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Today Carl looks at the small-caps and mid-caps that have now begun to outperform the market. Clearly the rally is broadening, the question now is can we continue to make new all-time highs. It does seem very likely especially given the positive outlook on the Secretary of Treasury nomination.

Carl reviews the signal tables and discusses which sectors/groups are getting ready to see signal changes. He also looks at the equilibrium of the Bias Table that suggests half of the sectors/groups/indexes have bearish biases despite the market reaching new all-time highs.

Carl also takes us through the Magnificent Seven charts where we see some of the stocks setting up bearishly, but many are still showing bullish biases.

Erin covers sector rotation with a review of all of the sectors in Candleglance to see which are lining up for breakouts and which are showing signs of distress.

The pair finish with a look at viewer symbol requests including Home Builders, TSEM and SMCI.

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01:10 DP Signal Tables

03:20 Market Rally Broadens

04:06 Market Overview

10:32 Magnificent Seven

18:58 Questions (Energy and the Dollar among others)

24:04 Sector Rotation Discussion

32:30 Symbols Requests


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Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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Good morning and welcome to this week’s Flight Path. The “Go” trend in equities has proved to be resilient as we saw strong blue “Go” bars return this week. Treasury bond prices remained in a “NoGo” although this week we did see weaker pink bars as the trend showed weakness. U.S. commodities painted strong blue “Go” bars this entire week as the “Go” trend returned. The dollar has looked strong for some time and we see no signs of this changing as GoNoGo Trend paints another week of uninterrupted strong blue bars.

$SPY Paints Strong Blue “Go” Bars as Strength Returns

The GoNoGo chart below shows that price rallied nicely after falling from its Go Countertrend Correction Icon (red arrow). Price found support at prior high levels and we looked at the oscillator panel to see if GoNoGo Oscillator would find support at the zero line. It did after a few bars of a GoNoGo Squeeze and is now rebounding into positive territory. With momentum resurgent in the direction of the “Go” trend we will watch for price to make an attempt at new highs.

The “Go” trend has remained strong on the longer term chart as we see strong blue bars that followed the Go Countertrend Correction Icon and price has returned to test levels that would be new highs. GoNoGo Oscillator has remained in positive territory and is at a value of 3.  With momentum confirming trend direction we will look to see if price can consolidate at these levels and move higher.

Treasury Rates Show Weakness but Remain in “Go” Trend

Treasury bond yields painted weaker aqua bars this week as price fell from recent highs. The “Go” trend remains in place but this is a show of weakness. We turn our attention to the oscillator panel and note that it is testing the zero line from above. We will watch to see if it finds support at this level which it should if the trend is to remain healthy.

The Dollar Hit New High Again

Another week of strong blue “Go” bars sees the greenback make another higher high. We are now seeing a Go Countertrend Correction Icon (red arrow) as momentum wanes a touch. With momentum falling and at a value of 3, it will be important to watch to see if it finds support at zero if it gets there. We will need to see momentum stay at or above the zero level for the “Go” trend to remain healthy.

As cyber threats continue to escalate globally, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) has emerged as a leading cybersecurity firm poised for significant growth. After an outage earlier this year, CrowdStrike’s stock price has lagged for much of 2024, but recent stock price action suggests that CRWD is potentially gearing up to break out. In this analysis, we’ll explore the bullish signals from both technical and fundamental perspectives and outline an optimal options strategy to capitalize on this opportunity—all identified instantly using the OptionsPlay Strategy Center within StockCharts.com.

Examining CRWD’s chart reveals several compelling bullish indicators:

  • Recovery above gap level of $335. CRWD has rebounded above the critical gap level of $335, previously affected by a failed release that impacted Microsoft Corp. (MSFT). This recovery signifies a strong reversal in market sentiment.
  • Breakout and retest of support. The stock has broken above this important resistance level and successfully retested it as support.
  • Momentum towards 52-week highs. With the successful retest, CrowdStrike’s stock price shows signs of potentially retesting its 52-week highs around $400 and breaking out above it.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF CROWDSTRIKE STOCK PRICE. CRWD has broken above an important resistance level and could retest its 52-week high, potentially even breaking above it.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

CrowdStrike’s fundamentals further bolster the bullish thesis:

  • Robust revenue growth. In its Q2 FY2025 earnings report dated August 30, 2024, CrowdStrike reported revenue of $963.9 million, marking a 32% year-over-year increase.
  • Significant ARR increase. The company’s Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) grew by 32% to $3.86 billion, with $217.6 million added in the quarter.
  • Improved profitability. CrowdStrike achieved a net income of $47 million, reflecting enhanced profitability and operational efficiency.

Despite the challenges posed by the outage, CrowdStrike’s strong revenue and ARR growth demonstrate its resilience and robust market demand for its cybersecurity solutions. The company’s focus on innovation and expanding its product offerings positions it well for long-term growth in the competitive cybersecurity landscape.

Options Strategy for CrowdStrike

 To capitalize on this bullish outlook, the OptionsPlay Strategy Center suggests selling the January 3, 2025, $370/$340 Put Vertical for a $12.80 credit per share.

Trade Structure of the Put Vertical

  • Sell: January 3, 2025, $370 put option at $21.40
  • Buy: January 3, 2025, $340 Put Option at $8.60
  • Net Credit: $1,280 per contract

FIGURE 2. RISK CURVE AND TRADE DETAILS OF CROWDSTRIKE PUT VERTICAL STRATEGY. The put vertical strategy allows you to profit even if CrowdStrike’s stock price moves sideways.Image source: OptionsPlay Strategy Center in StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Trade Details

  • Maximum Potential Reward: $1,280
  • Maximum Potential Risk: $1,720
  • Breakeven Point: $357.20
  • Probability of Profit: 56.30%

 This bullish strategy, known as a bull put spread, profits if CrowdStrike’s stock price remains above the breakeven point by the expiration date.

This strategy benefits from time decay and allows for profit even if the stock remains stagnant or rises moderately. It provides a favorable risk-to-reward ratio while aligning with the bullish outlook on CrowdStrike.

Unlock Real-Time Trade Ideas

This bullish opportunity in CrowdStrike stock was swiftly identified using the OptionsPlay Strategy Center within StockCharts.com. The platform automatically scanned the market, highlighted CRWD as a strong candidate for continued upward movement, and structured the optimal options trade in real-time (see below).

