Disseminated on behalf of SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. and may include paid advertisements.

• Governments and defence organizations worldwide are accelerating investment in quantum technologies, with growing emphasis on moving capabilities from research environments into practical applications.
• NATO’s newly released Quantum Technology Roadmap highlights the strategic importance of integrating quantum computing, communications and sensing into allied defence capabilities.
• SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. recently achieved 100% of its primary evaluation targets during a live U.S. military exercise, demonstrating the operational potential of its Super Edge(TM) hybrid quantum-classical optimization platform.

Intelligence technologies are becoming a strategic priority for governments, businesses and defence organizations around the world. What was once largely confined to academic research and experimental development is attracting billions of dollars in investment as countries look to establish technological advantages and industries explore new approaches to increasingly complex computational challenges.

This shift is particularly evident within the defence sector, where advanced computing capabilities could support applications involving logistics, communications, intelligence and operational planning. However, developing technology is only part of the challenge. Making it reliable, adaptable and compatible with existing infrastructure is becoming an equally important priority.

Recent developments highlight the growing international commitment to advancing these capabilities. On September 29, 2026, NATO publicly released its Quantum Technology Roadmap, following approval by allied nations earlier in the year. The initiative is intended to accelerate the understanding, adoption and integration of quantum technologies across NATO and allied armed forces. Its scope includes quantum computing, communications and sensing, as well as the intersection of quantum technologies with artificial intelligence, space and next-generation communications networks.

The growing importance of the sector is also reflected in investment trends. According to the 2026 Quantum Index Report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Initiative on the Digital Economy and Accenture, global quantum computing investment nearly quadrupled in 2025, reaching a record $10.9 billion. The report also identified quantum as one of the Pentagon’s six critical technology areas, reinforcing the connection between quantum development, national security and economic competitiveness.

Beyond government investment, commercial adoption is beginning to expand. McKinsey’s 2026 Quantum Technology Monitor identified more than 300 companies worldwide engaging with quantum computing, with organizations increasingly exploring applications that can be integrated into existing business operations. Transportation, logistics and supply-chain optimization were among the industries highlighted as potential beneficiaries.

For companies developing quantum technologies, this creates an opportunity to demonstrate not only computational capabilities but also how those capabilities can function within established systems.

One company pursuing this objective is SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. (CSE: QBTQ) (OTCQB: QBTQF), which is developing a full-stack quantum computing ecosystem centered on hybrid quantum-classical computing operating systems and quantum cybersecurity.

In October, SuperQ announced that its Super Edge(TM) tactical optimization platform achieved 100% of its primary performance targets during a live defence operational exercise at the Bush Combat Development Complex (“BCDC”) in Texas. The company was the only quantum technology company and Canadian technology provider participating in the international exercise.

The evaluation examined Super Edge(TM) across several operationally relevant scenarios, including real-time logistics optimization, communications resilience under simulated network degradation and rapid deployment. According to the company’s publicly released evaluation report, the platform completed all primary benchmarks without latency or operational downtime. It also demonstrated quantum-classical routing under bandwidth-constrained conditions, transmitting live sensor telemetry from forward field units back to command headquarters while securing links with post-quantum encryption over active satellite connections. 

The exercise provided an opportunity to evaluate the platform in an environment designed to reflect practical defence requirements, rather than relying exclusively on laboratory testing or theoretical performance assessments. SuperQ’s participation was supported by Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service and Global Affairs Canada, providing an additional international dimension to the company’s defence and dual-use commercialization efforts.

Importantly, the capabilities demonstrated through Super Edge(TM) align with SuperQ’s broader commercial strategy. The company’s Super(TM) platform is designed to apply hybrid quantum-classical optimization to complex computational problems, including logistics, financial modeling, energy systems and enterprise operations.

The company is also advancing its SuperPQC(TM) post-quantum cybersecurity platform, while developing Super OS(TM), a cloud and on-site operating system for hybrid quantum computing, and Super Nova(TM), its quantum computer and foundry initiative. Together, these technologies reflect SuperQ’s ambition to build a broader computing ecosystem that connects software, hardware orchestration, optimization and cybersecurity.

As quantum technologies move higher on the agendas of governments and commercial organizations, the ability to demonstrate practical applications and integrate emerging capabilities into existing infrastructure could become an important differentiator. SuperQ’s successful BCDC evaluation represents a notable milestone in that process, providing a real-world defence reference point for its hybrid optimization technology.

With global investment accelerating and organizations increasingly focused on translating quantum research into operational capabilities, SuperQ is positioning its technology portfolio to pursue opportunities across defence, logistics, energy and other industries where complex optimization and advanced computing could play an increasingly important role.

For more information, visit www.superq.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QBTQF are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/QBTQF

• The company says an independent third-party review of its Texatron(TM) fusion platform is underway, with the on-site evaluation finalizing on November 10.
• The reviewer’s final report is expected before the end of November, although the findings have not yet been disclosed.
• The review is intended to provide an external assessment of the company’s technology and engineering development; it is not certification of commercial performance or proof of fusion energy production.
• American Fusion(TM) also expects to close on a North Texas Ranch Facility before Thanksgiving, subject to customary closing requirements.
• The proposed property is intended to accommodate expanded research, engineering, testing and assembly activities as the company develops its fusion platform.

American Fusion(TM) (OTCBQ: AMFN), a developer of next-generation fusion energy technologies, is seeking an independent assessment of its Texatron(TM) fusion technology while preparing to acquire a dedicated research and development property in North Texas. The two developments, announced November 9 in the company’s latest release, mark parallel efforts to advance its technical program and establish infrastructure for its next stage of engineering work (https://ibn.fm/q0OLJ).

