Base Metals Archives - Page 50 of 97

(Adds details on talks, background, Woodside statement)

Aug 16 (Reuters) – BHP Group Ltd is in talks to sell its petroleum business to Australia's top independent gas producer Woodside Petroleum Ltd in exchange for shares, the companies confirmed on Monday.

The world's biggest miner BHP also said it had begun a strategic review of the business — made up of assets in Australia, the Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Algeria — that analysts value at between $10 billion and $17 billion.

BHP has been facing calls to detail how and when it will exit fossil fuels, with activist investor Market Forces filing a resolution on the topic this week for annual meetings in October and November.

The miner was widely expected to deliver a verdict on the future of the petroleum business ahead of its results this week.

"While discussions between the parties are currently progressing, no agreement has been reached on any such transaction," BHP said, adding that it was evaluating a number of options.

In a separate statement, Woodside confirmed talks with BHP over the deal and said discussions were ongoing. (Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)

Completed 5 holes on the historic High-Grade Zone.
Completed 2 holes on the High-Grade extension where 949 g/t silver was sampled on surface.
Currently drilling the Maybee Zone where 3,444 g/t silver was sampled on surface.

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – August 16, 2021) – Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd (TSXV: MTB) (OTCQB: MBYMF) (FSE: M9UA) ("Mountain Boy" or the "Company") announces that drilling is proceeding on its flagship American Creek property, with 7 holes completed from 2 drill pads and the drill is now on the third pad.

The American Creek Project is centered on the past-producing Mountain Boy silver mine, located 20 kilometres north of Stewart in BC's Golden Triangle.

Five holes have been completed on the High-Grade zone and two holes on the High-Grade extension. The drill is now on the Maybee Zone. Core samples have been shipped to the lab from the High-Grade and High-Grade extension pads and assays are pending.

Results from surface sampling earlier this season have now been received with highlights in the table below. The recent work included mapping and sampling along the cliffs north of the old mine, an area that had not previously been examined due to the difficult access. Geologists skilled in rock climbing, traced the structure hosting the High-Grade mineralization approximately 400 meters to the north, identifying an area now referred to as the High-Grade Extension where an initial two holes were completed.

Geological work is continuing, focused on the area between the High-Grade Zone and the Maybee zone, a 2-kilometer-long corridor within the 33 square kilometer property. Multiple veins in that area remain under-explored. The intent of the current program is to improve the geological context with the intent of identifying further drill targets.

Select Assays from Surface Samples at American Creek
SampleID	Zone	Ag (ppm)	Cu (%)	Pb (%)	Zn (%)
C0033358	Maybee	3,444.0	1.501	0.009	0.031
C0034021	Mann	2,922.0	0.495	0.132	0.245
C0034057	High-Grade Ext	949.0	0.328	2.770	0.068
C0033353	Jewelry Box	721.0	0.145	0.091	0.121
C0033301	High-Grade	520.0	0.920	3.490	1.250
C0034023	Mann	505.0	0.196	15.260	0.807
C0034056	High-Grade Ext	456.0	2.223	0.225	0.400
C0033361	Maybee	443.0	0.626	0.336	0.785
C0034020	Mann	343.0	0.013	0.157	0.147
C0034003	Four Bees	329.0	0.489	0.371	1.560
C0034004	Four Bees	279.0	0.316	0.773	0.920
C0034052	High Grade	242.0	6.166	5.140	10.730
C0034019	Mann	227.0	0.788	0.174	2.500
C0034016	Mann	185.0	0.005	0.004	0.020
C0034002	Four Bees	170.0	0.081	0.107	0.282
C0034053	High-Grade	127.0	4.214	0.525	0.293
C0034024	Mann	110.0	0.054	0.068	2.170
C0034051	High-Grade	104.0	0.380	10.680	17.570
C0034022	Mann	100.0	0.008	0.028	0.197
C0033354	Jewelry Box	91.8	0.020	0.142	0.117
C0033365	Franmar	91.5	0.043	0.169	0.254
C0033352	Jewelry Box	77.7	0.004	0.002	0.010
C0034001	Four Bees	72.0	0.003	0.160	0.039
C0034151	Four Bees	63.3	0.217	0.205	0.071
C0033356	Four Bees	51.5	0.002	0.028	0.006
C0033364	Franmar	37.6	0.018	0.073	0.480
C0034058	High-Grade Ext	20.6	1.050	0.035	0.249

Mountain Boy CEO Lawrence Roulston commented: "Silver and base metal mineralization has been identified over multiple kilometers and includes some exceptional grades. We are working systematically toward an understanding of this extensive and robust mineralizing system which we firmly believe has the potential to host the kind of deposit for which the Golden Triangle is renowned."

About Mountain Boy Minerals

Mountain Boy has six active projects spanning 604 square kilometres (60,398 hectares) in the prolific Golden Triangle of northern British Columbia.

The flagship American Creek project is centered on the historic Mountain Boy silver mine and is just north of the past producing Red Cliff gold and copper mine (in which the Company holds an interest). The American Creek project is road accessible and 20 km from the deep-water port of Stewart.
On the BA property, 178 drill holes have outlined a substantial zone of silver-lead-zinc mineralization located 4 km from the highway. Work this year is aimed at extending that zone with drilling due to begin in August.
Surprise Creek is interpreted to be hosted by the same prospective stratigraphy as the BA property and hosts multiple occurrences of silver, gold and base metals.
On the Theia project, work by Mountain Boy and previous explorers has outlined a silver bearing mineralized trend 500 meters long, highlighted by a 2020 grab sample that returned 39 kg per tonne silver (1,100 ounces per ton).
Southmore is located in the midst of some of the largest deposits in the Golden Triangle. It was explored in the 1980s through the early 1990s, and largely overlooked until Mountain Boy consolidated the property and confirmed the presence of multiple occurrences of gold, copper, lead and zinc. A property wide Skytem survey is set to begin by the end of August.
The Telegraph project, acquired in May 2021, has a similar geological setting to major gold and copper-gold deposits in the Golden Triangle. Exploration this season has been organized in two phases. Phase one is now complete and phase two is set to begin in September.

The technical disclosure in this release has been read and approved by Andrew Wilkins, B.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Lawrence Roulston
President & CEO

For further information, contact:

Nancy Curry
VP Corporate Development
(604) 220-2971

NEITHER 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.

This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93209

Investors looking for stocks in the Mining – Miscellaneous sector might want to consider either BHP (BHP) or Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, BHP is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that BHP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

BHP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.04, while WPM has a forward P/E of 29.27. We also note that BHP has a PEG ratio of 1.94. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. WPM currently has a PEG ratio of 5.85.

Another notable valuation metric for BHP is its P/B ratio of 2.15. 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. By comparison, WPM has a P/B of 3.43.

These metrics, and several others, help BHP earn a Value grade of B, while WPM has been given a Value grade of D.

BHP sticks out from WPM in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that BHP is the better option right now.

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Zacks Investment Research

By Dhirendra Tripathi

Investing.com – BHP Billiton (NYSE:BBL) ADR traded 1.8% lower in Monday’s premarket on concerns that the company may not make the clean break with fossil fuels that many investors had hoped for.

BHP said overnight it's in talks with Woodside Petroleum (OTC:WOPEY) over a potential sale. One of the possibilities under consideration would include an all-share transaction in which BHP would distribute Woodside shares to its investors – an alternative that few BHP investors would prefer.

Reports peg the value of the deal at $15 billion. Under the likely terms, Woodside will issue its own equity to BHP shareholders as consideration for buying the mining giant’s petroleum business.

Such a deal would leave BHP shareholders with shares of a pure fossil fuel player, shares that they would be forced to sell immediately due to their investment mandates. Shareholders are usually happier with a cash-deal that would help the company pay them dividends or fund a buyback program.

