Posted by AGORACOM
at 3:18 PM on Thursday, November 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals LMR:TSX-V – A Canadian exploration-stage company discovered high-grade graphite at its La Loutre Property in Quebec and is working toward a Pre-Economic Assessment (PEA) that will increase its current indicated resource of 4.1 Mt of 6.5% Cg to over 10 Mt of 10%+ Cg through a 21 hole program at the Refractory Zone. Click Here For More Information
New​ graphite designed to rapidly increase charge rate of lithium-ion batteries
Bironico,
Switzerland – IMERYS Graphite & Carbon announced today that it has
expanded its current portfolio of high performance carbon solutions to
include a new line of additives for lithium-ion batteries. Our QX line
is a high performance specialty solution, which has been shown to
significantly increase the charge rate. QX additives are Imerys Graphite
& Carbon’s latest innovation in response to the demanding
performance requirements of our customers for their next generation of
lithium-ion batteries.
New
developments in automotive and in the consumer electronics markets are
driving a need for improved performance of lithium-ion batteries in
diverse operating conditions. QX products enable fast kinetics during
charging and can significantly improve the performance of active
materials.
“​IMERYS Graphite & Carbon has long been on the cutting edge of rechargeable battery technology, and QXis the latest example of how we are leveraging our technical expertise and state of the art R&D facilities to pave the way in providing unparalleled solutions to our customers,†stated Frank Wittchen, General Manager & Vice President. “QX is a breakthrough solution for rapid charge capabilities.â€â€‹
For
more information about IMERYS Graphite & Carbon’s QX line contact
your local sales representative, visit our website, or speak with us in
person at Battery Japan 2020.
About Imerys Graphite & Carbon
Imerys Graphite & Carbon has
a strong history in the production of high quality natural and
synthetic graphite powders, conductive carbon blacks and water-based
graphite dispersions.
Imerys Graphite & Carbon belongs to Imerys​ Group​,
the world’s leading supplier in mineral-based specialties for industry.
With €4.6 billion in revenue and approximately 17,000 employees in
2018, Imerys delivers high value-added, functional solutions to a great
number of sectors, from processing industries to consumer goods. The
Group draws on its understanding of applications, technological
knowledge and expertise in material science to deliver solutions based
on beneficiation of its mineral resources, synthetic minerals and
formulations. These contribute essential properties to customers’
products and their performance, including heat resistance, hardness,
conductivity, opacity, durability,
purity,
lightness, filtration, absorption and water repellency. Imerys is
determined to develop responsibly, in particular by fostering the
emergence of environmentally-friendly products and processes.
More
comprehensive information about Imerys Graphite & Carbon may be
obtained from its website (www.imerys-graphite-and-carbon.com)
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:56 PM on Thursday, November 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions (EKG: TSX-V)
– The heartbeat of cardiovascular medicine and telemedicine. Patented
systems enable medical professionals, patients, and other healthcare
professionals, clinics, hospitals and call centres to access and manage
patient information in a secure and reliable environment.
Mhealth Tools Help Providers Access Data When They Most Need It
Healthcare providers are using mHealth platforms to access and
transmit vital health data from the field – including accident sites,
homes and ambulances – back to the ED, and vice versa.
Moving forward (literally), telehealth advocates see ambulances and
other rescue vehicles as more than transportation, but rather,
extensions of the hospital. Armed with mHealth and telemedicine
technology, they can replicate the ED and begin treatment long before
the patient transfers into the hospital
With mobile devices like smartphone, tablets, laptops and even wearable devices
that can gather and transmit information at a moment’s notice, health
systems are finding new ways to improve care in the field, whether it be
an accident site, someone’s home or the ambulance.
November 27, 2019 – Healthcare providers are finding that mHealth can
help them better prepare for and treat critical care patients coming
into their Emergency Department
At King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven, MS, first responders are using an mHealth platform
from DrFirst called Backline, which enables them to scan the barcode on
a patient’s driver’s license to access six months’ worth of medication
history. The tool gives EMS providers a better understanding of the
healthcare needs of a patient, especially one who’s unconscious or
unable to remember his or her medication history.
“You can’t get a history from a patient who isn’t responsive,†says
Lee Robbins, director of emergency medical services at the 99-bed
community hospital. “In the past, we could only get information from
(patients) who are awake or are willing to give us that information.
Knowing this information gives us a much better chance at a good
outcome.â€
In addition, EMS providers can use the connected health platform to
send that data back to the hospital, giving ED and trauma staff a better
idea of what that patient will need. That’s valuable time they can use
to update the patient’s chart or order tests, such as CT scans or
electrocardiograms.
“Time is very important – minutes or even seconds can have an impactâ€
on a patient’s life, says Robbins, who would like to see tools like
this integrate with the hospital’s EMR platform and include real-time
communication between first responders and the hospital.
At Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, NY, meanwhile, care providers are using an mHealth app called PreDX
to get alerts on opioid abuse outbreaks in their community. When a
number of overdoses or other data points is detected in a cluster by the
platform, they’ll know to alert and prepare first responders as well as
the ED.
