The (S)-(+)-1-(4-bromo­phen­yl)-N-[(4-methoxyphen­yl)methyl­idene]ethyl­amine ligand, C16H16BrNO, (I), was synthesized through the reaction of 4-meth­oxy­anisaldehyde with (S)-(−)-1-(4-bromo­phen­yl)ethyl­amine. It crystallizes in the ortho­rhom­bic space group P212121 belonging to the Sohncke group, featuring a single mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit. The refinement converged successfully, achieving an R factor of 0.0508. The PdII com­plex bis­{(S)-(+)-1-(4-bromo­phen­yl)-N-[(4-methoxyphen­yl)methyl­idene]ethyl­amine-κN}di­chlorido­pal­ladium(II), [PdCl2(C16H16BrNO)2], (II), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21 belonging to the Sohncke group, with two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. The central atom is tetra­coordinated by two N atoms and two Cl atoms, resulting in a square-planar configuration. The imine moieties exhibit a trans configuration around the PdII centre, with average Cl—Pd—N angles of approximately 89.95 and 90°. The average distances within the palladium com­plex for the two mol­ecules are ∼2.031 Å for Pd—N and ∼2.309 Å for Pd—Cl.

Single crystals of two basic cadmium phosphates, dicadmium orthophosphate hydroxide, Cd2(PO4)OH, and penta­cadmium bis­(orthophosphate) tetra­kis­(hydroxide), Cd5(PO4)2(OH)4, were obtained under hydro­thermal conditions. Cd2(PO4)OH adopts the triplite [(Mn,Fe)2(PO4)F] structure type. Its asymmetric unit comprises two Cd, one P and five O sites, all situated at the general Wyckoff position 8 f of space group I2/a; two of the O atoms are positionally disordered over two sites, and the H atom could not be localized. Disregarding the disorder, distorted [CdO6] polyhedra form a tri-periodic network by edge-sharing with neighbouring [CdO6] units and by vertex-sharing with [PO4] units. The site associated with the OH group is coordinated by four Cd atoms in a distorted tetra­hedral manner forming 1∞[(OH)Cd4/2] chains parallel to [001]. The oxygen environment around the OH site suggests multiple acceptor atoms for possible O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions and is the putative reason for the disorder. Cd5(PO4)2(OH)4 adopts the arsenoclasite [Mn5(AsO4)2(OH)4] structure type. Its asymmetric unit comprises five Cd, two P, and twelve O sites all located at the general Wyckoff position 4 a of space group P212121; the H atoms could not be localized. The crystal structure of Cd5(PO4)2(OH)4 can be subdivided into two main sub-units. One consists of three edge-sharing [CdO6] octa­hedra, and the other of two edge- and vertex-sharing [CdO6] octa­hedra. Each sub-unit forms corrugated ribbons extending parallel to [100]. The two types of ribbons are linked into the tri-periodic arrangement through vertex-sharing and through common [PO4] tetra­hedra. Qu­anti­tative structure comparisons are made with isotypic M5(XO4)2(OH)4 crystal structures (M = Cd, Mn, Co; X = P, As, V).

The reaction between 2-pyridyl­selenenyl chloride and isobutyro­nitrile results in the formation of the corresponding cationic pyridinium-fused 1,2,4-seleno­diazole, namely, 3-(propan-2-yl)-1,2,4-[1,2,4]selena­diazolo[4,5-a]pyridin-4-ylium chloride, C9H11N2Se+·Cl−, in high yield (89%). The structure of the compound, established by means of single-crystal X-ray analysis at 100 K, has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry and revealed the presence of bifurcated chalcogen-hydrogen bonding Se⋯Cl−⋯H—Cl, and these non-covalent contacts were analysed by DFT calculations followed by a topological analysis of the electron-density distribution (ωB97XD/6-311++G** level of theory).

The title compound, [CdBr2(C6H14N2O)], was synthesized upon complexation of 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine and cadmium(II) bromide tetra­hydrate at 303 K. It crystallizes as a centrosymmetric dimer, with one cadmium atom, two bromine atoms and one N,N'-bidentate 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine ligand in the asymmetric unit. The metal atom is six-coordinated and has a distorted octa­hedral geometry. In the crystal, O⋯Cd inter­actions link the dimers into a polymeric double chain and inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds form R22(6) ring motifs. Further C—H⋯Br and N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds link the components into a three-dimensional network. As the N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds are shorter than the C—H⋯Br inter­actions, they have a larger effect on the packing. A Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals that the largest contributions to the packing are from H⋯H (46.1%) and Br⋯H/H⋯Br (38.9%) inter­actions with smaller contributions from the O⋯H/H⋯O (4.7%), Br⋯Cd/Cd⋯Br (4.4%), O⋯Cd/Cd⋯O (3.5%), Br⋯Br (1.1%), Cd⋯H/H⋯Cd (0.9%), Br⋯O/O⋯Br (0.3%) and O⋯N/N⋯O (0.1%) contacts.

The crystal structure of the title compound {systematic name: (4S,4aS,5aR,12aR)-4,7-bis­(di­methyl­amino)-9-[(2,2-di­methyl­propyl­amino)­meth­yl]-1,10,11,12a-tetra­hydroxy-3,12-dioxo-4a,5,5a,6-tetra­hydro-4H-tetra­cene-2-carb­oxamide dihydrate, C29H40N4O7·2H2O} has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data: it crystallizes in space group R3 with a = 24.34430 (7), c = 14.55212 (4) Å, V = 7468.81 (2) Å3 and Z = 9. Most of the hydrogen bonds are intra­molecular, but two classical N—H⋯O inter­molecular hydrogen bonds (along with probable weak C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds) link the mol­ecules into a three-dimensional framework. The framework contains voids, which contain disordered water mol­ecules. Keto–enol tautomerism is apparently important in this mol­ecule, and the exact mol­ecular structure is ambiguous.

The new palladium(II) complex, [Pd(C16H16N4O3)2](CF3COO)2·2CF3COOH, crystallizes in the triclinic space group Poverline{1} with the asymmetric unit containing half the cation (PdII site symmetry Ci), one tri­fluoro­actetate anion and one co-crystallized tri­fluoro­acetic acid mol­ecule. Two neutral chelating 2-[5-(3,4,5-tri­meth­oxy­phen­yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]pyridine ligands coordinate to the PdII ion through the triazole-N and pyridine-N atoms in a distorted trans-PdN4 square-planar configuration [Pd—N 1.991 (2), 2.037 (2) Å; cis N—Pd—N 79.65 (8), 100.35 (8)°]. The complex cation is quite planar, except for the methoxo groups (δ = 0.117 Å for one of the C atoms). The planar configuration is supported by two intra­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. In the crystal, the π–π-stacked cations are arranged in sheets parallel to the ab plane that are flanked on both sides by the tri­fluoro­acetic acid–tri­fluoro­acetate anion pairs. Apart from classical N/O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions, weak C—H⋯F/N/O contacts consolidate the three-dimensional architecture. Both tri­fluoro­acetic moieties were found to be disordered over two resolvable positions with a refined occupancy ratio of 0.587 (1):0.413 (17) and 0.530 (6):0.470 (6) for the protonated and deprotonated forms, respectively.

The title coordination polymer with the 4-methyl-N-(pyridin-2-yl­methyl­idene)aniline Schiff base ligand (L, C13H12N2), [Cd2Cl4(C13H12N2)]n (1), exhibits a columnar structure extending parallel to [100]. The columns are aligned in parallel and are decorated with chelating L ligands on both sides. They are elongated into a supra­molecular sheet extending parallel to (01overline{1}) through π–π stacking inter­actions involving L ligands of neighbouring columns. Adjacent sheets are packed into the tri-periodic supra­molecular network through weak C—H⋯Cl hydrogen-bonding inter­actions that involve the phenyl CH groups and chlorido ligands. The thermal stability and photoluminescent properties of (1) have also been examined.

The structure of polymeric catena-poly[2-amino­benzimidazolium [[dioxidovanadium(V)]-μ-oxido]], {(C7H8N3)2[V2O6]}n, has monoclinic symmetry. The title compound is of inter­est with respect to anti­cancer activity. In the crystal structure, infinite linear zigzag vanadate (V2O6)2− chains, constructed from corner-sharing VO4 tetra­hedra and that run parallel to the a axis, are present. Two different protonated 2-amino­benzimidazole mol­ecules are located between the (V2O6)2– chains and form classical N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with the vanadate oxygen atoms, which contribute to the cohesion of the structure.

The reaction of cadmium iodide with 3-amino­pyrazole (3-apz) in ethano­lic solution leads to tautomerization of the ligand and the formation of crystals of the title compound, catena-poly[[di­iodido­cadmium(II)]-bis­(μ-3-amino-1H-pyrazole)-κ2N2:N3;κ2N3:N2], [CdI2(C3H5N3)2]n or [CdI2(3-apz)2]n. Its asymmetric unit consists of a half of a Cd2+ cation, an iodide anion and a 3-apz mol­ecule. The Cd2+ cations are coordinated by two iodide anions and two 3-apz ligands, generating trans-CdN4I2 octa­hedra, which are linked into chains by pairs of the bridging ligands. In the crystal, the ligand mol­ecules and iodide anions of neighboring chains are linked through inter­chain hydrogen bonds into a di-periodic network. The inter­molecular contacts were qu­anti­fied using Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots, revealing the relative qu­anti­tative contributions of the weak inter­molecular contacts.

The dinuclear mol­ecule of the title compound, [Mo2(C9H13)2(CO)6] or [Mo(tBuCp)(CO)3]2 where tBu and Cp are tert-butyl and cyclo­penta­dienyl, is centrosymmetric and is characterized by an Mo—Mo bond length of 3.2323 (3) Å. Imposed by inversion symmetry, the tBuCp and the carbonyl ligands are in a transoid arrangement to each other. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—H⋯O contacts lead to the formation of layers parallel to the bc plane.

This study presents the synthesis, characterization and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the title mononuclear complex, [PdCl2(C12H14N4)]·C3H7NO. The compound crystalizes in the P21/c space group of the monoclinic system. The asymmetric unit contains one neutral complex Pd(HLc-Pe)Cl2 [HLc-Pe is 2-(3-cyclo­pentyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)pyridine] and one mol­ecule of DMF as a solvate. The Pd atom has a square-planar coordination. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the bc plane. A Hirshfeld surface analysis showed that the H⋯H contacts dominate the crystal packing with a contribution of 41.4%. The contribution of the N⋯H/H⋯N and H⋯O/O⋯H inter­actions is somewhat smaller, amounting to 12.4% and 5%, respectively.

The title compound, [Cd(C14H16N3S)Cl] or [CdLCl] (1), where LH = 2-[bis­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amino]­ethane-1-thiol, was prepared and structurally characterized. The Cd2+ complex crystallizes in P21/c with a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal metal coordination geometry. Supra­molecular inter­actions in 1 include parallel offset face-to-face inter­actions between inversion-related pyridyl rings and potential hydrogen bonds with chlorine or sulfur as the acceptor. Additional cooperative pyrid­yl–pyridyl inter­actions with roughly 45° tilt angles and centroid–centroid distances of less than 5.5 Å likely also contribute to the overall solid-state stability. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that H⋯H (51.2%), Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl (13.9%), C⋯H/H⋯C (12.3%) and S⋯H/H⋯S (11.8%) inter­actions are dominant in the solid state.

