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The gold price started off the new year on a strong note, approaching the US$4,500 per ounce level midway through the week and breaking through it on Friday (January 9).

As is often the case, silver put on a bumpier performance, trading within about a US$10 range. It recorded lows under US$73 per ounce and highs above US$82.

Beyond day-to-day price moves, there’s a lot of focus right now on how gold and silver will perform in 2026, and I want to spend some time looking at what experts see coming.

When it comes to gold I’m now seeing US$5,000 mentioned frequently, with multiple market watchers calling for it to reach that level as soon as the first quarter.

The consensus is that all of gold’s drivers either remain in place or are intensifying, including strong central bank buying, geopolitical tensions and easy money policies.

Here’s Alain Corbani of Montbleu Finance explaining why US$5,000 gold makes sense:

‘Between the end of the quantitative tightening and the end of the quantitative easing, usually gold doubles or triples, which means that in a perfect world, gold could go … from US$4,000 to US$6,000 — this is basically the bull figure. So that’s why, when we say US$5,000, that’s only 10 percent more than what we are trading at today.’

Silver is trickier to predict. The white metal is known for being volatile, and its strong end-of-2025 performance means that some experts’ 2026 price calls were reached before last year even ended.

So where does silver stand as the year begins?

I heard this week from David Morgan of the Morgan Report, who didn’t give a specific forecast, but said he believes silver is currently in ‘price discovery’ mode:

‘I’ve stated that we’re still in the price discovery mode — I truly believe that. What the true price of silver is in US dollars, Canadian dollars, I do not know. I think it’s north of $100 in US dollar terms, but it could be much higher than that.

I also spoke about silver with Doug Casey of InternationalMan.com. He said US$100 or even US$200 silver is possible, but for him the metal itself isn’t a speculative tool:

‘Is silver at a new high where it’s going to stay there? Yeah, very possibly — not a prediction. But I’m not selling my silver. I mean, why should I sell it? I’m holding it as an asset, not as a speculative device. So is it going to US$100 or US$200? It’s possible. I don’t really care, because … I don’t use either my silver or my gold as speculative vehicles. That’s not what they’re about to me.’

Andy Schectman of Miles Franklin made a similar statement, saying that while he’s certainly bullish on silver, 2025 showed how unpredictable it can be:

‘Rather than pick a price, I say we live in a world of probabilities. The probability that we see silver well north of US$100 to me is rather strong. Could it be as high as US$200 or higher? Sure. But to say that would be a guess, and an optimistic guess.

‘But look, if I would have told you last year that we would see silver at US$80, you’d say, ‘You know, well, that’s a pretty big statement, Andy.’ Yeah, sure it is. A 150 percent gain in a year is pretty big. So rather than continue with that, I would just simply say: higher than most people would actually probably think possible.’

Bullet briefing — Rio Tinto, Glencore reopen M&A talks

Commodities giants Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) say they have restarted talks about potentially combining forces.

The two major miners spoke previously back in 2024, but failed to reach an agreement. This time around, they say their preliminary discussions are centered on merging some or all of their businesses, and could include the acquisition of Glencore by Rio Tinto.

The news was first reported by the Financial Times, with both companies confirming the story in press releases shortly thereafter. According to the news outlet, the combination would create a massive mining company with an enterprise value of over US$260 billion.

Both companies have said there’s no guarantee that any transaction will go through. However, it’s worth noting that Rio Tinto has changed leadership since the 2024 talks ended, with Simon Trott now at the helm. For its part, Glencore has reorganized its coal assets.

The Thursday (January 8) Financial Times piece also notes that Gary Nagle, chief executive at Glencore, spoke last month about the importance of size in the mining industry, saying that bigger companies are better able to create synergies, as well as attract talent and capital.

Regulations require Rio Tinto to announce its intentions either way by February 5 of this year.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Veteran NBA official Bill Kennedy suffered a non-contact injury during a game between the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, Jan. 9.

Kennedy is known within the NBA community for his entertaining challenge verdicts during basketball games. Several of his verdicts had gone viral throughout the early part of the season.

Kennedy was seen running up the court late in the first quarter as the 76ers were running up the court after stealing the ball from the Magic. He left the game in a wheelchair.

Michael Smith and James Williams continued to officiate the game. A backup official was not named to fill in for Kennedy in a brief statement by the verified NBA Official account on X.

Bill Kennedy’s entertaining moments

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

One day after Trinidad Chambliss’ 2025 season came to an end, his college career did, too.

The Mississippi quarterback’s waiver for an additional season of eligibility was denied by the NCAA, with college sports’ governing body announcing its decision on Friday, Jan. 9.

Chambliss was asking for a medical redshirt for the 2022 season, when he was at Division II Ferris State and didn’t play any games while dealing with persistent respiratory issues that ultimately led to the removal of his tonsils.

“Approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student’s incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided,” the NCAA said in a statement. “The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student’s prior school include a physician’s note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was ‘doing very well’ since he was seen in August 2022. Additionally, the student-athlete’s prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited “developmental needs and our team’s competitive circumstances” as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season.”

The NCAA added its decision “aligns with consistent application of NCAA rules.”

In his first and ultimately only season at Ole Miss, Chambliss threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for an additional 527 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Chambliss helped lead the Rebels to one of the best seasons in program history, with a 13-2 record and a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they fell to Miami 31-27 on Thursday, Jan. 8 in the Fiesta Bowl. Chambliss threw for 277 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Prominent sports attorney Tom Mars represented Chambliss during his waiver process. Mars said in a statement that he assumes Ole Miss will file an appeal with the NCAA and that ‘there is now an opportunity to move this case to a level playing field where Trinidad’s rights will be determined by the Mississippi judiciary instead of some bureaucrats in Indianapolis who couldn’t care less about the law or doing the right thing.”

‘I deserve (another year),’ Chambliss said Dec. 30. ‘I’ve only played three seasons of college football. I feel like I deserve to play four. I redshirted in 2021. That was my freshman redshirt. Then I medically redshirted in 2022. Played in 2023, 2024 and this is 2025.’

Chambliss took a traditional redshirt season during his true freshman year at Ferris State and did not play during the ensuing 2022 campaign.

The NCAA said that this academic year, it has received 25 eligibility clock extension requests that cited an incapacitating injury, nine of which came from football players. Of those 25 waiver requests, the NCAA approved 15, including six in football. All 15 that were approved provided medical documentation from the time of the injury while all 10 that were denied didn’t.

Chambliss had previously committed to return to Ole Miss for the 2026 season if his waiver was approved, shutting down speculation that he could follow former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to LSU.

