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This photographer is celebrating tiny creatures through close-up images

Dara Ojo was once afraid of spiders, particularly the biting, venomous kind. How times have changed. Not only is the photographer willing to get up very close and personal with arachnids of all stripes, he’s passionately conserving insects through this work.

Ojo, 34, is a master of macrophotography — extreme close-up shots, in this case of wildlife — showing tiny critters in all their odd, beautiful glory.

For the photographer, who describes himself as a conservation storyteller, it is about “shining the light on these tiny little details that people just walk past because they’re small.”

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and now living in Canada, Ojo’s first encounter with photography was using his father’s Nikon camera as a child. He photographed birds, snakes, frogs and other creatures. Much later, he was teaching English in China when the Covid-19 pandemic struck and began photographing insects as a remedy to the boredom of lockdown.

But there was another purpose too: amid the deluge of photographs of different animals he saw online, Ojo noticed relatively little high-profile work of nature’s smallest creations. He wanted to fill this gap, “and also create some positive publicity for insects.”

Eyes like speakers, posterior like pagodas

Ojo first learned how to shoot macrophotography from YouTube tutorials and took a course called “Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions” at the University of Alberta, Canada. In 2020 he created his first macro image, of a dragonfly. Two years later, his photos of a white-striped longhorn beetle taken in China went viral.

The beetle is typically 20-40 mm long, but Ojo’s image of the insect makes it feel human-size, with an intimidating yet intriguing poise. Its eyes look like speakers, and details invisible to the naked eye, like its microscopic facial hairs, are on full display.

His work has circulated the internet, with some Instagram posts hitting almost a million views. It has also caught the attention of the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed who shared some of them on X, to mark the 2025 World Biodiversity Day.

But the recognition brings certain pressures. “Now that eyes are on me, globally, I have to keep the bar higher than the last, each time I shoot. Also, as a black person, I feel like a role model, giving a voice as people of color who are not usually seen in this kind of field. I therefore can’t stay comfortable,” he says.

Some other striking images are of the primrose moth, with distinct vivid pink and yellow coloring; a spiny-backed orb weaver spider with a pagoda-like posterior; a katydid — a type of cricket — with a face akin to a church dome; and a wolf spider eating a frog.

Ojo says, “I’m in awe of them when I am shooting. I see in them how God is a perfect designer, and the need for us to protect them.”

He has photographed more than 40 types of spiders, 50 moths and 30 butterflies species, over 20 dragonflies and at least 70 damselflies. Among all the fauna he’s photographed, the state of bees worries him the most. “Bees are rare and really endangered even though they are essential to our existence because of their pollination.” Ojo says.

Now, his work is being featured in “Insect Apocalypse,” the first episode of the documentary “Bugs that Rule the World,” which is being shown in the US and Canada. The four-part series focuses on the decline of insects and how this is detrimental to the ecosystem and to human existence, and includes photographs Ojo took in Costa Rica.

Ojo is working to release the first coffee table book of his works in 2026, and plans to add three more in the next five years.

Yet photography is not Ojo’s full-time occupation. He works as a data analyst at the University of Alberta, and has an MBA in information technology from Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, United Kingdom.

His tech background, he says, gives him an edge with processing the pictures, which are best taken at night and early morning when insects are asleep or resting, he explains. He captures multiple photographs at different depths of field and combines them using stacking software so the whole insect is in pin-sharp focus. Since the images are shot without alterations, he then digitally edits them, mainly to enhance colors.

Though he occasionally sells prints of his photography, his advocacy for his subjects is his main motive, Ojo says. Insect populations around the world are in peril. Among his once-feared spiders, for example, scores are categorized as critically endangered.

“The primary goal is to use my images to reveal the beauty of insects and other small creatures,” he says. First he draws people in, then shares a conservation message, then, hopefully, people will take action, Ojo explains.

“When people are blown away by the pictures, they are curious and develop empathy to conserve them.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Cobalt Prices Surge as DRC Extends Export Ban to September

Cobalt prices are surging after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the world’s largest producer, extended its export ban by three months in a bid to address global oversupply and stabilize plunging prices.

According to the Financial Times, cobalt prices on China’s Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange rose nearly 10 percent after the DRC government announced the news over the weekend.

The ban — originally set to expire on Monday (June 23) — will now remain in effect until at least September.

