If this is your first visit to Highballerstocks—if you’re wondering who or what Highballer is—the About link at the top of the page will help shed some light on the subject.
An excerpt…
What’s with the name “Highballer”?
It was in the treeplanting sector of British Columbia (and Alberta) that Nolan developed an obsessive stop-at-nothing work ethic. He became what’s known as a Highballer—a top producer who burned more calories in a single day than a marathon runner would in a full race. And he performed this mammoth task, day in, day out, seven months out of the year.
Having planted well in excess of 2.5 million trees on some of the most challenging terrain on the continent during in his 27-year career, and many tens of millions more as a contractor operating one of the most highly regarded silviculture companies in B.C. (Rainforest Silviculture Services Ltd), Nolan thrives on hard work.
Highballer: True Tales From a Treeplanting Life, Nolan’s first book published in the summer of 2019, is a fast-paced autobiographical account detailing his first ten years in the industry. It was during this period that he developed the physical and mental endurance required to claim, and defend, the title of top Highballer.
Nolan now applies that obsessive work ethic to examining and uncovering opportunities in the junior exploration arena, drawing on over three decades of experience in the sector (he began following mining stocks in his teens).
Nolan’s delve into the junior mining sector might best be characterized as obsessive. He lives and breaths junior mining stocks.
The companies Nolan plans to stake positions in — gold, silver, base, and battery metals companies — will enter your inbox first, at least three days before he establishes a position himself. That is Nolan’s personal guarantee.
Establishing trust and credibility is high up on Nolan’s list of values.
By subscribing to Highballerstocks.com, Nolan will send timely reports directly to your inbox — reports that detail the companies he believes offer the best possible balance of risk and reward.
How’s that for a shameless tout?
Moving along…
When I launched Highballerstocks at the beginning of 2020, the junior exploration arena was a turkey shoot. There were a number of high-quality, under-priced (unloved) entities out there—geologically prospective projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions backed by competent management teams. The only real uncertainty in my mind was whether or not the brutal 8-yr bear market in all things mining had finally run its course.
Fundamentally, the underlying dynamics auguring firmer precious metals prices—artificially low interest rates, debt levels taking on a life of their own, printing presses gone wild—offered a compelling set-up for the junior miners.
The set-up is even more compelling today IMO.
Of the 14 companies on my shortlist, 12 ended the year green. Of those 12, eight registered (potential) gains of 80% or better. Of those eight, six registered (potential) gains greater than 100%. And of those six, two tagged (potential) gains greater than 300%.
Several of these companies on the Highballer shortlist are currently testing multi-year highs.
I’m satisfied with that performance and judging by the tenor of your emails, you’re satisfied too.
Here’s how we fared in 2020
(Note that since my last report in mid-Dec, several of our shortlist Cos dropped news—we’ll fill in the blanks as we go along)
Banyan Gold (BYN.V)
Banyan was first featured in these pages on Sunday, February 16th, 2020…
Banyan Gold (BYN.V) – resource expansion and discovery potential in the Yukon
The price of Banyan stock at the time (opening price on Monday, Feb. 17): $0.06.
Price at the close of 2020: $0.275.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +358%.
The Company’s late August high was $0.39
On December 30th, Banyan announced having closed a PP via the following headline:
BANYAN ANNOUNCES CLOSING $2.5 M FINANCING
Cartier Resources (ECR.V)
Cartier was first featured in my maiden Highballer report back on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020:
The price of Cartier at the time (closing price on Jan. 15): $0.14.
Price at the close of 2020: $0.31.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +121%.
The Company is currently testing multi-year highs at $0.33.
On December 17th, Cartier dropped the following headline:
Cartier Publishes Maiden NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate on the Benoist Property
Highlights:
This Benoist Project resource estimate factored in a US $1,610 Au price and a cut-off grade of 1.5 g/t AuEq:
- 1,455,400 tonnes at an average grade of 2.87 g/t AuEq for a total of 134,400 ounces of gold in the indicated resource category;
- 1,449,600 tonnes at an average grade of 2.30 g/t AuEq for a total of 107,000 ounces of gold in the inferred resource category.
