Financial choices

Acceleware - A Company Positioning Itself To Take Advantage Of It's Tremendous Potential

2012-03-06T19:44:00.000-06:00

Acceleware Ltd., (TSXV:AXE), has had what could be described as a very successful year, this past year. The company seized an opportunity to restructure itself, this following a dire period that caused many companies to fail. However, not only did Acceleware survive the massive downturn of the global economic recession that we are still struggling with, but Acceleware has gone from the restructuring in April, 2011 to cash flow positive by year end. Under the economic conditions that management faced, I believe it would be hard not to agree they have done an absolutely stellar job.

From the business side of things, Acceleware has worked diligently to continue to propel the company forward. They have tried to manoeuvre themselves into new markets, and into agreements with new companies, all the while maintaining the service that all their existing customers have come to expect. In 2011 Acceleware has released news that has shown the benefit of this dedicated and determined approach. If one is to go to their website and look at the news releases for the previous year, it helps to bring this into a much clearer perspective. http://acceleware.com/Press-Releases

Speaking of websites, it is reported that Acceleware is currently undertaking a major website renovation. This should be accomplished over the next month or two. There are multiple reasons for this re-working of the website. The company wants to update all the contained information for starters. This will in fact tie directly into the overall plan with initiating a marketing campaign which will bring Acceleware more directly into view for potential investors. I believe everyone would have to agree this approach will offer Acceleware the optimal benefit from the funds spent on a marketing campaign. Also of note, is the fact that management wants to have much more of the website designed so the language used is easier to read and understand. Currently the website works well for advertising to potential customers. It does however leave the average person who may be considering Acceleware as a potential investment choice struggling to understand many aspects of just what Acceleware offers from an investment standpoint. Again, I must say, this should be viewed as just another aspect of the dedication to unlock future potential shareholder value. This is of course no small undertaking, and the completion of this project is expected to be in the 1 to 2 month area, with the desire to have it done as quickly as possible, but done properly and effectively.

Acceleware is still a little ways off from the next financial reporting. My understanding is this can be expected most likely in the mid to late April timeframe. In talking with management, I was advised they are currently still going through their audit. This did not leave the door open to much discussion in this area, but I personally expect the numbers should be positive, given the increasing demand for the training sessions in both CUDA and OpenCL, not to mention the revenue that Acceleware can expect from both sales of software and the service commitments they currently have.

Recently, Acceleware has completed some hiring. This is always a good sign. The hiring that has been completed so far is expected to further enhance the ability of the company in terms of servicing the needs of potential and existing customers. According to management, they continue to look for a developer that will meet their expectations. This is a position they want to offer to someone who displays above average knowledge and skill in the specific field that the company deals with. Obviously Acceleware is continuing to prove their desire to continue the momentum they have, and to expand that momentum in a positive way. With this type of dedicated effort it is not difficult to see that Acceleware will in all likelihood begin to become much more noticed as a driving force within the super-computing circles with a focus on GPU technology. In a recent conversation with management, it was explained that Acceleware has added a couple of people to staff, but the one position they are passionate about is someone who meets a specific set of requirements as a developer. It is this type of forward thinking that will undoubtedly continue to propel Acceleware forward.

Looking at some of the recent conferences that Acceleware has attended and the immense interest garnered towards the technology they possess it will only be a matter of time before Acceleware comes to the attention of both the technological sector and investors. A prime example of this would be a report which lists Acceleware at the top of the list as an emerging company, even though Acceleware does not meet the usual requirements of a typical startup company. Here is a link to this report which I think clearly substantiates my view. http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2011-12-15/emerging_companies_ride_wave_of_gpu_computing.html What gives this report such credence in my opinion is the fact that the company which hosted this conference, Nvidia, were the ones to name Acceleware as the most promising emerging company. As is pointed out in this article, Acceleware, as well as other technological companies, have possessed very valuable technologies for quite some time now. However, it is only now with some of the recent breakthroughs and with the un-ending efforts to find markets which can utilize these technologies. This ties in with such synchronicity to the fact of who Acceleware has been hiring lately, and those they continue to look for in the future.

There are several upcoming events which hold much in the line of potential for Acceleware. Some of these events will have Acceleware as exhibitors, and others they will be presenting at as well. One event in particular that is considered to be a premiere event will be the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference. This will be held May 14-17, 2012, and is scheduled to be in San Jose, Ca, USA. http://www.gputechconf.com/page/home.html#source=pr

http://nvidianews.nvidia.com/Releases/NVIDIA-s-2012-GPU-Technology-Conference-One-of-the-World-s-Fastest-Growing-Computational-Science-Events-Opens-for-Registration-771.aspx

Acceleware will also be in attendance at the EuCAP 2012. http://acceleware.com/events/eucap-2012
http://www.eucap2012.org/
The date for EuCAP 2012 is March 26-30, 2012. This event will be held at the Congress Center in Prague, Czech Republic.

One that is of particular interest is the EAGE '12. This is quite likely one of the most prestigious events in terms of complete coverage of the oil and gas sector. This event offers one of the widest coverages possible in terms of the companies that are involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas. http://www.eage.org/events/index.php?eventid=520&Opendivs=s3

Acceleware will also be attending the International Supercomputing Conference. This event will be held from June 17-21, 2012, and will be held in Hamburg, Germany. http://www.isc-events.com/isc12/sponsor-exhibitor-listing.html

All of these events offer excellent potential for Acceleware to bring themselves more into view of the industries and companies that have a need for the technology and services that Acceleware has to offer. Add to this the steps being taken by the company in regards to revamping the company website, and the desire to bring the investor relations portion of the website more into a format that can be more easily understood, and then to initiate a marketing program geared towards the investment community. I find the grand sum of this to be favorable in terms of potentially starting Acceleware on changing trend. Of course I can make no guarantee, but the potential for Acceleware to begin a positive move in relation to both the share price and market cap is huge in my opinion.

If you find Acceleware as a company of interest as a choice for a possible investment into the early stages of a technological company, I strongly urge you to do your own due diligence. An excellent place to start is the company website which can be found at www.acceleware.com, and all publicly reported documents can be viewed at www.sedar.com.

For disclosure purposes, I have received no compensation of any kind for my opinions or this post. All opinions contained in this post are expressly my own. I own shares in Acceleware.

Focus Metals prepares to gain momentum as we start into a new year

2012-02-27T01:03:00.000-06:00

Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) has been a very busy company over the last year and a bit. They have remained strong through all the criticism of not having a NI43-101 compliant resource estimate and not being able to provide any proof of interest by outside entities. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011

http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec52011

In hindsight the management of Focus Metals has put to rest all of these issues, and as they progress forward from here, I believe we will see them continue to provide the "proof" that this is truly going to become the go-to company of the entire graphite and graphene sector globally. Management has stated several times that they have every intent of pursuing this position. They have claimed they were in the market to buy any claims that they believe hold value to further this drive of acquiring the goal they have set for the company. To date I think it is very difficult to argue that management has done anything but a superb job. They have managed to expand the company portfolio of graphite claims by a whopping 265 claims, all of which are reported to contain favorable indications that high quality graphite is present. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/sept92011
http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2012-2/jan122012

Focus Metals started a joint venture for the research of graphene, a company known as Grafoid Inc. The purpose of Grafoid is to research graphene from a number of fronts. First, Grafoid has been researching to try and find a process that will allow the company to produce graphene at the lowest cost available, and it seems with overwhelming success. Although not much is being communicated on this issue, it seems the secrecy is more rooted in the fact that patents are being currently applied for. Another approach to the research is to attempt to discover processes and products that can be patented and licensed. With graphene being arguably the hottest product to grace virtually any research lab at the present time, it goes without saying just how much value Grafoid can potentially bring to the table. To bring this into terms that show the true impact both Focus Metals and Grafoid are having on the graphite and graphene space, I find the signing of the MOU between Grafoid and Rutgers University to hold tremendous weight. Rutgers University enjoys a reputation that states they are considered one of the most highly regarded institutions involved in the research of material science, specifically in the field of polymer and non-polymer research. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/feb232011
http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011
It is reported that this research is being quite positive, however, the management is not releasing any details just yet. I have been told that these details will be forthcoming in the near future.

The actual demand for graphite will continue to rise I believe, and a major driving force of this demand will undoubtedly be the advent of the lithium-ion battery to be used in the upcoming shift towards the all-electric vehicles of the future. I would venture to say that the future on this front is no longer to be called the future, but rather the present. The number of companies that are building lithium-ion battery plants in North America, or are currently considering doing so, speaks to this end. http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2010/03/lg_chem_to_build_1st_north_ame.html

http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/news/press-releases/nissan_progresses_construction_of_electric_vehicle_battery_plant_in_tennessee#/leaf-electric-car/news/press-releases/nissan_progresses_construction_of_electric_vehicle_battery_plant_in_tennessee

http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2010/09/13/a123-opens-lithium-ion-battery-plant-in-michigan-wants-to-create-global-hub-for-electric-vehicles/

We also need to consider the fact that the worlds largest lithium-ion battery plant,which has started production of high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, will be another source that will require huge amounts of graphite. Although this plant is situated in Russia, it is reported that they expect to export into both the European and North American markets. http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/12/08/61812285.html

http://www.energytrend.com/node/2908
It is already a well known fact that the lithium-ion battery possesses a much higher quantity of graphite as opposed to lithium, thereby it is clear that graphite demand will only continue to grow.

While not just any graphite will suffice in the manufacturing of these batteries, Focus Metals has an abundant supply of the type of large flake graphite that will be required for this type of application. I fully expect that Focus Metals and Grafoid will both benefit immensely from the intense growth demand that will, with near certainty, develop as these battery plants begin production.

Many graphite companies are starting to emerge as of late. While it is true that their will be ample room in this sector for multiple companies to produce graphite, it should also be noted which companies are best positioned to withstand the rigors that face all industries at one point or another. In reality, there are times when prices and short-term demand trends can cause significant changes to a companies bottom line for profitability. Lac Knife is the flagship project of Focus Metals. What Lac Knife contains, in terms of the amount of graphite and the grade of this graphite, help us to see the tremendous advantage that Focus Metals has over competitors. As if that was not enough, it should be noted that, unlike many graphite deposits, the host rock is extremely soft. This all points to a cost of production figure that allows Focus Metals to truly take a comfortable lead ahead of virtually all competitors. Many of these points are discussed in the NI43-101 resource estimate which is effective as of December 5, 2011, and which was filed officially on January 18, 2012. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/43-101Report_Lac-Knife.pdf

The Lac Knife deposit is open in all directions, and management has stated they want to drill deeper to help further delineate the potential depth of the deposit. All drilling thus far on Lac Knife has ended in mineralization. Focus Metals decided last year to do an expanded drill program to embrace this issue. Permits were applied for but some delays were experienced which held up the progress of drilling to such a degree that drilling had to be cancelled for last year. In talking with management, I have been told we can expect drilling to begin approximately the end of April to the beginning of May. Obviously this will be conditional on the local weather. It was also brought to my attention that there are 9 additional drill targets have been identified. These are over and above the previously planned expanded drilling program. The potential of all of these additional drill targets are great, based on the outcrop samples taken. According to management, the potential is such that if these newest drill targets do in fact intersect the expected mineralization, each hole could in fact become another pit, similar to the existing pit design. Here is a map showing the locations of the newest drill targets.
http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/LacKnifeGeology_Map11x17_f1.jpg
From my experience when I toured the Lac Knife property and saw the size of some of the large outcrops at surface, I have little difficulty expecting much less than the potential for a huge addition to the resources. I can not even begin to tell everyone what the potential is for this drilling program, but to describe it in terms of monumental would be a gross understatement in my opinion.
In some of the most recent news from the company, we find that they have announced a bought deal private placement of flow-through shares. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2012-2/feb232012
The funds are intended to be used to explore and advance Focus Metals’ Lac Knife Graphite Project located in Québec.

