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LONDON, June 29, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto has declared force majeure on customer contracts at Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) in South Africa due to an escalation in the security situation at the operations. This has led to the decision to cease operations until the safety and security position improves.

Rio Tinto chief executive Minerals, Sinead Kaufman, said: "The safety of our people is our top priority.

We continue to offer our full support to the investigating authorities and I would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the regional and national governments and South African Police Service as we work together to ensure that we can safely resume operations."

All mining and smelting operations at RBM have been halted until further notice. The Zulti South project has remained on full suspension since the security and community issues in 2019.

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Steve Allen, Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

riotinto.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210629006102/en/

Contacts

Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, UK

Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas

Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Media Relations, Australia

Jonathan Rose
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, UK

Menno Sanderse
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M +44 7788 967 877

Investor Relations, Australia

Natalie Worley
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto plc

6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: RBM

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – June 29, 2021) – Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSXV: CTM) (OTCQB: CTMCF) ("Canterra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced non-brokered private placement, raising total gross proceeds of approximately $2.7 million (the "Offering"), consisting of 13,581,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.30 until June 29, 2023.

The Company has paid finder's fees totaling $162,972 and issued an aggregate of 407,430 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to an arm's-length party. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.20 until June 29, 2023.

The Common Shares, the Warrants and the Finder's Warrants are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering, being October 30, 2021.

The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for general exploration and working capital and corporate purposes.

Mr. Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd. (a corporation which is beneficially owned by him) ("2176432"), acquired 13,181,000 Units (comprised of 13,181,000 Common Shares and 6,590,500 Warrants) in the Offering, for a total investment of $2,636,200. Prior to the closing of the Offering, 2176432 did not own any securities of the Company. Pursuant to the Offering, 2176432 owns a 19.8% interest in the Company on a non-diluted basis and a 27.1% interest in the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming the exercise of all of the Warrants held by 2176423. 2176423 has agreed that, until the TSX Venture Exchange approves 2176423 as a Control Person, which is expected to occur at the next meeting of shareholders of the Company to take place prior to December 31, 2021 (the "20% TSXV Approval"), 2176423 will not exercise the Warrants if it results in 2176423 owning 20% or more of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. The Common Shares and Warrants were acquired by 2176423 Ontario Ltd. for investment purposes. Mr. Sprott has a long-term view of the investment and may acquire additional securities of the Company, including on the open market or through private acquisitions, or sell securities of the Company, including on the open market or through private dispositions, in the future depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors. A copy of 2176423's early warning report will appear on the Company's profile on SEDAR and may also be obtained by calling (416) 945-3294 (200 Bay Street, Suite 2600, Royal Bank Plaza, South Tower, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2J1).

About Canterra Minerals

Canterra is earning a 100% interest in the Wilding and Noel Paul Gold Projects, located 50km south, by logging road, from Millertown and directly northeast of Marathon Gold's Valentine Lake Gold Project in central Newfoundland. The 243km² property package includes 50km of the northeastern strike-extension of the Rogerson Lake Structural Corridor, which hosts Marathon Gold's Valentine Lake deposits, Matador Mining's Cape Ray deposit, Sokoman's Moosehead discovery and TRU Precious Metals' Golden Rose and Twilight discoveries. A $2.75 million exploration program is underway, focusing on drilling and surface exploration on the Wilding Gold Project. This program will include additional diamond drilling on the existing zones and follow up trenching and diamond drilling on numerous targets identified from previous soil geochemistry sampling. Canterra's team has more than 100 years of experience searching for gold and diamonds in Canada and have been involved in the discovery of the Snap Lake diamond mine, in addition to the discovery of the Blackwater Gold deposit in British Columbia, Canada.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION

Chris Pennimpede
President & CEO

Additional information about the Company is available at www.canterraminerals.com
For further information, please contact: +1 (604) 687-6644
Email: info@canterraminerals.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements with respect to the expected use of proceeds from the Offering and the 20% TSXV Approval. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects; the business and operations of the Company; unprecedented market and economic risks associated with current unprecedented market and economic circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in the Company's public filings under its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

(In Canadian Dollars unless otherwise stated)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/89033

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2021 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSXV:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that is has joined the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG).

WBCG (wbcg.com.na) is a public-private partnership established in 2000 to promote the utilization of the Walvis Bay Corridors to the Port of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz in the Republic of Namibia. WBCG was established to engage in business development activities – thereby increasing cargo for ports and corridors linked to it, and to engage in the facilitation of corridor and infrastructure development.

The Walvis Bay Corridors are an integrated system of well-maintained tarred roads and rail networks – accommodating all modes of transport – from the Port of Walvis Bay via the Trans Kalahari, Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi), Trans-Cunene and Trans-Oranje Corridors providing landlocked SADC countries access to transatlantic markets.

The corridors, serving the two ports, is a network of transport routes from the neighboring SADC countries of Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe (see Figure 1). The corridors include:

the Port of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz,
the Trans Kalahari corridor connecting Botswana and South Africa,
the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi development corridor connecting Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo,
the Trans-Cunene corridor connecting Angola, and
the Trans-Oranje corridor connecting South Africa.

Of specific importance to Tsodilo is the Walvis Bay – Ndola – Lumumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC) which connects Namibia – Zambia – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with links to Angola – Zimbabwe, Malawi & Tanzania. WBNLDC provides the shortest route between the Namibian west coast Ports of Lüderitz and Walvis Bay and the vital transport hubs of Livingstone, Lusaka and Ndola in Zambia, Lubumbashi (southern DRC), and Zimbabwe. This corridor is perfectly positioned to service the two-way trade between the SADC region and Europe, North and South America and emerging markets in the East. See Figure 1 for a regional context to this important transport corridor.

The portion of the corridor between Grootfontein (Namibia) to Katima Mulilo located on the Zambia border is the portion of the corridor to the Xaudum Iron Project (Figure 2), and is currently connected by a Grade A bitumen highway used for the transportation of goods and services. However, in March 2021, the Namibian Ministry of Works and Transport commissioned a Feasibility Study for the Trans-Zambezi Railway Extension Grootfontein – Rundu – Katima Mulilo. This feasibility study is one of the project components being implemented under the Namibian Transport Infrastructure Improvement Project and the consultancy services are being funded by the African Development Bank and the Government of the Republic of Namibia. The Trans-Zambezi Railway Extension line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port.

The proposed rail extension between Grootfontein and Katima Mulilo is significant to Tsodilo as the extension is planned to pass through Divundu in Namibia which is located approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) from our license location in Northern Botswana (see Figure 2). The feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of 2021 and its results will be considered in our Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

"The proposed rail extension is an important development for Tsodilo as it opens up a proximate rail transportation system for the delivery of the projects potential iron products, such as iron concentrate, iron pellets, potential direct reduced iron (DRI) products, and Ferrosilicone (FeSi) products, throughout central, eastern and southern Africa as well as international markets," commented the Company's Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited
Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond, metal deposits and industrial stone at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto"), Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Newdico (Pty) Ltd. ("Newdico) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of seven metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% interest in its Newdico industrial stone project located in Botswana's Central District. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Newdico, Gcwihaba, and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate, Project Manager and Chief Geologist of the Company and a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com

Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate
Project Manager and Chief Geologist
Alistair.Jeffcoate@tsodiloresources.com

Head Office
Telephone +1 416 572 2033
Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369
Website: http://www.TsodiloResources.com

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/653363/Tsodilo-Resources-Limited-Joins-the-Walvis-Bay-Corridor-Group

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Melior Resources Inc. (TSXV: “MLR”) (“Melior” or the “Company”) refers to its press release of April 28, 2021 regarding the Default Notice received from Pala Investments Ltd (“Pala”) and the subsequent Standstill Agreement entered into with Pala.

