Company Interviews

Interview with Sam Spring, President & CEO of Kincora Copper Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/kincora-copper-tsxvkcc-100m-partner-funding-drives-multi-target-porphyry-exploration-in-nsw-8371

Recording date: 10th February 2026

Kincora Copper is executing a prospect generator strategy that has delivered significant operational scale in its first full year while maintaining capital efficiency through partner-funded drilling. The company operates eight copper-porphyry assets across Australia and Mongolia, having secured $7 million in partner funding and completed 16,000 meters of drilling across seven licenses in 2025, while generating approximately $500,000 in management fees.

The company's most advanced partnership involves two joint ventures with AngloGold Ashanti covering 100 kilometers of strike in the northern Macquarie Arc, Australia's premier porphyry belt that hosts world-class mines including Cadia, Northparkes, and Cowal. AngloGold's commitment has expanded substantially, with spending increasing from $4.5 million to date to a proposed $7 million budget for 2026 as targets are upgraded. The major has deployed three technical teams to site, bringing specialist expertise that would be difficult for a junior explorer to access independently.

Recent drilling at the Nevertire-Nevertire South project has confirmed encouraging copper-gold intervals suggesting proximity to porphyry centers, with follow-up drilling now underway testing upgraded targets. The company is systematically advancing the 40-kilometer strike length while looking for multiple discoveries within the immediate target area.

Kincora recently closed a C$4 million financing led by institutional investors Rick Rule and Jeff Phillips, providing capital for focused work on 100% owned projects including Trundle and Fairholme, which are in advanced discussions with multiple majors. Late 2025 activities included a technically successful drill hole, airborne surveys at Condobolin, and ground gravity surveys at Jemalong, with results expected through early 2026.

Trading at approximately $40 million market capitalisation, Kincora presents a valuation disconnect compared to peers. Recent Macquarie Arc explorers have rerated from $30 million to $100-200 million following positive results, while Kincora's seven non-JV assets are collectively valued at just $10 million. The company's partnership model offers multiple discovery opportunities with lower dilution than equity-funded peers, while retaining meaningful project-level stakes with potential for $100 million in partner funding before significant dilution decisions.

View Kincora Copper's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/kincora-copper-limited

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Interview with Clinton Booth, Managing Director & CEO of GCM Corporation

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/green-critical-minerals-asxgcm-vhd-graphite-tech-targets-17b-data-center-market-7556

Recording date: 10th February 2026

GCM Corporation (ASX:GCM) is executing a critical transition from pre-revenue technology developer to commercial manufacturer in the thermal management sector, with first revenues targeted for the first half of 2026. The company has successfully pivoted from graphite exploration to industrial manufacturing following its late 2024 acquisition of proprietary VHD thermal management technology.

CEO Clinton Booth outlined the company's progress through distinct commercialization phases during a February interview. After validating the technology in early 2025 and confirming market appetite in Q2, GCM entered active prototyping in the second half of the year. The company is now manufacturing customer-specific products under confidentiality agreements, sharing technical drawings with multiple customers across electronics, data centers, renewables, and electrical sectors.

The VHD technology addresses a critical industry challenge: efficiently dissipating heat loads as devices become more powerful yet smaller. With thermal conductivity superior to copper and aluminum while being 4.5 times lighter than copper and 30 percent lighter than aluminum, VHD offers performance advantages that incumbent materials cannot match. As Booth noted, the market is actively seeking new solutions, with demand driven by electrification, artificial intelligence, and increasing power density requirements across the technology sector.

GCM's modular manufacturing approach provides rapid scalability with minimal capital requirements. The current demonstration plant produces hundreds of units monthly, scaling to 1,000 units near-term with capacity to expand 100-fold within 12-15 months. The company achieved ISO 9001 certification in late 2025 and in-housed its product design capability, establishing systematic processes essential for scaling production as sales agreements materialize.

