The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) ended last week on the decline, shedding 27 points shortly after the morning bell on Friday (November 26). It closed at 942.62.
Global markets were plunged into uncertainty as news that a recently discovered COVID-19 variant known as omicron may be more contagious and potentially vaccine resistant.
Several European and Asian nations scrambled during the last full week of November to implement border and flight restrictions in an effort to curb the spread of the variant, which was first detected in South Africa.
Concern that the new mutation could hinder economic recovery weighed heavily on North American markets, with most of the leading indexes slipping lower Friday morning.
The energy sector bore the brunt of the declines, with West Texas crude oil dropping 9 percent and Brent crude losing 8 percent.
Gold also faced headwinds from the uncertainty. It fell below US$1,800 per ounce on Tuesday (November 23), and remained under pressure throughout the week, only briefly rallying above US$1,800 early on Friday.
Last week’s five TSXV-listed mining stocks that saw the biggest gains are as follows:
Here’s a look at what may have moved their share prices during the period.
1. Adex Mining
Explorer Adex Mining is developing the Mount Pleasant mine property in New Brunswick. The site houses two distinct deposits: the Fire Tower zone, which hosts a significant molybdenum and tungsten resource; and the North zone, which contains the world’s largest indium reserve and one of North America’s largest tin resources.
Adex filed a number of documents on SEDAR last week, including its latest management’s discussion and analysis document. Company shares rose 50 percent for the last full week of November, ending the session at C$0.02.
2. Butte Energy
Butte Energy was previously engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of petroleum and natural gas reserves in Western Canada. The company sold its last remaining asset in 2017 and currently has no active operations other than the completion of reclamation activities on previously abandoned wells.
Late last year, Butte brought on a new board and management team that is actively evaluating potential opportunities, including those outside of the oil and gas industry.
Last Tuesday (November 23), the firm released its interim financial statement and management overview.
“In order to fund future operations or acquisitions, the company will need to raise additional funds by way of equity or debt. There is no assurance that the company will be able to raise such funds on terms acceptable to it,” the overview reads. “These factors indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”
Shares of Butte energy rose 36.75 percent last week, ending the session at C$0.20.
3. Noble Mineral Exploration
Noble Mineral Exploration has holdings in Canada Nickel Company (TSXV:CNC,OTCQX:CNIKF), Spruce Ridge Resources (TSXV:SHL,OTC Pink:SRCGF) and MacDonald Mines Exploration (TSXV:BMK,OTC Pink:MCDMF).
Additionally, the diversified explorer has an interest in the Holdsworth gold exploration property near Wawa, Ontario. The property is comprised of approximately 72,000 hectares of mineral rights in the Timmins-Cochrane areas of Northern Ontario known as Project 81. According to Noble, Project 81 hosts diversified drill-ready gold, nickel-cobalt and base metals exploration targets at various stages of exploration.
Last week, the company entered into a letter of intent (LOI) with Canada Nickel Company to option mining claims in the Mann, Hanna, Duff and Reaume townships. The deal will also see Noble sell its MRO patents in Kingsmill and Mabee townships to the nickel-focused company.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to invite Canada Nickel, with their expertise, to secure this very large land package as it represents a 20km strike length where evidence of nickel, cobalt, PGM’s, rhodium and rare earth minerals have been found to be present in work carried out by past explorers,” said Vance White, president and CEO of Noble. The LOI news sent shares of Noble 22.83 percent higher, ending the trading week at C$0.13.
4. AurCrest Gold
AurCrest Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold properties. Presently, the gold firm has a portfolio of properties in Ontario; it includes the Richardson Lake, Ranger Lake and Bridget Lake gold properties.
In mid-November, the explorer released results from a spring/summer program at its 100 percent owned Ranger Lake property. The program consisted of nine drill holes designed to test one of three high-priority targets.
“Eight drill holes encountered sulphide veins and stringer zones over 1-7 metre intervals hosted in a metasedimentary sequence,” the report reads. “Veins and host rocks are sheared and folded, and display characteristics consistent with stages of post-mineralization deformation and partial melting, the latter inferred by quartz-alkali feldspar leucosomal bands.”
AurCrest shares added 22.46 percent last week to trade for C$0.35.
5. International Iconic Gold
Exploration company International Iconic Gold is focused on developing its wholly owned San Roque gold project, located in the Rio Negro province of Northeastern Patagonia, Argentina.
According to the company, a gold, silver and base metals resource assessment released in July 2019 shows an inferred mineral resource of 32.9 million tonnes grading 1.42 grams per tonne (g/t) gold equivalent (AuEq) for 1,499,900 AuEq ounces at a 0.6 g/t AuEq cut-off grade.
Last Wednesday (November 24), the firm increased its ownership to 100 percent in Minas San Roque SA (MSR), which owns the legal title to the mining claims comprising Iconic Gold’s flagship San Roque property.
“MSR’s ownership of the deposit and the prospective geology around it are protected by a system of mine rights. Three federal government mining concessions, known as ‘Minas,’ totaling 94.5 square kilometers (sq. km) have been granted to MSR,” the late November press release states. “In addition, MSR controls eleven temporary mineral exploration licenses, known as ‘Cateos,’ covering 645 sq. km around the Minas.”
By Friday, shares of International Iconic had climbed 20.77 percent to close at C$0.14.
Data for 5 Top Weekly TSXV Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday at 11:00 a.m. EST using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals are considered.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Canada Nickel Company, MacDonald Mines Exploration, Noble Mineral Exploration and Spruce Ridge Resources are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
Read More:5 Top Weekly TSXV Performers: Noble Mineral Enters LOI | INN
2021-11-29 08:10:20