The Company announces that it has today entered into a further standstill amending agreement with Pala pursuant to which Pala has agreed to extend the standstill period until September 30, 2021.

Furthermore, Melior has also today entered into a further amended demand promissory note (the “Amended Promissory Note”) with Pala extending the maturity of the loan from June 30, 2021 to September 30, 2021. All other terms of the Amended Promissory Note remain unchanged.

MELIOR RESOURCES INC.
Martyn Buttenshaw
Interim Chief Executive Officer
+41 41 560 9070
info@meliorresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.

Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.

One company to watch right now is ANGLO AMER ADR (NGLOY). NGLOY is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 6.24, while its industry has an average P/E of 7.48. Over the past year, NGLOY's Forward P/E has been as high as 12.90 and as low as 5.75, with a median of 8.42.

We should also highlight that NGLOY has a P/B ratio of 1.70. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 3.22. Over the past 12 months, NGLOY's P/B has been as high as 2.04 and as low as 1.03, with a median of 1.49.

These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that ANGLO AMER ADR is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, NGLOY feels like a great value stock at the moment.

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MELBOURNE (Reuters) -A Rio Tinto Ltd forerunner failed to protect 18,000-year-old artefacts showing how people lived during the last Ice Age, part of destruction that the mining giant kept secret for decades, an Australian Aboriginal group alleged on Friday.

The group said that Rio, despite pledges to improve how it protects Indigenous heritage after its destruction of sacred sites last year, did not come clean about the 1990s destruction of heritage at an iron ore mine that local Aboriginal people still do not have access to.

Australian mining "is an industry that hasn’t behaved responsibly and an industry that needs far greater oversight in heritage protection and agreement making," the Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC) said in a statement.

The troubled relationship between mining, a core industry for Australia's economy, and the nation's Aboriginal heritage attracted global attention last year when Rio, with state approval, blew up two ancient rock shelters considered sacred to Indigenous people in Western Australia.

Outrage at the legal destruction featured in Black Lives Matter protests in a country where Aboriginal people have long suffered higher rates of imprisonment, unemployment and lower life expectancy.

The furore led Rio to replace top executives and promise to overhaul its heritage protection practices.

Friday's claims, in a submission to a government inquiry, concern different sites in the same region, around the Marandoo iron ore mine. The group said it had learned that material dating back at least 18,000 years and other artefacts had been thrown in a Darwin rubbish heap.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said in a statement: "We’re not proud of many parts of our history at Marandoo and we reiterate our apology to the Traditional Owners of the land, the Eastern Guruma People, for our past actions. We know we have a lot of work ahead to right some of these historical wrongs, which fell well short of the standards we expect today."

Trott's statement did not address the Indigenous group's specific allegations. Rio declined to comment beyond the statement.

The Aboriginal group's submission highlights an Australian legal structure that has long greenlighted mining development at the expense of historically important cultural sites.

"Any site dating from the last Ice Age is significant because people were using these sites as refuges, so we can get a sense of how they were reacting to glacial conditions," said Duncan Wright, a specialist in Indigenous archaeology at Australian National University.

"If you had sites of this significance in England, they would be protected – it's like destroying Stonehenge," said Wright, who has not seen the material. The sites could, in fact, have been significantly older, given the technology available in the 1990s, he said.

HERITAGE 'IN THE BIN'

Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd and the Western Australia state government knew by May 1992 "that rock shelter 'MG2' in Manganese Gorge contained Aboriginal cultural material dating back 18,000 years," the first evidence of Aboriginal habitation through the Ice Age, WGAC said in the submission. Rio acquired Hamersley in 2001.

Material from that rock shelter was accidentally dumped in landfill, and Hamersley later approved plans to discard unanalysed material from 20 of 28 sites that were salvaged, it said.

"It is a wound that has not healed – that so many cultural sites were lost, blasted into fragments, without even a record, note or photograph kept," the group said. "Nothing remains today beyond a deep hole in the ground."

The group said this contravened state regulations requiring the miner to safeguard salvaged material, part of an arrangement that exempts Rio from complying with state heritage laws.

Indigenous groups have mounted opposition to state government revisions of heritage protection laws that have legalised the destruction of ancient sites.

Trott said Rio also supports repealing the law that created the exemption, the Marandoo Act 1992, and that "discussions with Traditional Owner groups to better understand and reflect their wishes are ongoing."

The Aboriginal group said artefacts in early reports had included grinding material, hearths, marine shell, bone, stone and wooden items from an area that contained numerous rock shelters, a ceremonial area and a waterhole with engravings.

"So little was the respect for either the State’s conditions, or for the cultural heritage that was destroyed on a massive scale, hundreds of Eastern Guruma cultural artefacts ended up in the bin," it said.

The group noted reports of vandalism at the M2 rock shelter, including a drill rig putting a hole through its roof.

WGAC said they remain unable to assess the heritage at Marandoo that is not included in their legal native title claim, and that Rio does not pay royalties on the three oldest of its six mines on its ancestral land.

"It is not surprising that this sort of behaviour occurred in Western Australia, some 28 years before Juukan Gorge," the area of last year's destruction, the WGAC board in a statement.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by William Mallard)

TORONTO, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ – Trading resumes in:

Company: Lucara Diamond Corp.

TSX Symbol: LUC

All Issues: Yes

Resumption (ET): 8:00 AM

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2021/25/c3358.html

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – June 24, 2021 – Zacks Equity Research Shares of PulteGroup, Inc. PHM as the Bull of the Day, Panasonic Corporation PCRFY as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Caterpillar Inc. CAT and Rio Tinto Group RIO.

Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:

Bull of the Day:

The pandemic and the subsequent low interest rates brought about a banner year for the U.S. housing market. Though sales have slowed, prices have continued to climb in 2021 and homebuilders are poised to grow amid a nationwide housing shortage.

Pulte’s Pitch

PulteGroup is one of the largest homebuilders in the U.S., with operations in over 40 major markets across 23 states. The company operates under multiple brands, including its namesake Pulte, as well Centex, Del Webb, John Wieland Home, and others.

PulteGroup builds homes in popular areas from California and Texas to the Midwest, Florida, and beyond. The list of major markets includes Austin, Dallas, San Diego, Chicago, Miami, and many others. PHM also reaches a diversified set of customers, which helps it grow and gain exposure to different buying trends.

The Atlanta-based company claims that 29% of its homes are sold to first-time buyers, while 45% come from “move up” clients and 26% from “active adults.” And PHM has exposure to various levels of the housing market, from the under $250K group to $500K and above. In 2019, 30% of its homes closed between $300K to $399K, with another 45% coming at $400K or higher.

Growth & Outlook

PulteGroup has posted sales growth for nearly a decade straight, including some impressive years of top-line expansion. The company’s revenue climbed 8% in 2020 and it surged 19% in the first quarter of 2021. The recent pop was driven by a 12% increase in the number of homes closed, alongside a 4% increase in average sales price that saw it hit $430K, which reflected “price increases realized across all buyer groups.”