An important issue that shareholders are waiting for word on currently, is word on an off-take agreement. While there has been no official news regarding an anouncement, it is just a matter of time before this announcement is undoubtedly made. Focus Metals CEO, Gary Economo has previously stated that the company has been actively pursuing this type of agreement, and that several companies are in possession of graphite samples that they can do testing on to ensure that the graphite will meet the necessary requirements for their specific use. I may be only speculating as to which companies may be involved in the testing of graphite from Lac Knife, but I fully expect that when this announcement is made it will not be surprising to find some of the largest consumers of graphite. I believe this since management has made no secret that they plan to move into a position of dominance in the graphite sector globally. This would indicate to me that we can expect some of the largest consumers of graphite to be numbered into our potential off-take partners.
As I mentioned previously there are a number of graphite companies cropping up recently. While I see the potential for some of these companies to progress towards production, it should be noted as to the importance of this testing process by the end-user of the graphite. Graphite is not like most other mined products, such as silver or gold etc., it is in fact very necessary for each company to test the graphite to ensure its suitability for a specific use. Focus Metals is ahead of most, if not all, competitors on this front. This will help Focus Metals to solidify their pursuit of becoming a leader in the graphite space.

Another topic that has been mentioned by management is the desire to change the company name from Focus Metals to Focus Graphite. This would help to bring attention to the core holding and value of the company. It is my understanding that this change should take place after the upcoming AGM. Considering all of the above it would seem there should be no shortage of news as Focus Metals progresses.

As we move on to take a look at what is new on the graphene research front, I believe there are a number of potentially important findings. For instance, in an article found in Science Daily, dated Feb.22, 2012, testing has found graphene to produce an anti-corrosion coating that would appear to be superior in nature. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222133125.htm

One university in particular has come to the attention of those looking at highly regarded facilities or institutions that rank high in a global standing for graphene research. This would be the National University of Singapore, which ranked 2nd in the world for graphene research.
http://www.graphenecenter.org/content/glance-over-nus-research-landscape

http://www.graphenecenter.org/content/research

http://www.graphenecenter.org/content/graphene

For those who may have read every possible article regarding graphene and the myriad of potential uses, and have become dishearted with the decision that many years of research are needed to overcome one fault or another which researchers seem to continue to run into, I bring you this article. This article is from Manchester University. It contains the results from a project undertaken by a team lead by Nobel laureates Professor Andre Geim and Professor Konstantin Novoselov. I believe that this is the type and caliber of research we can expect to see on a more consistent basis, not only from this University, but from a host of other research labs around the globe. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/uom-gem013112.php

As we can see from these many links which confirm or explore the potential ahead for both graphite and graphene as research projects progress, there is beyond all doubt some very exciting times coming. I believe Focus Metals has positioned themselves superbly to gain maximum benefit from this, and I expect that as management continues to work diligently in this regard, we will continue to experience an ever-building growth that will catapult Focus Metals to the forefront of this entire graphite/graphene sector globally. I also believe we will see a growth of similar porportions, or greater for Grafoid. It has been less than 2 years since Focus Metals has started trading on the TSX Venture exchange, and the growth has been absolutely stunning to-date.

If what is presented here appeals to you as a worthwhile investment choice, I would urge you to do your own due diligence. If necessary seek the advice of a professional advisor. A great place to start in my opinion is at the company website which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca. All publicly filed reports and documentations can be found by visiting www.sedar.com and looking under Focus Metals.

For the purpose of disclosure, I wish to make known that I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or my opinions. All opinions stated herein are strictly my own. I own shares of Focus Metals.

Compliance Energy - An update on this most promising company

2012-01-16T17:13:00.000-06:00

Compliance Energy (TSXV:CEC) is a company I have written about several times now, and it remains a company that I believe will make it to production. The company has performed testing well above and beyond what the prerequisites are for going forward, towards the environmental application process, in regards to their flagship project known as the Raven Underground Coal Project. For anyone who may not have knowledge of who Compliance Energy is, and what it is they are attempting, I will refer you to the company website which can be found at www.complianceenergy.com, and be sure to click on the link to the left side entitled "Corporate Fact Sheet - November 2011". This report has the latest NI43-101 compliant figures.

Compliance Energy has taken steps to ensure that they have left nothing untested in regards to the environmental requirements. They are currently progressing through the Environmental Application Process. This is an arduous task at best, and takes a considerable amount of time, as the government reviews all information concerning the project in its entirety. This includes of course, the environmental impact, as well as the impact it will have on the surrounding communities. Compliance Energy has submitted the pre-application portion, with the final application being completed and ready for submission over the coming months. This final application portion will potentially be ready by mid-year, with hopes that it may be ready sooner. To allow you to try and visualize just how intensive the paperwork is, for this type of application, I will tell you it is not necessarily uncommon for the papers to stack up to nearly a meter high. For anyone to think that this is not a very in-depth process to undertake, is to be grossly mistaken.

This does tend to be a tedious time of waiting, and a time of little news. There is other news that I find quite encouraging though. North Island College (NIC) has announced that they will be receiving funding from the Employment Skills Access Program, a federal-provincial program developed to provide unemployed workers with general employment or job-specific skills so they can transition to the workforce. This funding will cover many types of employment, varying from carpentry, woodland harvesting, integrated core resource skills training, leadership and capacity building for First Nations Communities. What there is truly a need for is trained mining personnel, and the government has added this to the list. With mining contributing nearly $9B to the BC economy, and the current shortage of people who have the required training for this type of work, this is most welcome news. http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/letters/story.html?id=e307d440-d8d3-4f9b-865e-472a03317fef
The shortage of skilled mining personnel is not something that is a local problem, but rather is much more widespread and its effects are felt virtually worldwide. This training will enrich many lives by allowing individuals to gain possible employment in a high income earning industry. It is reassuring to see that the government is doing their part, and offer people a means to gain the skills needed to better their lives, and the lives of their families.

Another open letter I came across recently is of particular interest. This is an open letter from the Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources. http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/1/3520
In this letter, the Honourable Joe Oliver makes a statement that is extremely accurate in its attempt to hit directly to the root of the problem facing many industries today. Of course it drew massive amounts of protest from virtually all environmental groups. While the environment needs to be watched over, and very carefully I might add, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get any projects approved. This letter is a very blunt statement that I believe touches to the very core of the underlying issues. While the fact is that we need to protect and be conscious stewards of our environment, it is also necessary to harvest wood, minerals, metals, oil, and gas in order for our lives to continue as we know life. Short of expecting everyone to revert back to the days of cave dwelling, how can we drive cars, live in houses, build bridges, and produce the innumerable items that we have come to view as normal living. Environmental stewardship is something that Compliance Energy holds as highly important, which is the reason they have spent millions on the amount of testing they have performed to make every possible attempt to mitigate any environmental impact.

While the Raven Project is Compliance Energy's flagship operation, the company also owns several additional properties on Vancouver Island. http://www.complianceenergy.com/index.php?id=115
Compliance Energy has received permits to drill on 2 of these properties. http://www.complianceenergy.com/index.php?id=107

http://www.complianceenergy.com/all_news/110907_CEC_Press%20Release.pdf
The company has stated that all planned drilling has been completed, with the results expected towards the end of Jan. 2012 - beginning of Feb., 2012. This timeline is approximate, and it is of course ultimately dependent upon the labs schedule. Both of these properties hold excellent potential. While some analysts consider that copper supply may not fall into a major shortfall as was previously thought, it is considered to potentially stay rather stable. Of course the next time the International Copper Study Group meets to discuss any changes to the forecast of copper going forward will be in April, 2012 in Lisbon, Portugal. There are others who have adjusted their forecasts also including Goldman-Sachs. Even with these latest adjustments, I think copper will remain strong through the long-term. http://www.commodityonline.com/news/goldman-sachs-cuts-2012-copper-forecast-by-over-5-45181-3-1.html

Copper is of course one of the products hoped to be found in both the NIC and the Camp Lake properties. However, in the case of the NIC property there is also the hope of proving up gold and silver as well, when looking at what the chip and grab samples were. In the case of the Camp Lake property there is the hope of finding molybdenum as well as copper.

All in all I believe that Compliance Energy will begin to show us that there are many avenues of value to this company as we start into 2012, and as the year progresses I think we can expect more momentum to the news we will receive. Another item of interest is the fact that Compliance Energy holds approximately 2.2 million shares of Copper Mountain Mining Corp. (TSX:CUM).

For those interested in considering Compliance Energy as a potential investment choice, I urge everyone to do their own due diligence and seek the advice of a professional advisor. A couple of links that will be useful as a starting point in conducting this research are included here, http://www.complianceenergy.com/index.php?id=27

http://www.theravenproject.ca/index.php

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or for my opinions. All opinions contained herein are strictly my own. I own shares of Compliance Energy.

Acceleware - This is a company with tremendous potential

2012-01-16T01:32:00.000-06:00

Acceleware (TSXV:AXE) has a lot to celebrate as we usher in 2012. Over the last year the company has undergone some major changes, and as a result has moved into a cash-flow positive territory. I am certain this feat can be appreciated if we consider the economic environment that all business's have faced over the preceding year. To have taken the company this far in this short amount of time speaks volumes of the dedication and commitment by the entire management team, which is led by CEO, Geoff Clark. What this company can achieve over the coming year is not something I, nor anyone else, can guarantee. I do however, see virtually limitless potential, and feel that the current management team is not only well positioned, but has the vision to take advantage of all possibilities that present themselves, as well as to pursue all viable opportunities they feel would bring added value to this exciting company.

There are several ingredients required for any company to be successful. One of the things I like about Acceleware is their grasp on how important it is to align themselves with partners and customers who will be capable of aiding the management to continue to drive the company forward. The list of companies that Acceleware has, both in terms of partners and for customers, is quite impressive. While there are many examples to pick from, let's look at what the company produced working in conjunction with Paradigm Ltd., and what type of reception this product has seen. http://www.pdgm.com/getattachment/Resources-(2)/Press-Release/Paradigm-to-Highlight-Technological-Breakthroughs-/PR-2011-05-Paradigm-to-Highlight-Technological-Breakthroughs-Offered-in-the-Paradigm-2011-Release-at-EAGE-wpic.pdf.aspx

http://www.pdgm.com/getattachment/Resources-(2)/Press-Release/Fugro-Selects-Paradigm-Reverse-Time-Migration/PR-2011-08-24-Fugro-Selects-Paradigm-Reverse-Time-Migration.pdf.aspx

http://www.pdgm.com/getattachment/Resources-(2)/Press-Release/Paradigm-at-SEG/PR-2011-09-08-Paradigm-to-Feature-Key-Technological-Breakthroughs-Introduced-in-the-Paradigm-2011-Release-at-SEG.pdf.aspx
As you read through these reports I think you will begin to get a much broader understanding of just how powerful this technology is, and of course how it is being chosen by well established companies who are leaders in this sector. With this technology being released only this last year, I fully expect we will see enormous growth in its demand.

