Long-time newsletter writer Gwen Preston just retired the pen for a career change, but her publication The Maven Letter will live on as Paydirt Prospector under the auspices of industry veteran Jeff Clark.
"Lots of continuity. Lots of opportunity ahead," Preston wrote in her farewell letter. "And Jeff will provide all the expertise and effort needed to guide you as you make the most of the bull markets to come."
The Maven Letter Had a Long Run
For 10 years Resource Maven Gwen Preston ran The Maven Letter, a well-regarded, weekly metals and mining stock newsletter based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Through this independent endeavor, she provided subscribers her reviews, commentary, recommendations, buys and sells on hundreds of mining companies and their projects.
Preston began her career in the industry as a mining journalist after earning a bachelor of science degree from McGill University in Quebec, followed by a master of journalism degree from the University of British Columbia. She worked for several years as a writer and editor for The Northern Miner, during which she visited projects and interviewed geologists, management teams, and analysts and learned which projects and news were significant and why.
As a primer to resource investing, Preston also spent two years working with Marin Katusa of Casey Research, learning about capital markets and the newsletter business and further expanding her network of contacts.
While Preston loved running her own newsletter business, this year, she felt it was time for a personal change and made a move. Now, she is vice president of investor relations at West Red Lake Gold Mines Inc. (WRLG:TSXV;WRLGF:OTCQB), a Canadian exploration and development company advancing projects in Ontario.
The Maven Letter Now Is Paydirt Prospector
Not wanting to leave her subscribers hanging, Preston sought out someone to whom she could pass The Maven Letter torch, an experienced, knowledgeable professional with success in picking stocks in the metals and mining industry. She found this in Jeff Clark of TheGoldAdvisor.com, a globally recognized authority on precious metals.
"Jeff works as hard as I work, he is honest, ethical and reliable, he is very well connected in the junior mining world, he communicates well, and he has a good nose for sniffing out strong new deals," Preston wrote.
Most recently, Clark launched Paydirt Prospector, named after his 2023 book PAYDIRT! Mining for Profits with Gold & Silver Stocks. This subscriber-based newsletter is for the investor wanting to "prospect for paydirt," or dig a little deeper, for a bigger payoff by investing in early-stage mining stocks with explosive price potential. The Maven Letter has been merged with Paydirt Prospector.
Paydirt Prospector followed Clark's return to the newsletter business with the start of TheGoldAdvisor.com in 2022. Then, Covid was still raging, but mining stocks called, and his efforts have paid off. Today, the site has more than 10,000 free readers.
Clark's background in metals and mining goes back to his childhood. His dad was a gold prospector, and the family once owned mining claims in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Clark became a mining industry analyst, combining his investing skills and love of writing.
He cut his teeth in the newsletter industry in 2007 with Doug Casey's firm and spent the next 10 years as the editor and lead writer of its monthly gold investment newsletter, BIG GOLD.
Peter Krauth/Silver Stock Investor Also Came Over
Silver specialist Peter Krauth, formerly with Preston, recently joined forces with Clark.
Krauth cut his newsletter teeth at Money Map, then moved to Resource Maven with Gwen in 2020. His current paid newsletter, Silver Stock Investor, focuses on all things silver, from bullion and exchange-traded funds to producers and juniors.
Having worked as a portfolio adviser, Krauth brings to Silver Stock Investor two decades' worth of experience in the resource markets, strong finance knowledge, and special expertise in precious metals, mining, and energy stocks. He holds a master of business administration degree in finance from McGill University.
Over the years, he has contributed numerous articles to various content providers, including Streetwise Reports, Kitco.com, Investing.com, and the Financial Post. In 2022, he published his book, The Great Silver Bull: Crush Inflation and Profit as the Dollar Dies.
