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In its 2025 federal budget, the Canadian government lays out a bold blueprint to foster competition, innovation and inclusion in the financial sector by accelerating open banking adoption.

With the Big Six banks holding 93 percent of banking assets, this consumer-driven reform aims to dismantle longstanding barriers, giving Canadians and small businesses greater control over their financial data and choices.

The promise of open banking in Canada

Open banking, also known as consumer-driven banking, enables secure, reliable and affordable sharing of financial data between banks and third-party service providers. The goal of this framework is to empower consumers by bringing them more customized and transparent financial products and services.

The Canadian government’s recent announcements, including legislative proposals and an oversight shift from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) to the Bank of Canada (BoC), signal a serious commitment to delivering a competitive and consumer-centric financial ecosystem. Boms explained that, if implemented correctly, open banking could drive innovation and inclusion across Canada’s financial sector.

“It means a more holistic picture of your total financial life, including your investment portfolios,” he commented. “It’s also something that every other G7 country has and has had for quite some time, and so it provides the basis for a more competitive, more innovative and more efficient financial system.”

One shift in the proposed framework that Boms said is vital is the BoC taking control of regulatory oversight.

‘The FCAC, where (oversight) lived originally, really didn’t have any experience in creating a regulatory framework for non-banks,’ he said. In contrast, the BoC has direct experience in licensing for non-banks serving consumers. It oversees fintech firms such as Wealthsimple, Koho, Brim Financial and Venn under the Retail Payments Activities Act.

Smaller financial institutions, including credit unions, will stand to benefit significantly from this change, leveling the playing field with the Big Six banks, which, as mentioned, currently dominate banking assets.

However, Boms emphasized the importance of a risk- and size-based regulatory approach to ensure these smaller players can innovate without undue burdens: “You have to recognize that fundamentally smaller financial institutions, smaller fintechs, don’t have the same resources as bigger incumbents.”

Canadian budget measures supporting competition

This year’s Canadian federal budget introduces several important measures to enhance competition and give consumers more choice beyond the dominant bank oligopoly. One of the flagship promises is to ban transfer fees for investment and registered accounts, fees that currently cost Canadians around C$150 per account.

Draft regulations are expected by spring 2026 to enforce this ban, reducing friction and costs for consumers. Additionally, the budget includes initiatives to simplify switching primary chequing accounts between financial institutions, further lowering barriers for Canadians to move their banking relationships.

The budget also targets cross-border transfer fees by improving transparency, including fees related to foreign exchange margins, so consumers can better understand the costs of sending money internationally.

Accessibility to cheque funds will be improved by raising the dollar threshold and shortening hold periods on cheque deposits, benefiting Canadians who rely on cheques.

To support smaller lenders and foster broader financial inclusion, legislative amendments will make it easier for federal credit unions to scale and for provincial credit unions to enter the federal regulatory regime.

“If (smaller financial institutions) can get access to consumer data digitally, they can then become much more competitive without having to build the same type of infrastructure the biggest banks can afford to build,” said Boms.

A voluntary code of conduct is planned to improve smaller financial institutions’ access to brokered deposit channels, a vital funding source for growth. Furthermore, changes to the Bank Act and Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act will raise public holding requirement thresholds for smaller institutions.

That will allow them more flexibility to grow before triggering changes in ownership structure.

While Canada is still rolling out its open banking framework, countries like the UK and Australia demonstrate how open banking adoption fuels economic resilience and consumer benefits.

“Canada has learned from the experiences of (other) jurisdictions, good and bad, and taken those learnings and implemented (them) into what we see here,’ said Boms.

The future of open banking in Canada

With a 2026 target for full read access, market participants are gearing up for a transformative shift in how financial data is handled. This initiative marks a pivotal move toward democratizing financial data and services in Canada.

The BoC’s expanded oversight role, coinciding with the launch of the real-time rail payment infrastructure and phased “write access” capabilities by mid-2027, will accelerate the system’s rollout.

This evolving infrastructure will facilitate instant payments and empower consumers with the ability to initiate actions like bill payments and account switching seamlessly.

Boms and FDATA Canada stand ready to guide this transformation, ensuring that open banking in Canada not only enhances competition, but also maintains safety, security and consumer protection.

Open banking’s architecture also presents fresh opportunities for digital currencies, with new legislation introduced requiring stablecoin issuers to maintain adequate high-quality reserves, clear redemption policies and robust risk management and security standards. Stablecoins could complement open banking by enabling faster, cheaper cross-border payments and settlements, especially for consumers and small businesses.

As open banking takes shape, Canadians and small businesses will gain unprecedented control over their financial lives, a change poised to ignite innovation, unlock economic potential and reshape the country’s banking landscape.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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BTU METALS CORP. (‘BTU’ or the ‘Company’) (TSXV:BTU)(OTCQB:BTUMF) announces that, further to the news release of November 11, 2025, the Company has closed the previously announced, over-subscribed non-brokered private placement of flow-through common shares by the issuance of 17,700,000 flow-through shares at a price of $0.05 per FT Share (the ‘FT Offering’), for gross proceeds of $885,000.

