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Gold and Silver

Project 2025 wants gold to rule again — But is it fool’s gold? – by Ernest Hoffman (Kitco News – October 10, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – The Project 2025 conservative policy blueprint has been making waves in recent months as journalists, lawmakers, and academics pore over its recommendations. And while much of the attention has centered on its ideas around social policy and executive authority, one economic proposal will quicken the pulse of precious metals investors regardless of their political affiliation: Reestablishing the gold standard.

The 900-plus page document from the Heritage Foundation is aimed at shaping the policy agenda for the United States government with a focus on conservative principles. Launched in 2023, the Project is geared toward preparing for a potential Republican administration in 2025, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive plan to restore what its proponents view as core American values and governance principles.

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‘Proud northern miners’: Detour Lake gold used for mint’s new coin – by Marissa Lentz-McGrath (Timmins Today – October 11, 2024)

https://www.timminstoday.com/

It’s the first time that a Northern Ontario mine is being used for the initiative

If you ever wanted to own gold poured right here in Northern Ontario, now’s your chance. The Royal Canadian Mint has launched its 2024 single-sourced gold maple leaf coin. It’s crafted entirely from gold poured from Agnico Eagle’s Detour Lake mine.

Detour Lake is located about 300 kilometres northeast of Timmins, this is the second time Agnico has teamed up with the Royal Canadian Mint for the bullion — a coin made from highly refined precious metal. It’s the first time a Northern Ontario mine is featured in the program.

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Plibersek releases reasons why $1bn McPhillamy’s gold mine near Blayney is on hold – by Lani Oataway and Hamish Cole (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – October 11, 2024)

https://www.abc.net.au/

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has found the ‘irreversible’ and ‘permanent’ loss to Aboriginal heritage outweighed the financial cost of halting a $1 billion gold mine development in the New South Wales Central West.

Ms Plibersek today released the Statement of Reasons behind her decision to protect part of the Belubula River, its headwaters and springs near Blayney, from the tailings dam earmarked for the site by Regis Resources McPhillamys gold mine.

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Mali seeks $500 million in outstanding taxes and dividends from Barrick – report – by Staff (Mining.com – October 8, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

Mali’s military government is seeking at least 300 billion CFA ($512 million) in outstanding taxes and dividends from Barrick Gold, according to a Reuters report.

Authorities in Mali briefly detained four Malian staff members working for Barrick last month.On Sept. 30, Barrick stated it had agreed with the government to resolve existing claims and disputes.

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Short-seller report aims to poke holes in story told by fledgling gold company – by Gabriel Friedman (Financial Post – September 26, 2024)

https://financialpost.com/

Raises questions about New Found Gold deposit near Gander

Vancouver-based New Found Gold Corp. has been the toast of Canada’s exploration sector for reportedly striking bonanza-grade intercepts, but a short-seller report is trying to poke holes in the company’s story.

The report, released earlier this month by Iceberg Research, raises questions about the deposit’s “lack of continuity,” saying the best drill holes may be too narrow and spread too far away from one another to be economically mined.

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N.W.T.’s mining future could be in gold or lithium, say companies – by Jocelyn Shepel (CBC News North – October 2, 2024)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

Exploration efforts steady among resource sector

While the price of gold has been climbing steadily, now selling for more than $2,600 USD per ounce, one mining CEO says financing is still hard to come by.

The future of the N.W.T.’s mining industry remains far from certain. Current exploration projects are focused on gold and lithium. Both had company representatives in Yellowknife this week for presentations and to strengthen community relationships.

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Iran-Israel conflict is driving capital inflows into gold despite overbought conditions – TD Securities’ Ghali – by Ernest Hoffman (Kitco News – October 2, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Even as the market signals overbought conditions and Asian demand dries up, the increasing chances of a direct military confrontation between Iran and Israel is driving safe-haven inflows into gold, according to Daniel Ghali, commodity analyst at TD Securities.

“Selling activity in Gold has been a bit limited, but the top traders still liquidated nearly 5t of notional Gold over the last week,” Ghali said in a research note. “This contrasts with Western investor sentiment. Our read of macro fund positioning remains at its highest levels since the Brexit referendum in July 2016; re-levering from risk parity and vol-target funds is supporting a reaccumulation from CTAs and prices continue to rally without challenge.”

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How much gas does gold prices have next week after prices touched $2,700 an ounce? – by Neils Christensen (Kitco News – September 27, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – After hitting record highs for the last six days, the gold market is taking a breather as it experiences some technical selling pressure heading into the weekend.

