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Crash victims’ families prepare to make what could be their final plea for Boeing’s prosecution

Editor's pick 6 Mins Read

Families who lost loved ones in two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jetliners may get their last chance to demand the company face criminal prosecution Wednesday. That’s when a federal judge in Texas is set to hear arguments on a U.S. government motion to dismiss a felony charge against Boeing.

U.S. prosecutors charged Boeing with conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with the crashes that killed 346 people off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia. Federal prosecutors alleged Boeing deceived government regulators about a flight-control system that was later implicated in the fatal flights, which took place less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019.

Boeing decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial, but U.S. District Chief Judge Reed O’Connor rejected the aircraft maker’s plea agreement in December. O’Connor, who also will consider whether to let prosecutors dismiss the conspiracy charge, objected to diversity, equity and inclusion policies potentially influencing the selection of an independent monitor to oversee the company’s promised reforms.

Lawyers representing relatives of some of the passengers who died cheered O’Connor’s decision, hoping it would further their goal of seeing former Boeing executives prosecuted during a public trial and more severe financial punishment for the company. Instead, the delay worked to Boeing’s favor.

The judge’s refusal to accept the agreement meant the company was free to challenge the Justice Department’s rationale for charging Boeing as a corporation. It also meant prosecutors would have to secure a new deal for a guilty plea.

The government and Boeing spent six months renegotiating their plea deal. During that time, President Donald Trump returned to office and ordered an end to the diversity initiatives that gave O’Connor pause.

By the time the Justice Department’s criminal fraud section briefed the judge in late May, the charge and the plea were off the table. A non-prosecution agreement the two sides struck said the government would dismiss the charge in exchange for Boeing paying or investing another $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for the crash victims’ families, and internal safety and quality measures.

The Justice Department said it offered Boeing those terms in light of “significant changes” Boeing made to its quality control and anti-fraud programs since entering into the July 2024 plea deal.

The department also said it thought that persuading a jury to punish the company with a criminal conviction would be risky, while the revised agreement ensures “meaningful accountability, delivers substantial and immediate public benefits, and brings finality to a difficult and complex case whose outcome would otherwise be uncertain.”

Judge O’Connor has invited some of the families to address the court on Wednesday. One of the people who plans to speak is Catherine Berthet, whose daughter, Camille Geoffrey, died at age 28 when a 737 Max crashed shortly after takeoff from Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.

Berthet, who lives in France, is part of a group of about 30 families who want the judge to deny the government’s request and to appoint a special prosecutor to take over the case.

“While it is no surprise that Boeing is trying to buy everyone off, the fact that the DOJ, which had a guilty plea in its hands last year, has now decided not to prosecute Boeing regardless of the judge’s decision is a denial of justice, a total disregard for the victims and, above all, a disregard for the judge,” she said in a statement.

Justice Department lawyers maintain the families of 110 crash victims either support a pre-trial resolution or do not oppose the non-prosecution agreement. The department’s lawyers also dispute whether O’Connor has authority to deny the motion without finding prosecutors acted in bad faith instead of the public interest.

While federal judges typically defer to the discretion of prosecutors in such situations, court approval is not automatic.

In the Boeing case, the Justice Department has asked to preserve the option of refiling the conspiracy charge if the company does not hold up its end of the deal over the next two years.

Boeing reached a settlement in 2021 that protected it from criminal prosecution, but the Justice Department determined last year that the company had violated the agreement and revived the charge.

The case revolves around a new software system Boeing developed for the Max. In the 2018 and 2019 crashes, the software pitched the nose of the plane down repeatedly based on faulty readings from a single sensor, and pilots flying then-new planes for Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines were unable to regain control.

The Transportation Department’s inspector general found that Boeing did not inform key Federal Aviation Administration personnel about changes it made to the MCAS software before regulators set pilot training requirements for the Max and certified the airliner for flight.

Acting on the incomplete information, the FAA approved minimal, computer-based training for Boeing 737 pilots, avoiding the need for flight simulators that would have made it more expensive for airlines to adopt the latest version of the jetliner.

Airlines began flying the Max in 2017. After the Ethiopia crash, the planes were grounded worldwide for 20 months while the company redesigned the software.

In the final weeks of Trump’s first term, the Justice Department charged Boeing with conspiring to defraud the U.S. government but agreed to defer prosecution and drop the charge after three years if the company paid a $2.5 billion settlement and strengthened its ethics and legal compliance programs.

The 2021 settlement agreement was on the verge of expiring when a panel covering an unused emergency exit blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon at the beginning of last year. No one was seriously injured, but the potential disaster put Boeing’s safety record under renewed scrutiny.

A former Boeing test pilot remains the only individual charged with a crime in connection with the crashes. In March 2022, a federal jury acquitted him of misleading the FAA about the amount of training pilots would need to fly the Max.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Editor's pick

Disney to pay $10 million to settle FTC complaint over collection of children’s data on YouTube

Editor's pick 2 Mins Read

The Walt Disney Company will pay $10 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it enabled the unlawful collection of children’s personal data on YouTube.

The FTC claimed the company allowed data to be collected from kids who viewed videos directed at children on YouTube without notifying parents or obtaining their consent.

The complaint alleged that Disney violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule by not labeling some YouTube videos as being made for children. The agency claimed the company was able to collect data from viewers of child-directed content who were under the age of 13 and use it for targeted advertising.

In 2019, after a settlement with the FTC, YouTube began requiring content creators to list whether uploaded videos were “made for kids” or “not made for kids.” The designation ensures that personal information is not collected from the “made for kids” videos and personalized ads will not be served to viewers. Comments are also disabled on those videos.

The proposed settlement would require Disney to pay a $10 million civil penalty, comply with the children’s data protection rule and implement a program to review whether videos posted to YouTube should be designated as “made for kids.”

“Supporting the well-being and safety of kids and families is at the heart of what we do,” the company said in a statement obtained by CNBC. “This settlement does not involve Disney owned and operated digital platforms but rather is limited to the distribution of some of our content on YouTube’s platform. Disney has a long tradition of embracing the highest standards of compliance with children’s privacy laws, and we remain committed to investing in the tools needed to continue being a leader in this space.”

Axios was the first to report the settlement.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Empire Metals

Investing 8 Mins Read

Investor Insight

Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is unlocking one of the world’s largest and purest titanium deposits at its flagship Pitfield project in Western Australia. With growing global demand, a looming supply deficit, and near-term development milestones, Empire offers a compelling investment opportunity in the critical minerals space.