FIGURE 3. CRWD SCREENED AS BULLISH OUTPERFORMER. By selecting Bullish Outperformance from the Technical Scan dropdown menu and Bull Put Strategy from the Strategy dropdown menu, CRWD was screened as a candidate for further upside.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

By subscribing to the OptionsPlay Strategy Center, you can:

  • Effortlessly Discover Trading Opportunities. Access comprehensive technical and options strategies in real time to find the best trading opportunities.
  • Receive Optimal Trade Structuring. Get tailored options strategies that align with your market outlook and risk tolerance.
  • Save Time with Actionable Insights. Eliminate hours of research with actionable trade ideas delivered instantly, allowing you to make informed decisions swiftly.

Don’t miss out on valuable trading opportunities. Subscribe to the OptionsPlay Strategy Center today and elevate your trading journey with tools designed to keep you ahead of the market. Access real-time trade ideas like the one discussed in this article and find the best options trades within seconds daily. Let OptionsPlay be your partner in navigating the markets efficiently and effectively.


It’s a short trading week, and the stock market is rallying. It’s clear that Wall Street liked President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary. 

The broader stock market indexes closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) closing at a new record. The S&P 500 ($SPX) tried to meet its all-time high, but didn’t. The Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ), meanwhile, is still struggling to close above its November 7 low of 19084.

Small caps were the best performers. The S&P 500 Small Cap Index ($SML) rose 1.80%, and the S&P 400 Mid Cap Index ($MID) was close behind, rising 1.45%. Both indexes hit a new record high.

Overall, it was a green day in the equities world, as can be seen by Monday’s MarketCarpet.

FIGURE 1. MARKETCARPET FOR NOVEMBER 25, 2024. Overall, it’s a sea of green except for the Energy sector.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The bond market breathed a sigh of relief—Treasury yields fell, and bond prices rose. The iShares 20+ Year Bond ETF (TLT) rose about 2.59% on Monday. But the gap up in price is just a blip in the weekly chart of TLT (see below).

FIGURE 2. WEEKLY CHART OF TLT. Monday’s gap up isn’t enough to change the big picture. TLT is still trading below its 21-day EMA and close to its 2023 low. It’s a long way from a bullish trend.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

TLT is still trading below its 21-day exponential moving average (EMA). It’s also close to its 2023 low. One day doesn’t make a trend, but it’s worth watching this chart closely.

While stocks and bond prices rose, other assets that have been rallying lately saw significant declines. Gold prices, oil, and the US dollar experienced steep declines on Monday. Some news surfaced that a peace deal may be in the works between Israel and Hezbollah. With that in mind, investors may be less worried about geopolitical risks and have switched to a risk-off sentiment.

The daily chart of the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) below shows the depth of Monday’s fall in gold prices.

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF SPDR GOLD SHARES ETF (GLD). After bouncing off its November low, GLD looked like it was headed toward its all-time high. Monday’s price action broke that move.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

It was a surprising reversal. After reaching a high on October 30, GLD dropped 8.30%, bounced and made up for most of that drop. But Monday’s price action gets it closer to the November low. GLD is also trading below its 25-day simple moving average (SMA), which is now starting to trend lower.

Monday was not Bitcoin’s day either. After hitting its psychological 100K level and failing to close there, $BTCUSD declined 4.46%.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF $BTCUSD. Monday’s steep fall didn’t disrupt the cryptocurrency’s bullish trend. The MACD is turning lower but not enough to warrant a trend reversal.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The overall trend is still bullish; if it falls below its 21-day EMA, the sentiment may become bearish.

The Bottom Line

Many big moves on Monday suggested that investors may be less fearful heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. The Cboe Volatility Index ($VIX), often considered the fear gauge, is now below 15, further confirming that investors are complacent.

There are a couple of relevant events taking place this week. Tuesday is the FOMC minutes and, on Wednesday, we get the October personal-consumption expenditures price index (PCE). If either of these are vastly different from expectations, which I doubt, there may be significant shifts in the market.

Keep an eye on your StockCharts Dashboard regularly. If there are any shifts in market dynamics, that’s the first place you’ll see it.


Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The Board of BPH Global Ltd (ASX: BP8) (Company), is pleased to advise the re-appointment of Gaia Mariculture Pte Ltd (Gaia Mariculture) as the manager of the Company’s research and development programs (R&D Programs). Pursuant to the renewed consulting agreement, the Company’s wholly owned, Singapore-based subsidiary Stemcell United Pte Ltd (BP8 Singapore) has engaged Gaia Mariculture as a to manage the BP8 Group’s R&D Programs (Consulting Agreement).

Highlights

  • Blockchain technology: focus on sourcing and deployment of blockchain technology to facilitate:
    • biological integrity and sustainability of seaweed cultivation and processing; and
    • the development of an accreditation methodology for the issue of blue carbon credits
  • Artificial Intelligence technology (AI): Continued focus on AI to enhance critical mineral and nutraceutical identification and extraction
  • Essential Mineral and Nutraceutical extraction: Fermentation and Phycomining techniques to unlock essential minerals and nutraceuticals
  • Biohydrogen Extraction: Production of biohydrogen/biogases as a natural by-product of fermentation
  • Commercialisation: commercialisation opportunities to drive R&D strategies
  • Consultancy Agreement Renewed: two (2) year agreement with Gaia Mariculture
  • Expanded R&D role: Gaia to conduct R&D and to oversee out-sourced R&D projects

Consulting Agreement

Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, Gaia Mariculture will provide:

  • Out-sourced Research, being the R&D that has been or will be outsourced by or on behalf of the BP8 Group to a third party to be conducted by that party under the supervision of Gaia; and.
  • In-house Research, being the R&D to be undertaken directly by Gaia.

Out-sourced Research comprises the following services which the BP8 Group is seeking to out-source to third parties:

  • Sourcing, development and deployment of Blockchain technologies: sourcing, development and/or acquisition of blockchain technologies and their deployment to:
    • provide biological integrity and traceability and to promote sustainable farming of seaweed; and
    • enable the measurement of carbon capture and storage by seaweeds to facilitate the creation of an accreditation scheme for the issue of blue carbon credits;
  • AI Genetic Algorithm: continued development of an AI generated genetic algorithm to enable machine determination of variations in seaweed genomes to be applied to seaweed breeding and gene editing;
  • AI-enhanced extraction: development and deployment of AI driven imaging technology to further enhance essential mineral identification and isolation so as to increase the effectiveness of phyto-hydrometallurgical techniques to extract essential minerals from seaweed; and
  • Additional scope: any additional or related service relating to a project outsourced to a third party reasonably requested by the BP8 Group and agreed by Gaia from time to time.

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

CoTec Holdings Corp. (TSXV:CTH)(OTCQB:CTHCF) (‘CoTec’) and Mkango Resources Ltd. (AIM:MKA)(TSX-V:MKA) (‘Mkango’) are pleased to announce the results of an independent Feasibility Study (the ‘Feasibility Study’) for HyProMag USA, LLC, (‘HyProMag USA or the Project’) on the development of a state-of-the art rare earth magnet recycling and manufacturing operation in the United States.

