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Michael Jordan invests in #Esports #MJ $GMBL $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF $Game.ca $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:53 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

  • Basketball legend Michael Jordan has invested in Team Liquid, one of the earliest and popular esports ventures in the USA.
  • NBA legend is one of the two new investors who provided $26 million to, aXiomatic, which owns Team Liquid.

Team Liquid, which was aXiomatic in 2016, boasts of more than 60 competitive gamers based out of Los Angeles and the Netherlands.

“I’m excited to expand my sports equity portfolio through my investment in aXiomatic, esports is a fast-growing, international industry and I’m glad to partner with this great group of investors,” said Jordan, who joined his fellow Dream Team teammate Magic Johnson as an aXiomatic investor, as is Ted Leonsis, owner of the NBA’s Washington Wizards as well as the NHL’s Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

“The next generation of sports fans are esports fans,” Leonsis told ESPN in a statement. “Esports is the fastest-growing sector in sports and entertainment, and aXiomatic is at the forefront of that growth.”

Source: https://europeangaming.eu/portal/latest-news/2018/10/30/31429/michael-jordan-invests-in-esports/

#Edtech Startup #Eupheus Learning Raises Investment From Sixth Sense Ventures #India $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:17 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

Edtech Market In India

  • According to a report by the India Didactics Association, the online education industry in India is projected to grow almost eight times to hit $1.96 Bn by 2021.
  • The industry is currently valued at $100 Bn.
  • Report also stated that the number of paid users in the segment is expected to grow six-fold to reach 9.6 Bn by 2021.

Mumbai-based venture capital firm Sixth Sense Ventures has reportedly invested an undisclosed amount in Delhi-based edtech startup Eupheus Learning.

According to reports, the venture capital firm had also invested in the startup earlier this year, in March. With this, Sixth Sense Ventures, which focuses on early-stage consumer-focused companies, has become the owner of an about 44% stake in the startup.

Including this investment, Sixth Sense’s total investment in Eupheus is at present pegged to be between $2.04 Mn and $2.45 Mn (INR 15 Cr–INR 18 Cr).

The startup is also aiming to expand over 4000 schools across India by March 2019.

Eupheus: Bridging The Classroom-Home Learning Gap

Eupheus Learning was founded in 2017 by Sarvesh Shrivastava, Rohit Dhar, Ved Prakash Khatri, and Amit Kapoor.

The company aims to close the gap between classroom and home learning by offering  technology-led solutions in the Pre-K to Class XII market.

According to reports, Eupheus has already partnered with publishers and edtech firms to provide differentiated tech-enabled solutions to more than 1,500 ICSE and CBSE board schools in India. Some of the schools it has been working with include the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions, the GD Goenka Group, and the Delhi Public School Society, among others.

While speaking with ET, Sixth Sense Ventures’ founder Nikhil Vora said that the startup is also planning to introduce global programmes in schools across boards and classes as it seeks to partner with  the board which administers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination.

The platform had also raised an undisclosed amount of funding in March from Sixth Sense with an aim to expand its presence to south India.

Edtech Market In India

According to a report by the India Didactics Association, the online education industry in India is projected to grow almost eight times to hit $1.96 Bn by 2021. The industry is currently valued at $100 Bn.

The report also stated that the number of paid users in the segment is expected to grow six-fold to reach 9.6 Bn by 2021.

Edtech companies use technology to solve problems with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big data. With the projected growth in this segment, several edtech startups have come up and are trying to make their presence felt in the space.

What makes Eupheus Learning different is the audience that it caters to. While most other such startups offer technical courses, Eupheus focuses on school students.

However, it is not the only player catering to the K-12 learning space. There are others such as LogicRoots, BYJU’s, IMAX Program, and Vedantu as well.

In March,  BYJU’S was announced as the 13th Indian startup to join the unicorn club. Further, BYJU’s was reportedly in talks with SoftBank and other investors to raise a funding of $200-250 Mn for global expansion.

As a part of its expansion plans, it also acquired maths learning startup, Math Adventures for an undisclosed amount, this year.

With an increasing number of startups developing technology-enabled offerings and looking to scale up their presence in India, one can expect positive growth in the edtech market in the coming years.

Source: https://inc42.com/buzz/eupheus-learning-raises-investment-from-sixth-sense-ventures/

New Age Metals $NAM.ca and Azincourt Energy Lithium Joint Venture Extends the Eagle Pegmatite to the West with Phase Two Sampling Returning Values up to 3.8% $GLEN $LIC.ca $LIX.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:25 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

New age large

  • Mapping has extended the Eagle Pegmatite approximately 300 meters to the west of the company claim boundary
  • A second phase of surface sampling at the Eagle Pegmatite has returned assays up to 3.8% Li2O.
  • New Age Metals along with Option/Joint-Venture Partner Azincourt Energy Corp have 100% ownership of eight pegmatite hosted Lithium Projects in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, located in southeast (SE) Manitoba
  • Exploration in SE Manitoba is focused on Lithium-bearing pegmatites.
  • The eight projects are strategically situated within the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, which hosts the world-class Tanco Pegmatite that has been mined for Tantalum, Cesium and Spodumene (one of the primary Lithium minerals) in varying capacities, since 1969.
  • Present exploration is being conducted on the Lithium One Project.
  • Drill permits have been applied for on the Lithium Two and Lithium One Projects and the company is awaiting approval from the province.