As I mentioned there are numerous companies that Acceleware has partnered with over the years. Here are a couple of links that will help to give you an understanding of just how in-depth Acceleware is, based on their business and solutions partners, who include the likes of Nvidia, Microsoft, and AMD, to name a few. http://www.acceleware.com/business-partners
http://www.acceleware.com/solution-partners

On Dec. 14-15, 2011, Acceleware attended the GTC Asia Conference in Beijing, China. This was truly a very valuable conference for Acceleware to have attended. The amount of interest was reported to be exceptionally strong, with many people and companies stopping at the Acceleware booth to express a sincere interest in all that Acceleware had to offer. While there was some interest shown by some companies towards the EM technologies, it was obviously the RTM technology that drew the most interest. Acceleware was not only well received at the conference, but was also the recipient of a very meaningful reference from Nvidia. http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2011-12-15/emerging_companies_ride_wave_of_gpu_computing.html
I find it quite compelling when I can read articles such as this, and to see the optimism being given towards Acceleware from a giant such as Nvidia. This in combination with the sincere showing of interest from any number of potential customers carries a lot of weight in my opinion. One point that comes to mind when I try to estimate the potential for Acceleware in the Asian market, and that is they have a very valuable technology which can be brought directly into the market by some of the companies associated with Acceleware. For example, we know that Paradigm Ltd. has a very close working relationship with Acceleware, as does Tsunami. Both of these companies have branch offices in Beijing, and are well respected by the customer base they serve in that area. Aside from the Asian market, both of these companies have excellent global representation. I believe the amount of interest being afforded Acceleware in terms of their RTM technology in the Asian area, is undoubtedly connected to the fact the geologies they are currently facing are becoming increasingly more complex. This seems to hold true for most exploration projects globally, and is due in large part to the necessity of moving into off-shore settings for further oil/gas exploration targets. It is in these complex geological settings that Acceleware's RTM technology can truly show its full value. Here are a couple of links to both Paradigm and Tsunami which I think you will find helpful in getting a sense for what these companies can contribute. http://www.pdgm.com/Home.aspx
http://www.tsunamidev.com/

Acceleware can potentially expect to gain some ground in another area where off-shore exploration seems to be building rapidly, and this would be off the shores of Africa. As with many, if not most off-shore projects, the geology is complex at best. What stood out in my mind was when I learned that a significant percentage of this exploration can be traced back to Asian origins. As China continues to experience massive growth, and the future need for energy continues to grow, we are currently witnessing a surge of Chinese investment into the energy sector. This all points to significant potential for Acceleware looking forward.

I believe that Acceleware stands to profit greatly from their RTM technology, and quite likely we could see a significant rise in the amount of companies who will decide that this technology holds the key to interpreting the data they have to work with from ever-increasingly complex geological settings. There are those who will argue that fossil fuels are going the way of the dinosaur, and while long-term this may hold some degree of truth, there is no realistic way that I can foresee the transformation to a world that is free from both oil and gas in the immediate future. The fact that the Chinese are avidly investing into numerous energy projects around the world helps to substantiate this view. We are being told by virtually all energy companies that any major new discoveries will be predominately from off-shore exploration. With this in mind, it becomes much easier to see the potential for Acceleware going forward. As with any business that realizes success, there are times and events that help to lift that specific company to the next level, and in the case of Acceleware, I believe there could quite possibly be some significant gains made from their RTM technology, beginning this year and continuing.

I feel it only proper that I should add, that although I concentrated mostly on the RTM technology in this post, there was no shortage of interest shown towards Acceleware in Beijing recently, and this would have included several of the technologies Acceleware possesses. I have no knowledge of any deals that may be in the works, but I do know that this much interest from large well established companies in this region, could have a very positive outcome for Acceleware. I think we will definitely be hearing and seeing a lot from Acceleware in 2012. Aside from RTM, Acceleware also continues to enjoy growth at virtually all of their CUDA training classes offered in conjunction with Microsoft. A similar set of training courses based on OpenCL are being offered in conjunction with AMD, and these too are enjoying great success.

The fact that Acceleware has 55.95M shares outstanding (approx. 60M fully diluted), and a market cap just shy of $4M CAD, with a move into cash-flow positive ground, I truly believe this is a company that will begin to be noticed, and quite likely sooner than later. Of the 55.95M shares, Nvidia holds 8M of them, and to me that speaks loudly of their belief in Acceleware.

For anyone who finds Acceleware as a potential investment choice, I recommend that you do your own due diligence. Acceleware has a website which can be found at www.acceleware.com, and I would suggest that as a good starting point, as well as all reports which can be viewed on Sedar. I think you will find many of the press releases quite informative also, http://www.acceleware.com/Press-Releases

For disclosure purposes, I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or my opinions. All opinions contained herein are strictly my own. I own shares of Acceleware.

An Update To The World Of Graphene Research And The Potential It Holds For Focus Metals

2012-01-16T01:28:00.000-06:00

As most people, who read the articles concerning graphite and graphene on my blog, you will be well versed on the amount of research currently being conducted on a global basis. This research seems to just keep accelerating both in terms of the amount of research projects being studied, and also the speed at which researchers are attempting to find the answers they so desperately are seeking. I have tried to keep up to date as best I can in my efforts to stay abreast of some of these projects, especially those that I view as having the potential to affect the possible demand for high quality graphite, and even more so, high quality graphene. In order for graphene to be considered for high-tech applications it is apparent that not just any graphene will suffice. High-tech applications are requiring some of the highest grades of graphene they can source. The one company that has a deposit which contains graphite that can produce graphene of this high caliber would be Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF).

I recently found a few articles that will show just how sudden some possible breakthroughs can come. As the global pace for graphene research seems to recognize no limitations, it is almost overwhelming what these researchers are finding as they consider the results of the nearly endless research projects. The following is one such example and is an excerpt from the following report,Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have used the capabilities of one of the world's most powerful university-based supercomputers, the Rensselaer Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI), to uncover the properties of a promising form of graphene, known as graphene nanowiggles. What they found was that graphitic nanoribbons can be segmented into several different surface structures called nanowiggles. Each of these structures produces highly different magnetic and conductive properties. The findings provide a blueprint that scientists can use to literally pick and choose a graphene nanostructure that is tuned and customized for a different task or device. The work provides an important base of knowledge on these highly useful nanomaterials. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/rpi-sd010412.php

Rice University is well known for the many graphene research projects they undertake. The Rice lab of materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan, in collaboration with colleagues in China, India, Japan and the Texas Medical Center, discovered a one-step chemical process that is markedly simpler than established techniques for making graphene quantum dots. The results were published online this month in the American Chemical Society's journal Nano Letters. The impact of this type of research is something that should not be taken lightly. This could potentially save numerous lives by allowing doctors to correctly diagnose some of the many maladies that we currently do not have the technology to diagnose in its earliest stages. The earlier a person can get a diagnosis the sooner treatment can begin, and this has been proven to be paramount in hoping for a successful treatment program. This research could also lead to a possible treatment method as well. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134357.htm

In recent months we have read of many research projects that are geared towards better understanding how the electrical conductivity of graphene can be useful in any number of applications. In yet another aspect of the current graphene research being conducted, we find that researchers at University of Texas Dallas have been busy studying the potential of graphene in electronics, but this more from the thermal aspect. Much of modern technology is based on silicon's use as a semiconductor material, but research recently published in the journal Nature Materials shows that graphene conducts heat about 20 times faster than silicon. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211557.htm

While the above information helps to lend a view to where some graphene research is heading, there is lots being pursued at Rutgers University. December 1, 2011, there was a news release issued which announced the signing of a MOU between Grafoid Inc., which is a graphene joint venture that is 40% held by Focus Metals, and Rutgers University. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011. As is noted in this news release,
“The graphene research and development activities undertaken to date by Dr. Chiu are heading towards a new phase, leading ultimately, we believe, to industrial applications for our graphene,” Mr. Economo said.
“In time, and through further development in conjunction with Rutgers University we see Grafoid assuming its place as an industry leader not only in industrial and infrastructural applications, but in graphene applications for military and defense, aviation and marine and in other emerging industries where demand exists,” he added. Considering the high regard that Rutgers University commands from the research community, it is not difficult to see how high the potential is for major breakthroughs to be accomplished. http://nanotubes.rutgers.edu/

In yet another research project we find graphene excellently suited as a protective optical limiter. http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2012/01/dispersed-graphene-makes-excellent-protective-optical-limiter.html
Then there is this project from Manchester University and Cambridge University. Graphene, a monolayer form of carbon with properties that will likely mean great things for optics as well as electronics, will be giving high-speed optical communications a boost, if research at the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge pans out. A combination of graphene with metallic nanostructures appears to show a twentyfold enhancement in converting light to electricity when compared to graphene by itself. This could mean dramatically improved photodetectors for fiber optics, for one.
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2011/09/plasmonic-structures-and-graphene.html

The biggest question seems to be, "Just what is the potential for Focus Metals from all this?" Since Focus Metals owns 100% of the Lac Knife deposit, near Fermont, Quebec, and this deposit is now NI 43-101 compliant. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec52011
Previous to this report being completed, on Feb. 23, 2011, Focus Metals announced that they had formed a graphene joint venture. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/feb232011. This was followed by another release in which Focus Metals announced that the joint venture had been incorporated, and was now called Grafoid Inc. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/sept92011
Then on Dec.1 came the news that Grafoid Inc. had signed a MOU with none other than Rutgers University, a very highly regarded facility. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011.

These are only some of the highlights of what management of Focus Metals has accomplished in the past year, but I believe they are indicative about how the potential of Focus Metals just keeps building. With the tens of billions of dollars being spent to fund an almost infinite amount of graphene research globally, and with some researchers, as well as companies applying for numerous patents, it is not that difficult to see that Focus Metals has positioned themselves extremely well for the impending rise in anticipated demand for both graphite and graphene. Does Focus Metals have any competitors? That would depend on what a person wants to use for the definition of competitors. From the aspect of whether there are additional companies who will be attempting to sell graphite and or graphene, yes, there will be competitors. From the aspect of, can any other companies boast of a world class deposit such as Lac Knife, which holds some of the highest grade graphite known at this time, no. It is common knowledge that company CEO, Gary Economo, has been in various talks with a number of companies, and the basis for these talks is to establish one or more off-take agreement(s). I would expect this decision could be made in the near future, but keep in mind that it is an arduous task for companies interested in the graphite to run many complex and sophisticated tests on the graphite, to ensure its suitability. Graphite is very different from most any other mine in this aspect. Gold is gold, and silver is silver, however this holds no bearing on how graphite is sold. Companies who may be interested in buying graphite will need to make certain that the graphite will meet any number of prerequisites. The fact that Lac Knife holds such an unusually high grade of graphite can only be considered a blessing of the largest kind, since this puts Focus Metals well in front of most, if not all other graphite explorers and producers. Not only does the NI43-101 report state how high the quality is, but we have this excerpt from Professor Nosker.
On behalf of AMIPP (Advanced Materials via Immiscible Polymer Processing), Professor Nosker said a huge opportunity is waiting to be opened by the cooperative venture.
“I am very pleased that we have an opportunity to spearhead the exploration for the applications from the very high quality graphite received from the Lac Knife project in Canada,” he said.
“This material, formed together in an igneous rock formation millions of years ago, has extreme high electrical conductivity relating to the perfection of the graphite crystals formed there.
“There are many engineering applications for these materials just waiting to be discovered,” Prof. Nosker added.

When I read all that companies like Samsung, Nokia, and IBM, just to name a few, are investing into the research of graphene, it becomes clear in my mind that graphite and graphene are both headed for a much higher demand as we move closer and closer to the breakthroughs that will help graphene live up to the expectations that the world has bestowed upon it. This will most certainly help Focus Metals in my opinion. I believe we will see an increase in the demand of graphite, although I would not expect that immediately. Graphene demand will continue to grow I expect, and I can easily see graphene demand growing many fold as these research projects begin to produce usable ways to incorporate graphene into many of the products we use on a daily basis. I firmly believe graphene will be the next item to revolutionize the world, and Focus Metals is the company I see best positioned to take advantage of this.

