Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$105,464 as markets opened for the week, up 1.9 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$105,426 and a high of US$107,826.

Bitcoin price performance, June 9, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Rising institutional enthusiasm countered cautious macro sentiment over the weekend propping up Bitcoin’s value. A standout factor was Circle’s (NYSE:CRCL) June 5 IPO, shares surged 70 percent (US$117.53) following its debut debut and reinforced growing investor confidence in digital-assets infrastructure.

Meanwhile, markets have remained wary ahead of US–China trade talks in London.

Ethereum (ETH) began the day at US$2,518.20, a .13 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$2,482.70 and saw a daily high of US$2,544.95.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) opened at US$152.10, up 3.9 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$149.53 and reached a high of US$156.16 on Monday.

• XRP is trading at US$2.21, trading flat over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.23 and a high of US$2.29.

• Sui (SUI) peaked at US$3.22, showing an increaseof 3.9 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$3.19, and its highest was US$3.34.

• Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.6651, up 0.9 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.6586, and it reached a high of US$0.6777.

Today’s crypto news to know

Crypto funds hit record high in May

Crypto investment funds saw their assets surge to a record US$167 billion in May, driven by a growing appetite for risk and shifting investor strategies amid global market uncertainty.

According to data from Morningstar, nearly US$7.1 billion flowed into 294 tracked crypto funds last month—the largest inflow since December.

Analysts say the trend reflects a dual motivation: investors hedging against potential US market downturns and diversifying their portfolios beyond equities and gold.

Bitcoin, which rose over 15 percent since the start of the year (US$94,393 – US$107,761), has outpaced both the MSCI World Index and gold, reinforcing its appeal as a “new age” store of value.

Bitcoin and ether ETFs in the US are also driving institutional inflows, while gold and equity funds saw significant outflows last month.

Michael Saylor dismisses quantum threat to Bitcoin

Despite warnings from researchers and even BlackRock that quantum computing could break crypto’s encryption, Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) chairman Michael Saylor isn’t sweating it.

Speaking on CNBC, Saylor waved off the existential threat narrative, comparing it to marketing hype from those pushing “quantum tokens.”

He argued that any true quantum threat would be neutralized through a software upgrade to the Bitcoin protocol as major companies continue to patch security holes.

Behind the scenes, crypto developers are already drafting proposals to transition Bitcoin to quantum-resistant systems, including potential hard forks.

For now, the market remains unfazed—Bitcoin continues to trade above US$100K, with no sign of quantum fear priced in.

Bitcoin enters Kibera, Africa’s largest slum

Through a nonprofit initiative by fintech firm AfriBit Africa, roughly 200 residents in Soweto West now use Bitcoin to pay for goods and services, including vegetables and motorcycle rides.

Most of the crypto circulation stems from a local garbage collection program, where youth are paid in small Bitcoin grants after weekend cleanups.

Advocates say the effort provides financial access to the undocumented and unbanked, bypassing high fees from Kenya’s dominant M-PESA mobile system.

Empire Metals Limited, the AIM-quoted and OTCQB-traded resource exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the results from its most recent titanium dioxide (‘TiO₂‘) product development testwork programme, carried out on mineral flotation concentrates produced from the in-situ mineralised weathered cap that extends across the giant Pitfield Project (‘Pitfield’), located in Western Australia.

Highlights

• A very high-purity TiO₂ product, assaying at 99.25% TiO₂ has been achieved through conventional beneficiation, leaching and refining processes.
• The TiO₂ product contains non-detectable, or extremely low levels of deleterious impurities and is expected to be suitable for high-quality titanium sponge metal or high-grade titanium dioxide pigment production.
• Bulk samples collected from the weathered cap (announced 17 February 2025) have been delivered to the metallurgical laboratory and these will be utilised to produce multiple, finished product samples for marketing purposes.

Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said: ‘We have achieved an extraordinary outcome from our most recent product development testwork, which has delivered an exceptional high-grade, high-purity TiO₂ product that should be ideal for either titanium sponge metal or high-quality TiO₂ pigment production.

‘It is remarkable that our technical team has so rapidly produced a high-purity TiO₂ product. We believe this not only highlights the effectiveness of our processing approach but also underscores the potential value of our product. Metallurgical testing and process optimisation continues, and with the availability of the 70 tonnes of bulk sample collected in February we will now be able to significantly scale up the testwork and produce a variety of final product samples to share with prospective downstream end-users.’