The Three Like a Lot of the Same Companies
When Preston decided to sell her paid newsletter, she re-evaluated all of the stocks it encompassed. While a handful didn't pass muster for inclusion in Paydirt Prospector, many already were or will be covered by Clark. Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (SYH:TSX.V; SYHBF:OTCQX; SC1P:FSE) and StrikePoint Gold Inc. (SKP:TSX.V; STKXF:OTCQB)
What is compelling for investors is that Preston, Clark, and Krauth like a lot of the same resource companies, and more than 20 of them are found in TheGoldAdvisor.com, Paydirt Prospector, or Silver Stock Investor.
The select equities (listed alphabetically) include:
- Artemis Gold Inc. (ARGTF:OTCMKTS ; ARTG:TSX.V)
Artemis Gold is a Canadian gold development company, with a main focus on growing its Blackwater Mine. This project has over 10 million ounces of gold and is permitted by the BC Mines Act Permit for Environmental Assessment.
In a May issue of Paydirt, Jeff Clark pointed out that "Blackwater could produce more than 500,000 gold equivalent ounces annually for the first 10 years; that average all-in sustaining costs could be as low as US$712/oz; and would generate average annual free cash flow of CA$500M."
He went on to say, "This would be one impressive gold producer, a meaningful step above how strong it will already be."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Artemis Gold.
- Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT:TSX.V; AZZTF:OTCQB)
Aztec Minerals is a Canadian mineral exploration company that has a focus on its two emerging discoveries in North America: The Cervantes project and The Tombstone project.
In The Gold Advisor, it is noted that "The investment case for Aztec Minerals is pretty clear: the company has a remarkably successful team working on two highly prospective properties in pro-mining jurisdictions, one of which has already made a discovery and led to a mid-tier producer recently investing in the company."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Aztec Minerals.
- Banyan Gold Corp. (BYN:TSX.V; BYAGF:OTC)
Banyan Gold is a Canadian gold company, with a primary aim in advancing and de-risking its AurMac Gold Project in the Yukon. This project has 7.0 million ounces.
Banyan was one of the few companies from Gwen Preston's list that came over to Paydirt.
"It's billed as Yukon's next gold mine — and that is almost certainly the case. I've actually been watching the company and talking to management for a couple of years, so I'm 100% behind Gwen's recommendation," Jeff Clark wrote. "The company has a big asset and a cheap stock."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Banyan Gold.
- Cassiar Gold Corp. (GLDC:TSX.V; CGLCF:OTCQX; 756:FRA)
Cassiar Gold is a mineral acquisition and exploration company in Canada, working on gold and silver projects in the Cassiar Mining District of British Columbia.
The Gold Advisor notes that the company's "flagship properties have some advantages many exploration companies don't: they're accessible by a main highway that intersects the projects, already have a permitted 300 tonne-per-day mill, and have established mine permits."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Cassiar Gold.
- Cosa Resources Corp. (COSA:CNSX;COSA:CSE)
Cosa Resources is a mineral exploration company, focusing on its uranium and copper properties in Saskatchewan. There are currently six properties in its portfolio.
The Gold Advisor has not written about this company yet but intends to do so soon.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Cosa Resources.
- Denison Mines Corp. (DML:TSX; DNN:NYSE.MKT)
Denison Mines is a Canadian uranium exploration company that has its main interests in projects in the Athabasca Basin. Its main project is the Wheeler River Project, which the company notes is the "largest undeveloped uranium project in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin."
In a February posting of Paydirt, Jeff Clark announced that Denison "and their joint venture partner will restart uranium mining operations at McClean Lake in the Athabasca Basin next year. This will specifically be at the McClean North deposit and will produce approximately 800,000 pounds uranium the first year."
He continued, "They then expect it to produce 3Mlbs from the combined McClean North and Caribou deposits from 2026 to 2030."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Denison Mines.
- Emperor Metals Inc. (EMAUF:OTCMKTS; AUOZ:CSE)
An advanced exploration company, Emperor Metals' main aim is to develop its flagship Duquesne West Gold Project. This project is in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, a Tier one district.
Jeff Clark, in a Paydirt update, wrote, "With $4M in cash, Emperor Metals is fully financed to drill 8,000 meters this summer, plus assay the 8,000 meters of historic unsampled drill core. That's 16,000 meters we'll see results on this summer and fall."
