Fortune Minerals Stock Price, News & Analysis

Fortune Minerals (OTCQB: FTMDF) reports significant developments for its NICO cobalt-gold-bismuth-copper critical minerals project in Canada. The project contains 33.1 million metric tonnes of reserves, including 1.1 million ounces of gold, 82.3 million pounds of cobalt, 102.1 million pounds of bismuth, and 27.2 million pounds of copper, supporting a 20-year mine life.

Recent market developments include:

• Gold trading at historic highs exceeding US$2,900 per ounce
• Bismuth prices tripling to over US$20 per pound, reaching a 17-year high
• Democratic Republic of Congo announcing a four-month suspension of cobalt exports

The NICO Project comprises a planned open pit and underground mine in Northwest Territories and a hydrometallurgical facility in Alberta, designed to produce cobalt sulphate, gold doré, bismuth ingots, and copper cement for North American supply chains.

Fortune Minerals (FTMDF) provided an update on its NICO cobalt-gold-bismuth-copper critical minerals project in Canada. The company secured ~C$17 million in non-dilutive funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, Natural Resources Canada, and Alberta Innovates to advance the project toward construction.

The project includes significant improvements in its updated Feasibility Study, including new comminution and flotation circuit designs that reduce capital costs by ~C$7 million and annual operating costs by ~C$1.3 million. Recent test work showed improved gold, bismuth, and cobalt recoveries, with bismuth recoveries reaching 97% and producing cement grading up to 95% bismuth.

The company also reported successful collaboration with Rio Tinto, validating the feasibility of processing blended materials at the planned Alberta hydrometallurgical facility. The project aims to provide North American supply of cobalt sulphate, gold doré, bismuth ingots, and copper precipitate.

Fortune Minerals (FTMDF) has drawn down an additional C$1,575,000 from its convertible security funding agreement with Lind Global Fund II, LP. The Second Convertible Security has a two-year term and a face value of C$1,890,000, secured by company assets. The funds will support general working capital and pre-fund government-supported work on the NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper Critical Minerals Project.

Lind can convert the face value over 24 months at 85% of the five-day VWAP. The agreement includes a C$60,000 closing fee and 16,338,174 warrants at C$0.0609 per share, exercisable for 60 months. The NICO Project aims to provide North American supply of cobalt sulphate, gold doré, bismuth ingots, and copper cement.

Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT) (OTCQB: FTMDF) has engaged Worley Canada Services to update the Feasibility Study for the NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper Project in Canada and assist with permitting for the Hydrometallurgical Facility in Alberta. The project aims to provide North American supply of critical minerals with ESG standards and IRA compliance.

Fortune recently received ~C$17 million in non-dilutive funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, Natural Resources Canada, and Alberta Innovates to advance the project. The updated Feasibility Study will incorporate recent improvements, including the completion of the Tlicho Highway, a new brownfield Alberta site, enhanced transportation logistics, and process optimizations.

The study will assess project economics at current costs and commodity prices, while also evaluating potential improvements in metallurgical recoveries and mine planning strategies.

Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT) (OTCQB: FTMDF) has entered a new option agreement with JFSL Field Services ULC to purchase a brownfield industrial site in Lamont County, Alberta for C$6,000,000. This site is planned for the construction of a hydrometallurgical refinery to process metal concentrates from Fortune's NICO cobalt-gold-bismuth-copper mine project in the Northwest Territories. The refinery aims to produce cobalt sulphate for lithium-ion batteries, bismuth ingots, and copper cement, with gold as a co-product.

The company has also announced that Alex Mezei has joined as Chief Metallurgist to oversee test work and process engineering for the NICO Project, which has received approximately C$17 million in government funding. The JFSL site, located in Alberta's Industrial Heartland, is expected to reduce capital and operating costs due to its existing infrastructure and proximity to skilled labor.

Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT, OTCQB: FTMDF) announced that the option to purchase the JFSL Field Services ULC brownfield industrial site in Lamont County, Alberta expired on June 30, 2024, without completion. Despite this, both Fortune and JFSL are keen to finalize a new arrangement to facilitate the purchase. Fortune Minerals will provide further updates once discussions with JFSL conclude.

Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT) (OTCQB: FTMDF) announced the results of its 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June 25, 2024, in London, Ontario. At the Meeting, all nominees listed in the management information circular were elected as directors. The detailed voting results are as follows:

Robin E. Goad received 99.39% of votes in favor, Glen Koropchuk received 97.42%, John McVey received 99.41%, Mahendra Naik received 98.88%, David Ramsay received 98.23%, and Edward Yurkowski received 99.33%. Additionally, the shareholders approved the appointment of McGovern Hurley LLP as the auditor of the company.

Fortune Minerals has entered a convertible securities funding agreement with Lind Partners worth up to C$10 million. An initial drawdown of C$1.25 million was used to make a C$1 million downpayment for an Alberta refinery site. The company plans to build a hydrometallurgical refinery to process metal concentrates from its NICO Project. The first convertible security has a two-year term and is secured by a lien on Fortune's assets. Lind can convert this security into shares at a discount to market price. Fortune can repurchase the security after 180 days, subject to conditions. Lind also receives a C$50,000 closing fee and 12.5 million warrants.

Fortune has amended its option agreement with JFSL for the 77-acre site, making payments totaling C$1.4375 million toward a C$5.5 million purchase price, with the balance due by June 28, 2024. JFSL and its parent, Worley Group, have specific usage and preferential rights post-acquisition. The Toronto Stock Exchange has conditionally approved the funding agreement.

Fortune Minerals has secured up to C$7.5 million from the Government of Canada to advance its NICO Project, which aims to produce cobalt, gold, bismuth, and copper. This funding complements a US$6.38 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense, bringing total non-dilutive funding to C$16.2 million. The NICO Project includes a planned mine in the Northwest Territories and a refinery in Alberta. The additional funds will support engineering and test work, including a feasibility study, a sensitivity analysis, and a FEED study. The project aligns with the Canada-U.S. Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals Collaboration and aims to enhance North American supply chain transparency and reliability.