Gold and silver are racing from one high to the next, sending a clear signal to the markets. What was long considered a short-term flight to safety is increasingly becoming a structural trend. Exploding government debt, persistent inflation risks, and a fragile geopolitical situation are increasing the need for investors worldwide to hedge their bets. In this environment, industrial metals and strategic commodities are coming into focus alongside traditional precious metals. Supply bottlenecks, geopolitical dependencies, and rising demand due to the energy transition and digitalization suggest that 2026 could be another profitable year not only for gold and silver but for the entire commodities sector.
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Alamos Gold – High-grade discoveries
Alamos Gold is one of North America’s most established gold producers. The Canadian company operates two core mines in Ontario, Young-Davidson and Island Gold, as well as the Mulatos district in the Mexican state of Sonora. The portfolio is complemented by development and exploration projects in politically stable regions.
Last week, Alamos Gold attracted attention with strong exploration results in Mexico. In the Mulatos district, the Company reported new results from ongoing surface drilling that clearly underscore the growth potential. High-grade gold mineralization was further expanded in the Puerto Del Aire and Cerro Pelon areas. In addition, Halcon made a new discovery with significant sulfide-bound gold mineralization.
At Cerro Pelon, 5.60 g per ton of gold was intersected over 23.85 m. Puerto Del Aire yielded 13.64 g/t gold over 8.97 m, while the new Halcon discovery yielded 3.04 g/t gold over 47.60 m. The thicknesses and grades are well above the peer group average.
CEO John McCluskey emphasized that the ongoing exploration success is likely to further drive resource growth at Cerro Pelon, while also underscoring the significant upside potential of Puerto Del Aire and the broad exploration potential of the entire Mulatos district. New high-grade zones can extend the life of the mines, strengthen the production base, and support long-term valuation.
DRC Gold – New name, proven strategy
AJN Resources started the new year with some important decisions. The Company completed a private placement at CAD 0.15 per unit, generating gross proceeds of CAD 550,025. A total of 3,666,833 units were issued, each consisting of one share and one purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional share at CAD 0.25 within two years. The funds will be used for technical, legal, and financial due diligence work, as well as exploration activities related to the Giro Gold Project.
At the same time, the Company changed its name to DRC Gold Corp. Since yesterday, the shares have been trading on the CSE under the new ticker symbol DRC. The new ISIN is CA23347H1064.
Strategically, however, the Company continues to focus on Africa and, thus, deliberately on regions with high geological potential. The core element is a preliminary agreement to acquire a 55% stake in the Giro Gold project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project is located only 35 km from the Kibali Mine and includes the Kebigada and Douze Match deposits with historical JORC resources in the multi-million-ounce range. The transaction is to be financed through the issuance of 250 million of the Company’s own shares, with an additional option for a further 10%.
The Company is also pursuing projects in Ethiopia. It holds a 70% stake in both the Dabel and Okote Gold projects. Over 14,000 meters have already been drilled at the Okote project, with gold grades ranging from 1.65 g/t to 8.71 g/t. Mapping and sampling are currently underway, and a drill rig has been mobilized on site.
CEO Klaus Eckhof brings decades of experience in Africa to the table. The share price reflects this confidence. After hitting a low of CAD 0.06 in early 2025, the share price is currently trading at around CAD 0.23. For risk-conscious investors, DRC Gold remains an exciting lever on Africa’s gold potential.
Rio Tinto – Decisive weeks
The British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto also posted strong results for the past financial year. The copper division in particular delivered a surprise, while iron ore even reached a record level at the end of the year. After weather-related challenges at the beginning of the year, the final quarter saw a significant operational recovery.
For the year as a whole, Rio Tinto increased copper production to 883,000 tons, an increase of 11% over the previous year. This clearly exceeded its own forecast range of 860,000 to 875,000 tons. In the fourth quarter alone, production reached 240,000 t, an increase of 5% year-on-year and also above market expectations.
The main driver was the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia, where an extensive underground expansion was recently completed. Higher ore grades and improved extraction rates provided additional tailwinds. Oyu Tolgoi is one of the most strategically important copper projects worldwide.
In Australia’s Pilbara region, Rio Tinto shipped 326.2 million tons of iron ore for the full year, down 1% from the previous year and close to the lower end of the forecast range of 323 to 338 million tons. However, the trend reversed in the fourth quarter. Deliveries rose by 7% to 91.3 million tonnes, while production increased by 4% to 89.7 million tonnes, giving Rio Tinto a record result for a single quarter. Despite the copper boom, iron ore remains the most important source of income, accounting for more than half of the group’s earnings.
Parallel to the strong operating figures, the strategic perspective is gaining momentum. Rio Tinto confirmed talks about a possible transaction with Glencore. A merger would create the world’s largest mining group with a market capitalization of over USD 200 billion. The scenario received additional attention from US investor Harris Associates, which recently increased its stake in Glencore to over 1%. Rio Tinto must decide by February 5 at the latest whether the talks will result in a binding offer.
Rio Tinto posted strong annual results. Alamos Gold reported high-grade discoveries. AJN Resources changed its name to DRC Gold, but will continue to pursue its proven strategy.
Conflict of interest
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