A multiple rig drilling campaign is set to commence this month at the Benoist project.
Coral Gold (CLH.V)
Coral was another Top Three 2020 pick singled out in my maiden Highballer report on January 15th, 2020.
The price of Coral at the time (closing price on January 15th): $0.44.
On August 24th, Nomad Royalty (NSR.T) acquired Coral Gold at a nice premium.
If we include the 1/2 warrant (last traded at $0.20) included in the offer, Coral shareholders ended 2020 with a position worth roughly $0.98.
Potential gain since Coral was first featured here: +123%.
Those of us that took the Nomad paper are now well-positioned in the royalty-streaming space…
Defense Metals (DEFN.V)
Defense was also featured as a Top Three 2020 pick back on Jan. 15th, 2020:
The price of Defense at the time (closing price on Jan. 15): $0.16.
Price at the close of 2020: $0.25.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +56%.
The Company tagged an all-time high in the 2nd last trading day of 2020.
Forum Energy Metals (FMC.V)
Forum was added to the Highballer shortlist on Sunday, May 31st, 2020:
A new addition to the Highballer shortlist – Forum Energy Metals (FMC.V)
The price of Forum at the time (opening price on June 1st, 2020): $0.085.
Price at the close of 2020: $0.245.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +188%.
The Company is currently testing multi-year highs at $0.26.
On Dec. 21st, Forum dropped the following headline:
Forum Updates Shareholders on Its Uranium Projects in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan
Here, the Company provides a review of its highly prospective 67,370-hectare land position in the prolific Athabasca Basin.
Rick Mazur, President & CEO:
“Recent investor interest in uranium validates why we have maintained and indeed, added to our assets in the Athabasca Basin, the world’s premier jurisdiction for high-grade uranium deposits. By maintaining a focused and disciplined approach to our portfolio of diverse energy metal interests, Forum is in the unique position of benefiting from diverse commodity exposure and generating partnerships with the biggest and best in each commodity class.”
Ken Wheatley, VP of Exploration:
“In addition to Forum’s 100% owned Love Lake Nickel/Platinum/ Palladium project, Rio Tinto drilling a further 7,500 metres at the Janice Lake Copper Joint Venture and Orano funding a 6,000 metre drill program at the Fir Island Uranium Joint Venture, Forum’s other drill ready uranium projects are also primed for discovery. The Company will be undertaking a strategic review of its assets for further exploration or joint venture.”
Harfang Exploration (FMC.V)
Harfang was first featured here on Monday, August 24th, 2020:
A new addition to the Highballer shortlist—Harfang Exploration (HAR.V)
The price of Harfang at the time (opening price on August 27th): $0.30.
Price at the close of 2020: $0.425.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +41%.
The Company is currently testing multi-year highs at $0.445.
Highgold Mining (HIGH.V)
Highgold was added to our list early in the going, on Sunday, Jan. 26th, 2020:
A high-grade gold and base metal play with Tier-1 potential – HighGold Mining (HIGH.V)
The price of Highgold at the time (opening price on Monday, Jan. 27th): $1.13.
Price at the close of 2020: $2.23.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +97%
The stock tagged a high of $3.14 early last September.
On Dec. 22nd, the Company dropped the following headline:
HighGold Intersects 190.5 g/t Gold over 0.5 meters at Munro-Croesus Project, Timmins Area, Ontario
Though the Company’s Johnson Tract project in Southcentral Alaska currently bears flagship status, Munro-Croesus, located in the prolific Timmins gold camp of Ontario, is where the drills are currently turning.
Highlighted Drill Intersections:
- 190.5 g/t Au over 0.5 meters at Croesus Mine target
(includes 311.0 g/t Au over 0.3 meters); - 8.25 g/t Au over 0.4 meters at Croesus Mine target;
- 11.01 g/t Au over 1.1 meters at#4 Shaft target
(contained within a broad alteration & vein zone grading 3.16 g/t Au over 4.2 meters).
