Allied Gold (TSX:AAUC,NYSE:AAUC) has agreed to be acquired by Hong Kong–listed Zijin Gold International (HKEX:2259,OTCPink:ZJNGF) in an all-cash transaction that values the Canadian miner at approximately C$5.5 billion, the companies announced Monday (January 26).

The deal will see Zijin Gold purchase all outstanding shares of Allied Gold for C$44 per share in cash, according to a definitive arrangement agreement signed by both parties. The offer represents a premium of about 5.4 percent above the company’s most recent closing price.

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by Allied Gold’s board of directors, will be implemented through a court-approved plan of arrangement. It remains subject to shareholder approval at a special meeting as well the necessary regulatory and court approvals.

“The announced Transaction provides a highly attractive all-cash offer for Allied Gold at what represents an all-time high for the Company’s share price, crystallizing significant and certain value for its shareholders,” Allied Gold Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter Marrone said.

Allied Gold operates gold assets across Ethiopia, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, regions that have increasingly attracted global miners seeking long-life projects and production growth. The company has positioned itself as a mid-tier producer with expansion potential across its African portfolio.

Zijin Gold, one of the world’s largest gold miners, said the acquisition fits its long-term strategy of expanding internationally through high-quality assets.

“Allied Gold has successfully assembled and advanced a portfolio of large-scale, long-life gold assets with compelling expansion potential,” Zijin Gold Chairman Hongfu Lin said, pointing to the Sadiola and Kurmuk projects as “generational assets” expected to deliver multi-decade production, complemented by output from the CDI Complex in Côte d’Ivoire.

The agreement includes customary deal protections. Allied Gold would be required to pay a termination fee of C$220 million to Zijin if the transaction is terminated under certain specified circumstances.

The timing of the deal also coincides with signs of easing trade tensions between Canada and China. Earlier this month, the two countries reached a preliminary agreement aimed at cutting tariffs on electric vehicles and canola while committing to reduce broader trade barriers and strengthen strategic cooperation.

Zijin Gold operates across nine countries and has pursued an aggressive international expansion strategy in recent years. The company made a strong debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange last year, surpassing US$100 billion in market value for the first time despite a delayed initial public offering.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (January 26) as of 6:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) (‘LaFleur Minerals‘ or the ‘Company‘ or ‘Issuer‘) is pleased to announce major advancements with its Swanson Gold Deposit and Beacon Gold Mill which includes the advancement of technical studies evaluating the restart of gold production and retrofits to increase production rates at Beacon, as well as establishing requirements to expand its existing permitted tailings facility, all key components supporting the upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), which are in the final stage. The significant progress of key technical, metallurgical and infrastructure milestones for the PEA is integral to a disciplined, capital-efficient mill restart, which includes recently finalized positive verification of historical drilling with results to be announced near-term and ongoing recommissioning work at the Company’s wholly-owned Beacon Gold Mill.

PATH TO GOLD PRODUCTION RESTART AT BEACON GOLD MILL:

The Beacon Gold Mill last operated in 2022 with gold prices in the $1,800-2,000/oz range. With gold prices currently exceeding $4,900/oz, Lafleur is laser focused on restarting gold production at the Beacon Gold Mill leveraging supply from its 100%-owned district-scale Swanson Gold Deposit, located only ~50 km away, forming its vertically-integrated production model. The Swanson Gold Project, one of the largest gold exploration land packages in the Abitibi Gold Belt, Val-d’Or, Québec, holds a 43-101 compliant open pit and underground mineral resource; Total Indicated Mineral Resource Estimate of 2,113,000 t with an average grade of 1.8 g/t gold for 123,400 oz of contained gold, and Total Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 872,000 t with an average grade of 2.3 g/t gold for 64,500 oz of contained gold (MRE effective September 17, 2024 and reported in updated NI 43-101 technical report dated July 29, 2025). With a fully permitted tailings storage facility and proximity to established mining infrastructure, the Beacon Gold Mill offers a strategic ready to restart gold mill at a time when gold prices remain strong (USD $4,833/oz as of January 22, 2026; KITCO).