The DRC’s Strategic Mineral Substances Market Regulation and Control Authority (ARECOMS) said the extension was necessary “due to the continued high level of stock on the market.”

The ban, first imposed in February of this year, was initially slated to last four months.

It came after a prolonged slump in cobalt prices, which have plummeted approximately 60 percent over the past three years, reaching a nine year low of US$10 per pound earlier this year.

The DRC produced 72 percent of the global cobalt mine supply in 2024, as per market intelligence firm Project Blue.

The export halt has already begun to ripple through international markets. In China, where most of the world’s cobalt is refined, prices for the metal and related company stocks spiked.

‘We are likely to see an initial price spike, but real pressure will be later in the year as intermediate stocks begin to dry up,’ Thomas Matthews, a battery materials analyst at CRU Group, told Bloomberg. ‘In short, strap yourselves in.’

The government of the DRC is attempting to tackle a persistent supply glut that has undermined the cobalt market since 2022. By curbing exports, Kinshasa is aiming to drive up prices, thereby increasing revenues from royalties and taxes on mining companies, while also incentivizing further investment in its domestic mining infrastructure.

ARECOMS said that a follow-up decision will be made before the new deadline in September, signaling that the ban could be modified, extended or lifted depending on market developments.

Reuters reported last week that Congolese officials are also exploring a quota-based system for cobalt exports, which would allow selected volumes to leave the country while still exerting downward pressure on global supply.

The proposal has garnered support from major industry players.

Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), the world’s second largest cobalt producer and a key stakeholder in Congolese mining operations, is backing the potential quota system. The Swiss trader declared force majeure on some of its cobalt supply contracts earlier this year due to the export restrictions, citing exceptional circumstances. Nevertheless, Glencore has managed to fulfill its obligations so far, thanks to pre-existing cobalt stockpiles located outside the DRC.

By contrast, CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF,HKEX:3993,SHA:603993), the China-based firm that overtook Glencore as the world’s top cobalt producer in 2024, has been lobbying for the ban’s complete removal.

CMOC, which processes a significant share of Congolese cobalt in China, argues that prolonged supply constraints could jeopardize downstream industries and global battery production.

A race against the clock

Despite initial cushioning from global stockpiles, experts warn that refined cobalt supply may soon run thin.

Transporting cobalt from the landlocked DRC to China’s processing hubs typically takes about 90 days. This means that if shipments do not recommence soon, shortages could begin to materialize in late Q3 or early Q4.

‘Stockpiles of cobalt outside the DR Congo will reach very low levels by the September 21 deadline if nothing else changes,’ Jack Bedder, founder of Project Blue, told the Financial Times.

Cobalt plays a vital role in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics and renewable energy storage. While many battery makers have begun shifting toward lower-cobalt or cobalt-free chemistries, demand for the metal remains strong — especially for high-performance applications.

Complicating the supply/demand dynamics is the fact that cobalt is often a by-product of copper mining.

With copper prices rebounding sharply — trading around US$9,600 per metric ton this week on the London Metal Exchange — producers have little incentive to curb overall output.

The move to extend the cobalt ban also coincides with the DRC’s recent efforts to assert greater control over its vast mineral wealth. The Central African nation is currently in discussions with the US over a potential minerals partnership aimed at strengthening supply chain security for clean energy technologies.

The export suspension is just the latest in a series of efforts by resource-rich countries to assert more control over key commodities. Similar moves have been seen in Indonesia, which banned nickel ore exports in 2020 to spur domestic processing, and in Chile, where the government is pushing for greater state participation in the lithium sector.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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​Copper​ Market Hit by Major Supply Squeeze as LME Inventories Drop

One of the sharpest copper supply crunches in recent memory is rattling global commodities markets, as inventories at the London Metal Exchange (LME) plummet and the spot price soars.

Bloomberg reported that as of Monday (June 23), copper for immediate delivery was trading at a premium of US$345 per metric ton over three month futures, the widest spread since a record squeeze in 2021.

That dramatic price divergence reflects the market’s acute concerns over access to physical copper, with readily available inventories on the LME falling by around 80 percent this year alone.

Available stockpiles now cover less than a single day of global demand, amplifying anxiety across the supply chain.

Historic backwardation signals market distress

Backwardation in metals markets typically suggests that buyers are scrambling to obtain physical supply. In copper’s case, a combination of logistical, geopolitical and structural forces is driving the surge.

