Interview with Blaine Monaghan, President & CEO of Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/pacific-ridge-exploration-tsxvpex-fiore-group-backing-fuels-250m-ton-copper-resource-push-7283

Recording date: 3rd October 2025

Pacific Ridge Exploration Limited (TSXV: PEX) is positioning itself to become British Columbia's leading copper exploration company at what management believes represents a significant valuation discount to peers. Trading at a $14 million market capitalization, the company recently reported its maiden resource estimate for the Kliyul project showing 334 million tons at 0.33% copper equivalent, containing 2.42 billion pounds copper equivalent. This includes 1.2 billion pounds of copper, 2.74 million ounces of gold, and 10 million ounces of silver.

The company's trajectory shifted dramatically following a $3 million financing led by the Fiore Group in June 2025, which increased the market cap from $3 million to its current $14 million valuation. President and CEO Blaine Monaghan emphasized that this partnership provides critical validation from one of the strongest mining houses around, backed by billionaire capital and a strong technical team. The financing enabled Pacific Ridge to complete its resource estimate and execute drilling programs at both Kliyul and the RDP project.

The Kliyul deposit offers several distinguishing characteristics. The mineralization is hosted in a single contiguous zone that remains open in multiple directions, representing just one target along a 6-kilometer mineralized trend with five additional poorly-tested targets. Monaghan articulated a strategy favoring new discoveries over incremental resource expansion, believing capital is better deployed testing untested targets that could dramatically increase overall project value.

The RDP project, located 40 kilometers west of Kliyul, returned a standout intercept of 107 meters grading 1.4% copper equivalent in 2022 when under option to Antofagasta. With the project now back under company control, Pacific Ridge completed five drill holes totaling 2,100 meters in 2025, with copper sulfides intersected in all holes. Results remain pending and represent a significant near-term catalyst that management believes could drive substantial revaluation in the current favorable market environment for copper exploration.

View Pacific Ridge Exploration's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/pacific-ridge-exploration

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Recording date: 2nd October 2025

Welcome back to Compass, Olive Resource Capital’s weekly markets and portfolio insights show, hosted by Derek MacPherson (Executive Chairman) and Sam Pelaez (President, CEO & CIO). Each week, we cut through the noise in mining and metals, highlighting the most important macro developments and drilling down into the companies shaping our portfolio.

In this episode, we unpack a week of pivotal news for both major gold producers and junior explorers. At the very top of the market, Newmont and Barrick—two of the world’s largest gold companies—announced leadership changes on the same day. Newmont’s move was a planned succession from COO to CEO, signaling stability and continuity as the company enters a new phase of growth. Barrick, however, surprised the market with an interim appointment following the sudden departure of Mark Bristow. This contrast highlights the broader cycle shift from defensive, balance-sheet-focused leadership to growth-oriented CEOs ready to capitalise on a bull gold market.

The coincidence of both announcements has reignited speculation about deeper industrial alignment. With Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo already jointly operated, strategic synergies are clear. A combined or further integrated entity could also benefit from passive investment flows, with Newmont’s S&P 500 inclusion forcing index-tracking funds to increase their exposure. While no deal has been announced, the industrial and financial rationale for closer alignment between Newmont and Barrick is stronger than ever.

Beyond the majors, the week delivered extraordinary news from Olive’s portfolio companies. Sterling Metals announced a discovery hole at its Soo Copper project in Ontario - 262 metres at 1% copper equivalent—re-rating the stock by more than 200% in a single day. Years of geological groundwork positioned the company for this success, underscoring the importance of disciplined preparation.

Prospector Metals delivered another standout intercept: 44 metres at 13 g/t gold with 1.8% copper at its Mike Lake project. Shares surged nearly 280% and have held those gains. As part of the Discovery Group, Prospector demonstrated how systematic geological work and strong stewardship can unlock transformative discoveries.

By contrast, Midnight Sun Mining illustrates the risk of overextended valuations. The company reported nearly 40 metres at .5% copper from its Dumbwa target in Zambia, yet shares fell around 20% as the market had already priced in perfection. The case highlights why entry point and expectations matter as much as geological success.

The financing environment also shows renewed strength, with over C$100 million raised across juniors in the past week. With seasonal drill programs now underway, investors should expect a steady cadence of results through year-end. Majors may also lean further into M&A, project acceleration, and capital returns as gold prices remain near record highs.

Interview with CEO Darren Bowden

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/metals-exploration-lsemtl-self-funded-nicaragua-gold-mine-targets-140k-oz-start-in-q4-2026-7323

Recording date: 30th September 2025

Metals Exploration presents a rare combination of near-term production growth and genuine exploration upside that makes it stand out in today's gold sector. With the Nicaragua project tracking ahead of schedule toward November 2026 first gold and the Philippines operation generating $110-120 million in annual cash flow, the company is executing a self-funded growth strategy that eliminates dilution risk while maintaining aggressive exploration programs.

The Nicaragua build represents a transformational step-change for the company. All major equipment has been purchased, earthworks are complete, and the $160 million budget remains intact. More importantly, Nicaragua will produce 50% more ounces than the Philippines operation at roughly the same cost structure, bringing all-in sustaining costs down to $900-1000 per ounce. In an environment where many producers cite $1,400 as the new normal, this sub-$1,000 cost structure translates to 60%+ operating margins at current gold prices a genuine competitive advantage.
What separates Metals Exploration from typical development stories is management's proven track record. Over six years, the Philippines operation has maintained just 2% annual cost growth versus industry averages of 10-15%. This isn't theoretical cost control it's demonstrated operational excellence that provides confidence in Nicaragua's projected economics.

Beyond production growth, the exploration portfolio offers asymmetric upside. Dupax drilling begins immediately, targeting VMS mineralization that could feed existing permitted infrastructure. But the real company-maker potential lies at Abra, where copper-molybdenum and copper-gold porphyry targets sit in the Cordillera belt home to the Philippines' largest copper-gold deposits including the 40-million-ounce Far Southeast system. CEO Darren Bowden characterizes Nicaragua and Dupax as "forerunners to give us the cash" to develop Abra, the company's "white whale."

For investors seeking operational excellence combined with tier-one discovery potential, Metals Exploration offers a compelling risk-reward profile. The strategy is elegant: proven cash flow funds patient exploration capital toward potentially transformational discoveries, all without equity dilution. That's increasingly rare in today's gold sector.

Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.com

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