BHP has got rid of many of its polluting assets and the sale of the petroleum business would bring it close to an exit from all such sectors.

A report last week by a UN panel warned of dire consequences as it said the climate is getting warmer at a pace faster than estimated earlier.

For Woodside, an acquisition of BHP's oil and gas assets would roughly double its annual underlying earnings to around $8 billion. For BHP, a petroleum exit would strip out just 5% of underlying earnings, according to Reuters

Woodside share closed 4.5% lower in today’s trading.

BHP Falls on Worry Woodside Deal Isn’t a Clean Break From Fossil Fuels

U.S banks walk tightrope of encouraging, but not mandating vaccines

Sydney Airport rejects improved $16.8 billion buyout bid, open to higher offer

TORONTO, August 16, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aquila Resources Inc. (TSX: AQA, OTCQB: AQARF) ("Aquila" or the "Company") announces the filing of its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021. All amounts, unless indicated, are reported in US dollars

SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

As at June 30, 2021, Aquila had cash of $0.9 million and negative working capital of $2.1 million (current assets less current liabilities excluding a deposit received on a non-binding letter of intent discussed below). This compared to cash of $1.8 million and negative working capital of $0.8 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease in working capital is primarily due to permitting and legal activities at its Back Forty Project. The Company is actively evaluating financing and strategic alternatives and continues to take measures to preserve liquidity including cutting discretionary spending, reducing salaries for management, and working with service providers to manage and defer spend wherever possible.
On April 28, 2021, the Michigan State Senate unanimously approved resolution SR0016: A resolution to express support for mining and the mining industry and encourage the Governor, state agencies, local governments, members of the public, and labor organizations to support mining by taking certain actions (the "Resolution"). The Resolution passed with bipartisan support.
On June 1, 2021, Aquila announced that it had entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") to sell its interest in the Bend and Reef exploration properties located in Wisconsin, USA to a private company ("Newco") (the "Transaction"). Subject to necessary approvals, Newco intends to list on the TSX Venture Exchange concurrent with the closing of the Transaction. Total consideration of C$7 million payable to Aquila will consist of cash consideration of C$3 million, of which C$1 million has been advanced as a deposit, and shares in Newco with an estimated value on completion of the public offering of C$4 million. Aquila and Newco are working towards the execution of definitive agreements.
On May 26, 2021, Aquila announced the results of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders and confirmed that the six nominees listed in the management information circular were elected as directors of Aquila.

$2.4M STREAM DEPOSIT

Aquila is also pleased to announce that a subsidiary of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd ("OGR") has agreed to immediately release $2.4 million (the "Fourth Deposit") to the Company under the Amended and Restated Gold Purchase Agreement dated as of March 10, 2021 (the "Gold Stream"). The Fourth Deposit will be used for the continued advancement of the Back Forty Project Optimized Feasibility Study.

Guy Le Bel, President & CEO, commented, "This agreement demonstrates OGR’s strong support for the Back Forty Project and enables Aquila to continue advancing the optimized Feasibility Study. I am pleased with the progress our team is making on the Feasibility Study, which will demonstrate reduced environmental impact and a longer mine life for the benefit of all stakeholders. In parallel, we are advancing the transaction to monetize our non-core assets in Wisconsin. At the same time, our team is actively evaluating additional strategic and financing alternatives to realize value for shareholders."

Under the Gold Stream, the Fourth Deposit was to be released once Aquila completed an equity financing of not less than $6 million (the "Equity Financing Condition"). Pursuant to an agreement dated August 15, 2021, the Equity Financing Condition has been deferred and must now be satisfied as a condition to the release of the fifth deposit of $5 million (the "Fifth Deposit"). The other conditions for the release of the Fifth Deposit remain the same, being the completion of the Back Forty Feasibility Study and the successful resolution of the permitting process with respect to permits required for the development or operation of the Back Forty Project. The final deposit of $25 million continues to be payable pro rata with drawdowns under a senior construction facility for the Back Forty Project. In connection with the waiver of the Equity Financing Condition, Aquila has granted OGR the right to nominate an individual to the Company’s Board of Directors. OGR has not yet exercised this right.

OUTLOOK

The Company will continue to advance its Back Forty Project in Michigan, where the main objectives are completing an optimized Feasibility Study (the "Feasibility Study") and securing the remaining permits required for construction and operations. The Feasibility Study will incorporate both the open pit and underground mine plans and will reflect Aquila’s commitment to sustainability and responsible mining employing industry best practices.
Aquila intends for the Feasibility Study to integrate feedback from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy ("EGLE") and the local community since the original permits were issued. By incorporating the underground mine plan and modifying the Project footprint, the Company expects to demonstrate substantially reduced surface impact, including wetlands impact, and a longer mine life for the benefit of all stakeholders.
The Company will continue to work with EGLE to finalize the Back Forty groundwater model. Aquila is pleased with the significant progress made in this regard and continues to collect the required site-specific data.
Following the completion of the Feasibility Study, Aquila will seek to permit the optimized Project design.
The Company will continue to advance the Transaction to sell its Bend and Reef properties in Wisconsin.
The Company will continue its efforts to secure additional financing and, in parallel, will evaluate various strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value. As the Company is in active discussions with several parties, the Board of Directors has formed a Special Committee tasked with examining the strategic alternatives for the Company which include evaluating and implementing financing alternatives, considering possible joint venture and other strategic transactions, and assessing potential merger and acquisition proposals.

APPOINTMENT OF GUY LE BEL TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aquila also announces today that Guy Le Bel, who has been President and CEO of the Company since February 1, 2021, has been appointed to the Board of Directors, effective immediately.

SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The following table provides selected financial information that should be read in conjunction with the financial statements of the Company for the quarter ended June 30, 2021:

	Three months ended		Six Months Ended
	June 30,		June 30,
	2021	2020	2021	2020
Mineral property exploration expenses	$517,623	($190,654)	$1,037,330	$521,506
Administrative expenses	536,979	845,826	1,245,301	1,650,053
Net finance charges	428,200	2,561,415	857,373	2,732,013
Loss from operations	$1,482,802	$3,216,587	$3,140,004	$4,903,572

(Gain) loss on foreign exchange	80,589	791,227	142,118	(193,007)
Loss (gain) on change in value of contingent consideration	32,074	15,692	(44,051)	236,605
Gain on change in fair value of warrant liability	(126)	117,990	(5,430)	(45,064)
Net and comprehensive loss for the period	$1,595,339	$4,141,496	$3,232,641	$4,902,106
Net loss per share – basic and diluted	0.00	0.01	0.01	0.03

ABOUT AQUILA

Aquila Resources Inc. (TSX: AQA, OTCQB: AQARF) is a development‐stage company focused on high grade polymetallic projects in the Upper Midwest, USA. Aquila’s experienced management team is currently advancing pre-construction activities for its flagship 100%‐owned gold and zinc‐rich Back Forty Project in Michigan.

The Back Forty Project is a volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit with open pit and underground potential located along the mineral‐rich Penokean Volcanic Belt in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Back Forty contains approximately 1.1 million ounces of gold and 1.2 billion pounds of zinc in the Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource classifications, with additional exploration upside. An optimized Feasibility Study for the Project is underway.

Aquila has two other exploration projects: Reef Gold Project located in Marathon County, Wisconsin and the Bend Project located in Taylor County, Wisconsin. Reef is a gold-copper property and Bend is a volcanogenic massive sulfide occurrence containing copper and gold.

