1. OpenAI’s busy week

On Wednesday (August 6), OpenAI unveiled the long-awaited GPT-5 version of ChatGPT, which CEO Sam Altman described as a “significant step” along the path to artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Altman declared that GPT-5 gives users PhD-level expert assistance on any subject, with fewer hallucinations, as well as superior coding abilities that could lead to an era of “software on demand.’

“Something like GPT-5 would be pretty much unimaginable in any other time in history,” he said during a pre-briefing with journalists on Wednesday. While GPT-5 exhibits signs of broad intelligence, Altman clarified that it lacks a key characteristic of AGI: the ability to learn and improve autonomously.

Concurrently, OpenAI for Government announced it is partnering with the US General Services Administration to offer ChatGPT Enterprise to the federal executive branch workforce for US$1 per agency for the next year.

In a statement to Wired, Altman said the agreement was part of Trump’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan, which is geared at leveraging AI to better serve the American people.

Additionally, the company reportedly engaged in early discussions this week for a secondary stock sale that would increase its valuation to US$500 billion. During an interview with Schwab Network, Ben Emons, chief investment officer and founder of FedWatch Advisors, said OpenAI’s valuation could hit US$1 trillion.

A recent report by the Information found that OpenAI has hit an annualized run rate of US$12 billion, roughly double the US$6 billion recorded in revenue in the first half of 2025.

OpenAI also introduced a pair of freely available models this week, which Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) will offer to cloud-computing clients.

2. Stocks react to chip tariff exemptions

Trump announced plans to impose a nearly 100 percent tariff on semiconductor chips on Wednesday, but carved out an exemption for companies investing in US manufacturing capacity.

After a meeting at the White House, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook pledged an additional US$100 billion investment in US manufacturing capacity, bringing its total commitment to US$600 billion over the next four years.

However, final assembly is expected to remain overseas “for a while,” according to Cook, and the announcement did not include any mention of future iPhone assembly in the US.

Apple performance, August 5 to 8, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

The pledge led to a significant market reaction, with Apple shares climbing over 4 percent, leading gains on Wall Street.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) also saw strong gains after it was reported that National Development Council Chief Liu Chin-ching told parliament that the company will be exempt since it has factories in the US, referring to fabrication plants currently under construction in Arizona.

However, he added that some of Taiwan’s chipmakers will be affected.

Likewise, South Korean trade officials stated that Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) will both avoid the tariffs due to their investments in US manufacturing facilities. Samsung has two chip fabrication plants in Texas, while SK Hynix is building a new advanced chip packaging and R&D facility in Indiana.

3. Firefly Aerospace makes explosive Nasdaq debut

Firefly Aerospace (NASDAQ:FLY) made a strong debut on the Nasdaq Global Market on Thursday (August 7).

The stock opened at US$70 per share, a significant jump from its initial public offering price of US$45.

After first targeting between US$35 and US$39 per share, the company raised the price from US$41 to US$43 on Tuesday (August 5). Firefly was valued at over US$2 billion after a Series D funding round in November 2024.

Its opening price represented a further increase. After briefly topping US$73.80, the company closed its first day on the market at US$60.35, raising US$868.3 million and achieving a valuation of approximately US$8.5 billion.

The company experienced a moderate pullback on Friday, opening at US$54.85 before briefly touching US$57.07; it then closed the week at US$50.17.

4. Tesla desbands Dojo team

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk confirmed reports that the company is disbanding its Dojo supercomputer team, posting to X on Thursday evening:

“It doesn’t make sense for Tesla to divide its resources and scale two quite different AI chip designs.

“The Tesla AI5, AI6 and subsequent chips will be excellent for inference and at least pretty good for training. All effort is focused on that.”

Tesla intended for Dojo to facilitate the training of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.

Sources for Bloomberg, which first reported the story, said Tesla will rely on partners like NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) and Samsung for chip manufacturing.

This move contradicts Musk’s commitments to “double down on Dojo” during his company’s second quarter earnings call on July 23. The development follows a letter sent to shareholders by two Tesla directors on Monday explaining the board’s decision to grant Musk a US$23.7 billion stock award.

Robyn Denholm, chair of Tesla’s board of directors, and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, a director, said the decision was driven by Tesla’s transition from electric vehicles to AI and robotics.

The letter emphasizes the critical need to motivate Musk, stating that his involvement is essential for attracting and retaining talent at Tesla, especially as competition for AI talent intensifies.

5. Palantir reports solid growth in Q2

Major software company Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) reported its Q2 earnings on Monday, revealing revenue growth of 48 percent to US$1.003 billion. Shares of the company opened over 7 percent higher on Tuesday and continued to rise, finishing the week up nearly 18 percent.

