metals is developing the Pitfield project in Western Australia, home to one of the world's largest titanium deposits with a maiden resource estimate of 2.2 billion tons grading just over 5% TiO2. This multigenerational asset positions the company as a potential disruptor in global critical minerals supply chains at a time when the industry faces unprecedented restructuring.The company's strategic advantage extends beyond scale. Pitfield's geology features high-purity titanium minerals formed through weathering processes in sandstone formations, eliminating deleterious elements that typically complicate conventional processing. Empire has already produced 99% pure TiO2 products, validating the ore's metallurgical responsiveness and demonstrating the viability of its innovative hydrometallurgical approach.Unlike traditional titanium processing that relies on energy-intensive smelting and generates substantial waste, Empire's three-stage process bypasses these costly operations entirely. The surface deposit requires no blasting, drilling, crushing, or grinding, with friable material feeding directly into flotation circuits. This technical differentiation, combined with low mining costs, positions Empire to deliver products at significantly lower cost than 90% of existing global supply.Management is pursuing dual revenue streams, targeting both pigment production and strategic metal feedstock for defense and aerospace applications. The company has engaged with Boeing, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other end-users to align product specifications with market demand before finalizing process design. This customer-driven approach preserves optionality while reducing downstream marketing risk.The timing proves strategic. Major producers including Rio Tinto, Venator, and Iluka are retreating from titanium operations amid Chinese price competition and tariff responses. Empire aims to fill emerging supply gaps with government support through Australia's $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility.With £11 million in funding secured and continuous piloting targeted for mid-2026, Empire maintains development momentum toward demonstrating cost competitiveness and securing end-user commitments that could accelerate the project's pathway to production.View Empire Metals' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/empire-metalsSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com