The Project is underpinned by the patented Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap (‘HPMS’) technology developed at the University of Birmingham Magnetic Materials Group and being commercialized by HyProMag in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany. The HPMS process recovers neodymium iron boron (‘NdFeB’) permanent magnets from end-of-life scrap streams in the form of a demagnetized NdFeB metallized alloy powder for remanufacture into recycled NdFeB magnets with a significantly reduced carbon footprint, and has major competitive advantages versus other magnet recycling methods using chemical processes.

Sintered NdFeB magnets will be produced in the United States using materials sourced in the United States, contributing to security of NdFeB permanent magnet supply and enabling economical, traceable, domestic U.S. production of recycled NdFeB magnets (DFARS compliant [1] ) supporting the defense, aerospace, automotive, medical science, hyperscale data centers, robotics, and energy transition industries.

Highlights

  • Production of 750 metric tons per annum of recycled sintered NdFeB magnets and 291 metric tons per annum of associated NdFeB co-products (total payable capacity – 1,041 metric tons NdFeB) over a 40 year operating life
  • Up-front capital cost of the Project is US$125 million (inclusive of a 10% contingency margin and Class 3 AACE estimated detailed design study and engineering costs) over a 1.7 year construction phase
  • Payback [6] is achieved at current market prices in 3.9 years at a profitability index (‘PI’) [7] of 2.1, at forecast market prices payback is achieved in 3.1 years at a PI of 4.0
  • First Revenue targeted in Q1 2027 with a Notice to Proceed (‘NTP’) expected in mid-2025 following completion of Detailed Engineering Design and Value Engineering phase, which will commence shortly and include:
    • Evaluation of significant opportunities to optimize construction and operational efficiency, and to reduce capital expenditure and operating costs, as well as to expand production
    • Parallel product and operational testing in the UK at the University of Birmingham Magnetic Materials Group (‘MMG’) pilot plant and in conjunction with HyProMag commercial developments in UK and Germany
    • Completion of commercial arrangements with potential feed supply and product off taker – discussions with several potential parties underway
    • Continued discussions with federal, state and municipal governments, in relation to financing opportunities and other economic incentives including carbon price premiums which could improve economics
  • Project will help secure the re-vitalization of NdFeB magnet production in the United States with the creation of approximately 90 jobs across Texas, South Carolina and Nevada
  • Minviro Limited [8] has been commissioned to complete an ISO-14067 compliant ‘Product Carbon Footprint’ analysis of sintered materials by the end of Q4 2024 using the results of the Feasibility Study
  • HyProMag USA is targeting 10% of U.S domestic demand for NdFeB magnets within five years of commissioning – design is modular, can be replicated and accelerated to facilities in eastern and western United States
  • The Feasibility Study was undertaken by a multidisciplinary team appointed by CoTec and Mkango and led by independent engineers, Canada-based BBA USA Inc. (‘BBA’) and U.S. based PegasusTSI Inc. (‘PegasusTSI’) with other independent experts and support from University of Birmingham, HyProMag Ltd and HyProMag GmbH

Julian Treger, CoTec CEO commented: ‘We are very pleased with the results of the independent Feasibility Study, which further demonstrates the advanced commercialization potential of HyProMag’s technology. HyProMag has the capacity to provide the United States with a secure domestic source of permanent magnets to accelerate the revitalizing of U.S. magnet production, metallization, and skills development, a strategic priority for the U.S. Government.’

‘The Detailed Engineering Design phase is expected to deliver further cost savings and design improvements which should enhance the project’s metrics even further. The company is now focused on securing funding from the U.S. Government, financing, off-take and feed supply. The end-to-end process of recycling end-of-life NdFeB magnets into new sintered NdFeB magnets is supported by the Minerals Security Partnership [9] which aims to accelerate the development of secure, diverse, and sustainable supply chains for critical minerals. We are very excited the business can be used as a platform to create a market leading position for low cost, low carbon magnet recycling.’

Will Dawes, Mkango CEO commented: ‘This is a major milestone for HyProMag, further validating the HPMS technology and opportunity to roll-out into the United States. Our strategy to develop rare earth magnet recycling and manufacturing hubs in the United States, UK, Germany and, in the future, Asia, is aligned with the evolving geopolitical environment through the development of more robust rare earth supply chains for the respective domestic markets, while catalyzing new centers of excellence in magnetic materials and cross-fertilization of skills across jurisdictions and between industry and academia.’

Ownership

HyProMag is 100 per cent owned by Maginito Limited (‘Maginito’), which is owned on a 79.4/20.6 per cent basis by Mkango and CoTec. HyProMag USA is owned 50:50 by CoTec and Maginito.

Detailed Engineering Design and Value Engineering

Following completion of the Feasibility Study, the Project will now proceed to the Detailed Engineering Design and Value Engineering phases.

The Detailed Engineering Design will include the completion of sufficient engineering design works to support a AACE Class 1 capital estimate, as well as final site selection is expected to be completed in H1 2025 and site permitting targeted for completion by Q4 2025 in line with the initial project schedule. This targets initial revenue in Q1 2027. Environmental and permitting studies are supported by U.S. based Weston Solutions, Inc. Following completion of the Detailed Engineering Design, a NTP decision will be taken mid-2025 as to whether HyProMag USA will proceed with the construction of the Project.

Detailed Engineering Design will focus on optimization of construction and operational efficiency and identifying potential improvements that could lead to substantial capital expenditure and operating cost savings. It will also encompass definition and optimization of the third HPMS expansion case. In parallel with Detailed Engineering Design and Value Engineering, product and operational testing will continue in the UK at the University of Birmingham Magnetic Materials Group (MMG) pilot plant in conjunction with HyProMag commercial developments in UK and Germany.

The data used to develop the processing flowsheet is based on historical test work and magnet production at the HPMS Pilot vessel through the MMG at the University of Birmingham in the UK, which developed the HPMS technology being commercialized by HyProMag. Additional test work will be undertaken to further optimise the flowsheet, particularly in the HPMS operations. The capital and operating costs will be refined in line with the expected improvements to the overall process flowsheet, which will influence long-lead capital items. A formal request for proposal (‘RfP’) process will also be undertaken as part of the Detailed Engineering Design phase of the Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management (‘EPCM’) contract to solicit final vendor quotes to improve the accuracy of the capital cost estimate. The detailed engineering considers a ‘one contractor’ approach who is appointed to develop and build the complete process plants.