Each flow-through unit shall be comprised of one common share of the company issued on a flow-through basis and one-half of one common share purchase warrant to be issued on a non-flow-through basis. Each whole warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire one common share of BTU at a price of $0.09 for a period of 12 months following the closing of the offering. The flow-through shares will qualify as flow-through shares (within the meaning of Subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and Section 359.1 of the Taxation Act (Quebec).

In connection with the oversubscribed offering, the company paid finders’ fees to eligible finders consisting of $58,450 in cash and 1,106,000 non-transferable common share purchase warrants. Each finder warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share in the capital of the company at an exercise price of $0.05 per common share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance. Closing of the offering is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities issued under the offering, and any Shares that may be issuable on exercise of any such securities, will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance of such securities.

‘The overwhelming response for this financing demonstrates strong market support for BTU’s portfolio of Ontario-based exploration projects in both the prolific Red Lake and Wawa mining districts,’ stated Paul Wood, CEO. We look forward to advancing all of our projects immediately and into 2026.’

About BTU
BTU Metals Corp. is a junior mining exploration company. BTU’s primary assets are the Dixie Halo Project located in Red Lake, Ontario (optioned to Kinross) immediately adjacent to the Kinross Great Bear Project, the Dixie East project and its gold and critical minerals properties in the active Wawa gold district. The Company continues to look to acquire high quality exploration projects to add to its portfolio for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company has no debt and minimal property obligations.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Paul Wood

Paul Wood, CEO, Director
pwood@btumetals.com
BTU Metals Corp.
Telephone: 1-604-683-3995
Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770

Cautionary Statement
Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this release about future plans and objectives of the Company is forward-looking information. Other forward-looking information includes but is not limited to information concerning: the intentions, plans and future actions of the Company.

Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’, or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ or ‘intends’ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results ‘may’ or ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time it was made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for the Company to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Company and the industry; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the normal course of business. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law.


Source

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Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Basin Energy Limited (ASX:BSN) (OTCMKTS:BSNEF) announced that it has entered into a binding letter of intent (‘LOI’) with Green Canada Corporation Inc (‘GCC’), a 54% owned subsidiary of PTX Metals Inc. (CVE:PTX) to sell the Marshall Uranium Project (‘Marshall’), located in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Key Highlights

– Basin to sell 100% of Marshall Uranium Project to Green Canada Corporation Inc (‘GCC’).

– GCC progressing toward public listing on Canadian Stock Exchange, in conjunction with a reverse takeover of Maackk Capital Corp.

– Basin will receive consideration of up to:

o C$600,000 payable in cash in four equal annual instalments;
o C$300,000 payable in shares over three equal annual instalments; and
o 9.99% of the total issued capital of the newly listed entity.

– GCC to conduct minimum of C$1.5 million of exploration expenditures over 24 months.

– Basin to retain a 25% project level buyback option and three-year Right of first refusal (ROFR) on any future sale.

– Transaction retains exploration upside to Basin shareholders at Marshall and broadens Basin’s leverage to quality uranium assets within the GCC portfolio specifically targeting Canadian unconformity mineralisation in the Baker and Amer Basins in Nunavut and the Otish Basin in Quebec.

– Transaction sharpens Basin’s strategic focus on shallow discovery opportunities.

– Basin and CanAlaska Uranium Ltd (CVE:CVV) (‘CanAlaska’) have also granted GCC a 9- month exclusivity for the North Millennium Project.

The transaction is proposed to occur in parallel to a proposed Reverse Takeover (‘RTO’) by GCC of Maackk Capital Corp (‘MAACKK’) and concurrent minimum C$2.5 million financing and admission to the Canadian Securities Exchange (‘CSE’) or such other stock exchange as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties.

In addition to the Marshall agreement, Basin and CanAlaska have agreed to grant GCC a 9-month exclusivity right to conduct due diligence and, if satisfactory, negotiate the terms of an earn-in option to acquire up to a 51% interest in the North Millennium joint venture project of CanAlaska and BSN.

Managing Director, Pete Moorhouse commented:

‘We are pleased to enter into an agreement and partnership with Green Canada Corporation to advance the Marshall project. The GCC team are well positioned to add value for Basin Shareholders both through the drill testing of the compelling targets at Marshall, and with the broader exposure to the GCC asset base.

We look forward to seeing these assets advance, whilst Basin retains focus on high-grade shallow opportunities’

Terms of the Deal

In consideration, GCC has agreed to the following payments to Basin:

– C$600,000 payable in cash in four equal annual instalments, with the first payment due on closing of the transaction;

– C$300,000 payable in shares, issuable in three equal annual instalments based on the 5-day Volume-Weighted Average Price on the business day immediately preceding the date of issuance; and

– 9.99% of the total issued and outstanding resulting issuer shares on a non-diluted basis after giving effect to the concurrent financing at the time of closing of the proposed RTO, subject to 12-month escrow.

Basin will receive an additional 400,000 shares in the resulting issuer upon closing of the RTO in return for granting the 9-month exclusivity right in the North Millennium joint venture.