Overview

Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is an Australian focused exploration and resource development company rapidly gaining international attention for its discovery and rapid development of what is believed to be the world’s largest titanium deposit.

The company is focused on advancing its flagship asset, the Pitfield project, located in Western Australia, a tier 1 mining jurisdiction. With a dominant landholding of more than 1,000 sq km, and a titanium mineral system that spans 40 km in strike length, Pitfield is emerging as a district-scale “giant” discovery with the potential to reshape the global titanium supply landscape.

Empire’s strategic focus on titanium comes at a pivotal time. Titanium is officially recognized as a critical mineral by both the European Union and the United States, owing to its essential role in aerospace, defense, medical technologies, clean energy and high-performance industrial applications. Global demand for titanium dioxide — the most widely used form of titanium — is surging due to its unmatched properties as a pigment and as a feedstock for titanium metal. Titanium supply chains are also increasingly being constrained by geopolitical risks, mine depletion and environmental challenges associated with traditional production. More than 60 percent of the global supply chain is currently concentrated in a handful of countries, notably China and Russia, creating significant vulnerabilities for Western markets.

Titanium has been designated as a critical mineral in both the EU and the US.

Against this backdrop, Empire Metals offers investors a compelling opportunity to gain exposure to a strategically vital metal through a large-scale, high-grade and clean titanium discovery. Unlike many traditional titanium sources, Pitfield’s mineralization is exceptionally pure — free from detrimental amounts of uranium, thorium, chromium and other contaminants — making it ideally suited for premium, high-purity end markets. Furthermore, the mineralized zone is near-surface and laterally extensive, allowing for low-strip and scalable bulk mining with conventional processing technologies.

With more than 22,000 meters of drilling already completed and only a fraction of the mineral system tested, Empire is aggressively advancing Pitfield towards a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, targeted for H2-2025. Alongside this work, the company is also undertaking bulk sampling and metallurgical processing to advance flowsheet design and optimize product specifications. It is also engaging with industry players to assess product suitability for premium pigment and titanium sponge markets. Empire is planning to finalize, during the current calendar year, a mining study to evaluate the potential for a low-cost strip mining approach, utilizing continuous mining techniques.

The company is supported by a seasoned leadership team with deep expertise in exploration, resource development, mining, metallurgy and capital markets — ensuring that strategic decisions are guided by both technical excellence and a strong track record of value creation.

Company Highlights

  • The flagship Pitfield project is the world’s largest known titanium discovery. It’s a district-scale “giant” titanium mineral system, characterised by high-grade, high-purity titanium mineralisation exhibiting exceptional continuity.
  • Titanium is in a global supply deficit and recognized as a critical mineral by the EU and US.
  • Drill intercepts at Pitfield include up to 202 meters at 6.32 percent titanium dioxide (TiO2) from surface, confirming vast scale and grade.
  • Empire Metals operates in one of the world’s most secure, mining-friendly jurisdictions: Western Australia.
  • The company is led by an experienced, agile team, with proven expertise in exploration, mine development, and value creation across multiple commodities.
  • With a number of key development catalysts planned for 2025, including a maiden resource estimate, bulk sampling for scale-up of metallurgical testwork, and product optimisation, Empire remains significantly undervalued relative to its peers.

Key Projects

Pitfield Project – A World-Class Titanium Discovery

Located in Western Australia, the Pitfield project is Empire Metals’ flagship asset and represents one of the most exciting titanium discoveries globally. Spanning an area of approximately 1,042 sq km, the project has revealed a colossal mineral system measuring 40 km in length and up to 8 km in width, with geophysical indications of mineralization extending to at least a depth of 5 km.

Pitfield’s prime location in Western Australia

Extensive drilling across the project has intercepted thick, laterally continuous zones of high-grade titanium dioxide mineralization, highlighting the system’s enormous scale and consistency.

The titanium at Pitfield occurs predominantly in the minerals anatase and rutile within a weathered, in-situ cap that begins at surface. These minerals are exceptionally pure, often exceeding 90 percent titanium dioxide. They are free from harmful amounts of contaminants like uranium, thorium, chromium and phosphorus — qualities that are likely to make the deposit uniquely suitable for premium, high-purity titanium applications in aerospace, defense and clean technologies.

Pitfield is strategically located near the town of Three Springs, approximately 150 km southeast of the port city of Geraldton. The project benefits from direct access to essential infrastructure, including sealed highways, rail lines and an available water supply. This connectivity significantly enhances development potential by reducing logistics costs and simplifying future project build-out. Moreover, the Western Australian government actively supports critical mineral development, and Empire is operating within a stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction known for streamlined permitting and investment security.

Empire has completed more than 22,000 meters of drilling, confirming standout titanium dioxide (TiO2) results such as 154 meters at 6.76 percent TiO2, 148 meters at 6.49 percent TiO2, and 150 meters at 6.44 percent TiO2. Notably, mineralization remains open at depth in all tested zones, and to date, only around 5 percent of the interpreted system has been drilled. This underscores the immense upside potential for resource expansion.

The project’s development advantages are equally compelling: the mineralization is near-surface and amenable to simple, bulk mining methods with conventional processing. Its location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction offers access to infrastructure, a skilled workforce and strong regulatory support.

The Pitfield project presents a scalable processing pathway. Photo shows a gravity flotation test in process (left) and a close-up of a flotation test (right)

Pitfield is advancing toward a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, expected by H2-2025. The project is already being recognized as a potential cornerstone asset in the global titanium supply chain.

In August 2025, Empire Metals achieved a metallurgical breakthrough, confirming that conventional processing can deliver strong results. Testwork returned 77 percent recovery in the rougher stage, 90 percent in cleaning, and 98 percent titanium dissolution, for an overall 67 percent titanium recovery. The process produced a high-purity TiO₂ concentrate grading 99.25 percent with ~5 percent Fe₂O₃, supporting plans for a lower-cost pilot plant.

Other Projects

In addition to Pitfield, Empire Metals maintains a portfolio of early-stage exploration assets offering optionality and exposure to other strategic and precious metals. Empire holds interests in two Western Australian projects — the Walton and Eclipse gold projects — both situated in historically productive mineral belts. While these assets are not the current focus, they contribute exploration upside and optionality within the company’s broader strategy.

Management Team

Neil O’Brien – Non-executive Chairman

Neil O’Brien is the former SVP exploration and new business development at Lundin

Mining, until he retired in 2018. He has an extensive global mining career as a PhD economic geologist, exploration leader and board executive.