Darwin Green, Highgold’s CEO:
“The successful near-surface intersection of a high-grade vein structure overlying the historic Croesus Gold Mine workings highlights the opportunity for additional discoveries in an established bonanza grade gold environment. Equally significant is the intersection of high-grade gold approximately one kilometre away at the #4 Shaft target, which brings into focus the greater potential of HighGold’s recently consolidated and surprisingly underexplored Munro-Croesus property package.”
“While the Alaska Johnson Tract project remains HighGold’s flagship, with an allocation of up to 80 percent of the company’s annual exploration budget, the Timmins Munro-Croesus project is clearly emerging as an exciting second pillar for the Company and opportunity for creating additional shareholder value. Munros-Croesus is a project that can be effectively explored year-round and is complementary to Johnson Tract in sharing the key attributes of high gold grades in a top North American mining jurisdiction. The Company has a large number of assay results yet to report for its 2020 drill programs from both Johnson Tract and Munro Croesus. We are currently experiencing faster assay turnaround for Ontario than Alaska, as are our contemporaries, and look forward to providing additional assay result updates for both projects in the coming weeks as data is received.”
On Dec. 23rd, the Company closed a non-brokered flow-through PP:
HighGold Mining Announces Closing of $3.7 Million Non-Brokered Private Placement Offering
Kuya Silver (KUYA.C)
Kuya was added to the Highballer shortlist on Monday, November 9th, 2020:
Kuya Silver (KUYA.C) – a new addition to the Highballer shortlist
I published this maiden Kuya piece a few minutes after the open on November 9th, just as the stock was taking a corrective hit. The price of Kuya at the time was roughly $1.50 but it immediately rebounded post-publication.
I’m using a more conservative price as a potential entry point due to that volatility—$1.60.
Price at the close of 2020: $2.88.
Potential gain since first featured here eight weeks back: 80%.
The Company is currently trading at its highest level since it made its debut in early October 2020.
Rapid-fire gains in a short space of time… you gotta like it.
On Dec. 21st, Kuya presented the following news:
Highlights:
- Kuya to accelerate exploration and development program at its flagship Bethania project;
- Kuya has entered into a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) with First Cobalt Corp., to acquire the Kerr Project and an option to enter a joint venture to earn up to 70% of its remaining Cobalt, Ontario area claims.
Minnova Corp (MCI.V)
Minnova was first featured here on Tuesday, August 4th, 2020:
A new addition to the Highballer shortlist – Minnova Corp (MCI.V)
The price of Minnova at the time (opening price on August 4th): $0.29.
The last trade of 2020: $0.24.
Potential loss since first featured in these pages: –17%.
We were off to an auspicious start with this one—a potential 100% gain within two days of initiating coverage. Unfortunately, that brief early August flourish marked Minnova’s highs for the year.
I was tempted to drop Minnova from our list but the fundamentals here—the asset, the jurisdiction, the infrastructure—are still intact. The question is: can management execute?
On Dec. 29th, the Company released the following update:
Corporate Update 2021 Pl Mine Restart Outlook and Debt Settlement
Pure Gold (PGM.V)
Pure Gold was added to the Highballer shortlist on Sunday, April 5th, 2020:
Pure Gold Mining (PGM.V) – a high-grade Red Lake development story
Pure Gold’s price at the time (closing price on Friday, April 3rd): $0.64.
Price at the close of 2020: $2.58.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +303%.
The stock tagged a multi-year high of $3.08 recently, marking some spectacular upward price trajectory over the past nine months.
On December 30th, the Company dropped the following headline:
First Gold Poured at the PureGold Mine
Darin Labrenz, President and CEO:
“Today, the PureGold Mine has come to life. With our first gold pour, we have transitioned to producer, and delivered on our promise to build Canada’s newest gold mine in the heart of Red Lake Ontario, on budget and on schedule. To build a mine at any time requires a complete team effort comprised of dedicated, driven, and focussed individuals. To do so under the unique challenges of 2020 speaks to the quality and dedication of the entire team. With this first gold bar, we are now focussed on ramping up the operation to steady state production as we continue to build a long-life growth company in Red Lake.”