The crystal structure of the title organic–inorganic hybrid salt, (C13H12N3)2[CdCl4], (I), has been reported with four mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit in a monoclinic cell [Vassilyeva et al. (2021). RSC Advances, 11, 7713–7722]. While using two different aldehydes in the oxidative cyclization–condensation involving CH3NH2·HCl to prepare a new monovalent cation with the imidazo[1,5-a]pyridinium skeleton, a new polymorph was obtained for (I) in space group P1 and a unit cell with approximately half the volume of the monoclinic form. The structural configurations of the two crystallographically non-equivalent organic cations as well as the geometry of the moderately distorted tetra­hedral CdCl42– dianion show minor changes. In the crystal, identically stacked cations and tetra­chloro­cadmate anions form separate columns parallel to the a axis. The loose packing of the anions leads to a minimal separation of approximately 9.53 Å between the metal atoms in the triclinic form versus 7.51 Å in the monoclinic one, indicating that the latter is packed slightly more densely. The two forms also differ by aromatic stacking motifs. Similar to the monoclinic polymorph, the triclinic one excited at 364 nm shows an intense unsymmetrical photoluminescent band with maximum at 403 nm and a full width at half maximum of 51 nm in the solid state.

Monoclinic single crystals of Cd5(TeO3)4(NO3)2 (space group P21/c), penta­cadmium tetra­kis­[oxidotellurate(IV)] dinitrate, and of Cd4Te5O14 (space group C2/c), tetra­cadmium penta­oxidotellurate(IV), were obtained under the same hydro­thermal conditions. Whereas the crystal structure of Cd5(TeO3)4(NO3)2 is distinctively layered, that of Cd4Te5O14 exhibits a tri-periodic framework. In Cd5(TeO3)4(NO3)2, the three CdII atoms have coordination numbers (CN) of 7, 6 and 6. The two types of [CdO6] and the [CdO7] polyhedra [bond lengths range from 2.179 (3) to 2.658 (2) Å] share corners and edges, resulting in layers extending parallel to (100). Both TeIV atoms are coordinated by three oxygen atoms in a trigonal–pyramidal shape. The oxygen atoms of the isolated [TeO3] groups [bond lengths range from 1.847 (3) to 1.886 (3) Å] all are part of the cadmium–oxygen layer. The electron lone pairs ψ of the TeIV atoms are directed away from the layer on both sides. The available inter­layer space is co-occupied by the nitrate group, which is directly connected with two of its O atoms to the layer whereas the third O atom is solely bonded to the N atom and points towards the adjacent layer. In Cd4Te5O14, all three unique CdII atoms are coordinated by six oxygen atoms, considering Cd—O distances from 2.235 (2) to 2.539 (2) Å. By edge- and corner-sharing, the distorted [CdO6] polyhedra form an open framework that is partially filled with three different stereochemically active TeIV atoms. All of them exhibit a CN of 4, with Te—O bonds in a range from 1.859 (2) to 2.476 (2) Å. The corresponding [TeO4] units are linked to each other by corner- and edge-sharing, forming infinite helical 1∞[Te10O28] chains extending parallel to [203]. The connectivity in the chains can be described as (⋯–⋄–⋄=⋄–⋄–⋄–⋄–⋄=⋄–⋄–⋄–⋯)n where ‘⋄’ denotes a [TeO4] unit, ‘–’ a linkage via corners and ‘=’ a linkage via edges. Such a structural motif is unprecedented in the crystal chemistry of oxidotellurate(IV) compounds.

In the title compound, (C5H7N2)5[TeV9O28], the tellurium and vanadium atoms are statistically disordered over two of the ten metal-atom sites in the [TeV9O28]5– heteropolyanion. The anions stack along [100] and are extended into a three-dimensional supra­molecular network through N—H⋯O and weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the self-assembled 2-amino­pyridinium penta­mers, which are linked by C—H⋯π and π–π stacking inter­actions. The most important contributions to the Hirshfeld surface arise from O⋯H/H⋯O (54.8%), H⋯H (17.8%) and C⋯H/H⋯C (13.4%) contacts.

The major principles and requirements of asymmetric and inclined double-crystal monochromators are re-examined and presented to guide their design and development for significantly reducing heat load density and gradient on the monochromators of fourth-generation synchrotron light sources and X-ray free-electron lasers.

In this work, we showed that the use of ethanol to increase image contrast when imaging cardiac tissue with synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast imaging (X-PCI) leads to heterogeneous tissue shrinkage, which has an impact on the 3D organization of the myocardium.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a promising technique for determining structural information from sensitive biological samples, but high-accuracy X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) requires corrections of systematic errors in experimental data. Low-temperature XAS and room-temperature X-ray absorption spectro-electrochemical (XAS-EC) measurements of N-truncated amyloid-β samples were collected and corrected for systematic effects such as dead time, detector efficiencies, monochromator glitches, self-absorption, radiation damage and noise at higher wavenumber (k). A new protocol was developed using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data analysis for monitoring radiation damage in real time and post-analysis. The reliability of the structural determinations and consistency were validated using the XAS measurement experimental uncertainty. The correction of detector pixel efficiencies improved the fitting χ2 by 12%. An improvement of about 2.5% of the structural fitting was obtained after dead-time corrections. Normalization allowed the elimination of 90% of the monochromator glitches. The remaining glitches were manually removed. The dispersion of spectra due to self-absorption was corrected. Standard errors of experimental measurements were propagated from pointwise variance of the spectra after systematic corrections. Calculated uncertainties were used in structural refinements for obtaining precise and reliable values of structural parameters including atomic bond lengths and thermal parameters. This has permitted hypothesis testing.

In antiquity, Pb was a common element added in the production of large bronze artifacts, especially large statues, to impart fluidity to the casting process. As Pb does not form a solid solution with pure Cu or with the Sn–Cu alloy phases, it is normally observed in the metal matrix as globular droplets embedded within or in interstitial positions among the crystals of Sn-bronze (normally the α phase) as the last crystallizing phase during the cooling process of the Cu–Sn–Pb ternary melt. The disequilibrium Sn content of the Pb droplets has recently been suggested as a viable parameter to detect modern materials [Shilstein, Berner, Feldman, Shalev & Rosenberg (2019). STAR Sci. Tech. Archaeol. Res. 5, 29–35]. The application assumes a time-dependent process, with a timescale of hundreds of years, estimated on the basis of the diffusion coefficient of Sn in Pb over a length of a few micrometres [Oberschmidt, Kim & Gupta (1982). J. Appl. Phys. 53, 5672–5677]. Therefore, Pb inclusions in recent Sn-bronze artifacts are actually a metastable solid solution of Pb–Sn containing ∼3% atomic Sn. In contrast, in ancient artifacts, unmixing processes and diffusion of Sn from the micro- and nano-inclusions of Pb to the matrix occur, resulting in the Pb inclusions containing a substantially lower or negligible amount of Sn. The Sn content in the Pb inclusions relies on accurate measurement of the lattice parameter of the phase in the Pb–Sn solid solution, since for low Sn values it closely follows Vegard's law. Here, several new measurements on modern and ancient samples are presented and discussed in order to verify the applicability of the method to the detection of modern artwork pretending to be ancient.

BL19U1, an energy-tunable protein complex crystallography beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, has emerged as one of the most productive MX beamlines since opening to the public in July 2015. As of October 2023, it has contributed to over 2000 protein structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), resulting in the publication of more than 1000 scientific papers. In response to increasing interest in structure-based drug design utilizing X-ray crystallography for fragment library screening, enhancements have been implemented in both hardware and data collection systems on the beamline to optimize efficiency. Hardware upgrades include the transition from MD2 to MD2S for the diffractometer, alongside the installation of a humidity controller featuring a rapid nozzle exchanger. This allows users to opt for either low-temperature or room-temperature data collection modes. The control system has been upgraded from Blu-Ice to MXCuBE3, which supports website-mode data collection, providing enhanced compatibility and easy expansion with new features. An automated data processing pipeline has also been developed to offer users real-time feedback on data quality.

The pair angle distribution function (PADF) is a three- and four-atom correlation function that characterizes the local angular structure of disordered materials, particles or nanocrystalline materials. The PADF can be measured using X-ray or electron fluctuation diffraction data, which can be collected by scanning or flowing a structurally disordered sample through a focused beam. It is a natural generalization of established pair distribution methods, which do not provide angular information. The software package pypadf provides tools to calculate the PADF from fluctuation diffraction data. The package includes tools for calculating the intensity correlation function, which is a necessary step in the PADF calculation and also the basis for other fluctuation scattering analysis techniques.

From the historical roots of metalworking to the forefront of modern nanotechnology, functional materials have played a pivotal role in transforming societies, and their influence is poised to persist into the future. Encompassing a wide array of solid-state materials, spanning semiconductors to polymers, molecular crystals to nanoparticles, functional materials find application in critical sectors such as electronics, computers, information, communication, bio­technology, aerospace, defense, environment, energy, medicine and consumer products. This feature article delves into diverse instances of functional materials, exploring their structures, their properties and the underlying mechanisms that contribute to their outstanding performance across fields like batteries, photovoltaics, magnetics and heterogeneous catalysts. The field of structural sciences serves as the cornerstone for unraveling the intricate relationship between structure, dynamics and function. Acting as a bridge, it connects the fundamental understanding of materials to their practical applications.

The influence of various combinations of residual stress, composition and grain interaction gradients in polycrystalline materials with cubic symmetry on energy-dispersive X-ray stress analysis is theoretically investigated. For the evaluation of the simulated sin2ψ distributions, two different strategies are compared with regard to their suitability for separating the individual gradients. It is shown that the separation of depth gradients of the strain-free lattice parameter a0(z) from residual stress gradients σ(z) is only possible if the data analysis is carried out in section planes parallel to the surface. The impact of a surface layer z* that is characterized by a direction-dependent grain interaction model in contrast to the volume of the material is quantified by comparing a ferritic and an austenitic steel, which feature different elastic anisotropy. It is shown to be of minor influence on the resulting residual stress depth profiles if the data evaluation is restricted to reflections hkl with orientation factors Γhkl close to the model-independent orientation Γ*. Finally, a method is proposed that allows the thickness of the anisotropic surface layer z* to be estimated on the basis of an optimization procedure.

X-ray ptychography is a lensless imaging technique that visualizes the nano­structure of a thick specimen which cannot be observed with an electron microscope. It reconstructs a complex-valued refractive index of the specimen from observed diffraction patterns. This reconstruction problem is called phase retrieval (PR). For further improvement in the imaging capability, including expansion of the depth of field, various PR algorithms have been proposed. Since a high-quality PR method is built upon a base PR algorithm such as ePIE, developing a well performing base PR algorithm is important. This paper proposes an improved iterative algorithm named CRISP. It exploits subgradient projection which allows adaptive step size and can be expected to avoid yielding a poor image. The proposed algorithm was compared with ePIE, which is a simple and fast-convergence algorithm, and its modified algorithm, rPIE. The experiments confirmed that the proposed method improved the reconstruction performance for both simulation and real data.

The first Federation of European Biochemical Societies Advanced Course on macromolecular crystallization was launched in the Czech Republic in October 2004. Over the past two decades, the course has developed into a distinguished event, attracting students, early career postdoctoral researchers and lecturers. The course topics include protein purification, characterization and crystallization, covering the latest advances in the field of structural biology. The many hands-on practical exercises enable a close interaction between students and teachers and offer the opportunity for students to crystallize their own proteins. The course has a broad and lasting impact on the scientific community as participants return to their home laboratories and act as nuclei by communicating and implementing their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

The two most abundant CaCO3 polymorphs, calcite and aragonite, are universally recognized for the richness of their morphology to which different twins make relevant contributions. The epitaxial transformation calcite ↔ aragonite has long been debated. While the twinning has been thoroughly treated, the homo-epitaxy occurring within each of these minerals has, inexplicably, been overlooked to date, both experimentally and theoretically. Twinning can be deceptive to the point where it can be mistaken for homo-epitaxy, thus making the proposed growth mechanism in the crystal aggregate wrong. Within the present work, the first aim is a theoretical investigation of the homo-epitaxies among the three {10.4}-cleavage, {01.2}-steep and {01.8}-flat rhombohedra of calcite. Accordingly, the specific adhesion energies were calculated between facing crystal forms, unequivocally showing that the {01.2}/{01.8} homo-epitaxy competes with the generation of both {01.2} and {01.8} contact twins. Secondly, the calculation of the specific adhesion energy was extended to consider homo-epitaxy for the {10.4} rhombohedron. The two-dimensional geometric lattice coincidence has been tried for the {00.1} pinacoidal form as well.

