Adrian Day, president of Adrian Day Asset Management, shares his thoughts on gold’s latest price activity, saying the metal is still ‘nowhere near a top.’
In his view, its long-term drivers remain in place, and two new ones have now emerged.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) has agreed to sell its Casa Berardi gold operation in Québec to Orezone Gold (TSX:ORE,OTCQX:ORZCF) for total consideration of up to US$593 million.
The deal, announced on Monday (January 26), involves the sale of Hecla Québec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hecla that holds the Casa Berardi mine and related exploration properties.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hecla expects to receive up to US$593 million through a mix of upfront cash, equity, deferred payments and contingent consideration.
Hecla will receive US$160 million in cash at closing, along with about 65.7 million Orezone common shares, representing about 9.9 percent of Orezone’s pro forma shares outstanding, currently valued at roughly US$112 million.
In addition, Hecla is set to receive US$80 million in deferred cash payments, split into US$30 million payable 18 months after closing and US$50 million payable after 30 months.
The remaining consideration is contingent and could total up to US$241 million.
It includes up to US$211 million in production-based royalty payments tied to future open-pit output, calculated at US$80 per ounce for the first 500,000 ounces of gold and US$180 per ounce thereafter.
Hecla may also receive a US$20 million payment upon the granting of certain permits, as well as up to US$10 million linked to a gold price exceeding US$4,200 per ounce.
The transaction is supported by Franco-Nevada (TSX:FNV,NYSE:FNV), which Orezone said is a sponsor in the acquisition.
“The sale of Hecla Quebec represents an important milestone in Hecla’s transformation as we concentrate capital allocation and operational focus on our world-class silver portfolio,” said Rob Krcmarov, president and CEO of Hecla.
For Orezone, the acquisition marks a major expansion into Canada and adds a producing gold mine to its portfolio. The company said Casa Berardi will complement its Bomboré project in Burkina Faso and will provide diversification in a jurisdiction known for stable mining regulations and established infrastructure.
“This Transaction marks a significant inflection point for Orezone as it adds a proven, cash-flow-generating asset to our portfolio, and provides asset diversification in a Tier 1 Jurisdiction,” said Patrick Downey, president and CEO of Orezone.
Casa Berardi is an underground and open-pit mine located in Québec’s Abitibi region that has been in operation since the late 1980s. It has produced over 3.2 million ounces of gold to date.
As of the end of 2024, its proven and probable reserves stood at 1.3 million ounces, with additional measured, indicated and inferred resources supporting future operations.
Casa Berardi’s gold production guidance for 2026 is between 83,000 and 91,000 ounces.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The NBA All-Star Game is just three weeks away. The best players in the world will gather together to play on the same court at the same time. However, only one of them can be the best in the world.
With Nikola Jokic’s injury earlier this year, this season’s MVP award race became Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s to lose. However, there are certainly some players nipping at his heels. With how well the Detroit Pistons have been playing, Cade Cunningham is quickly climbing up the ranks, and now has the third-best odds to win MVP, per BetMGM.
Of course, there are also some long shots to win the award. Golden State’s Stephen Curry is being forced to take on more of the offensive load for the Warriors after Jimmy Butler went down with a season-ending ACL injury. If Curry can up his offensive output, he could start really contending for the award, as well. Several others are one injury or a hot streak away from having their name in the conversation as well.
Here’s where every NBA MVP contender ranks as we approach the end of January. All odds via BetMGM.
1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC: -450
2) Luka Doncic, LAL: +900
3) Cade Cunningham, DET: +1000
This award is SGA’s to lose. The Thunder boast the best record in the NBA, but his MVP odds could certainly fall if the Thunder were to lose that honor. The Pistons are just 2.5 games back of the Thunder for the best record in the league, and Cunningham is the league leader in assists per game. SGA currently doesn’t lead in any category, with Doncic the only person averaging more points per game, so perhaps the Thunder’s record is the only thing keeping him atop these leaderboards.
4) Jaylen Brown, BOS: +2200
There is a massive drop-off in odds after Brown, which is why he is the only person in this tier. And honestly, he should be up at the top. Prior to this season, people were writing the Celtics off without Jayson Tatum. Brown has overdelivered in every sense of the word, yet all people can talk about is how good the Celtics will be when Tatum returns. The narrative surrounding Brown is what is keeping him out of the top-tier MVP conversations right now, and that’s a crying shame.
5) Anthony Edwards, MIN: +6000
6) Tyrese Maxey, PHI: +8000
7) Jalen Brunson, NYK: +10000
Among these players, Edwards leads all three in both points and rebounds. While the Minnesota Timberwolves certainly aren’t considered legitimate contenders in the Western Conference, Edwards has proven himself the most valuable to his team, statistically speaking.
