International Graphite (IG6:AU) has announced Institutional Investment
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International Graphite (IG6:AU) has announced Institutional Investment
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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (September 29) 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.
After opening on Monday at its lowest valuation of the day, US$112,168, Bitcoin (BTC) reached a high of US$114,336, a 3.6 percent increase in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency dipped below US$110,000 last week, but its Sunday (September 28) night rebound liquidated roughly US$250 million in short positions.
Bitcoin price performance, September 29, 2025.
Chart via TradingView.
Despite the rally, some market participants aren’t convinced the bull market is back in full force. Crypto investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows noted that Bitcoin’s pump is “mostly due to short positions getting closed.”
Meanwhile, bulls argue that Bitcoin usually follows gold’s price moves with a three to four month delay, suggesting a strong rally could come in October or November.
Targets mentioned range from US$150,000 to as high as US$300,000 over the next few months.
Ether (ETH) is also performing well, up 3.8 percent over 24 hours to US$4,190.47. Like Bitcoin, Ether opened at its lowest daily valuation, US$4,112.40, before peaking at US$4,202.65.
Supply reduction, increased DEX activity and seasonal bullish trends could set the stage for an Ether price pump in October, with predictions pointing toward US$4,300 or higher.
A looming US government shutdown could increase short-term volatility in the cryptocurrency market this week due to delayed economic data and regulatory uncertainties.
Decisions on 16 crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — including those tied to Solana, XRP, Litecoin and Dogecoin — are expected from the US Securities and Exchange Commission throughout October.
The Fear & Greed Index currently reads 39, indicating fear amongst market participants.
Bitcoin dominance in the crypto market is at 56.66 percent, showing a slight fall week-over-week.
Last week, the cumulative net flow for spot Bitcoin ETFs was predominantly negative, with several days of outflows. According to data from the week of September 22 to September 26, spot Bitcoin ETFs had outflows on four days, with September 24 being the only day of inflows at US$241 million. The inflows were led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ:IBIT) and the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS:ARKB).
Overall, the weekly trend showed significant withdrawal pressures despite the one day inflow exception. Cumulative total inflows for spot Bitcoin ETFs stood at US$56.78 billion as of September 26.
On the derivatives side, CoinGlass data shows Bitcoin futures open interest at US$82.89 billion, an increase of 6.73 percent over 24 hours and a rise of 0.32 percent over four hours. Open interest for Ether futures is at US$56.04 billion, up 2.71 percent over 24 hours and a 0.06 percent boost over four hours.
Bitcoin leveraged positions have resulted in liquidations totaling US$5.61 million in four hours. Ether saw significantly greater liquidations, amounting to US$9.53 million. Bitcoin’s max pain price is US$114,000.
The Ether funding rate is positive, signaling bullish sentiment and more demand for long positions, while the Bitcoin funding rate is in the red, signaling bearish sentiment.
According to a Monday announcement, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is developing a blockchain in collaboration with over 30 financial institutions and Consensys.
The initial focus is on developing infrastructure for “real-time 24/7 cross-border payments.” SWIFT CEO Javier Pérez-Tass made the announcement at SWIFT’s annual Sibos conference, held in Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday:
“We provide powerful and effective rails today and are moving at a rapid pace with our community to create the infrastructure stack of the future. Through this initial ledger concept we are paving the way for financial institutions to take the payments experience to the next level with Swift’s proven and trusted platform at the centre of the industry’s digital transformation.’
SWIFT will consider feedback on its design from financial institutions from 16 countries.
Bryan Chen, co-founder of Polkadot and chief technology officer of its Acala blockchain, introduced a proposal on Sunday to develop a native stablecoin for the Polkadot network.
The stablecoin (pUSD) would be algorithmic and backed by Polkadot tokens, and would use the pUSD ticker. It would also include an optional savings module, allowing holders to lock their stablecoins and earn interest from stability fees. It will utilize the Honzon protocol on the Acala network. The aim is to reduce reliance on USDt and USDC.
The proposal is gathering support among users. The ballot will close in 24 days.