We describe an ultra-compact setup for in situ X-ray diffraction on the inelastic X-ray scattering beamline ID20 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The main motivation for the design and construction of this setup is the increasing demand for on-the-fly sample characterization, as well as ease of navigation through a sample's phase diagram, for example subjected to high-pressure and/or high-temperature conditions. We provide technical details and demonstrate the performance of the setup.

The upgrade of the Swiss Light Source, called SLS 2.0, necessitates comprehensive updates to all 18 user front ends. This upgrade is driven by the increased power of the synchrotron beam, reduced floor space, changing source points, new safety regulations and enhanced beam properties, including a brightness increase by up to a factor of 40. While some existing front-end components are being thoroughly refurbished and upgraded for safety reasons, other components, especially those designed to tailor the new synchrotron beam, are being completely rebuilt. These new designs feature innovative and enhanced cooling systems to manage the high-power load and meet new requirements such as mechanical stability and compact footprints.

A novel in situ/operando method is introduced to measure the photon beam stability of synchrotron radiation based on orthogonal diffraction imaging of a Laue crystal/analyzer, which can decouple the energy/wavelength and Bragg angle of the photon beam using the dispersion effect in the diffraction process. The method was used to measure the energy jitter and drift of the photon beam on BL09B and BL16U at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The experimental results show that this method can provide a fast way to measure the beam stability of different light sources including bending magnet and undulator with meV-level energy resolution and ms-level time response.

Geological samples are inherently multi-scale. Understanding their bulk physical and chemical properties requires characterization down to the nano-scale. A powerful technique to study the three-dimensional microstructure is X-ray tomography, but it lacks information about the chemistry of samples. To develop a methodology for measuring the multi-scale 3D microstructure of geological samples, correlative X-ray micro- and nanotomography were performed on two rocks followed by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis. The study was performed in five steps: (i) micro X-ray tomography was performed on rock sample cores, (ii) samples for nanotomography were prepared using laser milling, (iii) nanotomography was performed on the milled sub-samples, (iv) samples were mounted and polished for SEM analysis and (v) SEM imaging and compositional mapping was performed on micro and nanotomography samples for complimentary information. Correlative study performed on samples of serpentine and basalt revealed multiscale 3D structures involving both solid mineral phases and pore networks. Significant differences in the volume fraction of pores and mineral phases were also observed dependent on the imaging spatial resolution employed. This highlights the necessity for the application of such a multiscale approach for the characterization of complex aggregates such as rocks. Information acquired from the chemical mapping of different phases was also helpful in segmentation of phases that did not exhibit significant contrast in X-ray imaging. Adoption of the protocol used in this study can be broadly applied to 3D imaging studies being performed at the Advanced Light Source and other user facilities.

In synchrotron X-ray radiography, achieving high image resolution and an optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is crucial for the subsequent accurate image analysis. Traditional methods often struggle to balance these two parameters, especially in situ applications where rapid data acquisition is essential to capture specific dynamic processes. For quantitative image data analysis, using monochromatic X-rays is essential. A double multilayer monochromator (DMM) is successfully used for this aim at the BAMline, BESSY II (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Germany). However, such DMMs are prone to producing an unstable horizontal stripe pattern. Such an unstable pattern renders proper signal normalization difficult and thereby causes a reduction of the SNR. We introduce a novel approach to enhance SNR while preserving resolution: dynamic tilting of the DMM. By adjusting the orientation of the DMM during the acquisition of radiographic projections, we optimize the X-ray imaging quality, thereby enhancing the SNR. The corresponding shift of the projection during this movement is corrected in post-processing. The latter correction allows a good resolution to be preserved. This dynamic tilting technique enables the homogenization of the beam profile and thereby effectively reduces noise while maintaining high resolution. We demonstrate that data captured using this proposed technique can be seamlessly integrated into the existing radiographic data workflow, as it does not need hardware modifications to classical X-ray imaging beamline setups. This facilitates further image analysis and processing using established methods.

SPring-8-II is a major upgrade project of SPring-8 that was inaugurated in October 1997 as a third-generation synchrotron radiation light source. This upgrade project aims to achieve three goals simultaneously: achievement of excellent light source performance, refurbishment of aged systems, and significant reduction in power consumption for the entire facility. A small emittance of 50 pm rad will be achieved by (1) replacing the existing double-bend lattice structure with a five-bend achromat one, (2) lowering the stored beam energy from 8 to 6 GeV, (3) increasing the horizontal damping partition number from 1 to 1.3, and (4) enhancing horizontal radiation damping by installing damping wigglers in long straight sections. The use of short-period in-vacuum undulators allows ultrabrilliant X-rays to be provided while keeping a high-energy spectral range even at the reduced electron-beam energy of 6 GeV. To reduce power consumption, the dedicated, aged injector system has been shut down and the high-performance linear accelerator of SACLA, a compact X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility, is used as the injector of the ring in a time-shared manner. This allows the simultaneous operation of XFEL experiments at SACLA and full/top-up injection of the electron beam into the ring. This paper overviews the concept of the SPring-8-II project, the system design of the light source and the details of the accelerator component design.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has announced that...

Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It"; Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has...

Source: Streetwise Reports 11/11/2024

Silver47 Exploration Corp. is set to start trading around November 14, 2024 on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol AGA.

"With silver prices breaking out, we are excited to bring Silver47 to the market, and I believe that we are in for a good run in the metals market," Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gary Thompson said.

The company is "extremely undervalued" when compared to peers, at US$0.17 per silver equivalent (AgEq) ounce, Thompson told Streetwise Reports in a Nov. 6 interview.

The CEO also noted that Silver47 has begun ramping up its marketing efforts, given the final prospectus is now filed as its trading debut is fast approaching.

Building Silver Ounces

Based in British Columbia (B.C.), Silver47 is a mineral explorer with a diverse portfolio of silver-polymetallic projects in North America, including Red Mountain in Alaska, Adams Plateau in B.C., and Michelle in the Yukon. Its flagship asset, Red Mountain, is a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit rich in silver, gold, zinc, copper, and lead.

"When you have these three or four or five metals, the combination can be favorable and actually normalize metal price volatility, improve your production profile, and increase your margins with good metal recoveries, of course," Thompson noted.

Red Mountain's current NI 43-101 compliant resource stands at 15,600,000 tons (15.6 Mt) of 7% zinc equivalent in the Inferred category. This is equal to 168,600,000 ounces (168.6 Moz) of 335.7 grams per ton of silver equivalent.

Chen Lin, asset manager behind What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling? wrote on Oct. 28. "The Red Mountain Project has a lot of exploration upside."

The company aims to expand the Red Mountain resource with its "Exploration Target" of 50-75Mt at 300-400 g/t AgEq for and estimated to 500–900 Moz of AgEq and advance it toward development decision, while generating new discoveries.

"Our goal is to really focus on the precious metal part of the system," Thompson said. "That's the reason we got interested in it, simply because of some impressive silver and gold drill intercepts in the system, and we want to flush those out. And so we're going to try and improve that precious to base metal ratio or the overall resource."

Chen Lin, asset manager behind What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling? wrote on Oct. 28. "The Red Mountain Project has a lot of exploration upside."

Thompson highlighted how minerally endowed and prolific VMS systems can be, citing the Kidd Creek mines as examples. La Rond, Flin Flon, and Noranda, to name a few. Kidd Creek, in Ontario, Canada's Abitibi greenstone belt, is one of the world's largest VMS ore deposits. The operation began producing copper, zinc, and silver in 1966 and is now owned by Glencore International Plc (GLNCY:OTCMKTS; GLEN:LSE).

Red Mountain, located about 100 kilometers south of Fairbanks on state-managed lands, is in a top-tier, pro-mining jurisdiction. Alaska ranked as the 11th most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment out of 86 places worldwide last year, according to the Fraser Institute.

"We have strong support from the state to advance this and to work with us on upgrading these various infrastructure components to the project," Thompson said, referring to enhancing the road access, for example. Project accessibility is reasonable, he added but has room for improvement.

Silver47 boasts an experienced technical and management team led by founder, geologist, and company builder Gary R. Thompson, who also is cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Brixton Metals Corporation (BBB:TSX.V). Prior to starting Brixton Metals, he sold Sierra Geothermal Power to Ram Power in 2010. Silver47 going public will be his fourth public company, the fourth one being Gold79 Mines Ltd. (AUU:TSXV; OTCQB:AUSVF). His experience in resource exploration, including precious and base metals, renewable energy, and oil & gas, spans 27 years,15 of them in public markets. His history includes positions at Newmont Alaska Ltd. and NOVAGOLD Resources Inc. (NG:TSX; NG:NYSE.MKT), as well as discovering and selling the TAG gold-silver prospect to Taku Gold Corp. (TAK:TSX.V; TAKUF:OTCMKTS). Also, he sold the Kahuna claims in Nunavut, near Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.'s (AEM:TSX; AEM:NYSE) Meliadine mine, to Kodiak Copper Corp. (KDK:TSX.V) and Solstice Gold.

Experts Still Bullish on Silver

Today, U.S. election euphoria is boosting the stock markets but depressing precious metals, noted Technical Analyst Clive Maund in a report on Nov. 6. On this day, hours after the U.S. president-elect was announced, silver opened at US$31.04/oz, lower than the day before by 5.22%. Only two weeks ago, the price, in comparison, had broken through US$35/oz.

This current bearish trend should end once the high surrounding the election dissipates and reality sets back in, Maund purported. When this happens, "we will see money flow back into the precious metals and other such assets, as they must hold their value in an environment where inflation is continuing to mount," he wrote.

According to economies.com on Nov. 6, for the silver price to turn around, it must first breach US$32.50 and then $33.04/oz. This will "push the price to turn to rise."

While the price of silver experiences volatility, its supply and demand fundamentals remain constant. Worldwide demand for silver, valued as an industrial and precious metal, is expected to increase 2% this year over last, to 1,200,000,000 ounces, yet supply is projected to drop 1%, according to The Silver Institute. This year, the global silver market is forecasted to face a deficit of 259 Moz, Money Metals reported The Silver Investor's Peter Krauth in a recent presentation.

Most, or 60%, of silver demand is for industrial applications, including electrical, electronics, printing, medical, space technology, and the military-industrial complex. Given its use in electric vehicles, photovoltaic panels, and batteries, silver is critical to the global green energy transition. Demand for use in photovoltaic panels alone this year will be about 232 Moz, nearly three times the 80 Moz needed in 2020, according to The Silver Institute.

The remaining 40% of total global silver demand is for jewelry, silverware, and investments.

New applications of silver continue to be discovered in biotech, for example, according to The Pure Gold Co. As technology and the global economy evolve, so will silver's industrial uses, Matt Watson, founder and president of Precious Metals Commodity Management, told Kitco News. Expansion of the artificial intelligence industry will boost demand for silver, too, for use in energy storage, transportation, nanotechnology, and more.

"[Silver] is the do-it-all metal on the Periodic Table," Watson said. "I don't see any fundamental downside to silver."

Looking ahead, experts expect the silver price to keep rising over time. Dominic Frisby of The Flying Frisby wrote recently, "There is not a lot standing in the way of silver and US$50. In that scenario, the miners will go to the moon. If it breaks above US$50, there is nothing but blue sky above."

Krauth thinks the silver price could actually reach triple-triple digits, or US$300/oz, based on the technical and historical indicators, he said in a recent video. "I don't believe it will stay there, but I do think that it could be in our future."

Ownership and Share Structure

Silver47’s three largest shareholders are Eric Sprott, Crescat Capital, and management.

The silver explorer has a tight share structure with 50 million (50M) total shares, 65M fully diluted. Thompson said it would begin trading with a CA$40 million market cap.