In parallel, HyProMag USA is working towards securing potential U.S. Government funding, U.S. State financial grants and incentives and strategic partnerships with U.S. companies. Significant progress was achieved in the areas of feed supply and recycled NdFeB magnet offtake during the Feasibility Study and the Project is now able to proceed with securing long term commercial agreements.

CoTec is responsible for funding the Detailed Engineering Design, Value Engineering and the project development costs. Funding provided by CoTec would be in the form of shareholder loans to HyProMag USA.

The Feasibility Study

The Project will use a ‘hub-and-spoke’ operational model, with the central, DFW, Texas hub supported by two pre-processing spoke sites in eastern and western United States.

The Feasibility Study is based on the development of a state-of-the-art 40-year magnet manufacturing facility in DFW, Texas, capable of producing up to 750 metric tons payable of sintered NdFeB magnets and 291 metric tons of associated NdFeB co-products (total payable capacity – 1,041 metric tons NdFeB) annually. First Revenue is targeted in Q1 2027 with a Notice to Proceed (the ‘NTP’) expected in mid- 2025 following completion of the Detailed Engineering Design phase.

The Feasibility Study demonstrates robust economics at Current Prices and indicates a significant upside based on the forecast recovery in the rare earths market. Based on a current market prices, derived from current market pricing for the various products, the Feasibility Study indicates a post-tax NPV[ 10] of US$262 million and real IRR of 23% (pre-tax NPV US$343 million and real IRR of 27%) at a real discount rate of 7.0%. Based on forecast market prices, the Feasibility Study indicates an post-tax NPV of US$503 million and real IRR of 31% (pre-tax NPV of US$647 milliion and real IRR of 36%) at a real discount rate of 7.0%.

The up-front capital cost of the Project is US$125 million (inclusive of a 10% contingency margin and Class 3 AACE [11] estimated detailed design study and engineering costs). The current market price payback [12] is achieved in 3.9 years at a profitability index (‘PI’) of 2.1 [13] , whilst at Forecast Prices, payback is achieved in 3.1 years at a PI of 4.0.

The Project has a low all-in Sustaining Cost of cost production at US$19.6 per kg of NdFeB which compares to current market prices of US$55 per kg of NdFeB product.

Production at the hub facility is readily expandable with the inclusion of a third HPMS vessel within three years following commissioning for an additional capital cost of approximately US$7 million – the third HPMS vessel is expected to supply excess HPMS NdFeB payable powder to the U.S market for the developing domestic magnet production industry.

The main products are sintered magnet materials split between blocks and finished magnets at magnet grades that have been previously demonstrated at the University of Birmingham pilot facility [14] . These include DFARS compliant products and will support a closed loop system in the United States whereby end-of-life U.S.-sourced NdFeB magnets are recycled into new magnets via HyProMag’s short-loop process.

The Project will therefore provide a long-term, traceable source of permanent magnets for U.S industry including applications for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and many electronic devices critical for U.S. critical mineral supply chains and the energy transition. Furthermore, the Project will help secure the re-vitalization of NdFeB magnet production in the United States with the creation of approximately 90 jobs in relation to magnet manufacturing, further catalyzing the developing rare earth industry ecosystem in Texas and the cross fertilization of skills, training and R&D between the United States, UK and Europe.

The key Feasibility Study metrics of the Project are summarized in Table 1. The Feasibility Study did not incorporate prospects for potential economic support from governments, funding opportunities, or other economic incentives which could improve the economics and influence a future updated detailed design engineering and investment decision.

Table 1: Feasibility Study Key Metrics in US$

Assumptions

Unit

Current Prices

Forecast Prices

Project Duration (Life of Asset)

Years

40

40

Average annual system capacity

Metric tons NdFeB per annum

1,147

1,147

Average annual payable production

Metric tons NdFeB per annum

1,041

1,041

Average total payable Sintered Magnets

Metric tons NdFeB per annum

750

750

Average total payable co-products excluding residual scrap

Metric tons NdFeB per annum

291

291

Economic Assumptions

Weighted average price (Life of Asset)

US$/Kg

55

94

Capital Cost

Construction period

Years

1.7

1.7

Initial CAPEX (excl. closure and sustaining)

US$ million

125.3

125.3

Sustaining CAPEX

US$ million per annum

0.21

0.21

Operating cost per metric ton

Transport Cost (Spoke to Hub)

US$/kg NdFeB

0.46

0.46

Royalty Cost

US$/kg NdFeB

0.23

0.69

TOTAL AISC [15] LIFE OF ASSET

US$/kg NdFeB

19.63

31.86

Basis of Feasibility Study

Feasibility design and economic analysis thereof was undertaken for the Project. A system capacity of 1,147 metric tons per annum has been used as a basis for the Feasibility Study.

The process begins with scrap pre-processing at the spoke facilities located in the eastern and western United States, where electronic and industrial scrap containing NdFeB magnets is pre-processed, sorted, and prepared for HPMS at the hub. This pre-processed material is then transported to the central hub in DFW for HPMS and magnet manufacturing.

At the DFW hub in Texas, the HPMS system uses hydrogen to extract NdFeB powder from the scrap material in a series of controlled reactions that occur at near atmospheric pressure. This method minimizes energy consumption and reduces environmental impact compared to conventional extraction methods. Following extraction, the NdFeB alloy powder undergoes conventional magnet manufacturing to produce high-performance magnets that meet industry standards.

Economic analysis has been performed in accordance with the process design and schedule, metallurgical testing, and product payability analysis developed in the study, and the estimates and analyses therein have been prepared to a Class 3 AACE Feasibility level.

Processing Design

The proposed plant is based on both historical, and 2022 to 2024 pilot test work at the University of Birmingham together with the approximate US$100 million of historical R&D expenditure and the significant know-how and related intellectual property for HPMS.

HyProMag USA will produce NdFeB permanent magnets in the United States using recycled end of life NdFeB magnets embedded in electronic and industrial scrap as the source material. The HPMS process liberates embedded rare earth permanent magnets, in the form of a demagnetised NdFeB powder, from any electrical drive, be it including hard disk drives (‘HDD’), electric motors, MRI magnetic units, speakers and other end-of-life assemblies containing NdFeB, enabling recovery of the NdFeB whilst leaving behind the associated casing materials. These casing materials are recovered and sent to any suitable scrap recycling plant for processing. The recovered NdFeB magnet material can be fed back into any point in the rare earth supply chain, the preferred and principal route for HyProMag being short-loop magnet manufacturing which is facilitated by HPMS. In the short-loop magnet manufacturing process, the recovered NdFeB magnet material is treated and reformed into blocks that can then be shaped and magnetized for use in equipment requiring permanent rare earth magnets of the NdFeB composition. Any scrap material produced from the shaping of the magnet blocks will be recycled for use within the plant or sold to third parties. The only waste products from the process are the casing materials housing the rare earth magnets, which are recycled, and minor discharges of steam and inert gases.

