Interview with Sean Wade, CEO of Power Metal Resources PLC & Marcel Nally, Founder of Minestarters

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/power-metal-resources-aimpow-advancing-a-pipeline-of-high-potential-exploration-projects-6311

Recording date: 15th October 2025

Power Metal Resources is investing £3 million to become the cornerstone investor in Minestarters, a blockchain-based platform designed to address critical funding shortages in early-stage mining exploration. The AIM-listed mining exploration incubator will acquire 49% of Minestarters, gaining access to significantly larger capital pools through tokenisation while maintaining visibility of investment value through tradable digital assets.

CEO Sean Wade describes the funding environment for early-stage mining over the past two to three years as "a desert" where even "fantastic prospects" that "would have flown off the shelves during COVID" have struggled to raise adequate capital. This capital scarcity prevents companies from investing sufficient sums to properly develop resources, with projects requiring significant drilling programs finding markets closed or capital available only at prohibitive costs.

Minestarters addresses this gap by issuing 120 million tokens backed by real-world mining assets. The platform will deploy 70 million tokens to the public in tranches, with the first 20 million released at $0.10 per token. All proceeds flow into a treasury used exclusively to fund selected mineral exploration projects through a rigorous investment committee that expects to reject 90-95% of applicants.

A key innovation involves smart contracts that automate milestone-based funding, releasing capital only as projects achieve predetermined objectives. This approach reduces capital leakage and human error compared to traditional mining finance, where project managers might request additional funds mid-programme without clear accountability frameworks.

Wade emphasises the partnership creates immediately visible value contrasting with conventional exploration investments: "I could tomorrow spend £3 million on an asset in Canada. Nothing's going on my balance sheet that's visible to a shareholder for three years plus." The tradable tokens provide 24/7 price transparency, enabling investors to track Power Metal's Minestarters holdings in real-time while the company leverages its proven IPO expertise to provide exit pathways for funded projects.

View Power Metal Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/power-metal-resources

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