With the threatening debt ceiling default off the table for now, and markets slightly positive because of it, Gold Terra Resource (TSXV:YGT)(OTCQX:YGTFF) (FRA:TXO) managed to raise C$4.6M in the markets through a short form offering. The proceeds of the issued common shares and flow through shares enables the company to follow up on the ongoing drill program at the Con Mine Option Property as part of their Yellowknife project in the Northwest Territories.

 With the assays for deep step-out hole T2301 coming in, management of Westward Gold Inc. (WG.CSE) believes even more they are right on track to find economic mineralization at depth, in close analogy with the nearby 10 Moz Au Cortez Hills mine, or the underground portion of the Carlin complex (Portal Mines, Leeville) at depth, which generated over 15Moz Au for Nevada Gold Mines.

1. Introduction

It isn’t very easy these days for junior explorers to go for large discoveries, as most of the low hanging fruit is long gone by now. Significant deposits can still be found, but geologists have to be very creative and inventive, to come up with new exploration concepts, for example using glacial till sampling, re-interpreting old data, or conceptualizing potential mineralization under cover.

In a time where market sentiment seems to be turning slightly negative, with a Fed pivot still up for debate, Tectonic Metals (TECT:TSX.V; TETOF:OTCQB; T15B:FSE) doesn’t seem to have much trouble raising cash, as it doing a brokered private placement at the moment, aiming at gross proceeds of C$6M.

Ice drilling at Regnault target, Frotet project, Quebec

As we seem to be at a pivotal point in the economy, with the Federal Reserve contemplating a halt in rate hikes, and potentially a more dovish stance for the second half of this year as a recession seems to be coming our way, sending the gold price to all-time highs recently, Kenorland Minerals (KLD.V)(3WQO.FSE)

After Aztec Minerals (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) commenced drilling at Tombstone in Arizona at the end of February, the first result came in on April 26, 2023, and it was pretty spectacular. As the company was drilling for oxidized gold in order to expand the mineralized envelope, estimated by me at about 600koz Au, high grade gold was also hit in first hole TC23-01, generating 125m @ 0.577g/t Au and 72g/t Ag from 53.3m depth, including an impressive 7.65m @ 733.92g/t Ag, which included an excellent 1.52m @ 3,477g/t Ag from 126.5m depth (residual grade of 54g/t Ag).

It is becoming harder and harder to navigate the economic environment these days. There are so many contradictory factors at play that nobody knows anything for sure these days. The Federal Reserve is contemplating one last rate hike in May on mixed but overall positive data coming in on Friday April 16, 2023, which might be followed by a pause and even rate cuts, in order to provide the economy with a “soft landing”.

The markets keep generating mixed to negative signals: on one side you have high inflation causing lowering demand, higher interest rates, the Federal Reserve shrinking its balance sheet, a record credit crunch, banking crisis, deflating bubbles like real estate, decreasing manufacturing, port activities, lowering wages (although in Europe there is a wage-price spiral going on), in short everything points towards a recession.

In an uncertain time where 3 substantial US regional banks collapsed and European system bank Credit Suisse was on the verge of a meltdown but got sold just in time to Swiss counterpart UBS for just $3B, all banks supported by substantial packages by other banks and the Swiss Central Bank, gold is doing well, and is hovering around the US$2,000/oz.

As banks are getting into trouble left and right, with central banks saving bank customers (SVB) and lending up to US$54B (Credit Suisse) at the last minute in order to avoid a financial Armageddon, gold is doing well as the fear trade is on again, Goldshore Resources (TSXV:GSHR)(OTCQB:GSHRF)(FWB:8X00) keeps on churning out solid drill results at their fully owned flagship Moss Lake project in Ontario.