Basin will have a right of first refusal on any sale of the Marshall Project by GCC for a period of three years following the closing date of the transaction. In addition, Basin will retain a repurchase right to acquire from GCC a 25% interest in the Marshall Project for C$1,000,000 for a period commencing on the closing date and ending on the earlier of: the date that is five years from the closing date or the date on which GCC has incurred total exploration expenditures of C$10,000,000 on the Marshall Project.

Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, GCC is required to fund exploration expenditures for an initial work program on the Marshall Project to be carried out within twenty-four months from the closing. The Initial Work Program will have a budget in an amount that is the greater of C$1,500,000, and the minimum amount required to maintain the mineral claims comprising the Marshall Project in good standing under applicable governmental regulations.

Basin will also have the right to nominate one director to the board of the resulting issuer.

GCC will retain the right to withdraw from the transaction at any time after the closing of the transaction, in which case the project will return to Basin and no further payments will be required.

The transaction is conditional on final due diligence from GCC, the completion of the RTO of MAACKK and GCC’s concurrent C$2.5 million minimum capital raise.

About Green Canada Corporation

GCC is a 54% owned subsidiary of PTX Metals Inc. (CVE:PTX) and a uranium exploration company with a portfolio of projects located in Thelon Basin, Nunavut, the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and Quebec. Concurrent to the LOI to acquire Basin’s Marshall project, GCC announced that it has entered into a binding letter of intent with MAACKK pursuant to which GCC and MAACKK intend to complete a transaction that would result in a reverse take-over of MAACKK by the shareholders of GCC (the ‘Proposed RTO’). Closing of the Proposed RTO will be subject to, among other things, requisite regulatory approval for the listing of the resulting issuer of the Proposed RTO (the ‘Resulting Issuer’) on the Canadian Securities Exchange or such other stock exchange as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties, along with completion of concurrent financing and execution of the definitive agreements in respect of the acquisition of the Marshall project.

Upon completion of the Proposed RTO, the current directors and officers of MAACKK will resign and it is anticipated that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be reconstituted to consist of Richard J. Mazur, Greg Ferron, Olivier Crottaz and a representative from the Basin.

About the Marshall and North Millennium Projects

The Marshall project is 100% owned by Basin, and the North Millennium Project is under joint venture agreement on a 40:60 basis with CanAlaska.

The Marshall and North Millennium projects are located less than 11 km from Cameco Corporation’s Millennium deposit (104.8Mlb at 3.8% U3O8) and around 40 km from the prolific McArthur River uranium mine, one of the world’s highest-grade uranium operations, refer to Figure 1*. Both projects are deemed prospective for unconformity style uranium exploration.

In 2024, ground electromagnetics (‘EM’) at Marshall identified three main targets which confirms the geological and exploration model. Of note is Target 1, refer to Figure 2*, where modelled EM plates below the unconformity align with a sandstone Z-Tipper Axis Electromagnetic (‘ZTEM’) anomaly, which is interpreted to be alteration within sandstone. The identification of these targets is encouraging and consistent with regional trends in the southeastern Athabasca and provides increased confidence in drill hole targeting.

*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/F491N9T7

About Basin Energy Ltd:

Basin Energy Ltd (ASX:BSN) (OTCMKTS:BSNEF) is a green energy metals exploration and development company with an interest in three highly prospective projects positioned in the southeast corner and margins of the world-renowned Athabasca Basin in Canada and has recently acquired a significant portfolio of Green Energy Metals exploration assets located in Scandinavia.

Source:
Basin Energy Ltd

Contact:
Pete Moorhouse
Managing Director
pete.m@basinenergy.com.au
+61 7 3667 7449

Chloe Hayes
Investor and Media Relations
chloe@janemorganmanagement.com.au
+61 458619317

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Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) announced a significant and strategically important development in its Silumina Anodes(TM) project, following formal engagement initiated from a leading global battery manufacturer and one of the world’s largest electric-vehicle battery manufacturer (‘Battery Group’). The Battery Group approached Altech expressing strong interest in the Company’s proprietary high-performance silicon-enhanced anode technology. This unsolicited approach represents a major validation of the technical progress achieved by Altech and underscores the growing global recognition of the breakthrough potential of its alumina-coated silicon innovations.

Following initial discussions, a mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) was executed to enable the confidential technical exchange and evaluation of materials. As part of this collaboration, Altech has prepared and supplied Silumina AnodesTM samples to the Battery Group. These samples, developed under the leadership of Altech’s Chief Technical Officer Dr Jingyuan Lui, have now been shipped to the Battery Group for formal testing in their advanced battery-evaluation laboratories in China.

The Battery Group’s team, during preliminary discussions, indicated that across the industry they have not yet seen silicon additions deliver such meaningful performance improvements at low percentages.

Traditionally, attempts to integrate silicon into commercial lithium-ion anodes have been challenged by expansion-related degradation, unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and rapid cycle-life fade. The strong performance of Altech’s coated silicon, achieved with only modest silicon loading, was highlighted as particularly noteworthy. The Battery Group acknowledged that very few material suppliers globally are producing silicon additives with this level of stability, consistency, and real-world applicability.

This early feedback reinforces the technical advantage and disruptive potential of Altech’s process.