Product Development Testwork

An acid bake-water leach process using sulphuric acid was applied, with parameters similar to that tested during the initial product development test programme (announced 10 March 2025). The TiO₂ product purification and product finishing stages were tested at ALS Metallurgy laboratories, located in Perth, Western Australia. All assays were conducted at ALS Metallurgy by their in-house metallurgy-specific assay lab.

The most recent product development metallurgical test work was undertaken on flotation concentrates recovered from the near surface, highly weathered in-situ saprolitic zone. Diamond drill core collected from two holes, DD24TOM004 and DD24TOM005, formed the feed composite (refer Figure 1). The composite sample was passed through a wet scrubber to break up the clays and attrition the ore prior to desliming the resulting slurry over a 38µm screen. The coarse material was fed to a gravity test circuit and the finer fraction (-38µm) was processed via froth flotation. The rougher (first stage) flotation concentrate generated from multiple, repetitive flotation tests were then blended to form the feedstock for a subsequent acid leach stage (refer Figure 2).

Two subsamples of flotation concentrate were leached under the following different conditions:

1. Direct acid bake followed by hot water leach

2. Dilute acid pre-leach followed by direct acid bake and hot water leach.

For both tests iron filings were added to the hot water wash phase to reduce the iron in the ferric (Fe³⁺) state to the ferrous (Fe²⁺) state, thus removing the iron from the solution. In this acid leach stage the titanium is recovered from the mineral concentrates into the liquor as titanyl sulphate (TiSO₄) and the residue solids and liquor are then separated after the water leach step, using filtration, with the liquor moving forward for purification and product finishing testwork.

The next step in the purification process is the hydrolysis stage, which involves the heating of the liquor, thus breaking down the titanyl sulphate and resulting in the production of hydrated TiO₂ and the recovery of H₂SO₄. This step was carried out in two stages without seed TiO₂ material, an improvement from previous work. The solution was heated to 106 degrees C and held at temperature whilst being stirred for 2 hours. The resulting slurry was then centrifuged to separate the liquor from the precipitated solids. Finally, as part of the product finishing stage, the hydrated TiO₂ was separated from the liquor using a centrifuge, and the solids were then calcined to remove water and produce a high-purity TiO₂ compound (see figure 3).

The final chemical analysis of the TiO₂ product indicates a very high purity of 99.25% TiO₂ by mass with non-detectable or extremely low amounts of deleterious impurities (see table 1).

Figure 1. Saprolite composite sample before scrubbing/attritioning

.

Figure 2. Flotation test on the saprolite composite slimes fraction

Table 1. Finished Product Analysis

Figure 3. Purification and product finishing testwork, photos from left to right: titanyl sulphate solution from leaching stage, hydrated TiO₂ produced from hydrolysis, and the calcined TiO₂ product.

The Pitfield Titanium Project

Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region’s capital and major port. Western Australia is ranked as one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world according to the Fraser Institute’s Investment Attractiveness Index published in 2023, and has mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines as well as a green energy hydrogen fuel hub, which is under planning and development (refer Figure 4).

Figure 4. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services.

Competent Person Statement

The scientific and technical information in this report that relates to process metallurgy is based on information reviewed by Ms Narelle Marriott, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Ms Marriott is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Ms. Marriott consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

The technical information in this report that relates to the geology and exploration of the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr. Faragher is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.

**ENDS**

For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:

About Empire Metals Limited

Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQB-traded exploration and resource development company (LON:EEE)(OTCQB:EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.

The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.

An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO₂. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO₂.

The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.

Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.

The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.

*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

Click here to connect with Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$104,245 as markets closed for the week, up 2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$104,006 and a high of US$105,201.

Bitcoin price performance, June 6, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

After dipping below US$101,000 during the dispute between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Bitcoin recovered to around US$105,000 early in the trading day, influenced by a strong US labor report.

Despite the rebound, analysts are wary due to technical indicators like a weakening relative strength index, suggesting potential downside. A possible rate cut from the US Federal Reserve on June 18 could push Bitcoin to US$112,000, but the outlook is uncertain. Order book data indicates a liquidity trap, and limited short interest points to a fragile recovery.

