Company Interviews

• From Gold Profits to Oil Equities: The Next Contrarian Setup? | Compass

  Recording date: 10th December 2025Olive Resource Capital's November 2025 portfolio performance—reaching year-to-date highs despite October's commodity market volatility—demonstrates the strategic value of disciplined gold position management within diversified resource portfolios. Whilst the firm identifies compelling contrarian opportunities in oil equities trading at generational lows, their analysis paradoxically reinforces gold's foundational importance through quantitative validation and macro context.The most striking evidence emerges from commodity ratio analysis. The oil-to-gold ratio currently sits at 20% of its 25-year historical average, representing an extraordinary dislocation that simultaneously confirms oil's severe undervaluation and validates gold's exceptional relative strength. This 500% premium to historical norms reflects fundamental repricing within commodity markets, with gold demonstrating superior pricing power amidst coordinated global liquidity expansion.Executive Chairman Derek McPherson and President & CEO Samuel Pelaez articulated the macro framework supporting hard asset valuations: persistent deficit spending across the United States, China, Canada, and European nations creates monetary conditions under which gold has historically thrived. "There is tons of liquidity coming and so your hard assets which oil is one of are going to be economic at least economic stability if not economic growth," McPherson explained, referencing macroeconomist Lyn Alden's observation that debt-financed economic support creates inexorable momentum favouring tangible assets over financial claims.China's commodity accumulation behaviour provides instructive parallels. The nation's documented gold reserve building during 2022-2024 contributed significantly to gold's rally from $1,800 to over $4,000 per ounce. Now applying similar logic to crude oil—stockpiling 700,000 barrels daily beyond refining needs—China demonstrates sovereign recognition of strategic hard asset acquisition during relative weakness. This pattern validates gold's completed appreciation cycle whilst identifying emerging opportunities in complementary commodities.Olive Resource Capital's tactical approach exemplifies professional position management. The team trimmed gold exposure during September 2025's strength, capturing profits whilst maintaining strategic core holdings, then added positions during October-November weakness at improved valuations. "We've actually been adding positions and effectively reducing our cash balance," McPherson confirmed, describing deployment across selective gold equities alongside exploratory oil positions.This disciplined rebalancing contrasts sharply with wholesale rotation between commodity sectors. Gold maintains permanent strategic importance through unique characteristics: portfolio insurance properties, liquidity during market stress, and systematic sensitivity to monetary conditions. Whilst cyclical opportunities in energy or base metals may offer superior near-term returns, gold provides stability and appreciation independent of specific economic outcomes.The investment framework applies across commodity cycles. Pelaez referenced Agnico Eagle's 20-30x return from 2015-2025, demonstrating rewards from acquiring premier assets during sector pessimism. "You can buy top of class best management best run companies and you still stand an opportunity to make multiples on your money," he observed regarding current oil valuations—a principle equally applicable to quality gold producers offering continued leverage to further monetary metal appreciation.For sophisticated investors, gold's role transcends cyclical trading. The monetary environment—coordinated deficit spending, currency debasement, sovereign reserve diversification—creates conditions for sustained appreciation whilst maintaining portfolio foundation that enables tactical exploration of complementary opportunities. The lesson from Olive Resource Capital proves clear: gold serves as strategic anchor whilst other commodity sectors rotate through relative value cycles.Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.comSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

  --------  

  36:24

  --------

  36:24
• Domestic Metals (TSXV:DMCU) - $4M Raise Funds Geophysics and Porphyry Drilling in 2026

  Interview with Gordon Neal, President, Domestic Metals Recording date: 9th December 2025Domestic Metals has acquired a promising Montana copper porphyry project from Rio Tinto through an earn-in agreement that highlights the property's significant potential. The company can earn 60% ownership by spending $3.15 million USD on exploration work, with Rio Tinto retaining 40% plus an unusual 20% clawback provision—a protective measure that underscores the major miner's conviction in the project's long-term value.The Smart Creek-Sunrise property occupies compelling geological ground, located 50 kilometers northwest of the historic Butte mine, which has produced 22 billion pounds of copper over a century. The project sits within the same Helena formation geology, with company geologists noting that rocks match Butte's characteristics in age and composition. Rio Tinto drilled 26 of 40 total holes on the property, with results improving progressively from southeast to northwest. The best intercept to date shows 109 meters at 0.75% copper, including 80 meters at 0.97% copper, suggesting drilling was advancing toward rather than away from the porphyry center.President Gordon Neal brings proven credentials, having built MAG Silver from $50 million to $2.5 billion market capitalization and New Pacific Metals from $100 million to $1.5 billion. His track record in capital markets and project development provides credibility to the company's exploration strategy.The company recently raised $4 million to fund comprehensive IP and magnetotelluric geophysical surveys in January-February 2026, followed by 3,000+ meters of drilling starting February-March. Assay results are expected April-May 2026. A critical advantage is Montana's streamlined permitting environment, with drill permits obtained in four months versus 5-7 years in Arizona. The Forest Service recently extended 36 expired drill permits using existing paperwork—unprecedented flexibility that enables rapid, capital-efficient advancement of what could become a significant domestic copper discovery.Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