For anyone interested in considering Focus Metals as an investment choice, I highly recommend that you do your own due diligence, and seek the advice of a professional advisor. Focus Metals has a website which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this posting or for my opinions. All opinions herein are strictly my own. I own shares of Focus Metals

Focus Metals - The potential just keeps building

2011-12-27T19:40:00.000-06:00

As 2011 winds down and we look forward to the ringing in of another year, I would like to look at what could potentially help investors to realize additional value from Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF). The company has recently released their NI43-101 resource estimate, which outlines a resource very much in-line with what was expected from the historical data. There is of course, the issue of off-take agreements to be determined yet, although there is lots happening in that regard according to CEO, Gary Economo. It is now widely known in the research community, as well as the industrial community, that to utilize graphite/graphene for a specific project, it is of paramount importance that a proper amount of testing be completed in order to ensure the graphite/graphene will be appropriate according to the customers specifications. Obviously this leads to extended wait times, as this testing is completed, and the decisions are then made as to whether the graphite and or graphene meet the prerequisites of any potential off-take partners. With several comments being made in connection to the high quality of the graphite and graphene available from Focus Metals' Lac Knife deposit, we can now see that Focus Metals is definitely poised to reach out and take possession of the position they have striven to reach, that of a globally dominant supplier of the highest quality graphite and graphene. I have made reference to the potential of Focus Metals many times since I first started to cover the company with posts in my blog, and as the company continues to progress, that potential only seems to grow. I have had people ask me what the effect on Focus Metals might be if the price was to drop somewhat, to which my main reply has been, Focus Metals will be in as positive a position as possible. Considering that the cost of producing this graphite and graphene will be amongst the lowest in the world, and with the highest quality product, it is with ease that I see Focus Metals continuing their progress uninterrupted. This is of course, if there is ever any downward pressure on prices. In the event that there are some immediate breakthroughs in research and the supply side of the equation gets outstripped by demand, the potential I will attempt to show here could be dwarfed.

I believe graphene stands to quite possibly dwarf graphite in financial terms for Focus Metals looking forward, but I found the following to be quite interesting, and I thought it would help to show the true depth of the potential uses for graphite as well as graphene.
There seems to be a renewed interest in nuclear power, following the crisis in Japan earlier this year. It is true that nuclear power has competition in some parts of the world, which may be more economically feasible, such as the advent of shale gas in North America, but this cannot be said of the entire world. For instance, both China and India, are in desperate need of a much cleaner method of producing power. There are many other countries that fall into this category, but in the case of these two countries, the growing population coupled with the growing economy will soon leave little to no choice. http://world-nuclear.org/info/inf104.html

Many concerns of course, still abound over the safety of nuclear power, but there are alternate options which are available now that involve some of the latest state-of-the-art technology. As these uniquely different technologies continue to be tested, some have shown considerable promise. One such reactor is discussed in this article, under the heading HTR-10, which is approximately 3/4 of the way down the page, although the entire article is quite interesting, http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/default.aspx?id=26187&terms=graphite%20pebble%20bed.
It comes as little surprise that SGL Group, which is arguably one of, if not the, world's largest carbon company, would be firmly rooted into such a technology, concerning the use of graphite.
http://www.sglgroup.com/export/sites/sglcarbon/_common/downloads/industries/energy/Products_Services_for_Nuclear_Power_Plant_Technology_e.pdf
There are a myriad of other uses that graphite is being considered for presently, many of which I will try to cover in the future, however, graphene seems to be at the centre of most every scientist and researcher on the planet, so I would like to switch our view more to this very exciting space.

Graphene research has become a rather dominating factor on a global basis, with virtually every country in the world becoming involved in one way or another. In the EU for instance, there is an organization that has been formed called Graphene Flagship. Here is a link that will explain how this organization works, (there are 2 videos, one is an introduction to graphene, the other is an introduction to the Graphene Flagship), http://www.graphene-flagship.eu/GF/Videos.php.
As we can see this will have a profound effect at enabling graphene research to progress at a much faster pace, as opposed to all research being segregated. One example of this, that I believe brings home just how this can be beneficial, is the case of Nokia and their efforts to bring to life a mobile phone called the "Morph" into our everyday lives. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/what-is-graphene-and-why-is-nokia-touting-it-as-the-supermaterial-of-the-future-2297476.html
This project is not considered to be just another research project, but is something that Nokia seems to view as a project that must be pursued until completion. It is with ease that we can see just how deep the determination is, and how broad the commitment is from so many sources to bring graphene to the forefront of our technological advances.

In yet another fascinating field of research, we find that there has been considerable progress in the research of single molecule nanomagnets enabling novel graphene spintronics devices. Although there are reportedly some issues that require more research, there are no fundamental problems foreseen. http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=21982.php

Recently we have seen an abundance of research to determine the viability of graphene to replace silicon in the manufacturing of computer chips. IBM announced this summer that they have built a computer chip made entirely with graphene. While this research has not provided us with the technology to say we can replace the silicon chip with a graphene chip today, it is reportedly becoming more certain that this will indeed be the case, and this is expected in the short to mid-term apparently. http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/36135.wss

When we think about graphene it is common for us to think predominately in terms of high-tech electronics. This is no doubt due to the strides being made in this research, but there are so many other potential uses for graphene. Some of these are much less discussed, and yet the potential is almost beyond comprehension if their was to be a breakthrough in some of this research. I am speaking of graphene being researched for medical uses. For instance there are currently about 15 million people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease worldwide, and this figure is expected to grow by 4 fold by 2050. The anguish that comes not only to those who are diagnosed with this most wretched of diseases, but also to those who care for them, is something that most if not all of us can appreciate. I do not wish to try and downplay the seriousness of this, but rather to bring to light just how valuable this type of breakthrough would be. http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=23726.php
In yet another fascinating research project we find that there is considerable potential for graphene to be used in the diagnosis of malaria. Malaria is among the most deadly infectious diseases on the planet, killing untold numbers annually. It goes without saying this is a disease that man needs to conquer, and sooner is much preferred to later. The scientists who are performing this research bring not only hope to this issue, but also afford us a view as to the actual potential. http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=23534.php

Now let's take a look at some research that is currently being done in the field of batteries. For quite some time people have thought that the Lithium-ion battery would potentially be the battery of choice as the entire world begins to look at the possibilities of moving from internal combustion to all-electric vehicles. This did indeed appear to be the case, but researchers kept coming up against the problem of how far a vehicle could run per charge, and the results were not favorable. Now research has found a battery that could potentially hold all the attributes required for the impending revolution towards electric vehicles. Instead of a lithium-ion battery, researchers are now leaning towards a lithium-air battery. The Li/O₂ couple is especially attractive because it has the potential for the highest specific energy among all the known electrochemical couples. What does this all mean in plain terms? A lithium-ion battery is capable of reaching distances in excess of 500 km per charge, and this definitely helps researchers see the potential this technology could hold. http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=23258.php

There is obviously an almost infinite amount of research on possible uses for graphene at present. One thing that stands out prominently in my mind, is the need for not just graphene for the research being completed, but the need for high-quality graphene. This will apply to not only the research but also to any actual applications. From an investment viewpoint, this prompts the question of who stands to gain the most from all of this need for high-quality graphene. As one considers all the options for sourcing graphene that meets the requirements, and keeping cost in mind also, I find Focus Metals to be most aptly positioned. Grafoid Inc., which is a graphene joint venture in which Focus Metals holds 40%, has very recently announced a signing of a MOU with Rutgers University. The agreement was signed by Mr. Economo as President of Grafoid Inc., and Professor Thomas Nosker, Principal Investigator for Rutgers University’s Advanced Polymer Materials School of Engineering. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011
Not only is Rutgers University one of the most highly regarded advanced materials research center's that works with industry to commercialize new technologies, and commits to providing the research and inter-disciplinary laboratory facilities, but Professor Nosker is quoted as saying, “I am very pleased that we have an opportunity to spearhead the exploration for the applications from the very high quality graphite received from the Lac Knife project in Canada.”

All things considered, I am firmly entrenched in my opinion that Focus Metals will undoubtedly reach their goal of becoming the "go-to" company for graphite and graphene products that are far and above the quality available from virtually all other sources, and this in turn will allow them to realize the value that such a global dominant supplier will display. I also believe that we will continue to see progress, which may or may not be quite as we would think appropriate, that will be the result of a management team that has not only the best interests of Focus Metals at heart, but ultimately, also the shareholders interest. When management tends to keep very quiet on some issues, I have learned this can often be construed as acting in our best interests. For example, in the research I did to follow up on much of what I have written about in this post, I found many companies to be very silent and not that forthcoming. The reasons given are invariably the same, from some of the smallest to some of the largest companies, and the main reason stated is quite simply, "To protect our proprietary knowledge." I will admit, this can be frustrating, but after meeting with several of the management team, and from the experience I have gained thus far as a shareholder, I have come to a point where I trust management to unlock much additional value as we go through this next year, and I hope for many years to come. The potential here is that large in my opinion.

As I always point out to anyone who finds Focus Metals to be a company of interest for an investment choice, please do your own due diligence. There are many places where one can look for information, and I would encourage everyone to go to the company website for starters. This can be found at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes, I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or my opinions. All opinions herein are strictly my own. I own shares of Focus Metals.

Focus Metals releases 43-101 resource estimate and begins to show its true potential

2011-12-08T02:54:00.000-06:00

For some people, Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) has been quite a ride so far. The company has had an extremely busy time since they first listed in 2010, first climbing like a rocket, then falling victim to a series of delays that were completely out of the control of the company, and now comes the long-awaited 43-101 compliancy report.There were some who refused to see the potential, others who at first believed and then let fear cloud there judgment, and of course there were those who believed strongly enough in the management and the project that we believe this is only the beginning.

For anyone who is not holding a position, or who has not been following Focus Metals, there was a news release, dated December 5, 2011, which contained the 43-101 compliant resource estimate. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec52011
Previous to this, all reference to the resource estimate was based on historical data, which was very close to the current resource estimate. Focus Metals management had stated in an earlier news release that the company had been told by Roche that it appeared there would be little change from the historical numbers to the more modern 43-101 standard. Now that we see this is indeed the case, it allows one to begin to realize just how huge the potential for Focus Metals is.

Prior to this news release, Gary Economo, Focus Metals CEO, spoke at the Industrial Minerals Roundtable in Amsterdam on December 01, 2011.
http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/presentation-and-speeches/dec12011

There are many points made by Mr. Economo in the presentation, , but one that stands out in my mind, is how quickly he addressed the importance of SGL Carbon SE, the world's largest graphite technology supplier. This This importance is brought into realistic terms with Volkswagen's recent move to acquire an 8.1% stake in SGL, and also with BMWs $100 million venture in United States. As SGL states, “the carbon age has begun.” If the carbon age has begun, so to has the graphene technology revolution. This falls in-line with my earlier postings, in which, I stated my expectations that SGL stands out in my opinion as a possible candidate for a potential off-take agreement. While this is only my opinion, it is with relative ease that one can see how they fit the requirements that Mr. Economo stipulated, just a few days later, at the first, Industrial Minerals Graphite Conference. This was held in London, UK on Dec. 6th and 7th. "The off-take partners we seek will have a strong marketing presence, product research and development facilities and a forward-looking vision to provide Focus Metals with a dual link to the vast global market for graphite, and over time, for our graphene." This is an excerpt from Gary's presentation on Dec. 6, 2011, and here is a link to the presentation in it's entirety, http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/presentation-and-speeches/dec62011
This entire presentation clearly presents Focus Metals in a much more dominant role, not only because of the world class graphite deposit it owns at Lac Knife, but equally, if not more importantly because of the cost of production. While some people would view the fact that graphite could possibly face some pricing instability, from a short to mid term basis, as a negative, this is in fact what allows Focus Metals to stand ahead of any competitors. This low cost of production added to the fact that Focus Metals' Lac Knife deposit has now been confirmed to hold the world's best natural flake graphite, which in turn, is capable of producing the highest grade graphene, positions Focus Metals in a very unique position. The fact that Focus Metals has already started its search for strategic properties which hold potentially appropriate graphite deposits, and in fact has recently purchased some 200 claims, only adds to this unique position. In his conclusion to his presentation, Mr Economo stated a very provocative thought,
"Simon Moores, in a thoughtful and reasoned lead editorial in Industrial Minerals September publication of Critical Materials for Green Energy aptly put it this way: “whoever holds the technology cards will lead the pack.”
Focus Metals is committed to being that leader."