Palantir Technologies performance, August 5 to 8, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

“This was a phenomenal quarter. We continue to see the astonishing impact of AI leverage,’ said Alex C. Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir, in a press release. “We are guiding to the highest sequential quarterly revenue growth in our company’s history, representing 50 percent year-over-year growth.”

Free cashflow rose by 282 percent to US$568.7 million. The company is projecting further revenue growth of around 49 percent in the third quarter. Its share price is up over 145 percent year-to-date after starting the year at US$76.20. As of Friday’s closing bell, shares of Palantir were trading for US$186.96.

Bullet briefing — Gold revaluation, China buying, streaming deal

Fed publishes gold revaluation article

The Fed turned heads in the resource space this week with the release of an article on gold revaluation. In it, a principal economist looks at ‘rare cases when countries used proceeds from valuation gains on gold and foreign exchange reserves.’

While precious metals market watchers have noted that the Fed publishing research on gold revaluation doesn’t mean it’s going to happen in the US, it’s still seen as significant that the central bank is mentioning it at all.

China snaps up gold, platinum

The People’s Bank of China continued snapping up gold in July, adding to its reserves of the yellow metal for the ninth month in a row. According to Bloomberg, the Asian nation now holds 73.96 million ounces of gold, an increase of 60,000 ounces over the course of the month.

China is also reportedly adding to its platinum holdings, with data from Standard Chartered (LSE:STAN) showing that it brought in 1.2 million ounces in the second quarter.

A separate article from Bloomberg indicates that state-owned entity China Platinum is making most of the purchases, meaning it’s difficult to know who is really buying the metal.

The US is picking up platinum too, while London and Zurich are seeing shortfalls of the metal. With the implied one month lease rate down from over 35 percent last month, but still elevated at 10 percent, experts are calling for continued tightness in the market.

After years of rangebound trading, the platinum price began breaking out in mid-May, eventually surpassing US$1,470 per ounce and reaching highs not seen in over a decade.

First Quantum’s US$1 billion gold stream

First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM) will receive a US$1 billion upfront cash payment from Royal Gold (NASDAQ:RGLD) under a gold-streaming deal for its Kansanshi mine.

According to First Quantum, the agreement, announced on Tuesday (August 5), will allow it to retain exposure to all of the asset’s copper output and most of its gold production.

Located in Zambia, Kansanshi is the company’s flagship operation, as well as Africa’s largest copper mine. The asset produced about 170,000 metric tons of copper and 105,000 ounces of gold in 2024, with an expansion in the final stages of commissioning.

The amount of gold First Quantum delivers to Royal Gold will be based on its copper output. In addition to the US$1 billion initial payment from Royal Gold, First Quantum will receive 20 percent of the gold spot price for each ounce delivered, with that amount rising to 35 percent in the event that specific milestones are met. The arrangement includes acceleration provisions as well.

Investor Insight

With multiple significant lithium discoveries under its belt and a proven exploration strategy that yields results, Brunswick Exploration makes a compelling investment proposition in the ever-expanding lithium space.

Overview

Brunswick Exploration (TSXV:BRW,OTCQB:BRWXF,1XQ:FF) is one of North America’s few publicly traded companies aggressively pursuing grassroots lithium exploration across Canada and Greenland. The company is leveraging cutting-edge exploration technologies and systematic geological fieldwork to uncover new spodumene-bearing pegmatite discoveries in underexplored districts.

Brunswick has staked and is actively exploring large-scale pegmatite fields in Quebec and both western and eastern Greenland. Its multi-regional strategy is designed to fast-track discoveries of high-grade lithium deposits to meet rising global demand driven by the energy transition.

Brunswick’s exploration process begins with comprehensive data compilation and geological analysis to pinpoint promising target areas. Its experienced field teams then deploy traditional prospecting techniques—including bedrock mapping, sampling, and geophysical surveys—to validate targets on the ground. This hands-on approach has led to multiple new lithium discoveries and remains central to the company’s value creation strategy.

The company has launched an aggressive, regional-scale prospecting and mapping campaign across its extensive Greenland portfolio which will run for six weeks, supported by four field crews and two helicopters. The initial phase will see one team conducting detailed mapping and sampling around the Ivisaartoq spodumene discovery and surrounding areas. A second team will cover the expanded Nuuk and Paamiut licenses, including follow-up at the historical spodumene showing at Paamiut.