October 30th, 2018 / Rockport, Canada – New Age Metals Inc. (NAM) (TSX.V: NAM; OTCQB: NMTLF; FSE: P7J.F) New Age Metals is pleased to provide an update on the present exploration program with regards to the company’s Manitoba Lithium Projects. The company’s Lithium Division, Lithium Canada Development, has an aggressive exploration plan for 2018. The Joint Venture with New Age Metals and Azincourt Energy, has eight Lithium Projects in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, located in SE Manitoba (Figure 1).

Lithium Two Project

Two phases of surface exploration were carried out on the Lithium Two Project during the summer. Grab samples, channel samples and fractionation samples were collected. Fractionation samples will give an indication of the degree of fractionation of sampled pegmatites. Fractionated pegmatites are more conducive to containing Lithium and Rare Metal minerals.


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Figure 1: Manitoba Lithium Projects 2018 – New Age Metals/Azincourt Energy Joint Venture

The Lithium Two Project has several historically known Spodumene bearing pegmatites (see Figure 2). The Eagle Pegmatite was drilled in 1947 with a historic (non 43-101 compliant) tonnage estimate of 544,460 tonnes with a grade of 1.4% Li2O to the 61-meter level. The deposit remains open to depth. The FD5 Pegmatite, located east of the Eagle Pegmatite has never been drilled. Historic assessment reports revealed a Spodumene bearing pegmatite drilled in the late 1940’s, located approximately 500 meters southeast of the Eagle Pegmatite but not exposed on surface. No grades were provided in the report. This pegmatite as well as the Eagle and FD5 will be tested during the upcoming drill program. Drill work permits have been applied for and the company is waiting for approval from the province.


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Figure 2: Lithium Assays at the Lithium Two Project, SE Manitoba

A Phase One surface exploration program was carried out earlier in the summer (see News Release: August 16th, 2018). Follow up sampling was carried out during the Phase Two surface exploration program on the FD5 Pegmatite (see Table 1) and the Eagle Pegmatite (see Table 2). The Lithium grades at the FD5 did not change as samples were collected for fractionation but there was an increase in Lithium assays at the Eagle Pegmatite with assays up to 3.8% Li2O. The field program focussed on more detailed structural geological mapping and mapping of the westward extent of the Eagle Pegmatite.

The company entered into an agreement (News Release: July 11th, 2018) with Grid Metals (formerly Mustang Minerals) for the rights to explore for Lithium and Rare Metals on the claim directly adjacent to the west of the Lithium Two Project. During the Phase Two surface exploration the westward extension was mapped for approximately 300 meters into the westward claim. Detailed mapping has extended the length of the Eagle Pegmatite to approximately 900 meters that has been examined in the field from surface outcrop exposures. The pegmatite remains open along strike where it goes under overburden. Samples on the west side of the Eagle Pegmatite returned only weak Lithium mineralization on surface (see Table 3) but contained a larger proportion of Lepidolite (a Lithium Mica) and therefore elevated Rubidium values.

Even though Lithium is the main focus of the exploration it should be noted that the pegmatites also show elevated Tantalum values that may be of an economic interest. Pegmatites elsewhere on the project did not reveal significant Lithium mineralization; however, several were elevated in Tantalum. Fractionation assays are presently being reviewed by the company’s geological consultants. Results will be reported at a later date when a review of the feldspar and mica fractionation results for the summer pegmatite exploration is undertaken.


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Table 1: FD5 Pegmatite – 2018 Assays

In an effort to check the purity of the Spodumene, a sample of Spodumene blades was sampled from the FD5 Pegmatite. This sample yielded an assay of 7.62% Li2O. A review of Spodumene Mineral Data (https://webmineral.com/data/Spodumene) indicates that Spodumene can have a Li2O content from 3.73 to 8.03% Li2O. This would tend to indicate that the Spodumene present in the pegmatites dykes on the project is of a high purity.

In geological terms, the pegmatites encountered on the Lithium Two Project are LCT Type (Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum) Pegmatites and are in the Albite-Spodumene Subgroup. Spodumene is expressed in the pegmatites as small green blades up to 3 centimeters in length. The Eagle Pegmatite is a west-northwest to west-striking, vertically dipping, lenticular pegmatite dyke intruded into mafic volcanics. The widths of the pegmatite have been measured to be between 2 to 10 meters. The Eagle Pegmatite system appears to be a swarm of closely spaced pegmatite bodies.

Table 2:Eagle Pegmatite – 2018 Assays

Table 3: West Eagle Pegmatite – 2018 Assays


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Click Image To View Full Size

QA/QC Protocol

All samples were analyzed at the Activation Laboratories facility, in Ancaster, Ontario. Samples were prepared, using the lab’s Code RX1 procedure. Samples are crushed, up to 95% passing through a 10 mesh, riffle split, and then pulverized, with mild steel, to 95%, passing 105 ?m. Analyses were completed, using the lab’s Ultratrace 7 Package; a Sodium Peroxide Fusion which allows for total metal recovery and is effective for analysis of Sulphides and refractory minerals. Assay analyses are carried out, using ICP-OES and ICP-MS instrumentation. New Age Metals implemented a QA/QC field program with insertion of blanks at regular intervals. Activation Laboratories has their own internal QA/QC procedures that it carries out for all sample batches.