More importantly, PHM ended the first quarter with a backlog of 18,966 homes valued at $8.8 billion, up 50%. Meanwhile, its adjusted earnings surged 60%. And its CEO Ryan Marshall nicely summarized the broader industry trends that provide solid tailwinds for PulteGroup and other homemakers, on top of “favorable demographics, low interest rates and improving consumer.”

“The need for almost 4 million additional homes as recently estimated by Freddie Mac to meet buyer demand, and expectations for an acceleration in economic growth as the pandemic continues to recede, keep us optimistic about future housing conditions and the opportunity to drive additional gains in our business results.”

The booming housing market pushed U.S. home sales to their highest levels since 2006 in 2020. And a tight market saw U.S. existing-home prices hit a record high in May. Like PulteGroup’s chief executive pointed out, there is a huge need for more homes, with one recent report stating the country was 5.5 million units below necessary levels.

With this positive backdrop in mind, Zacks estimates call for PHM’s fiscal 2021 revenue to soar 35% to reach $14.9 billion and mark its strongest top-line growth in roughly 20 years. The company is then expected to follow up this growth with another 9% sales expansion in 2022.

At the bottom-end, its adjusted earnings are expected to climb by 48% and 11%, respectively over this stretch. PulteGroup also boasts a long history of quarterly earnings beats and its consensus bottom-line estimates have surged since its last report, with its FY21 figure up 26% and FY22 30% higher.

Other Fundamentals

In a sign of strength, PulteGroup in December raised its quarterly dividend by 17%, with its current 1% yield roughly matching peers such as Lennar and Toll Brothers. And PHM executives last quarter announced the firm increased its share repurchase authorization by $1 billion.

PHM shares have crushed their industry over the last five years, up 210% vs. 135%. This includes a 60% jump in the last 12 months, which once again helped it outpace the Home Builders space and the benchmark S&P 500 index’s 45%. The stock has pulled back since hitting records in May, closing regular hours Wednesday nearly 15% below its highs at $53.49 a share.

PulteGroup is currently trading under its 50-day moving average, but well above its 200-day. The stock also sits well below neutral RSI levels (50) at 40. Plus, PHM is trading at an 18% discount to its own year-long median and nearly 50% under its highs at 6.7X forward earnings, marking solid value compared to its industry’s 7.9X average. All of this provides PulteGroup stock plenty of possible runway.

Bottom Line

PulteGroup’s positive earnings revisions help it land a Ranks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at the moment. On top of that, seven of the 11 brokerage recommendations Zacks has for PHM come in at “Strong Buys,” with one more “Buy” and none below a “Hold.”

In the end, millennials continue to reach their prime homebuying years and a shortage of homes could help PulteGroup and other homebuilders continue to grow. And let’s remember that mortgage rates are still extremely low despite climbing off their early 2021 bottoms. Plus, PHM’s Building Products-Home Builders industry sits in the top 8% of our over 250 Zacks industries.

Bear of the Day:

Panasonic is a historic technology firm that has seen its earnings revisions trend in the wrong direction recently. The stock has also fallen around 20% since February and PCRFY shares have yet to mount a real recovery, while lagging its industry over the past several years.

The Short Story

Panasonic is a tech titan that operates multiple units: appliances, life solutions, connected solutions, automotive, and industrial solutions. The company is currently working to expand its battery business far beyond Tesla as the electric vehicle age begins.

Panasonic also made a splash when it announced in April its plans to buy U.S. supply-chain software provider Blue Yonder Holding Inc. The deal is valued at roughly $7 billion and is projected to help bolster the firm’s software business in the SaaS age. Wall Street has, however, not reacted too kindly to the deal, with PCRFY down around 8% since the end of April.

The recent pullback is part of a larger downturn since February for a stock that has struggled to keep up with the booming tech sector. The nearby chart shows PCRFY shares are up just roughly 20% in the last five years. When it comes to the technical side, Panasonic is currently trading below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The rough stretch in 2021 comes as the Nasdaq has rebounded to reach new highs.

Bottom Line

Panasonic has seen some downward earnings revisions activity recently to help it land a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) at the moment. And its Audio Video Production industry sits in the bottom third of over 250 Zacks industries.

All that said, investors might want to hold off on Panasonic stock until it flashes signs of a possible comeback before considering the consumer electronics standout.

Additional content:

Caterpillar (CAT) Designing Zero-Emission Machines

Caterpillar recently entered into a collaboration agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. to develop, test and produce zero-emission machines for the latter’s Matawinie graphite mine. Caterpillar expects to become the exclusive supplier of an all-electric mining fleet for the mine by 2028.

The Matawinie project, which will provide high-purity graphite concentrate for electric vehicles, is planned to be the first open pit operation in the world that will exclusively use electric equipment. This is an important milestone in the mining industry as it can be used as a launch pad for other miners focused on cutting down their emissions utilizing Caterpillar’s cutting-edge technologies.

The mine is expected to produce 100,000 tons of graphite concentrate annually for the battery electric vehicle and energy storage markets. Also, the combination of high-quality infrastructure, skilled workforce and a dynamic regional business ecosystem make it a worthy investment. Nouveau Monde is targeting commercial operations by 2023.

Dedicated to stringent sustainable development standards, Nouveau Monde is committed to having both its equipment used for mining operations and its ore concentration and processing activities become fully electric within the first five years of production. This operating model, which is the world’s first for an open-pit mine, represents a potential reduction of over 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions over the mine’s lifespan. Notably, Caterpillar has been helping its customers decrease their carbon footprints through machinery and power solutions that minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

This news comes on the heels of Rio Tinto announcement that it will deploy the world’s first fully autonomous water truck in partnership with Caterpillar at its $2.6 billion Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Water spraying is a vital part of mining operations and this new technology will enhance productivity by enabling digital tracking of water consumption, while cutting down water wastage. Rio Tinto intends to make Gudai-Darri one of the world’s most technologically advanced mines.

Cutting down the mining sector’s carbon emissions is the need of the hour. Day by day, more and more mining companies are exploring options to electrify their mines. The switch from diesel to electricity will also cut costs and boost their license to operate.

Electrified mines will require less maintenance and human intervention. The use of automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) will increase as drones, autonomous vehicles and remote-controlled operational systems are rolled out more widely across mining operations.

The intensifying global focus on shifting from fossil fuels to zero emissions will require huge amounts of commodities. This will lead to higher demand for mining equipment. Caterpillar given its focus on energy and emissions reduction will have a competitive edge.

Per a Research and Markets report, the global market for mining equipment, which was estimated at $119 billion in 2020, is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.1% and hit $179.8 billion by 2027. Metal mining is projected to record a 7.6% CAGR and attain $83.5 billion by 2027.

Price Performance

Shares of Caterpillar have surged 68.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s rally of 45.1%.

Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider

The company currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Zacks Investment Research

Here are four stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, June 24th:

Rio Tinto Group (RIO): This company that engages in finding, mining, and processing mineral resources has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 16% over the last 60 days.

Rio Tinto Group Price and Consensus

Rio Tinto Group price-consensus-chart | Rio Tinto Group Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company has a dividend yield of 7.38%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 6.06%.