One of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East, Qatar’s QNB Group, has switched to JPMorgan Chase’s (NYSE:JPM) blockchain platform for US dollar corporate payments processing.
By adopting JPMorgan’s Kinexys Digital Payments system, QNB can now process US dollar-based payments for its business clients in Qatar in minutes and 24/7, the companies said in a statement.
Kazakhstan, in partnership with Binance, has launched a state-backed crypto reserve called the Alem Crypto Fund, according to an announcement on the country’s government website.
The fund, established by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and managed by Qazaqstan Venture Group, aims for long-term digital asset investments and strategic reserves. Its initial asset is BNB, Binance’s utility token. The announcement does not specify the amount of BNB purchased or future investments.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The owners of nearly 200,000 BMWs should park their vehicles outside because they risk catching fire while parked or being driven, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Friday.
The vehicle models affected include 2019-22 Z4; 2019-21 330I; 2020-22 X3; 2020-22 X4; 2020-22 530I; 2021-22 430I standard and convertible; 2022 230I; and roughly 1,500 20-2022 Toyota Supra vehicles manufactured by BMW, NHTSA said in a news release.
The federal agency said the vehicles’ engine starter relay may corrode, “causing the relay to overheat and short circuit, which may cause a fire.”
“Owners should park outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until they either confirm their vehicle is not subject to the recall or have their vehicle remedied,” NHTSA said.
BMW did not immediately return a request for comment.
NHTSA said the German automaker will be conducting a phased recall due to parts availability. Interim notification letters to owners are scheduled to be mailed on Nov. 14, with a second notice to be sent as remedy parts are available, the agency added.
Vehicle identification numbers for affected vehicles will be searchable on NHTSA.gov starting Nov. 14, the agency said.
Beginning on that date, car owners can visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their license plate number or 17-digit VIN to see if their vehicle is under recall. They can also call NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.
NHTSA also advised owners of the BMWs to call the company with any questions.
The German automaker recalled more than 1 million cars and SUVs in 2017 over similar issues. The recall was expanded to another 185,000 vehicles in 2019.
Electronic Arts, maker of video games like “Madden NFL,” “Battlefield,” and “The Sims,” is being acquired for $52.5 billion in what could become the largest-ever buyout funded by private-equity firms.
The private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, and Affinity Partners will pay EA’s stockholders $210 per share. Affinity Partners is run by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
PIF, which was already the largest insider stakeholder in Electronic Arts, will be rolling over its existing 9.9% stake in the company.
The commitment to the massive deal is inline with recent activity by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, wrote Andrew Marok of Raymond James.
“The Saudi PIF has been a very active player in the video gaming market since 2022, taking minority stakes in most scaled public video gaming publishers, and also outright purchases of companies like ESL, FACEIT, and Scopely,” he wrote. “The PIF has made its intentions to scale its gaming arm, Savvy Gaming Group, clear, and the EA deal would represent the biggest such move to date by some distance.”
Electronic Arts would be taken private and its headquarters will remain in Redwood City, California.
The total value of the deal eclipses the $32 billion price paid to take Texas utility TXU private in 2007.
If the transaction closes as anticipated, it will end EA’s 36-year history as a publicly traded company that began with its shares ending its first day of trading at a split-adjusted 52 cents.
The IPO came seven years after EA was founded by former Apple employee William “Trip” Hawkins, who began playing analog versions of baseball and football made by “Strat-O-Matic” as a teenager during the 1960s.
CEO Andrew Wilson has led the company since 2013 and he will remain in that role, the firms said Monday.
“Electronic Arts is an extraordinary company with a world-class management team and a bold vision for the future,” said Kushner, who serves as CEO of Affinity Partners. “I’ve admired their ability to create iconic, lasting experiences, and as someone who grew up playing their games — and now enjoys them with his kids — I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”
This marks the second high-profile deal involving Silver Lake and a technology company with a legion of loyal fans in recent weeks. Silver Lake is also part of a newly formed joint venture spearheaded by Oracle involved in a deal to take over the U.S. oversight of TikTok’s social video platform, although all the details of that complex transaction haven’t been divulged yet.