"Bottom line, it's full steam ahead, with several potential catalysts ahead . . . in my opinion, Emperor Metals will be priced at much higher levels later this year," he added.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Emperor Metals.
- EMX Royalty Corp. (EMX:TSX.V; EMX:NYSE.American)
This royalty company focuses on exploring and garnering royalties from a myriad of mineral properties, including gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, lead, zinc, manganese, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, and iron, along with battery and base metals.
In The Gold Advisor, Jeff Clark writes, "Now, I'm not saying EMX Royalty (EMX) is the next multi-billion-dollar company, but they are indeed taking a fresh approach to mining and mining royalties."
He went on to say, "I don't marry my stocks, but the approach that EMX takes in geologically vetting the projects, selling the properties, and taking an ongoing royalty is an exciting business model that ensures profits are continuously growing into the future. With strong management and a unique approach, EMX, in its 20 years, looks to just be getting started."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for EMX Royalty.
- EnCore Energy Corp. (EU:TSX.V; ENCUF:OTCQX)
Encore Energy is a uranium exploration, development, and acquisition company. Its primary focus is its 100%-owned Crownpoint and Hosta Butte Project. This project contained 3,020 acres in New Mexico.
Jeff Clark has not written about Encore yet, but plans for it to be in an issue of Paydirt shortly.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for EnCore Energy.
- Heliostar Metals Ltd. (HSTR:TSX.V; HSTXF:OTC; RGG1:FRA)
Heliostar Metals is a developing junior mining company with projects centered around North America, specifically in Alaska and Mexico.
In The Gold Advisor, Jeff Clark remarks how quickly he became excited about the company. He wrote, "It was a compelling opportunity with a management team that surprised me."
Since then, the company has continued to grow, acquiring the Ana Paula gold project in 2023. "Two things stand out about that purchase; they got it on the cheap, and meeting their goals would mean it's worth a considerable multiple of the current stock price," Clark said.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Heliostar Metals.
- Hercules Silver (BADEF:OTCMKTS;BIG:TSXV)
Hercules Silver is a large-scale exploration company centered around developing in Idaho's silver and copper district.
At the start of his posting in The Gold Advisor, Jeff Clark wrote, "It's what every geologist hopes to find," regarding the company's project.
"Geologist Quinton Hennigh has taken notice," Clark continued, "and Crescat Capital has invested US$1.1M in the company. As PAYDIRT readers saw on page 122, Quinton's philosophy is to invest only in projects with large-scale potential, and that's exactly what he sees in Hercules. "
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Hercules Silver.
- ISO Energy Ltd. (ISENF:OTCMKTS; ISO:TSX.V)
ISO Energy is a global uranium company with a diversified set of projects in Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Argentina. Its current featured project is the 100%-owned Larocque Eat project in the Eastern Athabasca Basin.
While he plans to write about the stock in the near future, ISO Energy has not yet been featured in Paydirt.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for ISO Energy.
- NexGen Energy Ltd. (NXE:TSX; NXE:NYSE.MKT)
NexGen Energy is a uranium explorer and developer mainly working on projects in the Athabasca Basin. Its primary project, Rook I, is, according to the company, "the largest development-stage uranium project in Canada."
This year, Jeff Clark, in an issue of Paydirt, commented that the company was planning on beginning a 30,000-meter drilling program.
"This is a fairly aggressive drill program for a company that's in full development mode. And on a project that's already so big that its annual production of 28.8 million pounds will represent nearly 25% of the world's uranium supply," he stated.
He continued, "The drill campaign will include up to four rigs, to test priority targets on the boundary of the high-grade uranium district in the southwest Athabasca Basin. They can drill in the winter here and are employing the same target generation approach that led to the discovery Arrow. This could be interesting."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for NexGen Energy.
- Revival Gold Inc. (RVG:TSX.V; RVLGF:OTCQB)
Revival Gold is a developer with a massive pure gold mine in Idaho, the 100%-owned Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project. The company also acquired the Mercur Gold Project in Utah.
