When a new mining explorer shows up on the public markets, the company in question usually doesn’t start from scratch – they start from below scratch.
That’s because not only is a new mining story largely unknown, but the company itself has to get past the stigma that all pre-drilling microcap mineral explorers are bullshit.
That’s a popular stereotype. It’s also true.
Things that a small mineral explorer can do with your money and not get in trouble with the regulators for it:
- Pay the CEO a lot, for a long time.
- Get swanky offices.
- Lease ridiculous company cars.
- Buy crypto.
- Lunch at Joe Fortes, every day, all day.
- Keep the girls in law school via a system of thong-based donations.
But the one thing that generally points to at least some corporate advancement in a mining company is DRILLING.
Old timers call the drill bit ‘The Truth Machine’ because no matter what an investor deck or news releases or yacky executives or IR guys tell you, drill results determine what’s real.
And that’s why a lot of mining execs will do anything they can to avoid actually drilling.
“The weather’s not great.. drills are expensive right now.. got to raise a little more money but not at these prices.. the sector is a little weak right now.. Got to talk to the First Nations.. need to build a road.. we’re in talks to pick up another property..” – you name it, mining CEOs have used it as an excuse to wait a few more months before letting the drills prove their folly.
BUT THEN A HERO COMES ALONG
Those paying attention to new tickers will note that, today, Ramp Metals Inc. (RAMP.V) went live on the Venture exchange.
RAMP is starting from -2 out of 10, like everyone else when they’re newbies. but they figure they can change that perception pretty quickly. Like, maybe next week.
Because they’re letting the drills loose right now.
Ramp is a battery metals exploration company focused on assets in Saskatchewan and Nevada, with an interest in Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Elements (Ni-Cu-PGE) and everyone’s favourite bottom drawer plan B, lithium.
The company has highlighted its Rottenstone SW and Peter Lake Domain (PLD) claims targeting Ni-Cu-PGE in Saskatchewan, while the lithium project sits in Railroad Valley, Nevada.
Given their detailed exploration plans but without actual drilling having commenced to date, we assess Ramp Metals Inc. on the Equity.Guru exploration scale as Level 3: Drill Program Outlined, and will shift to Level 4: Drilling Explorer once they pop a few holes in the rock.
Detailed Assessment:
- Ramp Metals has outlined a significant exploration strategy, and completed early work with a 858 line-km airborne HTDEM + Mag survey completed over the Rottenstone SW property. This survey delineated multiple conductive targets, setting the stage for a 2000m drill program fully permitted to test these high-priority conductors.
- The company’s PLD claims also show promise with a focus on Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization, supported by past exploration work indicating potential for significant mineralization.
- The Lithium project in Railroad Valley, Nevada, is a thing. That’s about all anyone needs to know right now because lithium companies right now are going full ‘Little Mermaid’ at the moment.
Under the sea? Come on, man. Keep up.
Saskatchewan loves a mine, and they hand out permits like beer coupons, so they’re in a good jurisdiction, but most of the attention there goes to uranium projects, so there’s more than a few largely untapped projects around lother minerals, and Ramp has their mitts on a couple.
The technicals are interesting but, if I’m honest, nobody’s paying me to go digging through those right now and breaking them down for you, so I’m going to leave things at ‘there will be drills in the ground soon, and if they didn’t think those drills were heading into some nice ground they wouldn’t have gone public right as they’re going in.’
Watchlist. Nickel is as important as any other battery metal and folkks are coming around to that realization.
— Chris Parry
FULL DISCLOSURE: No dog in the fight, but I respect when shooters shoot.