Silver Lake has also previously bought out two other well-known technology companies, the now-defunct video calling service Skype in a $1.9 billion deal completed in 2009, and a $24.9 billion buyout of personal computer maker Dell in 2013. After Dell restructured its operations as a private company, it returned to the stock market with publicly traded shares in 2018.
By going private, EA will be able to reprogram its operations without being subjected to the investment pressures and scrutiny that sometimes compel publicly held companies to make short-sighted decisions aimed at meeting quarterly financial targets. Although its video games still have a fervent following, EA’s annual revenues have been stagnant during the past three fiscal years, hovering from $7.4 billion to $7.6 billion.
Meanwhile, one of its biggest rivals Activision Blizzard was snapped up by technology powerhouse Microsoft for nearly $69 billion in 2023, while the competition from mobile video game makers such as Epic Games has intensified.
After being taken private, formerly public companies often undergo extensive cost-cutting that includes layoffs, although there has been no indication that will be the case with EA. After jettisoning about 5% of its workforce in 2024, EA ended March with 14,500 employees and then laid off several hundred people in May.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. It still needs approval from EA shareholders.
EA’s stock rose more than 5% before the opening bell.
Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY,OTCQB:LKYRF,FSE:X5L) is a US-focused critical minerals company advancing high-grade rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony at its flagship Mojave project in California. Located just 1.4 kilometers from Mountain Pass — North America’s only producing REE mine — Locksley is strategically positioned to support the U.S. drive to onshore critical mineral supply chains, reduce dependence on China, and secure essential inputs for defense, clean energy, and advanced technologies.
The Mojave Project, Locksley’s flagship asset, is among the most strategically located critical minerals projects in the US Spanning 491 claims adjacent to MP Materials’ world-class Mountain Pass mine, Mojave offers Tier-1 infrastructure with highway access and proximity to Las Vegas. Drilling permits for REE and antimony targets are approved, and the 2025 exploration program is fully funded.
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Altech Batteries (ATC:AU) has announced Altech – Commences Selling Sodium Nickel Chloride Batteries
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Golconda Gold (TSXV:GG) is a growth-focused junior producer with operations in prolific gold districts in South Africa and the US. Positioned as one of the sector’s highest-torque opportunities, Golconda offers investors profitable production, exposure to both gold and silver, and a disciplined, capital-efficient path to meaningful growth.
Golconda Gold is anchored by two cornerstone assets: Galaxy, its cash-flowing South African gold mine, and Summit, a high-grade silver-gold project in New Mexico set for restart. Together, they provide self-funded growth, U.S. exposure, and strong leverage to rising gold prices.
Galaxy, Golconda’s cornerstone asset, is a producing mine in South Africa’s prolific Barberton Greenstone Belt. The operation hosts 941,000 oz gold (M&I, 2.79 g/t) and 1.37 Moz inferred (2.62 g/t), supported by strong infrastructure and access to skilled mining services.
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Copper Quest Exploration (CSE:CQX, OTCQB:IMIMF, FRA:3MX) is focused on creating shareholder value through the exploration and development of its North American critical mineral portfolio, with more than 40,000 hectares across tier-one jurisdictions in Canada and the US.
In British Columbia, the company’s assets include the Stars copper-molybdenum discovery in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt, the Stellar property with historic showings and new anomalies, an earn-in on the Rip project, a large porphyry copper-molybdenum system, and the Thane Project in the Toodoggone Belt, prospective for copper-gold-molybdenum.
The Stars project is a 9,694-hectare, road-accessible copper-molybdenum property in the prolific Bulkley Porphyry Belt, home to past producers such as Imperial Metals’ Huckleberry mine and Newmont’s Equity Silver Mine. Stars is defined by a 5 × 2.5 km annular magnetic anomaly coincident with a mineralized monzonite intrusion. Drilling in 2018 confirmed a significant porphyry system at the Tana Zone, highlighted by intercepts of 0.466 percent copper over 195.1 meters from 23 meters, including 40 meters averaging nearly 1 percent copper, and 0.20 percent copper over 396.7 meters from 28 meters. All holes to date have returned copper levels well above background, with alteration, intrusive textures, and veining typical of productive porphyry systems.
