Company Interviews

Interview with Bart Jaworski, CEO, Group Eleven Resources
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/group-eleven-resources-tsxvzng-18m-funds-70000m-drill-program-10059
Recording date: 27th June 2025
Group Eleven Resources is advancing one of Ireland’s most significant recent mineral discoveries at its Ballywire project in County Limerick, where an intensive 70,000-metre drilling campaign is underway using five rigs. Four rigs are focused on Ballywire, while a fifth is testing the nearby Stonepark property. The company has outlined a rapidly expanding zinc-lead-silver system extending over 3.2 kilometres, alongside a newly confirmed, deeper copper-silver zone that adds both scale and complexity to the deposit.
Drilling has identified a steeply dipping copper-silver “feeder” system beneath the flat-lying zinc horizon, consistent with Mississippi Valley Type deposit models. This deeper zone has now been traced across 430 metres and remains open, suggesting further expansion potential. In addition, a secondary southwest-trending massive sulphide zone has emerged, indicating the possibility of greater overall tonnage than initially expected.
Ballywire stands out for its exceptional grades, particularly in silver. Assays commonly range from 50 to 150 grams per tonne, with peak values reaching as high as 4,200 grams per tonne. A standout intercept reported in early 2026 included 52 metres of mineralisation with exceptionally high silver content, alongside notable copper values. These results position the project among the most high-grade discoveries of its type globally.
The company estimates a potential 24-fold exploration upside based on multiple untested gravity anomalies along a 6-kilometre trend, as well as additional parallel structures and depth extensions. With approximately C$18 million in funding, Group Eleven is well-positioned to continue drilling through 2027 and aims to deliver a maiden mineral resource estimate within 12 to 18 months.
Situated in a stable and mining-friendly jurisdiction, Ballywire benefits from growing industry interest in Ireland’s mineral sector, driven by strong demand for zinc, copper, and silver in electrification and energy transition technologies.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/group-eleven-resources-corp
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Interview with Nolan Peterson, CEO, Atlas Salt
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/atlas-salt-tsxvsalt-undervalued-investment-series-with-nolan-peterson-9831
Recording date: 25th June 2026
Atlas Salt is advancing its Great Atlantic Salt Project in Newfoundland from planning into execution after raising $25 million in equity over the past year, including a $15 million round completed in June 2026. The funding is being used to accelerate early-stage development such as site preparation, engineering work, and infrastructure setup, allowing the company to reduce project risk ahead of full-scale financing. The project, with an estimated total cost of $590 million, is positioned to address a well-documented shortage of de-icing salt across the northeastern United States, Midwest, and eastern Canada.
The company is structuring a diversified financing package, targeting roughly 60% of capital from senior secured debt, supplemented by subordinate loans, export credit agency support, and equity contributions. Strategic backing includes an $80 million-plus equipment commitment from Sandvik, alongside potential support from Canadian and Swedish export credit agencies. This layered approach reduces reliance on any single funding source while improving financing flexibility.
Atlas operates in a stable, infrastructure-like market. Road salt demand is driven by public safety needs and government procurement, with approximately 10,000 municipal and state buyers purchasing through annual contracts. This structure enables pricing flexibility and avoids dependence on long-term off-take agreements. Unlike many mining projects, the salt deposit offers long-term production without the need for continual resource replacement, supporting predictable cash flows.
Notably, Atlas is currently the only new salt mine in development in North America, giving it a unique competitive advantage amid declining supply from aging operations. Its anticipated low-cost position, supported by access to regulated electricity and favorable labor conditions, further strengthens its market outlook. The project has already attracted Canadian pension funds, reflecting its long-duration, stable return profile.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/atlas-salt
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Interview with Brian Savage, CEO, Electric Metals USA
Recording date: 25th June 2026
Electric Metals USA is advancing the North Star Manganese Project in Minnesota, anchored by the Emily deposit—the highest-grade manganese resource in North America. The company aims to build a fully integrated domestic supply chain producing high-purity manganese sulfate (HPMS) for electric vehicle batteries, electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) for defense-grade steel, and electrolytic manganese dioxide for alkaline batteries. This strategy targets a critical gap: the United States currently relies entirely on imports, largely from China, for all manganese-related materials.
Rather than selling raw ore, Electric Metals is focused on downstream processing, capturing higher-value chemical outputs. A preliminary economic assessment estimates initial mine development costs at approximately $150 million, with HPMS production costs projected to be competitive with Chinese suppliers even without tariff support. A more detailed study, including a 10,000-tonne-per-year EMM circuit, is expected soon and represents a key milestone.
