Vancouver, BC, Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First American Uranium Inc. (CSE: URM) (FSE: IOR) (OTCQB: NIOMF) (“First American Uranium”, or the “Company”) is pleased to respond to the announcement by the Government of Canada’s announcement of new international investments and partnerships to strengthen critical-minerals supply chains and advance sustainable resource development. The Company views this initiative as a significant step toward reinforcing Canada’s position in the global supply chain and i ...

A rush for critical minerals is underway, the backbone of electric vehicles, batteries and clean energy systems, with two U.S.-listed ETFs positioned in the center of it all: the VanEck Rare Earth And Strategic Metals ETF (NYSE:REMX) which is up more than 7% in the past month, and the Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (NYSE:BATT), which has gained 6% in the past month. • BATT shares are experiencing downward pressure. See what the experts say here.While both funds ride the same long-term trend of glo ...

Group 1: Industry Overview - China has expanded export controls on five new rare-earth elements and restricted key processing equipment, effective from November 8, which could significantly impact global supply [1] - China dominates the rare-earth elements market, controlling approximately 70% of global mining, 92% of refining, and 98% of magnet manufacturing [5] - The U.S. has recognized the need to reduce dependence on China for rare-earth element imports, leading to increased investments in domestic suppliers [6] Group 2: Company Performance - MP Materials, a key player in the rare-earth metals sector, has seen its stock price surge by 340% in 2025 through October 23, resulting in a high forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple [3] - The company mines and processes essential rare-earth elements like neodymium and praseodymium, which are critical for manufacturing strong magnets used in various applications, including electric vehicles and consumer electronics [7] - The U.S. Department of Defense has become MP Materials' largest shareholder with a $400 million investment, establishing a 10-year price floor for neodymium-praseodymium oxide and guaranteeing the purchase of 100% of output from its second magnet factory [9]

Core Insights - Lithium Corporation is focused on advancing North America's energy independence through the exploration and development of critical mineral resources [1] Group 1: Company Activities - Ongoing field exploration includes geological mapping and sampling at a site with identified enriched Rare Earth Element (REE) mineralization, specifically Neodymium and Dysprosium [1] - The company has applied to increase the size of its claim block to approximately 13,440 acres (5,438 hectares) to cover adjacent areas with geological similarities and potential for similar REE mineralization [1]

Core Points - The US and Australian governments have signed an agreement aimed at "critical mineral and energy dominance," which is expected to lead to significant investments in mining projects in both countries [2][4] - Arafura Rare Earths Ltd and other companies in the rare earth sector have seen their share prices increase following the announcement of this agreement [1][5] - The agreement includes a commitment of US$3 billion in investments over the next six months to develop critical projects across Australia [4] Investment Opportunities - The first project under the agreement is a gallium refinery in Western Australia, developed by Alcoa-Sojitz, which is projected to produce approximately 100 tonnes of gallium annually [3] - Arafura's NT Nolans project, which focuses on neodymium production, is another potential investment opportunity, with its share price rising over 9% [5] - Additional potential projects include titanium and zircon initiatives in Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, as well as a graphite mine in Queensland [5] Government Involvement - The US and Australian governments will gain stakes in the facilities built through this financing and will have rights to a portion of the rare earth supply [4] - The motivation behind this agreement is to diversify supply sources away from China, enhancing the strategic position of both countries in the critical minerals market [4]

Core Insights - Lithium Corp (LTUM) has made a significant discovery of enriched deposits of neodymium, dysprosium, and other rare earth elements at its fluorspar project in British Columbia, resulting in a 290% increase in share price in one trading session [1][6] - The timing of this discovery aligns with recent U.S. government investments in securing critical mineral supply chains, raising speculation about which junior miners could benefit next [2][5] Company Developments - The discovery covers over 5,700 acres of claims, prompting management to realign claim blocks for optimal coverage and initiate fieldwork to identify bedrock sources [3] - The essential nature of neodymium and dysprosium for high-performance electric vehicle motors and defense applications positions LTUM strategically within the market [3][4] Market Context - The market is currently in need of new supply stories for critical minerals, and LTUM's strong cash position relative to its debt provides it with the ability to advance exploration efforts without significant dilution [5] - The surge in LTUM's stock price reflects a rapid shift in investor sentiment towards junior explorers involved in critical minerals, especially in light of the U.S. administration's focus on domestic supply security [6]