Starting in July 2025, fieldwork will pivot based on June results, with one crew continuing follow-up at Nuuk and Paamiut, and another moving to Disko Bay and Uummannaq. Findings will guide advanced exploration in August–September, including first-pass work at the newly acquired Hinksland project.

In Quebec, Brunswick Exploration has prioritized three key lithium projects in the Eeyou Istchee–James Bay region: Mirage, Anatacau, and PLEX with active drilling underway at Mirage following 2023 grassroots discoveries.

In 2024, the company made Greenland’s first lithium-bearing spodumene pegmatite discovery at the Ivisaartoq field under its Nuuk license—an area characterized by ancient Mesoarchean geology. Brunswick is now expanding its land position in both western and eastern Greenland to build on this breakthrough. In 2025, the company reported it had submitted license applications covering 20,785 hectares at Paamiut that include multiple metavolcanic amphibolite belts and nine mapped pegmatites 500–900 m in strike length, with approval pending. Brunswick had also applied for a 17,800-hectare Hinksland license in eastern Greenland containing over 50 mapped and interpreted pegmatite outcrops, including nine that are between 500 m and roughly 10,000 m in strike length, likewise awaiting government sign-off.

The exploration team is led by Executive Chairman Robert Wares, a renowned geologist and co-founder of Osisko Mining. Wares played a pivotal role in discovering the Canadian Malartic gold deposit, which became one of Canada’s largest gold producers. His leadership and exploration success provide strong technical guidance for Brunswick’s operations.

Company Highlights

• Brunswick Exploration (BRW) is a Montreal-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSXV under symbol BRW. The company is focused on grassroots exploration for lithium in Canada and Greenland, a critical metal necessary to global decarbonization and energy transition.
• This has generated one of the largest grassroots lithium portfolios globally.
• BRW’s board includes Robert Wares, one of the founders of Osisko Mining.
• BRW was recognized as one of the Top 50 TSX Venture listed companies in 2023.
• The company has staked hundreds of untested prospective pegmatites measuring a minimum strike length of 500 meters and within 50 kms of infrastructure.
• In 2023, three discoveries were made in the Eeyou Istchee-James Bay region of Quebec at the Mirage, Anatacau Main and Elrond projects.
• In 2024, BRW announced a newly discovered pegmatite outcrop from its Nuuk License, making it the first confirmed lithium discovery in Greenland.
• In 2025 BRW bolstered its first-mover position in Greenland by staking about 38,500 ha across two new licenses — 20,785 ha at Paamiut (SW Greenland) hosting nine 500-900 m pegmatite trends and 17,800 ha at Hinksland (E Greenland) with over 50 mapped pegmatites, including nine 500-10,000 m trends — making BRW one of the country’s largest mineral-license holders and giving it hundreds of untested targets for lithium exploration.

Key Projects

Mirage Project

The Mirage Project consists of 427 claims covering 21,230 hectares (including both staked and optioned claims), situated approximately 40 km south of the Trans-Taiga Highway in Quebec’s James Bay region. The project was initially staked following insights from a geologist who explored the area for gold over two decades ago and documented numerous angular pegmatitic glacial boulders containing large, well-defined spodumene crystals, including one boulder measuring 8 x 4 x 3 meters.

In fall 2023, Brunswick Exploration uncovered multiple high-grade spodumene outcrops along a 2.5-km trend, alongside a distinct 3 km boulder train with different mineralogical characteristics, suggesting the presence of multiple lithium-bearing sources within the project area.

The company intersected 37 m at 1.14 percent Li₂O in hole MR-24-87 at the MR-3 dyke; 36 m at 1.51 percent Li₂O in hole MR-24-102 within the Stacked Dyke area where the same hole also cut thirteen additional spodumene-bearing dykes and 28 m at 1.32 percent Li₂O in hole MR-24-101 at the MR-6 dyke, together extending the combined MR-3–MR-6–Stacked Dyke swarm to more than 1 km by 450 m. In the past drillings, Brunswick intercepted 1.55 percent and 1.64 percent Li₂O at 93.45 m and 69.3 m respectively at the MR-6 dyke The project continues to show excellent continuity and scale, with stacked dykes and new zones being delineated through ongoing drilling.

The winter 2025 drill program covering over 5,000 meters is designed to test new extensions to MR-3, MR-4, and MR-6 dykes, as well as additional targets within the broader Central Zone. Mirage is quickly emerging as a potential high-grade, large-tonnage lithium system.

Spodumene crystals at Mirage are massive and white to pale grey, both at the surface and in the core.