Shaun Bunn – Managing Director

Shaun Bunn is a metallurgist based in Perth, Western Australia, with expertise in international exploration, mining, processing and development. He has a successful track record managing mining projects through all stages of development.

Greg Kuenzel – Finance Director

Based in London, Greg Kuenzel is a chartered accountant, and corporate finance and financial management expert. He has extensive experience working with resources-focused AIM listed companies.

Peter Damouni – Non-executive Director

With more than 20 years of corporate and finance experience focused in the natural resources sector, Peter Damouni holds executive and director roles in TSXV and LSE listed companies where he has played key roles in significantly enhancing shareholder value.

Phil Brumit – Non-executive Director

Phil Brumit is a veteran mining engineer and operations expert, delivering major global operations. His previous roles include international leadership positions at Freeport-McMoRan, Lundin Mining and Newmont Corporation.

Narelle Marriott – Process Development Manager

Narelle Marriott is a former BHP senior process engineer. Most recently, she was the general manager for process development for Hastings Technology Metals.

Andrew Faragher – Exploration Manager

Andrew Faragher is a former Rio Tinto exploration manager with more than 25 years of experience working across multiple commodities.

Arabella Burwell – Corporate Development

Arabella Burwell is a former Senior Director Corporate Development at NASDAQ-listed GoDaddy and a Partner, Capital Raising and Strategic Partnerships, at Hannam & Partners in London and South Africa.

Carrie Pritchard – Environmental Manager

Carrie brings over 20 years of international experience in environmental management, project development, regulatory approvals, and impact assessment. Her expertise spans mine closure and reclamation, stakeholder engagement, and the remediation of contaminated sites. She has led projects across Australia (Western Australia and Victoria) and New Zealand and has also contributed to initiatives in Malawi and Greenland.

David Parker – Commercial Manager

David Parker brings over 20 years of experience in equity capital markets, with a strong focus on the mining, industrial, and technology sectors. He has held senior roles as director and company secretary for several ASX-listed companies, providing strategic leadership and commercial oversight across diverse corporate environments.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Silver Stocks: 5 Biggest Companies in 2025

Investing 8 Mins Read

During 2025, silver has continued to build on gains made in the previous year, soaring above US$40 per ounce in early September.

The gains have been driven by several factors, most notably the tightening of supply and demand fundamentals, resulting from higher demand from industrial sectors and its use in photovoltaics.

Additionally, prices have found tailwinds from safe-haven investors who find silver’s lower entry price compared to gold appealing. The moves have been fueled by uncertainty in the global financial markets as the United States implements its new trade and tariff policies. Investors have also been unsettled by an escalating tension in the Middle East and the unresolved conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Below is an overview of the five largest silver-mining stocks by market cap as of August 25, 2025, as per data gathered using TradingView’s stock screener. Read on to learn more about the activities and operations of these large-cap silver stocks.

1. Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS)

Market cap: C$16.35 billion
Share price: C$45.06

Pan American Silver is among the world’s largest primary silver producers, with silver assets located throughout the Americas and operations in Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.

According to its Q2 report, released on August 6, overall, the company produced 5.1 million ounces of silver during the period. Its largest silver-producing asset is the La Colorada mine in Mexico, which produced 1.51 million ounces of silver during the quarter.

Other significant contributors to its silver production were its El Peñon gold-silver mine in Chile at 968,000 ounces of silver, Huaron in Peru at 844,000 ounces, San Vicente in Bolivia at 755,000 ounces, Cerro Moro in Argentina at 488,000 ounces and Dolores in Mexico at 291,000 ounces.

The company also reaffirmed its 2025 operating outlook and expects full year silver production in the 20 million to 21 million ounce range, with all in sustaining costs in the US$16.25 to US$18.25 per ounce range.

Additionally, the company announced on May 11 that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of MAG Silver (TSX:MAG,OTC Pink:FNLPF). Under the terms of the US$2.1 billion deal, MAG shareholders will be paid out a mix of cash totaling US$500 million and 0.755 shares in Pan American per MAG share.

Once complete, Pan American will control 44 percent of the Juanicipio mine in Central Mexico. The mine is operated by Fresnillo (LSE:FRES), which holds the remaining 56 percent.

Pan American announced on August 25 that the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission approved the deal and expects the acquisition to be completed on approximately September 4.

2. First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG)

Market cap: C$6.03 billion
Share price: C$12.36

First Majestic has three wholly owned silver-producing mines in Mexico: San Dimas in Durango, Santa Elena in Sonora and La Encantada in Coahuila. The first two also produce gold.

The company holds a 70 percent stake in the Los Gatos silver mine in Chihuahua as well. First Majestic acquired the property in January 2025 through a merger with Gatos Silver. Japan’s Dowa Holdings (TSE:5714) holds the remaining 30 percent interest.

In addition to its producing assets, First Majestic commenced bullion sales from its own minting facility in Nevada, US, named First Mint, in March 2024.

According to its Q2 2025 report, the company produced 3.7 million ounces of silver during the quarter, a 76 percent increase year-over-year, and set a record quarterly revenue of US$264.2 million.

Its recently acquired Los Gatos was its largest producer, delivering more than 1.52 million ounces of attributable silver. San Dimas took second place at 1.24 million ounces, while La Encantada and Santa Elena produced 628,105 ounces and 306,224 ounces respectively.

3. MAG Silver (TSX:MAG)

Market cap: C$3.39 billion
Share price: C$32.71

MAG Silver is a silver production company that has a 44 percent stake in the Juanicipio mine in Zacatecas, Mexico. Fresnillo owns the remaining 56 percent of the operation.

In addition to Juanicipio, the company also has two exploration projects, Deer Trail and Larder. Deer Trail is a silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper property in Utah, US, that hosts a historic mine, and Larder is a gold project located in Ontario, Canada.

In the company’s Q2 2025 financial results on May 8, MAG Silver reported mining operations at Juanicipio had produced 4.3 million ounces of silver during the second quarter of the year. Additionally, ongoing optimizations at the site’s processing plant boosted silver recovery to 94.6 percent in Q2, up from 92.4 percent during the same period last year.

On May 11, MAG announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Pan American Silver in a US$2.1 billion deal. According to an announcement from Pan American, it is expected to close in September 2025.

4. Endeavour Silver (TSX:EDR)

Market cap: C$2.3 billion
Share price: C$7.99

Endeavour Silver is a silver company with two operating silver-gold mines in Mexico — Guanaceví and Bolañitos — plus the commissioning-stage Terronera project and several exploration properties.