One thing I have long noticed with Focus Metals, is the company's desire to find the ultimate amount of value they possibly can, and their graphene joint venture appears to be an entity that could potentially bring enormous value to the table. This joint venture, known as, Grafoid Inc., has just signed a MOU with Rutgers University AMIPP Advanced Polymer Center to jointly develop graphene technology applications related to both polymer and non-polymer applications. http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/press-releases/2011-2/dec12011
Under the terms of the MOU, Rutgers University, an advanced materials research center that works with industry to commercialize new technologies, commits to providing the research and inter-disciplinary laboratory facilities.
Grafoid Inc. commits to providing human resources, graphene materials from Focus Metals' Lac Knife graphite resource, and graphene expertise for research and development purposes.
The agreement was signed by Mr. Economo as President of Grafoid Inc., and Professor Thomas Nosker, Principal Investigator for Rutgers University's Advanced Polymer Materials School of Engineering.
Some people seem to miss just why Grafoid may hold this huge potential capability, to bring enormous value to both, the companies and the shareholders. Well, it is actually quite simplistic in nature. Here is an excerpt from Gary Economo's presentation on Dec. 7, 2011, at the Industrial Minerals Graphite Conference, which helps to shed some light on this topic,
"Dr. Chiu
The first was the quality of our graphite; the second was the ease of extraction of graphene from the ore and the purity of structure of that graphene.
To us, quality is everything and our quality graphite produces quality graphene.
More importantly, the graphene produced in the lab was electrically conductive, unlike vapor chemical deposition.
And those factors contributed in part, to our development of a scalable model for mass producing graphene in single and multiple layers using a simple, environmentally friendly process."
"Our raw graphite ore is superior to the refined lab graphite used by the scientific community for its graphene research."
Here is the link to the entire presentation, http://www.focusmetals.ca/english/news/presentation-and-speeches/dec72011
The above presentation by Mr. Economo will provide the reader with a full understanding of just what has been meant by the Focus Metals vision of reaching their mine-to-market goal, which they have mentioned many times since their inception. The only real change to this vision has been the fact that is has grown more encompassing than was initially viewed.

With all that has transpired, over the last approximately year and a half, and specifically over the last week or so, it is with full expectations that I see Focus Metals and Grafoid Inc. becoming the driving force of graphite/graphene supply outside of China. The value that will be attached to such a position remains to be seen, but it is my opinion it will be very great.

For those who would like to know more about Focus Metals, or those who would like to start some due diligence on this company, the company website can be found at www.focusmetals.ca , and this is an excellent place to start in my opinion.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post. All views aside from quotes are my own. I do own shares in Focus Metals.

Focus Metals announces a strategic move that supports the company's mission statement

2011-12-02T11:47:00.000-06:00

Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) President and CEO, Gary Economo, who holds the same office in Grafoid Inc., has released news regarding Grafoid Inc. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/grafoid-inc-and-rutgers-university-sign-mou-to-jointly-develop-and-commercialize-polymer-and-non-polymer-technology-graphene-applications-from-focus-metals-lac-knife-graphite-resource-2011-12-01?reflink=MW_news_stmp
This is extremely good news, as Rutgers University is a very respected institution. Rutgers is one of the nations foremost research universities. http://www.rutgers.edu/about-rutgers/who-we-are

For anyone who may be new to Focus Metals or Grafoid, let me quickly give you a brief outline on both companies.
Focus Metals Inc. is an emerging mid-tier junior mining company, a technology solutions supplier and a business innovator. It is the owner of the highest-grade (approximately 17%) technology graphite resource in the world. The company's goal is to assume a dominant industry leadership position by becoming the lowest-cost producer of technology-grade graphite. As a technology-oriented enterprise with a view to building long-term, sustainable shareholder value, Focus Metals is invested in the development of graphene applications and patents through Grafoid Inc.
Grafoid Inc. is a Canadian, privately-held joint venture created to research and develop commercial applications and patents from graphene, sourced exclusively from Focus Metals' Lac Knife, Quebec technology graphite resource. One of its aims is to set a universal standard for the mass production of graphene for industrial applications.

Grafoid's founders, partners and officers are: Mr. Jeffrey York, Chairman; Mr. Gary Economo, President and CEO, and; Dr. Gordon Chiu, Vice President and Chief Scientist. Ms. Judith Mazvihwa-MacLean is Chief Financial Officer. The company's ownership structure, as set out in its Articles of Incorporation is as follows: Focus Metals, 40%; Mr. Jeffrey York, 20%; Mr. Gary Economo 20%, and; Dr. Gordon Chiu 20%. This structure enables Focus Metals to further explore and eventually profit from opportunities for creating graphene and graphene applications without compromising its primary corporate objective of developing its Lac Knife property.

The fact that Grafoid Inc. has aligned themselves with such a prestigious facility speaks volumes as to the level of research that will performed on the graphite from Focus Metals' 100% owned, Lac Knife graphite deposit. The graphite will provide the source for the graphene that Grafoid and Rutgers will be conducting research on. In order for Grafoid to attract the attention of Rutgers, concerning the quality of the graphite, and obviously the resultant graphene, is a feat that I believe should bring Focus Metals into plain view of the entire world, in terms of graphite/graphene related companies. Rutgers is well known for their ability in researching and developing. http://www.rutgers.edu/research/research-rutgers
http://amipp.rutgers.edu/html/research.html
Professor Thomas Nosker is well respected for, both, his many accomplishments, and the many years of dedication and commitment. http://amipp.rutgers.edu/html/group_member_nosker_thomas.html

One statement that I particularly liked, was the following statement from the news release, "Grafoid, in cooperation with Rutgers AMIPP will focus its investigations initially on infrastructural, aviation, automotive and other applications." These are all areas which stand to benefit greatly from the type, and caliber of research which we can look forward to Grafoid and Rutgers producing, as a joint effort.

At this point, Focus Metals, stands out from all of its competitors, and this coming week will have Gary in London for the World Graphite Conference, which Focus Metals is sponsoring. This is a tremendous opportunity for Focus Metals, since the entire world, in terms of graphite/graphene associated companies, will undoubtedly be in attendance. The amount of interest that Focus Metals can garner from these companies will in all likelihood be quite significant following the news release of Dec. 1, 2011. Add to this the fact that the 43-101 is due out before year-end, and need I remind you just how Focus Metals could change from their current status to a company of untold wealth.
I think that one of the things that will continue to make Focus Metals, and its subsidiary Grafoid, stand out from the rest of their competitors is the statement made by Professor Nosker.
On behalf of AMIPP (Advanced Materials via Immiscible Polymer Processing), Professor Nosker said a huge opportunity is waiting to be opened by the cooperative venture.
"I am very pleased that we have an opportunity to spearhead the exploration for the applications from the very high quality graphite received from the Lac Knife project in Canada," he said. When a Professor with the stature of Professor Nosker, and coming from one, if not the, most respected Universities regarding this type of research, refers to the graphite received from Lac Knife as "very high quality", it holds tremendous weight.

The speed at which most companies are capable of progressing a company towards their goals is generally not something that is done with the speed and meaning that the management of Focus Metals, and of course also Grafoid Inc., has shown us. When we consider that Focus Metals became a listed company in 2010, and Grafoid only came into existence just last year, they make it relatively clear that they truly are on a mission. As a start-up company in 2010, Focus Metal’s brief history has been stellar among the 2,400 emerging companies listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange.

I think anyone who has knowledge of how graphite and grapheneGrafoid Inc. and ultimately Focus Metals are positioning themselves true to their desire to be the go-to company regarding all things graphite or graphene. The best part of this whole story as it unfolds is this though, Focus Metals and Grafoid Inc. are just beginning and I believe we will see many more strides which will continually build added value to both the company and the shareholders. For those who have not done any due diligence on Focus Metals as yet, I would suggest you may want to. Obviously it may suit some investors, while it may not be appropriate for others. This is a decision that is best left to each person to make on their own. For those wishing to learn more about Focus Metals, the company website which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca is an excellent place to start.

For disclosure purposes I have not received any compensation of any kind for this post or for my opinions stated herein. All opinions expressed here are my own. I do own shares of Focus Metals.

Acceleware moves into positive territory and continues to show focus and strength

2011-11-26T01:14:00.000-06:00

Acceleware (TSXV:AXE) has just recently released their financial report of the third quarter for 2011.
http://www.acceleware.com/sites/default/files/AXE_Q3_2011_Earnings_Press_Release.pdf
There are several things that stand out in this release, and all seem to have positive connotations as to where Acceleware currently stands. One of the first things that I find quite compelling, is the fact Acceleware has managed to turn the company cash flow positive, and this despite all the volatility in the global economic arena at present. Obviously a feat in itself, and not one that is the result of any one-time cash infusions, but rather a result of both sales of products and instructional classes. This fact is extremely important in my opinion, as it shows that the management is well committed, and equipped in their attempt to follow through on the claims made earlier this year, regarding the company restructuring. I fully expect we will see this trend not only continue, but ramp up as the company continues to pursue new business, additional business with existing customers, and to continue to expand their offerings of both CUDA and OpenCL training.

Acceleware was present at the Supercomputing show held in Seattle, Washington, and is considered a premiere event for any companies involved in, or with supercomputing. This afforded Acceleware the opportunity to have a presence amongst many other companies that are involved in the supercomputing space. With the show being described as well attended, and with lots of interest being shown towards Acceleware, it definitely would lead one to see the potential that could lay ahead. While there may be a general consensus that the global economy has not regained and stabilized as we would like to have seen, and many countries are experiencing financial difficulties, we should note that there are still major projects being approved and these projects are progressing. To me this is to be expected, unless one was to believe that the entire world is going to regress back in time, which even if it were possible, how would we get the global population to follow suit. Therefore, in my opinion, we can expect some pullbacks in some areas, but some technologies will continue to remain constant. One of these technologies with extreme potential would be the products that Acceleware designs, sells, and services. This, combined with their popular training classes, allows me to think that Acceleware has finally started to show they are truly a company that will continue to gain traction. How fast they gain traction is the question that many want the answer to. I believe there are many factors that could play a part in the answer to this question. For instance, if we can answer when will the global economy stabilize, or how fast will the economies of countries such as China or India grow looking forward, we might gain some type of clue. There are many predictions being made as to the economic growth in China, and most if not all, are predicting tremendous growth. If this proves true, which I firmly believe it will, then the need for technologies such as Acceleware possesses are crucial. The Chinese population is quickly moving towards a desire to live a higher standard of living, which is evidenced by the current migration from rural to urban living. The average household is currently seeing a higher income, and this in turn will lead to an increase in spending. One item that has become so commonplace in our society today is a mobile phone. This is a product that uses Acceleware's technology during the designing stages, in an effort to allow the most superior type antenna. this is just one example. Another sector that will continue to see growth I believe, is the gas and oil exploration industry. More on that in a minute.

We have already established that we do not see the world about to move back in time, despite the current economic problems we face globally right now. This brings me to talk about the next conference that Acceleware will be attending, which will be the GPU Technology Conference. This will be held in Beijing, China, on Dec. 14 - 15, 2011. GTC Asia will focus on the very latest scientific research and commercial applications in GPU computing. The agenda will feature keynotes, roundtable discussions, academic posters, and over 60 sessions over two days, as well as tutorials from NVIDIA’s engineering and research staff. GTC Asia is an important event for developers, programmers and research scientists working on complex computational problems across industries and academia. As you can see this conference will offer Acceleware a potential to develop many new relationships, as well as strengthen any they may have currently.

Oil and gas is one sector that I believe will continue to grow. For those who may agree, you are probably aware that oil and gas are still available, however, the geological settings in which it is being discovered are becoming increasingly more complex. Exploration by the Chinese is something that could potentially add to the benefits that Acceleware may experience. The avenue for this could potentially come from Paradigm, who just happens to have an office in China.