In 2025, BRW has continued to advance Mirage through additional drilling and metallurgical testing. The winter drill program intersected 36 meters at 1.51percent Li2O in the Stacked Dyke area and 28 meters at 1.32 percent Li2O at the MR-6 dyke, significantly extending these pegmatites along strike. This drilling confirms that the MR-3, MR-6 and Stacked Dyke systems form a major spodumene-bearing pegmatite swarm now traced over ~1,000 by 450 meters and open in multiple directions. Phase 1 metallurgical results indicate the potential for a dense media separation (DMS)-only flowsheet (no flotation required), capable of producing a clean spodumene concentrate grading ~5.5–5.7 percent Li2O with up to 76 percent recovery and low impurities.

PLEX Project

The company is also advancing the early-stage Poste Lemoyne Extension (PLEX) project, located along the La Grande shear zone approximately 75 km west of Patriot Battery Metals’ Corvette project. PLEX consists of 375 claims covering 19,175 hectares and remains a target for future prospecting campaigns.

Anatacau

Comprising the Anatacau Main and Anatacau West projects, these assets are under an option agreement with Osisko GP, a subsidiary of Osisko Development, under which Brunswick Exploration can earn a 90 percent interest in the projects. The Anatacau property is located just east of Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) recently acquired James Bay Lithium deposit (previously known as the Cyr deposit), previously owned by Arcadium (NYSE:ALTM) which has a total mineral resource of 110.2 million tons (Mt) at 1.30 percent lithium oxide and a total ore reserve of 37.3 Mt at 1.27 percent lithium oxide.

BRW completed a maiden drill program at the Anatacau West property totalling 3,712 meters. 17 of the 18 drilled holes intersected spodumene mineralization that generated up to 26.5 metres at 1.51 percent Li2O.

In the summer of 2023, Brunswick discovered a significant lithium pegmatite outcrop, measuring at least 100 meters long by 15 meters wide known as the Anais showing in Anatacau Main. The outcrop is within a larger cluster of pegmatite dykes all of which contain high-grade lithium mineralization.

This discovery is located 22 km east of Anatacau West and Rio’s James Bay project along a large-scale E-W deformation corridor which is host to the known lithium-bearing pegmatite dykes in the region.

Greenland

Brunswick Exploration is now one of Greenland’s largest mineral license holders and the only company actively exploring for lithium in the country, capitalizing on a clear first-mover advantage. With supportive regulations, highly prospective geology, and excellent outcrop exposure, 2025 is set to be a breakthrough year as the company launches a major lithium exploration campaign.

A six-week regional program begins in June, with four field crews and two helicopters deployed across Brunswick’s vast land package. One team will focus on the Ivisaartoq spodumene discovery, while another targets the Nuuk and Paamiut licenses. In July, follow-up work will continue at Nuuk and Paamiut, while a second team begins prospecting at the Disko Bay and Uummannaq properties.

Initial results will guide advanced exploration phases in August and September across high-priority targets.

2025 Paamiut license area

Brunswick Exploration has applied for new licenses covering 20,785 hectares, approximately 90 to 130 km northeast of Paamiut, a coastal town about 260 km south of Nuuk. The area lies within the Bjornesund tectonic block of the North Atlantic Craton, a geologically favorable region comprising tonalitic and granodioritic orthogneiss and Mesoarchean metavolcanic amphibolite belts.The newly staked ground includes multiple amphibolite belts up to 1.5 km wide and 15 km long, along with nine mapped and interpreted pegmatite targets ranging from 500 to 900 meters in strike length. License applications have been submitted and are currently pending final government approval

Nuuk Expansion

Brunswick Exploration’s Nuuk holdings include the Ivisaartoq spodumene discovery within the Ivisaartoq belt. The company has applied to stake the adjacent Ujarassuit amphibolite belt, which is up to 1 km wide and 40 km long. Additional claims have been secured within the Fiskefjord Complex, located 95 km north of Nuuk and 75 km southeast of Maniitsoq, covering amphibolite belts up to 4.5 km wide and 20 km long. The newly acquired and applied-for claims span 33,138 hectares and host hundreds of mapped and interpreted pegmatite outcrops, including six targets with strike lengths between 500 and 2,000 m.

Disko Bay

The Disko Bay licenses are located roughly 30 to 80 kms from the coastal city of Ilulissat, which is the third largest city in Greenland. The licenses are near multiple seaports and container terminals, including Ilulissat. The area is situated within the Aasiaat domain, part of the Paleoproterozoic Nagssugtoqidian Orogen, sandwiched to the south by the Archean North Atlantic Craton and to the north by the Archean Rae Craton. The Orogen extends west into the Trans-Hudson orogeny of Canada that continues to the lithium deposits near Snow Lake Manitoba and the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Multiple amphibolite and metasedimentary belts were acquired with some belts being over 20 km in strike length. The new claims have hundreds of mapped and interpreted pegmatite targets with a total license area of 49,639 hectares.