Electronics and DC-to-DC converter markets offer the shortest sales pipeline, while data center opportunities present longer qualification periods but significant long-term value. The anticipated first major sales agreement represents a watershed moment that Booth expects will catalyze additional customer interest and validate the company's strategic transformation from explorer to industrial technology manufacturer.

View GCM Corp's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/green-critical-minerals

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Interview with Maura Kolb, President of Dryden Gold Corp.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/dryden-gold-tsxvdry-fully-funded-2026-drilling-for-high-grade-gold-hits-with-partner-validation-8545

Recording date: 11th February 2026

Dryden Gold Corp. has emerged as a compelling exploration opportunity in northwestern Ontario's Dryden greenstone belt, where the company controls 70,000 hectares of highly prospective ground exhibiting geological characteristics analogous to Canada's premier gold camps. With $11 million in treasury funding a 32,000-meter drilling program across multiple targets, the company is positioned to deliver sustained news flow throughout 2026-2027 whilst pursuing its stated objective of demonstrating multi-million-ounce potential across a district-scale land position.

The investment thesis centers on three key pillars: systematic expansion of the high-grade Gold Rock deposit, aggressive testing of regional discovery targets with distinct geological models, and strategic positioning within an emerging gold district backed by institutional investors. President Maura Kolb brings eight years of direct Red Lake experience, informing structural interpretation at Gold Rock where fold architecture and intersecting faults create high-grade traps identical to the geological model hosting Red Lake's 28 million ounces. Recent drilling validates this targeting approach, with intercepts including 301 g/t gold over 3.9m, 77.9 g/t over 0.5m, and 55 g/t over 3.5m demonstrating robust mineralization across multiple parallel shear zones extending over 20 kilometers of strike length.

Beyond Gold Rock, Dryden is advancing two regional targets exhibiting different deposit models that provide diversified discovery potential. Hyndman represents an intrusion-related target where a 4-kilometer-long granodiorite intrusion intersected by regional shearing offers potentially simpler geometry and bulk-tonnage potential compared to Gold Rock's structurally complex veins. The six-hole inaugural drilling program was completed in early 2026, with results expected end-March representing the most immediate catalyst for investors. Sherridon at the southern property boundary exhibits intrusion-related bulk-tonnage characteristics, with initial drilling returning 135 meters at 0.2 g/t gold and geochemistry confirming an intrusive fluid source—rare clarity in Archean-aged systems that provides targeting criteria for vectoring toward higher-grade zones.

The presence of three distinct geological models reduces exploration risk whilst offering optionality in development scenarios: high-grade underground potential at Gold Rock, possible open-pit bulk tonnage at Hyndman, and intrusion-related scale at Sherridon. This diversification increases probability of exploration success whilst building toward the multi-million-ounce scale necessary for district recognition and institutional interest.

Strategic validation strengthens the investment case, with Centerra Gold holding positions in Dryden and Alamos Gold maintaining a 10% equity stake. These institutional anchors provide technical validation, reduce going-concern risks, and potentially facilitate future development partnerships. The warrant exercises by Delbrook Capital and EuroPac Gold Fund that funded the current program occurred at C$0.30, with the stock subsequently advancing toward C$0.40—suggesting investor confidence in near-term catalysts and exploration potential.

Operational advantages distinguish Dryden from peers. Year-round road access eliminates seasonal constraints and helicopter costs, enabling continuous drilling and rapid iteration on geological models. The property sits adjacent to NeXGold's 3-million-ounce resource, validating regional prospectivity and demonstrating economic gold potential. Ontario's jurisdictional stability, transparent permitting, and established infrastructure reduce development risks relative to remote or politically challenged jurisdictions.

For investors seeking exposure to district-scale gold discovery in a premier jurisdiction with near-term catalysts, experienced management, and institutional backing, Dryden Gold offers a compelling risk-reward profile at approximately C$100 million market capitalization. The company's capital-efficient approach—demonstrating deposit footprints before committing to resource definition—prioritizes discovery value creation whilst maintaining 18-24 months of funded exploration runway. As drilling progresses across multiple high-priority targets throughout 2026, investors can anticipate sustained news flow and multiple opportunities for value inflection.