Stock Option Grant

In addition, the Company announces that it has granted 300,000 incentive stock options to consultants of the Company at an exercise price of $0.12 per share for a period of five (5) years from the date of grant in accordance with the Company’s Stock Option Plan. The Stock Options granted will be subject to vesting restrictions, acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange and will be subject to regulatory hold periods in accordance with applicable Canadian Securities Laws.

Joint Venture Agreement

In January of 2018, NAM announced a signed final agreement with Azincourt Energy Corp. (TSX.V: AAZ) for the Manitoba Lithium Projects. (News Release: January 15th, 2018) This Pegmatite Field hosts the world class Tanco Pegmatite that has been mined for Tantalum, Cesium and Spodumene (one of the primary Lithium ore minerals) in varying capacities, since 1969. NAM’s Lithium Projects are strategically situated in this prolific Pegmatite Field. Presently, NAM, under its subsidiary Lithium Canada Developments, is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field for Lithium. Azincourt Energy Corp. as our option/joint venture is financed for and has committed to a minimum of $600,000 to be expended on exploration in Manitoba for 2018.

OPT-IN LIST

If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news.

ABOUT NAM’S PGM DIVISION

NAM’s flagship project is its 100% owned River Valley PGM Project (NAM Website – River Valley Project) in the Sudbury Mining District of Northern Ontario (100 km east of Sudbury, Ontario). See results from the most recent NI 43-101 resource update below in Table 4. NAM is currently conducting Phase 4 of their proposed 2018 exploration and development program. This program is based on recommendations of previous geophysical studies completed in 2017 and 2018. Mr. Michael Neumann, P.Eng., a veteran mining engineer and one of NAM’s directors, will oversee the completion of the PEA. See the most recent press releases for the River Valley Project PEA which detail the appointment of P&E Mining Consultants and DRA Americas to jointly conduct the study, dated July 25, 2018 and August 1, 2018 respectively. Our new Fall Chairman’s message can be accessed at our website (www.newagemetals.com).

On April 4th, 2018, NAM signed an agreement with one of Alaska’s top geological consulting companies. The companies stated objective is to acquire additional PGM and Rare Metal projects in Alaska. On April 18th, 2018, NAM announced the right to purchase 100% of the Genesis PGM Project, NAM’s first Alaskan PGM acquisition related to the April 4th agreement. The Genesis PGM Project is a road accessible, under explored, highly prospective, multi-prospect drill ready Palladium (Pd)- Platinum (Pt)- Nickel (Ni)- Copper (Cu) property. A comprehensive report on previous exploration and future phases of work was completed by Avalon Development of Fairbanks Alaska in August 2018 on Genesis. A full sampling program will be conducted to continue to outline additional mineralization along the 800-meter by 40-meter mineralized zone

On August 29, the Avalon report was submitted to NAM, management is actively seeking an option/joint-venture partner for this road accessible PGM and Multiple Element Project using the Prospector Generator business model.

Table 2: Results of the Mineral Resource Estimate for NAM’s flagship River Valley PGM Project (0.4 g/t PdEq cut-off)

Class Tonnes

‘,000

Pd (g/t) Pt (g/t) Rh (g/t) Au (g/t) Cu (%) Ni (%) Co (%) PdEq (g/t)
Measured 62,877.5 0.49 0.19 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.01 0.002 0.99
Indicated 97,855.2 0.40 0.16 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.01 0.002 0.83
Meas +Ind 160,732.7 0.44 0.17 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.01 0.002 0.90
Inferred 127,662.0 0.27 0.12 0.01 0.02 0.05 0.02 0.002 0.66
Class PGM + Au (oz) PdEq (oz) PtEq (oz) AuEq (oz)
Measured 1,440,200 1,999,600 1,999,600 1,136,900
Indicated 1,856,900 2,626,700 2,626,700 1,463,800
Meas +Ind 3,297,200 4,626,300 4,626,300 2,600,700
Inferred 1,578,400 2,713,900 2,713,900 1,323,800

Notes:

  1. A.CIM definition standards were followed for the resource estimation.
  2. B.The 2018 Mineral Resource models used Ordinary Kriging grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids.
  3. C.A base cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t PdEq was used for reporting Mineral Resources.
  4. D.Palladium Equivalent (PdEq) calculated using (US$): $1,000/oz Pd, $1,000/oz Pt, $1,350/oz Au, $1750/oz Rh, $3.20/lb Cu, $5.50/lb Ni, $36/lb Co.
  5. E.Numbers may not add exactly due to rounding.
  6. F.Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have economic viability.
  7. G. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence that that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The contents contained herein that relate to Exploration Results or Mineral Resources is based on information compiled, reviewed or prepared by Carey Galeschuk, a consulting geoscientist for New Age Metals. Mr. Galeschuk is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

“Harry Barr”

Harry G. Barr

Chairman and CEO

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as “continue”, “efforts”, “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “confident”, “intend”, “strategy”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “project”, “goal”, “target”, “prospects”, “optimistic” or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Company’s ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts’ expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

#Nike $NKE Forays Into #Esports with New Deal $GMBL $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF $Game.ca $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:48 PM on Monday, October 29th, 2018
  • Nike has officially entered the world of eSports
  • The sportswear giant, who has stirred controversy with its recent adverts involving Colin Kaepernick, has reportedly signed a deal with Royal Never Give Up (RNG) League of Legends icon Jian ‘Uzi’ Zihao.

