Interview with Stephen Hanson, President & CEO of Surface Metals Inc.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/acme-lithium-acme-despatches-from-the-lithium-front-line-3054

Recording date: 14th July 2025

Surface Metals (CSE:SUR), formerly Acme Lithium, has successfully executed a strategic transformation that positions the company for value creation across two critical commodity sectors. Under CEO Stephen Hanson's leadership, the company has pivoted from pure lithium exploration to gold development while maintaining its valuable lithium asset foundation.

The strategic shift emerged from pragmatic market realities as lithium prices declined and EV demand slowed over the past 18 months. Rather than abandoning the long-term energy transition thesis, Hanson explained the rationale: "As a board and a management team we started to evaluate our assets and say listen we work for the shareholders. Creating shareholder value is my number one priority."

The centerpiece of this transformation is the April 2025 acquisition of 90% of the Cimarron gold project in Nevada's renowned Walker Lane trend. Located just 14 miles from Kinross's Round Mountain mine, the property boasts impressive historical data from major companies including Newmont and Echo Bay. Historical intercepts include 26 meters of nearly 5 grams per ton gold, with surface samples reaching 120 grams per ton.

The project benefits from Nevada's world-class mining jurisdiction and favorable geology, featuring a shallow epithermal system with mineralization extending to surface. This configuration offers significant cost advantages and exploration potential beyond the existing 50,000-ounce resource, with targets for expansion to over one million ounces.

Surface Metals maintains its lithium portfolio as strategic foundation value, including a 300,000-ton lithium carbonate resource in Clayton Valley and successful partnerships like the Snow Lake Energy joint venture in Manitoba. With holding costs of only tens of thousands annually, the company can maintain these assets through market cycles.

Trading at approximately $5 million Canadian market cap, Surface Metals offers investors dual commodity exposure at an attractive entry point. The company plans drilling at Cimarron by early 2026, following systematic database modernization and permitting processes that typically require 90-120 days in Nevada's streamlined regulatory environment.

View Surface Metals' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/acme-lithium

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