Uummannaq

The licenses are located roughly 70 km from the coastal city of Uummannaq, about 80 km north of Ilulissat. Uummannaq has a population of about 1,660, an airport and a ferry terminal as well as a nearby container terminal. The area is located within the Archean Rae Craton that is intermixed with the Paleoproterozoic Rinkian fold-thrust belt, both of which are in contact with the Paleoproterozoic Nagssugtoqidian Orogen to the south.

The new license contains multiple amphibolite and metasedimentary belts with dozens of mapped and interpreted pegmatites with a total license area of 9,770 hectares.

Management Team

Robert Wares – Executive Chairman

Robert Wares is a professional geologist with more than 35 years of experience in mineral exploration and development. He was responsible for discovering the Canadian Malartic bulk tonnage gold mine, which was subsequently developed by Osisko Mining into one of Canada’s largest gold producers. Wares was a co-winner of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s ‘Prospector of the Year Award’ for 2007. He was also named one of the ‘Mining

Men of the Year’ for 2009 by the Northern Miner. He has a Bachelor of Science and an honorary doctorate in earth sciences from McGill University.

Killian Charles – President and CEO

From 2017 to 2021, Killian Charles worked as VP of corporate development for Osisko Metals. Charles was previously the manager of corporate development at Integra Gold Corp, which was an advanced-stage gold development company until it was acquired by Eldorado Gold in July 2017. He worked as a mining analyst at Industrial Alliance Securities and Laurentian Bank Securities. Charles covered small and mid-cap exploration and production companies as a mining analyst. Charles holds a Bachelor of Science with a major in Earth and planetary sciences from McGill University.

Anthony Glavac – CFO

Anthony Glavac has more than 17 years of experience in financial reporting, including over 12 years in the mining industry. Since August 2017, Glavac has served as vice-president, and corporate controller for Falco Resources, and previously served as director, financial reporting and internal controls at Dynacor Gold Mines. Glavac spent 10 years at KPMG, working with both public and private companies, providing audit, taxation, strategic advisory and public offering services. Glavac is also involved with other public companies in the mining industry.

Simon Hébert – Vice-president, Development

Simon Hébert is a professional geologist with over 13 years of experience in mineral exploration, having begun his career with Virginia Mines and Osisko Mining. He has worked on numerous metallogenic projects across Baie-James, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. In 2019, he helped form NQ Mining Investment, becoming its general manager in 2023. A member of the Ordre des Géologues du Québec since 2012, Hébert also serves as vice president of the AEMQ and is chair of the Table Jamésienne de concertation minière. He holds a BSc in Geology from Université Laval.

François Goulet – Exploration Manager, Quebec

François Goulet holds a master’s degree in structural geology from UQÀM and has extensive exploration experience in James Bay and internationally. He was recently president and CEO of Harfang Exploration, a gold project generator in Quebec. Goulet has worked with companies including Virginia Mines, Unigold, Maya Gold & Silver, the Canadian Malartic Partnership, and Glencore Canada. He is a board member of the AEMQ and a registered geologist with the Ordre des géologues du Québec since 2011.

Charles Kodors – Exploration Manager, Atlantic Canada

Charles Kodors is the Manager, Atlantic Canada at Brunswick Exploration Inc. and has been with the company since January 2021. Having 15 years of experience in the mining and exploration industry, he most recently served as an exploration manager for Osisko Metals and a senior exploration geologist for Kirkland Lake Gold. Kodors received his B.Sc. from Brock University and is a registered professional geologist within the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Shayaan Belluzzo – Corporate Secretary

Ms. Shayaan Belluzzo is a seasoned Corporate Secretary with over 8 years of experience of board governance and compliance, corporate restructuring matters for various global entities and investment vehicles, focusing on corporate regulatory and corporate governance best practices, and providing strategic legal support. Recently, Belluzzo also held key roles as Corporate Secretary of Windfall Mining Group and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Osisko Mining, supporting both companies during a $2.16 billion acquisition. Ms. Belluzzo’s diverse industry experience stems from her work in global investment, asset management, and law firms, including McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$119,577, down by 0.9 percent over the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$118,199, while its highest valuation was US$122,227.

Bitcoin price performance, August 11, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$4,179.19, down by 0.6 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$4,174.03 and its highest was US$4,332.73.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$178.34, down by 0.8 percent over 24 hours and its lowest valuation for the day so far. Its highest was at US$186.35.