“If we get that information on the front line, then we can mobilize,â€
says Kathleen Sheehan, the hospital’s director of emergency and trauma
services. “It gives us a better chance to respond to an emergency and
treat these people more quickly.â€
With mobile devices like smartphone, tablets, laptops and even wearable devices
that can gather and transmit information at a moment’s notice, health
systems are finding new ways to improve care in the field, whether it be
an accident site, someone’s home or the ambulance.
But as with all other telehealth programs, the key lies in making
sure the right information is gathered and sent to the right recipient.
Information on opioid abuse or disease outbreaks will only help
providers if they know what outbreak to address, and medication data
sent from the ambulance to the ED will help providers if that medication
history has a chance of interfering with care.
For example, a male patient being transported to a hospital might not
readily admit that he’s taking Viagra or Cialis, yet those medications
contain sildenafil and tadalafil, which could cause one’s blood pressure
to drop excessively if a paramedic uses nitroglycerin to treat chest
pain. A quick scan of the patient’s medication history would prevent
that from happening.
Moving forward (literally), telehealth advocates see ambulances and
other rescue vehicles as more than transportation, but rather,
extensions of the hospital. Armed with mHealth and telemedicine
technology, they can replicate the ED and begin treatment long before
the patient transfers into the hospital.
“Any tool that we can use that improves patient safety, care quality and patient experience is a positive,†says Robbins.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:45 AM on Thursday, November 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world.
The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
The Digital Learning Revolution: How Classes are Moving Out Of The Classroom
Indian classrooms are growing in numbers every day, and the overburdened teachers are unable to bridge the learning gap experienced by individual students
Edtech tools are the best solution to ensure accessibility of quality education in our country, and its growing demand across the student community validates this stance
In fact, India has become the third-largest market for online education, with trends such as P2P collaborative learning systems becoming the latest rage in the domain of education and learning
By: Michał Borkowski
Every learning process has two principal stakeholders—students and
teachers, or as we like to call them learners and helps—and two
fundamental engagement tools, questions and answers. Learning processes
essentially can be centered on either the teacher or the student, but
the outcomes they result in are drastically different. The didactic
learning process wherein the teacher occupied the central role and the
student was merely a blank slate (Tabula Rasa) was a monotonous and regimented affair, relying solely on the transfer of knowledge from a teacher to a student.
Opposed to it, the new-age online learning method which has its roots
in the revolutionary teaching methods of Socrates, the ancient Greek
logician and thinker, has turned the very nature of learning inside out.
It proposes a student centered mode of learning wherein the visible
demarcations of master and disciple are essentially blurred and both
exist as equal stakeholders.
Onlinelearning—A solution tailor-made for the Indian academia
Indian classrooms are growing in numbers every day, and the
overburdened teachers are unable to bridge the learning gap experienced
by individual students. Edtech tools are the best solution to ensure
accessibility of quality education in our country, and its growing
demand across the student community validates this stance. In fact,
India has become the third-largest market for online education, with
trends such as P2P collaborative learning systems becoming the latest
rage in the domain of education and learning.
Technology and new-age tools have practically reformed the existing
learning framework. Now, teachers, students and parents simultaneously
interact in a cohesive union, relentlessly pursuing knowledge through an
active collaboration of ideas and critical faculties. This empowers the
students to be their own masters by equipping them with a customized
and practical form of education and allows them to exercise control over
their learning which would help them better in terms of practical and
real-time application. When learners get to assert better control over
their learning experience, they are likely to take a more proactive
stance towards the same, ultimately resulting in better outcomes.
The education system in India has long suffered from inherent flaws
and inadequacies owing to its direct and continued formal dependency on
the colonial education system which stresses on ineffective rote
learning and representing facts on paper without practical realization.
But things are fast changing. Online education has really picked up pace
as over 370 million Internet users and countless more localized and
global entrepreneurs are readily investing in the online education
market. By 2018, India had 3,500 edtech start-ups running operations
across the country.
Replacing standardization with personalization
Going beyond the conventional one-way process, digital platforms
allow users to overcome the limits of time and space, as a learner could
now access evaluate and assess information from anywhere at any time,
as long as one has an Internet connection and an inclination to learn.
Since every individual possesses a unique mental aptitude and grasping
level and one can learn at a pace that best suits them through such
platforms. These platforms empower every individual to grasp knowledge
at a personal customized pace which makes learning easy and desirable
rather than a sordid task at hand which one dreads and undertakes
unwillingly.
Edtech platforms also serve as a single platform for every
stakeholder in education to come together. They celebrate the uniqueness
and individuality of every student by bringing all the elements of the
classroom—the teachers, the students and the parents in an organic
unison. The spirit of doubt, curiosity and creativity are now encouraged
which has brought about massive changes in the hitherto predefined
dimensions of knowledge. These platforms further allow the learning
process to continue at home through uninterrupted assistance and
guidance. The teacher no longer has to be physically present to tutor
the child whenever they get stuck on a particular problem or a tricky
lesson.