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Important Disclosures:

1. Silver47 Exploration Corp. has a consulting relationship with Street Smart an affiliate of Streetwise Reports. Street Smart Clients pay a monthly consulting fee between US$8,000 and US$20,000.
2. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Silver47 Exploration Corp. and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.
3. Doresa Banning wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor.
4. 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.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

File: Stephen Yan dresses as Deadpool at Comic-Con on July 19, 2013 in San Diego.; Credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

Hey, you! Yeah, you reading this! They're finally making a Deadpool movie!

If you like fourth-wall breaking, second-person addresses like the above, you may be in the target audience for the long-in-development "Deadpool," which Twentieth Century Fox announced Thursday that it was finally moving ahead with, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The studio announced a Feb. 12, 2016 release date for the film with Tim Miller set to direct the character who's served as both friend and foe to the X-Men.

The so-called "Merc with a Mouth" is a mercenary character created in the early '90s by artist Rob Liefeld, with Liefeld being an outspoken champion for the character. The character was part of the same Weapon X program that created Wolverine, with a similar healing factor power, but with a horribly scarred face he covers with a mask. He's also been played as crazy, which manifests itself as the character often knowing he's in a comic book and talking directly to the reader.

Ryan Reynolds has long been tied to the project, including playing a version of the character in the much-hated "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," but no deal has been made yet, according to the Reporter.

This follows footage leaking over the summer of a "Deadpool" test with Reynolds voicing the character in a CGI clip. Reynolds said in an interview in the Niagara Falls Review earlier this month that that it's unfortunate the footage leaked, "but who cares," because the positive response to the clip had helped push the film forward after being stuck in development hell.

"The movie has been in a state of limbo for a while. There was such an overpowering reaction to the footage, you sort of feel like, 'Oh, so we weren't crazy for our reasons for loving this character, for loving this role.' It's interesting to see the power of the Internet. It's awe-inspiring, actually," Reynolds told the Review. "And it's neat that Twitter and Facebook and Instagram can move mountains when used in the right way."

Watch the "Deadpool" test footage below (Warning: Contains some adult language):

Deadpool test footage

There'd also been debate about whether a movie would stay true to the character's outrageous attitude mixed with violence and go for an R rating, or whether it would go for a wider audience by staying at PG-13. Deadpool creator Liefeld has argued that the film would work just fine without restricting its audience with an R.

Liefeld tweet 1

Liefeld tweet 2

Liefeld told the Daily Superhero in a previous interview that the footage for the test was filmed three years ago, using motion capture over footage of Reynolds. He also talked up Miller as a director, noting that he directed the pre-credits scene for "Thor: The Dark World."

"Fox had released a relatively small budget for Tim to present his vision of the script written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick," Liefeld said. "The digital costume over Ryan Reynold's motion capture (Mo-Cap) performance was an approach they wanted to explore and they had a relatively small window to create this short so they opted to 'test' the look of a digital Deadpool costume over Ryan. I'm quite pleased at how it turned out, especially considering Baraka-Deadpool from Wolverine Origins."

Liefeld was referring to the transformation of Deadpool in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" to a mouthless, pointy-limbed character in the film, which many fans argued took away what they loved most about Deadpool: His sense of humor. Liefeld also said he'd seen even more impressive sequences than the one that made its way online.

It's unclear whether this will tie in with the other X-Men films, but with the studio's recent attempt to tie together the "First Class" franchise with the older X-Men films in "Days of Future Past" and the character's long history of involvement with the X-Men and other related teams, it seems like a likely move.

"Red Band Society," premieres on Fox September 17th, starring Octavia Spencer, Charlie Rowe and Nolan Sotillo.; Credit: Fox Television Studios

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is pulling ads for the Fox television show "Red Band Society" from nearly 200 buses amid complaints they are racist and offensive to women.

The ads show the ensemble cast's members in front of a wall with graffiti describing their characters.

A denigrating word for a woman is used to describe the show's star, Octavia Spencer's character.

The Los Angeles Times reports transit officials began pulling the ads on Wednesday. They had been up for five weeks.

The Red Band Society also shared the ad on its Facebook page in August. 

Facebook: #RedBandSociety ad

But it's since edited it to look like this.

Photo: New ad via Facebook

Protesters who attended Thursday's transit agency board meeting complained the depiction of Spencer's character is racist and offensive to women.

The actress, who plays a nurse in the hospital drama, is black.

She won a supporting actress Oscar for her role in "The Help."

Kevin Smith with a room full of his own strain of pot, created for his new film, "Tusk." ; Credit: James Kim/KPCC

When Kevin Smith records his podcast, Smodcast, he says, "I'm usually blazed." Which, if you've heard the episode where Smith comes up with the entire story for his new film, "Tusk," it should come as no surprise.

The film is about a man who takes another man hostage and turns him into a walrus. While the movie itself doesn't mention or include any weed, Smith thought medical marijuana would be a nice complement to the viewing experience. 

A24, the film distribution company, came to Smith with a marketing idea: create strains of weed for the film. Smith thought it was genius. Buds and Roses — a cannabis dispensary in Studio City — was approached by Smith and his team to make medical marijuana specifically for the film. The dispensary came up with two strains called "Mr. Tusk" and "White Walrus." 

We met up with the director at Buds and Roses to see why the green substance was a perfect pairing for the film: 

Interview Highlights:

Smith knows that some people enjoy going to the movies stoned: 

"This movie, out of all movies, seems like a real head trip of a flick. So if they have their medical marijuana card, by all means, enjoy the movie. Don't feel the need to go back if you don't remember anything. It's not a gimmick to make them go twice or anything. But in a world where people are gonna smoke medicinal marijuana, having a 'Tusk' sticker on there just makes me smile. Kind of makes sense for this movie." 

How Fleetwood Mac and weed helped his writing:

"I put on Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' over and over on repeat and would just sit there and blaze while I wrote. And you know, I blaze in the way that I used to smoke cigarettes. So, I'll light it and put it in an ashtray, let it burn and stuff. So it fills the room like incense if you will. But, yeah, for a movie like 'Tusk,' I guess you gotta be pretty stoned to make the guy-who-makes-a-guy-into-a-walrus movie. And I'm kinda glad I did. It's weird. People are calling it the best movie I've ever made and I was like, 'Well, this is the only one I made stoned.' So I'm like, 'Guess what I'm doing, kids!'"

Smith used to be against drugs: 

"I smoked weed in my life, but I would never consider myself a stoner. In fact, I still had the '80s [attitude] lingering, 'Just say no,' and,  you know, 'Oh my lord! It's a drug!' It wasn't until I became older — age 38 — when I started smoking weed on a regular basis. I was like, 'This is not a drug. This is ridiculous! It grows in the Earth.' So once I got past the bias that was pounded into us in the '80s, suddenly I was like, 'Heavens. I like who I am here.' It doesn't make you a better person, kids. It doesn't make you more creative. What it does is it kind of knocks fear on its ass. You face your fears a little better." 

Disclaimer: Smith wants you to know that he does not endorse marijuana for anyone under 21:

"Kids, teenagers... I'm talking to you. The teenage brain is stunted by marijuana smoking so you guys have to wait 'til you're older. I didn't start smoking 'til I was 38 years old. I'm not saying wait 'til then. That was a stupid mistake on my behalf. But wait until you're legit. Wait until you're 21 before you start smoking." 

We explore a special class of periodic graphs, ladder graphs, whose edges can coincide when embedded vertices are moved. Many of these exhibit additional non-crystallographic graph symmetries.

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/18/2024

American Salars Lithium Inc. (USLI:CSE; USLIF:OTC; Z3P:FWB; A3E2NY:WKN) announced it is strategically reviewing multiple Canadian mineral properties prospective for lithium close to recent pegmatite, or hard-rock, lithium discoveries.

The first project under review is about 150 kilometers north of Matagami, where there is a small town with a rail link to much of James Bay, and has the Billy Diamond Highway running through it.

American Salars said it's close to Q2 Metals Corp. (QTWOTSX-V; OTCQB:QUEXF) Cisco Lithium Project, which reported drill intercepts of 215.6 meters at 1.69% Li2O, including 64.6 meters at 2.29%. Also nearby are multiple projects owned by Sayona Mining Ltd (SYA:ASX), which is currently Canada's only lithium producer.

"Our primary objective remains the acquisition of low-cost lithium brine assets in Argentina while expanding our existing NI 43-101 lithium brine resources," said Chief Executive Officer and Director R. Nick Horsley. "We believe that Quebec-based hard rock lithium assets can now be acquired at deeply discounted prices and advanced with critical mineral flow through financing incentives in anticipation of the next lithium rally."

American Salars said it is reviewing additional projects close to Sayona, which will be subject to disclosure "once due diligence is completed and a deal is completed." The company stressed that its "intent to acquire property and current strategic review does not necessarily mean that a transaction will occur."

Current Assets Also in Argentina, Nevada

The company's existing portfolio of lithium deposits includes two NI 43-101-compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimates (MREs) consisting of 457,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) at the Candela 2 Lithium Brine Project and a shared MRE at the Pocitos 1 Lithium Brine Project consisting of 760,000 tonnes LCE. The Pocitos MRE is shared with the neighboring Pocitos 2 property, which is not under contract or owned by American Salars, but the company noted that none of the drilling that makes up a partial basis for the MRE took place on the Pocitos 2 block. Both brine projects are located in Salta Province, Argentina.

Major mining company Rio Tino recently invested in Argentina by acquiring Argentina lithium producer Arcadium Lithium for US$6.7 billion, making the company the world's third-largest lithium producer.

American Salars recently released assay results from soil samples collected during its Phase 1 exploration program at its 100%-owned Black Rock South lithium project close to Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada.

Technical Analyst Clive Maund wrote that the entire "San Emidio Desert basin is a highly prospective lithium exploration zone and is about 38 kilometers long and up to 11 kilometers wide at the widest point, with the central playa measuring about 8.5 kilometers north-south and 4.5 kilometers east-west."

Out of 38 samples, 33 recorded lithium concentration of more than 100 parts per million (ppm) or higher, the company said. The highest grade was 180.5 ppm with an average grade of 131 ppm across the 33 samples of the surface of the property.

Technical Analyst Clive Maund wrote that the entire "San Emidio Desert basin is a highly prospective lithium exploration zone and is about 38 kilometers long and up to 11 kilometers wide at the widest point, with the central playa measuring about 8.5 kilometers north-south and 4.5 kilometers east-west."*

"After a massive speculative runup in 2020 and especially in 2021, the lithium price fell victim to a severe bear market that ran from mid-2022 through the end of 2023," Maund continued. "By the end of last year, this bear market had exhausted itself, and a basing process began that has continued up to the present."

In addition to its location near the Gigafactory, Black Rock South is 93 miles southwest of Thacker and 215 miles northwest of the United States' only producing lithium mine, the Silver Peak lithium brine mine owned by Albermarle.

The Catalyst: More Growth Coming

Lithium is critical in the energy transition for its use in batteries for EVs and other applications. It also is used in electronics, medicine and other industries.

According to a report by Grand View Research, market size for the metal was estimated at US$31.75 billion last year and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7% from this year through 2030.

"The automotive application segment is expected to witness substantial growth, driven by stringent regulations imposed by government bodies on ICE automakers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles," researchers at Grand View said. "This has shifted the interest of automakers toward producing EVs, which is anticipated to benefit the demand for lithium and related products."

EVs and battery storage primarily will fuel future growth of the lithium market, Marin Katusa of Katusa Research wrote recently. He pointed out that all major electric vehicle batteries require lithium, about 1.55 pounds per kilowatt hour of battery capacity, on average.

"I think the data speaks for itself that there's more growth and opportunity on the horizon," Katusa wrote.