• XRP was trading for US$3.20, up by 0.3 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.16, and its highest price was US$3.31.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.71, down by 2.9 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.72, and its highest was US$3.97.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.787, down by 1.2 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$0.7862, and its highest was US$0.8322.

Today’s crypto news to know

Bitcoin holds near record highs as crypto stocks rally

Bitcoin traded above US$120,000 on Monday, keeping close to its all-time high and fueling gains in publicly traded crypto-related companies.

Strategy, Coinbase, and Robinhood all advanced in premarket trading, rising between 2 and 3 percent.

The rally followed last week’s executive order from former President Donald Trump, which directed federal agencies to explore ways for workers to include cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans.

The order asks the Treasury, Labor Department, and SEC to identify regulatory changes that would reduce barriers for employers offering digital asset options.

Bullish aims for US$4.82B valuation in upsized IPO

Crypto exchange Bullish has increased the size of its planned IPO, now targeting a valuation of up to US$4.82 billion.

The firm plans to raise as much as US$990 million by selling 30 million shares priced between US$32 and US$33 each, a higher range than its previous filing but still below its US$9 billion target in a failed 2021 SPAC merger.

The exchange said it will convert a significant portion of IPO proceeds into U.S.-dollar-backed stablecoins through partnerships with token issuers.

BlackRock-managed funds and Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment have shown interest in purchasing up to US$200 million of shares.

Bullish is expected to price the offering on Tuesday and debut on the NYSE under the ticker “FLY” the next day.

El Salvador targets wealthy investors with new Bitcoin banking law

El Salvador has approved a new Investment Banking Law designed to attract institutional and high-net-worth crypto investors.

Licensed investment banks with at least US$50 million in capital will be able to provide Bitcoin and other digital asset services, but only to clients meeting “sophisticated investor” criteria, including at least US$250,000 in liquid assets and advanced financial knowledge.

These banks will be allowed to issue bonds, structure public–private projects, and offer digital asset products.

Lawmakers say the changes aim to position the country as a regional financial hub and draw in foreign private capital.

The move comes as President Nayib Bukele consolidates political power through constitutional reforms extending presidential terms and removing term limits.

While the IMF agreement requires no public Bitcoin purchases, blockchain data suggests El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings have grown to about 6,264 BTC, worth roughly US$739 million.

Potash and phosphate price forecast for 2025

The phosphate market is unlikely to change in the near term.

There isn’t much expectation that China will increase supply, and while there are some significant projects in the works, how many will enter the production is yet to be seen as demand continues to increase from the battery sector.

Linville sees a continuation of current trends, noting that the market isn’t in a place to recover quickly:

“A major discussion point has been surrounding demand destruction that is anticipated. The hope is that this will help values to fall. Unfortunately, I think the market continues to underestimate how bad of a shape phosphate is in.’

As for potash, Linville expects the market to maintain stability.

“My longer-term outlook is that potash values will see relatively little price volatility, and that lower prices should become common. However, the stage appears set for 2025. Summer fill programs have been successful. Demand continues to look good. Anything is possible, but it appears price structures for potash are stable to higher,” he said.

Source: The White House.

Fort Knox gold

The US Department of the Treasury’s Weekly Release of US Foreign Exchange Reserves shows the levels of various official assets, including gold. It reported gold of 261.499 million fine troy ounces. An estimated 56 percent of that is in Fort Knox, with the remainder in West Point, Denver and New York.

The Federal Reserve Act 1913 still gives the power to the US Federal Reserve: “To deal in gold coin and bullion at home or abroad, to make loans thereon, exchange Federal reserve notes for gold, gold coin, or gold certificates, and to contract for loans of gold coin or bullion (and much more).”

The question of how much gold is in Fort Knox and elsewhere is not only important for the purposes of DOGE, but even more so in the case of a potential return to a gold standard. And such an incredible return is not mere speculation, but is due to some credible public comments.

Source: Visual Capitalist.

Trump gold standard

Private citizen Trump commented, as a presidential candidate, about a possible return to a gold standard in June 2016, when he said: “Bringing back the gold standard would be very hard to do, but, boy, would it be wonderful. We’d have a standard on which to base our money.”

More recently, Steve Bannon stated in December 2023: “Nixon took us off the gold standard … over a weekend … in an emergency executive order. That is going to be reviewed strongly in the second Trump term … getting rid of the Fed, yeah, maybe you start with converting back into gold.”

Economist Judy Shelton has an October 2024 book as a guide: “When the US dollar is backed by gold, America prospers, and so does the rest of the world. But this is no curmudgeonly demand to return to the gold standard of yore; (but) gold for a new international monetary order.”