Today, the e-learning market in India is approximated to be worth
more than three billion dollars. The National Draft Education Policy,
2019 also lays significant emphasis on increasing the penetration of
technology in all aspects of education. Although formal education
structure still holds the same relevance, the very manner of its
proliferation has undergone a monumental change owing to the rise of
digital learning. Digital edtech tools have reduced the workload on
teachers, who now thrive in their new role as a catalyst of change that
proactively engages and enables the students to acquire knowledge from
multiple sources.
When students are allowed to become their own masters and be
responsible for the supervision of their learning experience, it
initiates the formation of an informed and empowered society that prizes
questioning over obedience and intelligence over authority. Online
learning platforms have indeed done away with the space-time
restrictions of classrooms and empowered the primary stakeholder in
learning, i.e. the learner itself, in a manner that would surely have
made Socrates proud.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:12 AM on Thursday, November 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: NORTHBUD (NBUD:CSE)
Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and
procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and
Cannabinoid Infused Products. Learn More.
Consumers research CBD more than many other wellness trends, study finds
American consumers are researching CBD more than many other alternative health trends and products, according to a new study looking at Google searches.
Health scientists from the University of California, San Diego, Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of York in the
United Kingdom measured U.S. Google searches that mentioned CBD and
cannabidiol from 2004 through April of this year.
The study found that while search volumes were consistent from 2004
to 2014, they began to grow significantly in 2016. Search volumes
increased year-over-year by 125.9% in 2017 and 160.4% in 2018, and they
are expected to be 117.7% higher in 2019.
In April 2019, there were 6.4 million Google searches for CBD, the
researchers wrote in an American Medical Association journal detailing
their findings.
The April 2019 searches for CBD were on par with yoga and
e-cigarettes but seven times more prevalent than acupuncture, five times
higher than apple cider vinegar and three times more than meditation.
CBD searches also outnumbered searches for:
Vaccination
Exercise
Marijuana
Veganism
Researchers broke down the results by state. Searches for CBD this
year were highest in Vermont, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Colorado, New
Hampshire and Oregon.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:19 AM on Thursday, November 28th, 2019
Company reported revenues of $1,683,985 compared to $589,648, up by 186%.
For the nine months operations, the Company reported revenues of $2,559,068 compared to $1,872,944, up by 37%.
Company’s cash position improved significantly, $812,853 compared to $66,296 in the previous quarter.
TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2019 — Datametrex AI Limited (the “Company†or “Datametrexâ€) (TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) (OTC: DTMXF) today released its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. The Company’s cash position improved significantly, $812,853 compared to $66,296 in the previous quarter. In this quarter, the Company reported revenues of $1,683,985 compared to $589,648, up by 186%. For the nine months operations, the Company reported revenues of $2,559,068 compared to $1,872,944, up by 37%. Operating costs were significantly reduced, $1,034,071 compared to $2,192,822 in the third quarter, down by 53%.
“In Q3 2019, the Company achieved key milestones and made significant
strides in strengthening its AI platform and offering. Increased sales
and significant reduction in operating costs attributed substantial
improvement in the bottom line,†said Marshall Gunter, the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company.
Further commenting on the Q3 2019 results, Jeff Stevens, President of
the Company stated “Datametrex was recently featured on CTV for its
latest findings. The company’s proven technology sees tremendous
opportunity across the North American and Asian markets where it is
gaining wide acclaim. These markets have the potential to drive strong
revenue across a variety of multinationals.â€
“We are pleased with the improvements year over year and remain
committed to increasing sales. Reducing costs and streamlining
operations will position the Company for continued growth. The article published by Nicole Bogart of CTV further validates and substantiates our technology in the cyber security sector,†says Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company.
Highlights for Q3 2019:
The Company was successful in securing
the second contract of a multi phase R&D program through the
Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and
Security (IDEaS) program with a value of approximately $945,094.
The Company was successful in software
licencing contract with GreenInsightz Limited for the use of its
proprietary Nexalogy’s Artificial Intelligence software platform for a
value of approximately $1 million in cash and shares.
The Company was successful in securing another contract with a division of Lotte for approximately $1,000,000.
The Company participated in NATO Research Task Group in Paris, France.
Promoted Marshall Gunter to Chief Executive Officer.
Financial Highlights
The following table reconciles income from operations to EBITDA and
Adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019
and September 30, 2018:
Three months ended Sep. 30,
Nine months ended Sep. 30,
2019
2018
2019
2018
$
$
$
$
Revenue
1,683,985
589,648
2,559,068
1,872,944
Net loss
(695,803
)
(15,236,076
)
(2,612,556
)
(18,165,683
)
EBITDA*
(539,115
)
(14,350,712
)
(2,092,871
)
(15,709,824
)
Adjusted EBITDA*
(539,115
)
(1,422,731
)
(2,092,871
)
(1,565,323
)
EBITDA per share*
(0.002
)
(0.072
)
(0.009
)
(0.079
)
* Note: EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP/IFRS figures.
“EBITDA†represents net income plus income tax, finance expense and
depreciation. “Adjusted EBITDA†represents EBITDA plus share-based
compensation and one-time costs. “Adjusted Net Income†represents net
income plus one-time finance expenses.