The independent reviewer has conducted an on-site evaluation at company facilities until November 10. American Fusion(TM) expects a final report before the end of November, subject to completion of the review process. The company said it plans to provide further information about the findings and the report’s availability once finalized.

American Fusion(TM) has also explicitly cautioned that the assessment should not be interpreted as certification of commercial performance or validation of any particular technical claim. The distinction is important in fusion, where engineering progress, experimental results and commercially viable electricity production represent separate stages of development.

Brent Nelson, the company’s chairman and chief executive, said American Fusion(TM) welcomed independent scrutiny of its technology and engineering program. He described the review as part of an effort to demonstrate progress through technical evaluation, testing and independent assessment. “Having an independent third party conduct an on-site technology review is an important milestone for American Fusion,” said Nelson. “We welcome independent scrutiny of our Texatron(TM) technology and our engineering program. Our objective is to demonstrate our progress through a disciplined process of technical evaluation, testing and independent assessment. We look forward to receiving the reviewer’s final report later this month.”

The second development concerns the anticipated acquisition of a North Texas property referred to as the Ranch Facility. American Fusion(TM) expects the transaction to close before Thanksgiving Day, November 26, subject to customary closing requirements.

The proposed facility is intended to provide a permanent location for continued Texatron(TM) development, with space for engineering, research, testing and assembly. The company says it expects to expand its technical infrastructure there as the program advances. 

The acquisition would be part of a broader effort to establish a North Texas operating campus. American Fusion(TM) has previously reported progress toward securing dedicated operating space for its engineering work. In an October 22 announcement, the company said it had received an occupancy permit for a separate operating facility intended to serve as a headquarters, research and assembly location. 

“Our vision is to establish a dedicated North Texas campus where our engineering teams can develop, assemble, evaluate and ultimately demonstrate our fusion energy systems,” Nelson added. “We believe that having a permanent facility is essential to supporting a serious, long-term technology development and commercialization program.”

American Fusion(TM) is developing the Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kepler Fusion Technologies. The company describes the platform as an aneutronic fusion system intended for modular deployment in applications that could include industrial facilities, commercial operations and electricity-constrained infrastructure.

Aneutronic fusion refers to fusion reactions designed to produce a greater share of their energy in charged particles rather than neutrons. In principle, the kinetic energy of those charged particles can be captured through direct-conversion technologies, rather than relying solely on a conventional thermal cycle. American Fusion(TM) has also described a proposed magnetic-to-electric conversion system, but that technology remains under development and has not been demonstrated as a commercial power-generation system.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AmericanFusionEnergy.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to AMFN are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/AMFN

Disseminated on behalf of SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. and may include paid advertisements.

• Recent collaboration between IBM, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and AMD highlights the importance of integrating quantum processors with classical computing infrastructure to advance quantum error correction and practical applications.
• SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. is pursuing a complementary strategy through its live Super(TM) platform and the development of Super OS(TM), a Cloud and On-site Operating System for Hybrid Quantum Computing, and Super Nova(TM), SuperQ’s Quantum Computer and Foundry.
• The company’s strategy brings together existing software capabilities, software orchestration, hardware development and interoperability as organizations explore how quantum computing can work alongside existing technology.

Quantum computing is often discussed in terms of processor performance, qubit counts and the potential to solve increasingly complex problems. Yet, as the technology advances, another consideration is becoming increasingly important: how effectively quantum processors can work alongside the classical computing systems that support them. Connecting quantum processing units (“QPUs”) with conventional central processing units (“CPUs”) and graphics processing units (“GPUs”) may prove essential to error correction, coordinating workloads and moving emerging quantum capabilities toward practical applications.

A recent initiative involving IBM, the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Quantum Science Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (“ORNL”) and AMD illustrates this direction. Announced Nov. 5, 2026, the collaboration introduced a co-design platform for quantum error correction that brings IBM quantum processors together with ORNL’s high-performance computing infrastructure, powered by AMD GPUs and CPUs. The platform is intended to help researchers evaluate quantum-classical workflows, optimize error decoding and explore the computing architectures needed to support more reliable quantum systems.

The development highlights an industry shift in which progress may depend not only on advances in quantum hardware, but also on the software and infrastructure connecting different computing resources.

SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. (CSE: QBTQ; OTCQB: QBTQF) is advancing its own strategy around this broader hybrid computing opportunity. The company’s live Super(TM) platform enables users to address complex optimization, simulation and artificial intelligence workloads. Building on this existing software foundation, Super OS(TM) is in development as a Cloud and On-site Operating System for Hybrid Quantum Computing, intended to coordinate conventional CPUs, GPUs and QPUs within a unified computing environment.

Interoperability is an important part of SuperQ’s Super OS(TM) development strategy. The company’s roadmap outlines an initial focus on application programming interface-driven solver orchestration, with subsequent development intended to introduce more direct quantum control electronics and error decoding. The approach is intended to support coordination across different computing architectures, while potentially giving organizations greater flexibility as they evaluate quantum resources and applications.

Complementing these software capabilities, SuperQ is developing Super Nova(TM), its Quantum Computer and Foundry initiative. The project is intended to support the company’s hybrid quantum computing strategy, with Super OS(TM) designed to operate natively within the planned hardware architecture.

As the quantum computing industry works toward more practical and scalable systems, integration across hardware and software may become an increasingly important differentiator. Through its live Super(TM) platform and development of Super OS(TM) and Super Nova(TM), SuperQ is pursuing a strategy that brings these elements together. The company’s ability to advance interoperability, hardware development and commercial execution will be important factors in translating that broader vision into practical applications.