On May 1, the company announced that it had completed the acquisition of Compañia Minera Kolpa and the Huachocolpa Uno mine in Peru. The terms of the deal will see Endeavour pay total considerations of US$145 million in a combination of cash and Endeavour shares to Kopla shareholders.

Endeavour has also agreed to pay an additional US$10 million in cash in contingent payments if certain events are met, and will add US$20 million in net debt, which will remain outstanding and repayable by Minera Kolpa.

In the company’s Q2 earnings report, Endeavour reported silver production of 1.48 million ounces, 13 percent higher than during the second quarter of 2024. The company attributed the increased production to the acquisition of Kolpa.

The company also provided an update on development at Terronera, which is nearing commercial production. As of the end of July, milling rates had increased to 1,900 and 2,000 metric tons per day, with average silver recoveries of 71 percent.

5. Vizsla Silver (TSX:VZLA)

Market cap: C$1.66 billion
Share price: C$4.83

Vizsla Silver is advancing its Panuco silver-gold project in Sinaloa, Mexico, toward production with the development of the Copala test mine.

Viszla released an updated preliminary economic assessment for the Panuco project on February 20, suggesting a post tax net present value of US$1.14 billion with an internal rate of return of 85.7 percent and a pay back period of less than 1 year.

Measured and indicated silver resources at the site totaled 127.82 million ounces of contained silver from 12.96 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 307 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver. Its inferred resource totals 73.62 million ounces of silver from 10.47 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 219 g/t.

On June 18, Vizsla reported that it had advanced 125 meters at its Copala test mine and is progressing at a rate of 4 meters per day. Once the development reaches the main deposit, Vizsla will take a 10,000 metric ton bulk sample. The portal will also serve as the primary access for underground mining operations once a construction decision is made.

Additionally, in May, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the producing Santa Fe silver-gold mine and property located to the south of Panuco.

The property hosts operating mining infrastructure, including a processing plant and an underground mine built in 2018. Between 2020 and 2024, the mine processed 370,366 metric tons of ore, with an average head grade of 203 g/t silver and 2.17 g/t gold.

Under the terms of the agreement, Vizsla will have the option to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Santa Fe producing concessions for US$4 million in exploration expenditures, along with cash considerations of US$1.5 million and 1.37 million Vizsla shares over five years. It also entered a purchase agreement to buy the Santa Fe exploration concessions for a further US$1.43 million and 2.75 million common shares.

FAQs for silver investing

Is silver a good investment?

Silver comes with many of the same advantages as its sister metal gold. Both are considered safe-haven assets, as they can offer a hedge against market downturns, a weakening US dollar and inflation.

Additionally, many investors like being able to physically own an asset, and with its lower price point, buying silver coins and bars is an accessible option for building a precious metals portfolio. Of course, physical silver isn’t the only way to invest in the metal — there are also silver stocks and various silver exchange-traded funds.

It’s up to investors to do their due diligence and decide whether silver is the right match for their portfolio.

Does silver go up when the stock market goes down?

Historically, silver has shown some correlation with stock market moves, although it’s not consistent. When the stock market has seen its worst crashes, silver has moved down, but by a less significant amount than the stock market has, showing that it can act as a safety net to lessen losses in tough circumstances.

However, silver is also known for its volatility. What’s more, because it has industrial applications as well as a currency side, silver is less tied to the stock market than gold is.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold an investment in Vizsla Silver.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Questcorp Mining Receives Permit Exemption for IP Survey at North Island Copper

Investing 4 Mins Read

Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) is pleased to announce it has received a permit exemption under the British Columbia Mines Act to undertake a 10 to 15 line km induced polarization (IP) survey at the Company’s 1,168 hectare North Island Copper project near Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Surface sampling and a preliminary 12.3-line km Induced Polarization (IP) survey in the 1990’s identified an interesting chargeability anomaly at the historic Marisa Zone that was followed up by a five hole, 376.43 diamond drilling program. Two of the five holes hit interesting copper values including down hole intervals of 0.078% copper over 56.39 metres in DDH92-01 and 0.041% copper over 70.71 metres in DDH92-03 in an altered quartz diorite. Copper grades were increasing with depth in DDH92-03. The Company plans to follow up these historic results.

‘NorthIsle Copper and Gold Inc. continues to produce excellent exploration results 15km to the west in the same belt of rocks that also hosts the past producing Island Copper Mine 7.5km to the southeast attesting to the tremendous exploration potential of the area’, commented Questcorp, President & CEO, Saf Dhillon. ‘The Marisa Zone displays a strong historic IP signature and anomaly carrying encouraging copper numbers from very limited drilling, begging for a second pass with modern geophysical equipment and processing,’ he concluded.

Questcorp has received quotes from three different geophysical contracting firms to update the 35 year old IP survey utilizing modern equipment and data processing. The Company is reviewing the quotes and plans to select the contractor shortly.

Questcorp cautions investors a Qualified Person has not verified the historical exploration data and further cautions, the presence of copper mineralization on the NorthIsle Copper and Gold and the BHP properties is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the North Island Copper property.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry’, P.Geo (BC) a Director of the Company and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totalling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island copper property, on Vancouver Island, B.C., subject to a royalty obligation. The company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totalling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

Saf Dhillon
President & CEO

Questcorp Mining Inc.
saf@questcorpmining.ca
Tel. (604-484-3031)

Suite 550, 800 West Pender Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6C 2V6.

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding completion of survey work at the North Island Copper project. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264915

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Nuvau Provides Comprehensive Exploration Update at Matagami

Investing 13 Mins Read

Drilling Confirms Gold Discovery and Significant Progress at Caber Complex

Nuvau Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NMC) is sharing positive results and significant progress at its Matagami Project in today’s comprehensive exploration update.

‘Multiple new discoveries, including the recent discovery of gold mineralization, demonstrate the potential of this large-scale property that was historically recognized solely for its base metal potential. The confirmation of a gold-bearing orogenic system adjacent to existing mine infrastructure significantly expands the opportunity for value creation. Nuvau is geared to continue the exploration on this large land package in the Abitibi,’ said Peter van Alphen, CEO of Nuvau Minerals Inc.