Additional selling pressure and investor distrust are contributing to shaky market sentiment.

Ethereum (ETH) finished the trading day at US$2,490.63, a 2 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$2,482.52 and saw a daily high of US$2,519.25.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) closed at US$149.26, trading flat over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$148.86 and reached a high of US$151.79 on Friday.

• XRP is trading at US$2.17, reflecting a 1.6 percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.16 and a high of US$2.18.

• Sui (SUI) peaked at US$3.18, showing an increaseof 5.7 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$3.16, and its highest was US$3.19.

• Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.663, up 2.8 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.6604, and it reached a high of US$0.6693.

Today’s crypto news to know

Uber considers stablecoins for cost reduction

On stage at the San Francisco-based Bloomberg Tech Summit on Thursday (June 5), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company is “definitely going to take a look” at using stablecoins to help reduce the cost of moving money around the world.

“We’re still in the study phase, I’d say, but stablecoin is one of the, for me, more interesting instantiations of crypto that has a practical benefit other than crypto as a store of value,” he said. “Obviously, you can have your opinions on Bitcoin, but it’s a proven commodity, and you know, people have different opinions on where it’s going,” he added.

UK set to lift ban on retail access to crypto ETNs

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced plans to lift its ban on retail investors buying crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs), a major shift from its earlier risk-averse stance.

Initially barred due to concerns over volatility and investor protection, the FCA now says consumers should have the right to choose whether these high-risk assets fit their portfolios. David Geale, the FCA’s digital assets chief, said the move is part of a broader push to ‘rebalance’ the regulator’s approach to financial risk. The proposal, which would allow ETNs to be sold on FCA-registered investment exchanges, will now enter a public consultation phase.

This regulatory pivot follows the UK’s introduction of draft laws in April aimed at integrating crypto into the formal financial system. The FCA emphasized that its separate ban on crypto derivatives for retail traders will remain in place.

Switzerland adopts crypto information exchange bill

The government of Switzerland has adopted a bill to enable the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) on crypto with 74 partner countries, including the UK, all EU member states and most G20 countries.

The measure excludes the US, Saudi Arabia and China. The bill is currently under discussion in parliament and, if approved, the AEOI framework for crypto assets will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Switzerland will only engage in AEOI with partner states that also desire information exchange with Switzerland.

Strategy to raise nearly US$1 billion to buy more Bitcoin

Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), the company known for its aggressive Bitcoin acquisition strategy, is launching a nearly US$1 billion capital raise through its new 10 percent Series A STRD preferred stock. The offering includes over 11 million shares and promises a high fixed yield, making it attractive to yield-hungry investors in a low-rate environment.

Unlike other Strategy offerings like STRK (convertible) and STRF (senior status), STRD offers the highest payout at 10 percent, but comes with more risk due to its non-cumulative dividend and junior status. Dividends are only issued when declared, and the shares cannot be called under normal market conditions.

Proceeds will go toward “general corporate purposes,” which notably include expanding its Bitcoin holdings.

Metaplanet plans US$5.3 billion warrant offering to scale Bitcoin treasury

Tokyo-based Metaplanet (OTCQX:MTPLF,TSE:3350) is taking its Bitcoin commitment to the next level with a massive US$5.3 billion stock warrant issuance, the largest of its kind in Japan.

The company is offering 555 million shares through stock acquisition rights, using a novel moving-strike pricing model that adjusts with market value — a first in the Japanese market.

This 555 Million Plan follows an earlier US$600 million raise and is part of Metaplanet’s goal to hold over 210,000 BTC by 2027, approximately 1 percent of total Bitcoin supply.

The vast majority of the proceeds — around 96 percent — will go toward direct Bitcoin purchases, while a small fraction will support debt management and derivative strategies like selling puts.

Maple Finance expands syrupUSD to Solana

Lending platform Maple Finance announced on Thursday that it has expanded user access by deploying its syrupUSD yield-bearing stablecoin to Solana-based platforms Kamino and Orca.

Previously, it had only been available on the Ethereum blockchain.

According to the announcement, Solana integration is launching with US$30 million in liquidity, which will establish “a deep and stable foundation for lending, trading, and collateral provisioning.’

