The Trump administration announced on Monday (February 10) it would be expanding steel and aluminum tariffs to all countries. The tariffs, set to come into effect on March 12, will disproportionally impact Canadian exports as Canada is the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the United States.
This isn’t the first time the president has imposed sweeping tariffs on the global steel and aluminum industries. The effect from the first round in 2018 was mixed. While it allowed domestic producers to charge more for their products, that increased downstream costs for consumers and manufacturers, leading to tighter profit margins and layoffs.
Even though the US produces enough steel to meet its own demand, incoming tariffs could still have negative implications for the North American auto industry. Coming into 2025, the sector anticipated growth but was also wary that some consumers were concerned about affordability. Increases in steel costs due to import fees and the potential for additional tariffs on cars and parts produced in Canada and Mexico could dampen vehicle sales.
Rising consumer costs came into view when the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released January’s consumer price index (CPI) data on Wednesday (February 12). The figures showed inflation ticking up in January to 3 percent on a yearly basis, up from the 2.9 percent increase in December. On a monthly basis, there was a 0.5 percent increase, up from the 0.4 percent the previous month.
Some analysts are expecting costs to rise even further as new tariffs take effect and producers begin raising prices accordingly. Higher CPI figures are also likely to impact the Federal Reserve’s next meeting in March, with most analysts predicting the central bank will maintain the current rate of 4.25 to 4.50 percent.
Markets and commodities react
US equity markets saw sharp selloffs following the release of CPI data on Wednesday, but rallied to finish the week in positive territory, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) gaining 1.13 percent to end at 6,114.62, and the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rising 2.05 percent to 22,114.69. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was flat, gaining just 0.34 percent to 44,546.09.
In Canada, the markets were more positive. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fell 0.96 percent on the week to close at 640.26 on Friday, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) posted a 0.31 percent loss to hit 25,483.23 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 0.65 percent to 135.03.
After hitting new all time highs early in the week, the gold price was also affected by Wednesday’s CPI announcement. In the end, it managed to eke out a 0.78 percent increase to close the week at US$2,883.91 per ounce on Friday at 5:00 p.m. EST. Silver fared a little better, closing the week up 1.1 percent at US$32.13.
In base metals, the copper price climbed as high as US$4.88 per pound on the COMEX during trading Friday before pulling back to close at US$4.68, up 1.3 percent for the week. Copper is up significantly from the end of January, when it was just US$4.28. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was also up this week, gaining 1.07 percent to close at 569.44.
Top Canadian mining stocks this week
So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?
We break down this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.
Data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on February 14, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.
1. Durango Resources (TSXV:DGO)
Weekly gain: 115.38 percent
Market cap: C$15.54 million
Share price: C$0.14
Durango Resources is a polymetallic exploration company that is developing a portfolio of projects in Québec and British Columbia, Canada.
Shares have seen significant gains in 2025 following several news releases. The first came on January 15 when the company announced it had acquired five critical mineral projects: an antimony site in Haida Gwaii, BC, and a rare earth project and three historical copper mines in Québec.
The properties were acquired for C$5,000 cash and the issuing of 4 million common shares to arm’s length vendors.
This was followed by news on January 30 that the company had completed an AI-powered study of its Babine West copper and gold project near Smithers, BC. The results suggested a large structure that coincides with a moderate magnetic anomaly.
The team hypothesizes the magnetism could be from a widespread zone of early-stage alteration, which may be related to copper-gold porphyry systems at the neighboring American Eagle Gold’s (TSXV:AE,OTCQB:AMEGF) NAK project and AMARC Resources’ (TSXV:AHR,OTCQB:AXREF) Duke project.
Durango’s Babine project consists of four claim blocks covering 4,635 hectares and is located within one of BC’s most prolific porphyry copper and gold belts. According to the project page, exploration at the site has returned broad areas of mineralization, including 1.09 percent copper equivalent over 302 meters.
After slowly climbing through the week, Durango’s share price spiked to C$0.16 on Thursday. The company’s most recent news came on Tuesday, when it announced it had increased the project area for its recently acquired Victory antimony project in Haida Gwaii to 1,387 hectares. Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) originally discovered the site in 1988, and a chip sample at the time contained 1.24 percent antimony.
2. Turmalina Metals (TSXV:TBX)
Weekly gain: 106.67 percent
Market cap: C$12.77 million
Share price: C$0.14
Turmalina Metals is a gold, silver and copper explorer that is developing a portfolio of projects in South America.
Its primary focus is the Colquemayo project in Moquegua, Peru. In July 2024, Turmalina entered into an option agreement with Compania de Minas Buenaventura to acquire a 100 percent ownership stake in the property.