There’s a case to be made for Maxey given how he has kept the Sixers in contention despite Joel Embiid only playing 25 games. However, as mentioned, Edwards has more points per game, more rebounds per game, and his team has a better record.
8) Donovan Mitchell, CLE: +50000
9) Stephen Curry, GS: +50000
10) Kevin Durant, HOU: +100000
Mitchell wasn’t even named an All-Star starter. That’s no fault of his own. But it shows just how people view him currently, making his odds far worse than what is actually offered here. On the flip side, there is potential for Curry to make a run for his third MVP award. The big question is whether or not he can elevate the Warriors in the absence of Jimmy Butler. With Butler gone, Curry will need to shoulder even more of the team’s offensive load, making him arguably the most important player for his team’s success currently. If he can push the Warriors to the 4 or 5-seed in the West (the team only sits four games back of the 4-seed), then there’s a serious conversation to be had. Of course, even if he does that, he doesn’t really have the raw stats to compete with SGA or Doncic, but it’s fun to think about.
Well, these two won’t want to see each other any time soon.
Chippy, physical play between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and New Orleans Pelicans rookie guard Jeremiah Fears bubbled throughout Oklahoma City’s 104-95 victory on Tuesday, Jan. 27 before a shoving match erupted after regulation.
As the Pelicans were trying to score a late basket in garbage time, Fears collected an offensive rebound and tried to put up a scoop layup before he drew contact from Dort. Fears immediately turned to face Dort, who shoved Fears twice, first lightly, and then with more force once Fears didn’t back down.
Eventually, both players clasped the other’s jersey in balled fists and were trying to shove the other backward before teammates, assistant coaches and officials stepped in to try to deescalate the situation.
At its height, around 40 people were in the scrum, trying to separate each side. Dort and Fears continued to jaw toward each other, though players and assistants did a good job of separating the two, until Fears broke free and continued to chase Dort down the floor.
Dort eventually walked toward the locker room, while Fears was ushered toward the New Orleans tunnel by two staffers.
There had been another altercation, a minor one, prior to the one between Dort and Fears. During an inbounds play with 1:18 left in the game, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey and Thunder forward Jaylin Williams shoved each other as they were battling for positioning.
“Good guys, good (officiating) crew, but I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “I thought that altercation at the end started well before that.
“The second thing is: I think that’s a foul on Dort,” Daigneault continued, speaking about the last shot attempt Fears took in the final seconds. “And if it was, they should put a whistle on that play regardless of the score and the time, because, if they do that, everybody stops playing and you can legislate the situation as you normally would.”
As Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was sinking a pair of late free throws to ice the game, he said he overheard Fears and Dort jawing at each other during the dead ball.
“I wasn’t too sure what happened,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters after the game. “I had heard them going back and forth after they made the last two free throws, but I wasn’t sure what happened. And then, I turned around and they were face-to-face. I’m sure it was nothing crazy, though. Typical basketball scuffle.”
Fears scored 7 points on 3-of-9 shooting and added 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.
Dort, a defensive-minded player whose physicality often pushes the limits of what’s acceptable, scored 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting and had 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large.
If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night.
In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year.
What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.
Let’s see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year’s NHL draft.
The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff’s improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick.
Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.
Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn’t an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men’s level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He’s become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10.
Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He’s a wild card, however, because he’s 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size.
Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it’s on, it’s quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that’s a work in progress. He’s being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range.
One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round.
Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won’t blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don’t have to worry about too often.
After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place.
Although he’s injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round.
A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn’t dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn’t quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he’s got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.
What’s next for the No. 1 team in the nation, the one that somehow appears even more dominant than its two previous record-setting versions?
The Nittany Lions and coach Cael Sanderson, who are well on their way to their 13th national title in the past 15 years, seem to be only distancing themselves further from the rest of the country, including the preeminent Big Ten.
The Lions are in the midst of an NCAA-record 82-match winning streak. They have six No. 1-ranked wrestlers for the first time in history. They’ve stunningly shut out seven opponents this season, another school record.
The top sports dynasty in America? It’s to the point where the biggest question is whether top-10 opponents, like Nebraska on Friday night in the Bryce Jordan Center, will simply score.
When asked recently about they’re ever-growing dominance, Sanderson talked about culture and their long-standing program process.
‘I mean, we have a special thing going here, right? The kids know that. They see that,” he told reporters last week in State College. ‘I think I have a pretty good idea of what we’re doing and what we’re not doing. I think, in this era, the NIL era, and all the different motivations to go to different programs, our kids know that they’re coming here because they want to be the best wrestlers they can possibly be.