The Battery Group has also requested that Altech undertake coating trials on their supplied graphite material to assess the performance impact of integrating Altech’s proprietary alumina technology directly onto their own anode substrate. Under the NDA, the Battery Group has dispatched several kilograms of representative graphite samples to Altech’s Perth laboratory, where Dr Lui’s team will apply the Company’s coating process and prepare evaluation batches. These coated graphite samples will then be returned to the Battery Group for benchmarking against their internal standards, providing a direct comparison of how Altech’s technology enhances their preferred graphite formulations.

UPDATE OF LONG CYCLE SILUMINA TESTING

Altech announced on 9 October 2025 a major advancement in its Silumina Anodes(TM) project, achieving the strongest battery-cycling performance recorded to date for its proprietary alumina-coated spherical silicon anode material. Since that announcement, the latest test results now demonstrate an impressive 83% capacity retention after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles with a 5% Silumina Anodes(TM) addition to a standard graphite anode. This represents a significant milestone for the Silumina Anodes(TM) technology, confirming both its durability and real-world commercial potential. Importantly, such cycle-life performance places Altech’s material at the forefront of next-generation silicon-enhanced anode technologies, strengthening its position in the rapidly evolving global battery materials market.

HOW SILUMINA ANODES(TM) IS MADE

Altech’s spherisation process transforms irregular silicon particles into perfectly rounded, alumina-coated spheres that integrate seamlessly within graphite anodes. The process begins with submicron silicon powders that are uniformly coated with a nanolayer of high-purity alumina, buffering against volume expansion during lithiation. These coated particles are then spherified through a precision-controlled thermal and mechanical process that rounds their geometry (refer Figure 1*). When blended into the graphite matrix, the spherical Silumina AnodesTM particles naturally occupy microscopic voids, where they can expand and contract freely during cycling without damaging the surrounding structure (refer Figure 2*). This optimised configuration mitigates mechanical stress, maintains electrode integrity, and enhances electrical connectivity. With only a 5% addition, the design achieves >40% capacity boost while preserving exceptional cycle stability over extended use.

Altech’s Managing Director Iggy Tan stated ‘This engagement from the world’s largest battery manufacturer is a powerful validation of our Silumina Anodes(TM) technology. Their early feedback, particularly noting they have not seen silicon additions perform this effectively at such low levels, reinforces the significance of our breakthrough. We are excited to advance this collaboration under the NDA and look forward to demonstrating how Altech’s coating technology can further enhance their graphite and anode performance.’

*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/444MKKI0

About Altech Batteries Ltd:

Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS (‘Fraunhofer’) to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

Source:
Altech Batteries Ltd

Contact:
Corporate
Iggy Tan
Managing Director
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

Martin Stein
Chief Financial Officer
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

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Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Locksley Resources Ltd (ASX:LKY,OTC:LKYRF) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) announced the appointment of Ms. Stacy Newstead to its Advisory Board as Strategic Advisor – Materials Strategy.

Stacy Newstead brings U.S. defense materials expertise to advance Locksley’s critical mineral and commercialisation initiatives.

HIGHLIGHTS

– Stacy Newstead appointed as a Strategic Advisor to the Locksley Advisory Board

– Ms Newstead currently serves as Materials Strategy and Risk Manager at Lockheed Martin, overseeing U.S. supply chain risk mitigation for critical materials used in advanced defence systems

– Over two decades of experience across defence, critical minerals, and advanced materials sectors, including leadership roles at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Textron Systems, and Evolution Energy Solutions –

– Expertise spanning U.S. Department of Defence acquisition, system manufacturing and production, materials engineering, supply chain risk mitigation, critical component supply chains, and state and federal engagement for manufacturing facilities

– Appointment strengthens Locksley’s U.S. Government initiatives and supports commercialisation of American-sourced antimony and rare earth supply chains

– Locksley has submitted U.S. Govt White Paper funding request under Defence Production Act Title III DPA to advance project financing position and accelerate first mover status in re-establishing domestic Antimony industry and U.S supply chain strength

Ms. Newstead currently serves as Materials Strategy and Risk Manager at Lockheed Martin, where she leads initiatives to secure domestic and allied sources of key materials vital to U.S. defense manufacturing and national security. Her work focuses on assessing and mitigating material, pricing, and geopolitical risk across complex supply chains that underpin critical technologies including munitions, batteries, and aerospace systems.

A highly accomplished executive, Ms. Newstead brings more than 20 years of experience across U.S. Government, defense, and industrial sectors. Her prior roles include senior program leadership at Huntington Ingalls Industries and Textron Systems, as well as Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. subsidiary of Evolution Energy Minerals (ASX:EV1), where she led onshoring initiatives for graphite and advanced battery materials.

Her appointment reinforces Locksley’s position at the intersection of critical minerals, defense, and national security strategy, providing invaluable insight into U.S. policy, funding and industrial collaboration opportunities. This strengthens the Company’s ability to engage with U.S. partners and access Federal programs supporting domestic critical mineral supply chains, advancing Locksley’s mine-to-market strategy for U.S.-sourced antimony and rare earths.