For more information, visit www.superq.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QBTQF are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/QBTQF

• ECGI Holdings has completed its acquisition of Avanta Group, with a focus on healthcare and coordinated care services.
• Avanta’s developing platform combines a Medicare Advantage health plan with a management-services organization and AI-enabled healthcare technology, identifying gaps in preventive care, prioritizing patient outreach, and automating administrative workflows.
• Avanta’s proposed health plan still requires applicable regulatory approvals , with ECGI’s progress depending upon licensing, enrollment, execution of its integrated operating model, and its ability to manage healthcare costs.

ECGI Holdings Inc. (OTC: ECGI), a publicly traded holding company focused on developing healthcare services and AI-enabled operational technology, has completed its acquisition of Avanta Group, giving the holding company a healthcare platform centered on coordinated care, health-plan development and artificial intelligence-enabled services.

The transaction moves ECGI toward a more focused healthcare strategy, bringing Avanta’s developing health plan together with management services and technology intended to help providers identify care gaps, improve patient outreach and streamline administrative work.

In an October 22 announcement, ECGI highlighted the acquisition as an entry into the coordinated-care market, where health plans and providers face growing pressure to manage chronic conditions and improve preventive care. The company’s broader approach is outlined in an AINewsWire editorial on artificial intelligence and preventive healthcare (https://ibn.fm/L9aNr).

The model Avanta proposes is intended to connect clinical support with healthcare administration and member services. The platform remains in development, however, and its proposed health-plan operations depend on obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals.

Avanta brings several related businesses under the ECGI umbrella. Its planned structure includes Avanta Health Plan, Avanta MSO, Avanta Tech and Avanta Mart, alongside a real-estate entity intended to support healthcare infrastructure.

The health plan is expected to focus on Medicare Advantage, as well as commercial and individual coverage. The management-services organization is designed to support physician groups with operational functions such as payer-contract negotiations, financial reporting, billing oversight, scheduling and patient engagement.

Avanta positions these services as support for providers moving from traditional fee-for-service reimbursement toward value-based care arrangements. Under value-based models, healthcare organizations may be rewarded for quality and outcomes rather than being paid solely for the volume of services delivered.

Avanta Tech is intended to provide the data and automation capabilities connecting the platform’s different functions. ECGI has identified potential applications including care-gap detection, member-service automation, provider-network analysis, claims workflows and fraud detection. 

Avanta Mart is intended to provide a consumer-health and wellness channel through which members could access relevant products and benefits. The company’s real-estate interests are designed to support the physical infrastructure associated with healthcare delivery.

ECGI President Jamie Steigerwald has described the objective as building an integrated platform that uses automation and AI to support care navigation, earlier intervention and administrative decision-making. “Healthcare is one of the largest and most consequential sectors of the U.S. economy,” said Steigerwald. “Our objective is not simply to participate in that market, but to build an integrated platform capable of using automation and artificial intelligence to improve navigation, identify opportunities for earlier intervention, streamline administrative workflows and support more informed decision-making.”

The market ECGI is targeting is substantial. U.S. national health expenditures reached approximately $5.3 trillion in 2024, according to the figures cited in the company’s coverage. Medicare Advantage is also a significant segment: estimates cited by ECGI put enrollment at approximately 35.2 million people, or 55% of those eligible, with projected payments of $574 billion in 2026.

Avanta has filed a letter of intent with the California Department of Managed Health Care, according to the company’s published account, but had not yet submitted its formal license application at that time. A formal application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was also pending, with a notice of intent planned for October 2026. The health plan cannot begin formal operations or enrolling of members until it secures the applicable approvals. 

ECGI’s strategy reflects wider interest in applying AI to healthcare administration and patient engagement. The American Medical Association’s 2026 physician survey, as cited in the editorial, found that 81% of physicians reported using AI in their work, up from 38% in 2023. For coordinated care, potential applications include bringing together information held in separate systems, flagging overdue screenings and helping care teams identify patients who may need follow-up. Such tools could help direct staff attention toward patients at greater risk of falling out of routine care.

ECGI acquired all outstanding shares of Avanta Group in exchange for 17,160,000 shares of Series A Voting Convertible Preferred Stock. Of that amount, 10,296,000 shares, representing 60% of the total, vested immediately at closing. The remaining 6,864,000 shares are subject to transfer restrictions and performance-based vesting.

ECGI has also reported clearing a $2.556 million convertible obligation earlier in October, a step it said advanced its efforts to reduce debt and derivative liabilities. The acquisition’s preferred-stock consideration and the company’s wider financing position remain relevant when assessing potential dilution and the resources available to develop the healthcare business.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ECGIHoldings.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ECGI are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ECGI

Leveraged and inverse ETFs took center stage at Stocktoberfest presented by Tradr ETFs, Stocktwits’ flagship annual event held in New York City from October 5 to 7. The Leveraged & Inverse ETFs panel brought together Michael Eschmann, Managing Director of Business Development at REX Shares; Bilal Little, Global ETF Strategist at Direxion; and Matt Markiewicz, Head of Product and Capital Markets at Tradr ETFs.

The panel focused on tools that let high-conviction traders express a view without the complexity of margin or options, a subject with obvious appeal for a room full of active traders, Chartered Market Technicians, and financial creators.

