Company Interviews

Interview with Graham Downs, President & CEO, Cascadia Minerals
Recording date: 12th May 2026
Cascadia Minerals is making significant strides in the central Yukon following its merger with Granite Creek Copper to acquire the Carmacks copper-gold deposit. As major mining companies increasingly seek reliable assets in stable jurisdictions, Cascadia is positioning itself as a prime player with this road-accessible, high-grade project located just 10 kilometers from grid power.
Unlike typical broadly disseminated porphyry systems, the Carmacks deposit features upgraded, structurally controlled zones averaging 50 meters wide at approximately 1.5% copper. The project currently boasts a resource of 651 million pounds of copper and 300,000 ounces of gold at over 1% copper equivalent. Because the deposit comes to the surface with clean granite contacts, future mining operations and wall rock characterization are expected to be notably straightforward.
To unlock the project's full potential, Cascadia launched a 15,000 to 20,000-meter drill program for 2026, aiming to double the existing resource to 1.5 billion pounds of copper. Thanks to the site's excellent infrastructure, drilling costs have plummeted to $400 per meter—a stark contrast to the $500,000-plus per hole often required at remote, helicopter-accessed projects. A key focus of this year's program is Zone A, located 11 kilometers north of the main deposit. Historical drilling here revealed exceptional grades, including 22 meters of 2% copper and 2 grams per ton of gold.
Agnico Eagle has recognized the project's potential, taking a 14% strategic stake to fund exploration through 2027. This partnership also includes a $12 million earn-in option for Cascadia's grassroots Stikine terrain projects. With this financial backing and a resource that is already mostly in the measured and indicated categories, Cascadia plans to bypass a Preliminary Economic Assessment. Instead, the company will leverage existing baseline environmental work to advance directly to a Pre-Feasibility Study, fast-tracking the timeline for this promising North American copper asset.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/atac-resources-ltd
Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Ian Graham, President, Oroco Resources
Recording date: 11th May 2026
Oroco Resources is advancing the Santo Tomás porphyry copper project in northwest Mexico toward a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) targeted for Q2 2027, positioning the asset as a capital-efficient development in a supply-constrained copper market.
The project’s August 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment outlined robust economics: a $1.48 billion after-tax NPV, internal rates of return exceeding 22%, and initial capital requirements of approximately $1.1 billion based on $4 copper and $1,900 gold assumptions. Operating costs are projected below $1 per pound, with a 2.8-year payback period. Notably, Santo Tomás demonstrates capital intensity of roughly $10,000 per ton of annual copper production—about half the industry average—lowering the barrier for potential acquirers and reducing development risk.
The resource base exceeds one billion tons grading over 0.5% copper equivalent. The current technical program focuses on converting inferred resources to the indicated category, particularly in the South Zone, while exploring expansion potential to the southwest. Metallurgical work by Whittle Consulting identified that 70–80% of the resource consists of softer material than originally tested, suggesting opportunities for reduced energy consumption and improved throughput.
Strategically, Oroco envisions a district-scale development incorporating the Bahuerachi project to the north and the Vainilla exploration target to the south, potentially enabling shared infrastructure and extended mine life. The company also benefits from rare grassroots political support: community advocacy secured Santo Tomás a place on Plan México, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s priority list of 40 large capital investment projects, improving the permitting outlook.
With new CEO Charles Cryer—a former analyst who previously covered the project—joining mid-2026 to lead M&A outreach, Oroco aims to achieve transaction-ready status by mid-2027. Institutional investors are backing this Phase 2 restart after the stock’s post-2021 correction, betting that Santo Tomás’s scalable, low-intensity profile will attract mid-tier and major copper producers seeking growth assets in an electrification-driven market.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/oroco-resource-corp
Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Mark Selby, CEO, Canada Nickel Company
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/canada-nickel-tsxvcnc-strategic-investment-and-tax-credits-strengthen-construction-timeline-9456
Recording date: 12th May 2026
Canada Nickel Company is approaching a major milestone with its Crawford nickel project in Ontario, positioning it as one of the few new nickel developments globally capable of production before 2030. The company has received its Draft Impact Assessment report and proposed permit conditions under Canada’s 2019 environmental framework, with final approval expected in early summer 2026. This would make Crawford the first mining project approved under the updated legislation, marking a significant regulatory achievement after a four-year review process.
The project enters a favorable market environment. Nickel prices have rebounded sharply, rising nearly $5,000 per ton since late 2025, while the global pipeline of new supply remains limited. Only a small number of projects are expected to come online this decade, creating strong demand for near-term production assets like Crawford.