Some sort of gold standard might dovetail with a new global trading system, as outlined in the “Mar-a-Largo Accord” of November 2024, as well as with the GENIUS Act of July 2025, which: “establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins (must redeem for a fixed value).”

Shadow gold price I

Shadow pricing is a method long used in cost benefit analysis that adjusts prices from, or creates prices for, failed or non-existent markets. The shadow price of gold (SPoG) in August 2018 was defined as: “The linkage between the US monetary base and the implied price of gold.”

The In Gold We Trust (IGWT) annual report from May 2025 uses a similar definition: “The theoretical gold price in the event of full gold backing of the base money supply.” The report adds: “The reciprocal value of the (SPoG) gives the degree of coverage of the monetary base.”

The reciprocal SPoG, based on current market prices, is the “Gold Coverage Ratio” (GCR). The report explains further that: “Currently, the (GCR) in the US is only 14.5%. To put it crudely: Only 14.5 cents of every US dollar currently consists of gold, the remaining 85.5% is air.”

Gold backing of monetary base, in percent, 01/1920 to 03/2025.

Source: Incrementum.

Shadow gold price II

According to IGWT: “In the gold bull market of the 2000s, (GCR) tripled from 10.8% to 29.7%. A comparable (GCR) today would only arise if the gold price were to almost double to over $6,000. The record value of 131% from 1980 would correspond to a gold price of around $30,000.”

IGWT goes beyond just $USD: “The international shadow gold price (ISPoG) shows how high the gold price would have to rise if the money supply (M0 or M2) of the leading currency areas were covered by the central banks’ gold reserves in proportion to their share of global GDP.”

“This view impressively reveals the extent of the monetary expansion: With an — admittedly purely theoretical — 100% coverage of the broad money supply M2, the gold price (per ounce) would be over $231,000; even with a moderate 25% coverage, it would be around $58,000.”

International shadow gold price at different gold coverage levels (log), in USD, 12/2024.

Source: Incrementum.

Shadow gold price III

In May 2024, James Rickards predicted: “My latest forecast is that gold may actually exceed $27,000. I don’t say that to get attention or to shock people. It’s not a guess; it’s the result of rigorous analysis.”

This was based on a similar approach to SPoG and GCR that he called “the implied non-deflationary price of gold under a new gold standard (iPoG).” Rickards calculated a gold price, based on iPoG, of $27,533 per ounce.”

He divided US$7.2 trillion of M1 money supply by 261.5 million of gold troy ounces (or 8,133 metric tonnes) in official US reserves estimated by the World Gold Council. The M1 figure is 40 percent of US$17.9 trillion as: “this percentage was the legal requirement for the US Federal Reserve from 1913 to 1946.”

In summary, the sort of gold prices that might be reached under a return to a gold standard, using the shadow price of gold approach, range from lows of US$6,000 to highs of US$231,000, with US$27,533, US$30,000 and US$58,000 in between.

Whatever the gold price ends up at, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime windfall for those holding gold at that time. After that, gold would cease to be an investment, as it has been since 1971 and 1974. Because gold would be actual money once again, and it would be sound money at that.

About Darren Brady Nelson

Darren Brady Nelson is chief economist with Fisher Liberty Gold and policy advisor to The Heartland Institute. He previously was economic advisor to Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts. He authored the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform, and the CPI-X approach to budget cuts.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, equity markets were in positive territory this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) posted steady gains through the week, moving up 2.16 percent to close at 27,758.68 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) registered a 2.71 percent rise to 787.22. Meanwhile, the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) soared, gaining 8.99 percent to 142.78.

US equity markets were broadly down on Friday on new US tariffs and poor jobs data. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) rose 1.62 percent to 6,389.44, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) jumped 2.86 percent to 23,603.05 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 0.90 percent to 44,175.60.

In base metals, copper prices fell as low as US$4.41 per pound on Tuesday (August 5), but recovered to finish the week with a 0.67 percent gain to US$4.52.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Kirkland Lake Discoveries (TSXV:KLDC)

Weekly gain: 88.24 percent
Market cap: C$15.2 million
Share price: C$0.16

Kirkland Lake Discoveries is a gold-copper explorer focused on projects in its district-scale land package located in the Kirkland Lake area of Ontario, Canada. Its holdings span approximately 38,000 hectares in the Abitibi greenstone belt, an area that holds past-producing gold and copper mines. Its land is broadly divided into KL West and KL East, which contain the Goodfish-Kirana and Lucky Strike gold projects, respectively, among others.