LME stockpiles have been rapidly drawn down as traders and manufacturers shift metal to the US in anticipation of potential trade barriers, spurred by US President Donald Trump’s tariff moves.

That migration has created acute shortages in Europe and Asia. Chinese smelters, responding to the price premium and slackening domestic demand, have begun exporting surplus copper to global markets. Yet those flows have not kept pace with the drawdowns, and China’s own inventories have also dwindled.

The LME had hoped recent regulatory interventions would prevent another disorderly squeeze like the one that disrupted the nickel market in 2022. Last week, the exchange enacted new rules mandating that traders with large front-month positions offer to lend those holdings if they exceed available inventories.

The so-called “front-month lending rule” is meant to discourage hoarding and promote liquidity.

However, recent copper trading data suggest that no single trader is behind the current squeeze. On Monday, the Tom/next spread — a one day lending rate — spiked to US$69 per metric ton.

This would only occur if no one entity held enough copper to trigger lending obligations under the new rules, indicating the tightness is likely the result of broad-based market dynamics rather than manipulation.

LME tightens oversight

As mentioned, the LME has begun cracking down on oversized positions across its metals complex.

In a June 20 statement, the exchange introduced a temporary, market-wide rule to manage large front-month exposures. Under the updated rules, traders holding positions in the front-month contract for a metal that exceed the total available exchange inventories — excluding any stock they already own — must offer to lend those positions at “level,” meaning they are required to roll them over to the next month at the same price.

The rule aims to rein in aggressive moves by commodities trading houses that have made deep inroads into metals markets over the past year. The LME emphasized in its release that recent market interventions are targeted, adding that the newly introduced rule offers a standardized approach.

Still, the unprecedented depth of copper’s backwardation — now extending years into the future — suggests that broader supply/demand dynamics are at play, beyond what position limits alone can control.

For manufacturers and industrial users, the squeeze presents a serious cost and planning risk. Many rely on the LME as a pricing and hedging mechanism. But when exchange inventories drop this low, even large players can face trouble sourcing metal to meet contract obligations. With exchange-based supply nearly exhausted, companies may increasingly turn to off-market deals or bilateral supply agreements — often at higher prices.

This shift weakens the LME’s role as a central clearinghouse for global copper, and raises questions about its ability to handle future shocks, especially as energy transition policies boost long-term demand for the metal.

Market watchers will also be looking to the next moves from Chinese exporters, US trade policy under Trump and the LME’s enforcement of its new regulations.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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Vietnam to remove death penalty for embezzlement, sparing tycoon’s life

Vietnam will remove the death penalty for eight offenses from next month, including embezzlement and activities aimed at overthrowing the government, parliament said on Wednesday, sparing the life of a tycoon in a $12 billion fraud case.

The National Assembly, the country’s lawmaking body, unanimously ratified the amendment to the Criminal Code earlier on Wednesday to abolish the death penalty for the crimes, it said in a statement.

Other crimes that will no longer lead to the death penalty include vandalizing state property, manufacturing fake medicine, jeopardizing peace, triggering invasive wars, espionage and carrying drugs, the official Vietnam News Agency said.

The maximum sentence for these crimes will now be life imprisonment, the report said.

Those who were sentenced to death for these offenses before July 1 but have not yet been executed will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, the report added.

These will include real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, the chairwoman of real estate developer Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, who was sentenced to death last year on embezzlement charges.

Lan’s lawyers didn’t immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

“According to the amendment of the Criminal Code, her sentence will automatically be reduced to life imprisonment,” lawyer Ngo Anh Tuan, who is not part of Lan’s defense team, told Reuters.

Ten offenses will remain subject to capital punishment in Vietnam, including murder, treason, terrorism and the sexual abuse of children, according to the report. Drug trafficking will also remain a capital offense.

Capital punishment data is a state secret in Vietnam and it is not known how many people are currently on death row in the country. Lethal injection is the only method of execution after firing squads were abolished in 2011.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Why Trump’s strikes on Iran will leave North Korea more determined than ever to keep its nukes

As American B-2 bombers streaked over Iran, targeting facilities tied to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, policymakers and analysts in East Asia were already grappling with a critical question: What signal does this send to North Korea, a country whose nuclear arsenal is far more advanced than Iran’s?