Additional disclosure of Aquila’s financial statements, technical reports, material change reports, news releases and other information can be obtained at www.aquilaresources.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: the ability of the Company to close the Transaction on the terms outlined in the LOI or at all, the ability of Newco to list on the TSX-V, plans related to the Back Forty Project optimized feasibility study and permitting, the ability of the Company to complete a financing or strategic transaction, the ability of the Company to satisfy subsequent drawdown conditions under the Gold Stream, and other development plans and objectives. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of Aquila to control or predict, that may cause their actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: risks with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic; and other related risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties disclosed in Aquila’s filings on its website at www.aquilaresources.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Aquila undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents Aquila’s best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Furthermore, mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210816005168/en/

Contacts

Guy Le Bel, President & CEO, Director
Tel: 450.582.6789
glebel@aquilaresources.com

David Carew, VP Corporate Development & IR
Tel: 647.943.5677
dcarew@aquilaresources.com

Cleveland-Cliffs and other metals and mining companies face pressure due to macro issues in China.

(Bloomberg) — BHP Group is in talks over a potential merger of its oil and gas unit with Woodside Petroleum Ltd. to accelerate a retreat from fossil fuels amid increasing pressure to curb emissions.

Options being discussed include a distribution of Woodside shares to BHP holders to allow the Australian energy firm to add operations spanning Australia to the Gulf of Mexico, the companies said in separate statements. BHP’s unit could be valued at more than $15 billion, a person familiar with the details said last month.

The petroleum division “simply no longer fits within BHP’s portfolio or future-facing strategy,” said Saul Kavonic, an analyst at Credit Suisse Group AG. Having missed opportunities to sell thermal coal assets at higher prices, “BHP should know it’s better to exit petroleum sooner rather than later,” he said.

BHP, which generates the bulk of profits from iron ore and copper, is reviewing its portfolio as energy supermajors grapple with global pressure from investors and governments over climate action, in some cases by shrinking core production and adding renewable energy assets. Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry has already signaled plans to focus the world’s biggest miner on materials tied to renewable energy and electrification.

Woodside declined as much as 4.5% in Sydney trading Monday and was 4.4% lower as of 3:39 p.m. local time. BHP fell 0.9%.

“BHP confirms that we have initiated a strategic review of our petroleum business to re-assess its position and long-term strategic fit,” the company said. While talks with Woodside “are currently progressing, no agreement has been reached on any such transaction,” it said.

Though BHP has said it expects oil and gas demand to remain strong for at least another decade, and recently announced $800 million of investments in growth options, the company is wary of becoming stuck with assets that’ll become more difficult to exit as the world attempts to curb consumption of fossil fuels.

The talks with Woodside come a week after environmental campaign group Market Forces tabled a proposal on behalf of about 100 small investors that calls on BHP to wind down oil, gas and coal production in line with international targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions. A deal that would see investors take on Woodside shares risks undercutting BHP’s climate pledge, according to campaigner Will van de Pol.

“We know that investors have clearly signed up to the goal of net zero by 2050,” he said. “They’re increasingly understanding what that means, and it means no expansion of the oil & gas sector. So for investors to be lumped with shares in a company that is trying to expand its oil and gas production, I don’t think it’s going to sit that well.”

Asset Sales

Output in BHP’s oil and gas unit, which includes operations in Australia’s Bass Strait and North West Shelf, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and in Trinidad and Tobago, declined 6% in the year to June 30. BHP is a partner in the projects with firms including BP Plc, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Woodside.

BHP sold the majority of its shale unit to BP in 2018 for about $10.5 billion, and is advancing plans to exit its final thermal coal mine and some metallurgical coal operations. Those divestments would leave the company with only a handful of fossil fuels assets, a collection of mines in Queensland that supply coal to steelmakers.

Last month, Bloomberg News reported BHP was considering plans to quit oil and gas. Woodside and BHP are in advanced talks over a deal worth about A$20 billion ($14.7 billion), the Australian Financial Review reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Melbourne-based BHP is scheduled to report annual results Tuesday.

(Updates with analyst comment in third paragraph.)

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In this article, we will be looking at 10 Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks to buy. To skip our detailed analysis of the basic materials sector, you can go directly to see the 5 Russell 2000 Basic Materials Dividend Stocks to Buy.

The basic materials sector is one that is typically considered to be less exciting or gripping than others, like say the technology sector. However, it is a sector that can be considered among the winners of the market in 2021. There are a couple of reasons for this, most notably the fact that President Biden's administration and its focus on a greener and more environmentally friendly America would lead to a greater focus on the production of green technology, and electric vehicles (EVs) in particular. How this may affect the basic materials sector is the next, and most natural question, and is easily answered when one considers that metals produced and refined by this sector, such as copper, lithium, and others, are among the few most vital elements required in the production of EVs and green electricity.

However, this is not the only reason why the materials sector can be expected to become a not-so-boring sector this year. Rather there are a number of factors contributing to the rising popularity of basic materials stocks like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP).

Before considering other factors, let's look at the one mentioned above first. According to a Fidelity report on outlook for the basic materials sector in 2021, particularly in relation to the rising sales and production of EVs in the US and the growing demand for green electricity, we can see that there are positive prospects for the sector in the US. EV sales in the country are expected to rise by almost 12% between 2010 and 2050, to almost 2 million such vehicles being sold in the US alone. According to this report, as the EV market is reliant on batteries that in turn are dependent on lithium, cobalt, and nickel, it can be expected that companies involved in the production and handling of these metals within the materials sector are set to profit in the coming 2 decades. In fact, the Fidelity report has estimated that the rising demand for lithium and similar commodities has already risen so much that by the mid-2020s we may already be facing a supply crunch for these materials. On the same note, the report has estimated that by 2030, over 80% of the total demand for lithium is expected to come from the EV sector, with the metal seeing an eye-popping double-digit annual growth in its demand.

Apart from the above, a Stansberry Investor report from this July has also mentioned that the basic materials sector has, quite surprisingly for some, been able to jump by about 25% from January to May 2021. The gain has easily overtaken the return of the S&P 500 as well, being almost double the benchmark's index's return over the same timeframe. It has also been estimated that this sector in particular has managed to yield stable and positive returns at least since as far back as 2000, with a 7% annual return being quoted since then. This demonstrates not only a positive performance on part of this sector, to the joy of investors, but also a consistently positive performance, for the most part. Adding on to this is the fact that it has been reportedly stated by Bloomberg that the S&P 500 Materials Index has been able to perform well enough to earn it the title of the best sector on the market, just after the energy sector, as of this March. With shares soaring during the first few months of 2021 and commodity prices rising during the pandemic, the index went up by about 98%. In any case, the sector's performance is increasingly becoming hard to doubt.

While the basic materials sector soars, the entire hedge fund industry is still 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 July 2021, our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 186.1%, vs. 100.1% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 124 percentage points (see the details here). 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.

best material dividend stocks to buy now

Let's now look at the 10 Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks.

Our Methodology

We have used Insider Monkey's data of about 866 hedge funds alongside the Russell 2000 index to select small-cap basic materials dividend stocks that are more popular among hedge funds this year. The stocks also have mostly positive analysts' ratings and robust fundamentals, demonstrating their financial strength. Finally, we have mentioned the dividend yields and the number of hedge fund holders for each stock as well, ranking them from the lowest to the highest dividend yield.

Russell 2000 Basic Materials Dividend Stocks

10. FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE: FF)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 9 Dividend Yield: 2.4%

FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE: FF) is a manufacturer and seller of diversified chemical, bio-based fuel, and bio-based specialty chemical products in the US. The company ranks 10th on our list of Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks and operates through its Chemicals and Biofuels segments.

In the second quarter of 2021, FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE: FF) had an EPS of $0.08. The company's revenue of $ 74.12 million was up 56.3% year over year and beat the previous quarter's revenue of $41.52 million.

By the end of the first quarter of 2021, 9 hedge funds out of the 866 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE: FF) worth roughly $60.7 million. This is compared to 10 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $54.4 million.

Like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP), FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE: FF) is a good stock to invest in.

9. Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23 Dividend Yield: 2.6%

Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is a specialty chemicals and performance materials company. It ranks 9th on our list of Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks and operates through its Reinforcement Materials, Performance Chemicals, and Purification Solutions segments.

This July, JPMorgan's Jeffrey Zekauskas upgraded shares of Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) from Neutral to Overweight. The analyst also has a $62 price target on the stock.

In the fiscal third quarter of 2021, Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) had an EPS of $1.35, beating estimates by $0.17. The company's revenue of $917 million was up 77.03% year over year and beat estimates by $112.30 million. Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) has gained 10.69% in the past 6 months and 24.50% year to date.

By the end of the first quarter of 2021, 23 hedge funds out of the 866 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) worth roughly $111 million. This is compared to 20 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $106 million.

Like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP), Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is a good stock to invest in.

8. Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 4 Dividend Yield: 2.9%

Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC) is a developer of sorbent products in the US and globally. The company operates through its Retail and Wholesale Products Group and Business to Business Products Group segments. It ranks 8th on our list of Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks.

In the fiscal third quarter of 2021, Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC) had an EPS of $0.30. The company's revenue of $76.26 million was up 8.86% year over year and beat the previous quarter's revenue of $74.50 million. Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC) has gained 3.44% year to date and 0.92% in the past year.

By the end of the first quarter of 2021, 4 hedge funds out of the 866 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC) worth roughly $29.5 million. This is compared to 4 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $30.6 million.

Like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP), Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC) is a good stock to invest in.

7. SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22 Dividend Yield: 3.2%

SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) is an independent producer of coke in the US and Brazil. The company ranks 7th on our list of Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks and operates through three segments, namely the Domestic Coke, Brazil Coke, and Logistics segments. It provides metallurgical and thermal coal alongside handling and mixing services to its steel, coke, electric utility, coal producing, and other related customers.

Lucas Pipes, an analyst at B. Riley, this July raised his price target on shares of SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) from $9 to $10. The analyst also reiterated a Buy rating on the shares.

In the second quarter of 2021, SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) had an EPS of -$0.11, missing estimates by $0.20. The company's revenue of $364.30 million was up 7.78% year over year and beat estimates by $44.85 million. SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) has gained 18.21% in the past 6 months and 59.48% in the past year.

By the end of the first quarter of 2021, 22 hedge funds out of the 866 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) worth roughly $87 million. This is compared to 19 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $66 million.

Like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP), SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) is a good stock to invest in.

6. Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 8 Dividend Yield: 3.4%

Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) is a manufacturer of engineered materials for sale across the globe. The company has two segments, Composite Fibers, and Airlaid Materials. It ranks 6th on our list of Russell 2000 basic materials dividend stocks.

BMO Capital just this July upgraded shares of Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) from Market Perform to Outperform. Analyst Mark Wilde, who pushed the upgrade, also holds an unchanged $17 price target on Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) shares.

In the second quarter of 2021, Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) had an EPS of $0.18, beating estimates by $0.04. The company's revenue of $244.91 million was up 13.29% year over year and beat estimates by $2.91 million.

By the end of the first quarter of 2021, 8 hedge funds out of the 866 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) worth roughly $30.7 million. This is compared to 7 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $21.6 million.

Like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), and International Paper Company (NYSE: IP), Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT) is a good stock to invest in.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Russell 2000 Basic Materials Dividend Stocks to Buy.

Vale S.A. Price and Consensus

Vale S.A. price-consensus-chart | Vale S.A. Quote

Vale has a PEG ratio of 0.11 compared with 0.17 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.

Vale S.A. PEG Ratio (TTM)

Vale S.A. peg-ratio-ttm | Vale S.A. Quote

ON Semiconductor Corporation ON: This manufacturer and seller of semiconductor components for various electronic devices carries a Zacks Rank #1, has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 29.5% over the last 60 days.

ON Semiconductor Corporation Price and Consensus

ON Semiconductor Corporation price-consensus-chart | ON Semiconductor Corporation Quote

ON Semiconductor has a PEG ratio of 0.33, compared with 3.38 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.

ON Semiconductor Corporation PEG Ratio (TTM)

ON Semiconductor Corporation peg-ratio-ttm | ON Semiconductor Corporation Quote

Herc Holdings Inc. HRI: This equipment rental supplier carries a Zacks Rank #1, has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 10.8% over the last 60 days.

Herc Holdings Inc. Price and Consensus

Herc Holdings Inc. price-consensus-chart | Herc Holdings Inc. Quote

Herc Holdings has a PEG ratio of 0.39, compared with 0.89 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.

Herc Holdings Inc. PEG Ratio (TTM)

Herc Holdings Inc. peg-ratio-ttm | Herc Holdings Inc. Quote

Lithia Motors, Inc. LAD: This automotive retailer carries a Zacks Rank #1, has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 36.1% over the last 60 days.

Lithia Motors, Inc. Price and Consensus

Lithia Motors, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Lithia Motors, Inc. Quote

Lithia Motors has a PEG ratio of 0.58, compared with 0.69 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of A.

Lithia Motors, Inc. PEG Ratio (TTM)

Lithia Motors, Inc. peg-ratio-ttm | Lithia Motors, Inc. Quote

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

Learn more about the Growth score and how it is calculated here.

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VALE S.A. (VALE) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD): Free Stock Analysis Report

ON Semiconductor Corporation (ON): Free Stock Analysis Report

Herc Holdings Inc. (HRI) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research

TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2021 /CNW/ – Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) today announced the appointment of Mike McCann as President and Chief Executive Officer of IOC, effective September 20, 2021.

Mike is a highly experienced business leader with 30 years of operational experience in the mining and processing industry. Mike was previously the Head of Strategic Business Projects at Vale's Base Metals division, where he helped advance the development of new assets, create new joint ventures, and contribute to the business's overall strategy. He has also overseen large and complex mining and processing operations in the North Atlantic region and internationally in the UK, Japan and China. Mike currently sits as Board Chair for the Ontario Mining Association.

As part of his new role, Mike will also assume the role of Chairperson of the board of directors of IOC. Donald Tremblay, who had assumed the interim role of President and CEO returns to his role as CFO.

The management and directors of Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation would like to congratulate Mike on his appointment and look forward to working with him as the new leader of a talented team at IOC.

About Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation

The Corporation holds a 15.10% equity interest in IOC directly and through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hollinger-Hanna Limited, and receives a 7% gross overriding royalty and a 10 cent per tonne commission on all iron ore products produced, sold and shipped by IOC.

SOURCE Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/16/c7923.html

(Bloomberg) — Woodside Petroleum is in advanced talks to buy BHP Group’s petroleum division for about A$20 billion ($14.7 billion), the Australian Financial Review reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Under Woodside’s proposal, the company would offer shares to BHP for the entire petroleum business, which would then be passed on to BHP’s shareholders, to ensure no change of control, the newspaper reported. The acquisition would make Woodside the clear No.1 player in Australia’s oil and gas sector, according to the report.

The talks are ongoing and nothing has been agreed, AFR reported. The companies declined to comment to AFR. Last month, Bloomberg News reported that BHP Group was considering getting out of oil and gas in a multibillion-dollar exit that would accelerate its retreat from fossil fuels. A BHP spokesman declined to comment on the report.

While BHP has long said the oil business was one of its strategic pillars and argued that it will make money for at least another decade, the company wants to avoid getting stuck with assets that would become more difficult to sell as the world tries to shift away from fossil fuels, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last month.

Getting out of both thermal coal and petroleum would help BHP make its case to investors as a company geared toward commodities of the future. The miner is also expected to shortly approve a giant potash mine in Canada which could make it a key supplier of the crop nutrient once production begins.

BHP is scheduled to report annual results on Aug. 17.