In parallel with regional exploration and drilling activities, the Company is also advancing technical studies aimed at optimizing and expanding the mill’s capabilities. Current work includes detailed assessments to enhance the existing metallurgical facility, supported by the development of updated cost estimates and retrofit flow sheets. These studies form part of a broader growth strategy that contemplates substantially increasing mill throughput, modernizing the process flowsheet, and advancing drilling programs to continually expand the mineral resources available to feed the Beacon Gold Mill.

RECENT FINANCING OF $7,800,000 CLOSED – BEACON GOLD MILL FUNDED FOR RESTART

LaFleur’s positioning is distinct compared to peers as it’s not in the conceptual stage but in full execution, given its 100%-owned, fully permitted Beacon Gold Mill with current 750 tpd capacity, funded for restart and entering revenue-generation stage. Beacon Gold Mill is scalable to 1,000 tpd under the PEA base case and 3,000-4,000 tpd under long term growth scenarios, offering a rare vertically integrated, mine-to-mill gold production platform that is scalable, enhancing control over costs and margins, with the possibility to leverage rail-enabled logistics, strengthening and solidifying the mill as a potential regional processing hub in Val-d’Or. Lafleur recently completed a total of $7,800,421 in funding to fully fund the restart of gold production at the Beacon Gold Mill (refer to press release dated January 5, 2026).

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS TOWARDS DELIVERY OF PEA

• The Swanson Deposit Mining Lease (BM885) has been reviewed for spatial suitability and is considered suited for the current mine plan. As the size of the mineral deposit and mining plan increases, the Company is evaluating opportunities to expand the permitted surface area through additional mining lease applications.
• Verification diamond drilling to support the PEA at the Swanson Gold Deposit is now complete. These positive drilling results will support the upcoming technical report and mark a key milestone in advancing the Project. The material from this drilling will also be used and incorporated in ongoing and future metallurgical testing. Lafleur will provide detailed news release on the positive drill results once final assat results are received in the coming days.
• LaFleur Minerals management team, together with ERM (Environmental Resources Management) and Canadian National Railway (CN), have initiated discussions regarding potential rail infrastructure enhancements to support long-term project development and delivery of feed from the Company’s Swanson Gold Project to Beacon Gold Mill. These discussions include a timeline for design and planning of relocating a small portion of the existing CN rail line (estimated at 6 months), then installing a dedicated rail spur to facilitate efficient loading and transport of material to the Beacon Gold Mill. The current CN line runs directly through both the Swanson Property and the Beacon Gold Mill site, presenting an opportunity to optimize logistics, reduce future hauling costs, decrease GHG emissions and support increased safety with less truck traffic through villages. Having direct rail access at the Beacon Gold Mill will significantly reduce transport costs and increase the range for the Company to accept satellite feed material, further enhancing the economics of gold production operations.
• Metallurgical planning for the Swanson Gold Project and Beacon Gold Mill continues to advance. Work being completed by Bumigeme Inc. (Bumigeme) of Montréal and ERM, the PEA lead consultant, regarding potential retrofits to the Beacon Gold Mill to support increased feed processing capacity. The C$49 million as-built and permitted Beacon Gold Mill facility remains a key strategic asset for LaFleur Minerals.

Work to date has focused on evaluating the requirements to economically process Swanson mineralized material at the Beacon Gold Mill and to further the mill expansion, including:

SWANSON GOLD PROJECT AND BEACON GOLD MILL – PEA BASE CASE ACTIVITIES

• Assessing upgrades to increase mill throughput to 1,000 tpd, including the capital costs associated with crushing, grinding and flotation circuit modifications.
• Initiating a metallurgical testing program for Swanson mineralized material, with a total of 400 kg of representative diamond-drill-core and assay rejects to be collected in January 2026 for detailed testwork by SGS Canada in February and March 2026.

