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The WNBA collective bargaining agreement expires in 10 days.

Minnesota Lynx All-Star forward Napheesa Collier, who serves as the WNBPA vice president, says the players have prioritized ‘two main points’  increased revenue sharing and salary structures  during negotiations.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about progress toward a deal by “Today” host Craig Melvin on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Melvin asked if WNBA players should get a larger piece of the revenue pie. “They get nine percent of total revenue compared to roughly 50 percent of the revenue of NBA players. Should they be getting a larger share of revenue in the WNBA?”

“Yes,’ Silver said ‘I think ‘share’ isn’t the right way to look at it because there’s so much more revenue in the NBA. You should look at it in absolute numbers in terms of what they’re making. They are going to get a big increase in this cycle of collective bargaining. And they deserve it.”

Under the current agreement, WNBA players receive 9.3% of the league’s revenue, according to Market Watch, which includes income generated through ticket sales, TV deals, licensing and merchandise. The WNBA’s revenue share agreement is much lower than other professional leagues. NBA players receive 49-51% of all basketball-related income and NFL players get 48% of all revenue and NHL players receive 50% of revenue.

The current CBA, which was signed in January 2020, shortly after Cathy Engelbert took over as commissioner in 2019, was set to expire in 2027. The WNBPA, however, exercised its right to opt out of the agreement last October amid unprecedented league growth, meaning the CBA now ends on Oct. 31, 2025.

‘While I hope we make the October 31st deadline, and that is a real deadline from that perspective, we have extended deadlines in the past,’ Engelbert said during her press conference ahead of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 3. ‘Last time, when I was only a couple days on the job, we got to an extension and got a deal done that was progressive at the time. So again, I feel confident that we can get a deal done, but if not, I think we could do an extension.’

The draft lottery, expansion drafts and subsequent free agency period are all contingent on a new CBA. The league’s newest franchises, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will begin play during the 2026 season, which will be the WNBA’s 30th anniversary.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The 2025-26 NBA season started Tuesday night in Oklahoma City as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder hosted Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.

Before tip-off, the Thunder celebrated their 2024-25 NBA championship season and raised their first title banner since the organization moved to Oklahoma City.

OKC players were greeted by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as they were introduced to the home crowd and received their championship rings.

Here’s how the players reacted to the championship rings and banner being raised:

Thunder receive championship rings, raise title banner

Oklahoma City Thunder championship rings

Here’s a detailed view of the Thunder’s new bling:

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Investor Insight

Spartan Metals offers a compelling investment opportunity in the US critical minerals sector through its high-grade, 100-percent-owned Eagle tungsten-silver-rubidium project in Nevada. With strong grades, multi-metal exposure, and alignment with US defense and supply chain initiatives, Spartan provides investors with exceptional leverage to the growing demand for domestically sourced strategic critical minerals.

Overview

Spartan Metals (TSXV:W) is a US-focused critical minerals explorer advancing its high-grade tungsten and rubidium asset in Nevada. Through its flagship Eagle project, the company is unlocking American critical mineral resources essential to defense, technology and energy independence. Spartan’s projects are strategically positioned to contribute directly to the United States’ onshoring objectives under the Defense Production Act and related supply-chain initiatives.

Eagle project site in Nevada

The Eagle tungsten-silver-rubidium project in eastern Nevada anchors a district-scale opportunity covering 4,936 acres across three historic mine areas – Tungstonia, Rees and Antelope. With historic production of 8,379 units of tungsten trioxide (WO₃) at grades between 0.6 to 0.9 percent, the project hosts one of the highest-grade past-producing tungsten systems in the United States, enriched by rubidium and other US defense-critical metals such as antimony, bismuth, indium and arsenic. Spartan is now executing an exploration program to validate and expand this potential through modern geochemistry, geophysics and tailings drilling.

Led by a team with deep Nevada exploration experience and direct US Department of Defense (DOD) engagement, Spartan is pursuing a partnership-driven approach to project advancement. It combines early-stage exploration and reprocessing opportunities and joint ventures to accelerate development. With a strong insider ownership base (42 percent) and exposure to multiple critical metals, Spartan Metals is an emerging US leader in strategic mineral discovery and domestic supply security.