Kerrie Matthews, Locksley CEO commented:

‘Stacy’s appointment represents another significant step in strengthening our U.S. advisory capability. Her deep understanding of defense material supply chains, coupled with her leadership at Lockheed Martin, brings exceptional strategic value to Locksley as we advance our mine-to-market development of American sourced antimony and rare earths.’

‘Her perspective on material security and risk will help guide our engagement with U.S. industry and government stakeholders as we scale from pilot to commercial operations.’

Ms Newstead commented:

‘The restoration of secure, transparent and domestic critical mineral supply chains is essential to both U.S. defense readiness and the broader energy transition. Locksley’s integrated mine-to-market model and U.S. operational footprint, position it as a key contributor to these national objectives. I’m honored to support the team’s strategy and growth trajectory.’

About Locksley Resources Limited:

Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY,OTC:LKYRF) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) is an ASX listed explorer focused on critical minerals in the United States of America. The Company is actively advancing exploration across two key assets: the Mojave Project in California, targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony. Locksley Resources aims to generate shareholder value through strategic exploration, discovery and development in this highly prospective mineral region.

Mojave Project

Located in the Mojave Desert, California, the Mojave Project comprises over 250 claims across two contiguous prospect areas, namely, the North Block/Northeast Block and the El Campo Prospect. The North Block directly abuts claims held by MP Materials, while El Campo lies along strike of the Mountain Pass Mine and is enveloped by MP Materials’ claims, highlighting the strong geological continuity and exploration potential of the project area.

In addition to rare earths, the Mojave Project hosts the historic ‘Desert Antimony Mine’, which last operated in 1937. Despite the United States currently having no domestic antimony production, demand for the metal remains high due to its essential role in defense systems, semiconductors, and metal alloys. With significant surface sample results, the Desert Mine prospect represents one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the U.S.

Locksley’s North American position is further strengthened by rising geopolitical urgency to diversify supply chains away from China, the global leader in both REE & antimony production. With its maiden drilling program planned, the Mojave Project is uniquely positioned to align with U.S. strategic objectives around critical mineral independence and economic security.

Tottenham Project

Locksley’s Australian portfolio comprises the advanced Tottenham Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales, focused on VMS-style mineralisation

Source:
Locksley Resources Limited

Contact:
Kerrie Matthews
Chief Executive Officer
Locksley Resources Limited
T: +61 8 9481 0389
Kerrie@locksleyresources.com.au

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (November 21) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ether price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$84,479.56, down by 2.4 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$82,623.93, and its highest was US$85,341.10.

Bitcoin price performance, November 21, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ether (ETH) was at US$2,736.67, down 3.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest price on Friday was US$2,685.25 and its highest was US$2,799.63.

Altcoin price update

  • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.94, down by 3.3 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest price of the period was US$1.89 and its highest was US$1.99.
  • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$127.23, down by 4.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$124.20 and its highest was US$129.79.

Fear and Greed Index snapshot

CMC’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 11, firmly in “extreme fear” and its lowest level since late 2022. Reports of large-scale whale liquidations have added to the uncertainty, amplifying pressure across an already fragile market.

CMC Crypto Fear and Greed Index, Bitcoin price and Bitcoin volume.

Chart via CoinMarketCap.

Crypto derivatives and market indicators

Open interest in Bitcoin futures declined slightly by 0.98 percent, settling at approximately US$58.67 billion, while Ether futures saw a larger drop of 2.50 percent, closing at US$32.39 billion. This contraction in open interest suggests some unwinding of speculative positions or reduced leverage in the derivatives markets for both leading cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin experienced US$30.48 million in contracts being liquidated, predominantly short positions, whereas Ether had a slightly higher US$32.43 million liquidated, also mostly shorts. This contrasts with recent days, where the vast majority of liquidations were long positions, indicating a shift in market dynamics and trader positioning.

Bitcoin’s relative strength index was low at 31.32, signaling that it is nearing oversold territory, which can often precede a price rebound or a period of consolidation. Its funding rate was recorded at a modestly positive 0.003 percent, indicating a nearly balanced market where long traders pay a small premium to shorts, reflecting moderate bullish sentiment or mild cost for holding long perpetual contracts.

Ether’s funding rate was higher at 0.01 percent, suggesting stronger bullish positioning and higher demand for long exposure in Ether perpetual futures. Generally, positive funding rates imply that longs are paying shorts, signaling optimism about price appreciation. However, considering liquidations skewed toward shorts recently, this could reflect traders attempting to position for a reversal or hedging against potential volatility.

Today’s crypto news to know

Anchorage expands institutional custody and staking support

Anchorage Digital now supports full custody and staking for HYPE tokens across the Hyperliquid ecosystem. Institutions can custody HYPE on HyperEVM and stake on HyperCORE through Anchorage Digital Bank, the only federally chartered crypto bank in the US, as well as through Anchorage Digital Singapore and the self-custody wallet Porto.

Partnering with staking provider Figment, Anchorage now offers a regulated pathway for institutional participation in the Hyperliquid DeFi ecosystem. This expansion also includes custody for additional ERC-20 tokens like Kinetiq, enhancing institutional access to Hyperliquid’s fast-growing blockchain infrastructure.