The session also put the event’s partners on stage. Tradr ETFs served as Title Partner of Stocktoberfest 2026, while Direxion and MicroSectors by REX Shares were among its supporting and on-site partners, alongside Accutron, Alpaca, ArcStone, Carbon Arc, IBN, Lowenstein Sandler, Maxim Group, Nasdaq Private Market, REalloys, Rothschild Wealth Partners, Secfi, VanEck, Voyager Technologies, and ZenaTech.

The ETF discussion was one of several sessions on how traders are expressing views in new ways. The Degenerate Economy panel, with Serge Kassardjian of 6th Man Ventures, Dan Kang of DeFi Development Corp., and Ethan Silver of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, examined why prediction markets and brokers are racing to become each other while crypto exchanges are caught in the middle.

Stocktoberfest 2026 drew more than 350 ticketed guests, including 40 financial creators with a combined audience of more than 11 million followers, for three days of networking, entertainment, and conversations with the executives shaping today’s markets.

For more information and to stay tuned for Stocktoberfest 2027, visit stocktoberfest.stocktwits.com

Disseminated on behalf of Metalsource Mining Inc. and may include paid advertising.

• Metalsource Mining, advancing the historic Silver Hill Project in North Carolina, is using modern drilling technology to test for a much larger silver-gold-polymetallic system than previous generations ever understood.
• The company reported approximately 22 metres of visually identified polymetallic mineralization in drill hole SH26-45, an 80-metre southern step out at its Silver Hill Project in North Carolina.
• The company says mineralization remains open to the north, south and at depth, with the outer boundaries of the system still to be determined.
• The company is integrating drilling, historical geological information, geophysical surveys, and surface sampling, to refine targets beyond the established mine area.
• Silver Hill is a historically producing polymetallic district, while Metalsource also holds the Byrd-Pilot Mountain gold exploration project elsewhere in North Carolina.

Metalsource Mining (CSE: MSM) (OTCQB: MSMMF) (FSE: E9Z), a mineral exploration company, has identified a further interval of mineralization south of its established drilling area at the Silver Hill Project, reporting approximately 22 metres of visually observed polymetallic mineralization in a hole drilled 80 metres beyond a previous intersection.

The company announced on October 22 that drill hole SH26-45 encountered widespread semi-massive sulphide and vein-style mineralization. The intersection extends exploration beyond the previously drilled footprint and provides additional geological information as Metalsource works toward larger step outs to test the scale of the system (https://ibn.fm/yV0Er).

The interval is reported as core length, not true width. More importantly, laboratory assays were still pending when the company released the results. The visual identification of sulphide mineralization does not establish its metal grades, continuity or economic significance.

The latest result is part of a broader programme to determine how far the Silver Hill mineralized system extends beyond the historic mine area. Metalsource says mineralization remains open to the north, south and at depth, although the limits of the system have not yet been established.

The company is using two drill rigs to pursue different objectives. One is supporting expansion around Silver Hill, including follow-up work to the south and at depth. The second is testing priority targets along the broader trend, with target selection informed by geological interpretation, induced polarization (“IP”) surveys and surface sampling.

Metalsource is also preparing for significantly larger step outs to the north and south. These are intended to test areas farther from the established drilling footprint, rather than simply extending existing drill sections by incremental distances.

Project Geologist Dale Moore said the combination of the 80-metre step out and the length of the mineralized interval provided additional information about the possible southern continuation of the system. He said the company was using successive holes to refine its geological interpretation before committing to larger exploration moves.

“The objective is not simply to keep extending individual drill sections. We are using each hole to refine our understanding of the geology, identify the most prospective directions and build the confidence required to make much larger exploration moves toward expanding the system,” Moore said. “SH26-45 provides another encouraging data point as we continue testing how far the Silver Hill mineralized system may extend.”

Chief Executive Officer Joe Cullen similarly described the intersection as encouraging because mineralization was encountered farther south as the drilling footprint expanded. He emphasized, however, that assays would determine the grades.

“Our confidence in the geological model continues to grow, and that confidence is allowing us to take increasingly larger step outs. We are making excellent progress toward our planned major step outs to the north and south, while our second drill advances targets along the broader trend,” Cullen added. “We have demonstrated high grade mineralization at Silver Hill, and now we are focused on understanding its scale. With multiple assays pending and a growing pipeline of exploration targets, I believe we are entering one of the most exciting phases in the company’s history.”

The October 22 release said analytical results remained outstanding for SH26-45 and several other completed holes. Those results should provide a more substantive basis for evaluating the new intersection and determining how subsequent drilling should be directed.

Metalsource sends samples to ALS Geochemistry in Reno, Nevada, and ALS Canada in Vancouver for analysis. Its stated quality-control procedures include certified reference materials, blanks and duplicate samples. Drill core is split, with one half sent for laboratory analysis and the other retained on site.

The company also cautioned that the exploration results are preliminary and insufficient to define a mineral resource. Further drilling will be required to establish the continuity, geometry and grade distribution of the mineralization. A modern resource estimate remains an objective, not an existing measure of the project’s size or economic potential. 

Silver Hill is located in Davidson County, North Carolina, within the Carolina Terrane. The property covers approximately 1,225 acres, according to the latest company release. Silver was discovered there in 1838, and mining began the following year. The district subsequently produced silver, gold, lead and zinc.

The historic workings and records provide a substantial body of information for current exploration. Metalsource says its geological database includes historic drill-hole records, underground mapping, dumps and underground chip samples. The company’s current interpretation identifies steeply trending mineralized lenses extending to approximately 550 metres below surface, with openings in multiple directions.

The objective of the present programme is to use modern drilling and geological modelling to assess mineralization beyond the areas explored historically. The latest southern intersection adds another data point, but the larger question is whether the mineralized structures continue across a substantially wider area.