Highlights include the continued validation of the orogenic gold system that was discovered adjacent to the fully permitted Bracemac mine, and positive results from drilling additional zones on the Property, such as high-grade base metal mineralization at Caber and Renaissance:

  • Discovery of Bracemac orogenic gold system
    • First drill hole (BRCG-25-01) intersected 8.87 g/t Au over 1.05 m, including 16.02 g/t Au over 0.55
    • Visible gold observed in three of four orientation holes completed to date, confirming the presence and continuity of the gold-bearing shear zone
  • Caber Complex — 14 holes totaling 10,426 m completed to upgrade resources prior to an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE)
    • GCB-24-113: 5.49% Cu, 5.95% Zn, 0.15 g/t Au, and 35.66 g/t Ag — 2.8 m
    • GCB-24-114: 4.43% Cu, 2.07% Zn, 0.12 g/t Au, and 9.05 g/t Ag — 2.75 m
    • GCB-24-116: 1.85% Cu, 3.10% Zn, 0.05 g/t Au, and 9.81 g/t Ag — 27.2 m
  • Renaissance Zone — 27 holes drilled, with 16 holes containing massive to semi-massive sulphides; initial MRE underway following highlight results including 1.03% Cu, 9.16% Zn, 0.03 g/t Au, and 6.54 g/t Ag over 4.7 m
  • McLeod Extension — MRE in progress following 7 new intersections from 5,526 m of additional drilling to follow-up the 2023 discovery of 15.9 m grading 2.81% Cu, 14.80% Zn, and 0.39 g/t Au. New step-out results include:
    • 0.52% Cu, 10.96% Zn, 0.42 g/t Au, and 11.71 g/t Ag over 4.20 m
    • 2.45% Cu, 0.24% Zn, 0.11 g/t Au, and 11.39 g/t Ag over 7.75 m

Drilling is underway to follow-up the recent discovery of gold mineralization with 25 m of the existing mine access ramp at the Bracemac Mine. Visible gold has now been observed in three of four holes drilled in this new target, confirming a continuous shear zone intersected in all holes drilled to date. The system is hosted within a tonalite intrusive rock unit in the footwall of the Bracemac Mine, a rock unit where almost no historic holes have been drilled.

Gold exploration program
Operated by Glencore until June 2022, the Bracemac-McLeod mine was one of 12 past-producing base metal mines on Nuvau’s 1,300 km² land package. Historic mining focused entirely on copper and zinc mineralization. Key infrastructure remains in place, and the mine remains permitted for operation. Little to no gold exploration was undertaken by the previous operators due to the previous focus on base metals.

Visible gold mineralization was observed in the first hole drilled to test the first of three priority gold exploration targets that Nuvau identified on this large-scale property. The current drill campaign is aimed at defining the parameters of this newly-identified gold-bearing structure. To-date, four drill holes spaced 25 to 40 metres apart have established the strike and dip of the host shear zone that is injected with quartz veins containing minor pyrite. A fifth hole is underway to test 100 metres below the initial drill holes.

Visible gold has now been observed in three holes with all holes having intersected a sheared intrusive (tonalite) containing folded quartz-calcite-chlorite veins, mineralized with 1-3% pyrite. The first hole intersected 8.87 g/t Au over 1.05 m with numerous grains of visible gold identified. Assay results from additional holes remain pending.

Figure 1: 3D view showing general location of the gold-bearing structure

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Figure 2: Inclined long-section

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Caber Complex
Fourteen drill holes were completed totaling 10,426 m. This drilling was designed for the conversion of resources and to collect samples for metallurgical studies in preparation for a feasibility study of the Caber Complex deposits. A revised MRE is in progress and an updated PEA is planned with the aim of optimizing the Caber Complex mine plan and incorporating the potential restart of the Bracemac-McLeod Mine and mill complex into a detailed economic analysis.

Table 1: Assay results for the Caber Complex drill program

Hole ID from to length Cu% Zn% Au(g/t) Ag(g/t)
GCB-24-112 Reassays ongoing
GCB-24-113 547.00 557.70 10.70 1.53 1.64 0.09 16.14
And 600.35 603.15 2.80 5.49 5.95 0.15 35.66
And 677.55 703.85 26.30 0.23 0.31 0.03 1.18
GCB-24-114 591.85 594.40 2.55 0.11 12.55 0.07 12.33
And 655.60 657.70 2.10 1.36 4.14 0.09 25.95
And 733.45 756.00 22.55 0.65 0.76 0.03 1.50
Incl 748.55 751.30 2.75 4.43 2.07 0.12 9.05
And 756.90 763.60 6.70 0.54 0.02 0.02 0.33
GCB-24-115 Reassays ongoing
GCB-24-116 509.80 537.00 27.20 1.85 3.10 0.05 9.81
And 559.30 565.50 6.20 0.51 0.21 0.01 0.95
GCB-24-117 460.50 495.00 34.50 0.89 0.99 0.10 6.69
And 495.00 498.55 3.55 0.37 0.01 0.04 6.37
GCB-24-118 415.20 417.00 1.80 0.06 0.56 0.00 1.08
And 493.80 496.80 3.00 0.01 0.44 0.00 1.00
And 565.60 583.55 17.95 0.85 2.44 0.09 14.82
And 590.35 595.10 4.75 1.24 0.56 0.13 10.27
And 603.60 626.70 23.10 1.34 0.02 0.03 2.19
Incl 610.10 615.90 5.80 2.94 0.04 0.03 4.21
GCB-24-119 505.85 507.50 1.65 3.73 6.82 0.22 28.48
And 513.30 513.70 0.40 0.61 2.16 0.14 23.00
And 519.50 519.80 0.30 1.81 0.46 0.24 14.00
And 579.85 583.45 3.60 3.66 3.43 0.21 18.36
And 605.85 617.95 12.10 1.32 2.97 0.10 14.74
And 676.05 681.40 5.35 0.01 0.03 0.00 0.79
And 690.15 744.50 54.35 0.25 0.41 0.02 0.84
Incl 710.50 715.35 4.85 0.35 4.10 0.02 1.24
Incl 717.00 720.85 3.85 1.17 0.06 0.04 3.14
GCB-24-120 675.50 695.65 20.15 0.84 1.46 0.07 6.50
And 796.05 829.50 33.45 0.58 0.10 0.03 2.61
Incl 811.75 820.00 8.25 1.39 0.24 0.04 5.64
Incl 811.75 814.75 3.00 2.74 0.20 0.03 7.85
GCB-25-121 Reassays ongoing
GCB-25-122 Reassays ongoing
GCB-25-123 410.60 416.40 5.80 0.67 0.55 0.03 4.18
And 545.20 545.55 0.35 0.74 4.56 0.12 18.00
And 568.50 569.05 0.55 1.52 4.14 0.38 26.00
And 626.15 627.65 1.50 0.87 2.56 0.08 9.20
And 678.35 720.40 42.05 0.56 0.58 0.04 5.09
Incl 678.35 683.20 4.85 3.04 3.45 0.25 30.73
Incl 706.45 720.40 13.95 0.59 0.44 0.03 3.29
And 735.10 738.40 3.30 0.66 0.01 0.01 1.21
GCB-25-124 636.00 640.65 4.65 0.45 2.42 0.10 3.43
And 663.35 684.30 20.95 0.69 0.01 0.02 0.38
GCB-25-125 Reassays ongoing

 

Renaissance Zone
The Renaissance Zone was discovered by Nuvau in 2023, targeting a geophysical anomaly located in the ‘West Camp’ of the Matagami Property, immediately north of the Caber Complex deposits.

