Interview with Alex Dorsch, MD & CEO of Chalice Mining

Recording date: 20th January 2026

Chalice Mining is developing the Western world's leading palladium-nickel-copper project at Gonneville, discovered in 2020 near Perth, Australia. The project has advanced from discovery to prefeasibility study (PFS) stage, with Final Investment Decision (FID) and construction planned for 2028-29.

The project's exceptional economics stem from open-pit mining starting at surface level, delivering all-in sustaining costs of $370/oz compared to $900-1,800/oz for South African competitors operating deep underground mines. This positions Gonneville in the second quartile of the global cost curve. The PFS demonstrates a 23-year mine life with NPV8 of A$3.3 billion at current prices and 40% IRR, producing 170,000 oz/year initially and scaling to 250,000 oz/year in stage two.

Palladium prices have surged 105% from $880/oz to $1,800/oz over seven months, driven by supply constraints with over 90% production concentrated in Russia and South Africa. Demand remains resilient as electric vehicle adoption progresses slower than anticipated, supporting hybrid vehicles that require palladium catalytic converters.

Chalice's two-stage development strategy balances ambition with capital discipline. Stage one requires A$820 million capex, fundable through 50-70% debt financing given strong project margins and abundant critical minerals financing from sovereign wealth providers. The company has invested A$325 million in technical work, including A$15 million on metallurgical testing—significantly more than typical junior miners at this stage.

A simplified flowsheet redesign produces three standard products processable by conventional smelters, eliminating downstream technology risk. The project's Perth location provides infrastructure advantages and residential workforce access, reducing capital requirements to A$200-250 million versus multi-billion dollar bills for remote projects.

With regulatory approvals expected in early 2028, Chalice offers rare exposure to palladium development outside Russian and South African dominance in a structurally constrained supply market.

View Chalice Mining's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/chalice-mining

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Interview with Philippe Cloutier, President & CEO of Cartier Resources Inc.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/cartier-resources-tsxvecr-agnico-backed-junior-targets-mining-camp-scale-gold-discovery-8319

Recording date: 19th January 2026

Cartier Resources represents a compelling investment opportunity in Canadian gold exploration, combining exceptional drilling economics, strategic backing from Agnico Eagle Mines, and systematic execution of a mining camp-scale discovery programme across 15 kilometres of Quebec's prolific Cadillac Fault.

The investment thesis centres on resource growth from the current 3.2 million ounce baseline at the flagship Chimo Mine toward 4-5 million ounces by year-end 2026, with longer-term potential for 12-15 million ounces across multiple deposits. Independent consultants have formally identified exploration targets for an additional 1.1 million ounces achievable through disciplined drilling, validating management's systematic approach to proving up a mining camp rather than a single-asset development story.

Cartier's operational advantages stem directly from location within Val-d'Or's established mining infrastructure. The company has secured all-in drilling costs of C$105-110 per metre—from site preparation through assay results to press release—representing exceptional value in the current inflationary environment. This cost structure enables an aggressive 250,000-metre programme with two rigs currently operating 24/7 and plans to deploy four to six additional rigs, matching in one year the total drilling accomplished over the previous decade.

Strategic validation from Agnico Eagle, which holds a 27% stake acquired through its O3 Mining purchase, provides both financial support and technical credibility. Monthly technical committee meetings enable rapid reallocation of drilling resources based on emerging results, whilst Agnico's involvement significantly enhances Cartier's profile amongst institutional investors who view major mining company participation at the exploration stage as validation of project quality and future acquisition potential.

The company has initiated critical de-risking studies that progressively enhance project economics. Independent metallurgical testwork targets 96-97% gold recovery rates versus historic 93% recoveries, whilst evaluating toll-milling opportunities at four different processing facilities within 60 kilometres. Establishing toll-milling arrangements could reduce capital expenditure by approximately C$120 million by eliminating dedicated mill construction requirements. Environmental baseline studies and a preliminary economic assessment scheduled for 2026 delivery provide the technical foundation for various development scenarios.

Cartier's recent surpassing of C$100 million market capitalisation represented a critical threshold that unlocked institutional investor access previously unavailable. The company has traded over 80 million shares since July 2025, representing complete shareholder base rotation toward sophisticated investors with longer time horizons and larger position sizes. This evolution provides improved liquidity, reduced volatility, and establishes the foundation for additional institutional participation as exploration objectives are achieved.

Management has demonstrated disciplined capital allocation by optioning three non-core Windfall District projects to Exploits Discovery for C$2 million cash, nearly 10 million shares, and retained royalties whilst maintaining singular focus on the Cadillac Project. Integration of AI-driven targeting methodologies has already validated discoveries like the Contact zone, accelerating exploration timelines by six to eight months compared to traditional approaches.

With C$10 million in treasury supporting aggressive drilling without near-term dilution, gold prices sustained above US$4,600 per ounce dramatically improving project economics, and multiple catalysts including ongoing drill results, metallurgical studies, and year-end PEA delivery, Cartier offers substantial upside leverage at current valuations. The company trades at significant discount to peers with comparable resource bases despite superior jurisdictional advantages, strategic backing, and cost structure. For investors seeking exposure to Abitibi gold discovery potential with clearly defined catalysts and multiple value realisation pathways, Cartier Resources represents a compelling core holding within precious metals portfolios during a critical value inflection period.

View Cartier Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/cartier-resources-inc

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Interview with Nolan Peterson, CEO of Atlas Salt

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/atlas-salt-tsxvsalt-rare-public-salt-play-targets-10-of-north-americas-de-icing-market-8676

Recording date: 16th January 2026

Atlas Salt is positioning itself to address a critical infrastructure need in North America through the development of the Great Atlantic Salt project on Newfoundland's west coast. The company targets the deicing road salt market, where demand consistently outstrips domestic supply by 30-40%, forcing North American buyers to source from Egypt and Chile with significantly longer lead times and higher costs.

CEO Nolan Peterson, who joined the company in June 2025, explained the market dynamics: "There is a salt shortage year-over-year when you're balancing domestic production versus domestic needs. And domestically, I'm grouping Canada and the United States as one market." The timing appears particularly opportune, with Ontario currently experiencing severe shortages despite having a full year to prepare following last year's supply crisis.

The project's geographic advantage is substantial. Located in Newfoundland with direct port access, Atlas Salt can deliver product to the same markets served by foreign producers in 15 to 20% less time and cost, according to Peterson. This proximity enables rapid response to spot market opportunities and provides supply chain stability that foreign sources cannot match.

The updated feasibility study demonstrates robust economics with total capital requirements of approximately $600 million CAD. The project generates an NPV of $920 million CAD with a 21.3% after-tax IRR and $188 million in annual after-tax free cash flow over a 25-year mine life. "Our contrast is that we have steady stable cash flow year after year kind of like a dividend or a bond if you will once you get over that initial hurdle," Peterson explained.

Construction activities are beginning imminently following financing completed in October 2025, with the company targeting Q2 2026 for a finalized debt package covering 60-80% of capital needs from sovereign wealth funds and infrastructure banks. Atlas Salt has already signed an MOU with Scotwood Industries, the largest distributor of packaged retail deicing salt in North America, while pursuing additional commercial partnerships and potential vertical integration opportunities.

View Atlas Salt's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/atlas-salt

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