This new system was made possible by using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which started operating on the Solana main network on May 19. CCIP lets different blockchain systems, specifically those using Ethereum Virtual Machine and Solana Virtual Machine technology, share information.

The ability to transfer data between these distinct blockchain environments is expected to significantly boost efficient and affordable growth within the digital ecosystem.

Marathon project gets shovel-ready nod from Ontario

Ontario has designated Generation Mining’s (TSX:GENM,OTCQB:GENMF) Marathon project as a shovel-ready strategic minerals project, urging the federal government to invest in its development.

The project, located in Northwestern Ontario, is fully permitted for construction and is expected to produce significant quantities of copper, palladium, platinum, gold and silver over its anticipated 13 year mine life.

The announcement comes after the release of an open letter to Tim Hodgson, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources. It identifies priority projects for Ontario and was penned by provincial ministers Stephen Lecce, Mike Harris and Greg Rickford, as well as associate ministers Kevin Holland and Sam Oosterhoff.

“Building on the investments in the Ring of Fire and the critical minerals supply chain we urge the federal government to invest in shovel-ready strategic mineral projects that are critical to building a secure, domestic supply chain including…Generation Mining’s Marathon project,” the Thursday (June 5) letter reads.

The Ontario government is facing mounting backlash over the recent passage of Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act. It grants the province authority to bypass certain provincial and municipal laws for projects deemed economically significant, aiming to expedite developments like mining operations.

However, Indigenous leaders and environmental groups have criticized the bill, arguing that it undermines treaty rights and environmental protections.

Rio Tinto and Baowu open US$2 billion iron ore mine

Rio Tinto and China Baowu Steel Group have opened the Western Range iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, marking a significant milestone in both resource development and Indigenous collaboration.

The US$2 billion joint venture, owned 54 percent by Rio Tinto and 46 percent by Baowu, is projected to produce up to 25 million metric tons of iron ore annually, sustaining the Paraburdoo mining hub for approximately 20 years.

Western Range is the first Rio Tinto project to implement a co-designed social, cultural and heritage management plan (SCHMP) with the Yinhawangka Traditional Owners.

Established in 2022, the SCHMP aims to protect significant cultural and heritage values in the area.

Robyn Hayden, Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation board chairwoman, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “The opening of the Western Range mine represents a shift in how our heritage is being recognised and respected,” she is quoted as saying in Rio Tinto’s Friday (June 6) press release.

Alongside the Western Range opening, Rio Tinto announced that development is moving forward at its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia under an alternative mine plan.

While ramp up remains on track, with output from Panel 0 and Panel 2 expected in 2025 and 2026, the company has paused development in the Entrée Resources (TSX:ETG,OTCQB:ERLFF) joint venture area.

The pause will remain in place until the Mongolian government completes a necessary license transfer. Rio Tinto is instead accelerating work in Panel 2 South, which lies outside the Entrée joint venture zone. Copper guidance for 2025 remains unchanged at 780,000 to 850,000 metric tons.

Indonesia reviews nickel mining in biodiversity hotspot

Indonesia’s government has initiated a review of nickel-mining activities in the Raja Ampat archipelago, a region renowned for its rich biodiversity and often referred to as the ‘last paradise.’

The decision follows public outcry and Greenpeace Indonesia’s release of videos highlighting environmental degradation caused by nickel-mining operations on the islands of Gag, Kawe and Manuran

Greenpeace’s analysis indicates that over 500 hectares of forest and native vegetation have been cleared for nickel mining in these areas, leading to soil runoff and sedimentation that threaten coral reefs and marine ecosystems. These islands are classified as small islands under Indonesian law, which prohibits mining activities in such regions.

Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, Indonesia’s environment minister, announced plans to visit the affected areas and stated that the government will take legal action against mining firms operating there after conducting thorough studies.

The energy ministry also suspended operations at Gag Nikel’s operations in Raja Ampat pending an inspection.

The nation is the world’s top producer of nickel, outputting 2.2 million metric tons in 2024. Indonesia’s nickel sector has undergone major shifts in 2025, with the government slashing mining quotas in response to falling prices and pledging to implement stricter ESG standards across its resource industries.