The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful additional
information to management, the board and investors as it provides an
indication of the operational results generated by its business
activities prior to taking into consideration how those activities are
financed and taxed and also prior to taking into consideration asset
depreciation and amortization and it excludes items that could affect
the comparability of our operational results and could potentially alter
the trends analysis in business performance. Excluding these items does
not necessarily imply they are non-recurring, infrequent or unusual.
Adjusted EBITDA is also used by some investors and analysts for valuing a
company. Investors are cautioned that Adjusted EBITDA should not be
construed as an alternative to operating earnings or net earnings
determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Company’s
financial performance or as a measure of the Company’s liquidity and
cash flows. Adjusted EBITDA does not take into account the impact of
working capital changes, capital expenditures, debt principal reductions
and other sources and uses of cash, which are disclosed in the
consolidated statements of cash flows.
Non-GAAP financial measures do not have standardized meaning
prescribed by GAAP and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to
similar measures presented by other companies. Specific items may only
be relevant in certain periods. For reconciliation of non-GAAP financial
measures please refer to the Company’s Management Discussion and
Analysis for the period ended June 30, 2019.
The financial statements, notes to the financial statements and
Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the nine-month period ended
September 30, 2019 are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
About Datametrex AI Limited
Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure
to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com).
Additional information on Datametrex is available at: www.datametrex.com
For further information, please contact:
Jeffrey Stevens – President Phone: (647) 777-7974 Email: [email protected]
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.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements†within
the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally,
these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as “plansâ€, “anticipatedâ€, “expects†or
“does not expectâ€, “is expectedâ€, “budgetâ€, “scheduledâ€, “estimatesâ€,
“forecastsâ€, “intendsâ€, “anticipates†or “does not anticipateâ€, or
“believesâ€, or variations of such words and phrases or state that
certain actions, events or results “mayâ€, “couldâ€, “wouldâ€, “might†or
“will be takenâ€, “occur†or “be achievedâ€. The Company is subject to
significant risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward
looking statements contained in this release. Datametrex cannot assure
investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward
looking statements and Datametrex assumes no obligation to update or
revise the forward looking statements contained in this release to
reflect actual events or new circumstances.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:06 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2019
SPONSOR: Iconic Minerals Ltd. ICM:TSX-V Bonnie Claire Lithium Property hosts Inferred resource of 11.8 billion pounds of lithium carbonate equivalent and has the potential to be the largest lithium resource globally. Learn More.
Better battery tech could boost EV range, speed up charging
At least if battery manufacturers can keep up with demand as electric power expands.
Battery demand is surging as conventional automakers catch EV religion
Along with US automakers, German giant Volkswagen now has a massive EV push
Ford’s first electric SUV, the Mustang Mach-E, arrives next year, and it shows just how far we’ve come with EVs. Mainstream carmakers like Nissan, General Motors, BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar and Porsche are filling a field that once belonged to counterculture icon Tesla. And better batteries should keep the new models coming.
At the IDTechEx conference
this week, startups showed off new battery technology that improves on
today’s lithium-ion designs. The developments increase driving range,
cut costs, extend useful lifespan, speed up charging and reduce fire
risks. That’ll continue the kind of steady progress that’s more common
in the computer industry than the car industry.
For now, the improvements are mostly in labs, and many of them won’t
arrive until well into the next decade. But they’re an important
foundation for the dreams of EV proponents, who want to see conventional
cars that belch greenhouse gases replaced by cleaner, quieter
electrics. Once passenger cars are plug-in, expect to see electric trucks, tractors, excavators, buses and even airplanes.
Burgeoning battery startups
The most important battery improvement is in energy density, the
amount of kilowatt-hours of juice that can be stored in a given mass.
That can extend range, cut battery costs and reduce vehicle weight,
which in turn improves range. Startups are racing to achieve that and
other improvements through changes to anodes, cathodes and other
components.
Enevate, an Irvine,
California-based startup whose investors include battery giant LG Chem,
expects more storage capacity and dramatically faster charging. The
company sees charging times dropping to just five minutes for a
three-quarter charge. Conventional gas stations could be converted into
“drive-through charging stations,” Executive Vice President Jarvis Tou
said.
Another, Solid Battery,
plans solid-state cells that do away with liquid elements and increase
energy density by 50%, according to Chief Executive Douglas Campbell.
His company’s approach has “the best blend of performance and
manufacturability” and boosts safety, and BMW and Ford have development
agreements with the company, he said.
Global Graphene Group
also plans to improve batteries by encasing silicon in the anode with
graphene, an exotic form of carbon sheets only one atom thick. The
result, according to CEO Bor Jang, a longtime graphene researcher, will
be batteries costing 30% less and powering EVs with a 700-mile range.
Jang expects those batteries can be fully charged in five to 15 minutes.
“The demand is going to be enormous,” IDTechEx analyst Peter Harrop said of vehicle batteries. “We keep revising our forecasts upwards.”
