Visible Gold Mines Secures $3.6M Deal to Fund Quebec Lithium and Gold Push

ROUYN-NORANDA, QC – January 15, 2026 – Visible Gold Mines Inc. has successfully bolstered its financial position, announcing today the receipt of a final $750,000 cash payment from Fokus Mining Corp. This payment marks the completion of a strategic asset sale that injects significant capital into the junior explorer, positioning it to aggressively pursue its core projects in Quebec's most promising mineral regions.

The transaction, initially agreed upon in the late summer of 2025, has yielded a total of $1.5 million in cash for Visible Gold Mines. Perhaps more significantly, the deal also included 10 million shares of Fokus Mining. With a recent appreciation in value, these shares are now worth approximately $2.1 million, bringing the total realized value of the divestment to a substantial $3.6 million.

This influx of capital comes at a pivotal moment, providing the company with a robust treasury to fund its ambitious exploration plans without resorting to shareholder dilution—a common but often undesirable necessity for junior mining outfits.

A Strategic Divestment Bolsters the Balance Sheet

The deal involved Visible Gold Mines selling its 100% interest in six properties—Cadillac Break, Lucky Break, Silidor, Stadacona, Wasa Creek, and Wasa East—along with a 40% stake in the Capricorn project. These assets, all situated along the prolific Cadillac-Larder Lake Fault near Rouyn-Noranda, have now been transferred to Fokus Mining.

With the final payment received, a crucial milestone has also been reached for the equity portion of the deal. The 10 million Fokus Mining shares, which were subject to a mandatory four-month hold period, are now freely tradable. This transforms the share block from a simple line item on the balance sheet into a liquid asset that provides Visible Gold Mines with considerable financial flexibility. The company can choose to hold the shares as an investment in Fokus's future success or liquidate them to directly fund its own operations.

The timing has proven advantageous. When the deal was first structured in August 2025, the share component was valued at $1.5 million. The subsequent increase in Fokus Mining's share price to around $0.21 has added over half a million dollars to the total value realized by Visible Gold Mines, underscoring the strategic merit of the transaction's structure.

Sharpening Focus on Gold and Lithium Hotbeds

This divestment is a clear execution of a focused corporate strategy. By monetizing its portfolio of properties in the Rouyn-Noranda area, Visible Gold Mines is strategically narrowing its operational focus to what it considers its most valuable assets: gold projects in the Chapais and James Bay areas, and highly prospective lithium properties also located in the James Bay region.

This pivot aligns the company with two of the most dynamic sectors in the resource industry. The Abitibi Gold Belt, where the Chapais projects are located, is a world-renowned and historically productive gold district that continues to yield new discoveries. Simultaneously, Quebec's James Bay region has emerged as a global hub for lithium exploration and development.

The global push towards electrification and green energy has created an insatiable demand for lithium, a critical component in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Both the Canadian federal and Quebec provincial governments have identified lithium as a critical mineral, rolling out supportive policies and investments to build a domestic battery supply chain. By concentrating its efforts in this region, Visible Gold Mines is positioning itself to capitalize on this powerful secular trend.

Leadership Stability Amidst Strategic Shift

While the company's asset portfolio is undergoing a strategic realignment, its leadership remains a picture of stability. At its Annual and Special Meeting held on December 22, 2025, shareholders reaffirmed their confidence in the current management and board.

Martin Dallaire, an electrical engineer with over two decades of experience leading public companies in the financial sector, was re-appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer. His continued leadership ensures that the vision behind the recent strategic moves will be carried forward. He is joined by Véronique Laberge, who was re-appointed as Chief Financial Officer. A chartered professional accountant with nearly 20 years of experience, Ms. Laberge brings extensive expertise in financial management for public companies, a crucial skill set as the company deploys its newly acquired capital.

The board of directors was also confirmed, with Martin Dallaire, Pierre Vézina, and Joel Gagné elected by shareholders. This continuity in the boardroom and executive suite provides a steady hand to guide the company as it navigates the next phase of exploration and development.

Navigating the Junior Mining Landscape

The playbook executed by Visible Gold Mines—divesting non-core assets to fund high-priority projects without equity dilution—is a well-regarded strategy in the capital-intensive world of junior mining. It allows companies to advance their most promising prospects while retaining upside for their shareholders.

While the $3.6 million injection significantly de-risks the company's short-term funding needs, the market will be watching closely to see how the capital is deployed. Some market analysis has pointed to the company's past financial performance, which, like many exploration-stage firms, has been characterized by operational losses and cash burn in the absence of revenue. This successful transaction provides a clean slate and the financial firepower to turn geological promise into tangible results.

With a fortified balance sheet, a sharpened strategic focus on the high-demand gold and lithium sectors, and a stable leadership team at the helm, Visible Gold Mines is now equipped to accelerate its exploration programs across Quebec. The company's next steps will be to channel this new capital into the ground, aiming to unlock the potential of its Abitibi gold and James Bay lithium assets.