After watching how Acceleware has gone from restructuring earlier this year, and now in Q3 of 2011, we find the company cash flow positive, I see a company with a management team that has made realistic statements and has delivered on the progress they claimed. Looking forward, I truly do expect Acceleware will not only hold their traction, but I expect they will start to gain momentum. At this point, I would be extremely hard pressed to attempt to point you to a more under-valued technology company, and one with as much potential as Acceleware. For anyone who is interested in learning more about Acceleware, or in starting to do some due diligence in order to make a choice of investing or not, I strongly urge you to check out the company website which is found at, http://www.acceleware.com/.

For disclosure purposes, I have received no compensation of any kind for this post, and all opinions are my own. I do own shares in Acceleware.

Graphene continues to hold tremendous potential for Focus Metals

2011-11-20T12:16:00.000-06:00

Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) holds 100% ownership of its Lac Knife, Quebec, 17% carbon grade medium and large flake crystalline graphite.
The property, some 35 kilometers south of Fermont, Quebec, is at the pre-development stage with infrastructure, surface mining and primary processing (95% grade) facility construction activities planned for completion by 2013. A secondary enrichment and refining facility capable of producing technology-grade, 99.9% graphite is scheduled for commissioning in 2014.

Graphite is a product that has been used for many years now, but traditionally graphite has been used in pencils, brake and clutch linings, lubrication products, in refractory ladle's which are used in the making of steel, and in the electrodes used in electric arc furnaces used to melt steel for recycling, amongst other uses. With the progression of technology we now see many more uses for graphite, but the one that has the entire world's attention is a product from graphite, and this product is called graphene.

Graphene is taken from graphite, which is made up of weakly bonded layers of carbon.

Graphene is composed of carbon atoms arranged in tightly bound hexagons just one atom thick.

Three million sheets of graphene on top of each other would be 1mm thick.

The band structure of graphite was first theorised and calculated by P.R. Wallace in 1947, though for it to exist in the real world was thought impossible.

Due to the timing of this discovery, some conspiracy theorists have linked it to materials at the Roswell “crash site”.

In 2004, teams including Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov demonstrated that single layers could be isolated, resulting in the award of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010.

It is this new knowledge that has brought the entire world's gaze directly onto graphene and just what amazing new breakthroughs it might hold for the world remains to be discovered. The amount of current graphene research being done currently on a global basis is extremely difficult to say, but it is easily into the tens of billions of dollars. Obviously science has recognized the impact that graphene could have on life as we know it. However, graphene has not only garnered interest from the science community, but it has also brought industries from any number of sectors rushing into the research directed at what possibilities graphene may hold for each of the involved sectors of industry. Graphene is currently being researched for almost anything you can imagine, including mobile phone's that are bendable and nearly unbreakable, or for medical uses which would help to diagnose diseases, and a nearly endless list of other potential uses. Some of this research may one day come with a breakthrough, but others are already very close it seems. The ability of graphene to replace silicon is one that has brought giants such as IBM into the graphene research circle. http://www.technewsworld.com/story/72634.html

http://www.acceler8or.com/tags/graphene/

Another item that got my attention was the possible use of graphene in Li-ion batteries, http://www.graphene-info.com/graphene-and-silicon-sheets-used-make-lithium-ion-batteries-10-times-capacity-and-charge-speed
The latest claims being made, hold enormous potential for this type of battery, and considering the tremendous urging by governments to reach the goal of having several million electric vehicles on the road over the next few years, this is truly a major breakthrough. http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/researchers-increase-charging-capacity-speed-of-lithium-ion-bat/

As I have already stated, the sheer amount of financing being made available to researchers in regards to graphene research is almost beyond comprehension. In the UK, home of Manchester University where graphene was actually born, the government has stated they are investing 50 million pounds, http://www.graphene-info.com/uk-government-invest-%C2%A350-million-graphene-improve-commercial-opportunities
In yet more reports of investments being made towards graphene research I found these, http://www.graphene-info.com/nsf-awards-14-million-cornell-graphene-nanoribbons-research

http://www.graphene-info.com/u-texas-professor-been-awarded-1-million-grant-graphene-research

http://www.graphene-info.com/sweden-grants-6-million-graphene-research-grant

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/hi-tech-companies-to-invest-4-4-billion-in-new-york-state-cuomo-says/
and these are but just a sampling of what is being invested.

So what is so special about graphene that warrants all this global attention? It seems that this simple question would be a lengthy one, if I was to attempt to cover all the possibilities that science and industry potentially see, but these articles may help to give some insight, http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/oct/07/huge-investment-graphene-nobel-prizewinner

http://www.scientistlive.com/European-Science-News/Nanotechnology/Nanotechnology%3A_Promising_uses_for_graphene/22903/

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2011/11/11/Graphene.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13886438

I feel absolutely sure that graphene will live up to the statement, "graphene - the wonder material that will change life as we know it", and we will not have that long to wait, in my opinion, for some of these breakthroughs to become entrenched in our lives, while of course some may be quite awhile before they are brought to market. If we look at the past, we will notice that in all instances that bronze went through the same type of growing pains, as did steel and plastic. As much as these materials all changed life as we knew it at that time, so will graphene become the next material, that will undoubtedly change our lives going forward.

I believe that Focus Metals has positioned themselves very strategically in their bid to become a financially dominant company in the graphite/graphene space. The fact that they have a deposit such as Lac Knife is obviously a positive, although the graphene joint venture they have entered into, which is now called Grafoid Inc., will bring tremendous value to the company looking forward. http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/march22011
The amount of added value, that Focus Metals will realize from Grafoid Inc., is difficult to state with certainty. This is not because of concerns about Grafoid's ability to produce added value, it is fully expected that Grafoid will bring much value to the table. Grafoid is structured so that they will be applying for patents to cover all proprietary technologies and products. As this research at Grafoid is proven, and the company begins to sell or license technologies and/or products, it is quite feasible to foresee tremendous value connected with this joint venture.

I realize that if you follow all the links I have provided here, this will be a very in-depth look at the subject of graphene, and yet in reality, there is so much more going on behind closed doors it leaves one almost overwhelmed at just how large this one atom thick material will become as technology continues to advance.
My suggestions to anyone who may be considering Focus Metals as an investment choice is to do your own due diligence. An excellent place to start would be the company website, which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca. It is my opinion that Focus Metals is just beginning a very long and extremely profitable journey. As was stated earlier, Focus Metals is in a pre-production status as yet, but there is a tremendous drive from management to bring this company through the required process, and to ultimately bring an above normal value to both Focus Metals and to their shareholders.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post, and all views contained herein are my own. I do own shares of Focus Metals.

Compliance Energy stands to potentially benefit from comments made by Premier Christy Clark

2011-11-15T16:31:00.000-06:00

Compliance Energy Corporation (TSXV:CEC) is a Canadian resource company that has coal interests in British Columbia, Canada. Through the Comox Joint Venture (‘CJV’), CEC owns 60% of the Raven Underground Coal project and is the manager & operator of the CJV. The semi–soft coking coal resource is 43–101 compliant and consists of 97.5M tonnes of measured & indicated, as well as, 34.5M tonnes of inferred. Just 82km (50 miles) from a deep water port, the Raven project is a near term producer ideally situated near power and transportation corridors.

With Premier Christy Clark in China, on a trade mission, Clark has made an announcement that the Chinese are betting significantly on BC coal. http://www.vicnews.com/business/133577168.html
In this release, I noticed that Clark has made a point of mentioning to the Chinese company executives about the major investments office being set up by the B.C. government to speed up approvals for projects like the mines. This is the type of dialogue that holds great potential for a number of companies, and more specifically it could hold potential for Compliance Energy.

While some people view coal as a has been product, this investment by the Chinese would make a strong argument against this view, and in fact shows just how important coal remains in the market today, and for many years ahead. The amount of research that has gone into making coal less destructive, in environmental terms, is quite significant. Many breakthroughs have been accomplished, as can be seen in this article in EngineerLive, http://www.engineerlive.com/Power-Engineer/Focus_on_Coal/New_technologies_reduce_environmental_impacts_of_coal-fired_plants/22603/.
The importance of this research, in my opinion, is what will keep coal very much at the center of both the power production platform, and will definitely help coal remain as the dominant factor involved in the production of steel.

It is this committed approach, by both the public and private sector, that will continue to justify the use of coal. This in turn, is what aids in the type of announcement that Premier Clark has recently made, and which I feel stands to benefit many more companies, aside from those involved in the deals she spoke of.

There is one aspect that differentiates between Compliance Energy's Raven Project, and the above mentioned coal mines, that being, the Raven Project contains a coal that would make it desirable as a blending coal that is ideally used in the production of steel. This grade of coal in turn, commands a premium price.
Compliance Energy has another factor that is very much in their favor, and that is, that their flagship operation, the Raven Project, is designed as an underground operation. Compliance Energy is looking to maintain an open communication line for people who have questions, and you can find the answers to many of the common questions they have fielded, at this link, http://www.theravenproject.ca/index.php?id=166
What I find to be of additional importance in this project, is the fact that Compliance Energy has already covered its bases in terms of off-take agreements. The two partners in the Raven project, besides Compliance Energy, are Itochu Corporation, and LG International.

LG International is a leading general trader in Korea with worldwide branches and extensive experience in coal sales and mine development.

• Holds 20% of Comox Joint Venture

• LG is Asia’s largest coal trader
Itochu is a major Japanese trading house with widespread experience in marketing, coal sales and the development of coal mines.

• Holds 20% of Comox Joint Venture

• 2010 annual trading of energy metals and minerals transactions accounted for US $35 billion.
Between these two partners they have agreed to purchase all coal that would be mined from the Raven deposit. This obviously leaves Compliance Energy in a position that allows them to concentrate and focus on the issues at hand currently in progressing this project towards production.
One other point I would like to cover, is the fact that while there is an abundance of coal globally, the remaining known resource deposits which contain metallurgical coal are becoming more rare. Those deposits that can be found, seem to be in more complex environments, and as such it is not uncommon that the costs associated with mining this coal are becoming increasingly higher. This again, is another positive aspect of the Raven Project, in that the coal can be produced at a relatively low cost for production.

We must sit patiently at this time, in order to see just what the effect of Premier Clark's comments will have in terms of benefit, both with the permitting, and potential progression towards the commissioning of a mine. At this time, it does give way for a very positive outlook for Compliance Energy Corp., and their plans to bring the Raven Project through the required processes, on their way to bringing Raven Project online as an operational mine. This in my opinion, would be a project that the government may want to look at as a prime candidate, in an attempt to follow through with the claim of helping companies to bring projects on line in a more expedited manner. Obviously there are limitations of just how fast a project can accelerate through the process, since there is no desire to knowingly expedite any project without full knowledge of the environmental impacts, as well as the cultural impacts.

For those who may be inclined to view Compliance Energy as a potential investment opportunity, I would strongly suggest that you do your own due diligence. A perfect starting point is the company's website, which can be found at, http://www.complianceenergy.com/index.php?id=27.

In terms of disclosure, I have received no compensation of any kind for this post. All views herein are my own. I do own shares of Compliance Energy Corp.

Acceleware - What does the future look like for this technology company

2011-11-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

Acceleware (TSXV:AXE) is a Canadian based technology company, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. I have written about this company before, but for the benefit of any who may not be familiar with Acceleware, let me briefly recap who they are and what they do.

Acceleware provides High Performance Computing software solutions to the Oil & Gas and Computer Engineering markets for multi-core CPUs and compute GPUs. Additionally, our HPC consulting services are utilized by enterprises needing to harness the power of parallel computing. At Acceleware the goal is always the same – Go Faster!
Acceleware develops and markets software acceleration products that bring unparalleled performance and speed to today's most strenuous and challenging compute and/or data-intensive demands. With Acceleware solutions installed, computer processing for data processing and simulation applications can benefit from speed-ups of 10x to 50x. Acceleware also uses its unique expertise for providing consulting services for companies, and research institutions involved with High Performance Computing. These services include architecting multi-core processing solutions, code porting and training.