Rio Tinto Group Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rio Tinto Group dividend-yield-ttm | Rio Tinto Group Quote

Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX): This data storage technology and solutions provider has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.5% over the last 60 days.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc Price and Consensus

Seagate Technology Holdings plc price-consensus-chart | Seagate Technology Holdings plc Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 3.16%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 5.77%.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc Dividend Yield (TTM)

Seagate Technology Holdings plc dividend-yield-ttm | Seagate Technology Holdings plc Quote

TowneBank (TOWN): This retail and commercial banking services provider has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 18.7% over the last 60 days.

TowneBank Price and Consensus

TowneBank price-consensus-chart | TowneBank Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 2.33%, compared with the industry average of 1.93%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 2.44%.

TowneBank Dividend Yield (TTM)

TowneBank dividend-yield-ttm | TowneBank Quote

Avient Corporation (AVNT): This specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions provider has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 18.3% over the last 60 days.

Avient Corporation Price and Consensus

Avient Corporation price-consensus-chart | Avient Corporation Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 1.73%, compared with the industry average of 1.46%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 2.07%.

Avient Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM)

Avient Corporation dividend-yield-ttm | Avient Corporation Quote

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

Find more top income stocks with some of our great premium screens.

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It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 77 billion devices by 2025, creating a $1.3 trillion market.

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Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Avient Corporation (AVNT) : Free Stock Analysis Report

USA Truck, Inc. (USAK) : Free Stock Analysis Report

TORONTO, June 24, 2021 /CNW/ – The following issues have been halted by IIROC:

Company: Lucara Diamond Corp.

TSX Symbol: LUC

All Issues: Yes

Reason: Pending News

Halt Time (ET): 3:15 PM

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2021/24/c7435.html

Here are five stocks added to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List today:

Rio Tinto Group (RIO): This mining company has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 16% over the last 60 days.

Rio Tinto PLC Price and Consensus

Rio Tinto PLC price-consensus-chart | Rio Tinto PLC Quote

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT): This distributor of industrial products in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 12.8% over the last 60 days.

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Price and Consensus

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Quote

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (EXPD): This provider of global logistics solutions has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 21.1% over the last 60 days.

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. Price and Consensus

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. Quote

USA Truck, Inc. (USAK): This company that operates as a truckload carrier in the United States, Mexico, and Canada has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 27.2% over the last 60 days.

USA Truck, Inc. Price and Consensus

USA Truck, Inc. price-consensus-chart | USA Truck, Inc. Quote

Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX): This provider of data storage technology and solutions has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.5% over the last 60 days.

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC Price and Consensus

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC price-consensus-chart | Seagate Technology Holdings PLC Quote

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 4 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2022.

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Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (LUC – TSX, LUC – BSE, LUC – Nasdaq Stockholm)

Lucara Diamond Corp. (“Lucara” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce today that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by BMO Capital Markets under which the underwriters have agreed to buy on bought deal basis 29,400,000 common shares (the “Common Shares”), at a price of C$0.75 per Common Share for gross proceeds of approximately C$22 million (the “Public Offering”). The Company has granted the Underwriters an option, exercisable at the offering price for a period of 30 days following the closing of the Public Offering, to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Public Offering to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on or about July 15, 2021 and is subject to Lucara receiving all necessary regulatory approvals.

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has agreed to launch a concurrent private placement of approximately C$16 million on the same terms as the Public Offering (the “Private Placement” and together with the Public Offering, the “Financing”) to Nemesia S.à.r.l. (“Nemesia”) and to certain other investors on a private placement basis. Any Common Shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period in Canada for a period of 4 months and one day. The Private Placement is expected to close on or about July 15, 2021 and is subject to Lucara receiving all necessary regulatory approvals.

The net proceeds of the Public Offering and Private Placement will be used for working capital to support the development and ongoing operation of the Karowe diamond mine.

In respect of the Public Offering, Common Shares will be offered by way of a short form prospectus in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario and may also be offered by way of private placement in the United States.

The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Nemesia is an insider of the Company and, as a result of their participation in the Private Placement, the Private Placement will be considered a “related party transaction” under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions set forth in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation, as neither the aggregate fair market value of the Common Shares expected to be purchased by Nemesia is less than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. A material change report in respect of the Financing will be filed in accordance with MI 61-101, but is not expected to be filed 21 days in advance of the closing of the Financing as certain details regarding the participation of Nemesia have not yet been finalized and the Company wishes to close on an expedited basis for sound business reasons.

This news release is not an offer to the public to subscribe for Common Shares or otherwise acquire Common Shares or other financial instruments in the Company, whether in Sweden or in any other EEA Member State. This news release is an advertisement and does not constitute a prospectus in accordance within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 (the “Prospectus Regulation”). No such prospectus has been or will be prepared in connection with the Offering or the Private Placement. The financial instruments referred to in the news release are not intended to be offered to the public in any EEA Member State except to qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) and in accordance with any other applicable exemption from the requirement to prepare a prospectus under the Prospectus Regulation in that Member State.

Eira Thomas
President and Chief Executive Officer

Follow Lucara Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

For further information, please contact:

	Investor Relations & Communications
	+1 604 674 0272\| info@lucaradiamond.com

Sweden	Robert Eriksson, Investor Relations & Public Relations
	+46 701 112615 \| reriksson@rive6.ch

UK Public Relations	Charles Vivian / Jos Simson, Tavistock
	+44 79 772 97903\| lucara@tavistock.co.uk

ABOUT LUCARA

The information in this release is accurate at the time of distribution but may be superseded or qualified by subsequent news releases.

This information is information that the Company is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 3:30 pm Eastern Time on June 24, 2021.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the statements made and contained herein and elsewhere constitute forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, including in respect to Lucara's ability to make future equity and cash payments to the former shareholders of Clara and Clara's founders, facilitators and management and the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. These assumptions, opinion and estimates are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and such forward-looking information included herein should not be unduly relied upon. In particular, this release may contain forward looking information pertaining to the payment of future consideration to the former shareholders of Clara and its founders, facilitators and management and Lucara's ability to make such payment and the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

There can be no assurance that such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company's results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of those factors discussed in or referred to under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties” in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form available at http://www.sedar.com, as well as changes in general business and economic conditions, changes in interest and foreign currency rates, the supply and demand for, deliveries of and the level and volatility of prices of rough diamonds, costs of power and diesel, acts of foreign governments and the outcome of legal proceedings, inaccurate geological and recoverability assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral reserves and resources), and unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalations, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job actions, adverse weather conditions, and unanticipated events relating to health safety and environmental matters).

Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date the statements were made, and the Company does not assume any obligations to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – June 24, 2021) – Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSXV: CTM) (OTCQB: CTMCF) ("Canterra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of surface exploration work on its Wilding Gold ("Wilding") and Noel-Paul Gold ("Noel") Projects, in central Newfoundland ("NL"). Results from the surface program will enhance targeting and generate additional targets for drilling, expected to begin later this summer.