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Interview with Dean Hanisch, CEO of Focus Graphite

Recording date: 10th February 2026

Focus Graphite (TSXV: FMS) is emerging as a strategically positioned North American graphite developer at a time when Western governments are actively reshoring critical mineral supply chains. The company's flagship Lac Knife project in Quebec boasts 15% graphitic carbon content, approximately three times the global industry average of 3-5%, providing fundamental cost advantages that management believes can enable price competition with Chinese producers while delivering premium specialty material to defense contractors.

After 18 years of development, the project is approaching commercial viability with substantial government backing. Focus has secured $14.1 million in non-dilutive funding from Natural Resources Canada's Global Partner Initiative, specifically earmarked for building a demonstration-scale purification plant and qualifying material with military and aerospace customers. Combined with existing cash, the company holds $18 million to advance through final permitting stages without near-term equity dilution.

The technical differentiation centers on a fluidized thermal bed purification process that removes impurities through heat rather than chemicals, preserving the structural integrity of large graphite flakes critical for high-value applications. Approximately 40% of Lac Knife's output consists of premium large and jumbo flake material, which the company is positioning for radar suppression coatings, expandable fire suppression graphite, thermal management systems, and ballistic applications. Material has already been successfully tested in missile applications in the Mojave Desert.

With the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment down to 30 remaining questions from an initial 380, management targets completion within three to four months. The $236 million capex for a 27-year mine life producing 50,000 tons annually represents a fraction of typical critical mineral projects, with potential for substantial debt financing from export credit agencies and Quebec government equity participation.

Trading at approximately $50 million market capitalization, Focus presents a compelling valuation relative to peers like Nouveau Monde Graphite ($400 million market cap, 4% grade), particularly as geopolitical imperatives drive Western governments to establish domestic specialty graphite supply for defense applications.

View Focus Graphite's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/focus-graphite

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Interview with Brendan Yurik, CEO of Electric Royalties Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/mining-royalty-sector-explodes-with-massive-consolidation-fresh-capital-7469

Recording date: 11th February 2026

The mining royalty sector delivered exceptional performance in 2025, driven by surging commodity prices and unprecedented consolidation activity. Gold prices rose 74% while silver surged 160%, translating into triple-digit share price gains for major precious metal royalty companies. Wheaton Precious Metals gained 102%, Royal Gold appreciated 98%, and Osisko Royalties reached 100%. Mid-tier companies performed even stronger, with Gold Royalty Corp advancing 215% and Element Royalties climbing 150%.

Despite lithium carbonate recovering 80% over the period, battery metal-focused royalty companies experienced a stark divergence in valuations. Electric Royalties reported zero share price appreciation, highlighting that market participants have not yet incorporated battery metal price recovery into their valuation frameworks for companies in this subsector.

The year marked a potential inflection point through significant M&A transactions. Royal Gold acquired Sandstorm for $3.5 billion, representing the first major royalty company acquisition in years. Triple Flag purchased Orogen Royalties for $420 million, while Altius Minerals bid $520 million for Lithium Royalty Corp in December. According to Electric Royalties CEO Brendan Yurik, this consolidation reflects fundamental economics where acquiring diversified portfolios proves more efficient than executing dozens of individual transactions.

Several experienced teams launched new royalty platforms in late 2025, including Versamet Royalties, Summit Royalties, and Lunar Royalties. Summit achieved a market valuation three to four times that of Electric Royalties despite being newly public, demonstrating strong investor appetite for proven management teams.

Valuation dynamics continue driving consolidation as larger companies with extensive diversification trade at 2.5 times net asset value compared to 1x for junior companies. This gap creates powerful incentives for mergers that enhance shareholder value through scale and improved operating leverage.