‘I think when we look back, we’ll see that this era has been good to us because we do our best to follow the rules. And we’re going to get the kids that are coming here for the right reasons. Because the kids know, recruits know, parents know.
‘Kids are coming here with very high character, wanting to be the best wrestlers in the world.’
Their overall dominance of the sport in the past 15 years is one matter. How they continually find new ways to improve upon themselves is quite another.
They certainly own an even deeper roster than the past two teams that broke overall points records at the NCAA Championships. They certainly seem possible of tying or bettering records for most individual finalists (six) and winners (five) at those national championships in Cleveland in late March.
This also would be their first time winning five straight team championships under Sanderson.
Then consider this: Only one of their 10 starters — Levi Haines — is a senior.
“I think the chemistry is really incredible right now in the program,” Sanderson said. ‘Just a lot of good kids that are here for the right reasons, the right kids that could have named their price and gone to other schools are here just because of what the program represents and stands for.
“Those are the kids that are going to care about one another and care about the team. When you do that, you’re going to get your best self and your best own individual results, just because that’s just how it goes.”
Sanderson, through all of their successes, has finally built a lineup without any holes. Even their only two non-top five wrestlers are trending upwards: junior Braeden Davis, a returning All-American, just getting accustomed to his third weight class in three seasons (141 pounds) and redshirt freshman heavyweight Cole Mirasola appear to be improving by the week.
Penn State (11-0) has beaten their opponents by an otherworldly combined score of 480-19. They’ve won 49 of their 50 individual Big Ten bouts.
This weekend’s opponent, Nebraska, boasts eight top-10 wrestlers and will still be a prohibitive underdog. The best measure will come Feb. 13 when No. 2 Ohio State — and its eight top-five wrestlers — come to State College.
Of course, the Lions have been in such positions before and haven’t lost a dual meet in six years. They haven’t lost at home, incredibly enough, in 11 years.
Their best may be a bespectacled, philosophical junior who’s lost just one match in three seasons. Listen to how Mitchell Mesenbrink, an upbeat, unassuming point-scoring machine, puts it:
‘I don’t think there’s any secret sauce,’ he told reporters last week about that team domination. ‘Just keep doing the same things and focusing on the bigger picture of things in preparing for the next match.
‘It’s instilling values into your day-to-day that mean something to you and mean something to God and make a difference. Everybody knows them. They’re not just some crazy fable or message that you’ve never heard. What’s the quote? ‘Extraordinary is just ordinary over and over.”
Frank Bodani covers Penn State wrestling for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
The final day of the UEFA Champions League league phase has arrived.
In a complete bonanza of action, all 36 teams will be in action simultaneously with 18 matches kicking off at 3 p.m. ET.
There is plenty on the line Wednesday, with only two teams having clinched a spot in the last 16 and only four teams completely eliminated from the competition already.
That means 30 teams will be jockeying for position on Wednesday. Some will be aiming to finish inside the top eight and clinch an automatic berth in the round of 16. Others are pushing to finish in the top 24, clinching a spot in the playoff round.
Here is everything you need to know heading into the final day of action.
Watch Champions League on Paramount+
*All games kick off at 3 p.m. ET
(Entering play Wednesday, Jan. 28)
The full Champions League table can be found HERE.
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the league phase matches, the following criteria are applied, in this order, to determine their rankings:
The top eight finishers will receive an automatic berth to the round of 16. So far, only Arsenal and Bayern Munich have clinched a top-eight finish.
The 16 teams who finish from ninth to 24th in the league phase will face each other in two-leg playoff ties, with the eight winners advancing to the round of 16.
The teams who finish from 25th to 36th place will be eliminated. So far, only four teams have no chance of finishing inside the top 24: Kairat, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt.
In terms of qualification to the next round, the 36 teams can be divided into five different groups. They are as follows:
The draw for the playoffs and knockout stage will be held on Friday, Jan. 30.
Playoff round
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
New Found Gold Corp. (TSXV: NFG) (NYSE American: NFGC) (‘New Found Gold’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce key advancements at its 100%-owned Queensway Gold Project (‘Queensway’ or the ‘Project’) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, which includes entering into a Phase I engineering, procurement and construction management services (‘EPCM’) contract.
Highlights of Key Project Advancements:
Offsite Mill Selection: The Company owns the fully permitted Pine Cove Mill (‘Pine Cove‘) and Nugget Pond Hydrometallurgical Gold Plant, both located in central Newfoundland. EPCM work will include upgrading and expanding Pine Cove for Queensway Phase 1 to benefit from the synergies of processing both Hammerdown and Queensway Phase 1 feed from a single facility.