Battery demand is surging as conventional automakers catch EV
religion. Along with US automakers, German giant Volkswagen now has a
massive EV push. And Japan’s Toyota, taken by surprise when EV demand
grew faster than it expected, is pushing battery-powered car development and working on battery supply deals.
Electric vehicle sales should increase
from 2 million in 2018 to 10 million in 2025, BloombergNEF forecasts.
No wonder Tesla, which just announced its Cybertruck pickup on Thursday,
is working on building its own batteries.
Analyst firm IDTechEx expects electric vehicles used for
construction, agriculture and mining to outsell electric passenger cars.
IDTechEx; photo by Stephen Shankland/CNET
Rising costs could slow the spread of electric power to all sorts of
other industries, too, like construction, agriculture, mining, mass
transit and aircraft.
Battery progress will help all these new industries become greener
and quieter only if all that extra energy can be squeezed more tightly
into cells without increasing risks of fires and explosions. Lithium-ion
battery fires grounded Boeing’s early 787 Dreamliner aircraft, and there have been problems in large batteries for grid-scale energy storage because of insufficient testing, Harrop said.
“The industry is cutting corners in the race to get energy density,
faster charging and longer cycle life,” Harrop said. “The fires will
continue.”
Electric aircraft, too
Still, many companies, like French aerospace giant Airbus and US rival Boeing, believe batteries are coming.
Startup Ampaire is banking on a
hybrid aircraft that marries conventional fuel-powered engines with
battery-powered motors for propeller-powered aircraft common on
short-haul routes. They’ll be much quieter at takeoff and will cut fuel
use, a major constraint for short flights that are canceled when fuel
costs increase, said Pete Savagian, the company’s senior vice president
of engineering.
A larger scale hybrid due in 2021, the Airbus E-Fan X
prototype jet will swap out one of its four conventional jet engines
with a 2-megawatt electric motor, said Bruno Samaniego López, a power
and electrical engineering leader at the company. A new single-aisle jet
with 20MW of electrical power is planned after that, he adds.
“We are very committed to this ambitious path of electrification,”
Samaniego López said. “It is happening, and it will be the future.”
Posted by AGORACOM
at 3:57 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2019
SPONSOR: Applied Biosciences Corp. is a vertically integrated company focused on the development of science-driven cannabinoid therapeutics and biopharmaceuticals, as well as state-of-the-art testing and analytics. As a leading company in the CBD, Pet and Health and Wellness space, the company is currently shipping to the majority of US states as well as to 5 International countries. Click Here for More Info
A World Health Organization (WHO) report has found no adverse health
outcomes but rather several medical applications for cannabidiol, a.k.a.
CBD, despite U.S. federal policy on this cannabinoid chemical.
According to a preliminary WHO report published last month, naturally
occurring CBD is safe and well tolerated in humans (and animals), and
is not associated with any negative public health effects [PDF].
Experts further stated that CBD, a non-psychoactive chemical
found in cannabis, does not induce physical dependence and is “not
associated with abuse potential.” The WHO also wrote that, unlike THC,
people aren’t getting high off of CBD, either.
“To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any
public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD,”
they wrote. In fact, evidence suggests that CBD mitigates the effects of
THC (whether joyous or panicky), according to this and other reports.
The authors pointed out that research has officially confirmed some positive effects of the chemical, however.
The WHO team determined that CBD has “been demonstrated as an
effective treatment for epilepsy” in adults, children, and even animals,
and that there’s “preliminary evidence” that CBD could be useful in
treating Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, psychosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious conditions.
In acknowledgement of these kinds of discoveries in recent years, the
report continued, “Several countries have modified their national
controls to accommodate CBD as a medicinal product.”
But the U.S., the report noted, isn’t one of them.
As a cannabis component, CBD remains classified as a Schedule I
controlled substance, meaning it has a “high potential for abuse” in the
federal government’s view. Nevertheless, the “unsanctioned medical use”
of CBD is fairly common, experts found.
For many CBD users in the U.S., the substance’s mostly unsanctioned
and illegal state creates problems, especially as a wave of online
(mostly hemp) and store-bought CBD oils and extracts have allowed
patients to take the treatment process–and the risks involved in buying
unregulated medicine–into their own hands and homes.
While CBD itself is safe and found to be helpful for many users,
industry experts have warned that not all cannabis extracts are created
equally, purely, or with the same methods of extraction.
And while reports of negative reactions to pure CBD are very few and
far between, researchers are able to say that the cannabinoid wouldn’t
be to blame alone. “Reported adverse effects may be as a result of
drug-drug interactions between CBD and patients’ existing medications,”
they noted.
As the cannabis reform nonprofit NORML
reported, the WHO is currently considering changing CBD’s place in its
own drug scheduling code. In September, NORML submitted written
testimony to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opposing the enactment of in
The FDA, which has repeatedly declined
to update its position on cannabis products despite a large and
ever-growing body of evidence on the subject, is one of a number of
agencies that will be advising the WHO in its final review of CBD.
Perhaps this time around the FDA will listen, and learn something.