Acceleware has been faced with some of the toughest financial conditions over the last few years, as have basically all companies, but Acceleware has managed to remain very focused on what they want to achieve as a company. Acceleware has experienced a $3M strategic investment by NVIDIA® Corporation in 2007. In 2008, Acceleware was reportedly considered a global leader in GPU Computing, and continues to maintain this position. In 2009, Acceleware delivered TTI Reverse Time Migration targeted at offshore seismic processing. This was followed in 2010 by the announcement of a partnership agreement between the company and Paradigm, http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/acceleware-announces-partnership-paradigm , and also with a further announcement of another partnership agreement with Crosslight, http://www.acceleware.com/acceleware-delivers-100x-speed-solar-cell-simulations .
There was one other change made to Acceleware, which has proven to be a positive one in my opinion, and that was in September of 2010, http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/acceleware-announces-appointment-geoff-clark-ceo
The entire management team at Acceleware seems to work very much from the team spirit point of view, and in my opinion, this is noticeable from the fact that each has their specific part or duty to carry out, but they also rely heavily on each other as one would expect in a team setting.

During and since the restructuring of the company in the earlier part of this year, CEO Geoff Clark, had stated that he wanted to see the money, that Acceleware would come away from the restructuring with, spent heavily into the areas of attracting new customers, continuing to build sales with current customers, and to advance the company's profile in the investment world. To accomplish all of these goals is an ambitious undertaking. It would seem that Geoff has succeeded for the most part, although many retail investors have some degree of restlessness at how inactive the share price movement has been, and this of course is completely understandable. I have contacted Acceleware and approached these issues, which has left me of the opinion, that Geoff has, and is currently, attempting to build upon sales which should bring the company into a profit making position. Once Acceleware can show that they have turned from a restructured position to a position where they are making a profit, and to have this happen as quickly as possible, then it will become much more effective when management decides to start releasing more news regarding the company, which of course would be more pointed toward the institutional investment community. I cannot claim that this was stated in as many words, but this is my opinion and interpretation of my conversations with Acceleware management. I will add that if this is indeed the true course they are taking, I can see both the risk and the tremendous potential, and the potential in my opinion is significant. If Acceleware did not have the amount of contacts that they have in this industry, or if they lacked in interest in the technology they are attempting to sell, then I would view their current approach as a very negative approach. Being that this is not the case for Acceleware, I view the path they have chosen as quite possibly one that will help to bring Acceleware along the road to a dramatic increase in terms of shareholder value. I must also state that this is not a company that I view as ideal from a trading standpoint, or at least not currently, but I do remain very optimistic that this is a company that has the potential to be a game changer.

Many investors will be waiting for the financial report which is due approximately towards the end of November. I would fully expect that this should be a pleasant surprise as opposed to a disappointment, and this view is based on several points, which include the news releases of the many training sessions being offered. In April, Acceleware released news of the continuing effort in conjunction with Microsoft to offer classes in CUDA training, http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/microsoft-and-acceleware-announce-spring-cuda-training-schedule-gpu-programmers
This was followed by another announcement in May, in which Acceleware has collaborated with AMD to offer OpenCL education, http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/amd-and-acceleware-collaborate-offer-opencl-education
These training offerings are quite positive for Acceleware, not only from a financial standpoint, but also from profile standpoint within the industry. These training classes allow AccelewareAMD, will have long-lasting positive results for Acceleware in my opinion. Of course, Acceleware has also had several other very positive things that should help improve the financial report, such as the news release from July, in which the company announced the successful completion of a professional services engagement with MicroSeismic, Inc., a leading geophysical services company providing 3-D passive seismic imaging for energy exploration and production, to optimize their fracturing / fault prediction code for GPUs. Through this engagement, MicroSeismic can leverage the full computing capacity of GPUs to deliver higher resolution images sooner to their customers. http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/acceleware-delivers-performance-microseismic%E2%80%99s-software-yielding-faster-higher-resolut
To further re-enforce my view that Acceleware has positioned themselves in such a way, so as to allow the institutional investment community to view them as a company, which offers a very valuable service and one which also possesses a proprietary technology with outstanding value and future potential, we can look at most of the remaining news releases of this year until now. When Paradigm chose to work with Acceleware, I do not believe that many people understood just how important this could prove to be for Acceleware. The product that they worked on will undoubtedly come to be known as a vital ingredient in many oil and gas explorers as they continually attempt to find new reserves in ever-increasingly difficult geologies. This is what made news like the August announcement, of Fugro selecting the Paradigm Reverse Time Migration to meet its challenging depth imaging objectives, so significant. http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/fugro-selects-paradigm-and-acceleware%E2%80%99s-reverse-time-migration
With Paradigm being a company that has a stature which is recognized on a global basis, as is Fugro, this will help Acceleware gain recognition as a technology leader, due to their ability to produce a product which is capable of delivering dramatically positive results. Financially this will equate itself onto Acceleware's bottom line because of the licensing agreement covering the proprietary knowledge which Acceleware uses in producing these products.
In September, Acceleware made an announcement that they had partnered with Bull SAS to deliver a combined solution of Bull Extreme Computing platforms and Acceleware’s multi-core accelerated seismic solutions to customers in the EMEA Oil & Gas markets. The partnership will provide Bull customers streamlined access to Acceleware GPU software, multi-core consulting services and training offerings. http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/bull-and-acceleware-announce-partnership-deliver-unified-hardware-software-experience
Since Bull is largely regarded as one of Europe's best IT companies, it is with little difficulty that one can see this is a very strategic partnership. Again we see Acceleware profiting from several aspects. First, they have established a new business relationship, and they have managed to do this with none other than a leading company in this sector, but the fact that this has given them a nice entrance into the European space is of course very desirable. Add to this the fact that there will undoubtedly be a cash flow from licensing and educational points and I believe most people would have to agree, Geoff has positioned Acceleware very nicely up to now. I would expect that as Acceleware starts to move into positive financial ground, which I expect we will hear this reporting period, we could expect that management will begin to bring Acceleware more into the view of the larger investors, and I believe this will help optimize the efforts of management in this respect.

In speaking with management recently, I was told that the major release of TTI AxRTM at SEG in San Antonio, Texas, was met with significant interest, so we can potentially expect more news to originate from this hopefully. Another event that will prove to be quite important is the upcoming Supercomputing conference. This conference is considered to be the premiere international event for all things concerning high performance computing (HPC), networking, storage and analysis. The dates for this event are Nov. 12 - 18, 2011, and will be held in Seattle, Washington. Another event that I was made aware of, is an event which Acceleware has been invited to in China, and which Geoff stated he will be presenting at. It is my understanding that this event will be well attended by many of the companies which could potentially profit from the use of Acceleware's technology. These types of invitations tend to lend credence to the belief that Acceleware has already been accepted into the Asian technology sector, and now may begin to see some further expansion into this area. Geoff also stated that he would like to make a stop at the regional Paradigm office while he was over there.

To quickly recap the activities of Acceleware and comment on where I see the company progressing from here, I would admit that management has made decisions somewhat differently than what I had originally anticipated, but I must also admit that their strategy is becoming much clearer at this point. After watching how the company has vigorously pursued attracting both new business, expanding present affiliations in both the service and sales of their technologies, and comparing this with how the company's financial condition has steadily improved, I would expect some very positive things looking forward. In my opinion management has done a wonderful job of positioning Acceleware in such a way that once they have proven they have what it takes to be profitable we can fully expect they will begin attempting to bring the company into view of the large investment facilities. From that point I would expect that Acceleware will definitely progress to a much higher market cap.

If this has made Acceleware seem like a possible investment choice, I would strongly urge everyone to do their own due diligence. A perfect place to start would be at the company website which can be found at http://www.acceleware.com/. All opinions stated in this article are my own.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or my opinions. I do own shares in Acceleware.

And Hathor Exploration continues to appreciate in value

2011-10-20T02:38:00.000-05:00

Originally I wrote about Hathor Exploration (TSX:HAT) in late May of this year. In the two articles I posted, I explored the possibilities of Hathor becoming a takeover target as compared to becoming a stand-alone mine. Then in August we saw Hathor Exploration face a hostile unsolicited take-over bid from Cameco(TSX:CCO). Cameco's bid was for C$3.75 per share, and was declared as something that all shareholders should reject, according to a unanimous decision by the management of Hathor. I believe that management was indeed correct in their view of this offer. http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/NR_29aug2011_CCOresponse_V6-2.pdf
http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/2011-09-01_NR.pdf

Now, Hathor is faced with yet another bid, albeit fully expected although no one was certain who might be the next bidder, and this time it comes from none other than one of the world's largest miners, Rio Tinto. This offer is somewhat higher than Cameco's, coming in at C$4.15 per share. http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/861385/rio-tinto-makes-recommended-all-cash-offer-of-c-4-15-per-share-for-hathor-exploration
Considering that the price of Hathor shares closed at C$4.40, I believe the market is re-enforcing the belief that hathor shares are still significantly under-valued. This will quite likely lead to yet another bid, or as an alternative, we could see Rio Tinto and Cameco make a joint bid. I would hate to discount either scenario at this point, but I do fully expect that we will most likely see another bid.

There are many figures flying around regarding the correct valuation of Hathor shares at this point. Some people are stating that C$5.20 is completely within an acceptable range while others are view the closing today as an acceptable price. One thing that seems to remain constant is the fact that Rio Tinto's offer is still lacking the depth that the market is expecting. For this reason I believe that another bid is not only possible, but highly likely.

There are other aspects that also lead one to believe that this latest offer may be put to the test. For example if one looks at the drilling that has been carried out to-date on the Hathor Exploration properties, in particular the Far East zone of the Roughrider deposit, we will notice that this zone is surpassing all expectations. With the total amount of resources reported by Hathor Exploration, and with this figure constantly growing, it is not difficult to see that the share price could appreciate greatly from its current standing. http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/NR_26July2011.pdf
http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/2011-08-16_NR.pdf
http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/2011-09-06_NR2.pdf
http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/NR_20Sept2011.pdf

Another aspect that provides speculation that Hathor Exploration shares could realize a higher valuation, than this latest offer from Rio Tinto, is the fact of some of the statements that come from Rio Tinto's news release announcing their bid. Rio Tinto Energy chief executive Doug Ritchie said "The medium and long-term outlook for the uranium market is positive, with uranium assuming a significant role in the world's primary energy needs. This acquisition will allow us to build on the platform successfully laid out by Hathor and we will continue to draw on their expertise and commitment going forward. Canada is a country crucial to our business and growth plans and a location where Rio Tinto has a track record of delivering on major development projects to the benefit of the local community." http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/861385/rio-tinto-makes-recommended-all-cash-offer-of-c-4-15-per-share-for-hathor-exploration

Although Rio Tinto is definitely a world class miner of uranium, they are starting to experience declining production of the raw material in nuclear fuel because of lower grades and bad weather at its Ranger mine in the Northern Territory. Although bad weather and a recent labor dispute have hampered production, it has been reported that the grade of uranium is not near to reaching the grades from the Hathor Exploration properties located in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan.

I have put forth my opinion regarding the possibility of another bid, but one must also take into account that the management has given their unanimous support to this bid from Rio Tinto. As such, it is difficult to say with certainty, what the true outcome will be. Hathor Exploration is reportedly giving an update to the Far East zone resource calculation on approximately Nov. 11, and this truly could be the catalyst that precipitates another bid. In my opinion, I tend to favor those who have given Hathor Exploration the value of slightly more than C$5.00 per share. I base this on the speculation that the Far East zone will contain much more uranium than it is currently being credited for.