GROWTH PLANNING

Looking beyond the PEA, LaFleur Minerals is assessing future Beacon Gold Mill expansion scenarios in the 3,000-4,000 tpd range:

• Preliminary capital requirements for these growth cases are currently under evaluation.
• Bumigeme and ERM are jointly developing the metallurgical flowsheet options to support these potential expansions, which will be supported by metallurgical laboratory testing.
• The current Beacon Gold Mill infrastructure is supported by an existing 4 MW power supply, providing a strong electrical foundation for current operations and planned throughput increases. This existing capacity enables the Company to evaluate upgrades in the PEA base case and supports future expansion scenarios.
• Mine options analysis and associated economic trade-off studies are currently being undertaken to evaluate the viability of processing Swanson mineralized material at the Beacon Mill. These evaluations are intended to quantify the relative merits of alternative development pathways and to inform the selection of the preferred mine-to-mill configuration.
• As metallurgical modernization concepts for the Beacon Gold Mill advance toward fully defined and executable process designs, the scope of the economic assessments may be expanded to incorporate additional growth scenarios, a sustainable environmentally friendly flowsheet and longer-term production strategies.

ABOUG BUMIGENE AND ERM:

Bumigeme Inc is a Quebec-based engineering firm specializing in mining, mineral processing, and metallurgical testing. They offer services including feasibility studies, NI 43-101 reports, and EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management) services. The company focuses on optimizing, designing, and operating mineral processing plants.
https://www.bumigeme.com

ERM (Environmental Resources Management)
https://www.erm.com/industries/mining-metals/
is a leading global sustainability consultancy providing end-to-end services for the mining sector, from exploration to closure. They specialize in ESG strategy, technical environmental services, social performance, risk management, and decarbonization to help mining companies navigate operational challenges and regulatory requirements. https://www.erm.com/industries/mining-metals/

Paul Ténière, CEO of LaFleur Minerals commented, ‘LaFleur Minerals is pleased with the technical milestones achieved to date, which represent strong progress as we advance toward delivery of a fully integrated PEA for our 100%-owned Swanson Gold Deposit and nearby Beacon Gold Mill. This work positions the Company to continue to fast track its streamlined development strategy centred on a restart of gold production at the Beacon Gold Mill located within one of Canada’s most established and well-supported Abitibi Gold Belt and ValDor, Quebec, gold-mining districts.’

BEACON GOLD MILL RESTART WORK UPDATE

LaFleur Minerals and Bumigeme have made strong operational progress at the Beacon Gold Mill during November and December 2025, quickly advancing the facility toward recommissioning to process a 100,000 tonne bulk sample from the Swanson Gold Deposit while maintaining a disciplined focus on cost control, safety, and execution.

Early activities included mobilization of contractors, restoration of site services, and inspection of critical safety infrastructure. Through coordination with environmental authorities, the Company optimized its winter access strategy to the tailings facilities, generating estimated cost savings exceeding $20,000.

During December 2025, LaFleur Minerals assembled its site leadership and technical team, awarded multiple service and equipment contracts, and initiated procurement of long-lead items required to bring the plant back into full operation. Minor electrical and heating upgrades were completed, and site cleaning and organization progressed steadily. Detailed equipment inspections have identified several opportunities to modernize aging components, positioning the plant for more reliable operations once recommissioned. Other work in mid-December included conveyor clean-out, pump replacement, inspection of drum filters, and preparation for mechanical and access upgrades. Recommissioning activities for the plant, crushing circuit, and overhead cranes are scheduled to begin by the end of January 2026.

These milestones mark a critical step in unlocking the value of the Beacon Gold Mill facility and demonstrate LaFleur Minerals methodical and capital-conscious approach to restarting operations.

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the Company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

About LaFleur Minerals Inc.

LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) is focused on the development of district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d’Or, Québec. Our mission is to advance mining projects with a laser focus on our resource-stage Swanson Gold Deposit and the Beacon Gold Mill, which have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The Swanson Gold Project is approximately 18,304 hectares (183 km2) in size and includes several prospects rich in gold and critical metals previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. LaFleur Minerals has recently consolidated a large land package along a major structural break that hosts the Swanson, Bartec, and Jolin gold deposits and several other showings which make up the Swanson Gold Project. The Swanson Gold Project is easily accessible by road, allowing direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing its development potential. Lafleur Mineral’s fully refurbished and permitted Beacon Gold Mill is capable of processing 750 tonnes per day and is being considered for processing mineralized material at Swanson and for custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects.