Environmental Assessment: The Company has substantially completed its environmental baseline work at Queensway and plans to submit an Environmental Registration (‘ER‘) to the Newfoundland and Labrador (‘NL‘) Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change in late Q1/26. The ER serves to initiate the environmental assessment (‘EA‘) process for the Project, as per the NL Environmental Protection Act. Updates on the status of the EA process will be provided when available.
Project Finance: As previously announced, the Company has engaged Cutfield Freeman & Co. Ltd., an independent global mining finance advisory firm, to act as its project finance advisor with the objective of selecting the optimal financing package for the initial capital expenditure required to fund Queensway Phase 1 production2.
Technical Report: the Company plans to file an updated Technical Report, which will include an updated mineral resource estimate, in mid-2026.
Timeline: The Queensway Phase 1 project finance process is ongoing and EPCM work is underway with the objective of achieving first gold pour from Queensway Phase I in H2/27, pending receipt of all required permits.
Keith Boyle, CEO of New Found Gold stated ‘Commencing EPCM work is a key milestone in advancing Queensway. We believe our rapid timeline from initial mineral resource in early 2025 to a planned first gold pour in late 2027 is supported by a unique combination of factors, namely: significant drilling and technical work completed on a deposit with an at-surface, high-grade core; ownership of the recently acquired Pine Cove operation, equipped with a fully permitted milling and tailings facilities; and being located in a mining-positive region. Newfoundland and Labrador is a jurisdiction ranked in the top 10 globally in the Fraser Institute’s 2024 Annual Survey of Mining Companies and offers excellent access, infrastructure and a skilled labour force. Having executed on a number of key steps in 2025 and building a strong technical and operating team over the past year has put the Company in an excellent position to accelerate the development of Queensway in a strong gold price environment.’
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Keith Boyle, P.Eng., CEO, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Boyle consents to the publication of this press release by New Found Gold. Mr. Boyle certifies that this press release fairly and accurately represents the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this press release.
About New Found Gold Corp.
New Found Gold is an emerging Canadian gold producer with assets in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company holds a 100% interest in Queensway and owns the Hammerdown Operation, Pine Cove Operation and Nugget Pond Hydrometallurgical Gold Plant. The Company is currently focused on advancing Queensway to production and bringing the Hammerdown Operation into steady-state gold production.
In July 2025, the Company completed a PEA at Queensway (see New Found Gold news release dated July 21, 2025). Recent drilling continues to yield new discoveries along strike and down dip of known gold zones, pointing to the district-scale potential that covers a +110 km strike extent along two prospective fault zones at Queensway.
New Found Gold has a new board of directors and management team and a solid shareholder base which includes cornerstone investor Eric Sprott. The Company is focused on growth and value creation.
Keith Boyle, P.Eng.
Chief Executive Officer
New Found Gold Corp.
Contact
For further information on New Found Gold, please visit the Company’s website at www.newfoundgold.ca, contact us through our investor inquiry form at https://newfoundgold.ca/contact/contact-us/ or contact:
Fiona Childe, Ph.D., P.Geo.
Vice President, Communications and Corporate Development
Phone: +1 (416) 910-4653
Email: contact@newfoundgold.ca
Follow us on social media at https://www.linkedin.com/company/newfound-gold-corp, https://x.com/newfoundgold
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statement Cautions
This press release contains certain ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including relating to WSP’s engagement to provide EPCM services for Queensway Phase 1 project development; the expected start of the EPCM work in Q1/26; the planned work on Pine Cove for Queensway Phase 1; the expected submission of an ER to the NL Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change in late Q1/26; the future updates on the status of the EA process; the anticipated filing of an updated Queensway technical report; and the expected first gold pour from Queensway Phase I, pending receipt of all required permits. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, they are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘interpreted’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘aims’, ‘suggests’, ‘indicate’, ‘often’, ‘target’, ‘future’, ‘likely’, ‘pending’, ‘potential’, ‘encouraging’, ‘goal’, ‘objective’, ‘prospective’, ‘possibly’, ‘preliminary’, and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘can’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with the Company’s ability to complete exploration and drilling programs as expected, possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, risks associated with the interpretation of exploration results and the results of the metallurgical testing program, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company’s exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company’s business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form and Management’s Discussion and Analysis, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.
1 for additional information see the Company’s news release dated July 21, 2025.
2 for additional information see the Company’s news release dated November 28, 2025.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281691
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Asara Resources (AS1:AU) has announced Drilling confirms grade continuity at depth and along strike
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Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced Sandstone Strategic Plan to Deliver Long-Life Production Hub
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