(Updates with background from third paragraph onwards.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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We feel now is a pretty good time to analyse Liontown Resources Limited's (ASX:LTR) business as it appears the company may be on the cusp of a considerable accomplishment. Liontown Resources Limited engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral properties in Australia. With the latest financial year loss of AU$13m and a trailing-twelve-month loss of AU$9.7m, the AU$1.8b market-cap company alleviated its loss by moving closer towards its target of breakeven. As path to profitability is the topic on Liontown Resources' investors mind, we've decided to gauge market sentiment. Below we will provide a high-level summary of the industry analysts’ expectations for the company.

See our latest analysis for Liontown Resources

Consensus from 2 of the Australian Metals and Mining analysts is that Liontown Resources is on the verge of breakeven. They expect the company to post a final loss in 2023, before turning a profit of AU$30m in 2024. Therefore, the company is expected to breakeven roughly 3 years from today. How fast will the company have to grow each year in order to reach the breakeven point by 2024? Working backwards from analyst estimates, it turns out that they expect the company to grow 51% year-on-year, on average, which signals high confidence from analysts. Should the business grow at a slower rate, it will become profitable at a later date than expected.

Given this is a high-level overview, we won’t go into details of Liontown Resources' upcoming projects, though, bear in mind that typically a metal and mining business has lumpy cash flows which are contingent on the natural resource mined and stage at which the company is operating. So, a high growth rate is not out of the ordinary, particularly when a company is in a period of investment.

Before we wrap up, there’s one aspect worth mentioning. Liontown Resources currently has no debt on its balance sheet, which is rare for a loss-making metals and mining company, which usually has a high level of debt relative to its equity. This means that the company has been operating purely on its equity investment and has no debt burden. This aspect reduces the risk around investing in the loss-making company.

Next Steps:

There are key fundamentals of Liontown Resources which are not covered in this article, but we must stress again that this is merely a basic overview. For a more comprehensive look at Liontown Resources, take a look at Liontown Resources' company page on Simply Wall St. We've also compiled a list of relevant aspects you should look at:

Historical Track Record: What has Liontown Resources' performance been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity.
Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business – take a look at who sits on Liontown Resources' board and the CEO’s background.
Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) today announced a donation of $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross and $50,000 to the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) in support of emergency efforts in response to the wildfires in British Columbia. A further $25,000 will go to match donations made by Teck employees. Teck’s donation to the Canadian Red Cross will help provide food, clothing and temporary accommodation for evacuees, and the donation to the BC SPCA will support the rescue and relocation of pets and farm animals in affected regions. In addition to this donation, Teck is supporting employees that live within the area of evacuation orders in the Thompson-Nicola region and is also engaging directly with Indigenous communities in the region to support wildfire relief efforts.

“Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the wildfires in different parts of British Columbia,” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO. “This is an extremely challenging time for many British Columbians and Teck will continue working with our local partners to ensure we are offering all the support we can at this time.”

Go to www.redcross.ca for information on how to support the Canadian Red Cross and to www.spca.bc.ca for information on how to support the BC SPCA.

About Teck
As one of Canada’s leading mining companies, Teck is committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, zinc, and steelmaking coal, as well as investments in energy assets. Copper, zinc and high-quality steelmaking coal are required for the transition to a low-carbon world. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Teck’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources.

Teck Media Contact:
Chris Stannell
Public Relations Manager
604.699.4368
chris.stannell@teck.com

Teck Investor Contact:
Fraser Phillips
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis
604.699.4621
fraser.phillips@teck.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) today announced that operations at Teck Highland Valley Copper (HVC) in south-central British Columbia have been temporarily suspended due to an evacuation order issued by the District of Logan Lake in response to wildfire activity in the area.

All workers are being safely demobilized from the site with the exception of a small number of employees necessary to responsibly ensure safety and environmental protection.

There is currently no risk to infrastructure of the operation. Teck is closely monitoring wildfire conditions and will restart operations once the evacuation order is lifted and it is deemed safe to do so.

Impact to production at HVC is dependent on the length of the suspension of operations.

Investor Contact:
Fraser Phillips
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis
604.699.4621
fraser.phillips@teck.com

Media Contact:
Chris Stannell
Public Relations Manager
604.699.4368
chris.stannell@teck.com

Potential EROAD Limited (NZSE:ERD) shareholders may wish to note that the Independent Director, Anthony Gibson, recently bought NZ$200k worth of stock, paying NZ$5.58 for each share. Although the purchase only increased their holding by 6.2%, it is still a solid purchase in our view.

See our latest analysis for EROAD

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At EROAD

In fact, the recent purchase by Anthony Gibson was the biggest purchase of EROAD shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (NZ$6.30), we still think insider buying is a positive. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.

EROAD insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership of EROAD

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that EROAD insiders own 4.1% of the company, worth about NZ$25m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Does This Data Suggest About EROAD Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. Given that insiders also own a fair bit of EROAD we think they are probably pretty confident of a bright future. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of EROAD.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – August 13, 2021) – Eric Sprott announces that today, 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation which is beneficially owned by him, has purchased 6,934,537 common shares (Shares) of Canstar Resources Inc., completing the second tranche of the private agreement transaction (as reported in the July 8, 2021 press release), at a price of $0.375 per Share for aggregate consideration of $2,600,451. The purchase of 6,934,537 Shares represent an increase of approximately 6.7% of the outstanding Shares on a partially diluted basis since the filing date of the most recent Early Warning Report. The Shares were purchased by way of private agreement with a single vendor at a price less than 115% of the "market price" of the Shares in reliance on the" private agreement exemption" in Section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids. 2176423 Ontario Ltd. is beneficially owned by Eric Sprott.

Mr. Sprott now beneficially own and control 27,863,339 Shares and 10,527,000 Share purchase warrants representing approximately 31.6% of the outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 38.9% on a partially diluted basis assuming the exercise of such warrants. Prior to the closing of this second tranche, Mr. Sprott beneficially owned and controlled 20,928,802 Shares and 10,527,000 warrants of the Company (representing approximately 23.7% on a non-diluted basis, and approximately 31.8% on a partially diluted basis).

The Shares were acquired by Mr. Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario for investment purposes. Mr. Sprott has a long-term view of the investment and may acquire additional securities of Canstar Resources including on the open market or through private acquisitions or sell securities of Canstar Resources including on the open market or through private dispositions in the future depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors.

Canstar Resources Inc., is located at 220 Bay Street, Suite 550 Toronto, ON M5J 2W4. A copy of 2176423 Ontario's early warning report will appear on Canstar Resources's profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com and may also be obtained by calling Mr. Sprott's office (416) 945-3294 (200 Bay Street, Suite 2600, Royal Bank Plaza, South Tower, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2J1).

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93108

By Melanie Burton and Kate Lamb

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia's mining industry is bracing for a government inquiry that is expected to shed light on sexual harassment in the country's mineral-rich west, as the sector struggles with a dire skills shortage and low female representation.

Conditions at Western Australia's mining camps have worsened sexual harassment, critics say, and the issue has prompted the industry to take a stand against a culture they say has to change.

Major miners including BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue are among those expected to make submissions to the state government inquiry, which will make recommendations to West Australia's parliament in April 2022. Submissions close on Friday and become public next week.

Workers typically live at isolated "fly-in, fly-out" (FIFO) camps for a fortnight at a time in Western Australia's mining belt, the source of much of the country's economic prosperity.

Women make up roughly one in five FIFO workers and critics say recreation facilities have become hubs for drinking alcohol and created poor camp cultures that miners need to address.

"There are certain geographic and other issues that make FIFO camps a particular high risk area – part of that is the demographics that are on site," said Owen Whittle, a spokesperson for UnionsWA, which represents 30 workers groups and will make a submission to the inquiry.