Experts warn Washington’s military actions may harden Pyongyang’s resolve to accelerate its weapons program and deepen cooperation with Russia, as well as reinforcing its leader Kim Jong Un’s belief that nuclear arms are the ultimate deterrent against US-enforced regime change.

Despite yearslong efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, the Kim regime is thought to possess multiple nuclear weapons, as well as missiles that can potentially reach the United States – meaning any potential military strike on the Korean Peninsula would carry vastly higher risks.

“President Trump’s strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities will undoubtedly further reinforce the legitimacy of North Korea’s longstanding policy of regime survival and nuclear weapons development,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korean studies at South Korea’s Kyungnam University.

“North Korea perceives the recent US airstrike as a preemptive military threat and will likely accelerate efforts to enhance its own capability for preemptive nuclear missile attacks,” said Lim.

That acceleration, analysts caution, could come through Russian assistance, thanks to a blossoming military relationship the two neighbors have struck up in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since its formal establishment in 2024, North Korea’s strategic partnership with Russia has become a vital economic and military lifeline for Pyongyang amid ongoing Western sanctions.

“Based on the strategic alliance between North Korea and Russia, Pyongyang is likely to move toward joint weapons development, combined military exercises, technology transfers, and greater mutual dependence in both economic and military terms,” Lim said.

North Korea has sent more than 14,000 soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to aid in Russia’s invasion, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), an initiative made up of 11 United Nations members.

In return, Russia has provided North Korea with various valuable pieces of weaponry and technology, including air defense equipment, anti-aircraft missiles, electronic warfare systems and refined oil.

These actions “allow North Korea to fund its military programs and further develop its ballistic missiles programs, which are themselves prohibited under multiple (UN Security Council resolutions), and gain first-hand experience in modern warfare,” the report found.

Iraq, Libya, Iran and the lessons of US-led intervention

In Kim’s eyes, recent US military actions in Iran follow a troubling logic: countries without nuclear weapons, from Iraq and Libya to Iran, are vulnerable to US-led intervention, said Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. North Korea, having already tested six nuclear devices and developed long-range missiles, sees its arsenal as non-negotiable.

According to Cha, Washington’s airstrikes against Tehran’s nuclear assets will likely leave a lasting impression on the Kim regime. “The strikes on Iran will only reaffirm two things for North Korea, neither of which play well for US policy,” he said.

“One: the US does not have a use-of-force option for North Korea’s nuclear program like they had in Israel for Iran. Two: the strike only reaffirms in Kim Jong Un’s mind his conviction to pursue and maintain a nuclear arsenal.”

And the contrast between Iran and North Korea is stark, particularly in terms of nuclear capabilities.

“Pyongyang’s nuclear program is much more advanced, with weapons possibly ready to launch on multiple delivery systems, including ICBMs,” said Leif-Eric Easley, an international security professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, referencing intercontinental ballistic missiles which can travel around the globe, far further than any missiles Iran possesses.

“The Kim regime can threaten the US homeland, and Seoul is within range of many North Korean weapons of various types,” he added.

Iran, by contrast, has not yet developed a deliverable nuclear weapon and its uranium enrichment had remained short of the threshold for weaponization, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest assessment.

It had also pursued years of diplomacy with the US and Western powers over its nuclear program, diplomacy that was supposedly still in play when Trump ordered B-2 stealth aircraft to drop “bunker busting” bombs on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

A missile flies during what North Korean state media described as a test-launch of a strategic cruise missile, designed to demonstrate the readiness of various nuclear capabilities, off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, on February 26, 2025, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.
A missile flies during what North Korean state media described as a test-launch of a strategic cruise missile, designed to demonstrate the readiness of various nuclear capabilities, off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, on February 26, 2025, in this photo released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.
KCNA/Reuters

A matrix of deterrents

North Korea is believed to possess between 40 and 50 warheads, along with the means to deliver them across the region and potentially to the US mainland.

“An attack on North Korea could provoke the risk of full-scale nuclear war,” Lim of Kyungnam University warned.

He added that under the US-South Korea alliance treaty, US military action against North Korea would also require prior consultation with the South Korean government, a step that carries political and legal implications.

There are also external powers to consider. Unlike Iran, North Korea has a formal mutual defense treaty with Russia, “which allows Russia to automatically intervene in the event of an attack,” Lim underscored.

