Aussies are heading to Canada to tell ASX stories to North American investors. Pic: Getty Images
Mining
The annual resources calendar turns to Canada this weekend for one of the world’s biggest and most influential mining conferences, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention or PDAC.
The event has steadily evolved from its beginnings in 1932, now bringing together 27,000 attendees from more than 135 countries for four days of presentations, networking and deal-making inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
It comes as gold prices continue their upwards momentum, climbing 11.6% since the start of 2025, setting the scene for potential M&A chatter among local and international investors alike.
Stocks tied to critical minerals will attract the enthusiasm of traders, financiers and venture capitalists given the whirlwind that has been US President Donald Trump’s first month back and recent move to control Ukraine’s natural resources.
And although lithium prices are still in the doldrums, CEOs of junior, mid-tier and large cap resources companies will be sure to discuss their market outlook for the battery metal in the wake of a flood of new supply and softening demand growth from the EV sector.
Here’s a quick run-down on who’s attending.
CSE-listed American Salars Lithium (CSE: USLI) will arrive in Toronto with a strong tailwind of news flow behind it, having moved quickly to grow its lithium holdings with the recent acquisitions of Leduc East in Quebec and the Jaguaribe asset in Brazil.
Leduc East covers an extensive belt of more than 35 mapped pegmatites which have never been assayed for lithium.
The project couldn’t be better situated with Bécancour’s Battery Metal Park and lithium downstream concentrator and foundry about 275km southwest and Sayona Mining’s NAL lithium 300km southeast.
Further south in Argentina, Belararox (ASX:BRX) is building the case for the Toro-Malambo-Tambo project and its potential to host multiple sizeable porphyry systems as drilling continues.
BRX managing director Arvind Misra will be looking to strike a chord with the PDAC crowd on the explorer’s copper drilling and upcoming plans.
Mithril Silver and Gold (ASX:MTH) is the only ASX-lister focused on silver in Mexico, an oft-forgotten jurisdiction, which continues to rank as the world’s gold standard of silver production.
MTH CEO John Skeet will connect with the North American resources industry to map out the company’s goals of doubling its current 529,000oz gold equivalent resource at the district-scale Copalquin project.
Rapidly emerging copper play Hot Chili (ASX:HCH) will discuss the importance of the La Verde project – where a PFS on each of its planned businesses (copper, gold and water) is nearing completion – at a time of declining copper supply worldwide.
As will Firetail Resources (ASX:FTL), which recently raised $3m via a placement to institutional and high net worth investors to fund exploration programs at the Skyline project in Newfoundland, Canada.
On the development pathway is Arizona Lithium (ASX:AZL), which has secured a water rights licence from Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency, bringing its Prairie project Phase 1 development closer to production.
The company recently updated its phased development plan, significantly cutting the initial capex to just US$22m ($35m), and reached an agreement to deploy Koch Technology Solutions’ Li-Pro direct lithium extraction unit – a first of its kind and the largest DLE process ever deployed by Koch.
C1X executive chairman Jeremy Robinson will ensure PDAC investors get the low-down on why ‘A-DLE’ is one of the few DLE methods that has progressed beyond the ‘technology-readiness’ phase.
Green Technology Metals (ASX:GT1) is getting closer to announcing an updated resource estimate at the Root lithium project in Ontario, Canada where drilling recently uncovered more stacked pegmatites, bringing the total amount found at the project to 20.
GT1 managing director Cameron Henry will reinforce to delegates of the conference the project’s significance as a key component to establish a long-term feed source for the proposed lithium conversion facility in Thunder Bay.
BHP-backed Kingsrose Mining (ASX:KRM) owns a portfolio of exciting nickel-PGE-copper projects in Finland and Norway where exploration and drilling is steadily progressing.
The company is cashed up, actively seeking a high-quality asset to acquire and will be sure to update conference goers on its latest roadmap for 2025.
Australian Critical Minerals (ASX:ACM) is advancing the Cooletha and Shaw iron ore projects in WA’s Pilbara region where exploration recently turned up rock chips grading 65% Fe.
Following the new appointment of technical advisor Stuart Robinson, a former FMG exploration manager, the company will highlight the exceptional potential of these assets to PDAC investors and the opportunity to create significant value for shareholders.
And last but not least, another resources company flying the flag for Aussie metals and mining is Legacy Minerals Holdings (ASX:LGM).
The company owns the Drake project within the highly prospective New England Fold Belt, one of the epithermal gold, silver and base metal districts that formed along the east coast of Australia during the Permian age as back arc extensional volcanic basins.
With China’s recent restriction on antimony exports and antimony’s critical role in high technology equipment, antimony has become an even more strategic mineral.
LGM managing director Christopher Byrne will give PDAC attendees a run-down on what’s coming up as well as the strategic opportunities it’s looking to unlock across the Lunatic antimony-gold field.
At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While American Salars Lithium, Belararox, Mithril Gold and Silver, Hot Chili, Firetail Resources, Arizona Lithium, Green Technology Metals, Kingsrose Mining, Australian Critical Minerals and Legacy Minerals Holding are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.
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