The report was presented by the WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug
Dependence, and drafted under the responsibility of the WHO Secretariat,
Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products, Teams of
Innovation, Access and Use and Policy, Governance and Knowledge.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 2:33 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2019
Kamloops,
British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – November 27, 2019) – Advance Gold
Corp. (TSXV: AAX) (“Advance Gold” or “the Company”) is pleased to
announce drilling has started to test the large chargeability anomaly
identified in recent 3D Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical surveys on
its Tabasquena project in Zacatecas, Mexico. Two phases of IP surveys
identified a 1000 metres by 500 metres continuous chargeability anomaly.
The anomaly remains open to the north and to the south and at depth.
Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO of Advance Gold Corp. commented: “We
are very excited to drill this large chargeability anomaly as these
kinds of targets are not easily found, especially in regions well known
for big mines. What makes it particularly stand out is that the high
chargeability is consistent from east to west on each survey line, and
from line to line over the entire grid. One always has to be aware of
possible false positives, such as the possibility of disseminated
magnetite causing the chargeability anomaly. However, in this case there
has been no magnetite found in the area and an historical magnetic
geophysical survey by the Geological Survey of Mexico showed no magnetic
anomaly. There are a few potential explanations for the anomaly of this
size from mines in Zacatecas. At the Real de Angeles mine and the mine
at Fresnillo there were large stockwork vein systems. Previous drilling
at Tabasquena has found a near surface network of epithermal veins with
widespread gold and silver mineralization, although the IP survey did
not pick up that network of drilled veins. Another possibility is a
porphyry intrusion that are known to be below epithermal vein systems.
Finally, volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits (VMS) are known to occur
in clusters, so far, there is only one found in the area, Teck’s San
Nicolas VMS deposit. The San Nicolas discovery was found with the first
drill hole into a large IP chargeability anomaly. For a small company
like Advance Gold to have such a significant anomaly, in a prolific
region for mines is exceptional, now we are drilling to better
understand what we have at the Tabasquena project.”
The
first drill hole to test the chargeability anomaly will be
approximately in the middle of the anomaly. It will be drilled at a 65
degree angle, from west to east. The first image below shows the collar
location and direction of the hole. In the north part of the image, you
can see the Tabasquena shaft area, where historical mining was done in
the oxide zone of the Tabasquena vein, and just off the image to the
south is the Tesorito shaft also used historically to mine the
Tabasquena vein in the oxides.
The
image below is a plan view, with past drill holes outside the purple
area which is the projected chargeability anomaly to surface. Those
drill holes intersected a series of veins, with widespread gold and
silver mineralization. None of the holes reached the chargeability
anomaly.
The
final image below, is a cross section of the new drill hole, which has
been designed to cover approximately 100 metres from west to east, plus
go down to 500 metres and hit the middle of the chargeability anomaly.
The anomaly remains open at depth beyond the planned 500 metres and a
decision will be made during drilling to extend it.
Julio
Pinto Linares is a QP, Doctor in Geological Sciences with specialty in
Economic Geology and Qualified Professional No. 01365 by MMSA., and QP
for Advance Gold and is the qualified person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101 and he has read and approved the accuracy of technical
information contained in this news release.
About Advance Gold Corp. (TSXV: AAX)
Advance
Gold is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on acquiring
and exploring mineral properties containing precious metals. The Company
acquired a 100% interest in the Tabasquena Silver Mine in Zacatecas,
Mexico in 2017, and the Venaditas project, also in Zacatecas state, in
April, 2018.
The
Tabasquena project is located near the Milagros silver mine near the
city of Ojocaliente, Mexico. Benefits at Tabasquena include road access
to the claims, power to the claims, a 100-metre underground shaft and
underground workings, plus it is a fully permitted mine.
Venaditas
is well located adjacent to Teck’s San Nicolas mine, a VMS deposit, and
it is approximately 11km to the east of the Tabasquena project, along a
paved road.
In
addition, Advance Gold holds a 13.23% interest on strategic claims in
the Liranda Corridor in Kenya, East Africa. The remaining 86.77% of the
Kakamega project is held by Barrick Gold Corporation.
For further information, please contact:
Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO Phone: (604) 505-4753 Email: [email protected]Reply
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:56 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)
Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14
million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has
interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro
Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
China to dominate battery metal demand
Demand trends for EV battery metals over the coming years have revealed that China will remain the key driver of direct metals demand
Direct demand for nickel, cobalt and lithium will remain the strongest in China across both the core and bearish case scenarios over the coming years.
By: Molly Hancock
Fitch Solutions’ demand trends for EV battery metals over the coming
years have revealed that China will remain the key driver of direct
metals demand.
The analysis estimates that the indirect growth for cobalt, nickel
and lithium will be the strongest across the EU under the bullish
scenario, which is underpinned by favourable policy assumptions.
However, indirect growth for these three metals will lag behind
across all scenarios in the United States, due to more restrictive EV
policy assumptions based on poor support at the federal level.
Fitch Solutions has divided the geographic demands for battery metals
into direct demand, which refers to demand from any country/region
where battery manufacturing takes place domestically and indirect
demand, which refers to demand from country/regions where EV sales make
stoke demand for batteries containing key metals that are produced.