Nike has officially entered the world of eSports. The sportswear giant, who has stirred controversy with its recent adverts involving Colin Kaepernick, has reportedly signed a deal with Royal Never Give Up (RNG) League of Legends icon Jian ‘Uzi’ Zihao.

The company has partnered with Zihao and Chinese actor Bai Jingting, along with NBA legend LeBron James, in the latter star’s new ‘Dribble &’ campaign. The campaign is intended to support the upcoming documentary ‘Shut Up and Dribble’, according to recent media reports on the topic.

Since the deal was inked, the first photos of Zihao to be released have shown him wearing a black shirt inscribed with the words ‘Dribble & Carry’ across the front. The term ‘carry’ is used in League of Legends to describe a single player who carries the rest of his team to a victory.

Zihao is widely considered to be the best League of Legends (LOL) player in the world. He recently scored a gold medal win for representing China at the recent Asian Games in Jakarta. Nike has now joined KFC and Mercedes-Benz, both of whom already sponsor Zihao’s formidable eSports team.

NLG Signs Daniel ‘Likandoo’ Keller

After partnering with a team of poker pros and taking to Twitch with some excellent high-stakes online poker play, Stefan Schillhabel and his team at No Limit Gaming (NLG) have inked their first non-poker professional as well. Daniel ‘Likandoo’ Keller, an easily recognizable Fortnite star, is the first of countless eSports players who will soon be joining the NLG Team Stream over the next calendar year.

Speaking of Fortnite, it seems that even employees at SpaceX and Tesla might be spending a bit too much time enjoying the game. Billionaire businessman Elon Musk recently tweeted a joke stating that he had bought the game outright so that he could shut it down. ‘Had to be done. Ur welcome’ he teased his followers.

Had he actually done this, he would have had to shell out a whopping $8 billion or more, as that is the current worth of Fortnite’s developers, Epic. With that said, Musk could easily afford it, as his current worth now stands at close to $20 billion.

FansUnite to Sponsor QYOU Content

Last but not least, the Blockchain sports betting firm that recently partnered with the World Poker Tour has also made another exciting announcement. FansUnite will now be sponsoring the QYOU eSports content on the dedicated Heads Up Daily channel.

QYOU launched HUD on GINX eSports TV Canada in October last year, and currently reaches over 300 million viewers on six continents worldwide.

Source: https://www.gamingpost.ca/canadian-gaming-news/nike-forays-esports-new-deal/

Bougainville Ventures Inc. $BOG.ca Provides Corporate Update & Signs LOI with Oregon Hemp CBD Producer $CROP.ca $VP.ca NF.ca $MCOA

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:06 PM on Monday, October 29th, 2018

681747 5720 copy 2

  • Signed a letter of intent to enter into a financing and profit-sharing agreement with Worm Castings Farms Inc., the sole owner of an Oregon state hemp production and processing license issued by the Oregon State Regulatory approval board

Bougainville Ventures Inc. has signed a letter of intent to enter into a financing and profit-sharing agreement with Worm Castings Farms Inc., the sole owner of an Oregon state hemp production and processing licence issued by the Oregon State Regulatory approval board. The material terms of the LOI are summarized below. LOI Terms

1. The parties shall enter into a funding and profit sharing agreement with both companies receiving dividends. The profit sharing percentages will be stipulated in the definitive agreement.

2. Bougainville will agree to issue to Worm Castings 600,000 shares of Bougainville Ventures Inc. for assets and goodwill of Worm Castings.

3. Bougainville will also agree to raise $350,000 USD to be used to fund Worm Castings’ business plan. The funds are expected to be provided on the following schedule:

a. $75,000 by November 7, 2018

b. $75,000 by November 30, 2018

c. $200,000 by December 31, 2018

4. Worm Castings will submit to Bougainville a complete list of assets to be included in the definitive agreement

About Worm Castings Farms Inc.

Worm Castings is a natural hemp company that currently has 10 acres of industrial hemp ready for harvest. They plant premium high quality cloned feminized hemp plants with 10-15% CBD and 0.3% THC resulting in maximized CBD oil content within each plant. In addition, they provide proven topsoil mix that improves plant growth by 20%. With this soil quality, they can expect to set standards in respective markets within the hemp industry.

CEO, Andy Jagpal Comments: “The objective of this project is to extract CBD oil from Hemp stock by providing the initial capital for the continued development of the 10 acre farmland and is a step in the right direction in diversifying our portfolio of companies in the cannabis infrastructure space .”

Oroville Campus Tier -3 Tenant Update

The Company also reports that it has recently become aware that Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (“MCOA”) has purportedly terminated its joint venture agreement with the Company dated March 16, 2017 (“JV Agreement”), and that it may have commenced legal action against the Company relating to various claims. The Company has not been served with a claim and has not receive a notice of default related to the JV agreement and will investigate this matter further. If subject to a claim, the Company intends to defend vigorously and to pursue all legal actions available to it. The Company notes that the JV Agreement relating to the acre of the 4.33 acre parcel of land located at Oroville Campus will continue for occupancy for its tenant.

Oroville Campus Tier -2 Tenant Update

The Company notes that the new I-502 Tier-2 licensee tenant and lease agreement relating to the 3.33 acre parcel of land in the Oroville Campus announced in the Company’s news release dated October 23, 2018 is not subject to the JV Agreement with MCOA and indeed resides on a separate parcel of land. Operations relating to such tenant are proceeding as previously announced.