Whittle says miners and contractors need to invest in site facilities and health and safety practices, particularly at smaller camps. He said sexual harassment needs to be seen as a systemic issue, rather than a series of unrelated incidents for the police to deal with.

"Often these (smaller) camps are poorly managed, the facilities are very poor. You might have little more than a wet mess and a rundown gym in terms of recreation facilities on site," he said, referring to mess facilities that serve alcohol.

"We need to put a duty on the camp operators and the miners and all the resource companies to…prevent harm in these workplaces."

In a 2020 report, the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into sexual harassment found that 74% of women in the mining industry had experienced some form of sexual harassment in the past five years, partly due to the gender imbalance.

CULTURAL ISSUES

A young woman formerly employed at one of Australia’s largest mining companies told Reuters that while her team was "welcoming, sensitive and conscious," that attitude was not always replicated underground.

"If you are a new employee and there are already about 8-10 male miners down there, you tend to sort of accept a few things here or there that you usually wouldn't," said the woman, who declined to be named. "Like swearing, or throwing the c-word around like it's nothing."

In her experience her male colleagues were largely respectful to her but she said when there is a group of them that "culture perpetuates."

Australia's three biggest miners, BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue, did not have an immediate response to requests for further comment but have previously spoken about measures they are taking to address the issues, including efforts to increase women in their workforces.

BHP has been targeting a 50-50 gender split by 2025. The percentage of women has risen to 26.5% up from 17.6% since mid-2016.

Rio is striving to increase the representation of women by 2 percentage points each year. It rose by 0.9% to 21.0% in the first half, hiring 1,270 women, 32% of all hires. It has also launched an initiative to address sexual harassment and help it retain women.

"As an industry, we must and can do more to ensure we have a diverse workforce that is reflective of our community and foster a workplace culture that truly embraces diversity and inclusiveness," Elizabeth Gaines, Fortescue Chief Executive, said last week.

At the mining industry's biggest annual conference in the outback town of Kalgoorlie last week, Gaines noted she had improved the event's gender diversity: women made up four out of 56 speakers, up from the three last year.

"It is clear that the industry still has some work to do in this regard," she said at the conference.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Sam Holmes)

By Sonali Paul and Melanie Burton

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Expectations are growing that BHP Group Ltd will deliver a verdict on the future of its petroleum business at its results next week, as it comes under increasing pressure to cut its fossil fuel footprint.

The world's biggest miner has been facing calls to detail how and when it will exit fossil fuels, with activist investor Market Forces filing a resolution on the topic this week for annual meetings in October and November.

BHP's decision this month to approve $802 million in development spending on oil projects in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico – just days before a new report that issued dire warnings about human contribution to climate change – has only ratcheted up pressure from some investors.

"It's clear something is brewing," said Simon Mawhinney, Chief Investment Officer at Allan Gray Australia.

BHP declined to comment on market speculation.

Analysts value BHP's petroleum business, made up of assets in Australia, the Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago and Algeria, at $10 billion to $17 billion. The division contributed 5% of BHP's underlying earnings of $14.7 billion in the first half to end-December, compared with 70% for iron ore.

Investors are split on their fit within BHP's portfolio, especially as the company focuses on new economy materials such as copper, nickel and potash.

An exit from petroleum would constitute "a major shift" in BHP's environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials and overall strategy towards fossil fuels, Morgan Stanley analyst Rahul Anand said in a recent note.

AUSTRALIA AND THE REST

BHP's late-life, mainly low-return energy assets in Australia are seen as particularly ripe for a sale amid high oil and gas prices.

"For BHP, if you look at its Australian (energy) assets, if they could exit those in a meaningful way for something approximating value, that would be a good outcome," said Brenton Saunders, a portfolio manager with shareholder Pendal Group.

Credit Suisse and Citi value the Australian energy assets – including the Bass Strait, Northwest Shelf LNG and the Scarborough gas field – at $3 billion to $5 billion.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd is seen as the most logical buyer as they would boost its free cash flow and increase its stakes in key projects, although not all investors favour such a tie-up given the asset mix and likely need for an equity raising.

Woodside declined to comment.

BHP would also have to take a discount on any sale given some heavy decommissioning liabilities, said Credit Suisse analyst Saul Kavonic, although a sale could boost its ESG rating and attract new shareholders.

"BHP could sell these for discounts but still increase share value though a re-rating on the rest of their business," he said.

Elsewhere, investors say BHP's petroleum assets are more attractive.

The most valuable are its stakes in oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico, valued at $10.4 billion by Wood Mackenzie, which made up about 25% of the company's 103 million barrels of oil equivalent output the year to June 2021.

"The rest of the portfolio, there are parts that are high growth, high returning. They've done a lot of work on them and shareholders have had to wear some of the bad times. They are good assets," said Pendal Group's Saunders.

BHP is due to deliver its annual results on Tuesday at 0700 GMT.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton and Sonali Paul; editing by Richard Pullin)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aton Resources Inc. (the “Company” or “Aton Resources”) (TSX-V: AAN) reports that its Chief Financial Officer, Bennett Liu, has stepped down to pursue new opportunities and that it has appointed Stella Chen to replace him with immediate effect. Ms. Chen works with a number of public and private companies in the resource and technology industries providing accounting and consulting services. Ms. Chen graduated from Simon Fraser University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree as well as a diploma from the Accounting Program at the University of British Columbia.

Mr. Liu and Ms. Chen are employed by Red Fern Consulting which provides the Company with accounting services.

Aton’s Interim Chief Executive Officer stated: “Everyone at Aton wishes Mr. Liu well in his future endeavours, and the Company is pleased to welcome Stella as our new CFO. Stella comes from a public accounting background and having worked with Bennett for Aton, she is familiar with the Company and will make a seamless transition.”

About Aton Resources Inc.

Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) is focused on its 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat”), located in Egypt’s Arabian-Nubian Shield, approximately 200 km north of Centamin’s world-class Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified numerous gold and base metal exploration targets at Abu Marawat, including the Hamama deposit in the west, the Abu Marawat deposit in the northeast, and the advanced Rodruin exploration prospect in the south of the Concession. Two historic British gold mines are also located on the Concession at Sir Bakis and Semna. Aton has identified several distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display potential for the development of a variety of styles of precious and base metal mineralisation. Abu Marawat is 447.7 km² in size and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure; a four-lane highway, a 220kV power line, and a water pipeline are in close proximity, as are the international airports at Hurghada and Luxor.

For further information regarding Aton Resources Inc., please visit us at www.atonresources.com or contact:

BILL KOUTSOURAS

Interim CEO
Tel: +1 345 525 2512
Email: info@atonresources.com

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions; by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

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.

INTERIM FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2021

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / August 13, 2021 / Horizonte Minerals Plc,(AIM:HZM)(TSX:HZM) (the 'Company' or 'Horizonte'), the nickel development company focused on developing its ferro-nickel project in Brazil ('Araguaia' or 'the Project'), announces it has today published its unaudited financial results for the six month period to 30 June 2021 and the Management Discussion and Analysis for the same period. Both of the aforementioned documents have been posted on the Company's website www.horizonteminerals.com and are also available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Highlights for the Period

Project financing of Araguaia nearing completion with credit approval process underway following completion of due diligence by the International Lenders.
Senior Debt Facility expected to benefit from significant Export Credit Agency Support.
Cornerstone strategic investor and final offtake agreements well advanced and expected to be finalised shortly after credit approvals.
Horizonte maintained a strong cash position of £22.2 million following completion of an £18 million equity fundraise in February 2021.
Financing discussions remain on track. Credit committee approval for the senior debt facility expected in Q3 2021 as previously announced
Vermelho progressing with Ramboll awarded Environmental and Social Impact Assessment contract.

