At PDAC 2026 in Toronto, InvestorNews host Tracy Hughes sat down with John Slaven, CEO of MineSense Technologies Ltd., to discuss a technology that is quietly reshaping how value is extracted from existing mines—one shovel at a time.In an industry long defined by averages, estimates, and delayed feedback loops, MineSense is introducing something far more immediate: real-time ore intelligence at the point of extraction.“Our sensors are mounted directly onto large mining shovels,” Slaven explained. “As material is loaded onto haul trucks, we measure the copper grade instantly. That allows operators to decide—right then—whether that material goes to the mill as ore or to the waste pile.”The implications are profound. In a sector where discovering and permitting new deposits is increasingly difficult, MineSense is focused on maximizing what already exists. By identifying ore and waste in real time, mining companies can significantly increase recovery rates without expanding their footprint.“Finding new deposits is hard,” Slaven said. “But if you can extract more value from the ore you’re already mining, the benefit is immediate—and substantial.”That value proposition is resonating. MineSense is now deployed at approximately 16 mine sites globally, working with many of the world’s largest mining companies. The company has achieved roughly 30% revenue growth in recent years, a reflection of growing industry adoption.But the technology is not limited to major operators. “We can scale down to a single shovel,” Slaven noted. “Even smaller operations can benefit—whether it's a shovel or a front-end loader managing material.”The business model is equally pragmatic: MineSense sells the hardware—its ruggedized sensors—and generates recurring revenue through data services and ongoing support. In an environment where equipment faces constant impact from heavy rock, durability is critical, and continuous maintenance ensures reliability.Looking ahead, copper remains the company’s primary focus, particularly in open-pit operations. But expansion is already underway. “Nickel is a natural next step, and we’re also looking at bulk materials like iron ore,” Slaven said. “We’re investing heavily in R&D to ensure we can achieve the level of precision required across different commodities.”Perhaps the most compelling insight emerging from MineSense’s technology is not just operational—but geological.“What’s fascinating is the variability within an ore body,” Slaven said. “Traditionally, we rely on drill holes spaced tens of meters apart and build models from that. But now we’re seeing granular, real-time data that reveals just how much variability actually exists.”That shift—from estimation to measurement—has the potential to influence not only day-to-day operations, but also long-term mine planning, resource modeling, and downstream processing.For Hughes, the takeaway was clear: “Bringing new meaning to data mining,” she remarked. In an era where critical mineral supply is under pressure and efficiency is paramount, MineSense’s approach represents a quiet but powerful evolution—transforming every shovel into a decision-making tool, and every load into an opportunity to unlock more value.

At PDAC 2026 in Toronto, momentum around Canada’s Yukon was difficult to ignore—and few stories captured that shift more clearly than Stakeholder Gold Corp. (TSXV: SRC | OTCQB: SKHRF). Sitting down with InvestorNews host Tracy Hughes, President and CEO Christopher Berlet outlined a company positioning itself at the center of a rapidly reawakening gold district.The catalyst, he explained, is not theoretical. The recent acquisition of the Coffee deposit by Fuerte Metals Corporation—and the release of robust project economics despite arsenic constraints—has reframed how the White Gold District is being valued. “It’s going to be a fantastic, very profitable gold mine,” Berlet said, pointing to the broader implications for nearby projects. “It’s really helping the district get the recognition it deserves.”Stakeholder Gold’s land package sits directly in the path of that recognition—and, increasingly, in the path of infrastructure. The company strategically staked along a planned road corridor now backed by approximately $70 million in expected construction spending. In a region where access has historically defined success or failure, that shift is material.“We staked along that route intentionally,” Berlet said. “That’s going to have material advantages for us.”With permits in hand, the company is preparing to launch a multi-target drill program in late April or early May, with results expected by July. The campaign will test several zones, including the Sky Gold and East Gold targets—both structurally significant—as well as the Loki Copper zone, a 2.5-kilometer intrusive system that has already yielded some of the district’s strongest copper values.What stands out, Berlet noted, is both scale and continuity. The Sky Gold Zone extends nearly three kilometers along strike, with widths of 20 to 25 meters, supported by two subparallel structures roughly 600 meters apart. Equally important, the system appears free of arsenic—a differentiator in a region where metallurgy can complicate project economics.