This matrix of deterrents – nuclear capability, US regional alliances, and Russian backing – likely insulates Pyongyang from the kind of unilateral military action Washington exercised in Iran.

In the end, said Lim, the strike on Iran might not serve as a deterrent to proliferation but as a justification.

“This attack will deepen North Korea’s distrust of the US,” he said, “and is expected to act as a catalyst for a shift in North Korea’s foreign policy, particularly by strengthening and deepening military cooperation with Russia.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Jill Biden’s ‘work husband’ runs for cover as privilege protection crumbles

Anthony Bernal, the former advisor to former first lady Jill Biden, is refusing to appear before the House Oversight Committee to be questioned about the alleged cover-up of former President Joe Biden’s mental decline.

Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said in a press release Tuesday that Bernal was refusing to appear on June 26 for a transcribed interview, as part of the committee’s investigation into the Biden cover-up, and also the potentially unauthorized use of autopen for executive actions and pardons.

‘Now that the White House has waived executive privilege, it’s abundantly clear that Anthony Bernal – Jill Biden’s so-called ‘work husband’ – never intended to be transparent about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and the ensuing cover-up,’ Comer said. ‘With no privilege left to hide behind, Mr. Bernal is now running scared, desperate to bury the truth. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and the Oversight Committee will not tolerate this obstruction.’

The chairman added that if Bernal does not wish to come on his own, he will issue a subpoena to compel Bernal to provide testimony before the committee.

Letters obtained by Fox News Digital from a source familiar with the matter show the Trump administration will not allow the people of interest in Comer’s probe to use their past White House work as a legal shield.

Deputy Counsel to the President Gary Lawkowski sent the letters to former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former senior advisors Anita Dunn, Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, Annie Tomasini, Bruce Reed, Ashley Williams and Bernal.

‘In light of the unique and extraordinary nature of the matters under investigation, President Trump has determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not in the national interest, and therefore is not justified, with respect to particular subjects within the purview of the House Oversight Committee,’ the letters said. ‘Those subjects include your assessment of former President Biden’s fitness for the office of the President and your knowledge of who exercised executive powers during his administration.’

Congressional Republicans and the White House are investigating whether the senior Biden aides in question played any role in keeping concerns about the former president’s mental acuity shielded from the public eye and even from lower-level White House staffers.

‘Just yesterday, we heard from our first witness, Neera Tanden, the former Staff Secretary who controlled the Biden autopen,’ Comer said Wednesday. ‘Ms. Tanden testified that she had minimal interaction with President Biden, despite wielding tremendous authority. She explained that to obtain approval for autopen signatures, she would send decision memos to members of the President’s inner circle and had no visibility of what occurred between sending the memo and receiving it back with approval.

‘Her testimony raises serious questions about who was really calling the shots in the Biden White House amid the President’s obvious decline,’ Comer continued. ‘We will continue to pursue the truth for the American people.’

Bernal’s team previously confirmed he would appear for a transcribed interview on June 26, 2025, according to Comer’s office. But yesterday, the White House counsel’s office notified Bernal that it was waiving executive privilege regarding the Oversight Committee’s investigation.

Bernal’s legal team then told the committee he would no longer appear for the interview.

Comer’s team said in the press release that during the last Congress, the chairman subpoenaed three key White House aides, including Bernal, who allegedly ran interference for Biden to cover up his decline.

Despite the subpoenas, the White House under Biden allegedly obstructed the committee’s investigation by refusing to make the aides available for interviews or depositions.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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World

Drug kingpin ‘Fito,’ Ecuador’s most wanted man, has been captured, says Ecuador’s president

Ecuador’s most wanted man and leader of the Los Choneros gang, Jose Adolfo Macias, was captured on Wednesday, according to the country’s President Daniel Noboa.

Macias, known as “Fito,” escaped from a prison in Guayaquil in January 2024 while serving a 34-year sentence for homicide and narcotics trafficking.

His escape unleashed a wave of violence in Ecuador, prompting Noboa to declare an internal armed conflict and designate Los Choneros and 21 other criminal groups operating in the country as terror organizations.

In February 2024, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned Los Choneros and Macias over their drug trafficking and violent activities in Ecuador and across the continent.