Looking ahead to 2026, industry participants expect M&A activity to accelerate beyond 2025 levels. The fragmented sector provides numerous consolidation targets, while battery metal royalties trading at significant discounts to precious metal peers may attract acquisition interest as cash flows materialize.

View Electric Royalties' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/electric-royalties

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Interview with Arturo Préstamo Elizondo, Executive Chairman & CEO of Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/santacruz-silver-tsxvscz-strong-cash-generation-funds-debt-free-growth-8019

Recording date: 13th February 2026

Santacruz Silver Mining (TSXV:SCZ) represents a transformed investment opportunity following the elimination of all debt obligations and completion of its NASDAQ listing in January 2026. The multi-metal producer operates four mines across Bolivia and Mexico, generating substantial cash flows with an $80 million treasury position after paying $70 million in Glencore obligations and tax liabilities during 2025.

The company's debt-free, streaming-free, royalty-free capital structure directs 100% of operational cash flows to equity holders during a period of elevated silver and zinc prices. This clean balance sheet distinguishes Santacruz from leveraged competitors and producers with streaming obligations that divert metal production at below-market prices, creating immediate margin expansion as commodity prices strengthen.

Management projects 5-7% production growth from operational efficiencies independent of metal price assumptions or acquisition execution. The Zimapan mine in Mexico delivered a $2.5 million investment in flotation cell circuits that improved silver recoveries by 500 basis points, generating approximately $5 million in incremental monthly cash flow—a 20-month payback demonstrating disciplined capital allocation. The mine's advancement to Level 960 encounters wider ore bodies with silver grades of 80-90 grams per tonne and zinc content of 2.5-3.5% across the 2,800-tonne-per-day operation.

In Bolivia, the Bolivar mine is recovering from 2025 flooding through systematic dewatering infrastructure that increased capacity to over 700 litres per second—five times pre-flooding levels and nearly double peak flood conditions. Fourth quarter 2025 production showed quarter-over-quarter silver increases as access to flooded veins improves, whilst development work necessitated by the flooding discovered new high-grade veins creating unanticipated exploration upside.

Near-term production catalysts include the Soracaya project targeting full permitting by June-July 2026 with production commencement in the fourth quarter, utilizing existing Bolivian milling infrastructure for low-capital-intensity cash flow generation. The Esperanza mine at the Caballo Blanco complex approaches commercial production as the third operating mine within that group, leveraging existing infrastructure for brownfield expansion.

The Bolivian operating environment transformed following the 2025 election of President Rodrigo Paz, whose administration declared mining a strategic industry and announced constitutional reforms to encourage foreign investment. As Bolivia's largest underground mining company, Santacruz occupies a prominent position during this regulatory evolution, with improved political conditions creating potential M&A opportunities whilst reducing political risk for existing operations.

The January 2026 NASDAQ listing provides strategic access to US institutional investors and family offices, expanding the investor base beyond Canadian venture shareholders whilst early trading data demonstrates volume improvements. US institutional capital historically applies higher valuation multiples to Latin American precious metals producers than Canadian venture markets alone.

Management employs a distinctive operational approach tracking per-tonne costs rather than conventional all-in sustaining cost metrics, maintaining five-year rolling budgets with detailed weekly mining plans to prevent short-term high-grading that compromises long-term mine life. This disciplined capital allocation framework, combined with direct executive operational involvement demonstrated through systematic site visits and hands-on crisis management during the Bolivar flooding, distinguishes the approach from volume-focused competitors.

For investors seeking exposure to silver and base metals through an established producer with near-term growth catalysts, operational leverage to metallurgical improvements, and exposure to transformative Bolivian political changes, Santacruz presents a differentiated opportunity with multiple risk mitigation factors relative to earlier-stage developers or debt-burdened producers.

View Santacruz Silver's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/santacruz-silver-mining

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Interview with Jon Bey, CEO of Standard Uranium Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/standard-uranium-tsxvstnd-35m-raised-to-hunt-high-grade-uranium-7828

Recording date: 17th February 2026

Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND) is a Canadian uranium exploration company with 13 projects in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin, the world's highest-grade uranium jurisdiction. With a market capitalisation of approximately $15–20 million, the company has structured itself to maximise exploration activity while minimising shareholder dilution through a project generator business model.