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With a growth-oriented strategy, Golconda Gold is positioning itself as one of the highest-torque junior gold producers in the sector with assets in prolific gold districts in South Africa and the US. For investors bullish on gold, Golconda is a unique opportunity: a profitable producer with meaningful growth ahead, exposure to both gold and silver, and the discipline to deliver shareholder value in a capital-efficient way.
Golconda Gold (TSXV:GG;OTCQB:GGGOF) is an unhedged gold producer and explorer with operations in South Africa and the United States. The company is focused on optimizing its current mining and processing operations, reducing costs, and growing organically while pursuing accretive acquisition opportunities.
Its growth story is underpinned by two cornerstone assets: Galaxy Gold, the company’s cash-flowing, long-life South African operation; and Summit, a high-grade silver-gold project in New Mexico poised for a restart. Galaxy provides a steadily growing, self-funded production base, while Summit is positioned as the next major catalyst for Golconda, broadening investor exposure to silver and US operations. These assets enable Golconda to deliver meaningful production growth without dilution, providing investors direct leverage to gold prices at a time when juniors remain undervalued relative to commodity prices.
With strong insider ownership and a disciplined approach to capital, Golconda offers investors a unique combination of operating stability, near-term growth and upside exploration potential.
Galaxy is Golconda’s cornerstone asset and currently the company’s sole producing mine. Situated in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, one of South Africa’s most prolific gold districts with nearly 150 years of mining history, the mine benefits from established infrastructure, sealed-road access and proximity to skilled mining services. The property hosts a large resource base of 941,000 oz of gold in the measured and indicated categories grading 2.79 grams per ton (g/t), plus 1.37 million oz (Moz) inferred at 2.62 g/t.
Snapshot of Galaxy Gold Mine Operations
The operation is an underground, trackless mechanized mine, currently producing at a run rate of ~12,000 oz/year, with a multi-stage ramp-up plan to 25,000 oz/year by 2027 and up to 45,000 oz/year by 2028. Ore is processed through a 50,000 tonnes per month (tpm) crush-mill-float plant, which was refurbished with a new mill, concentrate tanks, and a filter press. The plant is already capable of handling the full ramp-up capacity, allowing it to expand with minimal capital outlay.
Galaxy produces a refractory gold concentrate sold directly to Ocean Partners, eliminating the need for BIOX or other complex high-capex processing routes. This low-risk sales model enables Galaxy to operate profitably and reinvest cash flow into mine development. The mine plan leverages both the Princeton and Galaxy ore bodies, with development into additional levels and ore bodies among the 21 known mineralized zones on the property. Over its history, Galaxy (formerly, the Agnes mine) has produced more than 1.3 Moz of gold, with current exploration drilling continuing to identify significant upside at depth and along strike.
Economically, Galaxy is highly accretive: at $3,000/oz gold, the operation generates an after-tax NPV5 percent of US$201 million, with life-of-mine free cash flow exceeding US$270 million on conservative assumptions. The operation has a projected all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of ~US$1,000/oz once ramp-up is complete, positioning it competitively within the global cost curve.
The Summit mine, located in the Steeple Rock Mining District of southwestern New Mexico, is a high-grade past-producing underground operation. The New Mexico portfolio also includes the Banner mill, a 240 tpd flotation facility located 57 miles from Summit via paved highways and sealed roads. Golconda acquired the project from Waterton in 2021, along with a streamlined land package totaling ~4,000 acres of patented and unpatented claims.
Summit Mine and Banner Mills snapshot
Summit hosts a defined resource of 1.4 Moz silver and 26,000 oz gold in measured and indicated categories, plus 5.1 Moz silver and 74,000 oz gold inferred. The mine is fully permitted and is expected to restart in Q2 2026, with first concentrate production within 9 to 12 months. The restart strategy is fully funded internally from Galaxy cash flows, ensuring no dilution to shareholders.