Crypto lawyer seeks New York attorney general seat

Khurram Dara, a 36-year-old cryptocurrency lawyer with experience at Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) and Bain Capital Crypto, has announced his candidacy for attorney general in the state of New York.

Dara is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge the incumbent Democrat, Letitia James, in the 2026 election. Dara’s campaign focuses on ending what he calls ‘lawfare,’ the use of legal tactics for political gain, reducing regulatory overreach, especially in the crypto sector and fostering a more business-friendly environment in New York.

Dara holds a JD from Columbia Law and is affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations and crypto advocacy groups. He resides in Brooklyn and will face Republican primary competition from Michael Henry.

BitMine reports strong earnings, plans Ether staking launch

BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSEAMERICAN:BMNR) announced net income of US$328.2 million for its 2025 fiscal year, with fully diluted earnings per share of US$13.39.

The company also declared an annual dividend of US$0.01 per share, becoming the first large-cap crypto firm to pay a dividend. Notably, BitMine announced plans to launch its ‘Made-in-America Validator Network,’ an Ethereum staking infrastructure, in early 2026 with initial pilot partners selected for testing.

Coinbase rolls out Ether-backed loans

Coinbase has launched a new lending feature for eligible US users.

They will be able borrow up to US$1 million in USDC by using Ether as collateral. The product is integrated with the Morpho protocol on Base, though users interact with it entirely through Coinbase’s interface. Borrowers keep exposure to Ether’s price movements while accessing liquidity without having to sell their holdings.

The service is available across most US states, with the exception of New York due to regulatory requirements.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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What began as a banner day for stocks turned into a major rout, as investors signaled ongoing skepticism about the longevity of the artificial intelligence boom and trimmed hopes of support from the Federal Reserve.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2%, and the broad S&P 500 index dropped by more than 1.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which tracks 30 top-tier stocks, declined by nearly 390 points. It had been up 700 points earlier in the day. Cryptocurrencies also shed billions in value: Bitcoin had fallen below $87,000 as of late Thursday afternoon, weeks after having set highs above $120,000.

The stunning turnaround added further unease to an already shaky economy that has forced households to trim budgets amid stubborn inflation and signs of a wavering job market. With an ever-increasing part of the economy’s principal driver — consumer spending — now reliant on affluent households, an extended market pullback could inflict wider damage.

‘You don’t have to have the biggest bubble in history for an expensive stock market’ and end up seeing declines, said Matt Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak asset management group.

Traders’ hopes were boosted early Thursday by a better-than-expected jobs report that appeared to show the economy remained resilient. Even before the day began, stocks looked poised to rise after Nvidia, the chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom, reported strong quarterly earnings and revenue.

Yet by midday, markets had turned red. The solid September jobs report diminished the odds that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month to lower the cost of borrowing money to spur economic activity. When investors don’t have to pay as much in interest, they often put those savings into stocks.

“The broad rebound in payrolls suggests diminished risks of a higher unemployment rate,” analysts with Morgan Stanley said in a note published shortly before noon. “We no longer expect a Fed cut in December.”

Losses were further compounded by ongoing concerns about AI — specifically, how much more profitable the companies buying chips like Nvidia’s will be. The fears were articulated Wednesday evening on X by Michael Burry, made famous by the movie ‘The Big Short.’

‘Just because something is used does not mean it is profitable,’ he wrote.

Finally, the ongoing sell-off of bitcoin indicated to some traders that a key source of support for stocks — retail or day traders — were beginning to waver on their trademark ‘buy the dip’ mentality.

‘I wouldn’t say we’ve flipped from bull to bear,’ said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers financial group. ‘I would say we’ve flipped from bull to balanced market in the short term. A lot depends on whether sentiment continues to weaken.’

Stocks had already been showing signs of flagging in recent weeks. With Thursday’s losses, the S&P 500 fell to its lowest point since September.

The long-delayed September jobs report, which showed that the United States added a sturdy 119,000 jobs, appeared to show some glimmers of hope for the economy.

Although the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.3% in August to 4.4%, about 450,000 workers entered the labor force. Economists view that as evidence that job opportunities are still plentiful, despite a wave of corporate layoffs.

Just before the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the jobs report, Verizon told employees it planned to lay off 13,000 employees, or about 13% of its workforce.

The company joined a suite of other blue-chip employers that say they plan to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs, including Amazon, General Motors, IBM, Microsoft, Paramount, Target and UPS.

The details of the jobs report, which captured conditions before the government shutdown, as well more recent jobs data, suggested a more mixed picture for the U.S. economy.

Manufacturing shed 6,000 jobs, continuing a trend in a sector the Trump administration has touted as a key target of its economic policies. Transportation and warehousing also lost 25,300 jobs. Wage growth slowed, and job totals for July and August were revised downward.

The employment gains in September were concentrated in the health care, hospitality and social assistance sectors.

Another snapshot of the economy came courtesy of Walmart, which on Thursday reported strong sales and raised its outlook for the year. That strength points to cracks in the economy, though. Executives said the chain is luring more high-income shoppers who are looking for bargains, and noted that lower-income families are feeling more pressure.