Noboa said Ecuador is working to extradite him to the US and is awaiting a response from American officials.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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NevGold Releases Some of the Highest Grade Oxide Gold-Antimony Results To Date: 9.68 g/t AuEq Over 11.6 MetersWithin 2.85 g/t AuEq Over 60.3 Metersat the Limousine Butte Project, Nevada

Nevgold Corp. (‘ NevGold ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSXV:NAU) (OTCQX:NAUFF) (Frankfurt:5E50 ) is pleased to announce further significant oxide gold-antimony (‘Antimony’, ‘Sb’) drill results at its Limousine Butte Project (the ‘Project’, ‘Limo Butte’) in Nevada. The Company continues to expand the substantial gold-antimony potential of the Project, highlighting its promising prospects for further exploration and development in Nevada, one of the world’s prolific mining jurisdictions.

Key Highlights

  • Some of the highest oxide gold-antimony grades seen to date at Resurrection Ridge including:
    • LB21-004: 9.68 g/t AuEq* over 11.6 meters (8.92 g/t Au and 0.17% Sb) , within 2.85 g/t AuEq* over 60.3 meters (2.27 g/t Au and 0.13% Sb)
    • RR03_06: 1.55 g/t AuEq* over 19.8 meters (0.88 g/t Au and 0.15% Sb) within 1.24 g/t AuEq* over 65.5 meters (0.52 g/t Au and 0.16% Sb)
    • LB020: 1.20 g/t AuEq* over 33.9 meters (0.35 g/t Au and 0.19% Sb) within 0.85 g/t AuEq* over 58.2 meters (0.25 g/t Au and 0.13% Sb)
    • *Gold equivalents (‘AuEq’) are based on assumed metals prices of US$2,000/oz of gold and US$35,000 per tonne of antimony (~30% discount to current spot prices), and assumed metals recoveries of 85% for gold and 70% for antimony.
  • Drillholes at Resurrection Ridge are drilled with spacing showing strong potential to advance the Project to an initial gold-antimony Mineral Resource Estimate in 2025 (‘MRE’) (see Figure 1, Figure 2)
  • High-grade areas at the eastern part of the Resurrection Ridge target area will be tested as part of the 2025 drilling (Figure 1)
  • Metallurgical testwork program continues to advance with results expected over the coming weeks

Limo Butte Planned 2025 Activities / Status Update
NevGold will continue its active exploration program at Limo Butte including:

  • Evaluate the historical geological database with focus on gold and antimony (in progress) ;
  • Re-analyze historical drilling with focus on gold and antimony (in progress) ;
  • Advance metallurgical testwork (in progress, results in coming weeks) ;
  • Drill test gold-antimony targets (in planning phase, expected start in July) .

Figure 1 – Limousine Butte Gold-Antimony Project with selected gold-antimony drillhole results.
To view image please click here

Figure 2 – Limousine Butte Gold-Antimony Project cross-section with selected gold-antimony drillhole results. Thin colored discs show Antimony (Sb ppm) in drilling, and wide colored discs show Gold (Au ppm) in drilling.
To view image please click here

Figure 3 – Limousine Butte Gold-Antimony Project with selected gold-antimony drillhole results at Resurrection Ridge and Cadillac Valley. The total strike length between Resurrection Ridge and Cadillac Valley is +5km.
To view image please click here

NevGold CEO, Brandon Bonifacio, comments: ‘These recent results have some of the   highest oxide gold-antimony grades   that we have seen to date at Limo Butte. Resurrection Ridge is starting to build the drill-hole spacing and volume of holes to advance the Project to an initial gold-antimony Mineral Resource Estimate (‘MRE’). Our main focus is to continue to release oxide gold-antimony results as we prepare for the upcoming 2025 drill program, with the objective of advancing the Project to the MRE within 2025. Our metallurgical testwork program also continues to advance positively and we expect to have results in the coming weeks . The environment is optimal to continue to advance and unlock the   gold-antimony potential at Limo Butte as there is a clear commitment from the United States to advance high-quality, domestic, mineral projects   .’