Company Highlights

  • Flagship Eagle Project: One of the highest-grade, past-producing tungsten mines in the US.
  • Multi-metal Exposure: Targets tungsten, rubidium, antimony, bismuth, and silver – all listed as US critical minerals.
  • Tier-1 Mining Jurisdiction: Located in eastern Nevada, a world-class mining state with established infrastructure and regulatory clarity.
  • Strong Management and Technical Team: Led by a CEO and VP of exploration with proven discovery track
  • Alignment with US Critical Minerals Strategy: Positioned to benefit from Department of Defense and US government initiatives supporting domestic critical mineral supply chains.
  • Attractive Capital Structure: Tight share strucuture with management and board holding ~42 percent of shares outstanding, ensuring strong alignment with investors.

Key Asset: Eagle Project

Spartan’s 100-percent-owned Eagle project in White Pine County, Nevada, is a nationally significant critical mineral asset which includes the past-producing Tungstonia, Rees and Antelope mines. The Eagle project historically produced over 8,000 units of WO₃ between 1915 and 1956, and now presents a rare opportunity to redefine one of the highest-grade tungsten and rubidium systems in the United States.

With multiple mineralized zones, district-scale potential and strong alignment with US strategic metal initiatives, the Eagle project is the cornerstone of Spartan’s growth strategy.

Project Highlights

  • District-scale Footprint with High-grade Legacy Production: 4,936 acres (20 sq km) across 244 BLM claims in eastern Nevada; Past-producing Tungstonia and Rees mines averaged 0.6 to 0.9 percent WO₃, with channel samples up to 5.32 percent WO₃
  • Rubidium Discovery: Rock chip assays up to 2,264 parts per million (ppm) rubidium, positioning Eagle as a potentially significant US rubidium source
  • Polymetallic Opportunity: System hosting tungsten-rubidium-silver with antimony, bismuth and arsenic, all metals critical for US defense sector
  • Three Deposit Types: Features porphyry, skarn and carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) styles, a rare combination that indicates a large, long-lived hydrothermal system capable of hosting multiple mineralization centers, supporting district-scale exploration potential
  • Active 2025 Exploration Program: Fieldwork commenced in October 2025, executing Phase 1 of its NI 43-101-recommended program and part of Phase 2. Activities include drilling of historic Tungstonia tailings, detailed soil and rock sampling, geologic mapping and CSAMT/MT geophysics to define high-priority tungsten-rubidium drill targets and support future resource modeling.
  • Tailings Reprocessing Opportunity: ~9,000 tonnes of tailings averaging 0.14 percent WO₃ and 460 ppm rubidium offer near-term reclamation value-add
  • Tier-1 Mining Jurisdiction: Excellent access to infrastructure near Ely, Nevada
  • Strategic Positioning: Fully aligned with US DOD and Department of Energy initiatives to secure domestic tungsten and rubidium supply chains

Management Team

Brett R. Marsh – President, CEO and Director

Brett Marsh is a professional geologist with more than 25 years of experience in mineral exploration and project development across North America and internationally. Marsh previously led major exploration initiatives for both junior and mid-tier mining companies and has extensive experience in tungsten and critical mineral systems. He oversees Spartan’s technical and strategic direction and is the company’s “qualified person under NI 43-101..

Rebecca Ball – Vice-president, Exploration

Rebecca Ball brings over a decade of exploration and operational experience across base, precious and critical minerals. She specializes in greenfield targeting and geological modeling, most recently leading the McDermitt Lithium stratigraphy initiative that expanded its resource significantly. Her expertise is instrumental in defining the next phase of resource development at the Eagle project.

Michael Harp – Director

Currently VP Exploration at Ridgeline Minerals, Michael Harp has over 15 years of exploration experience in Nevada, including the discovery of over 5 million ounces of gold in the Carlin Trend’s Railroad-Pinion district. His extensive field and project management experience supports Spartan’s Nevada-focused exploration programs.

Terese Gieselman – Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Terese Gieselman is a seasoned financial executive with over 30 years of experience in public company management and corporate finance in the mining sector. She brings expertise in governance, financial reporting, and capital markets strategy that will support Spartan’s growth.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Chris Vermeulen, chief market strategist at TheTechnicalTraders.com, weighs in on gold’s record-setting price run and what could be next for the metal.

Vermeulen also discusses the outlook for silver, platinum and palladium.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Astron (ASX:ATR) said on Monday (October 20) that Australia has granted major project status to the Donald rare earths and mineral sands project, its joint venture with Energy Fuels (TSX:EFR,NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU).

Donald is located approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Melbourne in Minyip, Victoria, Australia, and is regarded as “one of the world’s most significant rare earths resources outside China.”

It currently holds a total mineral resource of 1.81 billion tonnes grading 4.6 percent.