‘As pocketbooks have been stretched, you’re seeing more consumer dollars go to necessities versus discretionary items,’ Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said on an earnings call Thursday morning.

Walmart’s stock closed 6.5% higher.

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Bitcoin and ether slumped to multi-month lows on Friday, with cryptocurrencies swept up in a broader flight from riskier assets as investors worried about lofty tech valuations and bets on near-term U.S. interest rate cuts faded.

Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, fell 5.5% to a seven-month low of $81,668. Ether slid more than 6% to $2,661.37, its lowest in four months.

Both tokens are down roughly 12% so far this week.

Cryptocurrencies are often viewed as a barometer of risk appetite and their slide highlights how fragile the mood in markets has turned in recent days, with high-flying artificial intelligence stocks tumbling and volatility spiking VIX.

“If it’s telling a story about risk sentiment as a whole, then things could start to get really, really ugly, and that’s the concern now,” Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG, said of the fall in bitcoin.

About $1.2 trillion has been wiped off the market value of all cryptocurrencies in the past six weeks, according to market tracker CoinGecko.

Bitcoin’s slide follows a stellar run this year that propelled it to a record high above $120,000 in October, buoyed by favourable regulatory changes towards crypto assets globally.

But analysts say the market remains scarred by a record single-day slump last month that saw more than $19 billion of positions liquidated.

“The market feels a little bit dislocated, a bit fractured, a bit broken, really, since we had that selloff,” said Sycamore.

Bitcoin has since erased all its year-to-date gains and is now down 12% for the year, while ether has lost close to 19%.

Citi analyst Alex Saunders said $80,000 would be an important level as it is around the average level of bitcoin holdings in ETFs.

The selloff has also hurt share prices of crypto stockpilers, following a boom in public digital asset treasury companies this year as corporates took advantage of rising prices to buy and hold cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets.

Shares of Strategy, once the poster child for corporate bitcoin accumulation, have fallen 11% this week and were down nearly 4% in premarket trade, languishing at one-year lows.

JP Morgan said in a note this week that the company could be excluded from some MSCI equity indexes, which could spark forced selling by funds that track them.

Its Japanese peer Metaplanet has tumbled about 80% from a June peak.

Crypto exchange Coinbase was down 1.9% in premarket trade and is on course for its longest losing streak in more than a month.

Crypto miners MARA Holdings and CleanSpark were down 2.4% and 3.6%, respectively, while the Winklevoss twins’ newly-listed Gemini has plunged 62% from its listing price.

“Bitcoin market conditions are the most bearish they have been since the current bull cycle started in January 2023,” said digital asset research firm CryptoQuant in its weekly crypto report on Wednesday.

“We are highly likely to have seen most of this cycle’s demand wave pass.”

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Statistics Canada released October’s consumer price index (CPI) data on Monday (November 17). The figures showed that inflation softened during the month, falling to 2.2 percent year-over-year from 2.4 percent in September.

The agency cited a 9.4 percent decrease in gasoline prices as the main contributing factor, following a 4.1 percent decrease the previous month. However, less gasoline prices, CPI actually rose by 2.6 percent in both October and September.

Statistics Canada also noted slowing grocery prices, reporting a 3.4 percent year-over-year increase in October compared to the 4 percent recorded in September. Additionally, October saw the largest month-on-month drop in grocery prices since September 2020 at 0.6 percent.

On Thursday (November 20), StatsCan released September’s monthly mineral production survey.

The data shows that gold production declined month-over-month, while copper and silver output increased.

Gold production fell to 16,978 kilograms compared to 17,651 kilograms in August. Meanwhile, copper production rose significantly to 36.23 million kilograms from 30.47 million, and silver production jumped to 28,384 kilograms from 24,801 kilograms.

Shipments, however, increased broadly in September. Gold shipments rose to 19,025 kilograms from 16,289 kilograms in August, and silver shipments jumped to 33,296 kilograms from 25,636. Copper shipments increased the most, spiking to 44.04 million kilograms from 27 million.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were in retreat this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was flat, gaining just 0.19 percent over the week to close Friday (November 21) at 30,160.65.

Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) lost 1.3 percent to 854.76. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) had another bad week, dropping 3.44 percent to close at 145.59.

The gold price fell 0.43 percent to US$4,065.32 by 4:00 p.m. EST Friday. The silver price fared worse, dropping 1.07 percent to US$50.02.

Meanwhile, in base metals, the COMEX copper price ended the week down 0.3 at US$5.07 per pound.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) dropped 2.01 percent to end Friday at 546.41.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Sigma Lithium (TSXV:SGML)

Weekly gain: 64.01 percent
Market cap: C$1.48 billion
Share price: C$13.67

Sigma Lithium is a lithium mining company advancing its Grota do Cirilo operation in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Operations at the Greentech processing facility were commissioned in 2023, with an annual nameplate capacity of 270,000 metric tons of lithium oxide concentrate. The company is currently constructing its Phase 2 expansion that will more than double that capacity.

In its third-quarter results released on November 14, Sigma reported that net revenue increased to US$28.5 million, 69 percent higher than Q2 and 36 percent higher than the same period in 2024.

