Rise Gold names new CEO, issues options and studies tungsten

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Rise Gold Corp. (RYES) reported several corporate developments. The company granted a total of 2,660,000 fully vested stock options to directors, officers and consultants at an exercise price of $0.18 per share, expiring November 20, 2030, under its Long-Term Incentive Plan.

On the same date, David Watkinson was appointed Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rise Gold and CEO of its subsidiary Rise Grass Valley Inc., replacing Joseph Mullin, who resigned to pursue a new opportunity and did not report any disagreements with the company. Mr. Watkinson’s employment agreement provides base pay of $11,000 per month, plus vehicle and medical allowances, and equity incentives including 1,000,000 stock options and future quarterly RSU grants starting January 1, 2026.

The company also highlighted a prior news release from November 4, 2025, announcing a review of historical data suggesting its Idaho-Maryland mine may contain significant amounts of tungsten, a U.S. Department of Energy–listed critical metal.

Insights

Mining equity analyst

Rise Gold combines leadership change, new equity incentives, and a tungsten review.

Rise Gold Corp. granted 2,660,000 fully vested options at $0.18 per share, including 1,000,000 to new CEO David Watkinson and 70,000 to the CFO. This aligns management and key personnel with the company’s share price over a five-year term ending on November 20, 2030, but also introduces potential future dilution whose scale cannot be gauged here.

Leadership is transitioning from Joseph Mullin to Watkinson, who brings forty years of mining engineering experience and direct familiarity with the Idaho-Maryland mine through prior roles at Emergent Metals Corp. The agreement’s mix of monthly cash compensation and scheduled RSU grants through October 1, 2027 ties a meaningful portion of his package to equity performance.

The mention of a review of historical data suggesting significant tungsten at the Idaho-Maryland mine, a metal on the 2023 DOE Critical Metals List, frames a potential additional commodity angle. Any impact will depend on future technical work and disclosures regarding tungsten quantities, economics, and development plans.

false 2025-11-20 0001424864 Rise Gold Corp. 0001424864 2025-11-20 2025-11-20

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
___________________________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 20, 2025

RISE GOLD CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada	000-53848	30-0692325
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)

345 Crown Point Circle, Suite 600
Grass Valley, California, United States 95945
(Address of principal executive offices) (ZIP Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (917) 349-0060

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class		Trading Symbols		Name of each exchange on which registered
N/A		N/A		N/A

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Securities.

On November 20, 2025, Rise Gold Corp. ("Rise Gold" or the "Company") granted a total of 2,660,000 stock options to directors, officers and consultants of the Company pursuant to the terms of the Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan. The stock options are fully vested and are exercisable at a price of $0.18 per share until November 20, 2030.

The Company granted the stock options and offered the underlying shares of common stock in reliance on the private offering exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. 

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

(a), (b) and (c) On November 20, 2025, David Watkinson was appointed to serve as a Director of the Company and to serve as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as the Chief Executive Officer of our wholly owned subsidiary, Rise Grass Valley Inc. ("Rise Grass Valley"), thereby filling the vacancies created when Joseph Mullin resigned from each of those positions on the same date so he could pursue a new opportunity. Additional details about these changes are provided in the Company's news release dated November 20, 2025, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1. Mr. Mullin did not advise the Company of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to its operations, policies or practices.

David Watkinson, has forty years of professional engineering experience in underground and open pit mine development and has held senior positions with Placer Dome Inc., Kinross Gold Corporation, Thyssen Mining Construction of Canada, and Vulcan Materials Company. Since 2006, he has served in various roles including President, CEO and a director of Emergent Metals Corp., formerly known as Emgold Mining Corporation, which controlled Rise Gold's wholly owned Idaho-Maryland mine for approximately 25 years prior to Rise Gold's acquisition of the property. Mr. Watkinson also serves as the President, CEO and a director of Ameriwest Critical Metals Inc. Mr. Watkinson holds a B.Sc. in Applied Science, Mining Engineering, from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario (1985) and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.

The Company has entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Watkinson dated November 20, 2025 (the "Agreement"), pursuant to which Mr. Watkinson is to receive base remuneration of $11,000 per month, subject to periodic increases at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Mr. Watkinson will also receive a $1,500 per month vehicle allowance and $1,000 per month family medical allowance.  The Agreement also provided for the grant to Mr. Watkinson of the 1,000,000 stock options described in paragraph (e) below and in Item 3.02 above and provides for future quarterly grants to Mr. Watkinson of fully vested restricted stock units ("RSUs"), beginning with 250,000 RSUs on January 1, 2026 and 62,500 RSUs each quarter thereafter through October 1, 2027.

There are no family relationships among the Company's directors, executive officers or persons chosen to become directors or executive officers.

(e) The disclosure provided in Item 3.02 above is incorporated in this Item 5.02(e) by reference. Of the total 2,660,000 stock options granted by the Company on November 20, 2025, the Company granted 1,000,000 stock options to David Watkinson, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and 70,000 to Mihai Draguleasa, our Chief Financial Officer.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On November 4, 2025, the Company issued a news release announcing it has commenced a review of historical data indicating that the Company's wholly owned Idaho-Maryland mine (the "I-M Mine") may contain significant amounts of tungsten, a metal listed in the U.S. Department of Energy's 2023 DOE Critical Metals List. Additional details are provided in the news release, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.2.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	News release dated November 20, 2025
99.2	News release dated November 4, 2025
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date:  November 24, 2025

RISE GOLD CORP.

/s/ David Watkinson
David Watkinson
President and CEO

FAQ

What did Rise Gold Corp. (RYES) announce about new stock option grants?

Rise Gold granted a total of 2,660,000 fully vested stock options to directors, officers and consultants, exercisable at $0.18 per share until November 20, 2030 under its Long-Term Incentive Plan.

How many stock options did Rise Gold’s new CEO receive?

Of the 2,660,000 options, 1,000,000 stock options were granted to David Watkinson, the new President and CEO, and 70,000 were granted to CFO Mihai Draguleasa.

Who is the new CEO of Rise Gold Corp. (RYES) and what is his background?

David Watkinson was appointed Director, President and CEO of Rise Gold and CEO of Rise Grass Valley Inc. He has 40 years of professional engineering experience in underground and open pit mine development and has held senior roles at major mining companies, including Placer Dome and Kinross Gold.

What are the key terms of David Watkinson’s employment agreement with Rise Gold?

Watkinson’s agreement provides $11,000 per month in base remuneration, plus a $1,500 per month vehicle allowance and $1,000 per month family medical allowance, along with 1,000,000 stock options and future fully vested RSU grants starting with 250,000 RSUs on January 1, 2026 and 62,500 RSUs each quarter through October 1, 2027.

Why did former CEO Joseph Mullin leave Rise Gold Corp.?

Joseph Mullin resigned as Director, President and CEO of Rise Gold and CEO of Rise Grass Valley Inc. on November 20, 2025 to pursue a new opportunity and did not report any disagreement with the company’s operations, policies, or practices.

What did Rise Gold disclose about tungsten at the Idaho-Maryland mine?

In a November 4, 2025 news release, Rise Gold announced it had begun reviewing historical data indicating its Idaho-Maryland mine may contain significant amounts of tungsten, a metal on the 2023 DOE Critical Metals List.