According to FastMarkets, prices for the metal have fallen over the past 18 months as weaker demand improved availability. However, this "has done little to deter the appetite for expansion," raw battery materials analyst Jordan Roberts told the publication.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-11095]

The consensus among market analysts points to a recovery in lithium prices in the fourth quarter of 2024, Fastmarkets reported.

"This optimism is grounded in expectations of increased activity . . . to meet end of year targets, strong battery production seen in March and April finally filtering through upstream and low inventory levels necessitating restocking," the website noted.

Ownership and Share Structure

American Salars said it has 28.8 million shares outstanding and 5.5 million warrants, according to the company.

As for insiders, the CEO Horsley owns about 1.83 million, or about 7.37%, with 4666,666 warrants. Strategic investor Hillcrest Merchant Partners owns 1 million shares or 4.03%. There are no institutional investors, and the rest is retail.

Its market cap is CA$4.79 million. It trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.45 and CA$0.08.

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Important Disclosures:

1. American Salars Lithium Inc. has a consulting relationship with Street Smart an affiliate of Streetwise Reports. Street Smart Clients pay a monthly consulting fee between US$8,000 and US$20,000.
2. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of American Salars Lithium Inc.
3. Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
4. 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.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

* Disclosure for the quote from the Clive Maund source June 17, 2024

1. For the quote (sourced on June 17, 2024), the Company has paid Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, US$1,500.
2. Author Certification and Compensation: [Clive Maund of clivemaund.com] is being compensated as an independent contractor by Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, for writing the article quoted. Maund received his UK Technical Analysts’ Diploma in 1989. The recommendations and opinions expressed in the article accurately reflect the personal, independent, and objective views of the author regarding any and all of the designated securities discussed. No part of the compensation received by the author was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views expressed.

Clivemaund.com Disclosures

The quoted article represents the opinion and analysis of Mr. Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks cannot be only be construed as a recommendation or solicitation to buy and sell securities.

( Companies Mentioned: USLI:CSE; USLIF:OTC; Z3P:FWB; A3E2NY:WKN, )

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/18/2024

Aero Energy Ltd. (AERO:TSXV; AAUGF:OTC; UU3:FRA) has announced significant advancements at its Murmac and Sun Dog uranium projects in Northern Saskatchewan, with the first drill program revealing high-grade uranium potential. Situated near Uranium City on the Athabasca Basin's northern margin, the projects aim to capitalize on basement-hosted uranium deposits similar to high-grade discoveries in the region.

The initial drill campaign completed 16 holes, targeting 12 key areas, with 12 holes yielding anomalous radioactivity. A major highlight is the new high-grade uranium discovery in drill hole M24-017, which intersected 8.4 meters of mineralization at 0.3% U3O8, including assays peaking at 13.8% U3O8 at just 64 meters below surface. The results confirm Aero's exploration model, which focuses on basement-hosted deposits within graphitic structures, a common feature in Athabasca Basin uranium deposits like Arrow and Triple R.

"From the launch of the company in January, we took a very diligent yet aggressive approach to discovery," stated Galen McNamara, CEO of Aero Energy. "The combination of historical data and the results from the first drill program serve as evidence that basement-hosted mineralization akin to the large deposits beneath and adjacent to the Athabasca Basin is present in the area."

The Murmac project spans 25,607 acres and holds a production legacy of approximately 70 million pounds of U3O8. Similarly, the 48,443-acre Sun Dog property hosts the historic Gunnar uranium mine, which once held the title of the world's largest uranium producer. Past exploration focused on fault-hosted mineralization, missing the basement-hosted uranium potential that Aero's recent findings have validated.

Recent exploration efforts included a VTEM Plus survey, flown over 3,350 kilometers, identifying graphite-rich rocks that support Aero's exploration thesis. Additionally, two new occurrences of strong radioactivity were identified at surface-level scout locations: Target A15 showed 60,793 counts per second, and Target P4 displayed 13,533 counts per second. Summer 2024 drilling included 1,550 meters at Murmac and 1,600 meters at Sun Dog, highlighting shallow, high-grade potential in both areas.

In parallel, Aero Energy has announced a CA$2.5 million non-brokered private placement to support further exploration. The proceeds from flow-through units will fund work programs across Murmac, Sun Dog, and the Strike property, with the remaining funds allocated to general working capital.

Why Uranium?

The uranium sector has recently experienced strong growth, largely driven by increasing global demand and efforts to diversify from Russian supply chains. On September 30, The New York Times discussed the resurgence in Western uranium production, highlighting that "uranium mines are ramping up across the West, spurred by rising demand for electricity and federal efforts to cut Russia out of the supply chain." Aero Energy's recent discoveries and forthcoming winter drilling plans at Murmac and Sun Dog reflect this trend, with CEO Galen McNamara remarking, "The combination of historical data and the results from the first drill program serve as evidence that basement-hosted mineralization . . . is present in the area," suggesting strong potential for the Canadian uranium market to contribute to non-Russian nuclear fuel supplies.

Jeff Clark of The Gold Advisor highlighted his continued confidence in the company by stating, "I remain overweight the stock."

On October 9, Reuters reported that demand from U.S. buyers has been on the rise, as "a strong rise in demand from its U.S. customers" pushed Orano's recent plans to expand uranium enrichment in the United States and France. This shift underscores Aero Energy's recent investments in Northern Saskatchewan, where the company has identified high-grade uranium mineralization in both the Murmac and Sun Dog projects, aiming to meet future supply demands with a focus on basement-hosted deposits.

As Forbes reported on October 11, the uranium market experienced renewed momentum after Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at the possibility of a ban on uranium exports to Western nations. This suggestion "jolted the uranium market," which had been declining after peaking earlier in the year. The price of uranium rebounded to US$83.50 per pound, reflecting rising concerns about potential supply disruptions. Citi analysts noted that “Russia supplies close to 12% of U3O8, 25% of UF6, and 35% of EUP to international markets,” underscoring the challenges that Western nations, particularly the U.S. and Europe, could face in replacing these critical materials. This market dynamic positions uranium companies operating outside of Russia, like those in the Athabasca Basin, to benefit from supply gaps and heightened demand.

MSN reported on October 13 that the UK's nuclear power capacity is set to decrease dramatically in the coming years, with the planned closure of four out of five remaining nuclear plants by 2028. This reduction in capacity is expected to increase pressure on global uranium supplies as demand for nuclear energy continues to rise amid efforts to meet climate goals. The ongoing shift toward low-carbon energy sources, coupled with the planned closures, could create further supply constraints and drive demand for uranium from alternative sources.

Aero's Catalysts

According to the company's October 2024 investor presentation, the ongoing development at Murmac and Sun Dog highlights Aero Energy's strategy to enhance shareholder value by targeting high-grade uranium deposits in underexplored regions. Aero has leveraged recent technology investments, including VTEM Plus aerial surveys, which identified graphite-rich formations favorable for uranium. The exploration efforts build on the CA$7.6 million previously invested by project partners Fortune Bay and Standard Uranium, which has contributed to refining the drill targets. As Aero works with its partners to maximize the impact of this winter's drilling program, the company's strategic location on the north rim of the Athabasca Basin positions it well to expand these discoveries and attract continued investor interest.

The recently announced CA$2.5 million private placement will further strengthen Aero's financial capacity to carry out its targeted drill campaigns and exploration work.

Analyzing Aero

Jeff Clark of The Gold Advisor, in his October 17 update, noted that Aero Energy has "identified more than 70 kilometers of strike to test for high-grade basement-hosted uranium," emphasizing the company's significant exploration potential in a region known for some of the world's richest uranium deposits.

Clark further commented on Aero Energy's recent results, underscoring the importance of drill hole M24-017, which intersected 8.4 meters of uranium mineralization, grading 0.3% U3O8, with assays reaching as high as 13.8% U3O8. He stated, "While not a discovery hole, per se, this hole underscores the company's thesis that these two projects are prospective for the same type of uranium mineralization as Arrow and Triple R." This observation reinforces Aero Energy's exploration model, which targets basement-hosted uranium deposits similar to those found at other significant Athabasca Basin discoveries. [OWNERSHIP_CHART-11173]

Additionally, Clark expressed optimism regarding Aero Energy's current valuation and future prospects, recommending it as a strong buy at current levels. He highlighted his continued confidence in the company by stating, "I remain overweight the stock," suggesting that Aero Energy presents a compelling opportunity for speculative investors in the uranium exploration space.

The recently announced CA$2.5 million private placement was also acknowledged by Clark as a necessary step to fund further exploration activities. While he expressed some caution about potential dilution, he affirmed his overall support for the financing, noting that "its projects are very much worthy of follow-up."

Ownership and Share Structure

According to Refinitiv, management and insiders own 3.11% of Aero Energy. Of those, CEO Galen McNamara has the most at 2.97%. Institutions owns 4.79% with MMCAP Asset Management holding 3.89%. The rest is retail.

Aero has 92.3 million free float shares and a market cap of CA$4.5 million. The 52 week range is CA$0.040–$0.26.

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Important Disclosures:

1) James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.

2) 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.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

( Companies Mentioned: AERO:TSXV;AAUGF:OTC;UU3:FRA, )

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/22/2024

Canter Resources Corp. (CRC:CSE; CNRCF:OTC; 601:FRA) has completed its acquisition of the Railroad Valley lithium-boron claims (RV project). The RV project claim block shares a common border with land controlled by 3 Proton Lithium (3PL), a private critical mineral explorer in Railroad Valley. Canter intends to complete follow-up sampling at the project in the fourth quarter of 2024, 164 kilometers from their exploration base in Tonopah, Nevada.

In the company news release, Joness Lang, CEO of Canter Resources, commented on the acquisition, stating, "We are excited to have expanded our lithium-boron exploration footprint in Nevada with this strategic acquisition in a highly prospective, yet underexplored area. While our primary focus remains on advancing our flagship Columbus project, we see value in adding low-cost, high-potential projects that strengthen our portfolio and align with our long-term growth strategy."

Lithium-Boron Market Trends and Opportunities

Visual Capitalist reported on September 29 that cobalt, a critical mineral used in battery production, had "gained significant attention in recent years due to its wide range of commercial, industrial, and military applications." The growing demand for cobalt in the electric vehicle (EV) sector was highlighted, with "the EV sector accounting for 40% of the global cobalt market," reinforcing its importance in the global transition to electrification. Additionally, 87% of China's cobalt consumption was "dedicated to the lithium-ion battery industry."

On October 1, Ahead of the Herd emphasized a favorable environment for risk assets, noting, "The combination of interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, resilient economic growth, and the un-inversion of the yield curve" as contributing factors. The S&P/TSX Global Mining Index gained 14% since September 6, marking its biggest jump of the year, with central banks cutting interest rates and the U.S. signaling more battery metal funding. Ahead of the Herd also stated that "majors, mid-tiers, and juniors all looked ripe for a rebound" in this risk-tolerant environment.

On October 8, Forbes reported that "a 50% rise in the price of a downtrodden lithium producer has boosted investor hopes that a revival in the battery metal is possible" after two difficult years of oversupply and low prices. Lithium was "once the hottest metal in the commodity sector" and had begun showing "signs of recovery as investor interest picks up again." Despite the downturn, the long-term outlook for lithium remained strong, with Forbes emphasizing its essential role "for the future of electric vehicles and battery technology."

According to Barry Dawes of Martin Place Securities that same day, "the lithium market is showing strong signs of upturn," with the possibility of "lithium shortages post-2027," highlighting the sector's future growth potential.

Canter's Catalysts Driving Growth

As outlined in their investor presentation, Canter Resources' Railroad Valley acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of expanding its critical minerals portfolio at a low cost while leveraging geological similarities to proven lithium-producing regions. The Railroad Valley project holds promise due to its favorable geological features, such as volcanic calderas and closed-basin characteristics, which are known to enhance lithium and boron concentration.