A total of 27 holes were drilled to test the Renaissance Zone, with 16 intersecting massive and semi-massive sulphide zones. An initial MRE for Renaissance is in progress. Results from the most recent drilling at Renaissance are provided in Table 2, below.

Table 2: Assays results for the Renaissance drilling program

Hole ID from to length Cu% Zn% Au(g/t) Ag(g/t)
REN-24-15 329.85 337.65 7.80 0.69 7.41 0.20 22.66
REN-24-16 280.80 281.80 1.00 0.12 1.35 0.01 5.00
REN-24-17 258.70 279.30 20.60 0.36 2.79 0.04 7.49
Incl 258.70 263.15 4.45 0.45 2.95 0.13 23.22
And 274.60 279.30 4.70 1.03 9.16 0.03 6.54
REN-24-18A No significant mineralization
REN-24-18 384.00 384.70 0.70 0.32 0.08 0.03 6.00
REN-24-19 Reassays ongoing
REN-24-20 463.65 478.35 14.70 0.72 1.66 0.05 6.47
Incl 463.65 472.75 9.10 0.77 1.86 0.03 5.48
And 476.10 478.35 2.25 1.47 3.13 0.20 18.60
REN-24-21 Reassays ongoing
REN-25-22 380.90 381.55 0.65 0.12 2.22 0.03 6.00
And 398.20 398.50 0.30 0.70 0.23 0.05 11.00
And 412.35 412.75 0.40 0.61 3.70 0.04 19.00
REN-25-23 294.00 295.00 1.00 0.01 0.85 0.00 0.00
And 303.00 303.60 0.60 0.01 0.81 0.00 0.00
REN-25-24 No significant mineralization
REN-25-25 No significant mineralization
REN-25-25EXT No significant mineralization

 

Figure 3: Renaissance Zone long-section

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McLeod extension
Intersected in 2023, the McLeod Mine extension demonstrated the potential for additional resources adjacent to existing mine workings, at the permitted past-producing Bracemac-McLeod Mine.

The extension discovery hole (MCL-13-31W1) returned 15.9 m grading 2.81% Cu, 14.80% Zn, and 0.39 g/t Au.

Seven new intersections from 5,526 m of additional drill holes completed will be incorporated into a MRE that is in progress. This zone will, along with the Caber Complex, be incorporated into future studies assessing the potential restart of the Bracemac-McLeod Mine and associated economic analysis. New results from the McLeod drill program are provided in Table 3 below.

Table 3: Assay results for the McLeod extension drilling program

Hole ID from to length Cu% Zn% Au(g/t) Ag(g/t)
MCL-13-31W6 1498.6 1502.8 4.2 0.23 2.39 0.14 11.90
Incl 1499 1500.05 1.05 0.65 3.92 0.13 20.24
MCL-13-31W7 1400.6 1402.25 1.65 0.19 4.32 0.06 3.55
And 1426.85 1432.55 5.7 0.09 1.19 0.31 3.30
MCL-13-31W8 1248.6 1251.3 2.7 0.18 2.84 0.45 6.59
MCL-18-90W2 1605 1607.2 2.2 0.09 0.02 0.11 1.64
MCL-18-90W3 1625.7 1627.4 1.7 0.09 0.54 0.18 3.24
MCL-18-91W1 1500.2 1502.35 2.15 1.44 0.07 0.31 10.65
And 1510 1519.5 9.5 0.88 0.05 0.09 7.74
And 1531.5 1534.5 3 0.72 0.06 0.08 4.67
MCL-18-91W2 1586.8 1611.75 24.95 1.04 2.36 0.14 7.03
Incl 1586.8 1591 4.2 0.52 10.96 0.42 11.71
Incl 1604 1611.75 7.75 2.45 0.24 0.11 11.39

 

About Nuvau Minerals Inc.
Nuvau Minerals is a Canadian mineral exploration company advancing the Matagami mining camp, covering more than 1,300 km² of highly prospective ground in the Abitibi region of mine-friendly Québec. Nuvau’s principal asset is the Matagami Property, which is host to significant existing processing infrastructure and multiple mineral deposits, but has never been subjected to a comprehensive gold-focused exploration program. The Company is leveraging innovative exploration methods, including AI-supported generative targeting and hydro-geochemistry, to identify and develop new gold and base metal deposits.

Qualified Person and Quality Assurance
Gilles Roy P. Geo. (Qc), Director of Exploration of Nuvau and a ‘qualified person’ as is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release.

Drill core samples are sawn by staff technicians to create half core splits. One split is retained in the drill core box for archival purposes with a sample tag affixed at each sample interval and the other split is placed in a labelled plastic bag along with a corresponding sample number tag and placed in the shipment queue.

Quality control samples including blind certified reference material (‘CRM’), blank material, and core duplicates are inserted at a frequency of 1 in every 20 samples and sample batches of up to 60 samples were then shipped directly by Nuvau personnel to the ALS Canada Ltd. preparation laboratory in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec.

All submitted core samples are crushed in full to 95 % passing less than 2 mm (ALS code CRU-32). A 1000-gram sample was then riffled split from the crushed material and pulverized to 90 % passing 75 μm (SPL-22 and PUL-32a). Pulps are shipped from the preparation laboratory to ALS Canada Ltd.’s analytical lab in North Vancouver, British Columbia, for assay.

Lead, silver, copper and zinc analyses were determined by ore grade four acid digestion with an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (‘ICP-AES’) or atomic absorption spectroscopy (‘AAS’) finish (ALS codes Pb-OG62, Ag-OG62, Cu-OG62 and ZnOG62), whereas gold was determined by 50 g fire assay analysis with an AAS finish (code Au-AA23).