Without Chambliss, Ole Miss and new head coach Pete Golding will likely have to look elsewhere for a quarterback for next season. Austin Simmons, who started the season ahead of Chambliss before being sidelined with an injury, entered the transfer portal and signed with Missouri earlier this week.

What is Trinidad Chambliss’ NFL draft projection?

Chambliss is projected to get a shot in the NFL. He’ll probably be drafted in the middle of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to experts.Chambliss is ranked as the No. 6 quarterback prospect on Mel Kiper of ESPN’s 2026 NFL Draft preview published Jan. 2.

Pro Football Focus ranks Chambliss as the No. 5 quarterback and No. 83 player overall.

Clarion Ledger Ole Miss reporter Sam Hutchens contributed to this story.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Indiana dominated on its way to a 56-22 win over Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 and is one win away from securing one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.

The No. 1 Hoosiers (15-0) finished 3-9 in 2023 but are moving on to the national championship game two seasons later after hiring Curt Cignetti. It’ll be a homecoming for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who grew up in Miami.

Mendoza, whose dad played football alongside Miami coach Mario Cristobal in high school, passed for five touchdowns against the Ducks. The Heisman Trophy winner has eight touchdowns to six incompletions in two College Football Playoff wins over Alabama and Oregon this season.

Indiana scored 28 points off turnovers, including a pick-6 from D’Angelo Ponds on the first play of the game. Indiana and Oregon were tied at 7-7 in the first quarter before the Hoosiers scored 35 unanswered points, continuing their dominance that carried over from a 38-3 win over Alabama at the Rose Bowl.

Here are the highlights from Indiana’s 56-22 win over Oregon at the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 to advance to the national title game:

Peach Bowl Indiana vs Oregon score

Peach Bowl highlights: Indiana vs Oregon

Indiana to face Miami in national championship

Indiana dominates Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl to advance to the national championship against Miami. The Hoosiers are one win away from one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.

Oregon scores

Dante Moore throws a 1-yard touchdown pass to Roger Saleapaga to make the score 56-22 with 22 seconds left.

Kaelon Black scores

Kaelon Black gets back in on the fun, rushing for his second touchdown of the night from 23 yards out. Indiana extends its lead to 56-15 with 5:13 left in the fourth quarter.

Mendoza tosses fifth touchdown

Indiana extends its lead to 49-15 in the fourth quarter on Fernando Mendoza’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt with 11:36 left. Mendoza is now 17-of-20 passing for 177 yards with five touchdowns on the night.

Sarratt has seven receptions for 75 yards and two scores.

Indiana punts

Fernando Mendoza’s pass intended for Omar Cooper Jr. deep downfield falls incomplete on third-and-5, forcing the Hoosiers to punt from their own 37-yard line. Oregon might have gotten away with some contact against Cooper Jr. on the defense.

Indiana stuffs Oregon on fourth down

Oregon pitches it outside on fourth-and-1 at Indiana’s 31-yard line, but All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher sniffs it out and tackles Jay Harris for a 1-yard loss.

The Hoosiers regain possession with a 42-15 lead just before the end of the third quarter.

Indiana punts

Indiana punts for the second time tonight after its drive stalls out on fourth-and-3. Mitch McCarthy’s 49-yard punt is downed at Oregon’s 5-yard line, pinning the Ducks deep inside their own territory.

The Hoosiers are dominating even when they punt.

Oregon scores

Oregon shows some signs of life despite the huge deficit. Jay Harris plunges in a 2-yard touchdown before Jamari Johnson catches the 2-point conversion throw from Dante Moore.

Oregon cuts its deficit to 42-15 with 7:50 left in the third quarter, scoring on two plays.

Oregon with explosive play

Dierre Hill Jr. runs for 71 yards on the Ducks’ first possession of the second half, putting Oregon on the 2-yard line threatening to score.

Indiana scores again

Mendoza tosses his fourth touchdown of the game on a 13-yard pass to E.J. Williams Jr. to give Indiana a 42-7 lead with 8:52 left in the third quarter.

The Ducks have no answers for the Hoosiers tonight.

Fernando Mendoza CFP stats

Mendoza is proving why he was the Heisman Trophy winner this season in the College Football Playoff so far. He is 24-of-27 passing for 302 yards with six touchdowns and no turnovers through six quarters against Alabama and Oregon combined.

Mendoza is 10-for-11 with 110 yards and three touchdowns at halftime against Oregon at the Peach Bowl.

Curt Cignetti says Indiana is ‘whipping them up front’

The difference in the game so far is clear to Indiana coach Curt Cignetti.

‘We’re whipping them up front right now,’ he says to ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath at halftime.

Oregon misses field goal before halftime

Atticus Sappington’s 56-yard field goal attempt falls short as the clock expires before halftime. Indiana leads 35-7 heading into the final two quarters of the Peach Bowl.

Indiana takes 35-7 lead

Make it 28 unanswered points for Indiana, which takes a 35-7 lead on a 2-yard touchdown catch by Elijah Sarratt. The Hoosiers are dominating in every facet right now.

Indiana causes another turnover

Daniel Ndukwe sacks Dante Moore on the second play of Oregon’s next drive and forces a fumble that’s recovered by Mario Landino at Oregon’s 21-yard line.

It’s Moore’s third turnover of the game so far, and Indiana is threatening to go up 35-7 before halftime. The Hoosiers just keep rolling in the CFP.

Indiana scores again

Fernando Mendoza drops an absolute dime in a 1-on-1 situation to Charlie Becker, who climbs the ladder over Oregon’s Brandon Finney Jr. for a 36-yard touchdown. What a throw and catch for the Hoosiers, who take a 28-7 lead with 3:13 left in the first half.

Mendoza is 8-of-9 passing for 102 yards with two touchdowns.

Indiana sacks Dante Moore on back-to-back plays

On second-and-3 from the Oregon 47-yard line, Indiana sacks Dante Moore on back-to-back plays to stall another Oregon drive. Dominique Ratcliff and Daniel Ndukwe get to Moore on second and third down, respectively.

Indiana’s defense has four tackles for loss for 18 yards so far.

Kaleon Black extends Indiana lead with TD

Three plays after the turnover, Kaleon Black scores from 1 yard out to extend Indiana’s lead to 21-7 with 8:17 left in the first half. The scoring drive is three plays for three yards and takes 1:12 off the clock.

Dante Moore loses fumble

Dante Moore loses a fumble as Dierre Hill Jr. bumps into him at the mesh point as he attempts to make a throw. Mario Landino lands on the ball and Indiana begins the drive at Oregon’s 3-yard line with a chance to go up two scores.