Highlights:

Multiple field crews have been mobilized and are systematically till sampling, prospecting and top of bedrock sampling at Wilding in high priority target areas
This work will help prioritize drill targets identified from existing exploration data on the underexplored Wilding West area where the project abuts Marathon Gold's Valentine Lake project
- Approximately 2,000 till samples will be collected covering the extension of the Valentine Lake Shear Zone on the west side of Wilding
- Top of bedrock sampling will target till covered areas to identify and map potential bedrock mineralization and alteration footprints across both the Wilding and Noel-Paul projects
- Trenching will follow up on targets generated
Detailed targeting work is in progress and being performed by GoldSpot Discoveries Corp ("GoldSpot")
A high-resolution LiDAR survey is scheduled to begin later this month

Wilding West

The Wilding West area is located to west of Wilding Brook. It is underlain by the same geological units with the same geophysical characteristics as the area hosting the Wilding gold prospects including the Elm, Alder and Red Ochre zones. The Silurian-aged units, which host the Wilding gold mineralization, were not the focus of historic exploration which targeted base-metal deposits in the adjacent Ordovician volcanic sequences. The Rogerson Structural Corridor/Valentine Lake Shear Zone define the boundaries of these Silurian rocks. Prospecting and till sampling efforts will focus mainly on the structural corridor but will also extend into the adjacent Ordovician rocks.

Wilding West

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8054/88480_West%20Wilding.jpg

GoldSpot Target Generation

GoldSpot is a mining-focused technology company that is working with some of the leading exploration and mining names in the industry to apply cutting edge Artificial Intelligence ("AI") algorithms to significantly increase the efficiency and success rate of mineral exploration. Recent successes by GoldSpot with both leading producers and explorer/developers have demonstrated the potential to expand resources and make new discoveries using this advanced analytical technology. GoldSpot utilizes its proprietary 'Smart Targeting' approach to combine all available geological information from large land packages and identify the most efficient and cost-effective way to explore, saving time, resources, and capital.

Summer Exploration

Field crews, based out of Millertown, NL, have begun a systematic surface sampling campaign designed to refine drill targets in the central part of Wilding. Additionally, first pass sampling has started on the western part of the project to evaluate the potential for a westward expansion of gold mineralization.

Broader spaced sampling, prospecting and mapping will begin on Noel-Paul once the Wilding work is complete.

A detailed airborne LiDAR survey will be collected on Canterra's entire Newfoundland land package. The LiDAR survey will provide a high-quality base map to identify outcrop and potentially define lineaments which may represent important faults or veins that control gold mineralization on the Company's properties. LiDAR is an important tool to help see through extensive till cover as is present in this area of central Newfoundland and can also be used to determine past ice flow direction and to better map geological units.

Corporate Update

The Company announces that Mr. Asa East has resigned as Vice President of Exploration effective immediately. The Company thanks Mr. East for his contributions to the projects and his critical role in the planning phase of the summer 2021 exploration program and wishes him success in his future endeavors.

About Canterra Minerals

The scientific and technical information and exploration data quality assurance and control contained in this news release were prepared under the supervision of David Evans, M.Sc., P.Geo., Manager of Exploration for Canterra. Mr. Evans is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument ("NI") 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION
Chris Pennimpede
President & CEO

Additional information about the Company is available at www.canterraminerals.com
For further information, please contact: +1 (604) 687-6644
Email: info@canterraminerals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects.; the business and operations of the Company; unprecedented market and economic risks associated with current unprecedented market and economic circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in the Company's public filings under its respective SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88480

LONDON, June 23, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto, a leading global mining and metals company, and Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a first of its kind collaboration to develop a circular and sustainable market ecosystem for both companies and their customers.

This multi-product partnership will see Schneider Electric use responsibly sourced materials produced by Rio Tinto. These include low-carbon aluminium and copper produced with renewable power, iron ore, and borates. Rio Tinto will utilise energy and industrial services from Schneider Electric, as the companies work together to develop digital platforms, technologies and solutions to be deployed across the metals and mining supply chain to drive further decarbonisation.

Rio Tinto Chief Commercial Officer Alf Barrios said: "This unique partnership will help accelerate decarbonisation and renewable energy solutions by combining low-carbon materials with cutting-edge digital technology. Working together will allow Rio Tinto and Schneider Electric to pursue opportunities beyond what is possible for either company on its own. This collaboration also opens doors to consider strategic initiatives such as expanding the use of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to reduce downtime in our plants, digitization of our supply chains, and a host of other transformative technologies."

Schneider Electric Executive Vice-President Industrial Automation, Barbara Frei said: "We are excited to work with Rio Tinto to develop clean and pioneering solutions to meet industrial decarbonisation challenges. As the world’s most sustainable corporation and a manufacturer with a global network of smart factories and smart distribution centres, Schneider Electric is on a mission to make industries of the future eco-efficient, agile, and resilient through open, software-centric industrial automation and sustainable energy solutions. This new partnership demonstrates that Rio Tinto is as passionate as we are about bridging progress and sustainability for all."

The partnership will draw on Schneider Electric’s Energy as a Service expertise to evaluate the use of innovative solutions, including microgrids, to supply energy from low-carbon sources, and artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to help meet sustainability goals at Rio Tinto sites and throughout its supply chain.

Rio Tinto’s START traceability and transparency initiative, the first sustainability label for aluminium using blockchain technology, will be deployed with Schneider Electric to unlock value for customers, suppliers and partners. The companies will work to expand this transparency, offering START in combination with Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ platform, an IoT system architecture that connects everything in an enterprise, from the shop floor to the top floor, to deliver enhanced safety, reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

The companies will also partner to evaluate emerging innovation opportunities, such as the efficient production of critical materials for renewable technologies and advances in low-carbon, green steel manufacturing, both of which will play a significant long-term role in industrial decarbonisation.

Notes to editors

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto produces high-quality iron ore, copper, aluminium, and minerals that have an essential role in enabling the low-carbon transition.

We have publicly acknowledged the reality of climate change for over two decades and have reduced our emissions footprint by over 30 percent in the decade to 2020.

We have set 2030 targets to reduce our absolute emissions by 15% and our emissions intensity by 30% relative to our 2018 baseline. These targets are consistent with a 45% reduction in absolute emissions, relative to 2010 levels, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pathways to 1.5°C. They are supported by our commitment to spend approximately $1 billion on emissions reduction initiatives over the first five years of the ten-year target period. In 2020, we set new Scope 3 emissions reduction goals to guide our partnership approach across our value chain.

Read more about our approach to climate change: www.riotinto.com/invest/reports/climate-change-report

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, endpoint to cloud connecting products, controls, software, and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centres, infrastructure, and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

www.se.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210623005156/en/

Contacts

Rio Tinto
media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations
Matthew Klar
+1 514-608-4429
matthew.klar@riotinto.com

Schneider Electric
global.pr@se.com

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: General

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 23, 2021 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD) (OTCQB:TSDRF) (FSE:TZO) is pleased to provide an update on its wholly owned Xaudum Iron Project. The Company has entered into a research collaboration endeavor with the Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and Morupule Coal Mine (MCM) to undertake metallurgical studies with respect to the potential of generating a Pellet Feed and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) product from the Xaudum Iron Formation (XIF) utilizing its magnetite and MCM's coal as a reductant. Commercially, these high-grade pellets and DRI product would be used to produce steel within Botswana, the region and internationally.

There is currently a fundamental shift under way within the steel industry with steel producers under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and produce steel with lower carbon emissions. Carbon emissions (CO₂) account for around 80% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), where the steel making market contributes to roughly 6% of global CO₂ emission. Major corporations including steel producers are focusing on decarbonizing as they target carbon neutrality (Fan and Friedmann, 2021). Climate change issues globally and smog lowering related steel mill curbs on sintering and coal usage in China in particular have focused investors towards projects with higher-grade iron content driving the change that is occurring in the type of iron ore consumed by steel mills from lower-grade energy intensive fines that require sintering towards higher-grade ores and steel making products such as pellet feed and DRI materials.