ON BEHALF OF LAFLEUR MINERALS INC.

Paul Ténière, M.Sc., P.Geo.
Chief Executive Officer
E: info@lafleurminerals.com
LaFleur Minerals Inc.
1500-1055 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4N7

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding ‘Forward-Looking’ Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements related to the use of proceeds from prior financings. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward- looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Click here to connect with LaFleur Minerals (CSE:LFLR,OTCQB:LFLRF) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Asara Resources (AS1:AU) has announced Drilling confirms grade continuity at depth and along strike

Download the PDF here.

Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced Sandstone Strategic Plan to Deliver Long-Life Production Hub

Download the PDF here.

The silver price hit a new all-time high on Friday (January 23), rising as high as US$100.87 per ounce.

The white metal’s most recent rise continues a breakout that began earlier this month on a mixed bag of economic uncertainty, rising geopolitical tensions in Venezuela and Iran and underlying industrial demand strength.

Adding fuel to the fire this week are US President Donald Trump’s comments about Greenland.

On January 17, Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social he would place tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries until a deal was reached for the US to purchase Greenland.

The statement raised hackles in Europe, and Trump ultimately removed the tariff threat, saying the US will not use force to take control of Greenland. However, the president also said he’s reached a deal framework with NATO regarding Greenland’s future; details about the deal have not been released at this time.

Tensions between Trump and US Federal Reserve are also providing support for silver, which like gold acts as a safe haven in times of turmoil. On January 9, the US Department of Justice served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment over Chair Jerome Powell’s testimony to the Senate Banking Committee this past June.

Trump denied knowledge of the investigation, but the move has still reignited concerns about Fed independence, with Powell linking it to the Fed’s refusal to lower interest rates as quickly as Trump would like.

Powell’s term as Fed chair ends in May, but two years still remain on his term as a governor of the board.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) is preparing to bring one of the world’s most important copper assets back online, laying out plans for a phased restart of the Grasberg mine in Indonesia following a deadly mud rush that halted operations late last year.

The Arizona-based miner said remediation and preparation work at the Grasberg minerals district remains on schedule after the September 8, 2025 incident, when an estimated 800,000 metric tons of wet material entered the block cave and killed seven workers.

According to the company, its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), expects to begin restarting Production Blocks 2 and 3 of the Grasberg Block Cave in the second quarter of 2026, with a gradual ramp-up thereafter. A potential restart of Production Block 1 is targeted for 2027.

Based on current estimates, PTFI expects roughly 85 percent of total production at normal operating rates to be restored in the second half of 2026.

Work required to resume mining, including mud removal from underground workings, repairs to key infrastructure and the installation of protective barriers, is progressing as planned, Freeport said. Investigations into the cause of the incident and remedial measures were completed during the fourth quarter of 2025.

Operations at other parts of the Grasberg complex have already resumed. In late October 2025, PTFI restarted production at the Deep Mill Level Zone (DMLZ) and Big Gossan underground mines, which were not affected by the mud rush.

Those restarts provided some relief to output but did not offset the loss of production from the Grasberg Block Cave, the district’s primary ore source.

“As we enter 2026, our team has a clear focus on restoring operations at Grasberg safely and sustainably, and on continuing to build values in the Americas through our innovative growth and efficiency initiatives,” Freeport president and chief executive officer Kathleen Quirk said in the company’s recent quarterly statement.

While the Grasberg restart remains the central operational focus, Freeport’s latest quarterly results showed the company’s financial resilience during the disruption.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, Freeport reported net income attributable to common stock of US$406 million, or US$0.28 per share. Adjusted net income totaled US$688 million, or US$0.47 per share, beating quarterly profit estimates.

Going into 2026, Freeport expects consolidated sales of about 3.4 billion pounds of copper, 0.8 million ounces of gold and 90 million pounds of molybdenum, with those projections assuming a phased restart of the Grasberg Block Cave beginning in the second quarter.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.