Nasir Wyatt sacks Fernando Mendoza

Oregon denies Indiana a chance to build on its lead when Nasir Wyatt sacks Fernando Mendoza for a 20-yard loss on third-and-7 from the Oregon 37-yard line. That forces an Indiana punt.

Oregon will begin its next drive from its own 13-yard line, trailing 14-7 with 9:35 left in the first half.

Oregon goes three-and-out

Oregon hands it off to Jay Harris on third-and-2, but Mikail Kamara beats his man for a 1-yard tackle for loss. Indiana regains possession looking to go up two scores on its own 18-yard line.

Indiana takes 14-7 lead

Indiana drives right down the field, ending in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Fernando Mendoza to Omar Cooper Jr. The Hoosiers lead 14-7 with 40 seconds left in the first quarter after an 11-play, 75-yard drive that takes 6:31 off the clock.

Mendoza is 4-of-4 passing for 41 yards with a touchdown.

Oregon responds

Oregon ties the game at 7-7 on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Dante Moore to Jamari Johnson. The Ducks respond from their turnover with a big-time 14-play, 75-yard drive that takes 7:38 off the clock.

Hello, D’Angelo

One play, one touchdown for Indiana. D’Angelo Ponds jumps the route and comes up with a 19-yard pick-6 on the first play from scrimmage, giving Indiana a very early 7-0 lead. What a play.

Oregon starts with possession

Dante Moore and the Oregon offense will start first, with the drive starting at their own 20-yard line. The second-to-last college football game of the season is underway.

‘College GameDay’ picks for Indiana-Oregon

Each of ESPN’s Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit picked Indiana to beat Oregon and advance to the CFP Championship game.

Why is Mark Cuban at Peach Bowl?

Billionaire mogul Mark Cuban is an Indiana graduate and is on deck for the Hoosiers’ game against Oregon at the Peach Bowl.

Is Noah Whittington playing tonight?

Oregon running back Noah Whittington is listed as a game-time decision, per the CFP pregame availability report. However, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports he’s expected to play, although he won’t start.

Roman Hemby stats

Indiana running back Roman Hemby has been one of the most productive rushers in the Big Ten this season and is a 5-year starter dating back to his time at Maryland. Here’s his stats in 2025:

  • Rushing: 194 carries for 1,007 yards with seven touchdowns (5.2 yards per carry)
  • Receiving: 14 receptions for 160 yards

What channel is Peach Bowl on tonight?

  • TV: ESPN
  • Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

The CFP Peach Bowl semifinal between Indiana and Oregon will air nationally on ESPN, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play) and Greg McElroy (analyst) calling the game and Molly McGrath serving as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a cable login) and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Announcers for Peach Bowl

ESPN’s Sean McDonough will handle play-by-play with Greg McElory providing color analysis.

Peach Bowl Indiana vs Oregon start time today

  • Date: Friday, Jan. 9
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

Indiana and Oregon are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Peach Bowl prediction: Indiana vs Oregon picks, odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sunday, Jan. 4

  • Spread: Indiana (-4)
  • Over/under: 48.5
  • Moneyline: Indiana (-190) | Oregon (+160)

Prediction: Indiana 31, Oregon 20

Indiana feels like the team of destiny right now and is coming off a masterful performance against Alabama. That said, the Hoosiers defeat the Ducks again behind a strong performance from Fernando Mendoza and their run game. Indiana also forces Dante Moore to a pair of turnovers.

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Peach Bowl:

  • Indiana 35, Oregon 21: The Hoosiers’ 30-20 win over the Ducks in Eugene in October started to convert IU doubters into believers. Indiana’s Rose Bowl demolition of Alabama proselytized even the most ardent skeptics (cough, Paul Finebaum). The Hoosiers’ defense sacked Dante Moore six times and picked off the Ducks QB twice in the first meeting. And while Oregon shut out a piddling Texas Tech offense in the Orange Bowl, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza leads one of the nation’s most balanced attacks. It sounds unbelievable to say, but Indiana football will play for the national championship. – Matt Glenesk, USA TODAY
  • Indiana 20, Oregon 17: Going with the old Vegas trick of laying three points on the favorite in a coin flip of a game. Oregon is an incredibly good team, and as Curt Cignetti said after the Rose Bowl, it’s tough to beat a good team twice. But it’s tougher to beat a great team once, and Indiana is a great team. Ultimately, Fernando Mendoza vs Dante Moore isn’t the matchup here. It’s in the trenches, where Indiana is among the best in the country, and weapons vs weapons. Stars matter, but Indiana is comprised of under-recruited guys with a chip on their shoulders. With that in mind, Indiana wins a grimy game in a low-scoring affair against Dan Lanning, turning the coach’s ‘no one believes in us’ motivating tactic on its head (of course, the irony of not believing in Oregon here is not lost on me). – Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY
  • Indiana 24, Oregon 20: The old adage about how it’s hard to beat a team twice in a season has its merits, but it can occasionally belie a deeper truth — sometimes, one team is simply better than another. Whatever fans may think of Indiana football based on the program’s mostly putrid history, the Hoosiers are the best and most complete team in the sport this season, as they showed in a Rose Bowl demolition of Alabama. They’ll stymie a Ducks offense that had difficulties against Texas Tech’s front seven and Fernando Mendoza will continue to dazzle while leading Indiana to a once-unimaginable destination. – Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

Peach Bowl injury updates: Who is out for Oregon vs Indiana

For Oregon: The initial availability report for the game came out Tuesday and the Ducks had 14 players listed as out, including running back Jordon Davison, who is the team’s No. 2 rusher with 667 yards and top scorer with 15 TDs. Also out with injuries are wide receiver Evan Stewart, offensive tackle Gernorris Wilson and running back Da’Jaun Riggs.

Eight of the players listed as out are those who have entered the transfer portal: defensive backs Daylen Austin, Kingston Lopa, Sione Laulea and Solomon Davis; running backs Makhi Hughes and Jayden Limar; and wide receivers Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper.

For Indiana: The Hoosiers will be without defensive linemen Andrew DePaepe, Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt; defensive backs Amariyun Knighten and Bryson Bonds; and kicker Brendan Franke. Knighten and DePaepe are in the transfer portal.

When is the Peach Bowl kickoff: Indiana vs Oregon time, date

The Peach Bowl is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9.

Where is the Peach Bowl played?

The Peach Bowl is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Who’s in CFP Championship game?

Here’s a full look at who has advanced to the CFP championship game:

  • No. 10 Miami
  • TBD

When is national championship game?

The College Football Playoff national championship game is 7:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19

Where is the national championship game?