Blast furnace – basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) dominate production but are particularly stubborn to decarbonization technology. Direct reduced iron to electric arc furnace (DRI-EAF) production is growing and has far better decarbonization potential. Emission controls and demand for less carbon intensive steel production will become the norm and steel producers demands for DR quality pellet feed will continue to increase. This shift represents significant opportunities for high-grade magnetite projects like the XIF project.

The Company's Metallurgical results show that the XIF magnetite product is expected to be a premium high-grade product containing ⁺67% iron magnetite that will be ideal pellet feed material (see, Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website). This quality grade will place the XIF in the top 4-5% of producers in the world by Fe grade. High-grade magnetite pellet feeds at 67% Fe and above have been shown to lower GHG emissions compared to standard feed of 62% iron hematite fines (Herbertson and Strezov, 2011). The collaboration study with BIUST and MCM will identify if the XIF magnetite can be further beneficiated to a pellet feed and upgraded to a DRI pellet or similar product using Botswana coal as the reductant. MCM coal has proven to be a viable substitute for reductants in metalliferous ores processing, hence the confidence that it can be viable in the DRI process. This DRI product can then be used to produce steel in electric arc furnaces in Botswana, the region and international markets.

High-grade concentrates and pellets of 67% Fe, such as the XIF products, offer a net environmental benefit over its life-cycle compared to classic lower grade, Direct Shipping Ores (DSO) ~62% Fe hematite fines, by saving carbon emissions in steel production. Where this carbon saving is derived from the inherent differences in the chemical make-up of magnetite vs. hematite, where magnetite is exothermic (adds heat to the reaction); has a higher iron content (higher grade); lower impurities; and, reduces fluxing. High-grade ores over 65% Fe currently command larger price premiums over standard ores (62% Fe) resulting in higher margins for suppliers of high-grade products. The current global drive for lower emission steel production results in steel producers dramatically increasing their demand for these high-grade ores. Converting to pellets and DRI only increases the benefits over sinter feed, as pellets are of uniform size melt at a more equal rate which significantly reduce the time, energy and as such the resultant emissions to produce steel. There will likely be a significant under supply of high purity pellet feed as demand for these high-end materials increases dramatically by steel producers looking to reduce emission output. This demand increase for these high-end materials will also include steel mills that use DRI products as contemplated by the Company. This continued shift towards low emission steel globally means that the high- grade XIF magnetite project is uniquely placed to meet these emerging markets.

The business case for generating pellet feed, DRI products, and low emission steel from the XIF magnetite is just one of the scenarios that are to be evaluated in the Company's current Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, commented "We are excited by this research collaboration with BIUST and MCB to evaluate the capabilities of generating pellet feed and DRI products for low emission steel production from the XIF magnetite. This extra level of beneficiation within Botswana will create added value and benefits in the form of increased revenue and employment for Botswana. This is just one scenario option amongst several that our PEA will evaluate. The PEA will be a road map for the development of the Xaudum Iron Formation towards production".

About Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST)

The Botswana International University of Science and Technology is a Government of Botswana supported institution established as a research-intensive University that specializes in Engineering, Science and Technology at both undergraduate and graduate (Master's and Doctoral) levels. It aims to increase competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development; address the shortage of skilled scientists and technologists; increase movement of skilled people across national and boundaries international boundaries; stimulate research, innovation, and technology transfer; improve society's aspirations to improve health, wealth and well-being; address increased demand for access to tertiary education; and enable a more competitive and innovative tertiary education sector.

The University is a national strategic initiative that is intended to serve as one of the key platforms for transforming Botswana's economy and because of its research emphasis, BIUST works with the private sector to meet emerging skills needs of the industry, as well as identifies challenges that can be solved through applied research. (www.biust.ac.bw).

About Morupule Coal Mine (MCM)

Morupule Coal Mine (initially known as Morupule Colliery) was established in 1973 by Anglo American. MCM is currently 100% owned by the Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB), itself 100% owned by the government of the Republic of Botswana.

MCM operates a 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) mine within a 4 billion tonne classified semi-bituminous thermal coal resource in a fairly favorable geological setting. Current activities exploit reserves of in situ cv of 22-23MJ/kg (adb), supplying mine mouth power plants and other customers. The mine operates its own railway siding that links into the national rail line which transports products to the north and south of the country and into the SADC region. MCM coal has proven to be a viable substitute for reductants in metalliferous ores processing, hence the confidence that it can be viable in the DRI process (www.mcm.co.bw).

Overview

Preliminary work on the Xaudum Iron project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF. Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15-40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

About the XIF Project

the project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and is proximate to the Namibian boarder and lies thirty (30) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Trans Caprivi Railway (TCR) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port;
preliminary work on the Xaudum Iron project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF;
Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15- 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See,Press Release of 9/14/2014on the Company's website for further details;
metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See,Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website;
further exploration will be focused on Block 2 where the Company expects an increase in the resource;
the XIF Project is a potential large and long-life Tier 1 mining project;
the PEA will evaluate a number of options for development of the project at a variety of scales including:
- non-traditional but potentially profitable small-scale startup mining production options such as Ferrosilicon (FeSi) production from a magnetite concentrate,
- mid-size scenarios, whereby magnetite concentrate would be processed through a concentrator and transported to railhead and onto port facilities;
- large-scale mining options where full-scale mining would produce a magnetite concentrate processed by a concentrator plant with further potential modification to a pellet which would then be transported to port facilities;
Botswana has significant coal reserves which can be a major advantage for the Xaudum Iron project, allowing for coal to be used in the beneficiation process to generate iron products such as iron pellets, sponge iron, pig iron, and also steel; and,
the project would represent the first iron deposit to be considered for development in Botswana. Gcwihaba has identified the project as having the potential to positively impact the future economy of Botswana as the country looks to diversify its economy, and help Botswana to reach its goal of moving away from a dependence on diamond revenues.

For more information, refer to the technical report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014 and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com .

An informational presentation of the project can be found on the Company's website at www.tsodiloresources.com/i/pdf/3)-Tsodilo-Iron-Project-Overview_March-2021.pdf.

References

Z. Fan and S. J. Friedmann, 2021. Low-carbon production of iron and steel: Technology options, economic assessment, and policy. Joule, Volume 5, Issue 4. Columbia SPIA, Center on Global Energy Policy article.

J. Herbertson and L. Strezov, 2011. Implications for Australian Magnetite Industry of the Introduction of a Price/Tax on Carbon. The Crucible Group, June 2011. Submitted to the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation by the Magnetite Network (MagNet).

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond, metal deposits and industrial stone at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto"), Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Newdico (Pty) Ltd. ("Newdico) projects in Botswana and its Idada 361 (Pty) Limited ("Idada") project in Barberton, South Africa. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of seven metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% interest in its Newdico industrial stone project located in Botswana's Central District. Additionally, Tsodilo has a 70% stake in Idada Trading 361 (Pty) Limited which holds the gold and silver exploration license in the Barberton area of South Africa. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Newdico, Gcwihaba, Bosoto and Idada projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate, Project Manager and Chief Geologist of the Company and a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer	JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com
Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate	Project Manager and Chief Geologist	Alistair.Jeffcoate@tsodiloresources.com
Head Office	Telephone +1 416 572 2033	Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369
Website	http://www.TsodiloResources.com

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

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In this article, we discuss the 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of these stocks, go directly to the 5 Best Nickel Stocks to Buy Now.

