Although the US Dollar index recently broke through levels not seen since 2003, indicating great strength, caused by already announced and anticipated Fed rate hikes to counter the multi-decade high inflation levels, gold is still trading around US$1850/oz. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict is still far from over, and markets are frothy over a potential looming recession, gold as the ultimate fear trade appears to be holding its ground firmly.

Just after releasing intriguing drill results at Cervantes, Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) announced a C$3M non-brokered private placement with Alamos Gold, which can be called intriguing for sure as well. Alamas Gold is operating Mulatos, one of the largest heap leach gold mines in Mexico, not that far away from Cervantes.

Although the stockmarkets are under increasing pressure by sky high inflation, commodity shortages, decreasing economic demand and a desperate Federal Reserve that is looking to raise interest rates at record speeds, Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) keeps drilling diligently at their majority owned and operated (65/35 JV with Kootenay Silver) Cervantes gold project in Sonora, Mexico.

It is always a good sign of confidence when a large, well-known and widely followed shareholder like Crescat Capital decides to invest more into a tiny junior explorer via a strategic financing, even though they have been buying in the open market at higher cost levels increasing their ownership to 17.5% on a partially diluted basis.

Although still under the radar, Omai Gold Mines (TSXV:OMG) is looking to change this soon, as they are in the midst of an ongoing trenching and drill program at their Omai Gold project in Guyana, and are raising money at the moment.

Amidst rising inflation to levels not seen since the seventies, a Russia-Ukraïne conflict which now focuses on the Donbass and southern port cities, but seems contained for now, although it causes disruptions for commodity markets, and a Fed not sure what to do with interest rates, Vior Inc.

There seems to be no stopping of Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) as it keeps reeling in very good drill results from the California Zone at their majority owned and operated (65/35 JV with Kootenay Silver) Cervantes gold project in Sonora, Mexico.

After  a relatively quiet winter season with no drilling news, hybrid prospect generator Alianza Minerals (ANZ.V, TARSF.US) is gearing up to getting ready for potentially up to 5 drill programs this year at their various projects. The optioned out (Allied Copper) Klondike and Stateline copper projects in Colorado, operated by Alianza, are both in the targeting phase now, with exploration permits expected in a few weeks.

Kenorland Minerals (KLD.V)(3WQO.FSE) keeps expanding and finding new mineralized structures at their Regnault target, part of their Frotet project in Quebec, part of the 20/80 JV with Sumitomo where Kenorland is the operator. After announcing the second 25 holes batch of their 57 hole - 17,792m 2021 summer-fall program, it is clear that Regnault contains a considerable gold system, spread out over multiple vein structures.

Platinex Inc (PTX:CSE)(9PX:FRA) doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, as it has been adding more claims to the highly prospective and strategically located district-scale Shining Tree gold project and recently acquired W2 Copper-Nickel-PGE project, both located in mining-friendly Ontario.