The 6,600-hectare site has seen more than 20,000 meters of historic core drilling and hosts multiple porphyry targets that have been identified but have gone untested. Highlighted drill samples from the property have demonstrated results of 2.4 percent copper and 10 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver over 237.3 meters, including intersections of 3.4 percent copper and 14 g/t silver over 161.2 meters and 14.8 percent copper and 47 g/t silver over 31.3 meters.
In news released on Wednesday, the company said it was intensifying its focus on the project and would be relogging historic cores. Additionally, Turmalina hired INSIDEO, a Lima-based environmental consulting firm, to help advance baseline studies and a Declaración de Impacto Ambiental, which is needed for drilling permits. The release also indicated that the company is also in the process of rebranding which will include updating its name, ticker and website.
As part of the restructuring of Turmalina, company CEO Roger James will be stepping down, but maintaining a seat on the board, he will be replaced by Jonathan Richards as interim CEO.
3. Power Metals (TSXV:PWM)
Weekly gain: 70 percent
Market cap: C$111.12 million
Share price: C$0.85
Power Metals is a lithium and cesium exploration company focused on its Case Lake project.
Located in Northeastern Ontario, the site is 10 kilometers by 9.5 kilometers in size and comprises 585 cell claims. Exploration at the site between 2017 and 2024 led to the discovery of pegmatite dykes bearing lithium, cesium and tantalum (LCT). Case Lake now consists of six spodumene dykes that form a mineralization trend of about 10 kilometers.
Recent assays from the site released on February 14 included a highlight of 8.07 meters grading 2.19 percent lithium oxide, 5.19 percent cesium oxide and 1,438 parts per million (ppm) tantalum. The results also included a 1 meter intersection bearing 1.85 percent lithium oxide, 11.7 percent cesium oxide and 208 ppm tantalum.
In addition to its most recent exploration news, Power Metals announced on February 10 that it had brought on DRA Global to begin work on a maiden mineral resource estimate and preliminary economic assessment for the Case Lake project. It expects to have the former completed by the end of Q1 2025, with the latter to follow in Q2.
Adding to Power Metals’ recent share gains was a release on February 5 in which the company reported that it had been awarded a new exploration permit for Case Lake. The new permit will remain valid for the next three years and will be used to target newly identified cesium targets uncovered in late 2024.
4. Cascada Silver (CSE:CSS)
Weekly gain: 57.14 percent
Market cap: C$10.16 million
Share price: C$0.055
Cascada Silver is an exploration company working to advance its copper and molybdenum projects in Chile. Since the start of 2025, the company’s main focus has been on its Angie copper-molybdenum project in North-central Chile.
Cascada carried out its Phase 1 drill program at the 2,000 hectare site in 2024, with work focusing on an 800 by 1,500 meter target with molybdenum mineralization. The assays from the initial drill program, released on November 20, revealed results of 476 ppm molybdenum over 64 meters, including an intersection of 1,208 ppm molybdenum over 8 meters.
On December 17, the company announced it was mobilizing for the second phase of drilling at Angie using data acquired through a drone-based magnetometer survey. The Phase 2 program will consist of up to 2,000 meters of diamond drilling, with the first hole planned for a depth of 500 meters. Cascada announced on January 9 that drilling at the site had commenced and was expected to be completed in February, with assays available four to six weeks later.
Cascada’s most recent news came on February 3, when it announced that it would be listing on the OTCQB market under the symbol CSSCF. The company said this was a strategic step in enhancing its visibility and accessibility to US investors.
5. THEMAC Resources (TSXV:MAC)
Weekly gain: 55.56 percent
Market cap: C$11.91 million
Share price: C$0.14
THEMAC Resources is a copper exploration and development company that is developing the Copper Flat mine in southwest New Mexico, United States.
The brownfield site was mined until the early 1980s and hosts significant existing infrastructure, including a primary crusher structure, a coarse ore reclamation tunnel, and several building foundations. These will provide THEMAC with US$54 million in capital savings. An April 2020 feasibility study demonstrated a base case after-tax net present value of US$545.16 million with an internal rate of return of 20.8 percent over a payback period of 3.3 years.
In addition to the economics, the study also included a measured and indicated resource estimate of 1.39 billion pounds of copper, 40.66 million pounds of molybdenum, 737,000 ounces of gold and 14.74 million ounces of silver.
Shares in THEMAC climbed this week, although the company has not reported news so far in 2025.
FAQs for Canadian mining stocks
What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?
The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.
How many companies are listed on the TSXV?
As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 of those being mining companies.
Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.
How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?
There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.
The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.
These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.
How do you trade on the TSXV?
Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.
Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