Metalsource is also advancing its Byrd-Pilot Mountain Project in central North Carolina. Earlier USGS surveys identified the area as prospective for a porphyry gold-copper system. Subsequent work identified gold mineralization in soils, trenches and shallow reverse-circulation drilling, alongside alteration and geophysical features that the company considers relevant to a possible epithermal or porphyry-related system.

The Meridian discovery zone at Byrd-Pilot has not been drilled since exploration campaigns in the 1980s, according to the company. It therefore represents a separate exploration opportunity, although its potential will require further testing.

For Metalsource, the immediate focus remains Silver Hill. The 22-metre visual intersection in SH26-45 is encouraging evidence that mineralization has been encountered beyond the previously drilled area, but it is not yet a grade result or proof of a larger economic system. The next phase will depend on laboratory assays and the results of the planned step outs. If those results support the current geological interpretation, Metalsource may be able to refine its understanding of the system and identify further areas for drilling. 

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MetalSourceMining.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MSMMF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MSMMF

Disseminated on behalf of Lahontan Gold Corp. and may include paid advertising.

• A shrinking pipeline of major gold discoveries is placing greater emphasis on established deposits, resource expansion and projects with clearer development pathways.
• S&P Global reports that just nine major gold deposits have reached the 2-million-ounce discovery threshold since 2020, highlighting the growing challenge of replacing future gold supply.
• Lahontan Gold Corp. is advancing its past-producing Santa Fe Mine in Nevada, with an updated preliminary economic assessment outlining an 11-year active mine life and US$820 million post-tax NPV.

The global mining industry faces an increasingly complex challenge: finding and developing enough new deposits to sustain future production. Despite significant investment in exploration and favorable conditions for gold producers, discovering large, economically attractive deposits has become more difficult. As a result, mining companies are looking beyond unexplored territory and toward established assets that offer opportunities for resource expansion, mine-life extensions and renewed production.

A September 2026 analysis from S&P Global Market Intelligence highlighted the growing imbalance between the industry’s appetite for gold and its ability to identify major new deposits. According to the research, only nine deposits discovered since 2020 have reached the 2-million-ounce threshold, containing a combined 38 million ounces of gold. By comparison, major discoveries made between 1990 and 1995 contained approximately 1.3 billion ounces.

The challenge extends beyond discovery itself. S&P Global estimates that the average timeline from discovery to production has grown to approximately 16 years, underscoring the considerable time and investment required to bring new mining projects online. Consequently, exploration and development strategies are increasingly emphasizing known deposits, resource expansion and projects with established geological information.

This shift is also reflected in the strategies of major gold producers. On November 5, AngloGold Ashanti announced plans to invest approximately US$900 million to increase annual production by at least 400,000 ounces by the end of the decade, with much of that growth expected to come from expanding existing operations and leveraging established infrastructure.

Together, these developments highlight an important opportunity within the mining sector: previously productive deposits with additional resource potential can offer another pathway toward strengthening future gold supply.

One company pursuing this opportunity is Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSX.V: LG) (OTCQB: LGCXF), a Dual-listed, Nevada-focused mine development and exploration company advancing its flagship Santa Fe Mine toward a potential return to production.

Located in Nevada’s prolific Walker Lane region, Santa Fe is a past-producing open-pit, heap-leach gold-silver operation that produced approximately 359,202 ounces of gold and 702,067 ounces of silver between 1988 and 1995. The property’s historical production, existing mine infrastructure and substantial mineral resource provide a foundation for Lahontan’s redevelopment strategy.

The company’s progress received a significant boost in October when it announced an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) for Santa Fe. The study outlined an 11-year active mine life, average annual production of approximately 91,900 gold-equivalent ounces and a projected post-tax net present value of US$820 million at a 5% discount rate, based on assumed gold and silver prices of US$3,600 and US$49 per ounce, respectively.

The assessment also outlined a projected internal rate of return of 40.1% and estimated pre-production capital requirements of US$172 million. These results represent a substantial improvement over the project’s 2024 preliminary economic assessment, reflecting the continued advancement of the asset.

Importantly, the updated study provides a framework for the company’s next development milestones. Lahontan has completed environmental baseline studies and is advancing permitting activities, with the objective of obtaining the necessary federal and state permits to commence construction in 2027.

Beyond the existing resource, the company continues to investigate opportunities to expand the project’s potential. Its exploration activities include evaluating historical heap-leach pads for residual gold and silver mineralization, testing additional mineralized zones and advancing the nearby West Santa Fe satellite project.

In an October 27 corporate update, Lahontan reported completing more than 13,300 meters of drilling across its Santa Fe and West Santa Fe projects during 2026, with additional assay results expected as the programs progress.

As the gold industry works to address the long-term challenge of replacing mineral resources and developing new production, established mining assets with historical production and additional exploration potential are attracting renewed attention. Lahontan’s efforts to advance the Santa Fe Mine reflect this industry opportunity, combining an existing mining operation with an expanded resource base, updated economic assessment and ongoing development work in one of Nevada’s established mining regions.

With its flagship project advancing toward a targeted 2027 construction start, Lahontan Gold is working to position Santa Fe for a new chapter of gold and silver production.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LahontanGoldCorp.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LGCXF are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/LGCXF

Disseminated on behalf of SPARC AI Inc. and may include paid advertising.