According to the company's investor presentation, this acquisition bolsters Canter's portfolio as it continues to focus on the Columbus project. The upcoming follow-up sampling and the planned Q4 2024 exploration at the Railroad Valley site further demonstrate the company's commitment to expanding its exploration activities. Canter's continued exploration efforts are expected to provide the data necessary to identify lithium-boron deposits across its portfolio, enhancing long-term growth potential.

Analysts On Canter

*According to Technical Analyst Clive Maund, who issued an opinion on October 16, Canter Resources Corp. was viewed as an "Immediate Strong Buy." Maund pointed out that the company's stock was priced at "some 8% of its price at its late 2023 peak," making it a highly favorable entry point. He emphasized that despite the severe bear market in lithium, Canter had made "considerable progress" on its projects, which positioned the company to benefit as lithium prices stabilized. Maund highlighted that Canter's Columbus Basin Project, located in a region with favorable geology, "looks set to provide a 'kicker' for the stock," especially following positive Phase II drilling results.

On October 15, Jeff Clark from The Gold Advisor also shared a positive assessment of Canter Resources. Clark noted that the company had reported "significant findings from its Phase II Geoprobe drilling program" at the Columbus Project, including the highest boron concentration to date and consistent lithium values. He highlighted Canter's potential to make a major discovery at Columbus, particularly due to the structural similarities between this project and other successful lithium-boron operations in the region. Clark added that Canter's "low-cost shallow drilling" had laid the foundation for a deeper and more extensive exploration phase. He affirmed that Canter's market cap of CA$3.85M represented an "incredible bargain" considering the company's potential.

In What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling?, published on October 16, analyst Chen Lin provided a positive outlook on Canter Resources' drilling results. He highlighted that Phase II drilling at the Columbus Lithium-Boron Project returned "the highest dissolved boron concentration to date," which further underscored the project's potential. Lin emphasized the promising geochemical similarities between Canter's Columbus Basin and other major lithium-boron-producing regions, stating that these results "bolster the company’s hypothesis" and position Canter as a key player in the critical minerals market. [OWNERSHIP_CHART-10988]

Ownership and Share Structure

According to the company, managers and insiders own about 9.6% of Canter Resources, and strategic investors (including the founding group and Michael Gentile & Advisors) own about 12%.

The investors with the largest stake are all insiders. They are CEO and Director Joness Lang with 3.38%, Director and Strategic Adviser Warwick Smith with 2.14%, Director and Technical Adviser Kenneth Cunningham with 1.95%, Chief Financial Officer Alnesh Mohan with 0.97%, and Director and Technical Adviser Eric Saderholm with 0.58%, and Gentile, who owns about 4% personally.

Four institutions or funds, including Euro Pacific Asset Management, collectively hold 3%. Retail investors own the remaining.

The Canadian explorer has 51.29 million outstanding shares, 46.41 million free float traded shares with a CA$4.11 million market cap.

Over the past 52 weeks, Canter has traded between CA$0.07 and CA$0.99 per share.

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Important Disclosures:

1. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Canter Resources Corp.
2. James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
3. 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.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

* Disclosure for the quote from the Clive Maund article published on October 16, 2024

1. For the quoted article (published on October 16, 2024), the Company has paid Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, US$2,500.
2. Author Certification and Compensation: [Clive Maund of clivemaund.com] is being compensated as an independent contractor by Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, for writing the article quoted. Maund received his UK Technical Analysts’ Diploma in 1989. The recommendations and opinions expressed in the article accurately reflect the personal, independent, and objective views of the author regarding any and all of the designated securities discussed. No part of the compensation received by the author was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views expressed

Clivemaund.com Disclosures

The quoted article represents the opinion and analysis of Mr. Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks cannot be only be construed as a recommendation or solicitation to buy and sell securities.

( Companies Mentioned: CRC:CSE; CNRCF:OTC; 601:FRA, )

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/22/2024

The growth of artificial intelligence, the need for more computer data centers, the eventual adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), and the need for more net-zero power means a renaissance in nuclear power is underway.

Just last month, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT:NASDAQ) announced a deal with Constellation Energy Group (CEG:NYSE) to restart and buy all of the power from one of the shut-down reactors at its infamous Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania and the Biden administration also announced a plan to restart the Palisades plant in Michigan.

"Biden has called for a tripling of U.S. nuclear power capacity to fuel energy demand that is accelerating in part due to expansion of power-hungry technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing," Valerie Volcovici wrote for Reuters on Oct. 8.

The administration also wants to develop small nuclear reactors (SMRs) for certain applications.

All of this is putting the metal needed to power nuclear energy, uranium, front and center. Prices for the element have started rising, with nuclear fuel trading at US$83.30 per pound last Thursday, a level not seen since 2007, according to a report by Daily Finland on Friday.

Uranium prices are expected to move higher by the end of this quarter, when Trading Economics' global macro models and analyses forecast uranium to trade at US$84.15 per pound, Nuclear Newswire reported on Oct. 3. In another year, the site estimates that the metal will trade at US$91.80 per pound.

The Catalyst: Surging Demand

The engine driving the prices is a "fundamental global shortage" of uranium driven by surging demand, said Andre Leibenberg, chief executive officer of Yellow Cake, which is focused on providing exposure to uranium's spot price.

The demand is stemming not only from a growing recognition of nuclear power's role in the future energy mix, but also from its critical importance in supporting the AI boom and the development of data centers, he wrote in a company update last week, according to Mining Weekly.

According to the report, Liebenberg noted that the primary mine supply of 140 million pounds was significantly trailing behind global demand of more than 180 million pounds a year.

In the European Union, a "lack of clarity" about Russian uranium imports is holding back investment in new enrichment plants, according to Reuters.

Russia supplied more than 25% of European and American enriched uranium before the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022, the report said.

Since then, "the U.S. implemented a ban on imports of enriched uranium from Russia in August, with some exemptions, but in Europe, different countries have taken different approaches," muddying the waters.

Complicating matters is a hint in September that Russian President Vladimir Putin might embargo exports of the vital element to the west.

Citi, in a note to clients, said utilities have been stockpiling Russian uranium, but an embargo would make it "hard to replace" supplies of the metal in the next two years.

"Russia supplies close to 12% of U3O8 (known as yellow cake), 25% of UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) and 35% of EUP (enriched uranium product) to international markets," the bank said, according to Forbes. "While the largest share of these supplies goes to China and in supplying nuclear reactors that were built by Russia's Rosatom, we believe that at-risk supplies are exports to the U.S. or Western Europe."

The consequences of what could happen without more nuclear power can be seen in the U.K., where the number of reactors is shrinking. Four of five of them are expected to close in the next couple of years, which could "stretch the grid to the limit."

"As Britain's reactor fleet shrivels, the amount of nuclear capacity will fall from six gigawatts (GW) today to just 1.2 GW by 2028 or soon after," Jonathan Leake and Matt Oliver wrote for The Telegraph last week. "Along with rising demand from power-hungry data centers and technologies of the future, it will make it even harder to keep the lights on when wind and solar generation is low."

Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)

SMRs are another possible solution for some medium-sized energy needs. They have been operational for dozens of years in submarines and other long-distance ocean-going craft.

"They can be manufactured in factories and then rapidly erected on-site," Dominic Frisby wrote for his newsletter, The Flying Frisby, on Oct. 13. They are scalable, and that flexibility "aids manufacture, transportation, and installation while reducing construction time and costs."

A 440-megawatt (MW) SMR would produce about 3.5 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year, enough for 1.2 million homes, Frisby noted.

SMRs produce electricity that can easily be adjusted to meet the constant, everyday needs of the grid (baseload), and they can also ramp up or down to follow changes in demand throughout the day, the author wrote. They spin in sync with the grid, so they help keep everything stable.

"When they're running, they act like a steady hand, providing momentum that makes it easier to manage sudden changes in electricity supply or demand," he wrote.

'Bucket Loads of Power' Needed

All of this equates for a bright future for the metal, he said.

"Guess what? AI requires bucket loads of power," Frisby wrote. "That's why Microsoft recently agreed to pay Constellation Energy, the new owner of America's infamous nuclear power station, Three Mile Island, a sizeable premium for its energy. There is cheaper wind and solar power to be had in Pennsylvania, but it isn't as reliable as nuclear 24 hours a day. It's not just AI. The widespread political desire to rid ourselves of fossil fuels means the world needs electricity, and fast."

Chris Temple, publisher of The National Investor, recently noted that with the Three Mile Island deal, "uranium/nuclear power is BACK!"

"I've watched as the news has continued to point to uranium being in the early innings of this new bull market," Temple wrote. "Yet the markets have been yawning . . . until now."

What follows are several uranium explorers and producers that could benefit from this upswing for investors looking to take advantage.

Baselode Energy Corp.

Baselode Energy Corp. (FIND:TSX.V; BSENF:OTCQB) controls 100% of about 273,000 hectares for exploration in the Athabasca Basin area in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-10321]

The company said it discovered the ACKIO near-surface, high-grade uranium deposit in September 2021. ACKIO measures greater than 375 meters along strike, greater than 150 meters wide, and is comprised of at least 11 separate zones. Mineralization starts as shallow as 28 meters beneath the surface and continues down to about 300 meters depth beneath the surface, with the bulk of mineralization occurring in the upper 120 meters, Baselode said. ACKIO remains open to the west and south and along the Athabasca sandstone unconformity to the east and south.

Earlier this month, the company reported positive uranium assay results from three drill holes of its 2024 drill program at ACKIO.

Notably, drill hole AK24-119 intersected 0.28% U3O8 over 21.0 meters, including a high-grade section of 1.55% U3O8 over 1.5 meters at a depth of 141 meters. While drill hole AK24-118 returned 0.59% U3O8 over 8.5 meters, including 1.25% U3O8 over 1.5 meters at a depth of 153 meters.

"These results strengthen our confidence in ACKIO," Chief Executive Officer James Sykes said in a release. "It's remarkable that, just over three years after discovering ACKIO, we're still achieving better-than-expected grades and widths."

Baselode expects further assay results from the remaining 40 drill holes to be released after quality review and approval.

David Talbot, Managing Director at Red Cloud Securities, noted in a September 17 report that drilling at ACKIO "continued to expand the mineralized footprint at Pods 1, 6, and 7," highlighting that "thirteen holes reported composite intervals of anomalous radioactivity between 11m and 42m in thickness."

In his report, Talbot rated the stock as a Buy and further projected the potential for "8-10-12 million pounds of U3O8 at a grade of ~0.3% U3O8," which aligns with typical grades found in the southeastern part of the Athabasca Basin.

According to Refinitiv, Baselode has institutions holding 23.26% with Alps Advisors holding the bulk of it with 17.94%, followed by Vident Investment Advisory LLC at 2.97%. Management and Insiders hold 1.59%. The rest is retail.

The company has a market cap of CA$20.05 million, with 131.51 free float shares. It trades in the 52-week range between CA$0.10 and CA$0.61.

Uranium Energy Corp.

According to its website, Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC:NYSE AMERICAN) is America's "largest and fastest growing supplier of uranium."[OWNERSHIP_CHART-402]

The company said it is advancing the next generation of low-cost, environmentally friendly in-situ recovery (ISR) mining uranium projects in the United States and high-grade conventional projects in Canada. It has two production-ready ISR hub and spoke platforms in South Texas and Wyoming.

Additionally, Uranium Energy Corp. said it has diversified uranium holdings with one of the largest physical uranium portfolios of U.S. warehoused U3O8; a major equity stake in Uranium Royalty Corp., the only royalty company in the sector; and a Western Hemisphere pipeline of resource stage uranium projects.

Most recently, the company announced it was expanding its U.S. uranium production capacity by acquiring Rio Tinto Plc.'s Sweetwater Plant and a portfolio of Wyoming uranium assets.

On September 25, Temple of The National Investor noted that UEC was "upgraded back to Buy" following recent uranium market news. He pointed to UEC's acquisition of the Wyoming uranium assets as a catalyst, emphasizing that uranium is "in the early innings of this new bull market."