Nickel prices have been turbulent this year, opening the 12 month period at US$15,010 per metric ton and rising to a year-to-date high of US$16,440 in mid-March. Supply saturation weighed on the market through to April, when values sank to a year-to-date low of US$13,805. Prices have since rebounded and are sitting at the US$15,285 level.

Chile unveils model to reduce energy footprint for seawater use in mining

According to a recently published study, Chilean researchers at the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Concepción have developed a real-time energy management model that uses predictive economic control to optimize power use in large-scale water-pumping stations.

The model was tested on a system supplying a reverse osmosis plant in Northern Chile, and integrates solar photovoltaic energy and battery storage to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

The site features seven 1,343 kilowatt pumps that transport water 120 kilometers uphill over a 1,000 meter elevation gain. Simulations compared conventional operation with hybrid setups using solar and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Megapack batteries, showing the potential for more sustainable and cost-effective water transport.

‘The study was motivated by the sustained increase in electricity consumption associated with pumping seawater for mineral concentration processes, an increasingly common practice in areas with water scarcity,” said Daniel Sbarbaro, a researcher at SERC Chile and author of the paper.

This development is significant for lithium miners in Chile’s Atacama Desert, where freshwater resources are scarce and the mining industry increasingly relies on seawater desalination for operations.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, major indexes were mixed at the end of the week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) climbed 0.93 percent during the week to close at 26,429.13 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) had a larger gain of 3.06 percent to 721.60 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) rose 1.7 percent to 117.55.

US equities were in positive territory this week, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) gaining 1.76 percent to close at 6,000.37, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rising 2.31 percent to 21,761.79 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) adding 1.33 percent to 42,762.88.

The gold price was up this week, gaining 1.02 percent, to close Friday at US$3,322.73. The silver price saw more significant gains, surging 8.92 percent during the period to US$35.91, their highest since 2012.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price rose 4.78 percent over the week to US$4.86 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) posted a gain of 3.87 percent to close at 545.00.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

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

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Africa Energy (TSXV:AFE)

Weekly gain: 275 percent
Market cap: C$71.87
Share price: C$0.15

Africa Energy is a South Africa-focused oil and gas exploration and development company.

Its flagship asset is Block 11B/12B located approximately 175 kilometers off the south coast of South Africa. The block covers an area of 18,734 square kilometers and depths between 200 meters and 1,800 meters.

Africa Energy previously held a 4.9 percent stake in the project through its 49/51 joint venture with Arostyle Investments named Main Street 1549, which owned 10 percent of the asset. The remaining partners were project operator TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) at 45 percent, Qatar Petroleum at 25 percent and CNR International (TSX:CNQ,NYSE:CNQ) at 20 percent.

Main Street 1549’s three partners announced plans to withdraw from the Block 11B/12B joint venture in July 2024, and discussions on restructuring the ownership had been underway since.

Shares in Africa Energy began surging May 29 after Africa Energy announced a definitive agreement for the new ownership structure of the Block 11B/12B asset.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement between Africa Energy and Arostyle Investments, Africa Energy will increase its ownership of Main Street from a 49 percent to 100 percent stake. Additionally, the withdrawing parties assigned 65 percent of their participating interest in Block 11B/12B to Main Street and 25 percent to Arostyle.

The result will see Africa Energy increase its stake in the asset from 4.9 percent to 75 percent.

2. Allegiant Gold (TSXV:AUAU)

Weekly gain: 95 percent
Market cap: C$17.24
Share price: C$0.39

Allegiant Gold is a gold exploration company working to advance several projects in Nevada, United States.

Its flagship project is Eastside, located in Esmeralda County, consists of 973 unpatented lode mining claims covering 8,289 hectares. Nearly 70,000 meters of drilling has been carried out at the property since 2011.

A July 2021 mineral resource estimate showed inferred quantities at the site of 1.09 million ounces of gold with an average grade of 0.55 g/t and 8.7 million ounces of silver with an average grade of 4.4 g/t from 61.73 million tons of ore.

The most recent news from the company was announced on May 29, when it stated that its previously announced one-for-two share consolidation would take effect on Monday, June 2.

3. LaFleur Minerals (CSE:LFLR)

Weekly gain: 89.66 percent
Market cap: C$37.46
Share price: C$0.275

LaFleur Minerals is an exploration and development company working to advance a pair of projects in Quebec, Canada.