Canada Nickel is pursuing a financing strategy designed to minimize shareholder dilution. The plan combines debt financing from Export Development Canada, bridge financing tied to refundable tax credits that could cover about 60% of equity needs, and strategic partnerships. As a result, the company expects dilution of roughly 2% or less, significantly below industry norms.
Crawford also benefits from a strategic decarbonization advantage. Powered by Ontario’s low-carbon nuclear and hydroelectric grid, the project aims to supply nickel and semi-finished steel products to European markets facing carbon border adjustment costs. This positions the company to capture premium demand from steel producers seeking lower-emission inputs.
Technically, the project is construction-ready, with long-lead equipment identified and initial government funding anticipated in mid-2026. A final construction decision is targeted for early to mid-2027. Beyond Crawford, Canada Nickel holds a pipeline of additional projects that may offer even stronger economics, reinforcing its long-term growth potential in a tightening global nickel market.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/canada-nickel
Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Jon Bey, CEO, Standard Uranium
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/standard-uranium-tsxvstnd-jv-funded-exploration-drilling-9336
Recording date: 11th May 2026
Standard Uranium is emerging as a notable player in the revitalized uranium sector, positioning itself for a potentially transformative discovery at its flagship Davidson River project in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. CEO Jon Bey highlights growing global investor interest—particularly across Europe and Asia—driven by increasing recognition of nuclear energy as a reliable, 24/7 clean power source essential for decarbonization.
Founded in 2017, the company operates in a region surrounded by billion-dollar uranium producers, yet maintains a relatively modest market capitalization of about $15 million CAD. This contrast creates significant upside potential if exploration succeeds. To sustain operations while minimizing financial risk, Standard adopted a “prospect generator” model, forming joint ventures on non-core assets. These partnerships fund exploration while Standard retains a 25% stake and ongoing exposure to discoveries, ensuring steady cash flow and operational continuity.
The Davidson River project had long been constrained by technical challenges, particularly 150 meters of glacial overburden that obscured traditional gravity survey data. This barrier was recently overcome using advanced passive seismic technology developed by Fleet Space, which enables accurate subsurface mapping. Combined with historical data and machine learning analysis, the company has identified high-priority drill targets at depths of 200 to 500 meters.
A fully funded 6,000-meter drill program—potentially expanding to 12,000 meters—is set to begin in early June. The use of scintillometer technology allows geologists to obtain near-instant radiation readings from drill core, enabling rapid identification of uranium mineralization and timely market updates.
Standard Uranium’s strategy is not to develop mines but to advance discoveries to feasibility and ultimately sell to larger producers. With strong investor interest, improving technology, and favorable market conditions, the company is entering a critical phase that could significantly redefine its valuation and role within the uranium sector.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/standard-uranium
Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Interview with Brian W. Penny, CEO and Director, Wallbridge Mining
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/wallbridge-mining-tsxwm-advances-dual-gold-strategy-in-quebecs-abitibi-belt-8667
Recording date: 12th May 2026
Wallbridge Mining is advancing a significant gold resource base in Quebec’s Abitibi region, one of the world’s most established mining jurisdictions. The company controls approximately 4.25 million ounces of gold across two projects: the more advanced Fenelon deposit with 3.5 million ounces, and the earlier-stage Martiniere project with 750,000 ounces. Both assets remain open for expansion and are being evaluated independently to ensure disciplined capital allocation.
A March 2025 preliminary economic assessment for Fenelon highlights strong project economics, including a net present value of $1.4 billion, a 34% internal rate of return, and a rapid 2.4-year payback period at a conservative gold price of $3,000 per ounce. The project is designed as a 15-year underground operation producing an average of 107,000 ounces annually, with higher-grade output of 127,000 ounces per year in the first five years to accelerate returns.
Management has adopted a “right-sized” development strategy, opting for a 3,000 ton-per-day operation. This approach reduces capital intensity, simplifies permitting, and minimizes environmental impact while preserving upside from the broader resource base. Advancing the project to pre-feasibility will require $50–60 million and is expected to take approximately four years, including permitting and agreements with Indigenous communities.
Near-term catalysts include metallurgical testing to confirm gold recovery rates and validate dry-stack tailings, as well as an active drilling program at Martiniere targeting exploration upside. Despite strong project fundamentals, Wallbridge’s market capitalization remains around $100 million, creating a potential valuation gap.
With improving gold market conditions and a clear pathway to development, Wallbridge is positioned to unlock value through continued de-risking, resource conversion, and strategic flexibility, including the possibility of future acquisition.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/wallbridge-mining
Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com