• The Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget request includes $53.6 billion, described as a multi-year investment, to expand U.S. drone capabilities and protect service members from adversary unmanned systems.
• SPARC AI reported live testing under GPS jamming 17 kilometers from Ukraine’s front line, while a government ministry in the Middle East flew Overwatch on its own drones under spoofing conditions.
• The company is expanding Overwatch into fixed-wing UAVs through a European manufacturer agreement while advancing fleet-wide intelligence and commercial opportunities in the Middle East.

Military drone budgets are moving from thousands of aircraft to millions. The Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget request includes $53.6 billion, described as a multi-year investment, to expand U.S. drone capabilities and protect service members from adversary unmanned systems. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told an AUSA panel this month that the department is also seeking roughly $50 billion in one-time reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems. The Army has said it expects to buy at least a million drones within two to three years, treating them more like expendable ammunition than exquisite equipment. The same request that funds U.S. drones also funds defenses against adversary ones, and on the battlefields shaping these plans, jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation are routine. Every drone bought at this scale for a contested environment has to keep working when GPS fails.

SPARC AI Inc. (CSE: SPAI) (OTCQB: SPAIF) (FSE: 5OV0) is building for that condition with Overwatch, a positioning service that returns a drone’s location without GPS.

Volume Changes the Navigation Problem

When drones are bought in the hundreds of thousands, the cost and effort of every component multiply. A navigation fix that adds hardware, software or a separate integration program to each airframe has to be repeated across every model and every fleet, then maintained as designs change. Ukraine and Russia were each producing roughly 4 million drones a year by late 2025, according to Reuters, which shows how quickly a per-airframe solution runs into scale limits.

Overwatch takes a different route. The drone keeps its primary navigation, whether GNSS, inertial or visual. When another position source is needed, it sends the telemetry it already generates to Overwatch, hosted in secure data centers, and receives latitude, longitude and time in return. SPARC says the service requires no additional onboard hardware or software, although connecting each aircraft platform still requires integration. The service also handles target location, calculating coordinates for a point of interest on land or water, a task that otherwise calls for a laser rangefinder or lidar.

Testing Where Jamming Is Routine

SPARC AI has taken Overwatch to the environments the new budgets are preparing for. On September 23, the company reported live testing under GPS jamming 17 kilometers from Ukraine’s front line, with Overwatch integrated on a large quadcopter returning aircraft position and target coordinates, including locating a pole more than 600 meters away. SPARC AI says positions in Ukraine were accurate to within one meter. In the Middle East, a government ministry flew Overwatch on its own drones under spoofing conditions, a different threat that feeds a receiver false positions rather than simply cutting the signal.

SPARC AI describes both sets of trials as independently verified, run by operators on their own aircraft and at their own sites. The validating organizations have not been named, and detailed test data has not been published.

From Trials to Procurement

Defense spending reaches suppliers through procurement channels, and SPARC AI is working toward them. The company is pursuing a NATO Stock Number for Overwatch, the cataloging step that lets allied militaries order an item through standard supply systems, though a stock number alone doesn’t constitute procurement approval. After the Ukraine tests, it reported engagements with several drone manufacturers, including on unmanned ground vehicles and fixed-wing aircraft.

On October 26, SPARC AI announced a memorandum of understanding with an unnamed major European drone manufacturer to integrate and independently evaluate Overwatch on two new fixed-wing UAVs. The agreement also incorporates Overwatch Intelligence, the company’s platform for consolidating positioning data from multiple connected aircraft into a unified operational picture. Designed to give mission commanders visibility into aircraft positions, observation data and movement history on a single map, the platform extends the potential application of Overwatch beyond individual drone navigation and toward coordinated fleet operations.

The fixed-wing integration also broadens the technology’s potential aircraft applications. These platforms typically operate over greater distances and for longer durations than multirotor drones, increasing the importance of reliable positioning when GPS signals are unavailable, denied or downgraded. The MOU establishes a path toward potential commercial deployment, subject to successful independent testing and validation. It is not yet a purchase contract, and the company has not disclosed revenue-generating agreements.

Expanding Beyond Defense

The company’s commercial strategy is also extending into the Middle East. Following the reported government drone validation under GPS spoofing conditions, SPARC AI announced an agreement with a regional advisory firm to support and advance defense and commercial activities in the region. The firm is expected to help convert the validation into commercial engagements with government and defense customers.

Beyond military applications, SPARC AI identifies potential opportunities for Overwatch in commercial and emergency-response markets, where reliable positioning can also be important. Examples include operations around critical infrastructure, urban environments where satellite signals may be unreliable, and disaster-response situations. These opportunities could extend the platform’s relevance beyond defense, although commercial adoption and revenue generation remain to be demonstrated.

The business model is built for fleet-scale buying. Overwatch carries an annual fee per connected drone, or a sovereign service fee covering an entire government or agency and can run on government or classified infrastructure inside the customer’s boundary.

What the Spending Surge Means

The scale of planned drone procurement creates an opening for positioning services that can expand without installing new hardware on every aircraft. With reported testing in GPS-denied environments, a European fixed-wing integration program and growing commercial engagement in the Middle East, SPARC AI is pursuing multiple avenues for Overwatch adoption. The next important milestone will be translating those evaluations and commercial discussions into validated deployments and paying customer agreements.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://sparcai.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SPAIF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SPAIF

• Late last year, the Pentagon launched a $1 billion drone dominance program, with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pledging to deliver “tens of thousands of small drones to our force in 2026.”
• As military forces accelerate drone deployment, secure communications, electronic warfare resilience and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly important components of autonomous systems.
• Mobilicom provides an expanding portfolio of hardware and software solutions designed to secure drones, robotics and autonomous platforms, with growing commercial traction among tier-1 manufacturers.