About Bougainville Ventures, Inc.

Bougainville provides cannabis infrastructure and seed-to-sale services to I-502 tenant-growers leasing greenhouse facilities space and providing fully built-out, turnkey solutions and ancillary services including processing, cannabis expertise and marketing and sales resources. Greenhouse canopies provide a 50% saving in cultivation cost. Bougainville has 30,000 sqft in near production in Oroville, WA.

We seek Safe Harbor.

#Marijuana shortages abound in Canada in just second week of legalization $BOG.ca NBUD.ca $MCOA $ACG.ca $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:54 AM on Monday, October 29th, 2018

  • The Canadian cannabis industry is still reeling from sky-high demand in the second week of legalization, with growers expressing frustration at the length of time it’s taking to get licensed as shelves sit empty.
  • “We’re biting our nails and I think our shareholders are biting their nails too,” said Anthony Durkacz, director at FSD Pharma Inc., an Ontario-based producer that received its cultivation licence a year ago and is still waiting for its sales licence. “We want to be supplying.”

People check out the sample counter at a cannabis store in Winnipeg, Man., on Oct. 17.Canadian Press/John Woods

Kristine Owram

The Canadian cannabis industry is still reeling from sky-high demand in the second week of legalization, with growers expressing frustration at the length of time it’s taking to get licensed as shelves sit empty.

“We’re biting our nails and I think our shareholders are biting their nails too,” said Anthony Durkacz, director at FSD Pharma Inc., an Ontario-based producer that received its cultivation licence a year ago and is still waiting for its sales licence. “We want to be supplying.”

Every province, not just Manitoba, is receiving less cannabis than originally requested

The process of getting a sales licence from Health Canada is onerous, according to Durkacz. After receiving a cultivation license, a grower must produce two full crops, send them off for testing, get its sales software audited, and then submit a completed application for the sales licence, which can take up to 341 days to process, he said.

“So even after you’ve done everything and done everything right you could be waiting up to a year to get the licence,” he said.

Customers lineup at a government cannabis store Oct. 19, in Montreal on the third day of the legal cannabis sales in Canada. Canadian Press/Ryan RemiorzCanada became the first major economy to legalize recreational cannabis on Oct. 17, taking the lead in a global market that’s expected to reach US$32 billion in consumer spending by 2022, according to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. The euphoria that sent pot stocks soaring in the lead-up to legalization has faded, with the BI Canada Cannabis Competitive Peers index losing 26 per cent over seven sessions before rebounding on Thursday.

While some growers wait for their licences, others are struggling to keep up with demand. The government-run Ontario Cannabis Store received 100,000 orders in its first 24 hours. In Quebec, online and in-store orders totalled nearly 140,000 in the first week of legalization, and the provincial-owned retailer indicated Wednesday it may have to close some locations as producers couldn’t meet demand. Producers will have a “colossal” amount of work to do to ensure supply, the Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis said in a statement.

A man holds a bag of marijuana he bought in a cannabis store in Quebec City, on Oct. 17. Alice Chiche/AFP/Getty ImagesThe problem is that no one knew what the demand curve would look like after a century of prohibition, said Bruce Linton, chief executive officer of Canopy Growth Corp., which has secured more than a third of total Canadian supply committed to date.

Canopy shipped approximately 1 million orders of medical cannabis in its first four years of operations. It expects to ship more than 1 million units of recreational pot in the first four weeks after legalization, Linton said.

‘Just Outstanding’

“The response has been pretty unbelievable,” Linton said. “I don’t think everything will run out but you might not be able to get the identical stuff you got last time.”

He added that Canopy is sending out orders as fast as it can pack and ship them, but there have been delays in getting new product up on the provincial websites. It will start shipping out new products, including Tweed-brand gel caps and pre-rolled joints, over the next week and a half.

Bruce Linton (left), Canopy Growth CEO, in St. Johns, Newfoundland sells the first gram of legal pot at the Tweed store at the stroke of midnight Oct. 17. Julie Oliver/PostmediaInitial demand at Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis was “just outstanding,” said Chara Goodings, a spokeswoman for the government regulator that’s overseeing sales in the western province. “But it has created some struggles with our supply level.” Very few producers have been able to deliver what was agreed upon, she said.

Dried Bud

The situation is similar in Manitoba, where Winnipeg-based Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. only has dried bud on its store shelves as it has been unable to get any shipments of cannabis oils or gel caps, said spokesman Gary Symons. In the first seven days, Delta 9 saw close to 9,600 transactions totalling $736,124 in revenues. The company is now selling about $50,000 worth of product a day.

“Every province, not just Manitoba, is receiving less cannabis than originally requested,” Susan Harrison, spokeswoman for Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, said in an email.

Aphria Inc. CEO Vic Neufeld predicted the supply shortages on the company’s earnings call five days before legalization. Citing supply-chain issues, labor shortages and delays in getting licences and excise stamps from the government, Neufeld said Aphria would be unable to meet demand in the first two to three months after legalization. The company was forced to destroy almost 14,000 plants worth $979,000 in the last quarter due to a lack of qualified greenhouse workers.

Extra Staff

There are currently 132 licensed producers in Canada and “many more are in the queue,” said Canadian Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor. Health Canada has hired 300 additional staff to evaluate applications, she said. But the process, which includes background checks, is time-consuming and it’s important to not cut corners, she said.