Solid buying momentum briefly pushed gold above $2,700 an ounce on Thursday. However, some analysts express growing concerns that the precious metal’s rally may be a bit overdone. December gold futures last traded at $2,669 an ounce, down nearly 1% on the day; however, prices are up nearly 1% from last Friday.

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Gold repatriation shifting from north to south – by Rick Mills (Ahead of the Herd/Mining.com – September 27, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

In 2017 Germany brought home nearly $31 billion of gold bars that had been stored in New York and Paris after World War II. The Financial Times gives a good account of how Germany amassed, lost and then got its gold back.

Perhaps no other country (except maybe Zimbabwe) understands the value of bullion as a store of value than Germany. Hyperinflation during the Weimar Republic of the 1920s had citizens piling near-worthless Deutsche marks into wheelbarrows just to buy bare necessities.

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Four Barrick employees arrested in Mali by Russia-backed military regime – by Geoffrey York (Globe and Mail – September 30, 2024)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Four senior employees of Barrick Gold Corp. have reportedly been arrested in Mali in the latest sign of rising tensions between the Toronto-based mining company and the authoritarian military regime that runs the West African country.

The four Malian employees of Barrick were arrested for alleged financial crimes, according to a report by Reuters, but no details have emerged.

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Quebec to become ‘anchor’ for Gold Fields’ diversification strategy, CEO says – by Henry Lazenby (Northern Miner – September 25, 2024)

Global mining news

Gold Fields’ (NYSE: GFI; JSE: GFI) C$2.2 billion ($1.6bn) Osisko Mining buy, set to close before year-end, will help balance the South African company’s aging assets in Ghana and Peru, CEO Mike Fraser says.

The deal, which comes two years after Gold Fields’ failed bid for Yamana Gold in 2022, adds a project that is expected to boast low costs and that Fraser says fits well with its Salares Norte mine in Chile, which marked first production earlier this year.

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Israel considers new limits on precious metals and cash to combat crime – by Ernest Hoffman (Kitco News – September 25, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering limiting citizens’ right to own precious metals as part of a series of sweeping changes to help fight financial crime.

According to a report from Ynetnews.com, The Prime Minister has asked officials within his government to begin exploring measures to limit the circulation of black market currency to curb illegal activity in Israel.

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Gold powers to another all-time high; silver bulls step on the gas – by Jim Wyckoff (Kitco News – September 24, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Gold prices are posting good gains in midday U.S. trading Tuesday and hit another record high of $2,675.70, basis December Comex futures. Silver prices are sharply up and hit a nine-week high. Safe-haven bids are boosting the two precious metals markets.

Technical charts are also bullish for gold and silver, which is inviting speculators to the long sides. December gold was last up $20.40 at $2,673.00 and December silver was up $1.20 at $32.295. The precious metals received some more bullish news today as China’s central bank lowered a key rate, the reserve requirement ratio for banks, by 0.5% in bid to support China’s stock and property markets.

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The opportunity in gold stocks ‘is as compelling as any we’ve seen in the history of the gold market’ – Goehring & Rozencwajg – by Jordan Finneseth (Kitco News – September 19, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Gold has been on an absolute tear in 2024, hitting record high after record high and surpassing a price of $2,600 per ounce for the first time in history after the Fed shocked markets with a 50 bps rate cut. But as many precious metals investors can attest, gold stocks have been left behind.

“As we write, gold has surged past the $2,500 mark for the first time in history, an event that would seem to herald a golden age for gold stocks,” wrote analysts at Goehring & Rozencwajg. “Yet paradoxically, these stocks have seldom been cheaper. What underlies this dissonance, and what might it portend for the future?”

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A gold mining town in Congo has become an mpox hot spot as a new strain spreads – by Sam Mednick (Associated Press – September 19, 2024)

https://apnews.com/

KAMITUGA, Congo (AP) — Slumped on the ground over a mound of dirt, Divine Wisoba pulled weeds from her daughter’s grave. The 1-month-old died from mpox in eastern Congo in August, but Wisoba, 21, was too traumatized to attend the funeral.

In her first visit to the cemetery, she wept into her shirt for the child she lost and worried about the rest of her family. “When she was born, it was as if God had answered our prayers — we wanted a girl,” Wisoba said of little Maombi Katengey. “But our biggest joy was transformed into devastation.”

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