Growing geopolitical tensions are pushing capital out of sovereign bonds and into private assets, a rotation market-cycle analyst Martin Armstrong links to a potential renewed gold rally from Q1 next year. Armstrong sees Europe as particularly exposed, arguing EU states face rising war-related borrowing costs and inflation as “war drums” lift long-term rates, while bond markets “give us the real story”. He warns that if gold closes below $4,000/oz weekly it could test $3,500–$3,700, but expects elections in the US, Israel and Ukraine to keep geopolitical risk elevated and ultimately drive prices higher.

McEwen has agreed to sell its Fuller and Paymaster gold properties in Ontario’s Timmins district to Discovery Mining for $55 million in cash and stock, freeing capital to push a production target of 250,000–300,000 gold-equivalent ounces per year by 2030. The deal covers 210 hectares at Fuller, a 60% stake in the 179-hectare Paymaster property, and associated surface rights, consolidating Paymaster under Discovery’s Dome Mine subsidiary. Proceeds will be reinvested into the Fox Complex (Froome, Stock, Grey Fox), Nevada’s Gold Bar Complex, and Mexico’s El Gallo build, with Stock Mine slated for first ore in Q4 2026 and commercial output in Q1 2027.

South America’s Lithium Triangle holds about 64 million tonnes of identified lithium resources (43% of the global 150 million tonnes), yet geologist José Cabello’s review of 43 salt flats across Argentina, Bolivia and Chile shows that variable brine chemistry, impurities and groundwater behaviour make recovery and costs highly site-specific. Salar de Atacama benefits from ultra‑dry climate, relatively clean brines and strong logistics, while other basins such as Altoandinos, Pedernales, Hombre Muerto Oeste, Rincón, Sal de los Ángeles and Sal de Vida face tighter water and hydrogeological constraints. Direct lithium extraction (DLE) could unlock lower‑grade or impurity‑rich brines, but Cabello stresses that trade‑offs between brine withdrawal and freshwater consumption mean technology selection must be tailored to each basin’s hydrology and ecosystem.