Prime Mining (PRYM.V)
Prime was featured here a little over a month ago, on Monday, November 30th, 2020:
Prime Mining (PRYM.V) – a new addition to the Highballer shortlist
The Company’s price at the time (near the end of the session on November 30th): $1.54.
Price at the close of 2020: $1.92.
Potential gain since Nov. 30th: +25%.
The stock tagged it’s 2020 high in late August at $2.17.
Skeena Resources (SKE.T)
Skeena was first featured in these pages on Sunday, February 2nd, 2020:
Skeena Resources (SKE.V) aggressively pushing Eskay Creek further along the development curve
The price of Skeena at the time (opening price on Monday, Feb. 3rd): $1.11.
Price at the close of 2020: $3.44.
Potential gain since first featured here: +210%.
The Company is currently testing multi-year highs at $3.50.
On Dec. 22nd, Skeena closed a flow-through PP:
Skeena Closes C$8.5 Million Flow-Through Private Placement
Strategic Metals (SMD.V)
Strategic was added to the Highballer shortlist on Tuesday, April 14, 2020:
Strategic Metals (SMD.V) tees up Mount Hinton for high-grade gold and silver
Strategic’s price at the time (closing price on April 14th): $0.35.
The final trade of 2020: $0.395.
Potential gain since first featured in these pages: +12%.
Strategic tagged a high of $0.80 during the dog-days-of-summer. The Company’s share price was all over the map in 2020.
Strategic didn’t necessarily probe its highest priority targets right from the get-go. Logistics and efficiency likely dictated the drill target order.
Delays at the assay lab and an underwhelming batch of initial results pulled the stock down from its summer ceiling in the $0.70 range to its current sub-$0.50 level.
White Gold (WGO.V)
White Gold was first featured here on Sunday, February 9th, 2020:
White Gold – unparalleled discovery potential in Canada’s Yukon
The stock opened the following day (February 10th) at $0.88.
Price the close of 2020: $0.76.
Potential loss since first featured in these pages: –13%.
White Gold’s high for the year was registered last summer at $1.34.
White Gold has been another exercise in frustration for this humble scribe.
Some view the Company’s ounces-in-the-ground as the cheapest, highest-quality ozs in the Yukon (in all of Canada, some will even argue).
Assays from multiple targets in the Company’s project portfolio could drop at any time. Without a doubt, results from the high-grade Titan target are amongst those most eagerly anticipated.
Highballers Top Three Picks for 2021
Though I’m closely following a much broader shortlist of companies outside the current Highballer portfolio—Cos that may be added in the coming weeks/months—my Top Three for 2021 are no strangers to these pages.
In previous Highballer reports, I’ve emphasized important drivers like Peak Gold, lean project pipelines, and endgames. I believe the following Cos have what every Producer wants, and needs… fresh mineral inventory in a mining-friendly jurisdiction.
My Top Three for 2021…
I’m looking for at least one of these expertly helmed companies to get taken out by a resource-hungry predator at a fat premium.
END
—Greg Nolan
Full disclosure: Of the companies featured above, Highgold, Cartier, and Forum are Highballer clients. Color me biased. Do your own due diligence.
The author owns shares in Cartier, Defense, Forum, Harfang, Minnova, Nomad, Skeena, Strategic, and White Gold.
Disclaimer - Legal NoticeHighballerstocks.com (Greg Nolan) is not a licensed financial advisor and does not give investment advice.
The content of this report is for information purposes only.
Nothing contained herein should be construed as a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Always consult a licensed qualified investment advisor in your legal jurisdiction before making any investment decisions.
Though Highballerstocks.com (Greg Nolan) believes its sources to be credible, and the statements contained herein to be true, readers must conduct their own thorough due diligence, and or consult with a qualified investment advisor before important investment decisions are made.
Highballerstocks.com (Greg Nolan) accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the contents of this report.
Amazing content! What’s not to love here? Greetings from Germany. God bless!