Its Swanson Gold project consists of a 15,290 hectare land package in the southern portion of Quebec’s Abitibi gold belt. Historic drilling at the site has uncovered 958 holes, revealing broad mineralization with widths of up to 40 meters. Additionally, the site has also had underground workings to a vertical depth of 80 meters to carry out bulk sampling.

A September 2024 mineral resource estimate suggested total indicated resources of 123,400 ounces of gold from 2.11 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1.8 grams per metric ton (g/t) along with additional inferred quantities of 64,500 g/t from 872,000 metric tons with an average grade of 2.3 g/t.

The company’s other property, the Beacon Mill and Mine, is a past-producing mine, also located in the Abitibi gold belt. LaFleur acquired the mine in September 2024 as part of a receivership sale. Monarch Mining previously owned the mine, which has been on care and maintenance since 2022.

Most recently, the mine underwent a C$20 million refurbishment in 2022 and is capable of processing 750 metric tons of ore per day.

Shares in LaFleur gained this week after it announced updates for both properties on Wednesday.

At Swanson, it stated that it was planning a 5,000-meter drilling program, set to begin in June, with more than 50 targets having been identified. Additionally, the company announced that it is targeting early 2026 for the restart.

4. Eastern Platinum (TSX:ELR)

Weekly gain: 84.85 percent
Market cap: C$37.46
Share price: C$0.305

Eastern Platinum, also known as Eastplats, is a platinum group metal (PGM) and chrome mining, development and exploration company working to advance assets in South Africa.

Its most advanced asset is the Crocodile River mine, located northwest of Johannesburg. The mine began operating in 1987, but production was suspended in the early 1990s due to falling PGM prices. Since then, the mine saw some limited production in the early 2000s before once again being suspended.

After significant rehabilitation, chrome and PGM production from site tailings was restarted at the site in 2018 and 2020 respectively, and underground operations at the Zandfontein mine restarted in October 2023. In October of last year, Eastplats began commissioning a PGM processing plant that will process ore from Zandfontein.

A technical report from May 2022 demonstrated a proven and probable resource of 1.72 million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, with an average grade of 3.68 g/t from 14.58 million metric tons of ore.

Although the company did not release news this week, shares in Eastplats gained alongside a surging platinum price.

5. TNR Gold (TSXV:TNR)

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$15.06
Share price: C$0.095

TNR Gold is an exploration and royalty company with a focus on the acquisition of green energy and gold assets.

The company owns the Shotgun Gold project in Alaska’s Kuskokwim Gold Belt. The property consists of 108 claims covering an area of 6,993 hectares. A 2013 technical report showed inferred quantities of 705,960 ounces of gold from 20.73 million metric tons of gold with an average grade of 1.06 g/t with a cutoff of 0.5 g/t.

Its royalty investments include a 1.5 percent net smelter royalty from Ganfeng Lithium’s (OTC Pink:GNENF) Marina Lithium project in Argentina. It also holds a 0.4 percent net smelter royalty in McEwen Mining’s (NYSE:MUX,TSX:MUX) Los Azules Copper, Gold and Silver Project, also in Argentina.

The latest news from TNR came on May 14 when it released a corporate update. In the release the company highlighted its success from the royalty portion of its business, and provided updates from its key investments.

It also said it was looking to attract a partnership with a major gold mining company to help advance its Alaskan Shotgun project.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

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.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$104,245 as markets closed for the week, up 2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$104,006 and a high of US$105,201.

Bitcoin price performance, June 6, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

After dipping below US$101,000 during the dispute between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Bitcoin recovered to around US$105,000 early in the trading day, influenced by a strong US labor report.

Despite the rebound, analysts are wary due to technical indicators like a weakening relative strength index, suggesting potential downside. A possible rate cut from the US Federal Reserve on June 18 could push Bitcoin to US$112,000, but the outlook is uncertain. Order book data indicates a liquidity trap, and limited short interest points to a fragile recovery.

Additional selling pressure and investor distrust are contributing to shaky market sentiment.

Ethereum (ETH) finished the trading day at US$2,490.63, a 2 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$2,482.52 and saw a daily high of US$2,519.25.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) closed at US$149.26, trading flat over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$148.86 and reached a high of US$151.79 on Friday.