Autonomous drones and other unmanned systems depend on several interconnected technologies to carry out their intended missions. Communications links connect platforms with operators, onboard systems execute mission instructions, and reliable data supports operational decision-making. As military organizations continue to rely on these technologies, protecting the systems and connections supporting autonomous operations is becoming an important consideration.

The threat is not theoretical. A report from the Royal United Services Institute estimated that Ukraine was losing roughly 10,000 aerial drones per month, largely to Russian electronic warfare and counter-drone systems. Russian forces reportedly placed an electronic warfare system about every 10 kilometers along parts of the front.

Demand for small drones is rising despite these challenges. Late last year, the Pentagon launched a $1 billion drone dominance program, with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pledging to deliver “tens of thousands of small drones to our force in 2026.” The effort calls for roughly 340,000 small, unmanned aircraft over two years.

The Marine Corps has its own priority. Its Organic Precision Fires-Light program, known as OPF-L, gives infantry squads a backpackable loitering munition capable of striking targets beyond the line of sight. In 2024, the service selected AeroVironment, Anduril and Teledyne FLIR for a potential $249 million, eight-year contract, and in April 2026, it completed OPF-L’s early capability release.

As these programs advance, manufacturers must address several technical requirements involved in deploying autonomous systems. Communications links need to maintain reliable connections, onboard systems must be protected against unauthorized changes, and information transmitted between platforms and operators must remain secure. These considerations become particularly important in environments where electronic warfare and other cyber threats can interfere with mission operations.

That is where Mobilicom (NASDAQ: MOB) is positioning its technology. The company provides cybersecurity, software and hardware solutions for drones, robotics and autonomous platforms, primarily through original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) relationships. Its portfolio spans secure datalinks, mesh networking, cybersecurity software and ground control systems, addressing several of the technical requirements involved in deploying autonomous platforms at scale.

Among its established offerings, Mobilicom’s SkyHopper datalinks provide bidirectional communications for video, data and control signals, while its ICE cybersecurity software is designed to protect datalinks against cyber threats and electronic warfare attacks, helping maintain secure and reliable communications in contested environments. The company’s broader portfolio also includes OS3, a foundational cybersecurity platform designed to protect autonomous systems from within through capabilities such as access control, configuration hardening, runtime policy enforcement and anomaly detection.

Mobilicom is also expanding its communications capabilities to address the growing complexity of multi-platform operations. Its SwarmiX family of mesh communication solutions is designed for data-heavy missions involving unmanned aerial systems, ground vehicles and other autonomous platforms. The technology features throughput of up to 1 Gbps, multiband frequency agility and electronic warfare resilience, with mesh networking designed to support hundreds of nodes. As military operations incorporate coordinated fleets and drone swarms, these capabilities address a different dimension of the connectivity challenge: keeping multiple autonomous assets communicating reliably across complex and contested radio-frequency environments.

Together, these offerings fit within Mobilicom’s broader Secured Autonomy(TM) framework, which encompasses three complementary areas: secured autonomous platforms, secured autonomous fleets, and secured communications and electronic warfare protection. Rather than addressing cybersecurity as an isolated feature, the framework reflects a wider approach to protecting the systems, networks and communications infrastructure supporting autonomous operations.

The company says its ICE technology can defend against more than 10 types of cyberattacks in real time. Mobilicom also cites its NDAA compliance, Blue UAS Framework selection and inclusion on the FCC’s Trusted Drone list. Those credentials strengthen Mobilicom’s positioning with defense-oriented manufacturers, complementing its growing portfolio of design wins and production orders. Earlier this year, Mobilicom announced $2.2 million in new purchase orders from a large U.S. manufacturer of small drones with more than $5 billion in annual sales. The customer integrates SkyHopper PRO and ICE into loitering munitions sold under OPF-L, a $249 million Department of War program of record. The new orders followed an earlier $1.5 million order and a series of initial orders of approximately $200,000 each. CEO Oren Elkayam described the Program of Record win as a major inflection point for Mobilicom, citing increasingly larger orders at an accelerating pace. 

The bigger story may be how those orders are flowing. During its second-quarter earnings call in August, Mobilicom said the program had shifted to monthly deliveries. Most of the company’s first-half revenue came in the second quarter as a result.

That cadence changes how investors may read the business. Mobilicom’s Director of Finance Liad Gelfer said the backlog decline “reflected shipments rather than weakening demand.” He described the backlog as “throughput rather than a stock of waiting orders.”

Mobilicom wants to replicate that progress across additional programs. One tier-1 platform was on a monthly delivery cadence as of the earnings call, and the company’s 2026 goal is to reach two. That second platform could come from Mobilicom’s existing portfolio of design wins. The company reported nine Tier-1 design wins in the first half, already achieving its full-year target of eight to ten. According to the company, five are in development, three are in initial production and one is in production ramp-up.

Recent wins show the breadth of that pipeline. In May, Mobilicom announced design wins with two U.S. tier-1 drone manufacturers for small reconnaissance platforms using SkyHopper and ICE. A returning Israeli tier-1 customer also selected its technology for a soldier-portable loitering munition, and another partner is advancing through the U.S. Army’s LASSO program.

The company also has the balance sheet to support its expansion efforts. Mobilicom reported first-half 2026 revenue of $1.7 million, up 19% year over year, and $15.2 million in cash with no debt as of June 30. It is also finalizing a U.S. manufacturing partner, with a first U.S. production run planned for 2026.