The College Football Playoff national championship game is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

ATLANTA — No. 1 seed Indiana took control with an interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and never let go for a 56-22 rout of No. 5 Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Peach Bowl.

The pick-six by D’Angelo Ponds sparked the latest jaw-dropping victory for a team that stands one win away from the most unexpected national championship in Bowl Subdivision history. Indiana will face No. 10 Miami in the title game on Monday, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Peach Bowl was a rematch of the Hoosiers’ 30-20 win at Autzen Stadium in October. Indiana becomes just the second team to beat an opponent in the regular season and then again in the playoff since the format debuted in 2014.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was nearly perfect, completing 17 of 20 throws for 177 yards and finishing with more touchdowns, five, than incompletions. Wide receiver Elijah Surrat had 75 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Kaelon Black led the running game with a team-high 63 yards on 12 carries and two scores.

Donte Moore completed 24 of 38 passes for Oregon for 285 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Dierre Hill Jr. led the Ducks with 85 rushing yards, 71 coming on one long run, and Jay Harris added 35 yards on 16 carries.

A junior who had only 26 carries on the year heading into Friday night, Harris was thrust into a bigger role because of injuries to leading rusher Noah Whittington and top backup Jordon Davison.

It took the Hoosiers only 11 seconds to get on the board. After a short kickoff return placed Oregon at its 20-yard line, Moore threw an out route to the left sideline that Ponds jumped and ran back 25 yards for a 7-0 lead, delighting a Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd that leaned heavily toward Indiana.

Oregon’s offense settled down to even the score on the ensuing possession, converting three third downs as part of a 14-play, nearly eight-minute drive capped by Moore’s 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jamari Johnson with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter.

Indiana’s offense responded on its first drive. Mendoza completed all four of his attempts for 41 yards, including an 8-yard score to receiver Omar Cooper Jr., as part of a 75-yard drive that put the Hoosiers back in front 14-7 with 40 seconds left in the opening frame.

After punting on the next possession, the Ducks stopped a promising Indiana drive by stripping and sacking Mendoza on third down and took over at their 13-yard line.

But Moore fumbled on the next play for his second costly turnover. Winding up to deliver a screen to his left, the sophomore’s hand hit Hill on the shoulder and bounced away before being recovered by IU at the 3-yard line.

Black then punched it from a yard out to put Indiana up 21-7 with 8:17 left in the half.

The lead would mushroom by the end of the half to put the Ducks in an insurmountable hole.

First, another Oregon punt led to a 61-yard touchdown drive ending with Mendoza finding receiver Charlie Becker on a perfectly thrown 36-yard heave, pushing IU ahead 28-7 with 3:13 to go.

Then Moore was sacked and fumbled again, setting up the Hoosiers on the lip of the red zone. Six plays later, Mendoza hit Sarratt from 2 yards to make it 35-7 with 59 seconds left before the break.

Both teams exchanged scores coming out of the locker room, with the Ducks converting the two-point try after a short Harris touchdown run to make it 42-15 midway through the third quarter. Oregon looked to make it a three-touchdown game late in the quarter but was stopped on fourth-and-short at the Indiana 31-yard line.

The Hoosiers’ exclamation point came after an Oregon punt near its own goal line was blocked with just 13:04 to play. Under two minutes later, Mendoza hit Sarratt from 3 yards out on third-and-goal to make it 49-15.

But the Hoosiers weren’t done yet. After forcing a turnover on downs, IU ran five times for 65 yards, ending with Black’s 23-yard score, to go ahead 52-15 with 5:13 remaining.

A Moore touchdown pass to Roger Saleapaga with 22 seconds completed the scoring and helped the Ducks avoid the biggest loss in Peach Bowl history.

With a win against Miami, the Hoosiers would become the first 16-0 national champion since Yale in 1894. Prior to hiring coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana had won 16 games in a two-year span just once (1987-88) in program history.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

American golfer Brooks Koepka applied for reinstatement of his PGA Tour membership on Friday, according to ESPN.  Koepka is a five-time major champion who was a member of the tour from 2014 to 2022.

Koepka, who recently left LIV Golf, is ranked No. 244 in the Official World Golf  Ranking because LIV golfers were not receiving points for those respective events in the standings.

Despite his ranking, Koepka could compete in the four major tournaments in 2026 because of his five-year exemption as a result of winning the 2023 PGA Championship.

Koepka decided to leave the PGA Tour in 2022 to join the newly formed LIV tour.

He won just five events during his LIV tenure from 2022-25 and completed a 3-0 playoff record, earning a victory in three consecutive years.

Koepka had a year remaining on his tour, which was financed by a Saudi Arabian group, but decided to leave early. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said Koepka and the league ‘mutually agreed’ that he would no longer compete as a member in December.

The PGA had not commented on Koepka’s potential return. Koepka cited family reasons as part of his decision to leave LIV and explore his options. Koepka’s wife, Jena, posted on Instagram last October that she had suffered a miscarriage. 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The global lithium market enters 2026 after a punishing 2025 marked by oversupply, weaker-than-expected EV demand and sustained price pressure, although things began turning around for lithium stocks in Q4.

Lithium carbonate prices in North Asia fell to four-year lows early in the year, triggering production cuts and project delays, before rebounding sharply in the second half. By late December, prices had jumped 56 percent from their January levels, signaling the start of a potential market rebalancing.

Analysts point to tightening inventories and high-cost supply under strain as early signs of a recovery, while long-term demand from electrification, energy storage and the energy transition remains intact.

Battery energy storage systems are emerging as a major growth driver, expected to account for roughly a quarter of global battery demand in 2025. In the US, storage could make up 35 to 40 percent of battery demand in the coming years, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence’s Iola Hughes.

“LFP is the story right now,” Hughes said, highlighting falling costs and technological innovation as key enablers for large-scale deployment. Global storage remains concentrated in China and the US, but new markets like Saudi Arabia are scaling rapidly.

As storage expands in scale, geography and strategic importance, it is set to become a central pillar of lithium demand heading into 2026.

1. Lithium Argentina (NYSE:LAR)

Year-to-date gain: 106.39 percent
Market cap: US$891.03 million
Share price: US$5.49

Lithium Argentina produces lithium carbonate from its Caucharí-Olaroz brine project in Argentina, developed with Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,HKEX:1772). The company was spun out from Lithium Americas in October 2023 and changed its name from Lithium Americas (Argentina) in January 2025.

In mid-April, Lithium Argentina executed a letter of intent with Ganfeng Lithium to jointly advance development across the Pozuelos-Pastos Grandes basins.