  --------  

  26:11

  --------

  26:11
• Avino Silver & Gold (TSX:ASM) - Record Revenue Powers Three-Mine Expansion Strategy

  Interview with David Wolfin, President and CEO, Avino Silver & GoldOur previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/avino-silver-gold-tsxasm-junior-to-intermediate-producer-transformation-underway-8062Recording date: 9th December 2025Avino Silver & Gold Mines Limited is executing an ambitious expansion plan to transform from a single-asset producer into a diversified mid-tier mining company. The Mexico-based operation, which traces its roots to 1968, currently generates between 2.5 and 2.8 million ounces of silver equivalent annually and aims to triple its producing asset base within five years through organic development of properties it already owns.The company's third quarter 2025 results underscore the financial strength supporting this growth trajectory. Avino achieved record revenues of $21 million USD with $9.9 million in gross profit and approximately $5 million in free cash flow. All-in sustaining costs remain in the low $20s per ounce, creating substantial margins as silver approaches $60 per ounce. Revenue composition is diversified across 49% silver, 19% gold, and 31% copper, providing natural commodity price hedging.La Preciosa represents the most immediate production catalyst. Located 19 kilometers from the existing Avino mill, the project commenced ore extraction one month ahead of schedule, shipping over 6,700 tons during the recent quarter. Early drilling results have significantly exceeded previous feasibility estimates, with intercepts reaching 787 grams per ton of silver compared to the 200 g/t resource grade established by prior operator Coeur Mining. President and CEO David Wolfin noted these high-grade hits suggest actual mining grades will substantially exceed earlier projections.The company's third potential producing asset involves reprocessing historical oxide tailings adjacent to current operations. With 6.7 million tons in proven and probable reserves and capital requirements under $50 million, the project offers particularly attractive economics with projected all-in sustaining costs around $10 per ounce. At current metal prices, Wolfin estimates the project's net present value at approximately $250 million.Supporting this expansion, Avino has more than doubled its exploration budget for 2026, planning 20,000 to 30,000 meters of drilling across both properties. Institutional ownership has risen from under 10% to 32% over two years through organic open-market purchases, validating the growth thesis. Management expects to release updated resource and reserve estimates for both La Preciosa and Avino in the first quarter of 2026.Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/avino-silver-gold-mines-ltdSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

  --------  

  16:29

  --------

  16:29
• GR Silver Mining (TSXV:GRSL) - $28M Deployed for Mexican Silver Discovery

  Interview with Marcio Fonseca, President & CEO, and Daniel Schieber, VP Corporate Development & Corporate Relations of GR Silver Mining.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/gr-silver-mining-tsxvgrsl-pitch-perfect-october-2025-8302Recording date: 10th December 2025GR Silver Mining has positioned itself at the forefront of Mexico's silver exploration sector following a transformational 2025 that saw the company secure $17.5 million in financing, bringing total cash to approximately $28 million CAD—the strongest balance sheet in company history. This capital infusion, primarily from institutional investors and experienced Canadian capital markets participants, provides 12-18 months of fully-funded operations to execute an aggressive 2026 exploration program without near-term dilution concerns.The company's San Marcial silver discovery hosts 134 million ounces of silver equivalent resources discovered at industry-leading costs of just 17 cents per ounce, generating approximately five ounces of resources for every dollar invested in drilling. With only 20% of the primary geophysical anomaly tested to date, management plans to more than double historical drilling meterage in 2026, targeting over 36,000 meters with multiple rigs operating simultaneously under a five-year permit covering 46 drill sites. This aggressive approach aims to expand the resource footprint by 600-800 meters along strike while testing parallel zones that could significantly increase the overall resource base.GR Silver's dual-track strategy combines resource growth at San Marcial with pilot plant development at the fully-permitted historic Plomosas mine, creating near-term production optionality while de-risking San Marcial's permitting pathway. The company has identified 21 mining areas at Plomosas requiring no development capital, with existing infrastructure including power, water permits, and tailings facilities that would otherwise represent major capital expenditures and multi-year permitting delays.Toronto analysts indicate in-situ valuations for comparable companies typically range $3-4 per ounce of silver resources, yet GR Silver trades at approximately $1 per in-situ ounce. Located just 40 kilometers from Vizsla Silver's $2.5 billion market cap Panuco project, GR Silver's current valuation is roughly 20 times smaller despite resources one-third the size, suggesting substantial re-rating potential as the company advances toward its first Preliminary Economic Assessment scheduled for 2026 while maintaining top 10 TSX Venture trading status with 6.5-7 million shares daily volume.—View GR Silver Mining's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/gr-silver-miningSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

