Matamec Explorations

What Matamec Explorations does

Matamec Explorations Inc. is a Montreal-headquartered junior mining exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and advancement of mineral properties in Quebec and Ontario, with two operating divisions: Gold and Energy. The Gold division encompasses eight properties (with two in process of acquisition), including the Sakami (50%) and Opinaca Gold West projects in the James Bay/Éléonore gold district and the HMR, Matheson JV, and Pelangio positions in the Hoyle Pond (Timmins) gold camp. The Energy division is centered on the flagship Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements deposit — held 72% by Matamec and 28% by Ressources Québec, with Toyota Tsusho Corp. holding a 10% net profit royalty — and extends to lithium properties (Tansim, Opinaca Lithium, R2D2), cobalt/silver (Fabre), and nickel/copper/cobalt/PGM (Vulcain).

The underlying technology centers on the metallurgical processing of Kipawa's Eudialyte-hosted rare earth mineralization. Bench- and pilot-scale work, conducted in partnership with SGS Mineral Services (Lakefield, Ontario), established a circuit combining crushing/grinding, magnetic separation, and proprietary leaching to produce a pregnant leach solution, followed by purification (achieving over 95% removal of iron and zirconium impurities via limestone addition) and precipitation yielding a high-purity mixed rare-earth oxide (TREO) concentrate containing a 30–33% HREO+Y2O3 ratio. NI 43-101 indicated resources stand at 15.8M kg TREO and 208.1M kg ZrO2.

Monetization is transaction-driven rather than production-driven. The company generates cash through property sales (e.g., Hoyle/Matheson townships to Glencore Canada Corp. and Goldcorp Canada Ltd. for CAD $500,000 plus NSR royalties in March 2016), NSR royalty monetizations (e.g., the CAD $500,000 + 2,000,000 Metalla shares + warrants sale in May 2017), joint-venture earn-in contributions (Canada Strategic Metals spent CAD $2.25M to earn 50% of Sakami), and strategic/sovereign capital (Ressources Québec's CAD $4M Kipawa investment). The customer set is effectively a small roster of major mining and royalty counterparties plus government partners, with no recurring revenue and no product pricing model.

Name

Matamec Explorations

Legal name

Matamec Explorations Inc.

Website

https://matamec.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Matamec Explorations Inc. is a Montreal-based junior mining exploration company advancing gold properties in Quebec and Ontario and the flagship Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements deposit (72% Matamec / 28% Ressources Québec), generating cash through property sales, NSR royalties, and JV arrangements rather than production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Exploration

NAICS

Metal Ore Mining (2122), Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining (21222), Other Metal Ore Mining (212290), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Support Activities for Mining (2131)

SIC

Gold And Silver Ores (1040), Metal Mining (1000), Mineral Royalty Traders (6795)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mine Development & Processing EPC (Critical Minerals) (IMAKAFAM), Real Assets — Natural Resources & Minerals (Mining, Royalties/Streaming) (FSAHAIAK)

Keywords

• Rare earth exploration
• Heavy rare earth elements
• Gold mining exploration
• Battery metals exploration
• Mining joint ventures

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mineral Property Royalties: Matamec earns royalty income from net smelter return (NSR) royalties on properties it has sold or optioned. This includes 1% NSR royalties on the Hoyle-Matheson Royalties and Montclerg properties (sold to Metalla), 1% NSR on the Bint Property granted by Glencore, and 1% NSR royalties on Goldcorp's fee simple and lease mining rights in the Timmins area.
2. Property Sale Proceeds: Matamec generates cash through direct property sales to larger mining companies. For example, the sale of royalties on HMR and Montclerg to Metalla brought in CAD $500,000 in cash plus 2,000,000 shares valued at $0.50/share and 1,000,000 warrants at $0.75/share.
3. Exploration Option and JV Income: Matamec earns income through joint venture arrangements where partners fund exploration expenditures to earn interests in properties. Canada Strategic Metals earned 50% of Sakami by spending CAD $2.25 million over 3 years. The company operates as operator on some JV properties.
4. Government and Strategic Investment: Ressources Québec invested CAD $4 million in the Kipawa HREE joint venture, providing capital for development in exchange for a 28% stake in the project.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Matamec Explorations is a junior mining exploration company that acquires, advances, and monetizes early-stage mineral properties. It operates two divisions — a Gold division (8 properties in Quebec and Ontario, including Sakami and the Matheson JV) and an Energy division anchored by the flagship Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements joint venture (72% Matamec / 28% Ressources Québec), complemented by lithium, cobalt, and nickel-copper-PGE properties. The company sells or joint-ventures these assets to larger mining and royalty companies and earns NSR royalties on retained interests.