Events post the Reporting Date

Significant progress on key project execution preparation activities, including competitive tendering for supply of key processing equipment, electric furnace and project management (EPCM) services.
Operational Readiness Plan well advanced with all key permits in place for commencement of construction.
Key environmental and social programmes continuing in preparation for construction phase.
Mobilisation of Head of Projects to Brazil and appointment of Engineering, Community, Health and Safety Managers continues the build out of the project execution team.
Publication of 2020 Sustainability Report in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative.

Click on, or paste the following link into your web browser, to view the full announcement:
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/5244I_1-2021-8-12.pdf

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Horizonte Minerals PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/659611/Horizonte-Minerals-PLC-Announces-Interim-Results

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) announced today that the oxygen plant at Trail has been restarted following an improvement in air quality that had been affected by smoke from wildfires in southwestern British Columbia. Operations at the Trail metallurgical facility are ramping back up to full capacity.

However, while production has resumed there remains a risk of further smoke from wildfires and additional outages of the oxygen plant as long as the fire season continues. Regional air quality conditions are being actively monitored and Trail Operations has response plans in place to protect employee safety. Guidance will be updated if necessary after fire risks subside.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as forward-looking statements). These statements relate to future events or our future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. These forward-looking statements include the statements that operations at the Trail metallurgical facility are ramping up back up to full capacity; and the expectation that full capacity can be achieved. These statements are based on assumptions regarding the impact of smoke from wildfires and additional outages of the oxygen plant, as well as assumptions that no other factors impact ramp-up to full capacity. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Events or circumstances could cause actual results to vary materially. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, impacts from smoke from wildfires, as well as unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, fires or other natural disasters, unavailability of materials and equipment, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters). We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required under securities laws. Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov) under cover of Form 40-F, as well as subsequent filings that can also be found under our profile.

Teck Media Contact:
Chris Stannell
Public Relations Manager
604.699.4368
chris.stannell@teck.com

Teck Investor Contact:
Fraser Phillips
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis
604.699.4621
fraser.phillips@teck.com

Val-d'Or, Québec–(Newsfile Corp. – August 13, 2021) – Abitibi Royalties Inc. (TSXV: RZZ) (OTC: ATBYF) ("Abitibi Royalties" or the "Company") announces that it has made an application to the OTC Markets Group to be traded on the OTCQX® Best Market ("OTCQX") in response to the new amendments to Rule 15c2-11 adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission which go into effect on September 28, 2021 (the "SEC Amendments"). Abitibi Royalties will remain a member of the Nasdaq International Designation Program and the Company will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under its symbol "RZZ".

The Company is aware that some of its U.S. shareholders have received letters from their brokerage firms outlining the SEC Amendments. In order to ensure compliance with the SEC Amendments, a Form 211 has been filed on behalf of the Company. The Company has been advised that the OTCQX application approval will ensure further compliance with the SEC Amendments.

The Company will provide further information once the application process is completed. The Company will look to continue to grow its investor exposure in the U.S., which includes evaluating the cost associated with a senior U.S. listing.

About Abitibi Royalties

Abitibi Royalties owns various royalties at the Canadian Malartic Mine near Val-d'Or, Québec. In addition, the Company is building a portfolio of royalties on early-stage properties near producing mines and generating mineral projects for option or sale. The Company is unique among its peers due to its strong treasury, no debt, monthly dividend, share buyback program and limited number of shares.

For additional information, please contact:

Shanda Kilborn – Director, Corporate Development
2864 chemin Sullivan
Val-d'Or, Québec J9P 0B9
Tel.: 1-888-392-3857
Email: info@abitibiroyalties.com

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward looking statements". Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93045

For those looking to find strong Basic Materials stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has BHP Group Limited Sponsored (BHP) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Basic Materials sector should help us answer this question.

BHP Group Limited Sponsored is a member of the Basic Materials sector. This group includes 251 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #4. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. BHP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for BHP's full-year earnings has moved 12.52% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

According to our latest data, BHP has moved about 19.18% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Basic Materials stocks have gained an average of 16.73%. This means that BHP Group Limited Sponsored is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Looking more specifically, BHP belongs to the Mining – Miscellaneous industry, a group that includes 47 individual stocks and currently sits at #207 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 17.48% so far this year, so BHP is performing better in this area.

BHP will likely be looking to continue its solid performance, so investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to the company.

CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 12, 2021 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSXV:EPL) ("EPL" or "Eagle Plains") has mobilized personnel to conduct exploration activities on its 100% owned, 1868 ha Ant Lake Cu-Ni-PGE project located 140km north of Southend, Saskatchewan on the west shore of Reindeer Lake. The claims cover 4 known mineral occurrences associated with mafic to ultramafic plutons assigned to the Peter Lake Domain. The property is free of underlying royalties or other encumbrances.

Trench samples over the Ant Lake Showing area returned values of 0.58% to 1.48% Cu, 0.003% to 0.070% Ni, and 91 to 4,000 ppb Pd, and 81 to 561 ppb Pt (Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index "SMDI" 2373). One sample taken by Canadian Platinum Corp. (Sample 166822) contained 99.3 ppm PGE (Au+Pt+Pd), 2612 ppm Cu, and 133.4 ppm Ni.

At the Antoine Showing (SMDI 2374) grab samples from trenches included:

Sample B-2-62 1.4% Cu, 461 ppb Pd, 132 ppb Pt
Sample E-99 1.4% Cu, 2598 ppb Pd, 178 ppb Pt
Sample F-98 0.79% Cu, 3828 ppb Pd, 286 ppb Pt

Rock grab samples are selective samples by nature and as such are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted across the property

Drill hole ANT-4, drilled under the original ANT trenches, intersected 3.5 m with 0.37% Cu, 124 ppb Pd and 100ppb Pt from 48.4 – 51.9 m. The mineralization was interpreted to be related to a northerly trending fracture zone, possibly related to a splay off the regional Tabbernor Fault System.

Property Geology and History

Mineralization in the Ant Lake area was identified by Husky Oil who discovered the Wiley Bay Cu Showing (SMDI 0569) in 1970 during follow up work on a regional EM/mag geophysical survey. In 1985 Lacana Exploration and International Platinum Corp. staked claims in the area which resulted in the discovery of the Ant Lake (SMDI 2373) and Antoine's (SMDI 2374) Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd mineralization. A Lacana-SMDI partnership continued exploration in 1986 completing ground geophysics, soil sampling and trenching.

The last significant work in the area was by Canadian Platinum Corporation in 2012 with the completion of 6 drill holes in the immediate Ant Lake Showing area.

The above results were taken directly from the SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Ant Lake property area. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on proximate land are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the subject properties.

Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a Director of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Eagle Plains Resources

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Eagle Plains also holds significant royalty interests in western Canadian projects covering a broad spectrum of commodities. Management's focus is to advance its most promising exploration projects. In addition, Eagle Plains continues to seek out and secure high-quality, unencumbered projects through research, staking and strategic acquisitions. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.

Expenditures from 2011-2020 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $22M, the majority of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 37,000 m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim J. Termuende"
President and CEO

For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at
1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673)
Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at http://www.eagleplains.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/659150/Eagle-Plains-Commences-Fieldwork-at-Ant-Lake-PGE-Project

Aug 12 (Reuters) – The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Headlines

– BHP urged to run down not sell its fossil fuel assets https://on.ft.com/3AuLENC

– UK government urged to aid universities struggling with record student numbers https://on.ft.com/3lWfx5q

– Johnson poised to backtrack on mid-2030s gas boiler ban https://on.ft.com/3jOCXY0

– Germany arrests Briton on suspicion of spying for Russia https://on.ft.com/2Xp7Pa5

Overview

– BHP Group Plc has been urged to run down rather than divest its fossil assets by shareholder activist group Market Forces, to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

– Education leaders have called on the UK government for more support to universities, as higher education institutions are struggling to accommodate a larger number of students following a surge in top A-level marks.

– Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to cut down plans to ban the sale of new gas boilers in the UK from mid-2030, over concerns from ministers and Conservative Party lawmakers about the cost to consumers of transitioning to net zero emissions.

– German prosecutors on Wednesday said that they have arrested a British man working at the UK embassy in Berlin on suspicion of passing documents to the Russian intelligence service.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)

The consumer price inflation (CPI) for the month of July, which reflects the general level of price, came in at 5.4%, a bit ahead of the market expectation of 5.3%. Month over month, the increase was 0.5%, which moderated from the 0.9% rise witnessed in June.

A more reliable measure that is core inflation, which excludes petroleum and food prices, inched up 0.3% last month, lower than economists’ assumption of a 0.4% escalation. It was also below the 0.9% climb recorded in June.

Major components that contributed to the high inflation were food, new vehicles and shelter. Prices relented a bit for energy, used cars and trucks, apparel, transportation services and medical care. These areas of the economy saw a price surge due to pent-up demand for travel, shopping and delayed healthcare by Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the general price level is at a 13-year high, the rise slowed down. And that cheered the markets with the Dow and S&P moving up 0.62% and 0.25%, respectively.

Per the latest data on inflation, it was widely perceived that price rise might have already peaked but was transitory at the same time as Fed assured.

Some economists are of the opinion that even though the initial burst in inflation is receding, overall, it may remain elevated due to rising wages, high rent etc.

However, the odds against monetary tightening remain low at the moment and interest rates too may continue to be tepid, thereby supporting businesses. The state of labor market will be the determining factor for Fed’s current monetary policy.

On another positive note, economy seems to be on a strong footing as measured by GDP, which augmented at an annualized rate of 6.5% in the second quarter. Consumer spending jumped 11.8% during the three months ended Jun 30, the second-fastest rate since 1952 as people grew more confident about their disposable income.

Economic growth will sustain as rebuilding of infrastructure sets the ball rolling with regard to economic activities. The $1.2-trillion infrastructure bill is already approved by the Senate and currently awaits a further approval in the House of Representatives.

Stocks to Buy

Against an overall upbeat economic backdrop, we pick three growth stocks that should fetch remarkable returns. Each of these stocks carries a Strong Zacks Rank with a solid Growth Score. They have also witnessed an upward revision in earnings estimates.

United States Steel Corp. X is a steel manufacturer in the United States and the fifth largest in the world. Another leading producer of structural steel is Nucor Corp. NUE.

United States Steel is set to benefit from U.S. steel prices that made a strong recovery and hit record levels after seeing the pandemic-induced multi-year lows in August 2020.

With the acquisition of Big River steel in January 2021, the company’s position will expand in the high-margin steel-end markets including energy, infrastructure and automotive. The deal will rake in as much as $1 billion worth capital and drive operational cash improvements by 2022.

The company is also deleveraging its balance sheet, which will reduce its interest expense. A strong balance sheet with adequate financial flexibility will aid it to reap future growth opportunities that will come along with Biden’s infrastructure spending.

The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and a Growth Score B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings improved 10.2% over the last 30 days. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Conns Inc. CONN is set to gain from buoyant demand for its products as consumer spending continues to grow.

The company sells major home appliances and a variety of consumer electronics products. Besides, it deals in home office equipment, lawn and garden products as well as bedding, and continues introducing additional product categories for the home to boost same-store sales and respond to the customers' product needs.

De-risking balance sheet, and expanding its digital and e-commerce capabilities bode well for the long haul. Its strategic initiatives including expansion of its brick-and-mortar footprint and enhancement of its merchandising and marketing strategies will likely contribute to its sales.

Its strong cash flow backs its long-term initiatives. The stock is set for growth in the long run with the economy booming.

The stock currently has a Zacks Rank of 1 and a Growth Score A. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings improved 27.5% over the last 60 days.

AdvanSix Inc. ASIX, the chemical manufacturer, which produces nylon 6 resin, chemical intermediates and ammonium sulfate fertilizer, rides high on the strong economy.

The company is expected to gain from an uptick in demand across a number of markets including automotive, building & construction, electronics and packaging. Higher demand is expected to bolster its volumes. Solid agricultural industry fundamentals also bode well.

Its robust balance sheet health provides greater flexibility and more options for further value creation. The company is expecting operational efficiency amid sturdy industry dynamics to lift earnings and cash flows in 2021.

The company presently sports a Zacks Rank #1and has a Growth Score B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2021 earnings has been revised 34.7% upward over the past 30 days.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

TORONTO, Aug. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hudbay Minerals Inc. (“Hudbay” or the “company”) (TSX, NYSE: HBM) today announced that gold production has commenced at the New Britannia mill in Snow Lake, Manitoba. Refurbishment activities at the gold mill were completed in June 2021, followed by commissioning and startup activities in July. The mill achieved first gold production on August 11, 2021, in line with the timelines assumed in recent company guidance and ahead of the original schedule to produce first gold before the end of 2021.

“We are proud of the New Britannia project and operating teams for completing construction activities ahead of the original timelines and achieving a successful ramp up to first gold pour,” said Peter Kukielski, Hudbay’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This is a major growth milestone for Hudbay and our Manitoba business as it marks the beginning of the transition of our Lalor mine to a primary gold operation.”

The company is also completing the construction of a new copper flotation facility at New Britannia, which remains on track for commissioning and ramp up in the fourth quarter of 2021. Annual gold production from Lalor and the Snow Lake operations is expected to increase to over 180,000 ounces during the first six full years of New Britannia's operation at an average cash cost and sustaining cash cost, net of by-product credits, of $412 and $788 per ounce of gold, respectively.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the schedule to complete construction of the copper flotation facility at New Britannia and production and cost expectations for Lalor and the New Britannia mill. Forward-looking information is not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking information is based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates and analyses that, while considered reasonable by the company at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information.

The material factors or assumptions that Hudbay identified and were applied by the company in drawing conclusions or making forecasts or projections set out in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the expected timing to complete construction and ramp up the copper flotation circuit at New Britannia and no significant unanticipated delays to the full completion of the New Britannia project.

The risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information may include, but are not limited to, risks generally associated with the mining industry, such as economic factors (including future commodity prices, currency fluctuations, energy prices and general cost escalation), risks associated with commission a new processing plant, risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, risks associated with the labour union negotiations in Manitoba as well as the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Hudbay’s most recent Annual Information Form.

Should one or more risk, uncertainty, contingency or other factor materialize or should any factor or assumption prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Hudbay does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

About Hudbay

Hudbay (TSX, NYSE: HBM) is a diversified mining company primarily producing copper concentrate (containing copper, gold and silver) and zinc metal. Directly and through its subsidiaries, Hudbay owns three polymetallic mines, four ore concentrators and a zinc production facility in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan (Canada) and Cusco (Peru), and copper projects in Arizona and Nevada (United States). The company’s growth strategy is focused on the exploration, development, operation and optimization of properties it already controls, as well as other mineral assets it may acquire that fit its strategic criteria. Hudbay’s vision is to be a responsible, top-tier operator of long-life, low-cost mines in the Americas. Hudbay’s mission is to create sustainable value through the acquisition, development and operation of high-quality, long-life deposits with exploration potential in jurisdictions that support responsible mining, and to see the regions and communities in which the company operates benefit from its presence. The company is governed by the Canada Business Corporations Act and its shares are listed under the symbol "HBM" on the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange and Bolsa de Valores de Lima. Further information about Hudbay can be found on www.hudbay.com.

For further information, please contact:

Candace Brûlé
Director, Investor Relations
(416) 814-4387
candace.brule@hudbay.com

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