• XRP is trading at US$2.17, reflecting a 1.6 percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.16 and a high of US$2.18.

• Sui (SUI) peaked at US$3.18, showing an increaseof 5.7 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$3.16, and its highest was US$3.19.

• Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.663, up 2.8 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.6604, and it reached a high of US$0.6693.

Today’s crypto news to know

Uber considers stablecoins for cost reduction

On stage at the San Francisco-based Bloomberg Tech Summit on Thursday (June 5), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company is “definitely going to take a look” at using stablecoins to help reduce the cost of moving money around the world.

“We’re still in the study phase, I’d say, but stablecoin is one of the, for me, more interesting instantiations of crypto that has a practical benefit other than crypto as a store of value,” he said. “Obviously, you can have your opinions on Bitcoin, but it’s a proven commodity, and you know, people have different opinions on where it’s going,” he added.

UK set to lift ban on retail access to crypto ETNs

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced plans to lift its ban on retail investors buying crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs), a major shift from its earlier risk-averse stance.

Initially barred due to concerns over volatility and investor protection, the FCA now says consumers should have the right to choose whether these high-risk assets fit their portfolios. David Geale, the FCA’s digital assets chief, said the move is part of a broader push to ‘rebalance’ the regulator’s approach to financial risk. The proposal, which would allow ETNs to be sold on FCA-registered investment exchanges, will now enter a public consultation phase.

This regulatory pivot follows the UK’s introduction of draft laws in April aimed at integrating crypto into the formal financial system. The FCA emphasized that its separate ban on crypto derivatives for retail traders will remain in place.

Switzerland adopts crypto information exchange bill

The government of Switzerland has adopted a bill to enable the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) on crypto with 74 partner countries, including the UK, all EU member states and most G20 countries.

The measure excludes the US, Saudi Arabia and China. The bill is currently under discussion in parliament and, if approved, the AEOI framework for crypto assets will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Switzerland will only engage in AEOI with partner states that also desire information exchange with Switzerland.

Strategy to raise nearly US$1 billion to buy more Bitcoin

Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), the company known for its aggressive Bitcoin acquisition strategy, is launching a nearly US$1 billion capital raise through its new 10 percent Series A STRD preferred stock. The offering includes over 11 million shares and promises a high fixed yield, making it attractive to yield-hungry investors in a low-rate environment.

Unlike other Strategy offerings like STRK (convertible) and STRF (senior status), STRD offers the highest payout at 10 percent, but comes with more risk due to its non-cumulative dividend and junior status. Dividends are only issued when declared, and the shares cannot be called under normal market conditions.

Proceeds will go toward “general corporate purposes,” which notably include expanding its Bitcoin holdings.

Metaplanet plans US$5.3 billion warrant offering to scale Bitcoin treasury

Tokyo-based Metaplanet (OTCQX:MTPLF,TSE:3350) is taking its Bitcoin commitment to the next level with a massive US$5.3 billion stock warrant issuance, the largest of its kind in Japan.

The company is offering 555 million shares through stock acquisition rights, using a novel moving-strike pricing model that adjusts with market value — a first in the Japanese market.

This 555 Million Plan follows an earlier US$600 million raise and is part of Metaplanet’s goal to hold over 210,000 BTC by 2027, approximately 1 percent of total Bitcoin supply.

The vast majority of the proceeds — around 96 percent — will go toward direct Bitcoin purchases, while a small fraction will support debt management and derivative strategies like selling puts.

Maple Finance expands syrupUSD to Solana

Lending platform Maple Finance announced on Thursday that it has expanded user access by deploying its syrupUSD yield-bearing stablecoin to Solana-based platforms Kamino and Orca.

Previously, it had only been available on the Ethereum blockchain.

According to the announcement, Solana integration is launching with US$30 million in liquidity, which will establish “a deep and stable foundation for lending, trading, and collateral provisioning.’

This new system was made possible by using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which started operating on the Solana main network on May 19. CCIP lets different blockchain systems, specifically those using Ethereum Virtual Machine and Solana Virtual Machine technology, share information.

The ability to transfer data between these distinct blockchain environments is expected to significantly boost efficient and affordable growth within the digital ecosystem.