‎
Historical and Re-Assayed Drill Results

Hole ID Length, m* g/t Au % Sb g/t AuEq** From, m To, m
Resurrection Ridge
LB21-004 60.3 2.27 0.13% 2.85 81.7 142.0
including 11.6 8.92 0.17% 9.68 116.7 128.3
RR03_06 65.5 0.52 0.16% 1.24 27.4 93.0
including 19.8 0.88 0.15% 1.55 29.0 48.8
LB020 58.2 0.25 0.13% 0.85 61.0 119.2
including 33.9 0.35 0.19% 1.19 85.3 119.2

*Downhole thickness reported; true width varies depending on drill hole dip and is approximately 70% to 90% of downhole thickness.
  **The gold equivalents (‘AuEq’) are based on assumed metals prices of US$2,000/oz of gold and US$35,000 per tonne of antimony (~30% discount to current spot prices), and assumed metals recoveries of 85% for gold and 70% for antimony.

Drillhole Orientation Details

Hole ID Target Zone Easting Northing Elevation (m) Length (m) Azimuth Dip
LB21-004 RR 667243 4417388 2176 252.1 148 75
RR03_06 RR 666953 4417376 2099 93 0 -90
LB020 RR 666993 4417309 2132 220.6 70 -70


Limo Butte Geology & Antimony Summary
A review of historical geochemical and drilling data at the Limousine Butte Project has identified multiple areas with strong gold-antimony potential. These zones correlate closely with outcrops of the Devonian Pilot Shale, the primary host rock for Carlin-type gold mineralization in the area. Positive gold grade at Limousine Butte is typically associated with silicification and the formation of jasperoid breccias within the Pilot Shale, an alteration feature also observed in the positive antimony results.

Through the Project data review, the Company uncovered reports detailing two small-scale historic mining operations at the Nevada Antimony Mine and Lage Antimony Prospect within the Limo Butte Project boundary. The Nevada Antimony Mine featured two prospect pits that extracted stibnite (formula: Sb 2 S 3 ) from a hydrothermal breccia. The Lage Antimony Prospect reported historical additional prospect pits extracting antimony.

Historical geochemical rock chip sampling within the past-producing Golden Butte pit from a Brigham Young University (‘BYU’) Thesis study produced numerous results that exceeded 1% antimony in jasperoid breccias (see Figure 1). Several results were greater than 5% antimony, including a sample of 9.6% antimony with visible stibnite and stibiconite . BYU Thesis Report

Figure 4 – Limousine Butte Project with historical antimony in rock chips and soils. The total strike length between Resurrection Ridge and Cadillac Valley is +5km. To view image please click here

US Executive Order – Announced March 20, 2025
The Company is pleased to report the recent, sweeping Executive Order to strengthen American mineral production and reduce U.S. reliance on foreign nations for its mineral supply . Antimony (Sb) has been identified as an important ‘Critical Mineral’ in the United States essential for national security, clean energy, and technology applications, yet no domestically mined supply currently exists.

The Executive Order invokes the use of the Defense Production Act as part of a broad United States (‘US’) Government effort to expand domestic minerals production on national security grounds. As it relates to project permitting, the Order states that it will ‘identify priority projects that can be immediately approved or for which permits can be immediately issued, and take all necessary or appropriate actions…to expedite and issue the relevant permits or approvals.’ Furthermore, the Order includes provisions to accelerate access to private and public capital for domestic projects, including the creation of a ‘dedicated mineral and mineral production fund for domestic investments’ under the Development Finance Corporation (‘DFC’).

This decisive action by the US Government highlights the urgent need to expand domestic minerals output to support supply chain security in the United States. This important Order will help revitalize domestic mineral production by improving the permitting process and providing financial support to qualifying domestic projects.

Importance of Antimony
Antimony is considered a ‘Critical Mineral’ by the United States based on the U.S. Geological Survey’s 2022 list (U.S.G.S. (2022)). ‘Critical Minerals’ are metals and non-metals essential to the economy and national security. Antimony is utilized in all manners of military applications, including the manufacturing of armor piercing bullets, night vision goggles, infrared sensors, precision optics, laser sighting, explosive formulations, hardened lead for bullets and shrapnel, ammunition primers, tracer ammunition, nuclear weapons and production, tritium production, flares, military clothing, and communication equipment. Other uses include technology (semi-conductors, circuit boards, electric switches, fluorescent lighting, high quality clear glass and lithium-ion batteries) and clean-energy storage.