A second method, PhotonAssay analysis (code Au-PA01), was used on a single sample from hole BRCG-25-01 where visible gold was observed. The remaining reject material was pulverized to 95% passing 106um (PUL-32a) and recombined with the remaining master pulp material and split into three jars (~500g each) and shipped from the preparation laboratory to ALS Canada Ltd.’s analytical lab in Thunder Bay Ontario, for photon assayed. The reported value is the combined weighted assay result representing the entire length of the sample. For comparison gold determined by 50 g fire assay analysis return 15.75 g/t Au, compared to 16.02 g/t Au by PhotonAssay.

ALS Canada Ltd. is an accredited, independent commercial analytical firm registered to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015.

For further information please contact:
Nuvau Minerals Inc.
Peter van Alphen
President and CEO
Telephone: 416-525-6063
Email: pvanalphen@nuvauminerals.com

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipate’, ‘will’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’ ‘expects’ and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning drill results relating to the Matagami Property, the results of the PEA, the potential of the Matagami Property, the timing and commencement of any production, the restart of the Bracemac-McLeod Mine, the completion of the earn-in of the Matagami Property and the timing and completion of any technical studies, feasibility studies or economic analyses. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the Matagami Property. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, neither the Company nor Nuvau undertakes any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the 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 news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264895

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Belichick’s humiliating debut shows UNC isn’t ready for SEC spotlight

Sport 6 Mins Read
  • The Bill Belichick experiment will be hailed a success so long as North Carolina gets to call its shot in the next round of conference realignment.
  • North Carolina’s brand might be ready for prime time, but its team isn’t on the level of the SEC or the Big Ten.
  • Can Bill Belichick maintain a Deion Sanders-like effect for North Carolina? He electrified UNC football for one night, but will that last?

The luminaries assembled the way luminaries do. Jordan. Roy. The Muse. They gathered in luxury boxes.

They hovered above a sell-out crowd of 50,500 to create a scene worthy to be dubbed college football in the South. Maybe, one day, even worthy to be called college football in the SEC.

Because, that’s what this is about. You didn’t really think North Carolina hired Bill Belichick to deliver national championships, did you? Even university administrators aren’t that stupid.

The Beli Ball experiment and investment will be hailed a success so long as he ensures North Carolina gets to call its shot in the next round of conference realignment.

Which, is probably only a handful of years away. Best prepare now.

And, let’s be real, Belichick probably won’t be coaching North Carolina by then. By 2030, perhaps he’ll be enjoying retirement, unemployment and marital bliss, celebrating his wife’s 29th birthday, and waxing nostalgic about how he rode the coattails of a quarterback named Brady and convinced everyone he’s a coaching savant.

So long as Belichick sufficiently elevated UNC to a place to where the school can name its destination into a “Super Two” conference, where the cash flows, he’ll have achieved a feat. 

UNC’s brand and media market — everyone and your mother is moving to Charlotte — make the Tar Heels appealing to either the Big Ten or the SEC. The football program needs work. Never has that been more apparent than in Belichick’s college football coaching debut.

Belichick, wearing a snug hoodie, watched stoically as TCU humiliated his Tar Heels, 48-14. Belichick’s first impression spoiled before halftime. Behind him, fans filed out in the third quarter, probably with basketball on the brain.

As for UNC football, it looked as reputable as the school’s Afro-American Studies department. 

Never mind UNC’s cheating past, though. A history of academic fraud wouldn’t make it a pariah for the SEC. If anything, its decades-long harborage of phony classes shows the SEC and Big Ten that UNC cares enough about winning to execute an academic sham and then mount a successful defense to justify it to the NCAA.

Tennessee and Michigan could take inspiration from such chicanery.

The SEC and Big Ten won’t be inspired by the football product we saw on Labor Day, though. This team showed it’s not ready for prime time. 

In the short term, Belichick’s hiring galvanized a sleepy program. North Carolina already sold out its home games for the season. How much will those tickets be selling for on resale sites in November?

Because, if the opener is an accurate indication, Belichick’s team stinks.

If only it didn’t, because everything else about North Carolina makes it a slam dunk for either the SEC or the Big Ten the next time the realignment carousel swings into gear. 

North Carolina is one of those AAU schools the Big Ten likes. It would give the Big Ten an entry point into the South, which remains untapped terrain for a conference that spans from Los Angeles to Seattle to New Jersey and many outposts in between — except for lands that say y’all. 

The SEC’s past expansions operated much differently from the Big Ten’s quest to acquire brands from coast to coast. The SEC prefers to move into contiguous states to methodically expand the league’s footprint without betraying its carefully crafted Southern identity or its football fabric. 

The SEC Network is headquartered in Charlotte, and yet North Carolina remains the Southern-most state without an SEC school. For now, anyway.

ACC schools, like North Carolina, will become more accessible once their conference exit fees reduce in 2030.

It’s unrealistic to expect Belichick to turn basketball-forward UNC into Georgia or Ohio State. But, could he do for North Carolina what Deion Sanders did for Colorado?

Sanders supercharged the Buffaloes’ program and brand and helped ensure Colorado did not get left behind in the last round of realignment. The Buffaloes found a home within the Big 12. He made Colorado a television ratings dynamo. Games in Boulder became a party pad for celebrities.

Belichick is no Prime. The latter is a magnetic personality and a cultural icon who brought to Colorado a proven college football coaching record, albeit in the FCS ranks. Sanders benefited from installing his talented son as his quarterback. He also brought along a dual-position superstar, Travis Hunter, who revered Sanders. Hunter would go on to win the Heisman Trophy.

Oh, and Sanders beat TCU in his Colorado debut, too.

Unlike Prime, Belichick is a past-his-prime coach whose winning percentage in games not quarterbacked by Brady leaves a lot to be desired. He installed a son who’s an assistant coach. Steve Belichick is no Shedeur Sanders. None of the scores of transfers North Carolina nabbed this offseason compares to Travis Hunter. Belichick possesses not one-tenth of Coach Prime’s magnetism, nor his experience as a college coach and recruiter.

No matter what Sanders achieves the rest of his Colorado tenure, he’ll have been worth it. Just check out the school’s swelling enrollment, its Power Four status, and its TV ratings that defy gravity. 

For one night, Belichick electrified the place — up to the point TCU began the rout, anyway. How long can that last? Improving the team to the point of competence would help.

