The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) lost 10.12 points this week to close at 567.91. Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was up by 60.1 points to finish at 23,346.18.
Statistics Canada released its real gross domestic product (GDP) figures on Friday (August 30) for the second quarter of 2024. The data shows the GDP saw a 0.5 percent quarterly gain in Q2, building on a 0.4 percent increase in the first quarter of the year.
The rise was attributed to higher government expenditures, business investments in engineering structures, machinery and equipment along with an increase in household spending on services. Gains were offset by softening exports, residential construction and household spending on goods.
South of the border, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis released July’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index on Friday. The data indicates that it grew 2.5 percent in July on a yearly basis and 0.2 percent compared to June. The figures align with analyst expectations and represent increasing stability in consumer pricing.
PCE is a favored inflation indicator used by the US Federal Reserve when making interest rate policy decisions. The broad consensus amongst economists is that the Fed will lower its benchmark rate when it next meets on September 17 and 18, with most predicting a 25 basis point cut over a 50 basis point one.
US markets were mixed this past week with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) seeing a 0.15 percent gain to 5,648.39 points and the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) dropping 0.53 percent to 19,574.64 points. Meanwhile, the Dow (INDEXDJX:.DJI) eked out a slight 0.88 percent gain to close the week at 41,563.09 points.
Commodities ended the week broadly down, with the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) losing 0.68 percent to US$536.76. After swinging in a range of US$2,500 and US$2,526 per ounce throughout the week, gold ultimately dropped 0.35 percent to end the week at US$2,503.21. Silver moved above US$30 per ounce multiple times early in the week but fell throughout the second half, ending the week down 3.24 percent at US$28.85.
How has this week’s news impacted resource stocks on the TSX and TSX Venture Exchanges? Read on to learn about the top 5 best-performing Canadian mining stocks this week.
1. Superior Mining International (TSXV:SUI)
Weekly gain: 55.17 percent; market cap: C$16.75 million; share price: C$0.225
Superior Mining International is a lithium exploration company that owns the Vieux Comptoir property located in the Eeyou Istchee-James Bay region of Québec, Canada.
The property is composed of 544 mineral exploration claims that cover 27,400 hectares and is situated along the La Grande Greenstone Belt. The company describes the project as an early-stage exploration opportunity and is located along strike from lithium projects owned by Patriot Battery Metals (TSX:PMET,OTCQX:PMETF) and Winsome Resources (ASX:WR1,OTCQB:WRSLF).
The most recent update from the project came in August 2023 when Superior Mining announced they had expanded it by nearly 8,000 hectares. The company also shared that hyperspectral and remote sensing data confirmed nine anomalous target trends with 126 pegmatite observations.
The company has not released further news related to the project but announced the appointment of Jacob Hagedorn to its board of directors on Wednesday. Hagedorn has spent the past eight years as a consultant for multiple TSXV-listed resource companies with a focus on property acquisitions and development.
2. Euro Manganese (TSXV:EMN)
Weekly gain: 50 percent; market cap: C$20.13 million; share price: C$0.06
Euro Manganese is a manganese development company working to advance its Chvaletice waste recycling project. The operation is focused on extracting manganese from tailings that are part of a decommissioned mine site near Prague, Czechia.
As part of the project’s scope, the company says it will carry out remediation and reclamation work to bring the site into compliance with environmental regulations.
A 2022 feasibility study for the Chvaletice project indicates that it will produce 48,000 metric tons of manganese per year and is expected to have a project life of 25 years. In the study, the company reports a post-tax net present value of US$1.3 billion with an internal rate of return of 22 percent and a payback period of 4 years.
Shares in Euro Manganese saw gains this week after the company announced on Wednesday (August 28) that it had submitted an application for strategic project status under the European Union’s Critical Raw Material Act.
If the application is successful, it will provide for a more streamlined permitting process and access to new avenues for funding.
The company also announced on Monday (August 26) that it entered into an offtake term sheet agreement with Blue Grass Chemical Specialties for the sale of high-purity manganese from Chvaletice. The announcement did not include the volume or pricing of the deal, but once finalized the agreement will become binding.
3. Avanti Helium (TSXV:AVN)
Weekly gain: 40 percent; market cap: C$21.76 million; share price: C$0.245
Avanti Helium is an exploration and development company focused on advancing helium assets in Canada and the US toward production.
Its Greater Knappen projects are composed of several project areas in Southern Alberta, Canada, and Northern Montana, US. The combined land packages cover approximately 74,000 acres with multiple targets. According to the project page, Avanti has drilled three exploration wells in Montana, with two testing for a combined 18.5 million cubic feet per day gas rate with 1.1 percent helium concentration.
The company’s Leader project consists of a combined land package of 91,000 acres in Southern Saskatchewan. The surrounding region has seen 84 wells drilled by other companies since 2016, and as of September 2023, it hosted approximately 25 wells producing 450,000 cubic feet of helium per day.
Shares in Avanti climbed this week, although the company hasn’t released news in August.
4. Sage Potash (TSXV:SAGE)
Weekly gain: 38.71 percent; market cap: C$10.24 million; share price: C$0.215
Sage Potash is a potash exploration company currently working to advance its portfolio of mineral holdings in Utah’s Paradox basin in the US. Historic oil and gas exploration in the basin dating back a century discovered the potential for the potash beds, but they were too deep for mining methods at the time. Sage has since confirmed their presence through its own exploration.
In a revised technical report from February 2023, the company reported an inferred mineral resource estimate of up to 159.3 million metric tons (MT) of in-place sylvinite from the upper potash bed and up to 120.2 million MT of sylvinite from the lower potash bed.
Sage Potash hasn’t released news in August, but its share price performed strongly this week.
5. Group Eleven Resources (TSXV:ZNG)
Weekly gain: 31.25 percent; market cap: C$41.15 million; share price: C$0.21
Group Eleven Resources is an exploration company working to advance its flagship PG West zinc, lead, copper and silver project in the Republic of Ireland. The wholly owned asset consists of 22 prospecting licenses covering 650 square kilometers and hosts the main Ballywire prospect discovered in 2022.
In a project highlight released on August 21, the company reported that it had drilled 31 holes to date at the Ballywire discovery and identified over 2.6 kilometers of strike length, with mineralization occurring predominantly at depths of 250 to 350 meters.
The most recent exploration results from Ballywire, assays from two step out holes, were released on August 1. One hole encountered a highlighted assay of 25.6 meters grading 2.8 percent zinc, 2.6 percent lead, 72 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 0.12 percent copper, including 3.1 meters grading 8.6 percent zinc, 2.7 percent lead, 353 g/t silver and 0.78 percent copper.
Shares in Group Eleven saw gains this week after it reported on Wednesday that it received C$600,000 from the exercise of warrants by Michael Gentile, founding partner and senior portfolio manager at Bastion Asset Management. Gentile increased his holdings in Group Eleven to 16.96 percent of company shares.
Group Eleven said it would use the funds to significantly expand its 2024 drill program at Ballywire.
FAQs for TSXV 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, while 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 companies are listed on the TSXV?
As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 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.
Data for this 5 Top Canadian Mining Stocks article was retrieved at 1:00 p.m PST on August 30, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX and TSXVwith market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.
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.