The direct demand for nickel, cobalt and lithium will remain the
strongest in China across both the core and bearish case scenarios over
the coming years.
The Chinese Government has set ambitious EV targets and we retain a
positive outlook for China’s EV market as intensifying competition from
major vehicle brands will drive down costs and improve choice.
Despite recent subsidy cuts announced in July 2019, price reductions
among automakers and the rolling out of EV sales targets for vehicle
manufacturers will continue to position the Chinese EV market as the
most dynamic in the world.
While the demand growth for nickel, cobalt and lithium will spike in
2023-2025, Chinese carmakers’ strategies relating to EV production
targets generally end in 2025, and EV sales growth and subsequent metals
demand growth will begin to slow from 2025 onwards.
Fitch Solutions also revealed that due to the still-prevalent use of
iron-heavy LFP batteries in China, a bullish case for EV sales and
metals demand would lead to cumulative demand of 415,000 tonnes of iron
from the country over 2019-2028 compared to just 145,000 tonnes in its
bear case scenario.
Under Fitch Solutions’ bullish scenario, the EU will witness the
fastest average growth in indirect demand for cobalt (25.8 per cent
y-o-y), nickel (31 per cent y-o-y) and lithium (27.9 per cent y-o-y) up
to 2028, ahead of China and the US.
According to Fitch Solutions, the reason for this is that EU EV sales
team from a lower base in comparison to the US and China and as such
the potential for growth is higher.
For example, according to Fitch Solutions’ Autos team estimates, EV
sales will amount to over 370,000 units in 2019, compared to 458,000 in
the US and 1.252 million in China.
Within its bullish, base and bearish case scenarios, Fitch Solutions
forecast that the US indirect demand for cobalt, nickel and lithium to
average slower annual growth than in China and the EU over 2019-2028, as
a lack of supportive federal policy will pose obstacles to mass EV
adoption in the country.
In February 2019, the Trump administration announced new standards
that freeze emissions and fuel-efficiency requirements at the 2021
level, loosening previous higher targets and in contrasts to much
stricter regulations implemented by California and adopted by 12 other
states.
Its bullish case for the country assumes that future US government
policy will take a favourable turn towards the EV market, in order to
keep pace with rapidly developing EV segments in China and Europe.
The ongoing use of NCA batteries (containing nickel, cobalt and
aluminium) by Tesla in the US market means that indirect aluminium
demand will remain sustained in this market.
Cumulative indirect aluminium demand from the US EV market in our
bullish scenario will amount to 9800 tonnes over 2019-2028, compared
with to 3300 tonnes in China and 1300 tonnes in the EU.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 3:21 PM on Tuesday, November 26th, 2019
SPONSOR: Advance Gold AAX.v – Advance Gold controls 100% interest in the Tabasquena Silver Mine in Zacatecas, Mexico. A cluster of 30 Epithermal veins have been discovered, with recent emphasis on exploring a large anomaly to drill. Advance also owns 13.5% of the Kakamega JV attached to Barrick Takeover Offer for Acacia Mining. Click Here For More Info
Gold mining stocks have soared approximately 30% so far in 2019, based on the performance of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (GDM) as of November 15.1 Over the last 12 months, the sector is up nearly 50%. Some investors may assume that gold stocks have run their course. On the contrary, we think that the gold mining equities still have a great deal of upside to offer.
In brief, we think we’re in the early stages of a prolonged bull market for gold. While the relationship between the prices for gold bullion and gold stocks isn’t a linear one, rising demand for the yellow metal commodity has historically driven stock performance. Moreover, despite the recent rally, gold mining stocks have yet to recover from the beating they suffered starting in 2011. Still, recent outperformance — coupled with improving fundamentals — creates momentum, a key factor in many quantitative strategies.
Gold has been a store of value since the beginning of civilization, and yet the nuances of investing in gold — be it the metal or miners — is still a source of confusion. As we see it, that also means opportunity.
Here are five reasons to consider investing in gold equities now.
REASON #1. Rising Gold Prices Drive Demand
Figure 1. Gold Bull Market is Just Getting Started
Source: Bloomberg as of 11/15/19. Gold was $1,514 on 11/1/19, and $1,468 as of 11/15/19.
Gold recently broke past $1,500 an ounce for the first time since 2013 (Figure 1), as global political and macroeconomic trends are driving demand for the yellow metal. Along with other strategists, we think gold bullion could surpass its all-time high of $1,900 within the next couple of years. Key factors driving long-term demand for gold as a store of value and defensive asset, especially among central banks and institutions, include low-to-negative interest rates, rising debt levels, trade tensions and intensifying geopolitical risk.
Price movements for physical gold and gold-mining stocks aren’t perfectly in sync, but the relationship between them is strong and persistent, across economic cycles.
Historically, rising (and falling) gold prices have a three-times multiplier effect on gold stocks: If the value of gold bullion increases by 10%, mining stocks tend to increase by 30%, and vice versa. The reason: Miners have significant fixed operating costs and high operating leverage, meaning big swings in physical gold prices have a larger impact on miners’ profitability.