Figure 1: A simple Block Flow Diagram of the magnet recycling and production operation

Pre-Processing technology

Maginito and Inserma Anoia S.L (‘Inserma’) have entered into a binding and exclusive agreement to collaborate on the optimization, commercialization and roll-out of pre-processing technologies for HyProMag in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and other regions. The technologies autonomously pre-process scrap such as hard disk drives to remove the NdFeB magnet containing component which can be processed via HPMS to deliver purified alloy powder on a very large scale.

The latest mobile Inserma unit for HDD can be co-located at hyperscale data centers, shredding, recycling or HyProMag facilities. These Inserma units rapidly remove (at <3 seconds per HDD) the Voice Coil Motor (‘VCM’) containing the rare earth magnet, providing a highly concentrated feed for subsequent HPMS by HyProMag – the simultaneous removal of the center spindle also facilitates downstream shredding of the rest of the HDD. A 3D flythrough of the Inserma units both in the HyProMag USA facility and also within a United Sates hyperscale data center can be found at HyProMag USA with Inserma HDD Pre Processing Fly Through , Data Center with HyProMag USA + Inserma Technology

The goal of the collaboration is to enable deployment of hundreds of pre-processing units, across multiple jurisdictions, providing pre-processing solutions for a range of end-of-life applications, including HDDs, loudspeakers and electric motors, and generating feed for HyProMag’s short loop rare earth magnet recycling process.

Project Site, Infrastructure and Services

Site selection was focused on locating a site in DFW, Texas for the hub. DFW was identified as a suitable location to build the magnet recycling operation based on its central location in the U.S., its sizable e-waste recycling activities, proximity to national rail roads and interstate highways and ease of doing business there. DFW also has other existing and developing magnet and rare earth related businesses in the area.

A selection criteria approach was used to determine potential site locations within the DFW area. The potential site is approximately 100,000 square feet in area, 36 feet in height and utilizes a pre-existing factory storage unit with basic utilities fully installed. The Project design assumes the site will be secured through long term leases in Q1 2025.

The logistics for the project include two main satellite spokes: Satellite Spoke 1, potentially located in Las Vegas, or Reno, Nevada and a Satellite Spoke 2, potentially located in South Carolina. The transportation process from each Satellite Spoke to the hub employs intermodal (truck and rail) transportation.

Power supply will be provided through local utility providers. The current Project design is assuming grid sourced power, however where possible the Project will contract renewably sourced power when it is available.

Supply of Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Argon at the DFW hub will be provided through specialized companies which provide industrial gases in liquid form. These gases will be delivered and stored on-site in dedicated tanks equipped with vaporizers to ensure the conversion from liquid to gas as needed for the operations in a ‘over the fence’ solution.

Figure 2: Map of the United States showing planned locations of HyProMag USA’s operations and functions.

Capital Costs

Initial capital expenditure (CAPEX) costs for the Project are based on a system capacity of 1,147 metric tons per annum with a nominal payable production capacity of approximately 1,041 metric tons per annum of which 750 metric tons per annum are sintered blocks and finished magnets. CAPEX costs are estimated at US$125 million, including EPCM costs, future Detailed Engineering Design study costs and a 10% contingency.

Sustaining capital over the life of asset (40 years) is estimated at US$9.4 million. Closure cost is estimated at $1M resulting in total life of asset CAPEX cost of US$134.8 million.

Table 2: Capital Costs

Description

US$ (M)

Hub Plant

95.0

Spoke Pre-Processing

6.0

Indirect Costs (DE Study and EPCM)

13.5

Estimated Sub-Total Cost

114.5

Contingency 10%

10.9

Total Estimated Initial CAPEX

125.4

Sustaining (over life of asset)

8.4

Closure cost

1.0

ESTIMATED TOTAL CAPEX OF LIFE OF ASSET

134.8

Operating Costs

The operating costs include manpower to run the overall operations, power and utilities, materials handling, scrap feed, transport of the scrap materials from the Spoke pre-processing sites to the Hub in DFW, Texas and G&A.

Table 3: Operating costs

Area

US$/kg (current prices) [16]

US$/kg (Forecast Prices) [ 4]

Pre-processing – Spokes x2

1.84

1.84

Processing – Hub (includes feed supply)

16.23

28.00

Transport from Spoke to Hub

0.46

0.46

G&A

0.67

0.67

Royalty

0.23

0.69

ESTIMATED TOTAL AVE. OPEX US$/kg (LIFE OF ASSET)

19.43

31.66

Economic Analysis and Sensitivity Analysis

Table 4: Economic Results

Economic Assumptions

Unit

Current Prices

Forecast Prices

Weighted average price (Life of Asset)

US$/kg NdFeB

55

94

Revenue (Life of Asset)

US$M

2,325

3,941

EBITDA (Life of Asset)

US$M

1,528

2,642

Pre-Tax NPV at 7% discount rate

US$M

343

647

Pre-Tax real IRR

%

27%

36%

Post-Tax NPV 7% discount rate

US$M

262

503

Post-Tax real IRR

%

23%

31%

Payback

years

3.9

3.1

PI

2.1

4.0

A sensitivity analysis was performed whereby initial infrastructure capital cost, annual operating costs and product selling price were individually varied between +/-15% to determine the impact on Project IRR and NPV between 0 and 10 % discount rates.

Results are presented in Table 5 and 6. The project financials are most sensitive to the product selling price followed by operating costs and finally initial capital expenditures.

Table 5: Sensitivity Analysis (US$, Million, Post Tax) – Current Prices

Base Case

CAPEX

Current prices

LOA OPEX

15%

-15%

15%

-15%

15%

-15%

IRR

23%

20%

26%

27%

19%

22%

24%

NPV

0%

1,113

1,097

1,128

1,362

864

1,049

1,177

5%

380

365

396

479

281

355

406

7%

262

246

277

336

187

243

281

10%

154

139

169

206

102

141

167

Table 6: Sensitivity Analysis (US$, Million, Post Tax) – Forecast Prices

Base Case

CAPEX

Forecast prices

LOA OPEX

15%

-15%

15%

-15%

15%

-15%

IRR

31%

28%

35%

36%

26%

30%

32%

NPV

0%

2,005

1,990

2,021

2,416

1,594

1,939

2,071

5%

711

695

726

870

552

684

737

7%

503

487

518

621

384

483

522

10%

314

299

330

396

233

300

328

Project Timeline and Phased Execution

The Project is strategically phased to ensure cost-effective development, operational efficiency, and flexibility for future expansion. Next steps:

  1. Detailed Design and Engineering (2025): The Detailed Engineering Design will include the completion of sufficient engineering design works to support a AACE Class 1 capital estimate to complete the bankable Feasibility Study as well as final site selection to be completed in H1 2025 and the commencement of site permitting.
  2. Site Development and Facility Construction (2025-2026): The initial phase includes site preparations and facility construction at the DFW hub and two spoke locations. The DFW hub will be equipped with purpose-built infrastructure for HPMS recycling, magnet alignment, and sintering operations. The modular layout supports scalability, allowing for future expansion as demand for NdFeB magnets grows. The spoke facilities in east and west United States will focus on sorting and initial processing of NdFeB-containing scrap to reduce transportation costs and streamline material flow to the DFW hub.
  3. Equipment Installation and Commissioning (2026): Construction will follow to equipment installation, including HPMS vessels, sintering furnaces, alignment presses, and auxiliary systems. Each piece of equipment will be tested and calibrated to meet quality and operational standards. The commissioning phase verifies that the facility operates as designed, ensuring smooth transitions between production stages and mitigating risks of downtime.
  4. Initial Production Ramp-Up (2027): The Project’s first production phase is expected to begin Q1 2027, with a gradual increase in output to stabilize operations and optimize equipment performance. Initial production volumes will be dedicated to fulfilling contracts with key customers in sectors such as defense, renewable energy, and electronics.
  5. Full Operational Capacity and Modular Expansion (2027 Onward): By H2 2027, the Project aims to reach full capacity at 750 metric tons per year, positioning HyProMag USA as a major player in the U.S. NdFeB magnet market. The facility’s modular design supports phased expansions, allowing for the addition of processing lines and spoke sites as demand increases. This flexible approach allows HyProMag to scale up with minimal disruption and align production with market growth, particularly in EVs, wind energy, and defense.
  6. Modular Expansion (2030 Onward): By 2030 potential installation of the third HPMS vessel, debottlenecking and expansion of system capacity.
  7. Regional expansion (2030 Onward): HyProMag USA is targeting 10% of the U.S domestic demand [17] within five years of commissioning – design is modular, can be replicated and accelerated to facilities on eastern and western United States. Any legislation to support recycling will further accelerate expansion.

Qualified Persons and Data Verification

The independent Qualified Persons are Professional Engineers employed by BBA, Pegasus TSI and Weston Solutions who are responsible for Engineering Design, Processing, Infrastructure, Transportation, Services, Capital Costs, Operating Costs, Project Timeline, Permitting and Economic Analysis and Sensitivity.

The Qualified Persons have reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content of this news release.

About HyProMag

HyProMag is commercializing HPMS recycling technology in the UK, Germany and United States. HyProMag is also evaluating other jurisdictions, and in mid-2024 launched a collaboration with Envipro on rare earth magnet recycling in Japan. HPMS technology was developed at the Magnetic Materials Group (MMG) at University of Birmingham, underpinned by approximately US$100 million of research and development funding, and has major competitive advantages versus other rare earth magnet recycling technologies, which are largely focused on chemical processes but do not solve the challenges of liberating magnets from end-of-life scrap streams – HPMS provides this solution.

The MMG is internationally recognized for its work on the circular economy of rare earth magnets. The group has made major contributions to research and industrial application of hydrogen for processing of magnets. Professor Emeritus Harris pioneered the initial work on hydrogen decrepitation (HD), currently used worldwide to produce magnets, and co-authored the 1986 paper on the world’s first hydrogen based sintered magnet. Today, almost all NdFeB magnet production and recycling methods take advantage of the HD process.

About CoTec Holdings Corp.

CoTec is a publicly traded investment issuer listed on the Toronto Venture Stock Exchange (‘TSX- V’) and the OTCQB and trades under the symbol CTH and CTHCF respectively. CoTec is an environment, social, and governance (‘ESG’)-focused company investing in innovative technologies that have the potential to fundamentally change the way metals and minerals can be extracted and processed for the purpose of applying those technologies to undervalued operating assets and recycling opportunities, as it transitions into a mid-tier mineral resource producer.

CoTec is committed to supporting the transition to a lower carbon future for the extraction industry, a sector on the cusp of a green revolution as it embraces technology and innovation. It has made four investments to date and is actively pursuing operating opportunities where current technology investments could be deployed.

For more information, please visit www.cotec.ca .

About Mkango Resources Ltd.

Mkango is listed on the AIM and the TSX-V. Mkango’s corporate strategy is to become a market leader in the production of recycled rare earth magnets, alloys and oxides, through its interest in Maginito Limited (‘Maginito’), which is owned 79.4 per cent by Mkango and 20.6 per cent by CoTec, and to develop new sustainable sources of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium to supply accelerating demand from electric vehicles, wind turbines and other clean energy technologies.

Maginito holds a 100 per cent interest in HyProMag and a 90 per cent direct and indirect interest (assuming conversion of Maginito’s convertible loan) in HyProMag GmbH, focused on short loop rare earth magnet recycling in the UK and Germany, respectively, and a 100 per cent interest in Mkango Rare Earths UK Ltd (‘Mkango UK’), focused on long loop rare earth magnet recycling in the UK via a chemical route.

Maginito and CoTec are also rolling out HyProMag’s recycling technology into the United States via the 50/50 owned HyProMag USA LLC joint venture company. HyProMag is also evaluating other jurisdictions, and recently launched a collaboration with Envipro on rare earth magnet recycling in Japan.

Mkango also owns the advanced stage Songwe Hill rare earths project and an extensive rare earths, uranium, tantalum, niobium, rutile, nickel and cobalt exploration portfolio in Malawi, and the Pulawy rare earths separation project in Poland.