“There’s not a mass shortage of cannabis around the country right now,” only certain strains that have sold out, Petitpas Taylor said. “We really have all hands on deck, we want to do what we can, but in no way am I going to compromise this new regime.”

The challenge for the government is balancing public safety with a desire to eradicate the illicit market, said Deepak Anand, vice president of business development and government relations at Cannabis Compliance Inc., a consulting firm for pot companies which is currently working on “hundreds” of licensing applications.

“Health Canada’s trying to balance quality and public safety with the need for getting more product on so that they can eliminate the black market,” Anand said. “Sometimes these goals conflict and compete with each other.”

The only near-term solution to the supply shortage, according to Durkacz at FSD Pharma, is to allow retailers to sell product sourced from the black market.

“You would instantaneously have a supply-demand balance and then you could try to convert people from the black market to the legalized market,” he said. “That’s probably the only way to solve this in the short term.”

Source: https://business.financialpost.com/cannabis/cannabis-business/marijuana-shortages-abound-in-canada-amid-licensing-rigmarole

STAR $SNA.ca Updates Recent Montreal MEDEVAC Applications Presentation

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:46 AM on Monday, October 29th, 2018

Sna

  • Announced that it has concluded a series of presentations of its In-Flight System Aided Medical Monitoring System
  • Pesentations were held in the Montreal area and were attended by representatives from the Canadian and US aerospace industries, Emergency Medical Service operators and the National Research Council of Canada

TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2018  — Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) (CSE:SNA.CN) (OTCQB: SNAVF) (“Star” or the “Company”) announces that it has concluded a series of presentations of its In-Flight System Aided Medical Monitoring System (“STAR-ISAMM™â€) (see Press Release October 10, 2018). The presentations were held in the Montreal area and were attended by representatives from the Canadian and US aerospace industries, Emergency Medical Service operators and the National Research Council of Canada.

The STAR-ISAMM™ System, based on Star’s patented STAR-A.D.S. ® System technology, is specifically designed to address the need for more efficient and timely delivery of a patient’s bio-medical information during emergency medical evacuation and transport.

The presentations demonstrated a STAR-ISAMM™ System, connected to several bio-monitors of the types used in EMS vehicles, transmitting in real time through satellite and GSM.  The exact information generated by the bio-monitors was received at several work stations on the ground simulating the medical environment. The ground segment used the current STAR visualization tools (Graphical User Interface, or “GUI”) showing specific medical information menus. In addition to the bio-data, this enrichment will assist the medical team in their decision making process. For instance, the STAR-ISAMM™ system will show the exact location of the EMS vehicle, its status and its estimated time of arrival.

The presentations were hosted and supported at the Ste. Justine Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (“CHU”) in Montreal, which is cooperating in this project. The attendees were able to see the STAR-ISAMM™ operating in its pre-production format.  The completion of Health Canada and U.S. FDA medical certification is currently underway.

This successful event demonstrated that STAR-ISAMM™ System, both in concept and reality, offers an exciting solution for EMS applications.

Last week, STAR attended the Air Medical Transport Conference (“AMTC”) in Phoenix, Arizona with some of the attendees to its Montreal presentation. The AMTC was an opportunity for the industry to be briefed on the latest techniques and innovative approaches to emergency medical transport practice. Star is now finalizing discussions with key Helicopter EMS operators and suppliers in Canada and in the U.S. to bring the STAR-ISAMM™ System to the market for early 2019.

This Press Release Is available On The Company’s CEO Verified Discussion Forum, A Moderated Social Media Platform That Enables Civilized Discussion and Q&A Between Management and Shareholders. https://agoracom.com/ir/StarNavigationSystems/forums/discussion

About Star Navigation:

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS®, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. ® System. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator.

Stars’ M.M.I. Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. These displays are found on aircraft and simulators, from P-3 Orion and C-130 aircraft, to Sikorsky and AgustaWestland helicopters, as examples.

Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “expected” and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Star’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Star’s actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

Please visit www.star-navigation.com or

Jean-Louis Larmor, (416) 252-2889 Ext. 221

C.O.O.

[email protected]

 

 

Monarques Gold $MQR.ca Announces its 2018 Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results $GDX.ca $ECR.ca $MZZ.ca $QMX.ca $IMG.ca $IAG $MUX

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:42 AM on Monday, October 29th, 2018

Monarquesgold hub large

  • Fourth-quarter revenues of $10.0 million, with a 31% quarter-over-quarter increase in custom milling revenues.
  • The Wasamac feasibility study is ongoing, with the Corporation expecting to release the results in early December.
  • The Corporation has created a confidential virtual data room to provide access for parties that have expressed an interest in reviewing the data for the Wasamac project.
  • Production results for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 can be found at the end of this release.

MONTREAL, Oct. 29, 2018 – MONARQUES GOLD CORPORATION (“Monarques” or the “Corporation”) (TSXV: MQR) (OTCMKTS: MRQRF) (FRANKFURT: MR7) is pleased to report its results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. Amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Highlights of the quarter

Beaufor Mine

  • Production of 4,695 ounces in the fourth quarter, down 5% from 4,932 ounces in the previous quarter.
  • Average selling price of $1,617 (US $1,273) per ounce ($1,610 or US $1,268 since the acquisition on October 2, 2017).
  • Production cash cost of $1,609 (US $1,267) per ounce sold ($1,532 or US $1,206 since the acquisition on October 2, 2017).
  • All-in sustaining cost of $2,005 (US $1,579) per ounce sold ($1,770 or US $1,394 since the acquisition on October 2, 2017).

