For decades, mining cycles were largely driven by commodity prices.

Today, another factor is becoming just as important - supply security.

Governments, manufacturers, utilities, and technology companies are increasingly focused on where critical materials come from and whether future supply can be trusted.

That shift changes the opportunity set.

Projects located in stable jurisdictions are becoming more valuable because security of supply is now part of the investment equation.

What the market is starting to recognize:

• critical minerals are strategic assets
• domestic production matters more than before
• long-term supply shortages attract capital
• permitting and jurisdiction quality are becoming premium factors

Names that could benefit from the trend:

• FM
• LUN
• ERO
• CS
• KDK
• ASCU
• NRED / NREDF

Key takeaway:

The old mining cycle chased price spikes. The new one may chase secure supply.

Everyone has a different research process, but I think most investors also have one or two immediate deal breakers.

For some it's constant share dilution.

For others it's weak management, poor communication, unrealistic timelines, or a business model that never seems to make progress.

I've found that saying "no" quickly to weak opportunities is just as valuable as finding promising ones.

It saves time and keeps the focus on companies that actually deserve deeper research.

When you're looking at a new Canadian penny stock, what's the first red flag that makes you move on immediately?

I’ve been looking through the Canadian microcap and penny stock space recently and it’s honestly a mix of very strong narratives and a lot of low-liquidity names that barely move unless there’s a catalyst.

Some of the areas that keep coming up:

• Early-stage mining exploration companies, especially copper, gold, uranium exposure
• Small AI or software-related microcaps trying to attach themselves to the AI narrative
• Resource juniors that depend heavily on drilling results or financing news

What makes this space tricky is that sentiment can change extremely fast, and liquidity is often the real driver rather than fundamentals in the short term.

At the same time, this is also where some of the biggest percentage moves can happen if a story actually catches attention.

Do you think Canadian penny stocks are currently in a real opportunity phase, or is it mostly dilution and short-term hype cycles right now?

One pattern I keep noticing is how often early accumulation phases look completely boring.

No headlines, no hype, and very little discussion.

By the time attention arrives, the move often feels “obvious” in hindsight.

Do you pay attention to quiet accumulation phases, or only react once momentum confirms it?

I see a lot of investors immediately get excited when they find a company with a very small valuation.

But some of the best performers started out larger, while plenty of microcaps never went anywhere.

How much attention do you pay to market cap when evaluating an opportunity?

I've noticed a pattern that shows up again and again.

A company starts making progress.

Nothing happens.

More progress.

Still nothing happens.

Investors get bored.

People move on.

Then suddenly the market starts paying attention.

It's almost like patience gets tested before it's rewarded.

Not every story works out, obviously.

But some of the biggest moves seem to happen after long periods where almost nobody cared.

Every now and then I start researching a tiny company and end up spending way more time on it than expected.

One filing leads to another.

One interview leads to another.

Before you know it you've spent hours digging through the story.

Not saying it has to be your biggest position.

Just a company that turned out to be much more interesting than you originally thought.

What's been your biggest penny stock rabbit hole lately?