Jeff Clark of The Gold Advisor, in his September 26 update, called the acquisition a "significant move," noting that it consolidated a large portfolio of uranium assets under UEC's control, positioning the company for rapid growth. He also highlighted the company's strategic advantage with "53,000 additional acres for exploration," reinforcing UEC's potential to ramp up production.

According to Reuters, Uranium Energy has a market cap of US$3.48 billion and 411.41 million shares outstanding. It trades in a 52-week range of US$4.06 and US$8.66.

About 2% of UE is help by management and insiders, Reuters noted. The largest portion, 77.58%, is held by institutional investors. The rest is in retail.

Terra Clean Energy Corp.

Formerly Tisdale Clean Energy Corp., Terra Clean Energy Corp. (TCEC:CSE; TCEFF:OTC; T1KC:FSE), a Canadian-based uranium exploration and development company, is currently developing the South Falcon East uranium project, which holds a 6.96-million-pound inferred uranium resource within the Fraser Lakes Zone B uranium/thorium deposit, located in the Athabasca Basin region of Saskatchewan.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-10935]

Representing a portion of Skyharbour Resources Ltd.'s existing South Falcon Project, Terra Clean Energy's project covers approximately 12,464 hectares and lies 18 kilometers outside the Athabasca Basin, approximately 50 kilometers east of the Key Lake Mine.

Recently, the company announced a comprehensive exploration program set for Winter 2025 at its South Falcon East Uranium Project. The work will focus on extending the mineralized footprint at the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit and includes about 2,000 meters of infill and step-out drilling designed to verify existing mineralized zones and identify additional targets.

In a release, Chief Executive Officer Alex Klenman described the initiative as "a unique setup for a Canadian microcap, offering multiple paths to significant value creation." This US$1.5 million project will involve TerraLogic Exploration Inc., operating out of SkyHarbour's McGowan Lake Camp with helicopter support.

According to Reuters, management and insiders hold 4.62% of Terra Clean Energy. Of those, Alex Klenman holds the most, with 4.37%.

Strategic Investors hold 12.03%, with Planet Ventures Inc holding the most at 7.40%. The rest is retail.

Terra Clean Energy has a market cap of CA$2.98 million and a 52-week range of CA$0.05 to CA$0.22.

North Shore Uranium Ltd.

North Shore Uranium Ltd. (NSU:TSX) said it is working to become a major force in exploration for economic uranium deposits at the eastern margin of the Athabasca Basin.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-10945]

The company said it is running exploration programs at its Falcon and West Bear properties and evaluating opportunities to complement its portfolio of uranium properties.

Falcon consists of 15 mineral claims, the company said. Four of them comprise 12,791 hectares and are 100%-owned by the company. The remaining 11 claims totaling 2,908 hectares are subject to an option agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. Under the terms of the option agreement, North Shore has the option to earn up to 100% interest in the 11 claims by completing certain payments.

Earlier this month, the company announced details of its target generation efforts at its Falcon uranium project at the eastern margin of Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. The company said it has identified 36 uranium targets across three zones.

"We have a great pipeline of targets to choose from for our next drill program at Falcon," said President and Chief Executive Officer Brooke Clements. "Our Zone 2 has attracted the interest of uranium explorers in the past, and we believe there is potential to make a significant uranium discovery using new data and interpretation."

Earlier this month, North Shore announced it had received a Crown Land Work permit for the full 55,700-hectare Falcon project. Issued by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, it authorizes the company to conduct mineral exploration activities, including prospecting and ground geophysics, trail and drill site clearing, line cutting, the drilling of up to 75 exploration drill holes, and the storage of drill core. The permit expires in July 2027.

Insiders and founding investors own approximately 45% of the issued and outstanding shares. Clements himself owns 3.6% or 1.33M shares, Director Doris Meyer has 2.11% or 0.78M shares, and Director James Arthur holds 1.58% or 0.58M shares. According to North Shore, 14.92M shares (40.5%) held by six founding investors are subject to a voluntary pooling agreement that restricts the disposition of these shares before October 19, 2026.

Most of the rest is with retail, as the institutional holdings are minor.

North Shore has 36.84M outstanding shares and currently has a market cap of CA$1.47 million. It has traded in the past 52 weeks between CA$0.04 and CA$0.30 per share.

Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (SYH:TSX.V; SYHBF:OTCQX; SC1P:FSE) has an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin, with 29 projects, 10 of which are drill-ready, covering over 1.4 million acres of mineral claims. In addition to being a high-grade uranium exploration company, Skyharbour utilizes a prospect generator strategy by bringing in partner companies to advance its secondary assets.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-6026]

In an updated research note on July 24, Analyst Sid Rajeev of Fundamental Research Corp. wrote that Skyharbour "owns one of the largest portfolios among uranium juniors in the Athabasca Basin."

"Given the highly vulnerable uranium supply chain, we anticipate continued consolidation within the sector," wrote Rajeev, who reiterated the firm's Buy rating and adjusted its fair value estimate from CA$1.16 to CA$1.21 per share. "Additionally, the rapidly growing demand for energy from the AI industry is likely to accelerate the adoption of nuclear power, which should, in turn, spotlight uranium juniors in the coming months."

Skyharbour acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project, which is located 15 kilometers east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometers south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage uranium exploration property with high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone, including highlight drill results of 6.0% U3O8 over 5.9 meters, including 20.8% U3O8 over 1.5 meters at a vertical depth of 265 meters.

Adjacent to the Moore Uranium Project is Skyharbour's Russell Lake Uranium Project optioned from Rio Tinto, which hosts historical high-grade drill intercepts over a large property area with robust exploration upside potential. The 73,294-ha Russell Lake Uranium Property is strategically located in the central core of the Eastern Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan. Skyharbour has recently discovered high-grade uranium mineralization in a new zone at Russell and is carrying out an additional 7-8,000-meter drill campaign across both Russell and Moore.

Management, insiders, and close business associates own approximately 5% of Skyharbour.

According to Reuters, President and CEO Trimble owns 1.6%, and Director David Cates owns 0.70%.

Institutional, corporate, and strategic investors own approximately 55% of the company. Denison Mines owns 6.3%, Rio Tinto owns 2.0%, Extract Advisors LLC owns 9%, Alps Advisors Inc. owns 9.91%, Mirae Asset Global Investments (U.S.A) L.L.C. owns 6.29%, Sprott Asset Management L.P. owns 1.5%, and Incrementum AG owns 1.18%, Reuters reported.

There are 182.53 million shares outstanding with 178 million free float traded shares, while the company has a market cap of CA$89.44 million and trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.31 and CA$0.64.

ATHA Energy Corp.

Atha Energy Corp. (SASK:TSX.V; SASKF:OTCMKTS) is a Canadian mineral company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of uranium assets with a portfolio including three 100%-owned post-discovery uranium projects (the Angilak Project located in Nunavut, and CMB Discoveries in Labrador hosting historical resource estimates of 43.3 million pounds and 14.5 million pounds U3O8 respectively, and the newly discovered basement-hosted GMZ high-grade uranium discovery located in the Athabasca Basin).[OWNERSHIP_CHART-11007]

In addition, the company said it holds the largest cumulative prospective exploration land package (more than 8.5 million acres) in two of the world's most prominent basins for uranium discoveries. ATHA also holds a 10% carried interest in key Athabasca Basin exploration projects operated by NexGen Energy Ltd. and IsoEnergy Ltd.

Technical Analyst Maund considers Atha Energy to be "THE top play in the uranium sector" and has an Immediate Strong Buy rating on it, he wrote in the previously mentioned Oct. 17 report.

The company's 3-, 13- and 26-month charts indicate its stock price had been in a bear market since trading began until September, when it had an upwave or preliminary breakout. This, along with other indicators, including positive accumulation-distribution convergence and high volume, suggest another upleg is expected soon, he said.

"Given the outlook for the uranium price and what Atha Energy has going for it, its stock is astoundingly cheap after its persistent downtrend this year," Maund wrote.

According to Refinitiv, 10 management and insiders own 16.44% of Atha Energy. The Top 5 are Timothy Young with 6.32%, Matthew Mason with 5.8%, Atha Chairman Michael Castanho with 1.16%, and Atha Director Sean Kallir with 0.9%.

Seven institutional investors together hold 9.38%. The Top 3 are Alps Advisors Inc. with 6.26%, Sprott Asset Management LP with 1.3%, and Vident Investment Advisory LLC with 0.8%.

The remaining 74.18% of Atha is in retail.

According to the company, it has 277.9M shares outstanding, 14M options, 4M restricted stock units/performance rights, and 10.2M warrants.

Reuters reports Atha's market cap is CA$208.42 million, and its 52-week range is CA$0.46−$1.42 per share.

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Important Disclosures:

1. Skyharbour Resources Ltd. and Terra Clean Energy Corp. are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports and pay SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000. In addition, Terra Clean Energy has a consulting relationship with Street Smart an affiliate of Streetwise Reports. Street Smart Clients pay a monthly consulting fee between US$8,000 and US$20,000.
2. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of North Shore Uranium Ltd., Uranium Energy Corp., and Terra Clean Energy.
3. Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
4. 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.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

( Companies Mentioned: SASK:TSX.V; SASKF:OTCMKTS, FIND:TSX.V; BSENF:OTCQB, NSU:TSX, SYH:TSX.V; SYHBF:OTCQX; SC1P:FSE, TCEC:CSE; TCEFF:OTC; T1KC:FSE, UEC:NYSE AMERICAN, )

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/24/2024

Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (SYH:TSX.V; SYHBF:OTCQX; SC1P:FSE) announced that it has completed its earn-in requirements for a 51% interest at its co-flagship Russell Lake Uranium Project in the central core of Canada's Eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan.

The company and Rio Tinto have formed a joint venture (JV) to further explore the property, with Skyharbour holding 51% ownership interest and Rio Tinto holding 49%.

This summer, Skyharbour announced that in the first phase of drilling it had found what was historically the best uranium intercept mineralization at the project when hole RSL24-02 at the recently identified Fork Target returned a 2.5-meter-wide intercept of 0.721% U3O8 at a relatively shallow depth of 338.1 meters, including 2.99% U3O8 over 0.5 meters at 339.6 meters.

The second phase of drilling included three holes totaling 1,649 meters, with emphasis "at the MZE (M-Zone Extension) target, approximately 10 km northeast of the Fork target, identified prospective faulted graphitic gneiss accompanied by anomalous sandstone and basement geochemistry," Skyharbour said.

"The discovery of multi-percent, high-grade, sandstone-hosted uranium mineralization at a new target is a major breakthrough in the discovery process at Russell — something that hasn't been seen before at the project with the potential to quickly grow with more drilling," President and Chief Executive Officer Jordan Trimble said at the time.

ANT Survey, Upcoming Drilling Program

The company also announced on Thursday that it had completed an Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey in preparation for further drilling at the Russell Lake Project, set to commence in the fall. The survey used Fleet Space Technologies' Exosphere technology to acquire 3D passive seismic velocity data over the highly prospective Grayling and Fork target areas, where previous drilling has intersected high-grade uranium mineralization.

"The ANT technology has been successfully employed in mapping significant sandstone and basement structures and associated alteration zones related to hydrothermal fluids pathways in the Athabasca Basin," the company said.

Results from the survey will be used to further refine drill targets for the upcoming drilling program. Skyharbour is fully funded and permitted for the follow-up fall drill campaign consisting of approximately 7,000 metres of drilling at its main Russell and Moore Projects, with 2,500 meters of drilling at Moore and 4,500 meters of drilling at Russell.

A Great Neighborhood

Russell Lake is a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration property totaling 73,294 hectares strategically located between Cameco's Key Lake and McArthur River projects and Denison's Wheeler River Project to the west, and Skyharbour's Moore project to the east.

"Skyharbour's acquisition of a majority interest in Russell Lake creates a large, nearly contiguous block of highly prospective uranium claims totaling 108,999 hectares between the Russell Lake and the Moore uranium projects," the company said.