The demand for nickel has been rising in the past few years as it becomes important to the electric vehicle industry. Nickel, previously used as a corrosion resistant material by the steel industry, has exploded in value with the mass production of cheap electronic devices, most of which make use of the metal in manufacturing. According to Research and Markets, the global production of the metal is expected to cross 2.76 million tons within the next two years. This represents a compound annual growth rate of close to 3% for the nickel industry.

A few mining companies poised to use the high demand for the precious metal to their advantage in the near future include Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), the Brazilian mining firm, BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), the Australian global resources company, and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), the United Kingdom-based multinational metals corporation. On April 26, Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) posted earnings per share of $1.09 for the first quarter of 2021, beating market predictions by $0.06. The company is also considering a spinoff of its base metals division.

Meanwhile, BHP Group (NYSE: BHP) has also been enjoying a stellar start to the new year. On May 18, CEO Mike Henry spoke at a mining conference and said that the future outlook for commodities was compelling as the COVID-19 stimulus packages of the government helped lift the demand for raw materials for an extended period of time. Henry also outlined that the industry was evolving to the advantage of BHP, which had close to 25% of its mining portfolio in futuristic commodities like nickel and copper.

Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), the second-largest mining firm in the world, has also been adapting to changes in the mining sector by engaging in projects that make the firm more environmentally stable in the long-term. As one of the largest nickel producers, the company feels it has a responsibility to the clean energy industry to develop a sustainable market ecosystem. In this regard, the firm has recently pledged to stop using hydrogen in aluminum refining in order to cut down on emissions.

The demand for nickel has been a source of disruption in the mining industry that is usually reliant on other precious metals for revenue. Larger market forces have been reshaping entire industries in the past few years. The entire hedge fund industry is feeling the reverberations of the changing financial landscape. Its reputation has been tarnished in the last decade, during which its hedged returns couldn’t keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. On the other hand, Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 124 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and February 26th 2021 our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 197.2%, vs. 72.4% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 124 percentage points (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that significantly underperformed the market. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 and they lost 13% through November 16th. That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

Image by Tshekiso Tebalo from Pixabay

With this context in mind, here is our list of the 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. These were selected keeping in mind their relevance to the nickel industry, hedge fund sentiment, and the business fundamentals driving the earnings of each company.

Best Nickel Stocks to Buy Now

10. PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A

PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM) is a mining company with interests in copper, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, and platinum, among other metals. It is placed tenth on our list of 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. The stock has offered investors returns exceeding 29% over the course of the past four weeks. One of the top projects of the firm is the NorthMet, a polymetallic project located in Minnesota and covering an area of more than 4,000 hectares. Copper-nickel mines are part of the natural resource project.

In February, PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM) stock jumped to a six-month high, climbing 16% in a single day as the top court in Minnesota ruled in favor of the firm in a case involving a clean air permit issued to the firm by the pollution agency of the state.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm Renaissance Technologies is a leading shareholder in PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM) with 304,746 shares worth more than $963,000.

Just like Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM) is one of the best nickel stocks to buy now.

9. Haynes International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAYN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 11

Haynes International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAYN) is a company that makes and sells nickel and cobalt-based alloys. These are corrosion resistant and are used in jet engines, gas turbines, and industrial heating equipment, among other places. The firm is ranked ninth on our list of 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. The company’s shares have returned 60% to investors over the course of the past year. Haynes has a market capitalization of just under $500 million and posted over $380 million in revenue last year.

Haynes International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAYN) is one of the best options on the market when it comes to dividend payments. On April 29, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share, in line with previous. The forward yield was more than 3%.

At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 11 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $56 million in Haynes International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAYN), down from 13 the preceding quarter worth $42 million.

Just like Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Haynes International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAYN) is one of the best nickel stocks to buy now.

8. Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16

Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW) is a South African mining company that focuses on precious metals. The company produces gold, nickel, copper, chrome, and other metals. The firm has mining interests in Africa and South America. The company has seen profits soar in recent weeks as the prices of basic materials rise and demand for nickel, used in premier electronic products, rises. It is placed eighth on our list of 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. The stock has returned 106% to investors over the past twelve months..

On June 1, Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW) stock soared by close to 7% after the company announced a share buyback program to repurchase 5% of ordinary stock till April next year, affirming that the buyback would not impact dividend payments for shareholders.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Connecticut-based investment firm AQR Capital Management is a leading shareholder in Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW) with 5.2 million shares worth more than $93 million.

Just like Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW) is one of the best nickel stocks to buy now.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Desert Lion Capital, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE: SBSW) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“Sibanye is a South African gold and platinum group metals (“PGM”) producer with mines in South Africa and the U.S. Established in 2012, it has since become one of South Africa’s largest gold producers and the largest PGM producer in the world. Sibanye also operate a PGM recycling facility and own a majority interest in DRDGOLD, a specialist in the recovery of gold and other precious metals from open pit tailings.

The investment thesis incorporates the following logic:

If central banks globally are going to continue printing money unabated, precious metals prices should rise.

The drive for cleaner and greener is accelerating. The market for platinum, palladium and rhodium is structurally attractive.

The company is generally mischaracterized. Ask around, and one will find that most people still refer to Sibanye as “a South African gold miner” with “lots of debt from that Stillwater acquisition.”

It is not quick and easy to ramp up PGM supply in response to higher demand and prices. Favorable supply-demand characteristics will likely remain favorable for longer.

Bad capital allocation decisions, corporate excesses, and resultant tarnished reputations from the previous boom period are still fresh in the minds of most mining executives. Neal Froneman has proven himself a disciplined capital allocator. His approach to capital allocation is straightforward: deploy capital at expected returns that enhances value to shareholders or distribute it via dividends and buybacks.

The company is debt-free and generating heaps of cash.

The valuation is cheap. At current metal prices, Sibanye is trading at about 5 times after-tax cash profits.

Sibanye is effectively a call option on a potential commodity super cycle. In the meantime, the value of our “option” is unlikely to deteriorate as we are rewarded with healthy dividend flows.”

7. Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 17

Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN) is ranked seventh on our list of 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. The company’s shares have returned 36% to investors over the past year. The firm makes and sells advanced engineering materials. These are used in making semiconductors, as well as in products used by the aerospace and defense industries. The company is famous for the production of copper and nickel in a variety of forms, including plate, bar, wire, rod, and others.

On April 29, Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN) posted earnings for the first quarter of 2021, reporting earnings per share of $0.82, beating market predictions by $0.22. The revenue for the first three months of 2021 was $354 million, up more than 27% year-on-year.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm Renaissance Technologies is a leading shareholder in Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN) with 421,511 shares worth more than $27 million.

Just like Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN) is one of the best nickel stocks to buy now.

6. Mechel PAO (NYSE: MTL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 3

Mechel PAO (NYSE: MTL) is a Russian mining company that has stakes in the power and steel businesses as well. It is placed sixth on our list of 10 best nickel stocks to buy now. The stock has returned 20% to investors over the past twelve months. The company is one of the top suppliers of nickel to the Russian government through the Southern Urals Nickel Plant. This nickel is used for defense needs when countries in the West refuse to export nickel to the Russian Federation.