In August, Lithium Argentina agreed to form a new joint venture with Ganfeng Lithium that will combine the companies’ projects in the Pozuelos and Pastos Grandes basins of Salta, Argentina.

The joint venture will bring together Ganfeng’s wholly owned Pozuelos-Pastos Grandes (PPG) project and Lithium America’s Pastos Grandes and Sal de la Puna projects, in which Ganfeng currently holds a 15 percent and 35 percent stake respectively.

Once completed, Ganfeng will hold a 67 percent stake in the consolidated PPG project, and Lithium Argentina will hold a 33 percent interest.

In Q4, Lithium Argentina released a positive scoping study for the PPG project, confirming its scale and strong economics. The consolidated project hosts a measured and indicated resource of 15.1 million metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and is designed for staged production of up to 150,000 metric tons per year over a 30 year mine life.

In the same announcement, the company confirmed receipt of an environmental approval for Stage 1 from the Secretariat of Mining and Energy of the Province of Salta.

Lithium Argentina released its Q3 results in November, noting approximately 8,300 metric tons of lithium carbonate production at its Caucharí-Olaroz operation during the quarter, with 24,000 metric tons produced between January and September.

Company shares rose to a year-to-date high of US$5.58 on December 31, in line with rising lithium carbonate prices.

2. Sociedad Química y Minera (NYSE:SQM)

Year-to-date gain: 87.39 percent
Market cap: US$19.66 billion
Share price: US$68.98

SQM is a major global lithium producer, with operations centered in Chile’s Salar de Atacama. The company extracts lithium from brine and produces lithium carbonate and hydroxide for use in batteries.

SQM is expanding production and holds interests in projects in Australia and China, including a 50/50 joint venture for the Mt Holland lithium operation in Western Australia. In July, the company produced its first battery-grade lithium hydroxide production at its Kwinana refinery in the state.

In late April, Chile’s competition watchdog approved the partnership agreement between SQM and state-owned copper giant Codelco aimed at boosting output at the Atacama salt flat. The deal, first announced in 2024, reached another milestone when it secured approval for an additional lithium quota from Chile’s nuclear energy regulator CChEN.

SQM ended the year finalizing the agreement. The partnership was formalized through SQM’s subsidiary SQM Salar absorbing Codelco’s Minera Tarar and being renamed Nova Andino Litio.

SQM reported a net income of US$404.4 million for the first nine months of 2025, rebounding from a US$524.5 million loss in the same period of 2024. Revenue totaled US$3.25 billion, down 5.9 percent year-over-year, while gross profit reached US$904.1 million.

The company’s third-quarter performance highlighted the turnaround, as SQM achieved record lithium sales volumes. It reported net income of US$178.4 million, up 36 percent from Q3 2024, and revenue of US$1.17 billion, up 8.9 percent. Gross profit for the quarter climbed 23 percent to US$345.8 million.

SQM attributed the rebound to higher realized lithium prices and improved operational efficiency, signaling a strong recovery trajectory for the remainder of 2025.

Shares of SQM reached a year-to-date high of US$71.63 on December 26.

3. Albemarle (NYSE:ALB)

Year-to-date gain: 64.29 percent
Market cap: US$16.71 billion
Share price: US$142.01

North Carolina-based Albemarle is dividing into two primary business units, one of which — the Albemarle Energy Storage unit — is focused wholly on the lithium-ion battery and energy transition markets. It includes the firm’s lithium carbonate, hydroxide and metal production.

Albemarle has a broad portfolio of lithium mines and facilities, with extraction in Chile, Australia and the US. Looking first at Chile, Albemarle produces lithium carbonate at its La Negra lithium conversion plants, which process brine from the Salar de Atacama, the country’s largest salt flat. Albemarle is aiming to implement direct lithium extraction technology at the salt flat to reduce water usage.

Albemarle’s Australian assets Wodgina hard-rock lithium mine in Western Australia, which is owned and operated by the 50/50 MARBL joint venture with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF). Albemarle wholly owns the on-site Kemerton lithium hydroxide facility. The company’s other Australian joint venture is the Greenbushes hard-rock mine, in which it holds a 49 percent interest.

In late October, Albemarle signed an agreement to sell its 51 percent stake in its refining catalyst business, Ketjen, leaving it with 49 percent ownership, part of a broader portfolio reshaping that also includes the sale of Ketjen’s 50 percent stake in the Eurecat joint venture to partner Axens.

The combined deals are expected to generate approximately US$660 million in pre-tax cash proceeds and strengthen Albemarle’s financial flexibility. Both transactions are anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

In November, Albemarle reported third‑quarter results that reflected improved operations amid continued lithium market headwinds. The company logged net sales of roughly US$1.31 billion, a slight year‑over‑year decline driven by lower energy storage pricing.

Albemarle generated US$356 million in quarterly cash from operations, noting the company remained on track to reduce full‑year capital expenditures to around US$600 million while targeting positive free cash flow of US$300 million to US$400 million in 2025.

Shares of Albemarle marked a year-to-date high of US$150.01 on December 26, amid strengthening lithium prices.

4. Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC)

Year-to-date gain: 47 percent
Market cap: US$1.24 billion
Share price: US$4.41

US-focused Lithium Americas is developing its flagship Thacker lithium Pass project located in Humboldt County in northern Nevada. The project is a joint venture between Lithium Americas at 62 percent and General Motors (NYSE:GM) at 38 percent.

According to the company, Thacker Pass holds the “largest measured lithium reserve and resource in the world.”

In March, Lithium Americas secured a US$250 million investment from Orion Resource Partners to advance Phase 1 construction of the project, which is expected to fully cover development costs through the construction phase. On April 1, the joint venture partners made a final investment decision for the project, with completion targeted for late 2027.

Shares of Lithium Americas surged in late September, rising from US$3.07 to US$7.37 in three days. Its share price reached a 2025 high of US$10.05 on October 13.

Lithium Americas’ share price rose on news of renegotiation talks over its US$2.26 billion Department of Energy loan tied to the Thacker Pass project. According to media reports, the Trump administration was seeking up to a 10 percent equity stake as part of amendments to the loan’s repayment structure.

In response, Lithium Americas offered no-cost warrants for 5 to 10 percent of its shares and agreed to cover related administrative costs, while requesting changes to the amortization schedule without altering the loan’s term or interest.

An agreement was reached on October 1 and Lithium Americas received the first US$435 million installment of the loan on October 20.

The company ended the year by announcing it was being added to the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX).

