Interview with Derek Iwanaka, CEO, Prince Silver Corp

Recording date: 5th of March 2025

Prince Silver Corp is advancing a historic Nevada silver mine toward a maiden resource estimate, with new leadership targeting a substantial 100 million ounce silver equivalent milestone within months. The company represents an early-stage exploration opportunity in one of North America's premier mining jurisdictions, underpinned by a significant historical dataset and recent unexpected discoveries.

Derek Iwanaka, who assumed the CEO role three months ago, brings a proven track record from BeMetals, First Mining Gold, and Uranerz Energy. His previous companies have grown to substantial valuations, with First Mining approaching a billion-dollar market cap and Energy Fuels now worth approximately $5 billion following its acquisition of Uranerz.

The Prince project operated as a producing mine from 1912 to 1949 before shutting down when silver prices fell to $0.79 per ounce. Prince Silver acquired the asset in 2025 and immediately commenced drilling below the historical workings. The results have revealed significant gold mineralization that was neither previously mined nor documented in exploration records, adding an unexpected value component beyond the silver-focused thesis.

Management is pursuing an aggressive timeline, targeting a resource estimate by July 2026 with a fallback to Q4. The strategy leverages 130 historical drill holes from previous operators, allowing the company to accelerate development by several years compared to typical greenfield exploration. With $8 million in cash, Prince Silver has adequate capital to complete its current 9,000-meter drilling program plus an additional phase if required.

The company currently trades at a market capitalization below $40 million, representing a significant discount to peers with similar resource sizes that typically command valuations exceeding $100 million. This valuation gap suggests potential for substantial rerating upon successful delivery of the resource estimate.

The Nevada location provides critical advantages, including streamlined permitting processes and potential fast-track treatment due to the presence of federally designated critical minerals. Nine drill holes are expected to be announced within weeks, providing near-term validation of the investment thesis ahead of the formal resource calculation.