Product overview

Matamec Explorations Inc. is a junior mining exploration company with two main divisions: Gold and Energy. The Gold division includes 8 properties (Sakami, Opinaca Gold West, Hoyle-Matheson Royalties, Matheson JV, Pelangio, Montclerg, Valmont, Casa Détour) focused on gold exploration in Quebec and Ontario. The Energy division is centered on the Kipawa Rare Earths JV (72% owned), a flagship heavy rare earth elements deposit, along with lithium properties (Tansim, Opinaca Lithium, R2D2), battery metals (Fabre for cobalt/silver, Vulcain for nickel/copper/platinum group metals). The company also provides educational resources on rare earth and battery metal applications for clean energy technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements Joint Venture Flagship Kipawa HREE deposit located in the Témiscamingue region of Quebec, containing light and heavy rare earth elements enriched in heavies. Held as a joint venture (72% Matamec, 28% Ressources Québec) with NI 43-101 indicated resources of 15.8 million kg TREO and 208.1 million kg ZrO2, positioned as a potential first North American producer of heavy rare earths and yttrium.
• Gold Exploration Division Properties Matamec's Gold division comprises 8 properties including Sakami (50% owned), Opinaca Gold West (100%), Hoyle-Matheson Royalties, Matheson JV (50%), Pelangio (100%), Montclerg, Valmont, and Casa Détour, focusing on gold and silver exploration in prolific Canadian gold mining camps in Quebec and Ontario.
• Tansim Lithium Property Exploration property targeting lithium and tantalum mineralization within Matamec's Energy division, focused on key elements for energy-related technologies.
• Opinaca Lithium Property Exploration property targeting lithium mineralization in Quebec's Opinaca area as part of Matamec's Energy division battery metals portfolio.
• R2D2 Lithium Property Exploration property targeting lithium and tantalum mineralization as part of Matamec's Energy division battery metals portfolio in Quebec.
• Fabre Cobalt-Silver Property 100%-owned exploration property in Quebec targeting cobalt and silver mineralization, supporting clean energy and battery technology applications within Matamec's Energy division.
• Vulcain Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-PGE Property 100%-owned exploration property in Quebec targeting nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals to support clean energy and industrial applications within Matamec's Energy division.