  --------  

  29:02

  --------

  29:02
• Black Bear Minerals (ASX:BKB) - Fully Funded Drilling to Drive Shafter JORC Resource in 2026

  Interview with Dennis Lindgren, CEO of Black Bear MineralsRecording date: 10th December 2025Black Bear Minerals (ASX:BKB) has completed a strategic transformation from lithium explorer to focused North American precious metals developer, acquiring the Shafter Silver Project in Texas for A$30 million whilst advancing the Independence Gold Project in Nevada. This repositioning positions the company at the intersection of exceptional resource grades, existing production infrastructure, and America's growing recognition of critical mineral supply vulnerabilities.The flagship Shafter Project hosts 17.6 million ounces at 289 grams per tonne silver in foreign resource estimates, ranking amongst the ASX's highest-grade silver resources. CEO Dennis Lindgren, formerly with South32 and Alcoa, emphasises the infrastructure advantage: "It's one of the highest grade silver projects on the ASX. It comes with about 150 million in estimated infrastructure and that includes existing underground workings, existing core sheds as well as historical data." This existing infrastructure—including underground workings, mill circuits, and processing facilities operational until 2013—potentially compresses development timelines by years compared to greenfield competitors.Near-term catalysts centre on JORC-compliant resource conversion targeted for the second half of 2026, supported by A$17 million working capital allocated for drilling programmes. Recent rock chip sampling has returned exceptional grades exceeding 3,000 g/t from near-surface areas outside the current resource footprint, whilst historical stockpile evaluation reveals grades averaging over 300 g/t, suggesting previous operators may have applied inappropriate cutoff grades or overlooked valuable mineralization.Beyond silver-focused historical operations, Black Bear's technical review has identified multicommodity potential including zinc, lead, vanadium, and gold across multiple locations. Lindgren noted: "We're picking up really good levels of zinc and lead that we would consider as targets to go forward with." This creates potential by-product credits that could materially improve project economics whilst expanding exploration vectors beyond current silver-equivalent resource calculations.Silver's designation as a US critical mineral fundamentally alters the strategic context surrounding domestic production projects. America produces approximately 30 million ounces annually whilst consuming over 210 million ounces—importing roughly 85% of requirements despite the metal's critical status for national security and economic competitiveness. Lindgren articulated the supply-demand imbalance: "Having another US domestic asset that can actually supply into those markets we think is something that's very attractive particularly with it being critical now."Jurisdictional advantages strengthen Black Bear's development pathway. Texas ranks within the top five global mining jurisdictions with 20% tax rates, partial permitting already in place, and strong community support in Presidio County. Proximity to major Mexican silver operations ensures access to experienced workforce and established supply chains.Portfolio diversification comes through Independence Gold Project in Nevada, hosting 419,000 ounces of near-surface heap-leachable gold at 0.4 g/t and 980,000 ounces of high-grade skarn mineralisation at 6.67 g/t. The company recently completed 5,000 metres of drilling exceeding planned programmes, with assay results expected in early 2026.Management's measured approach prioritises resource definition and JORC compliance over premature production planning, appropriate given recent acquisition timing. However, the infrastructure leverage and critical mineral designation create optionality for accelerated development should commodity fundamentals, government support, or strategic partnerships materialise. Investors should monitor JORC conversion progress, drilling results from both projects, and infrastructure assessment studies as key milestones determining whether Black Bear can validate its high-grade silver thesis and capitalise on structural supply deficits facing American consumers.Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.comSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

  --------  

  37:54

  --------

  37:54

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About Company Interviews

Company Interviews: Podcasts in Family