InvestorCoffee (05.01.2025): Top US Uranium Mine Energy Fuels Reports Record Monthly Uranium Production

While most of my week has been devoted to the final preparations for CMI Summit IV (May 13–14 at The National Club, Toronto), global markets have been busy writing their own script. Canadian equity futures opened lower as softer oil and gold prices—coupled with a first-quarter contraction in the U.S. economy—reignited concerns about demand. In contrast, Wall Street futures ticked higher on the back of stellar earnings from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META), underscoring how AI-fuelled momentum in cloud computing and digital advertising continues to cushion the technology sector against tariff-related uncertainty.

Market activity was subdued by May Day holidays across Europe and parts of Asia, but pockets of strength emerged: Japan’s Nikkei closed up after the Bank of Japan trimmed its growth and inflation forecasts, hinting at a gentler rate-hike path, while FTSE 100 futures edged 40 points higher to 8,504. The U.S. dollar firmed, oil prices steadied after Tuesday’s slide, and the S&P 500 eked out a 0.15 percent gain to cap a choppy April that still left all three major U.S. indices mixed for the month.

Against that macro backdrop, this edition of InvestorCoffee distills the week’s most consequential developments from our InvestorNews.com client family—ranging from record uranium output at Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) and a magnet-milestone at Neo Performance Materials Inc. (TSX: NEO) to boardroom moves at Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (TSXV: VM) and a landmark distribution deal for Safety Strips Tech Corp. Grab your cup, and let’s dive in.

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) (May 1, 2025) reported that its Pinyon Plain Mine in Arizona produced 4,604 tonnes of ore in April containing about 151,400 lb U₃O₈ at an average grade of 1.64 % eU₃O₈—the highest monthly total since mining began. Forty-nine underground core holes in the Juniper Zone included 17.5 ft averaging 5.70 % eU₃O₈ (with 4 ft at 20.11 %), results the company plans to fold into an updated technical report later this year.

Australian Strategic Materials Ltd. (ASX: ASM) (April 30, 2025), in its March-quarter activities report, highlighted progress toward a planned U.S. metals plant, an extended US$400 million letter of interest from Export Development Canada, and ongoing Rare-Earth Options Assessment work testing atmospheric tank- and heap-leach flowsheets for the Dubbo Project amid new U.S. critical-minerals policy and Chinese export curbs.

American Rare Earths Ltd. (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) (April 29, 2025), in its quarterly activities report, reported expansion of the Halleck Creek Mineral Resource Estimate to 2.63 billion t at 3,292 ppm TREO, achieved a ten-fold upgrade in concentrate using conventional beneficiation, and updated its Scoping Study to show an NPV10 of US$558 million at 3 Mtpa and US$1.17 billion at 6 Mtpa.

Meteoric Resources NL (ASX: MEI) (April 29, 2025) lifted the Caldeira ionic-clay resource in Brazil to 1.5 billion t at 2,359 ppm TREO, declared a maiden 389 million-tonne resource at Barra do Pacu, and reported Agostinho drill intercepts up to 24 m at 6,918 ppm TREO from surface with magnetic rare-earth oxides averaging 27 % of the basket; a Pre-Feasibility Study remains on schedule for release this quarter.

Neo Performance Materials Inc. (TSX: NEO) (April 28, 2025) shipped 18,000 traction-motor-grade sintered magnet pieces from its new Narva, Estonia plant to a Tier 1 customer, marking first production from the US$75 million facility, which is designed to scale from 2,000 tpa to 5,000 tpa.

Power Metallic Mines Inc. (TSXV: PNPN | OTCQB: PNPNF) (April 30, 2025) released five winter drill holes from the Lion Zone, highlighted by 1.95 m grading 13.54 g/t Au, 236.6 g/t Ag and 1.08 % Cu in hole PN-25-096, while massive-sulphide intervals on the eastern plunge returned copper values up to 29.3 % over sub-metre widths.

Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (TSXV: VM) (May 1, 2025) announced board changes: Chairman Ralph Hesje retired, director Eric Pommer became Chair, and capital-markets veteran Beth Shaw, MBA, ICD.D, joined as an independent director, with Deferred Share Units granted to align interests.

Vatic Ventures Corp. (TSXV: VCV) (April 29, 2025) agreed to acquire up to 80% of the Zoya uranium property (EPL 8289) adjacent to Husab and up to 90 % of the Galore property (EPL 8735) near Rossing in Namibia through staged cash, share and exploration commitments, subject to TSX Venture approval.

Safety Strips Tech Corp., a subsidiary of Safe Supply Streaming Co. Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) (April 29, 2025) secured an exclusive agreement to deliver an initial 10,000 proprietary fentanyl test kits to Indigenous communities via a First-Nations-focused distributor, positioning the company for recurring orders and broader harm-reduction product rollout.

ArcStone Securities LLC (April 29, 2025) was engaged to lead a US$25 million pre-IPO financing for GuardDog AI ahead of an expected NASDAQ listing in Q4 2025, while an ArcStone industry report (April 28, 2025) profiled Mangoceuticals (NASDAQ: MGRX) following its acquisitions in oral-stimulant pouch technology and diabetes-care nutraceuticals.

The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) confirmed two Summit IV keynote announcements: IDAP Global CEO Chris Richardson (April 29, 2025) will open the event on May 13, and Jefferies metals-and-mining head Christoph Hinder (April 30, 2025) will headline May 14, both also joining high-profile capital-markets panels in Toronto.

Visionstate Corp. (TSXV: VIS) (April 30, 2025) applied to extend the expiry dates of a combined 48 million warrants issued in 2023 by two years to 2027, pending TSX Venture approval.

Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. (TSXV: NTH | OTCQB: CCWOF) (April 28, 2025) closed the final tranche of a non-brokered private placement, raising an aggregate C$526,800 via 4.39 million units at C$0.12, each unit carrying a five-year warrant exercisable at C$0.155; proceeds will fund exploration at the Castle East silver-cobalt project and for working capital.