Quantifiable outcome

• NI 43-101 indicated resource of 15,800,000 kg TREO and 208,100,000 kg ZrO2 at Kipawa deposit, with 30-33% HREO+Y2O3 ratio
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Glencore Canada CorpminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2016Matamec sold surface rights to the Colbert/Anglo Property and Northern Property to Glencore Canada Corp in exchange for CAD $500,000 cash and a 1% NSR royalty on Glencore's Bint Property located east of the Hoyle Pond Gold Mine in Timmins, Ontario.
• Goldcorp Canada LtdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2016Matamec sold mining rights to the Colbert/Anglo Property to Goldcorp Canada Ltd in exchange for: (i) a 1% NSR royalty on the Colbert/Anglo Property (with Goldcorp retaining a right to buy back 0.375% for CAD $1,000,000); and (ii) a 1% NSR royalty on Goldcorp's fee simple and lease mining rights south of the Hoyle Pond Mine (payable after the first 500,000 ounces gold equivalent produced).
• Ressources QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2015Ressources Québec (acting as agent of the Government of Québec) holds a 28% interest in the Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements joint venture, with Matamec holding 72%. Ressources Québec invested CAD $4 million in the project to advance the Kipawa deposit development. Toyota Tsusho Corp (Nagoya, Japan) holds a separate 10% royalty on net profit in the deposit.
• Northern Superior Resources IncminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2014Matamec is exploring for gold together with Northern Superior Resources Inc on the Lesperance/Wachigabau property in Quebec, providing exposure to additional gold exploration opportunities in the Plan Nord region.
• Canada Strategic Metals (CSM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2013Canada Strategic Metals signed an option agreement in August 2013 to earn up to 50% interest in the Sakami gold project by spending CAD $2.25 million in exploration over 3 years. CSM fulfilled its obligations and acquired 50% interest in August 2016, with an option to earn an additional 20% by issuing 1,000,000 CSM shares and completing a bankable feasibility study within 5 years. CSM was required to spend a minimum of CAD $2 million per year in exploration until feasibility.
• International Explorers and Prospectors Inc (IEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2010Matamec and IEP jointly hold the Matheson-IEP Matheson Joint Venture (MJV), with Matamec earning its 50% undivided interest by spending CAD $1,600,000 in exploration since March 2008. IEP holds the remaining 50%. The MJV consists of 60 mining titles in Matheson Township, east of the Hoyle Pond gold mine, and Matamec serves as operator.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Search Minerals Inc. Canadian junior rare earth explorer advancing the Critical Rare Earth Element District in Labrador/Southern Newfoundland, including HREE-enriched deposits. Directly comparable to Matamec as a North American HREE-focused junior pursuing Chinese-supply-chain alternatives.
• Ucore Rare Metals Inc. Canada-based junior focused on rare earth element processing technology (RapidSX) and the Bokan-Dotson Ridge HREE project in Alaska. Comparable to Matamec as a North American HREE developer combining a primary resource with proprietary processing IP.
• Mkango Resources Ltd. UK/Canada-listed junior developing the Songwe Hill REE project in Malawi with downstream rare earth processing ambitions. Comparable to Matamec as a small-cap REE explorer with critical-minerals strategic narrative.
• Northern Superior Resources Inc. Canadian junior gold and critical-minerals explorer operating in Quebec (Plan Nord) and Ontario; active JV partner with Matamec on Lesperance/Wachigabau. Directly comparable as a small Quebec-focused strategic-metals junior.
• Vital Metals Limited: Australian-listed junior rare earth producer-developer at Nechalacho (Canada) and exploration projects across Australia. Comparable to Matamec as a small-cap REE developer with North American asset exposure.
• International Explorers and Prospectors Inc. Canadian junior gold explorer and 50/50 JV partner with Matamec on the Matheson-IEP Matheson Joint Venture (MJV) in Timmins. Comparable by virtue of its Timmins gold camp exposure and JV-based business model.
• Canada Strategic Metals Inc. Canadian junior explorer and direct JV partner with Matamec on the Sakami gold property. Closely comparable by virtue of its 50% Sakami interest and similar Quebec-focused gold and critical-minerals portfolio.

Others

• Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. Royalty and streaming company that purchased Matamec's NSR royalties on HMR and Montclerg in 2017. Adjacent comparability as a capital counterparty to Matamec and as a bellwether for the Timmins-area royalty/streaming market Matamec monetizes.

Broad incumbents

• Critical Elements Lithium Corp. Quebec-focused critical-minerals developer advancing the Rose lithium-tantalum project with provincial stakeholder support. Comparable to Matamec as a Quebec strategic-minerals junior leveraging similar jurisdictional and end-market tailwinds.
• Nemaska Lithium Inc. Quebec-based lithium developer (Whabouchi mine, Shawinigan electrochemical plant) that, like Matamec, pursued a Quebec critical-minerals strategy with provincial backing. Comparable as a broader-incumbent Quebec critical-minerals play though more advanced down the development curve.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Matamec-Explorations-Inc/124061467727595
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3886767
• Xx.com/MatamecInc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matamec Explorations