In quarterly earnings results, posted on May 20, Mechel PAO (NYSE: MTL) reported a revenue of RUB76 billion for the first quarter of 2021, up close to 13% compared to the revenue for the first three months of last year.

At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 3 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $3 million in Mechel PAO (NYSE: MTL), down from 4 in the previous quarter worth $2.8 million.

Just like Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), and Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Mechel PAO (NYSE: MTL) is one of the best nickel stocks to buy now.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Best Nickel Stocks to Buy Now.

Price Performance

Shares of Caterpillar have surged 68.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s rally of 45.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider

The company currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Some other top-ranked stocks in the industrial products sector are Tennant Company (TNC) and Encore Wire Corp. (WIRE). Both of these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1, at present.

Tennant has an anticipated earnings growth rate of 49.5% for 2021. The company’s shares have gained around 18% year to date.

Encore Wire has an estimated earnings growth rate of 49.5% for the ongoing year. Year to date, the company’s shares have rallied nearly 36%.

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About Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST)

About Morupule Coal Mine (MCM)

Overview

About the XIF Project

the project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and is proximate to the Namibian boarder and lies thirty (30) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Trans Caprivi Railway (TCR) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port;
preliminary work on the Xaudum Iron project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF;
Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15- 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See,Press Release of 9/14/2014on the Company's website for further details;
metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See,Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website;
further exploration will be focused on Block 2 where the Company expects an increase in the resource;
the XIF Project is a potential large and long-life Tier 1 mining project;
the PEA will evaluate a number of options for development of the project at a variety of scales including:
- non-traditional but potentially profitable small-scale startup mining production options such as Ferrosilicon (FeSi) production from a magnetite concentrate,
- mid-size scenarios, whereby magnetite concentrate would be processed through a concentrator and transported to railhead and onto port facilities;
- large-scale mining options where full-scale mining would produce a magnetite concentrate processed by a concentrator plant with further potential modification to a pellet which would then be transported to port facilities;
Botswana has significant coal reserves which can be a major advantage for the Xaudum Iron project, allowing for coal to be used in the beneficiation process to generate iron products such as iron pellets, sponge iron, pig iron, and also steel; and,
the project would represent the first iron deposit to be considered for development in Botswana. Gcwihaba has identified the project as having the potential to positively impact the future economy of Botswana as the country looks to diversify its economy, and help Botswana to reach its goal of moving away from a dependence on diamond revenues.

An informational presentation of the project can be found on the Company's website at www.tsodiloresources.com/i/pdf/3)-Tsodilo-Iron-Project-Overview_March-2021.pdf.

References

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer	JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com
Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate	Project Manager and Chief Geologist	Alistair.Jeffcoate@tsodiloresources.com
Head Office	Telephone +1 416 572 2033	Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369
Website	http://www.TsodiloResources.com

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/652811/Initiates-Collaboration-to-Study-the-Production-of-a-Pellet-Feed-Direct-Reduced-Product-Using-Botswana-Coal-for-Steel-Generation

Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company value investors might notice is Rio Tinto (RIO). RIO is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 5.90 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 7.38. Over the past year, RIO's Forward P/E has been as high as 11.65 and as low as 5.78, with a median of 8.47.

Another valuation metric that we should highlight is RIO's P/B ratio of 1.95. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. RIO's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 3.05. RIO's P/B has been as high as 2.28 and as low as 1.52, with a median of 1.88, over the past year.

These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Rio Tinto is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, RIO feels like a great value stock at the moment.

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Taking the next significant step toward mining automation, Rio Tinto plc Plc RIO in partnership with Caterpillar Inc. CAT will deploy the world’s first fully autonomous water truck at its $2.6 billion Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Water spraying is a vital part of mining operations and this new technology will enhance productivity by enabling digital tracking of water consumption, while cutting down water wastage. This marks a significant step in Rio Tinto’s mine automation and digitalization program, and Caterpillar’s efforts in developing autonomous solutions for customers.

The water trucks with 160,000-litre tank capacity have intelligent on-board system, which on detecting dry and dusty conditions on site will trigger the application of water. When a refill is required, the trucks are programed to self-drive to the water stand, park and top-up, and return to the field. Caterpillar’s three water trucks will join Gudai-Darri’s fleet of Caterpillar heavy mobile equipment including autonomous haul trucks and production drills. Rio Tinto intends to make Gudai-Darri one of the world’s most technologically advanced mines. Construction at Gudai-Darri continues to progress with production ramp-up on track for early 2022. Once completed, the mine will have an annual capacity of 43 million tons.

Notably, Rio Tinto’s existing Autonomous Haulage System has improved safety by reducing the risks associated with operators working around heavy machinery. Rio Tinto and other miners are increasingly relying on autonomous systems for haulage and drilling. With the help of technology and automation, miners are bringing radical changes to mining operations to increase productivity, reduce cost and improve frontline safety. The companies are investing in digital initiatives like AI, cloud computing and advanced analytics.

Brazilian miner, Vale S.A VALE has been increasingly embracing the use of robotics and automation. For instance, at its Brucutu Mine, the entire fleet is autonomous, and recently it reached a record of physical use of that fleet. The autonomous operation test for trucks at the Carajás mine in Pará has already begun and implementation is planned for the second quarter of 2021. The company has expanded the use of 25 to 40 autonomous trucks at major underground mines in Sudbury. It is also preparing the infrastructure to enable autonomous underground operation in the Voisey’s Bay and Thompson expansion. Vale recently announced that it will be able to resume operations at its Timbopeba iron ore dry processing plant in the coming months thanks to the use of an unmanned train.

BHP Group BHP has been operating a fully-autonomous truck fleet at its Western Australian Jimblebar mine since 2017. The site is now one of the safest operations in its portfolio, with significant events involving trucks at Jimblebar having dropped by more than 90% since the introduction of autonomous haulage. Following its success, BHP announced it would implement an autonomous fleet at its Goonyella Riverside coal mine in Queensland in late 2019. The transition to an autonomous fleet of up to 86 trucks over the next two years is underway and will involve more than 40,000 hours of training delivered to the Goonyella team to develop the competencies required for autonomous operations. Separately, BHP has announced that it will introduce 20 autonomous trucks at its Newman East (Eastern Ridge) mine in Western Australia by the end of this year.

Capitalizing on this increasing demand, the largest global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, Caterpillar is enhancing its autonomous capabilities and bringing innovative products into markets that provide it with a competitive edge in mining. Recently speaking at Bernstein 37th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Caterpillar’s CEO Jim Umpleby pointed toward a “long healthy cycle” in mining and strong commodity prices. Umpleby also highlighted that the energy transition has immense potential for Caterpillar in the long haul. The intensifying global focus on shifting from fossil fuels to zero emissions will require huge amount of commodities. This is a win-win situation for both miners and mining equipment makers.

BHP currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while VALE, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BHP’s fiscal 2021 earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 84%. The stock has gained 43% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rio Tinto’s fiscal 2021 earnings indicates year-over-year improvement of 41%. The stock has surged 46% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vale’s fiscal 2021 earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 138%. The stock has soared 110% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Caterpillar’s fiscal 2021 earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 46%. The stock has appreciated 69.5% in the past year.

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