Financial results

  • Revenues of $10.0 million in the fourth quarter from the sale of 4,589 ounces of gold combined with revenue from custom milling, which was up 31% quarter-over-quarter.
  • Net loss of $2.8 million or $0.014 per share, diluted, compared to a net loss of $0.6 million or $0.004 per share, diluted, last year.
  • Strong financial position, with $15.0 million in cash.

“Strong growth in our custom milling operations in the fourth quarter partially offset the decline in production at the Beaufor Mine, which will be temporarily shut down starting in December,” said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarques. “Our short-term goal for Beaufor is to minimize the impact of the shut-down on our results.”

“In recent months, we have begun promoting the Wasamac project within the mining and financial communities. We recently created a confidential virtual data room to provide access for parties that have expressed an interest in reviewing data and participating in project development. With the pending release of the feasibility study results in early December, we see the Wasamac project starting to generate interest. We are confident that the parameters we have set for the feasibility study, including the use of the proven Rail-Veyor material haulage technology, will create the conditions needed to put the project into production.”

“We are also continuing to move forward with our other advanced projects, including Croinor Gold and McKenzie Break, for which drill results will be released in the coming weeks. Croinor Gold continues to impress us with multiple high-grade results and continuity of the mineralization along strike and at depth,” Mr. Lacoste concluded.

Summary of financial results

(dollars, except per share data) Quarter ended

June 30

Year ended

June 30

2018 2017 2018 2017
Revenues 10,007,386 30,125,421
Gross margin 170,849 1 440,787
Net loss (2,782,100) (571,284) (4,776,851) (2,281,190)
Loss per share, basic and diluted (0.014) (0.004) (0.024) (0.017)
Cash flow used in operating activities (534,542) (560,596) (2,310,413) (2,163,498)
EBITDA(1) (1,084,003) (158,117) (2,533,882) (1,522,426)
(1)  Non-IFRS measure. See under “Non-IFRS measures” at the end of this press release, and in the Corporation’s financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the reconciliation of this non-IFRS measure.

 

 (dollars) June 30

2018

June 30

2017

Cash and cash equivalents 15,046,248 7,356,155
Total assets 73,665,169 26,657,724

 

Key operating statistics

Quarter ended

June 30

Year ended

June 30

2018 2017 2018 2017
Ounces of gold sold 4,589 – 14,856 –
Ounces of gold produced 4,695 – 15,071 –
Grade 4.95 – 4.82 –
Recovery 98.68 – 98.76 –
Key data per ounce of gold (CA $)
Average market price 1,659 – 1,665 –
Average selling price(1) 1,617 – 1,610 –
Production cash cost(2) 1,609 – 1,532 –
All-in sustaining cost (Beaufor/Camflo) 2,005 – 1,770 –
Average exchange rate (CA $/US $) 1.27 – 1.27 –
Key data per ounce of gold (US $)
Average market price 1,306 – 1,311 –
Average selling price(1) 1,273 – 1,268 –
Production cash cost(2) 1,267 – 1,206 –
All-in sustaining cost (Beaufor/Camflo) 1,579 – 1,394 –
(1) The average selling prices for the 2018 three- and twelve-month periods would be $32 and $28 higher, respectively,  if gold deliveries (861 ounces for the quarter and 2,583 ounces for the 12-month period) to Auramet in connection with deferred revenues for the periods had been recognized at market price on the date the agreement was entered into on October 2, 2017, instead of at the recorded price, representing the amounts received from future gold production divided by the ounces to be delivered.
(2) Production cash cost is a non-IFRS measure of financial performance without a standard meaning under IFRS. It may therefore not be comparable to a similar measure presented by another company. See “Non-IFRS measures” in the Corporation’s management discussion and analysis for the quarter ended June 30, 2018.

 

Corporate highlights

  • On May 31, 2018, the Corporation announced that it has retained BBA to conduct a feasibility study for its Wasamac gold project (see press release).
  • On July 19, 2018, the Corporation announced that it has filed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report for its McKenzie Break gold project on SEDAR (see press release).
  • On August 3, 2018, the Corporation announced that it has filed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report for its Swanson gold project on SEDAR (see press release).
  • On August 30, 2018, the Corporation announced that production activities at the Beaufor Mine will be temporarily suspended as of December 2018, and the mine will be placed on care and maintenance (see press release).
  • On September 10, 2018, the Corporation sold its 30% interest in the Chimo property to Chalice Gold Mines Limited (“Chalice”) in consideration of 3 million fully-paid ordinary Chalice shares (see press release).
  • On October 5, 2018, the Corporation announced that it has acquired a 2% net smelter royalty (“NSR”) on the Chimo-Boyd claims in exchange for the issuance of 170,000 common shares of Monarques at a price of $0.28 per share and a cash payment of $8,400 (see press release).
  • On October 9, 2018, the Corporation announced that it has received conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange to list the Corporation’s common shares, subject to compliance with all exchange requirements by December 30, 2018 (see press release).