By 2030, Belichick might be retired to Maine, living as Mr. Hudson. Greatness may have eluded him at North Carolina. It’ll have been worth it for the Tar Heels, though, if they can say that a coach formerly known as an NFL legend helped them take their place at the vanguard of the next realignment rat race.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

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Venus Williams’ US Open doubles run ends with loss to No. 1 seeds

Sport 2 Mins Read

NEW YORK — Venus Williams’ US Open is over after she and her doubles partner, Leylah Fernandez, were routed 6-1, 6-2 in their quarterfinal match by the No. 1 seeds, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova.

Williams and Fernandez had never played doubles together and entered the tournament as a wild-card entry. They surprised many by winning three matches, including a third-round tilt against the No. 12 seeds, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Shuai Zhang. After that match, Williams implored her younger sister, and former doubles partner, Serena, to show up at Flushing Meadows for additional support.

But this destruction took all of 56 minutes, as Townsend and Siniakova exerted their experience together, powering to the semifinals with 19 winners and an 88% win rate on their first serves.

US OPEN: No. 4 Jessica Pegula powers through Barbora Krejcikova to reach semifinals

INJURY UPDATE: Marketa Vondrousova withdraws from quarterfinal vs. Aryna Sabalenka

Townsend and Siniakova, who won Wimbledon in 2024 and the Australian Open in January, move on to the semifinals to take on No. 4 seed Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens, who won their quarterfinal matchup over Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, the No. 5 seed, in straight sets.

The 45-year-old Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to the court earlier this summer after taking a 16-month break. She had not mentioned retirement and has continued to play competitive tennis, in both singles and doubles, since returning from her hiatus.

‘I don’t know. I was so focused on this tournament here. I really felt like we had a chance to really continue to play into the tournament,’ Williams said when asked about her post US Open plans. ‘So I haven’t given that any thought. I do have commitments, you know, places I said I’d be, people expecting me to be there, like, the next few weeks. So I have to go and show up.

‘But I’m very serious about my commitments. I would never want to cancel now, so I’ll try to keep those. If there is opportunity for me to play, then hopefully I can get back somewhere this year. I just don’t know. I really don’t.’

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Mercury upend Fever for fifth straight win as WNBA playoffs loom

Sport 5 Mins Read

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury are heating up at the right moment as the WNBA regular season winds down.

The Mercury (26-14) defeated the Indiana Fever (21-20) 85-79 at PHX Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 2 to record their fifth consecutive victory, marking Phoenix’s second longest winning streak of the season. It was a team effort for the Mercury, who move to 13-0 on the season when five or more players score 10 or more points.

Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas finished with a team-high 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the win, finishing only one rebound and one assist short of her eighth triple-double of the season. Dewanna Bonner had 19 points off the bench, while Satou Sabally added 13 points.

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell had 25 points, four assists and four steals in the losing effort. Lexie Hull added 15 points and five rebounds, while Aliyah Boston recorded 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Minnesota Lynx (No. 1 overall seed), Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream and Mercury have all claimed playoff spots. The Fever are among five teams vying for the final four playoff berths with three games remaining in the season.

USA TODAY Sports had full coverage of the game between the Mercury and the Fever. Scroll below for highlights:

WNBA PLAYOFF PICTURE: Who clinched a postseason berth? Who’s in, Who’s out?

End of Q3: Mercury 67, Fever 57

The Fever came out the gate on a 6-0 run to cut the Mercury’s lead to single digits, but Phoenix was able to extend its lead again as the Mercury take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Alyssa Thomas has a team-high 17 points for the Mercury and is two rebounds and two assists away from her eight triple-double of the season. Dewanna Bonner added 13 points off the bench. The Mercury are collectively shooting 50% from the field and 35.3% from three.

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper appeared to go down with a right foot injury with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. She attempted to play on but couldn’t put pressure on her foot. Copper limped over to the Mercury’s bench after a timeout was called and didn’t return in the quarter. Copper exited with nine points and three rebounds. (She returned in the fourth quarter.)

Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 22 points, three assists and three steals. Lexie Hull added 12 points and four rebounds, while Aliyah Boston recorded 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The Fever’s bench, however, has only contributed four points.

Halftime: Mercury 54, Fever 39

Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani pounded her chest as the crowd at PHX Arena went wild after she knocked down a 3-point shot to extend Phoenix’s lead to 15 points. The Mercury closed the second quarter on a 10-0 run and outscored the Fever 29-16.

Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas is already on triple-double watch. Thomas has recorded 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists through the first half. She has a record-setting seven triple-doubles on the season. The Mercury also got a huge lift off the bench from Dewanna Bonner. Bonner, who started the season with the Fever before joining the Mercury in July, is up to 11 points. The Mercury have the third-highest scoring bench in the league, averaging 24.8 points per game. 

The Fever have conceded 12 points on six turnovers so far. Mitchell was held scoreless in the second quarter after dropping 15 first-quarter points. Aliyah Boston struggled to find her shot and started the game off 0-for-4 before finding net for the first time with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter. She’s up to eight points and four assists. Lexie Hull added 10 points.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker in the building

The star-studded crowd at PHX Arena includes several Phoenix Suns players. Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks were seated courtside for Tuesday’s matchup.

End of Q1: Mercury 25, Fever 23

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell knocked down a 25-foot 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Fever a one-point lead. Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb answered right back with a three of her own to put Phoenix back up, 25-23.

Mitchell came out red-hot in the first quarter and scored 15 of the Fever’s 23 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the 3-point line. Despite Mitchell’s first-quarter performance, the Fever find themselves down by two points heading into the second quarter.

Kahleah Copper has a team-high nine points for the Mercury, while Alyssa Thomas, the Western Conference Player of the Week, has eight points, four assists and three rebounds.

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury?

The Phoenix Mercury host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the PHX Arena in Phoenix. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Indiana Fever starting lineup

Fever injury report: Is Caitlin Clark playing?

Clark was ruled out of the Fever’s road matchup against the Mercury on Tuesday, marking her 19th consecutive absence with a right groin injury suffered on July 15. There’s no timetable for her return to the lineup.

Fever forward Chloe Bibby (left knee) will also be sidelined on Tuesday, in addition to guards Aari McDonald (broken right foot), Sydney Colson (left ACL tear) and Sophie Cunningham (right MCL tear), who all suffered season-ending injuries in August.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury: TV, stream

  • Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
  • Location:  PHX Arena (Phoenix)
  • TV channel: NBA TV
  • Streaming: Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

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