Rather than self-funding all exploration, Standard Uranium invites third-party joint venture partners to fund drilling on most of its projects. Under a typical deal, a partner spends $6–7 million over three years to earn a 75% interest in a project, while Standard Uranium retains 25% equity, a 2.5% net smelter return royalty, and charges operator fees to run the program using its own geological team. Those fees — estimated at $1.5–2 million annually — are sufficient to cover the company's corporate overhead, reducing the need for repeated equity raises.

The company's flagship asset, Davidson River, sits outside this JV framework. The wholly-owned project covers 30,000 hectares in the southwest Athabasca Basin, adjacent to NexGen Energy's Rook I project — a discovery that transformed NexGen from a 30-cent stock into a $10 billion company over 13 years. Standard Uranium plans to drill Davidson River from May to August 2026.

Two additional drill programs are already underway in 2026. The Corvo project, under JV with Aventis Energy, commenced drilling in mid-February. The Rokas project, partnered with Collective Metals, is expected to begin drilling in early March. In total, JV partners are funding an estimated $7–10 million in exploration spend across the portfolio this year.

The macro backdrop supports the investment case. The uranium spot price stands near $89–90 per pound, while global nuclear capacity is forecast to triple over the next two decades, driven by clean energy targets and surging electricity demand from AI data centres. Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin is positioned as a primary source of future uranium supply.

View Standard Uranium's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/standard-uranium

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Interview with Diane R. Garrett, President & CEO of Hycroft Mining

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/hycroft-mining-nasdaqhymc-nevada-giant-eliminates-debt-targets-2026-production-milestone-8914

Recording date: 18th February 2026

Hycroft Mining (Nasdaq: HYMC) has published an updated Mineral Resource Estimate confirming 55% growth in Measured and Indicated gold and silver resources at its Hycroft Mine in Winnemucca, Nevada. The deposit now stands at 16.4 million gold ounces and 562.6 million silver ounces in the M+I category, with inferred resources of a further 5.0 million gold ounces and 132.8 million silver ounces. The MRE was prepared by independent third parties and is based on commodity prices of US$3,100/oz gold and US$36/oz silver.

The update incorporates results from 70 drill holes and reflects a geological reinterpretation that has fundamentally changed how management and institutional investors view the asset. In late 2023, Hycroft announced the discovery of two new high-grade silver systems, Brimstone and Vortex, within the existing resource footprint. After just 14 months of drilling, those systems have already yielded an initial high-grade M+I silver resource of 90.2 million ounces. Critically, both systems remain open along strike and at depth, and no results from the current 2025-2026 drill programme are yet incorporated into the MRE.

Metallurgical test work using Pressure Oxidation has confirmed recoveries of 83% for gold and 78% for silver - robust figures for a refractory sulfide deposit and a key de-risking milestone ahead of a feasibility study. The company is also evaluating a roasting alternative that could convert a processing cost into a by-product revenue stream through sulfuric acid production.

Financially, Hycroft is well-positioned to execute. The company holds approximately US$200 million in cash with zero debt, following the retirement of legacy liabilities in October 2024. The institutional shareholder base, led by Eric Sprott at 43%, with BlackRock, Schroders, and Franklin Templeton also on the register, reflects sustained conviction in the long-term thesis. Project economics on the large-scale operation are expected by end of Q1 2026, with an underground mining assessment of the high-grade systems also underway.

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View Hycroft Mining's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/hycroft-mining-holding-corporation

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Interview with Richard Young, President & CEO of i-80 Gold Corp.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/i-80-gold-tsxiau-from-50k-to-600k-oz-annually-in-nevada-miners-six-year-transformation-8964

Recording date: 13th February 2026

i-80 Gold has completed a $500 million non-dilutive financing package that eliminates a longstanding capital structure overhang and provides the certainty required to advance its three-phase Nevada development plan. The transaction, expected to close by the end of Q1 2026, positions the company to execute across multiple underground mining projects without shareholder dilution.

