As Gold Pushes Higher, Junior Miners Begin to Show Signs of Life

Cision Canada

27-05-2025

Issued on behalf of RUA GOLD Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, May 27, 2025 /CNW/ -- Equity Insider News Commentary – Gold's relentless climb—briefly topping $3,350 last week —has rekindled investor appetite across the mining sector, particularly among small-cap names long starved of attention. Safe-haven demand, rate cut expectations, and fresh volatility tied to US President Donald Trump's tariff warnings have sent bullion prices soaring, prompting Citi to raise its short-term gold target to $3,500. Bank of America followed by increasing its gold exposure in Q4, citing a bullish shift in underlying market conditions. As gold prices remain favourable, analysts are watching for breakout moments across the junior mining space, with RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Luca Mining Corp. (TSXV: LUCA) (OTCQX: LUCMF), Probe Gold Inc. (TSX: PRB) (OTCQB: PROBF), Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC), and Montage Gold Corp. (TSX: MAU) (OTCQX: MAUTF).
Despite a 40% gain in the gold price since 2019, junior valuations remain deeply discounted—still hovering near pre-COVID levels. Analysts at Jefferies and InsideExploration note this disconnect, suggesting a re-rating could be overdue if current price strength persists. Veteran investor Rob McEwen and billionaire John Paulson both see $5,000 gold within reach, while JPMorgan recently projected a potential path to $6,000 if even a sliver of U.S.-held foreign assets are reallocated toward bullion. For investors scanning the horizon, catalysts are beginning to emerge.
RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) is a gold exploration company advancing district-scale opportunities in New Zealand—a country with a long legacy of high-grade gold production and renewed interest from global investors. Today, RUA reported high-grade intercepts from its Cumberland project, including 1 metre at 26.9 g/t gold and 1 metre at 16.2 g/t. These results confirm the continuity and near-surface nature of the Gallant vein system that previously returned 62.2 g/t gold —including a standout 1-metre interval grading 1,911 g/t—which stands as RUA's first drill-tested target generated through VRIFY's AI-assisted discovery platform.
"From the very first drill holes, we intersected significant, wide quartz veins hosting high-grade gold, confirming historical intercepts," said Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD. "This marks an exciting start, validating the effectiveness of the VRIFY AI targeting process and confirming near-surface mineralization with the potential to extend the envelope of known mineralization across a 2km structural zone.. It's a major step forward for our hub-and-spoke strategy in Reefton… The Gallant prospect represents the first VRIFY AI target that we have drilled so far. This structure is traceable on surface for over 600m and remains largely untested along strike and at depth."
Located just 3 km from the past-producing Globe Progress mine, Gallant hosts steeply dipping quartz veins up to 14 metres wide and remains open along strike and at depth. Historic drilling in the area returned standout intercepts like 20.7 metres of quartz, with intervals grading up to 1,911 g/t gold at depths less than 80 metres —suggesting the potential for a shallow, high-grade resource in a district with strong infrastructure. A follow-up program is now underway, stepping 100 metres south, with additional assays pending.
RUA controls roughly 95% of the Reefton Goldfield, which has historically yielded over 2 million ounces at grades ranging from 9 to 50 g/t. At its Auld Creek project, recent drilling returned 9.0 metres at 5.9 g/t gold equivalent and 1.25 metres at 48.3 g/t. Importantly, only two of four known shoots are currently included in the model. Earlier hits include 12 metres at 12.2 g/t gold equivalent, including a 2-metre stretch grading 54.8 g/t.
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Adding further strategic value, Auld Creek contains high-grade antimony—a critical mineral now trading above US$50,000 per tonne. Surface samples have exceeded 40% antimony, with multiple drill intercepts over 8%. In early 2025, the New Zealand government designated antimony as a national priority, heightening the potential relevance of RUA's dual metal profile.