The report also stated that Sigma upgraded its mining operations in Q3 with the goal of reaching the plant’s full capacity of 300,000 metric tons in 2026. As part of this process, Sigma is doubling its mining fleet. The company expects production to resume by the end of November, with full operational capacity expected in Q1 2026.

The report boosted Sigma’s share price, as did climbing lithium prices, which have gained more than 10 percent in November and more than 50 percent since bottoming out in June.

2. Li-FT Power (TSXV:LIFT)

Weekly gain: 52.63 percent
Market cap: C$201.24 million
Share price: C$4.35

Li-FT is a lithium exploration company advancing its flagship Yellowknife lithium project in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

The 1,843 hectare property, located east of the city of Yellowknife, hosts 13 spodumene-bearing pegmatites. Its current combined inferred resource estimate across eight of those pegmatites stands at 50.38 million metric tons of ore grading 1 percent lithium oxide for 1.25 million metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).

The company also owns the Cali project in the Northwest Territories, and the Pontax, Rupert and Moyenne projects in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec, Canada.

On Tuesday, Li-FT filed a final base shelf prospectus to replace the previous prospectus that expired on October 21. The company said the new filing will permit it to offer common shares, warrants, subscription receipts, units or debt securities up to a total of C$200 million until it expires in December 2027.

Li-FT also said it was changing its financial year-end from November 30 to December 31 to better align with the timing of the company’s financial reporting and with its peers.

The company is another lithium stock benefiting significantly from rising lithium prices this week.

3. LithiumBank Resources (TSXV:LBNK)

Weekly gain: 45.59 percent
Market cap: C$32.45 billion
Share price: C$0.50

LithiumBank is a lithium exploration and development company advancing its Boardwalk and Park Place lithium brine projects in Alberta, Canada, both of which overlap with the Leduc and Swan Hills formations.

Boardwalk consists of 395,369 acres of brine-hosted licenses about 85 kilometers east of Grand Prairie in an area with a history of hydrocarbon extraction.

According to Boardwalk’s mineral resource estimate from a February 2025 technical report, the project hosts a measured resource of 1.67 million metric tons of LCE with an average grade of 81.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and an indicated resource of 3.52 million metric tons of LCE with an average grade of 81.8 mg/L, all within the Leduc formation.

Park Place, located 50 kilometers south of Boardwalk, consists of 1.4 million acres of licenses. A June 2024 mineral resource estimate demonstrated an inferred resource of 10.08 million metric tons LCE with a grade of 79.4 mg/L at the Leduc aquifer, and 11.6 million metric tons of LCE with an average grade of 80.9 mg/l at the Swan Hills aquifer.

The most recent news from the company came on Thursday, when LithiumBank reported that, following its award of C$3.9 million in funding for certain milestones through Alberta’s Emission Reduction Act in July, it is working to acquire a second past-producing well at Boardwalk.

LithiumBank is focused on commencing near-term production at Boardwalk using modular direct lithium extraction plants, which the company said it believes this second well can likely support.

Rising lithium prices also helped support LithiumBank this week.

4. Abcourt Mines (TSXV:ABI)

Weekly gain: 41.67 percent
Market cap: C$72.45 million
Share price: C$0.085

Abcourt Mines is a gold mining and development company focused on ramping up operations at its Sleeping Giant gold mine in the Abitibi region of Québec.

Sleeping Giant hosts an underground mine along with a mill capable of processing 750 metric tons per day. The property consists of four mining leases covering an area of 458 hectares and 69 claims.

A July 2023 preliminary economic assessment demonstrates an after-tax net present value of US$77.5 million with an internal rate of return of 33.3 percent over a payback period of 2.2 years.

The company has been working on restarting mining operations at the site throughout 2025, and achieved its first gold pour in September.

The most recent news came on November 11, when the company released an update from Sleeping Giant. In the announcement, the company stated that in October it had milled 2,563 metric tons of ore with a head grade of 6 grams per metric ton of gold, producing 475 ounces of gold.

Abcourt also said progress at the site was continuing with one stope in production and two more under development. Additionally, civil engineering was underway at the tailings facilities in preparation for a planned lift in summer 2026.

5. Pure Energy Minerals (TSXV:PE)

Weekly gain: 38.1 percent
Market cap: C$10.19 million
Share price: C$0.29

Pure Energy is a lithium exploration company that owns a 3 percent net smelter return (NSR) on the Clayton Valley lithium brine project in Nevada, United States.

The project consists of 950 placer claims covering 9,450 hectares. In September 2024, Pure Energy announced that its project partner, SLB, had completed an earn-in to acquire a 100 percent stake in Clayton Valley, leaving Pure Energy with its NSR.

Through 2023 and into 2024, SLB completed construction of a direct lithium extraction pilot plant at the site, with the first lithium production occurring in March 2024.

This Thursday, Pure Energy released its management discussion and analysis for the quarter ending September 30, 2025. In the report, the company restated its position in Clayton Valley, noting that it is receiving annual payments of US$400,000 from SLB until commercial production, after which time it will receive its 3 percent NSR on minerals produced.

Pure Energy’s share price increased significantly this week alongside rising lithium prices.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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