The financing comprises two equal $250 million tranches. Franco-Nevada contributed the first portion through a royalty structure beginning at 1.5% across the portfolio through 2030, escalating to 3% from 2031 onward as production scales. The second tranche consists of a prepaid facility with National Bank and Macquarie Bank, with i-80 Gold pre-selling approximately 40,000 ounces at a net realized price of $3,750 per ounce over a 30-month delivery period.

CEO Richard Young emphasized the competitive dynamics that shaped favorable terms, noting the company received five term sheets and three committed offers. This competition proved crucial for securing covenant flexibility rather than pricing optimization, including provisions for working capital facilities and operational adaptability during the production ramp.

The financing enables immediate strategic priorities across the portfolio. Granite Creek Underground, currently the company's sole operating mine, processes ore through third-party toll milling that costs $1,000-1,500 per ounce in margin leakage. The Lone Tree autoclave refurbishment, targeted for completion by end of 2027, will eliminate this dependency and capture those margins internally as the second underground mine ramps production through 2026.

Most significantly, the package accelerates Mineral Point, the flagship asset and largest resource base. Management allocated $50 million specifically for 2026 resource expansion, pre-feasibility engineering, and initial permitting—work previously deferred pending financing certainty. Young stated that Mineral Point represents the company's most valuable asset, making earlier production timing critical for shareholder value.

At current gold prices above $5,000 per ounce, management projects full funding across all three development phases without equity issuance, with potential incremental debt limited to a lower-cost revolving facility. Key 2026-2027 milestones include feasibility studies for Granite Creek and Cove, Archimedes Phase 4 results, and Mineral Point pre-feasibility work.

View i-80 Gold's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/i-80-gold

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Interview with Nolan Peterson, CEO of Atlas Salt

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/atlas-salt-tsxvsalt-developer-targets-north-americas-30-40-de-icing-salt-supply-gap-8975

Recording date: 5th February 2026

North America faces a growing crisis in road salt supply that most investors have overlooked. While the US$26 billion global salt market operates largely beneath public awareness, severe winter weather across the northeastern United States and Canada has exposed a structural deficit that has persisted for decades. Atlas Salt (TSXV:SALT) is developing the Great Atlantic Salt Project in western Newfoundland—the continent's first new salt mine in nearly 30 years—to address this critical infrastructure gap.

The North American deicing road salt market imports 8-10 million tons annually to meet demand that domestic production cannot satisfy. Existing mines date predominantly from the mid-20th century, with operations beginning between 1906 and 1982. These aging facilities operate at depths of 500-600 meters, often beneath lakes, requiring high operating costs and substantial capital expenditures. Regulatory challenges and thin historical margins have prevented new mine development despite growing demand from population growth, expanded road networks, and increased vehicle numbers.

Atlas Salt's competitive advantage stems from its shallow 200-meter deposit depth, which allows access via horizontal drift rather than expensive vertical shaft construction. Located just three kilometers from an existing port facility, the project gains direct access to Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes and the eastern seaboard market. The simplified production process requires only mechanical crushing of 96% grade salt—no chemical processing, tailings, or refining—enabling two-month environmental assessment approval.

At full production capacity of 4 million tons annually, Atlas would need to capture only 30-40% of current import volumes, targeting non-cyclical government customers legally mandated to purchase salt for road safety. The market's inelastic demand was demonstrated in January 2026 when Ontario spot prices surged from $65-75 per ton to over $190 during severe winter conditions. CEO Nolan Peterson emphasizes the dual investment appeal: "We are working with lenders who view this as investing into an airport or power plant—something that has long-term sales baked in because you're selling your product to governments, citizens and people."

View Atlas Salt's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/atlas-salt

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