The planned annual production profile targets ~10,000 oz gold and 444,000 oz silver at steady state, with an average AISC of US$1,600/oz gold equivalent. At $3,000/oz gold and $35/oz silver, Summit delivers an after-tax NPV5 percent of US$105 million, with cumulative free cash flow of ~US$135 million over its mine life. The project is structured to be spun out into a standalone US-only gold-silver producer by Q4 2026, broadening investor appeal and potentially unlocking a higher valuation multiple.
The Banner Mill 240-tpd flotation facility 57 miles from the Summit mine
Exploration upside at Summit is significant. The Billali Zone, northwest of the main deposit, has returned historical intercepts including 681 g/t silver and 9.38 g/t gold over 4.4 m and hosts a 1992 historical resource of 288,000 tonnes grading 121 g/t silver and 3.67 g/t gold. The nearby Mohawk Area features a 2,000 ft IP anomaly with drill intercepts including 1.5 m at 437.5 g/t silver and 9.34 g/t gold at depth. Both zones remain open and underexplored, providing clear potential to extend mine life and scale production.
Summit’s restart and planned spin-out will give Golconda a second producing asset in a Tier 1 jurisdiction, diversify its commodity mix with silver exposure, and broaden its investor base, while maintaining the company’s no-dilution philosophy.
Ravi Sood has more than 25 years of experience in capital markets and operations. He is the founder and former CEO of Navina Asset Management, and director of Elemental Altus Royalties and Sparq Systems. He founded and/or co-founded multiple companies in mining, energy and renewables.
A chartered accountant with more than 22 years of financial and mining experience in Africa and North America, Andrew Bishop brings strong financial discipline and operational insight to Golconda. He was previously with Aureus Mining, Avesoro Resources and Golden Star.
Wayne Hatton Jones is a mining professional with 38 years of experience in Africa, Asia and Europe. He previously worked at Goldridge, Avocet, Randgold and Harmony. His expertise includes mine development, metallurgy and operations.
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a new round of punishing tariffs, saying the United States will impose a 100% tariff on imported branded drugs, 25% tariff on imports of all heavy-duty trucks and 50% tariffs on kitchen cabinets.
Trump also said he would start charging a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture next week.
He said the new heavy-duty truck tariffs were to protect manufacturers from “unfair outside competition” and said the move would benefit companies such as Paccar-owned PCAR.O Peterbilt and Kenworth and Daimler Truck-owned DTGGe.DE Freightliner.
Trump has launched numerous national security probes into potential new tariffs on a wide variety of products.
He said the new tariffs on kitchen, bathroom and some furniture were because of huge levels of imports that were hurting local manufacturers.
“The reason for this is the large-scale ‘FLOODING’ of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump said, citing national security concerns about U.S. manufacturing.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged the department not to impose new tariffs, noting the top five import sources are Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and Finland “all of which are allies or close partners of the United States posing no threat to U.S. national security.”
Mexico is the largest exporter of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the United States. A study released in January said imports of those larger vehicles from Mexico have tripled since 2019.
Higher tariffs on commercial vehicles could put pressure on transportation costs just as Trump has vowed to reduce inflation, especially on consumer goods such as groceries.
Tariffs could also affect Chrysler-parent Stellantis STLAM.MI, which produces heavy-duty Ram trucks and commercial vans in Mexico. Sweden’s Volvo Group VOLVb.ST is building a $700 million heavy-truck factory in Monterrey, Mexico, set to start operations in 2026.
Mexico is home to 14 manufacturers and assemblers of buses, trucks, and tractor trucks, and two manufacturers of engines, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.
The country is also the leading global exporter of tractor trucks, 95% of which are destined for the United States.
“We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!” Trump added.
Mexico opposed new tariffs, telling the Commerce Department in May that all Mexican trucks exported to the United States have on average 50% U.S. content, including diesel engines.
Last year, the United States imported almost $128 billion in heavy vehicle parts from Mexico, accounting for approximately 28% of total U.S. imports, Mexico said.
The Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association also opposed new tariffs, saying Japanese companies have cut exports to the United States as they have boosted U.S. production of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.