“This (designation) will streamline our engagement with federal agencies and accelerate our pathway to development,” commented Astron Managing Director Tiger Brown in a press release. “The Donald project will create significant employment opportunities and deliver long-term economic benefits to the Wimmera region of Victoria as well as strengthen Australia’s sovereign capability in critical minerals and advanced technology supply chains.”

Donald has a planned mine life of 58 years, with expected annual output of 9,000 tonnes of rare earths in Phase 1.

In a separate announcement, Energy Fuels said Export Finance Australia (EFA) has expressed support for the project and will provide AU$80 million via senior debt financing. The total amount needed to develop Donald is AU$520 million.

Energy Fuels CEO Mark Chalmers said that the support is a “key additional step” in the project’s financing pathway and a “strong vote of confidence” in the project’s capacity and potential.

“(It) reflects our on-going progress toward delivering one of Australia’s most important rare earth projects, including valuable NdPr, and exceptional concentrations of Dy, Tb and other ‘heavy’ rare earth oxides, which upon project development will be processed and separated into high-purity products at our White Mesa Mill in Utah,” he added.

According to a work plan for Donald published in June, the progression towards a final investment decision for the project is expected within 2025. Commencement of production at Donald is scheduled for 2027.

Rare earths have been heavily spotlighted this month after China dramatically expanded its control over rare earth exports, a sector crucial to global tech and defense industries.

The October 10 announcement from the Ministry of Commerce adds five new elements — holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium — along with key refining technologies to its export control list.

The new rules carry a global reach: any foreign company producing rare earth materials or magnets using Chinese-origin equipment or technology must now obtain an export license from Beijing.

Crucially, applications for defense-related or advanced semiconductor projects, including cutting-edge AI with military potential, will face intense scrutiny and are likely to be denied.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

IAMGOLD (TSX:IMG,NYSE:IAG) is tightening its grip on one of Québec’s most promising gold districts with back-to-back acquisitions aimed at consolidating control over a vast stretch of the Chibougamau region.

In the span of two days, the mid-tier gold producer announced definitive agreements to acquire Northern Superior Resources (TSXV:SUP,OTCQB:NSUPF) and Mines d’Or Orbec (TSXV:BLUE).

Collectively the deals will expand its landholding to more than 100,000 hectares.

The larger of the two transactions will see IAMGOLD acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Northern Superior Resources in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately C$267.4 million.

The acquisition will fold Northern Superior’s Philibert, Chevrier and Croteau projects into IAMGOLD’s existing Nelligan and Monster Lake holdings, creating what the company has branded the Nelligan Mining Complex.

Together, these properties host estimated measured and indicated mineral resources of 3.75 million ounces of gold and inferred resources of 8.65 million ounces, positioning the district as Canada’s fourth largest pre-production gold camp.

“The addition of Northern Superior’s assets to IAMGOLD’s Nelligan Mining Complex in the Chibougamau region of Québec is extremely exciting for IAMGOLD, the region and our mutual shareholders,” said Renaud Adams, IAMGOLD’s president and CEO. “This acquisition aligns with our strategy to become a leading Canadian-focused mid-tier gold producer, bolstering our organic pipeline in Québec where we have maintained a longstanding presence.”

A day earlier, IAMGOLD struck a deal to acquire Mines d’Or Orbec, a junior explorer advancing the Muus project southwest of Chibougamau. IAMGOLD already holds a 6.7 percent equity interest in Orbec and expects to issue roughly 369,000 new shares to complete the purchase. The transaction will bring Muus under IAMGOLD’s control.

Located at the intersection of the Fancamp and Guercheville deformation zones, which are two major mineralized corridors that also host IAMGOLD’s Monster Lake and Nelligan deposits, the 24,979 hectare Muus project has been viewed as a geological link between the company’s existing holdings.

“Over the past several years, we have advanced the Muus project into one of Québec’s most promising gold exploration plays,” Orbec CEO John Tait said.

With the addition of both Northern Superior and Orbec, IAMGOLD is set to more than double its regional footprint.

The company has signaled its intent to pursue a “hub-and-spoke” development strategy in the region, envisioning a central processing facility fed by multiple ore sources within a 17 kilometre radius.

Pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, both acquisitions are expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026.

The price of gold has surged to unprecedented levels this month, reaching an all-time high of around US$4,370 per ounce amid heightened safe-haven demand and expectations of US interest-rate cuts.