5. Sigma Lithium (NASDAQ:SGML)

Year-to-date gain: 20.23 percent
Market cap: US$1.5 billion
Share price: US$13.49

Sigma Lithium is a Brazil-focused lithium producer supplying chemical-grade lithium concentrate to the global battery market. The company operates the Grota do Cirilo project in Minas Gerais, one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium operations.

Sigma’s Greentech industrial lithium plant currently produces about 270,000 metric tons per year of lithium concentrate, equivalent to roughly 38,000 to 40,000 metric tons of LCE. The company is building a second processing plant that is expected to lift total capacity to approximately 520,000 metric tons of concentrate annually.

In September, Sigma Lithium’s flagship Grota do Cirilo operation in Brazil faced both regulatory scrutiny and operational disruption.

That month, Brazilian prosecutors requested a pause in operations after a technical review flagged shortcomings in the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment, citing potential water-management risks to the Piauí stream from planned open pits, a key water source for nearby communities, particularly during droughts.

While it denied issues with its EIA, Sigma paused mining to upgrade equipment and improve efficiency. The company phased down operations in September and shut the mine throughout October, leading to a sharp drop in output.

In mid-November, Sigma reported a strong Q3 2025, with net revenue rising 69 percent quarter-over-quarter and 36 percent year-over-year. The company generated US$24 million from final price settlements on sales completed by the end of Q3, with a further US$4 million in cash expected from additional settlements.

Sigma also expects to receive approximately US$33 million from the sale of 950,000 metric tons of lithium-bearing material that can be reprocessed by its customers, providing an additional near-term cash inflow.

Operationally, it said mining activities would restart by the end of November, with full ramp-up targeted for the first quarter of 2026. Because the company took over mining operations from its equipment contractor earlier in 2025, the restart is supported by upgraded equipment leased directly from manufacturers and operated in-house.

Sigma Lithium shares rose to a year-to-date high of US$14.50 on December 26.

Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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International Lithium Corp. (TSXV: ILC,OTC:ILHMF) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH) (‘ILC’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to note the upturn in lithium prices from their low in June 2025, and wishes to give guidance and clarification to the wider investor community for what this means for ILC’s Raleigh Lake project. The financial projections and assumptions in this release are already in the public domain as they were included in the Company’s previously published disclosures.

Since June 30, 2025, the price of Lithium Carbonate, the main lithium benchmark, has risen from USD 8,535 per tonne to USD 19,747 on January 8, 2026, a rise of 131%, while the price of Spodumene Concentrate containing 6% Lithium Oxide (‘SC6’) in the same period has risen from USD 630 to USD1,800 per tonne, a rise of 185%. The source for these prices is @LithiumPriceBot on X. The rise in SC6 has well outperformed even silver since June 2025. Obviously the low in June 2025 followed a very difficult previous 2 ½ years for lithium prices. At the present exchange rate of USD=CAD 1.3880, that means a SC6 price measured in CAD$ of CAD$2,498.40 per tonne.

When ILC published the technical report for its Preliminary Economic Assessment (‘PEA’) for Raleigh Lake on January 18, 2024*, ILC’s board and management had the foresight to request and publish some sensitivity analysis of the results, as any NPV or IRR calculation is critically dependent on the commodity sale price assumption. The relevant table in the Technical Report (Lithium only) is Table 22-6 shown below, and the sensitivity to the SC6 price assumption at the time of the Technical Report on Raleigh Lake was as per that table.

Interpolating this table linearly between the two numbers modelled in the PEA for the Spodumene SC6 price of CAD$ 2,100 per tonne and CAD$ 2,500 per tonne would mean that using as an input the spot price on January 8, 2026, of CAD$ 2,498.40 per tonne the Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return for the lithium only at the Raleigh Lake project calculated in the same way as in the table below and subject to the same disclaimers would give the following numbers using a discount rate of 8% p.a.:

Raleigh Lake Project, lithium only
Pre-tax Post-tax 
NPV (CAD$) 223.1 million NPV (CAD$) 215.1 million 
IRR % p.a. 33.1% IRR % p.a. 32.7% 

 

We believe that these are helpful numbers to publish now to put the lithium price recovery into context as far as ILC’s Raleigh Lake project is concerned. We would stress that the medium term price assumption for a commodity sale price is generally not the same as the current spot price. We have not considered or consulted with the consultants who wrote the report on what the appropriate medium term price might be as at today. We would also stress that prices can go down as well as up, and that costs may have varied since the PEA was completed in January 2024. It should be noted that the Maiden Resource Estimate at Raleigh Lake in April 2023 also quantified a rubidium resource there. The PEA was for lithium only, and did not include sales of rubidium or cesium or other minerals.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/279868_e870c4d4547e4951_003full.jpg

Separately, we can report that ILC has filed for the appropriate permissions to turn various mining claims at Raleigh Lake into a mining lease, and this process is now well underway. We are in the process of planning the work we wish to carry out this year at Raleigh Lake given the improvement in the economics. This includes attempting to complete a PEA for the rubidium there, despite the challenges of robust pricing assumptions for rubidium chemicals.

*A copy of The Report, ‘The Raleigh Lake Project, NI43-101 Technical Report – PEA’ is on the Company’s website and was filed on SEDAR on January 18, 2024.

Babak Vakili Azar, P.Geo, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has verified the disclosed technical information and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

About International Lithium Corp.

International Lithium Corp. has exploration activities in Ontario, Canada, with intentions to expand into Southern Africa. It has projects at various stages, ranging from Definitive Feasibility Study at Rubicon in Namibia (note that ILC currently has an option only and is treating this as historic information at this point and not a current resource for ILC) to Preliminary Economic Assessment at Raleigh Lake to Pre-Drilling at Wolf Ridge. The primary target metals in Canada are lithium, rubidium and copper. There are three projects (two in Ontario and one in Ireland) in which ILC has sold its share, but where the Company stands to receive future payments from either a resource milestone being achieved or from a Net Smelter Royalty. In Namibia the Karibib project contains lithium, rubidium and cesium.

While the world’s politicians remain divided on the future of the energy market’s historic dependence on oil and gas and on ‘Net Zero’, there is in any scenario an ever-increasing and significant demand for electricity driven by AI and data centres, and by a likely unstoppable momentum towards electric vehicles and grid-scale electricity storage. All of these contribute to rising demand for lithium, copper, and other metals. Rubidium is also a critical metal, strategic for high-precision clocks, space technology, and improving the performance of certain types of solar panels. ILC has seen the politically driven, increasingly urgent push by the USA, Canada, the EU, and other major economies to safeguard their supplies of critical metals and to become more self-sufficient. The Company’s Canadian and Southern African projects, which contain lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, are strategic in this regard.