The Emily deposit grades 17.5% manganese and benefits from oxide mineralogy, which simplifies permitting compared to sulfide-based projects. Historical exploration data and recent test work support its development potential, though additional drilling is required to upgrade resource classifications.
The project is also strategically aligned with U.S. national security and industrial policy. Manganese is essential for both emerging battery chemistries and military-grade steel, yet domestic production is nonexistent. Government interest, combined with rising demand from EV manufacturers, strengthens the investment case.
While technical risks remain—particularly scaling HPMS production from laboratory to commercial levels—the company plans to mitigate these through pilot testing and flexible processing options, including third-party ore sourcing if needed.
With a relatively small market capitalization and strong exposure to critical mineral supply chains, Electric Metals USA represents an early-stage but potentially significant player in reshaping U.S. manganese independence.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/nevada-silver
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Interview with Max Porterfield, President and CEO, Visionary Copper & Gold
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/visionary-copper-gold-tsxvvcg-2026-resource-growth-confidence-plan-at-point-leamington-9535
Recording date: 25th June 2026
Visionary Copper & Gold is advancing its flagship Point Leamington project in Newfoundland, a 43-101 compliant volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit containing approximately 20 million tonnes of mineralized material. The near-surface resource hosts an estimated 500,000 ounces of gold and 170 million pounds of copper within 400 metres, providing a substantial foundation for future growth in a mining-friendly Canadian jurisdiction.
A key recent development is the discovery of the “Kraken” zone, a copper-rich footwall stringer system located adjacent to the existing deposit. Initial drilling has returned broad copper intersections, including 75 metres grading 0.45% copper, with continuity confirmed across a 275-metre strike length. In comparable VMS systems, such footwall zones can represent a significant portion of total resources, suggesting Kraken could materially expand the project’s scale.
To advance this potential, the company plans a 20,000-metre Phase Two drilling campaign beginning in the second half of 2026. Most of the drilling will focus on upgrading the current resource to higher confidence categories and defining the extent of the Kraken discovery, while a smaller portion will test five additional regional targets across an expanded 30,000-hectare land package.
The project benefits from strong infrastructure, including road access, hydroelectric power, and proximity to a deep-water port, which may help reduce future development costs. Investor confidence is reflected in a significant stake held by Ross Jennings of the Quaternary Group, who has accumulated over 11% ownership.
Amid rising global demand for copper driven by electrification and energy transition trends, Visionary Copper & Gold is positioning Point Leamington as a potentially scalable, lower-cost development opportunity with meaningful exploration upside.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/visionary-copper-gold-mines
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Interview with Elaine Ellingham, President & CEO of Omai Gold Mines Corp.
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/omai-gold-mines-tsxvomg-8moz-gold-project-advancing-rapidly-10058
Recording date: 25th June 2026
Omai Gold Mines has rapidly emerged as a significant player in the global gold development sector after doubling its resource base to 8 million ounces across two deposits in Guyana within a year. This growth places the company among a small group of large, undeveloped gold projects worldwide. Despite this scale, Omai trades at roughly $150 per ounce of enterprise value—well below comparable peers valued between $180 and $226 per ounce, and far beneath recent acquisition benchmarks of $425 to $600 per ounce. This valuation gap is partly attributed to the speed of the resource expansion, which analysts have yet to fully incorporate into updated models.
A key near-term catalyst is the company’s forthcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), expected to provide the first comprehensive evaluation of both deposits at their current scale. The PEA is likely to increase the project’s net asset value and clarify production potential, which may exceed earlier expectations of 250,000–300,000 ounces annually. It may also challenge current assumptions around mining costs, particularly the strip ratio, where management anticipates more favorable outcomes than analysts predict.
Omai benefits from several structural advantages that reduce development risk. As a past-producing site, it already has established infrastructure, including an airstrip, tailings facilities, and cleared land. It is also located near a paved highway and within reach of planned hydropower and LNG energy sources. Additionally, Guyana offers a supportive regulatory environment, streamlined permitting through a single government-issued license, and a growing reputation as a stable mining jurisdiction.
Further upside lies in the project’s geological potential, with drilling indicating mineralization extending well below current resource limits. Combined with its scale, infrastructure, and jurisdictional advantages, Omai represents both a compelling development opportunity and a potential acquisition target in a market increasingly focused on large, de-risked gold assets.
View Omai Gold Mines' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/omai-gold-mines
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