Precious metals and digital currencies: Blackrock Silver, Barrick Gold and PayPal in the spotlight

Blackrock Silver - New study reveals 135% more gold and silver at Tonopah West project

Blackrock Silver is a junior explorer specializing in the exploration and production of precious metals. The Company's portfolio includes gold and silver projects in Nevada. The US state is known for its rich mineral resources. The first gold discovery dates back to the year 1849.

Blackrock Silver's flagship project is the Tonopah West project, which is partially within the Tonopah Silver District area of the Walker Lane trend. This district, known as the 'Queen of the Silver Camps', has produced over 174 million ounces of silver and 1.8 million ounces of gold from 7.5 million tonnes of material to date.

Blackrock Silver has completed more than 150,000 m of exploratory drilling in its district since 2020, establishing the project as one of the most undeveloped silver-rich in the world. That is because the estimated mineral resource is 6.12 million t, with 242.6 g/t silver (Ag) and 2.9 g/t gold (Au).

The updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) totals 0.57Moz gold and 47.74Moz silver, or 100.04Moz silver equivalent ("AgEq"). This represents a 135% increase over the original Tonopah West resource estimate published in the April 28, 2022 Technical Report. The updated MRE includes 6.12 million tonnes, an increase of 106% over the initial mineral resource estimate.

Silver will continue to play a critical role in green energy generation and mobility. According to a research report from the global Silver Institute, the increasing use of silver in the growing electric vehicle market is opening up exciting new opportunities for forward-thinking investors. Particularly promising is the need for efficient, high-voltage-resistant wiring harnesses in battery-powered cars and the growing interest in wireless charging technology. Silver will continue to leverage its unique properties in a world that increasingly relies on clean energy. Blackrock Silver is part of the green energy transition. The new data from the mineral resource estimates are positive, so investors should get in deeper here.

Barrick Gold: How real estate markets affect the mining company's share price

A top dog in the precious metals industry is Barrick Gold. Barrick is a mining company focused on mining, exploration and production of gold and copper. Half of all copper supplied ends up in construction. The average household contains about 200 kg of copper in the form of wires, pipes and appliances. Cars contain about 22.7 kg of copper in engines, joints and brakes. Since residential real estate is heavily dependent on copper, the health of real estate markets significantly affects copper prices. And things are looking somewhat mixed there at the moment. Investors should keep that in mind with Barrick Gold.

On November 2, the Canadian company will release its Q3 figures. Q3 production exceeded Q2 but was below previously planned quarterly volumes, particularly at Pueblo Viejo (Dom. Rep.), where delays were experienced due to equipment design deficiencies during the commissioning of the expansion project.

Compared to the second quarter, Barrick expects third-quarter gold sales costs per ounce to decrease by 2% to 4%, total operating costs per ounce to decrease by 4% to 6%, and all-in sustaining costs (AISC) per ounce to decrease by 6% to 8%. In the third quarter, the average market price for gold was USD 1,928/oz, while the average copper price was USD 3.79/lb.

Those wishing to attend live can join Barrick Gold's webinar on November 2, 2023. President and CEO Mark Bristow will present the live results presentation on that day at 11:00 AM in London (11:00 EDT / 12:00 CET / 15:00 GMT). Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

PayPal - Analysts optimistic about Q3 quarterly results on 11/1/2023

For those who prefer to focus on commerce per se rather than merchandise, PayPal is a good bet. The stock, which has experienced some lows in recent months, is triggering optimism among analysts. They expect the quarterly report for Q3 to be a positive development. The reasons are as follows:

• Cooperation with Venmo
  Venmo is a popular mobile payment app in the US that allows easy money transfers with social interactions. Younger people in particular use Venmo frequently, so PayPal is using it to achieve brand anchorage for the up-and-coming consumer class. The app is shaping the peer-to-peer payment system and is a leader in this space.

• Co-op with Microsoft for "Buy Now, Pay Later"
  Through PayPal Pay Later, customers at Microsoft in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and Italy now have the option to pay for their purchases in fixed amounts evenly over weeks or months. In plain English, buying on credit.

• Co-op with Apple Wallet
  In the constant consumption rush, of course Apple must not be missing. The Cupertino-based company is pushing digital payment options via smartphone and joining the PayPal ecosystem from Venmo. Users can still earn rewards and incentives when they use Apple Pay to make payments with their PayPal or Venmo credit and debit cards in physical stores, online, or in their preferred apps.

• Partnering with KKR to collect receivables from "Buy Now, Pay Later"
  When all those purchased products and services on installments demand their final sum, and PayPal Later customers are not solvent, the payment service also has a partnership with investment firm KKR up its sleeve. The joint multi-year agreement includes a EUR 3 billion loan commitment. In the process, private credit funds and accounts managed by KKR will acquire up to EUR 40 billion in installment loan receivables originally originated by PayPal in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

In the end, the lender wins. This might be reflected in the quarterly figures at PayPal.

Young explorer Blackrock Silver reports an impressive 135% increase in mineral resource estimates for gold and silver at its Tonopah West project in Nevada. The Company has completed extensive reconnaissance drilling to date on a rich silver acreage and offers an attractive investment opportunity based on these new results. Barrick Gold served up some dampeners in Q3. While Q3 production exceeded Q2, there were challenges at the Dominican Republic project. Barrick Gold is a mining company specializing in gold and copper. The impact of real estate markets on the share price of mining companies like Barrick is an important consideration for investors. Payment service PayPal may have promising forecasts for its Q3 quarter. Partnerships with Venmo, Microsoft, Apple Wallet and KKR for "Buy Now, Pay Later" are adding to positive sentiment among analysts. The broad ecosystem with the consumer at the center offers investors multiple opportunities for future growth.