Design wins are where defense technology suppliers start, but recurring deliveries are where they prove themselves. Mobilicom has crossed that line with one program of record, while its expanding product portfolio addresses the growing security and connectivity requirements of autonomous platforms. Its next test is advancing more of its nine Tier-1 design wins into scaled production and recurring deliveries.

For more information, visit the company’s website at Mobilicom.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MOB are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MOB

Disseminated on behalf of LaFleur Minerals Inc. and may include paid advertising.

LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) Anticipates Initial Gold Production in Early 2027

• Price Rally:
  Gold rebounded sharply above $4,000/oz—climbing past $4,050–$4,100 per ounce—as the election outcome triggered a softer U.S. dollar and falling Treasury yields.
  J.P. Morgan Global Research projects gold prices to average $6,000 per ounce by the fourth quarter of 2026, with a further extension toward $6,300 per ounce by the end of 2027.
  (https://ibn.fm/OEyBL & https://ibn.fm/Y9lW0)
• Canada-based LaFleur Minerals is preparing to begin processing gold at its Beacon Gold Mill early next year within the renowned Abitibi Greenstone Belt, completing final work on its tailings storage facility.
• LaFleur recently completed an arms-length offtake purchase agreement with international metals trader Ocean Partners UK Limited that will provide a financing facility to help LaFleur avoid the need for raising additional equity before gold production begins.

LaFleur Minerals (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) continues to wrap up final efforts on its near-term mine-to-mill gold production strategy, anticipating that the company will begin producing gold in early 2027, even as a fluctuating spot gold market has created interest among many investors in “buying the dip” before prices begin an expected rebound with US Midterm election win by Democrats (https://ibn.fm/s9QCK).

LaFleur Minerals owns the fully permitted and refurbished Beacon Gold Mill and tailings storage facility in Val-d’Or, Québec and the nearby Swanson Gold Project, which contains the PEA-stage Swanson Gold Deposit and numerous other gold targets, all located in Eastern Canada’s prolific Abitibi Gold Belt — the nation’s largest gold-producing region. The company has been busy working to recommission its Beacon Gold Mill, while evaluating the development potential of its flagship Swanson Gold Deposit central to the company’s Swanson Gold Project. In September, LaFleur announced that recommissioning work at the Beacon Gold Mill had passed 95% of completion, and that the company was nearing the point of processing existing stockpile on site as an initial test of the mill’s equipment and flowsheet. The recommissioning work is now all but complete. 

Refurbished Mill Ready To Produce

“The mill itself is effectively fully refurbished,” LaFleur CEO Andrew Elinesky said during an interview with the Stocks to Watch webcast published Nov. 4 (https://ibn.fm/NRKcY). “And so, what we’re left with is the remaining work to have the permit status changed by the government,” Elinesky said. “It went from operating status to care and maintenance status and, effectively, the province asked us to do some further work on the tailings storage facility, which we’re about to complete in the coming weeks. And once that’s complete and signed off on by the government, they switch our permit back into an operating status, which will allow us to commence commissioning work.” 

After gold price dropping over the past months to its lowest price in more than a year, the spot price saw an initial bounce back up above $4,000 following news of sweeping wins by the Democratic party in the U.S.’s midterm elections, continuing the fluctuations that have driven market news since February (https://ibn.fm/iQwDw). The rebound in the gold price also highlight LaFleur’s profit readiness thanks to its low base case.

Low Entry Point For A Long Rise

Gold investors are betting that ongoing concerns regarding the global debt crisis will continue to make gold attractive as a safe harbor for wealth (https://ibn.fm/JiEzC). Although inflation can move the Fed to increase their benchmark funds rate, pulling investor money toward treasuries, there is confidence that there will be a powerful long-term drive by various central banks and others to buy and hold gold. This makes gold’s currently low price an attractive entry point for investors with foresight. If so, inexpensive gold mining shares represent even more potential, with operations that are just beginning to actually produce being the ideal choice. 

Price Projections 

J.P. Morgan Global Research has maintained a structurally bullish long-term outlook on precious metals, projecting gold averaging $6,000/oz by Q4 2026 and $6,300/oz by Q4 2027 in broader commodity forecasts, with interim desk targets earlier in the year eyeing progression toward $4,500 to $5,200/oz horizons

LaFleur recently announced that assay results from its regional drilling program within the Swanson Gold Project produced new targets for follow-up drilling to test the continuity of mineralization along strike and down-dip (https://ibn.fm/KanG0). In addition, as the company completes ongoing permitting work to process its first bulk sample from its Swanson property, it has secured an arm’s length definitive gold and silver off-take purchase agreement with international metals trader Ocean Partners UK Limited that allows LaFleur to avoid having to raise additional equity to realize its strategy.

“It’s been a busy year for everybody on the team but the next six months you’re going to see the culmination of those efforts,” Elinesky told Stocks to Watch host Dave Jackson. “Firstly, obviously, we’ve had the refurbishment of the mill. We should see the permits switch back for Beacon into production status or operating status, which will allow us to commission.”

“In the meantime, we will continue to have exploration news as well,” Elinesky added. “Once we get into Q1 of next year, we’re obviously going to see the submission of the closure plan for Swanson and then hopefully some clarity on the timeline for when bulk sample mining activities can commence. The goal there is to work with the province as best we can to allow them to give us the green light to commence bulk sample mining activities as soon as the weather allows us to in late Q1 or early Q2 of next year.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at LaFleurMinerals.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LFLRF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LFLRF

Qualified Person Statement:

All scientific and technical information contained in this article has been reviewed and approved by Marc Ducharme, P.Geo. (OGQ), Vice President of Exploration for the company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.