However, on Tuesday (October 21), a correction began to set in as the yellow metal pulled back sharply. It fell as much as 5.5 percent to about US$4,115 as profit taking kicked in and the US dollar strengthened.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Spartan Metals (TSXV:W) is a US-focused explorer advancing its high-grade tungsten and rubidium Eagle Project in Nevada. The company is unlocking critical minerals essential to US defense, technology, and energy independence, supporting onshoring goals under the Defense Production Act.

The Eagle tungsten-silver-rubidium project in eastern Nevada spans 4,936 acres across three historic mine areas — Tungstonia, Rees, and Antelope. With historic production of 8,379 units of WO₃ grading 0.6–0.9 percent, Eagle ranks among the highest-grade past-producing tungsten systems in the US, enriched with rubidium and other defense-critical metals including antimony, bismuth, indium, and arsenic. Spartan is advancing an exploration program to validate and expand this potential using modern geochemistry, geophysics, and tailings drilling.

With multiple mineralized zones, district-scale potential and strong alignment with US strategic metal initiatives, the Eagle project is the cornerstone of Spartan’s growth strategy.

Company Highlights

  • Flagship Eagle Project: One of the highest-grade, past-producing tungsten mines in the US.
  • Multi-metal Exposure: Targets tungsten, rubidium, antimony, bismuth, and silver – all listed as US critical minerals.
  • Tier-1 Mining Jurisdiction: Located in eastern Nevada, a world-class mining state with established infrastructure and regulatory clarity.
  • Strong Management and Technical Team: Led by a CEO and VP of exploration with proven discovery track
  • Alignment with US Critical Minerals Strategy: Positioned to benefit from Department of Defense and US government initiatives supporting domestic critical mineral supply chains.
  • Attractive Capital Structure: Tight share strucuture with management and board holding ~42 percent of shares outstanding, ensuring strong alignment with investors.

This Spartan Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with Spartan Metals (TSXV:W) to receive an Investor Presentation

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins exited the ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks with an apparent injury.

Early in the fourth quarter, Collins attempted to grab a C.J. Stroud pass, but was entangled with a Seattle defender and hit the ground hard. His head bounced off the turf on the sideline.

Collins was seen down on a knee on the sideline while play continued. He entered the blue medical tent for an injury evaluation and was later seen heading to the locker room.

It’s the latest blow to a Houston offense that was still trying to find its groove on Monday night. With a porous offensive line highlighting the Texans’ issues, Houston can ill afford to lose their No. 1 receiver for a lengthy stretch.

Here’s the latest on Collins:

Nico Collins injury update

Collins was ruled out of the game vs. the Seahawks with a concussion. He was initially listed as questionable as he underwent a concussion check.

He finished the matchup with four receptions for 27 yards before the fourth-quarter ailment left him on the sidlines.

(This story will be updated.)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Dre Greenlaw’s debut for the Denver Broncos has resulted in the linebacker being sidelined yet again.

The NFL on Monday suspended Greenlaw for one game for unsportsmanlike conduct, saying he had chased after Brad Allen and ‘verbally threatened’ the referee following a 33-32 win over the New York Giants.

Greenlaw appeared to find Allen in the immediate aftermath of Wil Lutz’s 39-yard game-winning field goal as time expired, which capped a 33-point fourth quarter for Denver. Allen threw a flag after Greenlaw appeared to say something and point at him.

Greenlaw has three days to appeal the ruling. If the punishment stands, he will miss Sunday’s game agains the Dallas Cowboys.

After signing a three-year, $31.5 million contract with the Broncos this offseason, Greenlaw was expected to boost the second level of an already formidable defense. But he suffered multiple thigh injuries prior to the season and landed on injured reserve, which he remained on until being activated last week.

He recorded six tackles against the Giants.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The 2025 World Series is a true international affair with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays facing off in the best-of-seven series beginning Friday, Oct. 24 in Canada.

This is the Blue Jays’ first World Series appearance since 1993, when they won their second consecutive championship. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are in the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons and hope to become the first team to win back-to-back titles in 25 years.

Games 1 and 2 are in Toronto before the series heads to Dodger Stadium for Games 3-5, then back to Rogers Centre for Games 6 and 7 if necessary.

World Series schedule 2025

  • Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24 in Toronto – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25 in Toronto – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27 in Los Angeles – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28 in Los Angeles – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • *Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 29 in Los Angeles – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • *Game 6: Friday, Oct. 31 in Toronto – 8 p.m. ET, FOX
  • *Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 1 in Toronto – 8 p.m. ET, FOX

When does the World Series start?

Game 1 of the 2025 World Series is set for Friday, October 24.

World Series tickets

This post appeared first on USA TODAY