"Beartrack-Arnett is a big deposit," Jeff Clark stated in The Gold Advisor. He went on to say, "This Resource is so big that Revival is just as likely to get taken out before the mine is ever built. Another appeal to majors is that it's in a pro-mining jurisdiction. After the PEA and updated Resource, they go on the list of takeover candidates."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Revival Gold.
- Scorpio Gold Corp. (SGN:TSX.V; SRCRF:OTC)
Scorpio Gold is a mineral acquisition and development company. Scorpio's main focus is its 100%-owned 5,617-hectare Mineral Ridge property in Nevada, as well as its 100%-owned 726-hectare Goldwedge property, also in Nevada.
Paydirt has not yet written about the company, but intends to do so in the near future.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Scorpio Gold.
Skyharbour Resources is a Canadian junior uranium exploration company with 29 projects (10 of which are drill-ready) in the Athabasca Basin. Streetwise Reports has written about them pretty extensively.
This was another company from Gwen Preston that made the list. In Paydirt, Jeff Clark pointed out that both the management team and the projects themselves are impressive.
"Skyharbour is fully funded, sitting on CA$7M in cash. It's cheaper to drill, too; Moore and Russell Lake are both road accessible, which means Skyharbour's all-in cost is only about CA$300-CA$350 per meter, while other exploration projects in the Basin can be well over CA$500/meter for helicopter-supported programs. It has power and a camp, too," Clark commented.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Skyharbour Resources.
Strikepoint Gold is a Canadian gold and silver exploration company that Streetwise has written about previously.
In his initial write-up in Paydirt, Jeff Clark mentioned that Strikepoint has an established team and three impressive projects. He compared its primary Culprite project in Walker Lane, Nevada to Anglogold's Silicon gold project.
"Based on the geology at Cuprite, management believes it is a Silicon look-alike," he said.
He also pointed out that "the stock is owned by Eric Sprott, Crescat Capital, US Global, and many other institutional investors. A wide swath of money managers obviously see potential here."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for StrikePoint Gold.
- Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC:NYSE AMERICAN)
Uranium Energy is an American uranium mining company, with a primary focus on advancing its In-Situ Recovery (ISR) mining uranium projects in the United States and high-grade conventional projects in Canada.
Jeff Clark has not written about Uranium Energy Corp. in Paydirt yet, but plans to do so in the future.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Uranium Energy.
- Vizsla Silver Corp. (VZLA:TSX.V; VZLA:NYSE)
Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral explorer and developer, mainly zoned-in on its flagship, 100%-owned silver-gold Panuco project in Mexico.
"This company is sitting on one of the largest, highest-grade undeveloped primary silver deposits in the world. And it could get a lot bigger—some say as big as a billion ounces, what would be only the 13th deposit in the world to reach that lofty milestone," Jeff Clarked opined in The Gold Advisor.
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Vizsla Silver.
Western Exploration Inc. is Nevada-focused precious metals exploration company, aiming to be a premier gold and silver development company in North America. It is another one that Streetwise has previously written about.
In his write-up in Paydirt, Jeff Clark went over details of the great management and projects that Western Exploration currently boasts. He pointed out that "Several newsletter writers also recommend the stock. And I can tell you there was a buzz around the company at both the MIF and PDAC events earlier this month."
He went on to say, "Bottom line, we have a proven mine finder who's found strong hints that his company's flagship project has significantly more gold, in a pro-mining jurisdiction . . . Is Western's flagship project about to double in size, and push the resource over two million ounces? It's a spec, but my money's on this team and their prospects."
Click here to see the Stockwatch chart for Western Exploration.
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Important Disclosures:
- Skyharbour Resources Ltd. and StrikePoint Gold Inc., and Western Exploration are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports and pay SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.
- As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Strikepoint Gold Inc., Aztec Minerals Corp., Emperor Metals Inc., Uranium Energy Corp., and Western Exploration Inc.
- Doresa Banning wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor,
- This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.
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