On April 29, the company entered a mining option agreement with Val-d’Or Mining (TSXV:VZZ) to acquire the Winnie Lake and Amikougami properties, as well as mining claim purchase agreements with two vendors to acquire further claims around the Winnie Lake Pluton. The properties expand KL West’s southern portion.

On Wednesday (August 6), the company initiated an inaugural diamond drill program at KL West and Winnie Lake. The program is designed to follow up on historic drill results as well as recent surface exploration.

About 2,000 meters of drilling are planned, and the company expects it to be completed by the end of August. Kirkland stated that assays will be released as they are received and interpreted.

2. Avanti Helium (TSXV:AVN)

Weekly gain: 78.95 percent
Market cap: C$15.2 million
Share price: C$0.17

Avanti Helium is an explorer and developer focused on advancing helium assets in Canada and the US toward production. Its Greater Knappen projects are composed of several areas in Southern Alberta, Canada, and Northern Montana, US. The combined land packages cover approximately 74,000 acres with multiple targets.

According to its project page, Avanti has drilled three exploration wells in Montana, with two testing for a combined 18.5 million cubic feet per day gas rate with 1.1 percent helium concentration.

The company’s Leader project consists of a combined land package of 91,000 acres in Southern Saskatchewan. The surrounding region has seen 84 wells drilled by other companies since 2016, and as of September 2023, it hosted approximately 25 wells producing 450,000 cubic feet of helium per day.

Avanti gained this week after it announced on Thursday (August 7) that it has signed a multi-year offtake agreement with a global industrial gas supplier. The buyer has committed to a minimum monthly volume from Avanti’s Sweetgrass helium recovery unit in Montana, for 33 percent of the initial plant output and 25 percent following a planned expansion.

3. Discovery Energy Metals (CSE:DEMC)

Weekly gain: 68.57 percent
Market cap: C$17.08 million
Share price: C$0.295

Discovery Energy Metals is a lithium explorer working to advance interests in Québec and BC, Canada. Most of the company’s land holdings are in Québec, where it has interests in over 225,000 hectares.

On March 20, the company released assays from a fall 2024 exploration program focused on its Eeyou Istchee James Bay properties. It reported values including 82 parts per million tantalum pentoxide and 101 parts per million cesium oxide at Cirrus East, and 0.66 g/t gold and 0.56 percent zinc at its Mantle property.

Discovery announced on June 25 that it had completed the acquisition of eight mineral claims over 5,283 hectares at the Crystal Lake property in BC. The company acquired the property in a deal with Zimtu Capital (TSXV:ZC).

Early stage exploration work at the property was carried out between 2009 and 2010, and included a magnetic survey and grab samples, which returned up to 0.7 percent copper with elevated gold and silver.

The most recent news from Discovery came on July 15, when it announced a non-brokered private placement for up to 10 million units for gross proceeds of up to C$1 million.

4. Abcourt Mines (TSXV:ABI)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$45.53 million
Share price: C$0.075

Abcourt Mines is a gold exploration and development company focused on operations at its Sleeping Giant mine in the Abitibi region of Québec. The property consists of four mining leases covering an area of 458 hectares and 69 claims. The site hosts an underground mine along with a mill capable of processing 750 metric tons per day.

A July 2023 preliminary economic assessment demonstrates an after-tax net present value of US$77.5 million with an internal rate of return of 33.3 percent over a payback period of 2.2 years.

The company has been working on restarting mining operations at the site throughout 2025.

On Thursday, it provided an update on progress from Sleeping Giant, stating that teams had begun the rehabilitation of underground openings, as well as preparations at the mill for the first stope at the end of July. It also said it had built a surface stockpile of approximately 1,000 metric tons of ore and started work on a tailings facility. Once complete, pulp storage will be good until 2032 at the proposed mining rate of 100,000 to 125,000 metric tons per year.

5. Scorpio Gold (TSXV:SGN)

Weekly gain: 64.71 percent
Market cap: C$60.93 million
Share price: C$0.28

Scorpio Gold is an exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its Manhattan District in the Walker Lane Trend in Nevada, US. The district is composed of the 6,071 acre Manhattan project, which hosts two past-producing open-pit mines, Reliance and Manhattan, as well as the fully permitted Goldwedge underground mine.

Scorpio acquired the project from Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) in 2021.

The most recent update from the project came on June 19, when Scorpio announced it was commencing a Phase 1 diamond drill program. The focus is on targets at the Gap zone, the Zanzibar trend and Mustang Hill. Up to 3,400 meters have been planned, with results contributing to an initial mineral resource estimate, which is expected in Q3.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.