Production statistics (first quarter ended September 30, 2018)

  • Monarques produced 3,604 ounces of gold in the first quarter, down 23% from 4,695 ounces the previous quarter.
  • The Corporation recorded revenues of $7.8 million in the first quarter, based on an average gold price of $1,520 per ounce (US $1,162) and the sale of 3,272 ounces, combined with revenues from custom milling operations, which increased by more than 8% during the quarter.
Beaufor Mine Quarter ended

September 30, 2018

Ore processed (tonnes) 29,375
Gold recovery (%) 97.99
Ounces produced 3,604
Ounces sold 3,272

 

The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Marc-André Lavergne, P.Eng., the Corporation’s qualified person under National Instrument 43‑101.

ABOUT MONARQUES GOLD CORPORATION

Monarques Gold Corporation (TSXV: MQR) is an emerging gold mining company focused on pursuing growth through its large portfolio of high-quality projects in the Abitibi mining camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently owns close to 300 km² of gold properties (see map), including the Wasamac deposit (measured and indicated resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold), the Beaufor Mine, the Croinor Gold (see video), McKenzie Break and Swanson advanced projects and the Camflo and Beacon mills, as well as other promising exploration projects. It also offers custom milling services out of its 1,600 tonne-per-day Camflo mill.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarques’ actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. 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 press release.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monarques-gold-announces-its-2018-fourth-quarter-and-year-end-results-300738947.html

SOURCE Monarques Gold Corporation

Commodities Roundup: #Palladium Sets Record $NAM.ca $WG.ca $XTM.ca $WM.ca $PDL.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:18 PM on Friday, October 26th, 2018

  • Palladium has been trading at a premium to platinum for the majority of the past year, contrary to the two platinum-group metals’ (PGM) historical relationship.
  • In fact, palladium recently breached the $1,000 per ounce mark for the first time in eight months, and earlier this week hit a record high of $1,150.50 an ounce.

For the buyers and category managers out there, especially those of you deep in the weeds of buying and managing commodities, here’s a quick rundown of news and thoughts from particular commodity markets.

From price movements to policy decisions, we scour the landscape for what matters. This week:

Palladium Peaks

While other metals have had their ups and down, palladium has been soaring this year.

Palladium has been trading at a premium to platinum for the majority of the past year, contrary to the two platinum-group metals’ (PGM) historical relationship. In fact, palladium recently breached the $1,000 per ounce mark for the first time in eight months, and earlier this week hit a record high of $1,150.50 an ounce.

Palladium is most commonly known for its use in automotive catalytic converters.

The price has surged so much that some analysts have cautioned about a possible correction for the surging PGM.

The DOC calculated countervailing duties as high as 145.37%.

In 2017, the value of imports of the steel propane cylinders reached $89.8 million.

Source: https://spendmatters.com/2018/10/26/commodities-roundup-aluminum-output-up-palladiums-dominance-and-indian-gold-demand/

#Fortnite makers Epic Games raises a landmark $1.25 billion $GMBL $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF $Game.ca $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:20 PM on Friday, October 26th, 2018

  • Epic Games has received a monumental funding of about $1.25 billion. Investors include KKR, ICONIQ Capital, Smash Ventures, aXiomatic, Vulcan Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
  • Thanks to Fortnite, Epic Games is enjoying a lot of success.
  • The battle royale experience is a giant hit on PC, consoles, and mobile.

The free-to-play game has earned hundreds of millions of downloads and over $1 billion in revenue. And on Android, Epic Games has bypassed Google by not listing Fortnite on the Google Play store, meaning Epic Games doesn’t have to give Google a share of the money earned.

According to Digi-Capital, this is the second largest games investment in history, following the $2.3 billion Netmarble earned in 2017 via IPO (initial public offering). Epic’s is the highest non-IPO investment ever.

The new investors join Disney, Tencent, and Endeavor as minority shareholders in the company.

“We’re excited to partner with the finest minds in the financial, sports, and entertainment communities,” Epic Games founder and chief executive officer Tim Sweeney noted in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “This reinforces Epic’s position of leadership in real-time 3D technology, and accelerates our ability to improve the way people play, work, and interact with the world.”

This $1.25 billion is a massive amount to earn in an investment round. To give you a comparison, Roblox raised $150 million in September. The huge $1.25 billion number is a reflection on Fortnite’s success. Magic Leap, a company that is developing augment reality technology beyond gaming needs, has raised $2.3 billion over five rounds.

Along with Fortnite, Epic Games develops the Unreal Engine. It licenses the game-making tools to other companies, and it has become one of the most popular game engines in the world along with its main competitor, Unity. In 2018, Dragon Ball Fighterz, Sea of Thieves, Soul Calibur VI, and Dragon Quest XI were among the major games created with Unreal Engine 4.

Fortnite debuted in 2017. The game started by focusing on a cooperative mode, Save the World, where a team of players builds a fort and fights off zombies. Later in 2017, Fortnite capitalized on the success of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and made a battle royale mode for Fornite. Like PUBG, Fortnite’s battle royale offering drops a hundred players into a large map and has them fight until one person or team is left standing. Compared to PUBG, Fortnite has a more colorful aesthetic, and it puts an emphasis on players building their own forts. Because players can make their own cover, Fortnite is a much faster-paced game.

The battle royale mode quickly surpassed Save the World. Fortnite has dominated 2018, turning into a mainstream success and expanding its reach to mobile and consoles (including Switch).

Source: https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/26/fortnite-makers-epic-games-raises-a-landmark-1-25-billion/