Most of the historical exploration at Russell Lake was conducted before 2010, prior to the discovery of several major deposits in/around the Athabasca Basin, Skyharbour said.

Notable exploration targets on the property include the Grayling Zone, the M-Zone Extension target, the Little Man Lake target, the Christie Lake target, the Fox Lake Trail target and the newly identified Fork Zone target.

"More than 35 kilometers of largely untested prospective conductors in areas of low magnetic intensity also exist on the property," the company noted.

In an updated research note in July, Analyst Sid Rajeev of Fundamental Research Corp. wrote that Skyharbour "owns one of the largest portfolios among uranium juniors in the Athabasca Basin."

"Given the highly vulnerable uranium supply chain, we anticipate continued consolidation within the sector," wrote Rajeev, who rated the stock a Buy with a fair value estimate of CA$1.21 per share. "Additionally, the rapidly growing demand for energy from the AI (artificial intelligence) industry is likely to accelerate the adoption of nuclear power, which should, in turn, spotlight uranium juniors in the coming months."

The Catalyst: Uranium is 'BACK!'

The growth of AI, new data centers, electric vehicle (EV) adoption, and the need for more net-zero power means more nuclear energy and the uranium needed to fuel it.

Uranium prices are expected to move higher by the end of this quarter, when Trading Economics' global macro models and analyses forecast uranium to trade at US$84.15 per pound, Nuclear Newswire reported on Oct. 3. In another year, the site estimates that the metal will trade at US$91.80 per pound.

Just last month, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT:NASDAQ) announced a deal with Constellation Energy Group (CEG:NYSE) to restart and buy all of the power from one of the shut-down reactors at its infamous Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania and the Biden administration also announced a plan to restart the Palisades plant in Michigan.

Chris Temple, publisher of The National Investor, recently noted that with the Three Mile Island deal, "uranium/nuclear power is BACK!"[OWNERSHIP_CHART-6026]

"I've watched as the news has continued to point to uranium being in the early innings of this new bull market," Temple wrote. "Yet the markets have been yawning . . . until now."

Ownership and Share Structure

Management, insiders, and close business associates own approximately 5% of Skyharbour.

According to Reuters, President and CEO Trimble owns 1.6%, and Director David Cates owns 0.70%.

Institutional, corporate, and strategic investors own approximately 55% of the company. Denison Mines owns 6.3%, Rio Tinto owns 2.0%, Extract Advisors LLC owns 9%, Alps Advisors Inc. owns 9.91%, Mirae Asset Global Investments (U.S.A) L.L.C. owns 6.29%, Sprott Asset Management L.P. owns 1.5%, and Incrementum AG owns 1.18%, Reuters reported.

There are 182.53 million shares outstanding with 178 million free float traded shares, while the company has a market cap of CA$88.53 million and trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.31 and CA$0.64.

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Important Disclosures:

1. Skyharbour Resources Ltd. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.
2. Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
3. 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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( Companies Mentioned: SYH:TSX.V; SYHBF:OTCQX; SC1P:FSE, )

Off-Ramp's Rosalie Atkinson, her dad, and her dad's mustache circa quite a few facial hair fads ago. (Credit: Rosalie Atkinson); Credit:

These cool tips would have landed in your in-box with no extra effort on your part IF you'd subscribed to Off-Ramp's weekly e-newsletter. We send out a recommendation every week, along with all the latest Off-Ramp news. Sign up now!

Father's Day is coming quick! But before you run to Walgreen's Sunday morning to find they are sold out of touching cards for the father figure in your life, let us help you curate a fun day out with dad.

Thinking about significant-figure holidays, there seems to be more of a method for planning Mother's Day surprises. You get the breakfast-in-bed together quietly for mom or grandma or aunt, etc., wake her up early on a Sunday, she quickly scrambles to hide the fact that she decided to sleep pantsless, then you present her with some poorly made waffles and juice which she will inevitably spill on her white sheets.

But what about your father-figure? A card? Yes. Maybe a golf ball? Okay. A mug you Amazon Prime'd to him in a last-ditch effort that says "Captain Dad?" Don't do that. It might be weird to ask the men in our life, "What the hell do you want?" under the veil of Father's Day, so to spare you we've compiled some ideas.

Idea #1: Take your father to get pampered! Spa days are are not gender-specific and when was the last time someone even looked at your dad's feet? Hollywood salon Hammer & Nails focuses on men's cuticle care. Treat your dad to a MANi-pedi, and he'll also enjoy a glass of bourbon, a personal flatscreen TV with noise-cancelling headphones, all while relaxing in an over-sized leather chair. Although Hammer & Nails targets men, women are also welcome. 8257 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

Idea #2: Take in a tasting. Greenbar Distillery is LA's first spirit distillery since the Prohibition was repealed in 1933. They boast the "World's largest portfolio of organic spirits." Take a tour, pose with their gigantic copper stills and whiskey barrels, sign up for a class, or just taste some of their 16 spirits and five bitters. Their tours are reserved for Saturday so consider this a pregame to your other Father's Day plans. 2459 E 8th St, Los Angeles, California, 90021.

Idea #3: Younger kids? Let's play! Sunday, the Autry Museum of the American West is opening a new exhibit about the history of play. Experience the next generation of toys and games, but also see how they differ across generations and cultures. The exhibit is very interactive and the museum is in beautiful Griffith Park, so there are plenty of hiking trails, picnic spots, or viewpoints to snap some pictures with your man/men.  234 Museum Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065 .

Idea #4: The Abbey's annual Father's Day Brunch. For the past six years, The Abbey in West Hollywood has hosted a brunch in celebration of LGBT families or those considering starting one. There will be a breakfast buffet from 9am-1pm and attendees can get more info about fostering opportunities. $18 per person. 692 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 .

Much love to all the dads, uncles, grandpas, friends, and men nurturing other people!

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Hollywood billboard queen, Angelyne was featured on the first Off-Ramp episode producer Chris Greenspon ever heard.; Credit: Creative Commons via Flickr user Thomas Hawk

After a few semesters of college radio at Mt. San Antonio College, I landed my first radio job: Board Operator! At struggling KFWB Newstalk 980. My career in radio began the way it does for so many, working odd hours and weekends.

A few months into my new gig, I was leaving for work and I thought, “You know, if I’m going to work in radio, I should listen to the radio.” I drove over the bridge on Hacienda Boulevard in La Puente, heading towards the 60, and right in front of my on-ramp, there was a big, orange billboard for KPCC. Why not 89.3?

The first thing I heard (and I should clarify that this was also my first time ever hearing public radio) was Janis Joplin getting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on Off-Ramp. Clive Davis, the CBS A&R executive who signed Joplin, told the crowd about how Joplin had suggested sealing their new relationship by having sex (though he demurred), and that his heart was broken when she died. Then Kris Kristofferson sang “Me & Bobby McGee,” and I was smiling, until I heard a chorus of hippies singing "Mercedes Benz." Pee-yew!

“Should I stay?” I asked myself. How could I not, when someone named Dylan Brody came on and told a story about letting his dogs poop on the neighbor’s lawn? But then, the real cheese, for a 20-something year old, biracial kid who loved space ships and tough punk girls; "Love and Rockets" cartoonist Jaime Hernandez talking about drawing for Junot Diaz.

All this was to say nothing of the loud, defiant-sounding host, who kept saying. "This is Off-Ramp, I’m John Rabe." I listened to him slide between all of these topics, and even report from the field himself, talking about museums in a way that wasn’t – boring. After a few more pieces and a few more uses of the Off-Ramp theme song, I had a new favorite show. And I suspect a few other people did too.

That was November 2013. Five months later, I was on the show. At the end of the episode, I noticed that they had an intern in the credits, and after many repeated scourings of the KPCC careers page, the position finally opened up. So what’d I do? I went out with my chintzy audio recorder, and recorded a story so if I got an interview, I wouldn’t go in empty-handed. I didn’t get the internship then, but John did buy the piece. Remember the one about the Burmese Café run by an ex-biologist?

I kept freelancing after that, and honestly, I got a lot of my ideas from stuff that Off-Ramp wasn’t doing. John would have Angelyne, and her famous Hollywood billboard, but what about the giant neon sign at Rose Hills Cemetery in Pico Rivera? Kevin Ferguson would hang out with Mike Watt from the Minutemen, but what about punk supergroup, the Flesh Eaters? And could we talk about a domestic violence shelter in a Thanksgiving Special, or the fact that a home-abortion movement started in Los Angeles?

John eventually asked me to intern after turning the Jim Tully mini-documentary in, and even after joining the company, writing these kinds of stories for Off-Ramp was still not easy, but there was room for all of them. I would be beyond thrilled if somebody heard even one of them when they heard Off-Ramp for the first time.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Brad and George Takei, the new typical American married couple.; Credit: John Rabe/Grant Wood/Michael Uhlenkott

UPDATE: “Allegiance” will be performed Feb. 21-April 1, 2018, at the Aratani Theater at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center in downtown L.A.'s Little Tokyo.

ORIGINAL STORY: In an intimate interview, George Takei tells Off-Ramp host John Rabe about crafting the Japanese-American internment camp history into compelling Broadway musical theater. "Allegiance," with Takei, Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, played at the Longacre Theater.

George Takei and his husband Brad were putting their house in mothballs when I arrived for our interview in August. They'd already been spending a lot of time in New York because of George's recurring role on "The Howard Stern Show," but now, with the Broadway opening of "Allegiance" just a couple months away, they were preparing to move for as long as the musical brings in the crowds.

While Brad went off to deal with the mundane domestic tasks around the move, I sat with George in their living room to talk about turning one of America's most shameful episodes — the internment of some 120,000 loyal Japanese-Americans during World War II — into a musical that could make it on the Broadway stage.

George, you just sent an email to your fans with the subject line: "I've Waited 7 Years to Send You this Email. Seven years!" Inside, you wrote: "Few things are as difficult and complex as taking a show to ‪Broadway‬. It's both thrilling and terrifying." What was terrifying?

"The terrifying part is, you've poured your passion, your energy, your resources ...  you make all that investment in that project, and then you're hoping the seats are going to be filled.That 'what if' is terrifying. But in San Diego, we had a sold-out run and broke their 77-year record. But now we're going to Broadway, and that same fear is there. Will they come? What will the critics say? Because it's life or death."

It took a long time just to get a Broadway theater.

"It took a long time to get a theater.You think there are a lot of Broadway theaters, but there are even more productions that want those chunks of New York real estate. So we thought we'd get in line. But then the other discovery we made is that the theater owners have relationships with grizzled old producers who have brought them a vast fortune with enormous hits, and they can cut in line. They have a track record. And so, 'will we ever get a theater' became a big question. But we have this time now — let's use it creatively, productively."

So, Takei says, the team tweaked the show, removing parts that didn't work didn't advance the story, inserting numbers that worked better and kept the story moving. They doubled down on social media, building and proving demand in the show.

"We have a Shubert theater (the Longacre), and Bob Wankel is head guy there, and I remember pouring my heart out, telling the story of my parents, hoping that touches. And he was understanding, but I understood his problem, too. Everybody is trying to get a theater and he has to make a good business decision and was initially skeptical. An internment camp musical? But music has the power to make an anguished painful situation even more moving, even more powerful. It hits you in the heart."

Highlights from "Allegiance" at the Old Globe in San Diego

This is your Broadway debut, right? Are you petrified?

"Yes, yes. I've done a lot of stage work, and I've done a lot of public speaking, but it's Broadway, and I'm a debutante... at 78 years old! And it's the critics, too. The New York Times, Ben Brantley. That's who I'm going to be facing, and so it's both exciting and absolutely filling me with ecstasy, but what makes it ecstatic is the fear."

For much more of our interview with George Takei, listen to the audio by clicking the arrow in the player at the top of the page ... and hear George Takei and John Rabe's duet of "Tiny Bubbles."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.