For more information, please visit www.mkango.ca

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations(EU) No. 596/2014 (‘MAR’) which has been incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of that term under applicable securities laws) with respect to Mkango and CoTec. Generally, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘is expected to’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’ ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results ‘can’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘should’, ‘might’ or ‘will’, occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, the availability of (or delays in obtaining) financing to develop the Recycling Plants being developed by Maginito in the UK, Germany and the US (the ‘Maginito Recycling Plants’), the implementation of matters set out in the Feasibility Study, governmental action and other market effects on global demand and pricing for the metals and associated downstream products for which Mkango is exploring, researching and developing, the ability to scale the HPMS and chemical recycling technologies to commercial scale, competitors having greater financial capability and effective competing technologies in the recycling and separation business of Maginito and Mkango, availability of scrap supplies for Maginito’s recycling activities, government regulation (including the impact of environmental and other regulations) on and the economics in relation to recycling and the development of the Maginito Recycling Plants and future investments in the United States pursuant to the proposed cooperation agreement between Maginito and CoTec, the outcome and timing of the completion of the feasibility studies, cost overruns, complexities in building and operating the plants, and the positive results of feasibility studies on the various proposed aspects of Mkango’s, Maginito’s and CoTec’s activities. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company and CoTec disclaim any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company and CoTec undertake no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

For further information on Mkango, please contact:

Mkango Resources Limited
William Dawes
Chief Executive
will@mkango.ca
Canada: +1 403 444 5979
www.mkango.ca
@MkaResource

Alexander Lemon
President
alex@mkango.ca

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker
Jeff Keating, Caroline Rowe
UK: +44 20 3470 0470

Alternative Resource Capital
Joint Broker
Alex Wood, Keith Dowsing
UK: +44 20 7186 9004/5

For further information on CoTec, please contract:

CoTec Holdings Corp.
Braam Jonker
Chief Financial Officer
braam.jonker@cotec.ca
Canada: +1 604 992-5600

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


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(TheNewswire)

VANCOUVER, BC The N ewswire November 25, 2024 Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM) (OTC: ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) (‘Element79’, or the ‘Company ‘) Pursuant to the Company’s previous announcements for its private placement, the Company has determined that it will not be pursuing further funding under the non-brokered private placement (the ‘Private Placement’). On November 15, 2024 the Company announced that it had raised for aggregate gross proceeds of $500,024 and issued 5,000,240 units (each, a ‘Unit’) at a price of $0.10 per Unit.

About Element79 Gold Corp.

Element79 Gold is a mining company with a focus on exploring and developing its past-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to restart production at the mine and through reprocessing its tailings, in the near term.

The Company holds a portfolio of four properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, and the projects are believed to have significant potential for near-term resource development. The Company has retained the Clover project for resource development purposes and signed a binding agreement to sell three projects with a closing date on or before November 30, 2024.

The Company also holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, and has recently announced that it has transferred this project to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp, and is advancing through the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold

Contact Information

For corporate matters, please contact:

James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: jt@element79.gold

For investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

Phone: +1.403.850.8050

E-mail: investors@element79.gold

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

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

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marked a major milestone with the reopening of the Kipushi mine after a 31 year operational hiatus.

An 800,000 metric ton (MT) per year concentrator facility was completed at Kipushi in May, with first concentrate produced in June. The mine’s projected output for the year is between 50,000 and 70,000 MT of zinc in concentrate.

Over the next five years, Ivanhoe expects annual production at Kipushi to average 278,000 MT, driven by a targeted recovery rate target of 96 percent and an average concentrate grade of 55 percent contained zinc.

The reopening of the site is seen bringing economic optimism to the region. The concentrator facility’s construction and operational setup provided jobs and investment, boosting the local economy.

Situated in Haut-Katanga province, Kipushi hosts high-grade zinc, copper, lead and germanium deposits. The restart coincides with the centenary of its initial operations in 1924, adding to the event’s historical importance.

Speaking at the mine reopening, Ivanhoe Mines President Marna Cloete emphasized Kipushi’s dual role in advancing sustainable resource development and fostering community empowerment.

“Today, we are breathing new life into one of the world’s richest deposits, together proving that responsible mining can drive shared prosperity,” she said in a press release published on November 21.

Gécamines Chairman Guy-Robert Lukama Nkunzi also underscored the project’s significance for the area. He described the mine as the community’s ‘beating heart,’ with its reopening symbolizing economic opportunity.

Ivanhoe notes that output from Kipushi is poised to contribute to global zinc supply amid increasing demand for the metal, which is vital for construction, galvanization and renewable energy infrastructure.

The mine’s copper, lead and germanium production will further enhance its profile as a key resource hub.

Kipushi complements Ivanhoe’s flagship Kamoa-Kakula copper project in the DRC. The company is also in the construction phase at its Platreef palladium-nickel-platinum-rhodium-copper-gold project in South Africa.

Ivanhoe shares responded positively to the reopening, reflecting market confidence in the mine’s prospects.

The reopening ceremony was attended by national and local dignitaries, as well as President Félix Tshisekedi. He highlighted the partnership between Ivanhoe Mines and state-owned Gécamines, which jointly operate the site.

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

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‘If you look traditionally, the momentum in gold attracts Wall Street, and it attracts Main Street and it attracts the generalist investors to the space. We really aren’t seeing that to any great degree,’ he said.

Rule also discussed his best-performing investments of 2024 and shared his highest-convictions sectors for 2025.

Looking back at 2024, he pointed to silver juniors, saying they were a coiled spring.

‘That trade happened. The better silver juniors are uniformly up 200 or 300 percent — before there was a silver bull market,’ Rule explained. ‘It happened just because they were so oversold and they were so hated.’

He also said the ‘very best gold stocks’ have performed well and are starting to be noticed.

‘The other theme for 2024 that I think continues and accelerates into 2025 is the gradual realization among the investment community that oil and gas is here to stay,’ Rule continued. He added that while oil prices didn’t go up this past year, the operating performance of North American oil and gas companies has been ‘fantastic.’

In terms of other sectors to watch in 2025, Rule said investors and speculators have different choices. For speculators, he suggested the ‘better’ gold juniors, while he believes investors should aim to be overweight oil and gas.

‘If you’re a Canadian investor, you want to stay north of the border. If you have a federal election, and if Canadian voters decide to allow the prime minister to afford other employment opportunities, I think you’d see the Canadian oil and gas sector basically double overnight,’ he said during the conversation.

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

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Air travelers face a host of headaches on their journeys: slow security lines, long waits for plush lounges, the threat of delays or cancellations — and the airport Starbucks.

Many travelers, flight crews and even airport employees have at some point encountered long wait times for their Starbucks cappuccinos, cold brews and egg bites.

“They need to have a better system,” said Coresa Barrino, a Starbucks patron at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Terminal B earlier this month who said she had been waiting 10 minutes and counting for her coffee. The nursing assistant, who was taking a flight back to Charlotte, North Carolina, said the wait when she buys her coffee at a Starbucks in Charlotte is about two minutes.

The long waits have caught the attention of the coffee chain’s new CEO, Brian Niccol, who joined Starbucks from Chipotle in September, pledging to win back customers and reverse the company’s sales slump.

Niccol told investors he thinks that licensed locations, such as those inside Target stores or airports, are interested in following the company’s strategy of “getting back to Starbucks.”

“When I think about the airports and such, there’s such a huge opportunity for us to simplify some of the execution there so that we get people the great throughput that they want so they can get on their way,” Niccol said on the company’s quarterly conference call Oct. 30.