The Company’s key mission for the next decade is to generate revenue for its shareholders from lithium and other critical minerals while also contributing to the creation of a greener, cleaner planet and less polluted cities.

This includes optimizing the value of ILC’s existing projects in Canada as well as finding, exploring and developing projects that have the potential to become world-class deposits. The Company announced that it regards Southern Africa as a key strategic target market and, in addition to Namibia, it has applied for and hopes to receive EPOs in Zimbabwe. The board hopes to make further announcements on the portfolio developments over the next few weeks and months.

The Company’s interests in various projects now consist of the following, and in addition, the Company continues to seek other opportunities:

Name Metal Location Stage Area in Hectares Current Ownership Percentage Future Ownership % if options exercised and/or residual interest Operator or JV Partner
Raleigh Lake Lithium
Rubidium
Ontario Dec 2023 : PEA for Li completed Apr 2023 Maiden Resource Estimates for Li and Rb 32,900 100% 100% ILC
Rubicon + Helikon + Exclusive Prospecting Licence Lithium
Rubidium
Cesium
Karibib, Namibia 2021 : Feasibility Study completed for Li, Rb and Cs under JORC 29,500 0 % 80% Lepidico; ILC if option exercised
Firesteel Copper, Cobalt Ontario Initial Drilling 6,600 90% 90% ILC
Wolf Ridge Lithium Ontario Pre-Drilling 5,700 0% 100% ILC
Mavis Lake Lithium Ontario May 2023
Maiden Resource Estimate
2,600 0% 0%
(carries an extra earn-in payment of AUD$ 0.75 million if resource targets met)
Critical Resources Limited 
Avalonia Lithium Ireland Drilling 29,200 0% 0%
2.0% Net Smelter Royalty
GFL Intl Co Ltd. (owned by Ganfeng Lithium Group Co. Ltd)
Forgan/
Lucky Lakes
Lithium Ontario Drilling < 500 0% 0%
1.5% Net Smelter Royalty
Power Minerals Limited 

 

The Company’s primary strategic focus at this point is on the Raleigh Lake Project, comprising lithium and rubidium, and the Firesteel copper project in Canada, as well as obtaining EPOs and mineral claims in Zimbabwe. The Karibib projects in Namibia, including further development of the EPL there, will be a high priority if ILC decides to remain involved.

The Raleigh Lake Project now encompasses 32,900 hectares (329 square kilometres) of mineral claims in Ontario and represents ILC’s most significant project in Canada. To date, drilling has occurred on less than 1,000 hectares of the Company’s claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment was published for ILC’s lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023, with a detailed economic analysis of ILC’s separate rubidium resource still pending. Raleigh Lake is 100% owned by ILC, free from any encumbrances and royalties. The Raleigh Lake Project boasts excellent access to roads, rail, and utilities.

A continuing goal has been to remain a well-funded, strategically run company that turns ILC’s aspirations into reality. Following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021, the Mavis Lake project in Canada in 2022, and the Avalonia project in 2025, ILC has continued to generate sufficient cash inflows to advance its exploration projects.

With increasing demand for high-tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, energy storage, and portable electronics, lithium has been dubbed ‘the new oil’. It is a key part of a green, sustainable economy. By positioning itself on projects with significant resource potential and solid strategic partners, ILC aims to become a preferred lithium and critical minerals resource developer for investors and to continue building value for its shareholders throughout the 2020s, the decade of battery metals.

On behalf of the Company,

John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO
www.internationallithium.ca

For further information concerning this news release, please contact info@internationallithium.ca or ILC@yellowjerseypr.com.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include: the timing of completion of any offering and the amount to be raised, the likelihood or otherwise of the Company exercising its option on Lepidico Mauritius, the outcome of arbitration involving Lepidico Namibia, the effect of results of anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Karibib or Raleigh Lake or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge projects, expected commodity prices, the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, lithium or rubidium or cesium or copper recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the company’s projects, the Company’s budgeted expenditures, government permits or approval for licences and licence renewals, future plans for expansion in Southern Africa and planned exploration work on its projects, increased value of shareholder investments in the Company, the potential from the Company’s third party earn-out or royalty arrangements, the future demand for lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our joint venture partners or shareholders in our projects or third party operators of projects or royalty partners. Such forward-looking information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled ‘Risks’ and ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ in the interim and annual Management’s Discussion and Analysis which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-looking information herein, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/279868

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Yvonne Blaszczyk, president and CEO of BMG Group, sees the gold price hitting US$5,000 per ounce in Q1 on the back of a complex geopolitical landscape.

‘In terms of the geopolitical configuration of the world, we are witnessing history right now,’ she said.

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

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(TheNewswire)

Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire – January 9th, 2025 Prismo Metals Inc. (‘Prismo’ or the ‘Company’) (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF) (OTCQB: PMOMF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Infinitum Copper Corp. (TSXV: INFI) (‘Infinitum’) whereby Prismo will increase its interest in the Hot Breccia copper project, located in the heart of Arizona’s prolific copper belt, from 75% to 95%. In addition, Prismo has obtained an irrevocable option to acquire Infinitum’s remaining 5% interest, providing a clear path to 100% interest in the project.

Alain Lambert, CEO of Prismo commented: ‘The absence of a clear mechanism to secure full ownership at Hot Breccia had previously limited our ability to fund drilling and pursue potential third-party partnerships. The transaction announced today totally removes that constraint and materially improves the strategic flexibility of the project.’

He added: ‘Prismo remains firmly committed to advancing Hot Breccia. The recent extension of certain milestone obligations under the option agreement with Walnut Mines LLC (the ‘Option Agreement‘), the owner of the Hot Breccia claims, together with the deal announced today, provides the Company with additional flexibility as we evaluate a range of strategic alternatives. Each of these pathways is intended to position Prismo to commence drilling on what we consider to be one of the most compelling copper exploration opportunities in Arizona and the broader United States.

Dr. Linus Keating, manager of Walnut Mines LLC, enthusiastically commented: ‘Walnut Mines is solidly in favor of any action that moves Hot Breccia closer to a serious drill program. We are hopeful that this transaction will accomplish that goal in 2026. In our opinion, this property remains one of the best copper exploration opportunities in North America.’

Under the terms of the transaction, Prismo will pay Infinitum CA $185,000 to acquire a 20% additional interest in the Hot Breccia project and assume all of Infinitum’s remaining obligations under the Option Agreement to issue shares to Walnut, which is currently evaluated at approximately CA $54,000 through the issuance of Prismo common shares at a deemed issue price of $0.11 per share, subject to adjustments at closing. Prismo has also agreed to pay 5% of any consideration received in connection with a transaction in which Prismo assigns its interest in Hot Breccia to a third-party. The cash payment will be funded through a third party as an advance to the Company and will not utilize its working capital which is earmarked for the advancement of the Silver King project. Closing of the transaction is expected to take place on or around January 16th.