“All the same indicator minerals are there—lead, molybdenum, tellurium, and gold—and no arsenic,” he said. “If these zones carry one gram per tonne or better, we believe we could be demonstrating another meaningful discovery.”With a Class I permit in hand, Stakeholder Gold is preparing to launch an initial 2,000-meter drill program across roughly eight kilometers of targets. Fully funded and organized, the project is, as Berlet put it, “ready to roll.”Unusually for a junior explorer, Stakeholder Gold is also advancing a parallel revenue stream through its quartzite operations in Brazil. Its flagship material—marketed as “Taj Mahal” quartzite—is already attracting strong demand, with customers prepaying for supply across North America and Europe.“Our strategy is working,” Berlet said. “We expect real cash flow this year, which will support the company while we pursue discovery.”The macro backdrop for gold, he added, remains supportive, driven by persistent global uncertainty and renewed interest in hard assets. At the same time, Canadian policy appears to be shifting in favor of resource development, with infrastructure investment and First Nations collaboration reinforcing the Yukon’s standing as a top-tier jurisdiction.“It’s a great place to operate,” Berlet said. “There’s momentum—from government, from industry, and from investors.”For Stakeholder Gold, the near-term path is clear. Infrastructure is advancing, capital is in place, and drilling is imminent. In a district once defined by promise, the next phase may be defined by results.“The real catalyst,” Berlet said, “is discovery.”

Panther Metals Plc (LSE: PALM) is advancing a portfolio of mineral projects in Ontario as it prepares to dual list in Canada.Speaking with InvestorNews.com host Peter Clausi at PDAC 2026, Chief Executive Officer Darren Hazelwood said the company is moving toward a listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange to support exploration and development of its Canadian assets.“We’re in the final throes of coming across to Canada,” Mr. Hazelwood said. “We’re going to dual list. We’re listing on the CSE, and our focus there is taking advantage of flow-through and enabling us to accelerate the growth in the business.”Panther’s projects are located in Ontario, including the historic Winston mine on the north shore of Lake Superior.“Our main focus in the short term is bringing the historic Winston mine on the north shore of Lake Superior,” Mr. Hazelwood said. “It was producing from ’88 to ’99.”The Winston deposit is a volcanogenic massive sulphide system that historically focused on zinc recovery. “The deposit itself contained a bit of this and a bit of that, but at the time the focus was very much on the zinc recoveries,” he said. “So that’s what the plant was optimized for.”Historic records show additional metals were produced from the deposit. “We know from the historic data that they produced over 50,000 ounces of gold, for instance, out of that VMS deposit,” Mr. Hazelwood said.He said the tailings from the historic operation may contain additional metals. “We know that the tailings pond contains the precious metals,” he said. “It’s also got additional credits — gallium. There is some copper in there. There’s some zinc.”Panther is evaluating the Winston tailings with Extrakt Process Solutions, LLC, a company that provides proprietary extraction technology and has a strategic alliance with Bechtel Energy Technologies & Solutions.“We’re working with Extrakt on recoveries, and we expect to have our first samples in over the next few weeks,” Mr. Hazelwood said.Initial sampling from the tailings has already returned measurable metal values. “We actually got up to 0.82 grams a ton gold, up to 20 grams a ton silver, and we got some nice gallium credits within there and other stuff,” he said. “Indium would be another.”The company also holds exploration projects in the Obonga Greenstone Belt in Ontario. “We’ve got some true district-scale opportunities in Ontario, particularly the Obonga Greenstone Belt,” Mr. Hazelwood said.“Our plan is to take it all the way through to production.”Disclaimer: Video interviews and other video content published by InvestorNews are produced as part of paid media services. The issuer or company featured in this video has compensated InvestorNews for the creation and publication of such content. The views expressed in these interviews are those of the interviewees or guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of InvestorNews, its writers, or its affiliates. For full details, please refer to our complete disclaimer at www.investornews.com/disclaimer