Globally, approximately 90% of the world’s current antimony supply is produced by China, Russia, and Tajikistan. Beginning on September 15, 2024, China, which is responsible for nearly half of all global mined antimony output and dominates global refinement and processing, announced that it will restrict antimony exports. In December-2024, China explicitly restricted antimony exports to the United States citing its dual military and civilian uses, which further exacerbated global supply chain concerns. (Lv, A. and Munroe, T. (2024)) The U.S. Department of Defense (‘DOD’) has designated antimony as a ‘Critical Mineral’ due to its importance in national security, and governments are now prioritizing domestic production to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Projects exploring antimony sources in North America play a key role in addressing these challenges.

Perpetua Resources Corp. (‘Perpetua’, NASDAQ:PPTA, TSX:PPTA) has the most advanced domestic gold-antimony project in the United States. Perpetua’s project, known as Stibnite, is located in Idaho approximately 130 km northeast of NevGold’s Nutmeg Mountain and Zeus projects. Positive advancements at Stibnite including the technical development and permitting has led to US$75 million in Department of Defense (‘DOD’) awards, and over $1.8 billion in indicative financing from the Export Import Bank of the United States (‘US EXIM’) ( see Perpetua Resources News Release from April 8, 2024 ) (Perpetua Resources. (2025))

Figure 5 – Limousine Butte Land Holdings and District Exploration Activity To view image please click here

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
‘Signed’

Brandon Bonifacio, President & CEO

For further information, please contact Brandon Bonifacio at bbonifacio@nev-gold.com, call 604-337-4997, or visit our website at www.nev-gold.com .

Historical Data Validation
NevGold QA/QC protocols are followed on the Project and include insertion of duplicate, blank and standard samples in all drill holes. A 30g gold fire assay and multi-elemental analysis ICP-OES method was completed by ISO 17025 certified American Assay Labs, Reno.

The Company’s Qualified Person (‘QP’), Greg French, Vice President, Exploration has completed a review of the historical data in this press release. The historic data collection chain of custody procedures and analytical results by previous operators appear adequate and were completed to industry standard practices. For the Newmont and US Gold data a 30g gold fire assay and multi-elemental analysis ICP-OES method MS-41 was completed by ISO 17025 certified ALS Chemex, Reno or Elko Nevada.

Geochemical ICP (5g) analysis for the Wilson, Christianson and Tingey report was completed by Geochemical Services Inc. and the XRF analyses (glass disk or pellets) by Brigham Young University.

Technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Greg French, CPG, the Company’s Vice President, Exploration, who is NevGold’s Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and responsible for technical matters of this release.

About the Company
NevGold is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the proven districts of Nevada and Idaho. NevGold owns a 100% interest in the Limousine Butte and Cedar Wash gold projects in Nevada, and the Nutmeg Mountain gold project and Zeus copper project in Idaho.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as ‘plan’, ‘expect’, ‘project’, ‘intend’, ‘believe’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘suggest’, ‘indicate’ and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions ‘may’ or ‘will’ occur. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the proposed work programs at Limousine Butte, and the exploration potential at Limousine Butte. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, general economic, market and business conditions, and the ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals. There is some risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate, that the management’s assumptions may not be correct or that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future   events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

References
Blackmon, D. (2021) Antimony: The Most Important Mineral You Never Heard Of. Article Prepared by Forbes.
Kurtenbach, E. (2024) China Bans Exports to US of Gallium, Germanium, Antimony in response to Chip Sanctions . Article Prepared by AP News.
Lv, A. and Munroe, T. (2024) China Bans Export of Critical Minerals to US as Trade Tensions Escalate . Article Prepared by Reuters.
Lv, A. and Jackson, L. (2025) China’s Curbs on Exports of Strategic Minerals . Article Prepared by Reuters.
Perpetua Resources. (2025) Antimony Summary . Articles and Videos Prepared by Perpetua Resources.
Sangine, E. (2022) U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2023 . Antimony Summary Report prepared by U.S.G.S
U.S.G.S. (2022) U.S. Geological Survey Releases 2022 List of Critical Minerals . Reported Prepared by U.S.G.S
Wilson, D.,J., Christiansen, E., H., and Tingey, D., G., 1994, Geology and Geochemistry of the Golden Butte Mine- A Small Carlin- Type Gold Deposit in Eastern Nevada: Brigham Young University Geology Studies, v.40, P.185-211. BYU V.40 P.185-211. 



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