Prismos Hot Breccia project lies at the heart of the Arizona Copper Belt, which hosts several globally significant porphyry copper deposits.  Examples of these significant deposits are Freeport McMoRan’s Miami-Inspiration mining complex, BHP’s San Manuel mine, Rio Tinto and BHP’s Resolution deposit and others (see Figure 1).  

Figure 1. Location of the Hot Breccia Project in the Arizona Copper Belt.

Historical drilling carried out in the mid to late 1970s by a Rio Tinto subsidiary intersected high-grade copper mineralization at depths ranging from 640 to 830 meters below surface. Several holes targeted an area with a coincident magnetic high, believed to be caused by magnetite skarn that was cut in the drill holes and that occurs in xenoliths in cross cutting dikes exposed at the surface. Prismo believes those intercepts may represent the periphery of the upper portion of a large mineralized system.  

Support for the Companys mineralization model at the project comes from several sources, including the results of historical drilling, geophysical surveys, distribution of dikes with xenoliths of Cu-bearing skarn, the 2023 ZTEM survey as well as the results of an AI study. The anomalous target area identified in Prismos modelling measures 1,100 meters by 1,150 meters.  

Dr. Craig Gibson, Chief Exploration Officer of Prismo stated: The copper exploration target at Hot Breccia has geophysical, geochemical and geological features characteristic of many porphyry copper deposits. The project area has a regional setting similar to BHP-Rio Tinto’s Resolution copper deposit located 40 kilometers to the northwest of Hot Breccia and which is considered to be one of the greatest copper discoveries in the history of North American mining.‘  He added: The drill program is intended to drill through the entire prospective Paleozoic carbonate stratigraphy into the postulated porphyry body/breccia zone. The exploration team will take advantage of geological information provided by each hole during drilling to refine targeting of subsequent holes.

Historical drill holes cut high grade skarn mineralization including 23 meters with 0.54% Cu at 640 meters depth (hole OC-1), 18 m with 1.4% Cu and 4.65% Zn at 830 meters depth (hole OCC-7), and 7.6 m with 1.73% Cu and 0.11% Zn at 703 meters and 4.6 meters with 1.4% Cu and 0.88% Zn at 716 meters (OCC-8).  Mineralization occurs within a several hundred-meter-thick altered zone hosted in favorable Paleozoic carbonate rocks that underly a sequence of Cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks.  These carbonates are the same rocks that host the high-grade copper mineralization at Freeports nearby Christmas mine.  The historical drilling intersected a blind mineralized intrusion associated with the skarn mineralization, providing an immediate drill target that is believed to be the source of the mineralization at Hot Breccia (Figure 2). Several magnetic highs in the region surrounding the proposed intrusion may also indicated buried skarn mineralization and provide additional exploration targets.


Click Image To View Full Size

 

Figure 2. Schematic cross section at Hot Breccia showing updated interpretation after Barrett (1974).

Notes:

  1. (1)Barrett, Larry Frank (1972): Igneous Intrusions and Associated Mineralization in the Saddle Mountain Mining District Pinal County, Arizona. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, University of Utah. 

  2. (2)Barrett, Larry Frank (1974): Diamond drill hole OC-1, O’Carroll Canyon, Pinal County, Arizona, unpublished internal report, Bear Creek Mining. 

About Hot Breccia

The Hot Breccia property consists of 1,420 hectares in 227 contiguous mining claims located in the world class Arizona Copper Belt between several very well understood world-class copper mines including Morenci, Ray and Resolution (Figure 1). Hot Breccia shows many features in common with these neighboring systems, most prominently a swarm of porphyry dikes and series of breccia pipes containing numerous fragments of well copper-mineralized rocks mixed with fragments of volcanic and sedimentary derived from considerable depth. Prismo performed a ZTEM survey last year that identified a very large conductive anomaly directly beneath the breccia outcrops.  

Sampling at the project has shown the presence of copper mineralization associated with dacite dikes that transported fragments of strongly mineralized carbonate rocks to the surface from depths believed to be 400-1,000 meters. Drilling deep holes is necessary to tap into the source of these mineralized fragments found at surface.

Assay results from historical drill holes are unverified as the core has been destroyed, but information has been gathered from memos, photos and drill logs that contain some, but not all, of the assay results and descriptions.  Technical information from adjacent or nearby properties does not mean nor does it imply that Prismo will obtain similar results from its own properties.

Data on previous drilling and geophysics is historical in nature and has not been verified, is not compliant with NI 43-101 standards and should not be relied upon; the Company is using the information only as a guide to aid in exploration planning.

Qualified Person

Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-01 and Chief Exploration Officer and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release.

About Prismo Metals Inc.

Prismo (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF) is a mining exploration company focused on advancing its Hot Breccia copper project in Arizona and its Palos Verdes silver project in Mexico.

Please follow @PrismoMetals on , , , Instagram, and

Prismo Metals Inc.

1100 – 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6  Phone: (416) 361-0737

Contact:

Alain Lambert, Chief Executive Officer alain.lambert@prismometals.com

Gordon Aldcorn, President gordon.aldcorn@prismometals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as intends‘ or anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may’, could‘, should‘, would‘ or occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as ‘forwardlooking statements’, are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management’s expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the timing, costs and anticipated results of drilling at Hot Breccia; the ability of Prismo to fund drilling and pursue potential third-party partnerships; the Company’s strategic flexibility with respect to the Hot Breccia project going forward; the number of shares issuable by Prismo to Walnut pursuant to the transaction described in this news release; and the Company’s expectations regarding mineralization and other qualities of the Hot Breccia project.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: delays in obtaining or failure to obtain appropriate funding to finance the exploration program at Hot Breccia; the risk that the Company will not enter into a third-party partnership with respect to the Hot Breccia project; the risk that mineralization will not be as anticipated at the project; the risk that the Company will not be able to take advantage of geological information to refine drill targeting; metal prices; market uncertainty; and other risks and uncertainties application to exploration activities and the Company’s business as set forth in the Company’s disclosure documents available for viewing under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the ability to raise capital to fund the drilling campaign at Hot Breccia and the timing of such drilling campaign; the ability of the Company to enter into a third-party partnership on the project; that the project will have the anticipated mineralization and other qualities; and the  Company will be able to take advantage of geological information to refine drill targeting.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, 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 statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

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