Starbucks’ airport location staff — and company technology — will be put to the test this week during some of the busiest travel days of the year. The Transportation Security Administration forecast a record number of travelers during Thanksgiving week and said Sunday, Dec. 1, could be the busiest day of the year, with more than 3 million people screened at U.S. airports.

The surge in air travel, especially during peak times such as Thanksgiving, has led to congestion in airport security lines, in lounges and at gates — problems that airlines and the federal government are trying to fix. For the aviation industry, bottlenecks at airport Starbucks are just another sign of soaring demand and overcrowded airports.

A record 1.05 billion people boarded airplanes going either to, from or between U.S. airports in 2023, narrowly topping the total in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Starbucks has recently struggled. Its sales fell for the third straight quarter in the period ended Sept. 30, as consumers pushed back against higher prices and ignored initiatives such as discounts and energy drinks aimed at bringing customers back. Same-store sales in the U.S. declined by 6% from a year earlier.

In late October, Niccol unveiled plans aimed at improving customers’ experiences and reviving the company’s sales, from bringing back condiment bars, to eliminating surcharges for dairy alternatives and cutting down the menu.

Cutting wait time is a key goal: He wants to trim service times down to four minutes, which would shrink long lines and improve the customer experience.

And while Starbucks started rolling out mobile order and pay to its airport locations in 2022, the change can sometimes add to the confusion and chaos at the cafe counter instead of resolving it. Plus, some travelers might not be regular Starbucks customers who already have the app downloaded.

Improving the coffee chain’s airport outposts could boost both sales and the brand’s reputation during a time when it needs it most. Even the customers Starbucks has lost might visit an airport location while they’re traveling.

With travelers returning in droves after the pandemic, it gives Starbucks and other restaurant chains a chance to boost sales.

Concessions contribute about 4% of U.S. airport revenue annually, according to the latest available Federal Aviation Administration data, but they’re an important feature to many passengers, who have limited time — and, often, energy — to fuel up before a flight.

At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, revenue from food and beverage outlets is growing faster than passenger numbers, said Jennifer Simkins, the airport’s assistant vice president of concessions. The airport has become the world’s third-busiest for passengers, up from 10th place in 2019, according to Airports Council International.

Airlines are also packing more seats on their aircraft and in some cases are flying larger jets.

More passengers per plane means restaurants can become crowded during peak times with more customers waiting to be served and space limited, said Ursula Cassinerio, an assistant vice president at Moody’s Ratings who covers airports.

She noted that many airports have been undergoing major renovations, if not building new terminals. That means “more opportunities for revenue if you have more square footage for retail and restaurants,” she said.

The 25 busiest airports in the U.S. have an average of 80 food and beverage brands as options for travelers, according to data from market research firm Technomic.

A challenge for Starbucks is that licensees — not Starbucks itself — operate its airport locations.

Starbucks opened its first airport location with licensee HMSHost in 1991 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which serves Starbucks’ hometown.

For nearly three decades, HMSHost operated the chain’s airport locations through an exclusive deal with Starbucks and gradually grew its airport footprint to roughly 400 outposts.

But in 2020, HMSHost ended the deal, giving the operator flexibility to offer more coffee options to airports.

While HMSHost still operates the overwhelming majority of Starbucks’ airport cafes, more operators, such as Paradies Lagardere and OTG, have since taken a swing at it.

HMSHost, Paradies Lagardere and OTG did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

“Airport locations are tricky because they can make good money, but operationally, at times, they can be very challenging,” said Mark Kalinowski, restaurant analyst and CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research.

Licensing its stores saves Starbucks the hassles of operating inside an airport, such as staffing problems, high rents and security checkpoints. And though the coffee chain is used to handling a surge of undercaffeinated customers in the mornings, the swell in demand at an airport can be even more erratic.

“A plane lands, and all of a sudden there’s a hundred people when there were zero people there before,” said Kevin Schimpf, director of industry research for Technomic.

The trade-off is that Starbucks makes less money from those licensed restaurants.

The company has more than 16,300 locations in the U.S. as of Sept. 24. But it only runs about 60% of those cafes itself; licensees operate the rest. That number includes its cafes in 47 of the 50 busiest airports in the U.S., according to Starbucks. The company did not disclose its current airport store count to CNBC.

In fiscal 2024, licensed locations accounted for 12% of Starbucks’ revenue, or $4.51 billion. From those stores, Starbucks collects only licensing fees, a percentage of monthly sales through royalties, and payments for supplying its coffee, tea and food to licensees, according to company filings.

For every dollar spent in a licensed store, Starbucks generates about 7 cents of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to estimates from Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore. Company-owned stores make about 23 cents per dollar spent, Senatore wrote in a research note in September.

If its business partners and third-party providers slack off, Starbucks’ brand could be damaged, the company noted in the risk factors section of its latest annual filing.

“The vast majority of customers, they don’t know whether that is a company-owned Starbucks or a licensed Starbucks,” Kalinowski said. “They just want their Starbucks. They want it made properly. They want it quickly. And they’re in a situation of heightened stress because they’re trying to get to their gate.”

Airports themselves have been adopting more technology in their restaurants to help move lines along.

Labor challenges have led to more kiosks and tablets inside airport restaurants, for example.

“It’s harder and harder to staff a lot of these restaurants, so any front-of-house savings that you can make by having consumers order on kiosks or tablets or whatever, that really, really helps,” Schimpf said.

Laurie Noyes, vice president of concessions and commercial parking at Tampa International Airport, said that “sometimes the airports are a little bit behind the street.” But she said the airport has made strides in offering more digital options and now, travelers can order food ahead of time via Uber Eats, and pick it up at airport restaurants.

Dallas Fort Worth offers DFWOrderNow, a website and platform available at digital kiosks so travelers can order food ahead. Simkins said the airport’s platform will reroute Starbucks customers to Starbucks’ own platform. Starbucks offers more than 170,000 possible drink orders, according to the chain’s website. “We just found the value in keeping the familiarity for their customers,” Simkins said.

Simkins said the airport is developing robotic technology for delivery to speed up service. It’s also experimenting with offering meal and retail bundles from airport restaurants and shops, she said, so passengers “no longer have to plan their route for multiple stops” in an airport.

A local coffee company, Fort Worth, Texas-based Ampersand, plans to open a robotic barista at DFW’s Terminal C, Simkins said. It will be available 24/7, to accommodate flight crews arriving at off-hours. 

Simkins said popular chains still draw a crowd.

“There are some brands that people will line up for,” she said.

For Barrino, who was waiting for her coffee at LaGuardia, Starbucks is one of those companies.

“I just really love the brand,” she said.

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