State of M&A and junior mining landscape

Stijn Schmitz welcomes back Shawn Khunkhun to the show. Shawn Khunkhun is CEO, President, & Director, Dolly Varden Silver Corp. The interview centers on the current state of the precious metals market, with a particular focus on silver and gold. Khunkhun explains that silver has been in a structural deficit for years, with annual demand exceeding supply by approximately 200 million ounces. After a significant price surge from $40 to $120, the market recently experienced a correction, which Khunkhun views as a healthy part of the bull market. Khunkhun remains bullish on silver, arguing that production cannot meet demand until the next decade. He highlights growing industrial demand, particularly from the electric vehicle market and solar panel industries. The silver market is complex, with only one in four ounces coming from primary mines, making price incentives challenging for producers.

The conversation shifts into geopolitical factors affecting precious metals, including the growing divide between physical and paper markets. Khunkhun emphasizes the different cultural attitudes towards gold and silver in Eastern and Western countries, noting that many regions view these metals as critical wealth preservation tools, especially during economic uncertainty.

Recently, Dolly Varden merged with Contango Ore in a strategic move to create a more robust precious metals company. Khunkhun sees this as an opportunity to leverage Contango’s cash flow and expertise to develop Dolly Varden’s silver properties, creating a unique North American precious metals business. Looking ahead, Khunkhun believes the precious metals market is still in its early stages. He anticipates continued volatility but sees significant potential for growth, particularly if global asset allocation to precious metals increases from its current less than 0.5%. He remains optimistic about gold and silver, suggesting potential prices of $150 per ounce for silver and potentially $8,000 to $9,000 per ounce for gold in the future.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:00:41 – Precious Metals Volatility Surge
00:03:02 – Strong Bull Case Silver
00:04:20 – Incentivizing Silver Production Levels
00:06:34 – Industrial Demand Substitutions
00:09:09 – Paper vs Physical Markets
00:11:33 – Geopolitical Physical Demand
00:16:00 – Silver Premiums East/West
00:21:15 – Gold Future Recession Impact
00:24:12 – Financial Reset Possibilities
00:26:17 – Company Merger Rationale
00:31:22 – Mining M&A Activity State
00:39:22 – Volatility Concerns

Guest Links:
Website:: https://dollyvardensilver.com
X: https://x.com/SilverVarden
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dolly-varden-silver-corp
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4YE6ftyxv4G-6zu9BYJvgerved=0

Mr. Shawn Khunkhun has over 20 years of expertise in capital markets and mineral exploration, with a strong focus on creating shareholder value. Over his career, he has facilitated over $2 billion in capital raises, playing a transformative role in advancing exploration, development, and production companies. In his leadership roles as CEO, Director, and Executive Chairman, Mr. Khunkhun has been instrumental in elevating the profiles of undervalued companies and driving strategic growth.

Mr. Khunkhun’s success in incubating and scaling companies through capital raises, acquisitions, and spinouts is powered by an extensive network of high-net-worth investors, private equity, institutional investors, analysts, brokers, and bankers.

Mr. Khunkhun currently serves as a Director of Goldshore Resources and Gladiator Metals and as Director & Executive Chairman of Strike Point Gold. Additionally, he advises West Red Lake Gold Mines, Nations Royalty, and NexGold and is the Founder of Argenta Silver.