This relationship cuts both ways, as we saw after physical gold prices peaked in late 2011. As the value of gold subsequently declined (Figure 2), the value of gold stocks plummeted even more. Between 2011 and 2018, the sector posted negative returns in six out of eight calendar years. Even with recent gains, gold mining stocks have yet to recover relative to historical valuations. Since the sector peak in April 2011, gold mining equities are still off by more than 60%.
Figure 2. Gold Mining Equities are Very Undervalued
Source: Bloomberg as of 11/12/19.
Figure 3. Gold Demand Has Rebounded: Purchases by Central Banks
Central banks have been net buyers of gold over the past 10 years. Gold plays an important part in central banks’ reserves management, and they are significant holders of gold. According to the World Gold Council: “Today, central banks own almost 34,000 tonnes (t) of gold, making it the third-largest reserve asset in the world. The increase in central bank demand for gold reflects current geopolitical, political and economic conditions, as well as structural changes in the global economy. Gold is both a liquid, counter-cyclical asset and a long-term store of value. As such, it can help central banks meet their core objectives of safety, liquidity and return.â€
Source: Metals Focus, Refinitiv GFMS, World Gold Council. As of June 30, 2019.
REASON #2. Gold Stocks are Severely Undervalued
Given the amplified volatility of gold stocks relative to gold, investors need to go in with their eyes wide open. Nevertheless, multi-year declines may now set the stage for significant upside.
While miners as a group still trade below their net asset values, the discounts of smaller, “junior†miners are especially extreme, as much of the recent rally has been driven by the largest, “senior†gold miners. In fact, the valuation gap between North American junior and senior gold miners is the widest it’s ever been.
Figure 4. The Valuation Gap Between Senior and Juniors is at Historic Extremes
Source: BMO Capital Markets, FactSet. North American senior vs. junior gold miners. As of 7/19/19.
Reason #3. Supplies are Limited
Most investors grasp the importance of investing in companies whose business models are protected by “competitive moats.†Gold miners have this in spades, as it can take 15 years from discovery of a new gold mine to successful ore production. The barriers to entry are enormous for newcomers in this sector, given the need for expensive and specialized equipment, environmental regulations and political considerations.
Meanwhile, the supply of gold is finite and there have been increasingly fewer gold discoveries in recent years. This dynamic — combined with depressed valuations of junior gold miners — is driving consolidation in the industry. It is far cheaper for senior miners to buy new gold production than to “build†capacity themselves. In fact, based on an analysis of recent transactions, there is a 35% discount for buying ounces in the market via acquisitions versus discovering new ounces (according to Scotiabank).
Figure 5. Major Gold Discoveries have Declined Significantly
Investors love momentum — following positive trends in prices, earnings and other factors — and the rise of quantitative strategies has made this market phenomenon even more pervasive. For the last eight years, momentum has largely worked against the gold mining sector, but now there are signs the wind is shifting, and that momentum could soon work in its favor.
Analysts covering the sector have understandably been conservative in their estimates and may soon be playing catch up, given higher gold prices and a leveling off of mining costs. Any improvements in earnings outlooks could potentially accelerate positive momentum for the sector. As my colleague Paul Wong wrote earlier this month in The Sweet Spot for Gold Equities: â€At this stage in the gold cycle, we are in the sweet spot for gold mining company earnings. A starting low gold price base will result in earnings changes with a high percentage increase when measured quarter-over-quarter or year-over-year.â€
In Figure 6, we highlight the progression of 2020E EPS (estimates of earnings-per-share) revisions for the top-10 gold mining companies in SGDM2 versus the average 2020E EPS for the top-20 companies in the S&P 500 Index.3 Since January 2019, the average 2020E EPS for the top-10 gold mining companies had increased from $0.65 to $0.98 by the end of October, representing a 50% jump, compared to a decline of 9% for the S&P 500. After the Q3 reporting season, we would expect that 2020E EPS for gold miners will be revised even higher.
Figure 6. Sweet Spot for Gold Mining Company Earnings
Source: Bloomberg as of 10/31/19.
REASON #5. Gold Stocks Play a Different Role than Bullion
As with any investment, it’s important to think about the role of gold stocks in the context of a broader portfolio. One common misconception is that gold stocks and physical gold are two sides of the same coin. While their fates are certainly correlated, as asset classes they could not be more different.
Physical gold, whether it’s in the form of coin, bar or a trust (for example, Sprott Physical Gold Trust, NYSE Arca: PHYS), should be viewed as a stable store of value. It’s counter-cyclical and has proven over millennia to be an effective hedge against market turbulence and volatility.
As such, we recommend that investors allocate between 5% to 10% of their assets to physical gold and precious metals.
Gold stocks, conversely, should be viewed in the context of an investor’s overall equity portfolio; the size of the allocation will depend on many factors, including risk tolerance. Strategists advocate owning gold stocks continuously, in part because they have low correlations to the broader market. However, most investors view gold stocks as tactical investments. When valuations are severely depressed, as they are now, gold stocks may have the potential to outperform.
At Sprott, we believe that it may be time to consider investing in gold stocks, in addition to physical gold.