Core Insights - Lithium Corp (LTUM) has made a significant discovery of enriched deposits of neodymium, dysprosium, and other rare earth elements at its fluorspar project in British Columbia, resulting in a 290% increase in share price in one session [1][6] - The timing of this discovery aligns with recent U.S. government investments in critical mineral supply chains, raising speculation about which junior miners could benefit next [2][5] Company Developments - The discovery spans over 5,700 acres of claims, prompting management to realign claim blocks for optimal coverage and to explore nearby geologically similar zones [3] - Fieldwork is currently underway to identify bedrock sources of these rare earth elements, which are crucial for high-performance electric vehicle motors and defense applications [3][4] Market Context - The market is currently in need of new supply stories for critical minerals, highlighting the potential for small companies like LTUM to attract attention [5] - Despite being a micro-cap company, LTUM's relatively strong cash position compared to its debt allows it to advance exploration efforts without significant dilution [5] Investor Sentiment - The rapid 290% surge in LTUM's stock price illustrates how quickly market sentiment can shift when junior explorers engage in the critical minerals narrative [6] - With the U.S. administration prioritizing domestic supply security and making substantial investments, LTUM has positioned itself as a speculative opportunity in the context of America's mineral strategy [6]

Core Insights - MP Materials (MP) shares have increased by 146.3% over the past three months, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 0.5%, the Zacks Basic Materials sector's rise of 6.5%, and the S&P 500's gain of 9.4% [1][7] - The stock's surge is attributed to key developments, including a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance the domestic rare earth magnet supply chain and a long-term agreement with Apple to supply recycled rare earth magnets [2][10] Company Performance - In Q2, MP Materials produced 597 metric tons of neodymium, marking a 119% increase year-over-year, with total revenues rising 84% to $57.4 million [12][15] - Despite the revenue growth, the company reported an adjusted loss of 13 cents per share, which is an improvement from the previous year's loss of 17 cents per share [15] Strategic Partnerships - The partnership with Apple involves supplying rare earth magnets made entirely from recycled materials, developed through advanced recycling technology [10] - The collaboration with the DoD aims to expedite the establishment of a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, enhancing national security and reducing reliance on foreign sources [11][22] Market Position and Valuation - MP Materials is trading at a forward price/sales multiple of 22.59X, which is significantly higher than the industry's 1.18X, indicating a premium valuation [20] - The company is positioned to benefit from a multibillion-dollar investment package and long-term commitments from the DoD, which will support the construction of a new magnet manufacturing facility [23][25] Future Growth Prospects - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects MP Materials' revenues to grow by 33.1% in 2025 and by 118.97% in 2026, reflecting strong growth expectations [17] - The company is expected to achieve a turnaround in earnings, with estimates indicating a potential profit of 91 cents per share in 2026 [18][19] Industry Context - MP Materials operates the only large-scale rare earth mining and processing facility in North America, crucial for clean-tech technologies and defense systems [22] - The U.S. is increasingly focusing on developing domestic rare earth capabilities to reduce dependence on China, which dominates the global supply [22]

Business Overview - Australian Strategic Materials (ASM) is building a global rare earths and critical minerals business[15] - ASM aims to provide high-tech metals to solve current and future challenges[15] - The company's strategy includes mine to metals approach[25] Korean Metals Plant (KMP) - KMP has an installed capacity of 1,300 tonnes per annum (tpa) of NdFeB alloy[34] - Approximately US$60 million has been invested in KMP to date[34] - KMP is undergoing Phase 2 ramp-up to a designed capacity of 3,600 tpa NdFeB alloy with an additional capital expenditure of approximately US$8 million[34] - Targeted annual revenue for KMP based on estimated Phase 2 maximum production is approximately US$204 million, with approximately US$26 million in annual EBITDA[37] Dubbo Project - The Heap Leach Option reduces the capital forecast cost by approximately 56% from A$167 billion to A$740 million compared to the 2021 Optimisation Feasibility Study[47] - The Heap Leach Option is projected to produce 1,157 tpa of NdPr oxide, 13 tpa of Tb oxide, and 72 tpa of Dy oxide[47] - The Heap Leach Option has a pre-tax NPV of approximately A$1,468 million and an IRR of 229%[47] Financial Status - As of June 30, 2025, ASM had approximately A$190 million in cash[62] - A$249 million was raised via SPP & institutional placement to accelerate growth initiatives[28]