In the Hauraki Goldfield on the North Island, RUA recently completed its second surface campaign at the Glamorgan project, identifying three gold-arsenic anomalies across a 4-kilometre trend. Rock chip samples returned grades up to 43 g/t gold, while CSAMT geophysics confirmed resistive zones consistent with quartz-rich vein systems. A drill access agreement is expected shortly, and all targets are being ranked using VRIFY's DORA AI engine.
RUA GOLD is led by a team with over $11 billion in collective mining exits, and backed by $5.75 million in fresh capital. Their strategy targets undervalued, high-grade potential in proven jurisdictions—using modern data to accelerate discovery across two of New Zealand's most historically productive, but underexplored, gold belts. With multiple drill programs active and catalysts expected in 2025, RUA offers significant leverage to continued exploration success.
In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:
Luca Mining Corp. (TSXV: LUCA) (OTCQX: LUCMF) has discovered multiple new high-grade ore shoots at its Tahuehueto gold-silver mine in Durango, Mexico. Highlights include 9.4 metres grading 5.21 g/t gold equivalent and 5.1 metres at 5.62 g/t AuEq, with one interval peaking at 9.37 g/t AuEq.
"The discovery of multiple new high-grade ore shoots so quickly into this new exploration program confirms the robust nature of the Tahuehueto epithermal vein system," said Paul D. Gray, VP Exploration of Luca Mining. "The fact that the current drilling program has consistently intersected well-mineralized veins in previously untested areas also confirms the Company's exploration approach and moreover speaks to the larger potential of the Tahuehueto mineralized system."
These discoveries sit near current mine workings and point to immediate upside for near- and mid-term production plans.
Probe Gold Inc. (TSX: PRB) (OTCQB: PROBF) has awarded its Environmental Impact Assessment contract to WSP, a global leader in permitting, as it advances the Novador Project in Québec toward production.
"This milestone marks another key step forward in the permitting process and continued de-risking of the Novador Project," said David Palmer, President and CEO of Probe Gold. "Partnering with WSP, a recognized leader in Environmental Impact Statements, gives us confidence in the quality and scope of the work, which will help us to meet our permitting timeline of 2027."
The EIA/EIS will address environmental, hydrological, and biodiversity factors, forming the foundation of both federal and provincial approvals. Submission is expected by early 2027, aligning with the company's timeline to advance Novador toward construction readiness.
With over 10 million ounces of total gold resources across the Val-d'Or properties, Probe is positioned as a leading district-scale developer in one of Canada's most prolific mining camps.
Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC) is advancing its Richmond Hill Project in South Dakota with an 80,000-foot drill campaign focused on metallurgical sampling and resource expansion ahead of an Initial Assessment with Cash Flow (IACF) expected mid-2025.
" Dakota Gold continues to advance its Richmond Hill and Maitland projects," said Dr. Robert Quartermain, Co-Chair, Director, President and CEO of Dakota Gold. "With our March financing, we are well funded for our planned activities in 2025 and well into 2026."
A feasibility study is scheduled for 2027, with $47 million in cash earmarked to fully fund both stages. At Maitland, the company is also preparing a maiden resource estimate after intercepting grades as high as 10.76 g/t gold over 4.0 meters.
Montage Gold Corp. (TSX: MAU) (OTCQX: MAUTF) is deepening its presence along West Africa's Boundiali belt through a strategic equity investment in Aurum Resources, which owns the Boundiali and Napié gold projects.
"We are pleased to enter into a strategic partnership with Aurum, further strengthening our presence along the Boundiali greenstone belt in Côte d'Ivoire," said Martino De Ciccio, CEO of Montage. "As construction at Koné continues to rapidly advance on budget with first gold pour well on track for Q2-2027, we remain focused on executing our strategy of creating a leading African gold producer."
Located immediately north of Montage's Koné project, Boundiali is already host to 1.59Moz at 1.0 g/t gold, with aggressive drilling and a PFS underway. Montage's own Koné project remains on track for first gold pour in Q2 2027 and is expected to average over 300,000 ounces per year in its first eight years. The new collaboration provides exploration synergies and shared upside across one of West Africa's most prospective gold corridors.
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