I am very pleased that I was able to see this chance and to be able to share it back in May of this year. I do not expect that this story is over yet though, and I do hope that Hathor Exploration will get what many seem to feel is the true value of this company. For those who may have bought when I first presented Hathor

For those who feel that this may fit their investment choice criteria, I would suggest that you definitely do your own due diligence. An excellent place to start would be at the company website, which is located at www.hathor.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have not received any compensation of any kind for this post or my opinions. I do not own shares of Hathor Exploration.

What can Focus Metals expect to gain from the current race concerning graphene research

2011-10-13T02:57:00.000-05:00

There is currently an astounding amount of research being conducted on graphene, the one atom thick product discovered by Andre K. Geim, 51, and Konstantin S. Novoselov, 36, both of the University of Manchester, in the U.K., and as a result they were awarded the the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/88/i41/8841news4.html
To bring into perspective just how huge this research has become from a global standpoint, it has been reported that tens of billions of dollars are being spent on the research of graphene. This truly leads one to a fuller understanding of why graphene is being heralded as the product that will begin a new age, just as we have seen in the past, with the bronze age followed by the ages of steel and plastic. All of these products went through many growing pains, but have become so commonplace in our lives now, that it is virtually impossible to imagine life without any of them. As with all the hurdles that came up in the research of bronze, steel, and plastic, so too will graphene face many hurdles that need to be conquered, and we are seeing this being met head-on with the entire research community globally.

There are reports that graphene is already slated to be introduced in some products in the near future, as is evidenced in the news release by Samsung, that they have plans to release the new Galaxy Skin, their newest phone, in 2012. In this news release in the Telegraph, from the UK, and written by Gianluca Mezzofiore, we will find that the future has arrived, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8790189/Flexible-Samsung-phone-to-be-issued-in-2012.html

I am sure that many of us in the world would hope that graphene can be expected to accomplish much more than bendable phones, so let us look at just a sampling of some of the research being conducted currently. How many of us are familiar with catalysts? Surprisingly, we all are, but in many cases we do not realize it. Catalysts speed chemical reactions without being consumed by those reactions. Their importance to society and the economy is tough to overstate. Products made with catalysts include medicines, fuels, foods and fertilizers.
Ninety percent of U.S. chemical manufacturing processes involve catalysts, which also are used to make more than one-fifth of all industrial products. Those processes consume much energy, so making catalytic reactions more efficient would both save energy and reduce emissions of climate-warming carbon dioxide gas. In this article provided by the University of Utah, we learn how University of Utah chemists developed a method to design and test new catalysts, which are substances that speed chemical reactions and are crucial for producing energy, chemicals and industrial products. By using the new method, the chemists also made a discovery that will make it easier to design future catalysts.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-09-catalysts-chemists-important-molecules.html

In yet another research project being conducted at the University of California, Riverside, we read how graphene's electrical properties can be tuned. At first this may seem inconsequential, but it may in fact be what is missing from the multitude of research projects around the world, in which they are attempting to replace silicon with graphene. Of course this accidental discovery does not take graphene to the level where we will see graphene being used in supercapacitors just yet, but it does give the entire research community what can be described as a significant breakthrough. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-09/uoc--hge092611.php

These research projects, mentioned in this post, do not even begin to cover the vastness of graphene research globally, but rather only touch on the proverbial tip of the iceberg, regarding the amount of potential uses of graphene. In most cases, although not all obviously, there is a cloak of secrecy being put in place by the various research companies and labs, so it is very difficult to garner information on many of these projects. The reason being given by most companies is that, with so much riding on the pending success of each particular research project, they refuse to speak about the details of their specific research.

As we can see, graphene is ready to start its debut into the mainstream of our lives, in the very near future. With the technology available to the researchers of today, and of course, with the potential for more accidental discoveries, it is completely reasonable to think that graphene will find more uses, also in the near future and in the coming years. As history has shown us over the years, every time we discover a new product such as graphene, it takes an almost immeasurable amount of research in order to bring about the actual full potential of the product. It is therefore, in my opinion, that graphene will continue to be tested and researched exhaustively, and it is this that will bring Focus Metals an unusually high valuation to their company. Focus Metals will obviously stand to make significant financial gains from the sale of graphite, but graphene, due to its pricing, will be what makes Focus Metals extremely valuable. As we experience a global increase in graphene research, it is only realistic to expect that there will be a need for a source of more graphene stock to work with. Since it has been proven that not all graphite can produce graphene, that is of a caliber high enough to make it usable, there will no doubt be value brought to Focus Metals since tests have shown the graphite from Lac Knife is indeed capable of producing graphene of a quality that will be in great demand.

This potential for added value to Focus Metals, will come from Gafoid Inc., since this is a joint venture which Focus Metals holds 40% of, and is a company that is heavily vested into graphene research, with the ultimate goal of patenting and licensing all usable technologies and processes. With Roche working on the 43-101 now that the assays have been returned, and with the knowledge that the graphite contained in the Lac Knife deposit, owned by Focus Metals, is capable of producing a graphene that is considered very usable by the research community, I am reminded of other companies that had just as humble beginnings. For instance, if we consider when the late, Steve Jobs, first started working in his garage, on what would become the icon of the technology age, who could have foreseen the vision he envisioned. I believe graphene is capable of reaching this level of usability, throughout many sectors and industries, and that the fact of what they own in their Lac Knife deposit, along with the success they stand to potentially realize from Grafoid Inc, will help the company to reach the goal as described by management as the vision they had at the company's inception. Another aspect that will continue to help Focus Metals on their quest is the fact that they are attempting to position themselves with some of the worlds largest graphite and graphene companies. These efforts will prove to be invaluable as Focus Metals continues to work towards becoming a significant world supplier of graphite and graphene.

In closing, I would like to draw attention to one of the key aspects, of why Focus Metals is better positioned to make potentially huge financial gains, as compared to virtually all their competitors. It is well known that whichever company can produce a product at the lowest price is the company that stands to gain the most. Here again Focus Metals had a dramatic edge on competitors, and now with Grafoid Inc working on a process that will revolutionize the cost of production, Focus Metals will stand to benefit tremendously. This process not only lowers the cost of production, but will aid in the purification of the product. It is my understanding that this highly secretive process is one of the patents being applied for. Truly I view Focus Metals as one of the most unique companies available on the market at present.

If this article prompts you to consider Focus Metals as a potential investment choice, I strongly suggest that you do your own due diligence, and that a great place to start is at the Focus Metals website, which can be located at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post or my views and opinions contained therein. I own shares in Focus Metals.

Focus Metals continues push forward to realize its goal of being the global go-to company for gaphite and graphene

2011-10-06T23:55:00.000-05:00

Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) has had one goal since the beginning of the company, and that has been, to become not just a graphite producer, but to become "the" graphite producer. The company's CEO, Gary Economo, has remained busier than the average CEO, with a constant desire to bring Focus Metals to the point, that it can fully realize this goal. Although Gary is extremely dedicated and committed to this progression of Focus Metals, it should be noted that the entire management team is, above all, exactly that, a team. They share a visionary approach to the production of graphite from the company's Lac Knife deposit. What they also had, and still have, was the ability to seize upon the moment and realize as fully as was possible at the time, just how much value this deposit presented in terms of a product that has swept the world. This product is none other than graphene. For the benefit of those who may not fully understand just how advantageously positioned Focus Metals is, please click on this link, http://www.focusmetals.ca/technology/graphene, as I feel this helps to bring clarity to this topic.

Not only has Focus Metals taken full advantage of the opportunity to buy the Lac Knife graphite deposit, with all the potential there-in, but they have completely seized the moment, in that they envisioned just how graphene seemed to be destined to change the world as we know it. The result of this is what is now known as Grafoid Inc., and is what stands to set Focus Metals apart from virtually all other graphite companies. The added value, that potentially could come to Focus Metals, as a result of this graphene joint venture called Grafoid is phenomenal to say the least. The graphite from Lac Knife has been verified by the Chief Scientist, Dr. Gordon Chiu, as being of unusually high grade. This in turn has a significant impact on the graphene produced from graphite. The following is an excerpt of what Dr. Chiu reported to Gary, " Dr. Chiu reported to us that our raw, unprocessed graphite was much better in quality than the best processed laboratory graphite on the market today."
What I find even more compelling, is the fact that Dr. Chiu has been working on a processing and purification technology, whereby it will allow Focus Metals to produce graphene directly from the ore produced at Lac Knife. This is obviously a stellar accomplishment which will in my opinion bring Focus Metals onto a playing field shared with few if any competitors. This in my opinion speaks volumes of the future of this company and the value they are striving to bring to shareholders. One of the major issues that can significantly impact a company's bottom-line, is of course, the cost of producing the product initially. Since Dr. Chiu has reached a point where the graphene can be produced directly from the graphite ore, this has the over-all effect of lowering the cost of production dramatically.

Focus Metals Inc., through its New York-based joint venture headed by Dr. Chiu, its Chief Scientist, surprised the scientific community in early 2011 when it announced its entrance into the graphene development arena – a domain dominated by industrial heavyweights IBM, Intel and Samsung. When I recently inquired of Gary as to what Dr. Chiu might be working on, I was told "The proprietary nature of some 25 specific projects at this time preclude the company from identifying its commercial development targets." With the reported spending of tens of billions of dollars currently being spent on graphene research globally, at university laboratories and in corporate research and development facilities, in three principal sectors, namely: consumer electronics; computing devices and, industrial materials, it comes as no surprise that secrecy is over-abundant. The fact that we are given the knowledge of some 2 dozen specific projects, which of course will undoubtedly upon successful completion, become large cash cows in the form of patents and licensing agreements, reinforces just how the management team is working diligently to bring more value to this company, and in so doing, also to the shareholders of Focus Metals.

I find all of this quite compelling as an indication of the direction Focus Metals is headed, but there is even more reason to expect great things to come, besides those points I've covered so far. Gary had stated previously that acquisitions were something Focus Metals would continue to consider. In this NR dated September 9, 2011, we find that Focus Metals has not only bought slightly more than 200 additional claims, but have also brought another person on board in the form of, Mr. Tony Brisson, P.Geo., as Vice-President, Exploration. The following is what Gary had to say as he introduces Mr. Brisson,
“Mr. Brisson’s addition to Focus Metals’ management, particularly his strong mining and mine development background in Quebec and abroad, brings additional strength to our core management team as we begin to implement our longer-term corporate agenda,” Mr. Economo said.
“Mr. Brisson’s exploration and mine development skills and experience dovetail with our current mission to expand and enhance our understanding of our Lac Knife, Quebec graphite property and our future domestic and international acquisitions,” Mr. Economo said.
A former recipient of the Quebec Exploration Mining Association’s Prospector of the Year award, Mr. Brisson assumes his responsibilities with Focus Metal after serving seven years as VP Exploration, Cogitore Resources Inc. Mr. Brisson holds a B.Sc. Geology degree from the University Du Quebec a Chicoutimi. His previous experience includes nine years with Cambior Inc., as an exploration and mining geologist and he has held various senior mining management positions with Breakwater Resources Ltd., and Campbell Resources Inc.
Mr. Brisson lives in Rouyn-Noranda. I believe that the addition of Mr. Brisson will be a positive one as we watch Focus Metals continue their push forward to their ultimate goal.

In this same NR, it is reported that Focus Metals has purchased more claims, which Mr. Economo has stated, are known to contain graphite. As we can see from this announcement, this acquisition clearly lends credence to the company's goal of increasing value both for the company and their shareholders.
http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/sept92011
The following are some maps that were provided, courtesy of Focus Metals, which show the general area in which these claims are located, as well as some other maps that detail the claims. I should add that these maps show the claim application numbers not the actual claim numbers.

The dedication and commitment of the management team just seems to keep getting clearer as we watch the acquisitions begin, the push to expand our drilling, the very busy schedule of meetings and confrences in order to bring Focus Metals before the entire world, and of course the enormous effort of getting Grafoid Inc. incorporated and still maintaining the enormous workload that comes with all the research prsently being conducted.

There is obviously much to be anticipated from Grafoid Inc. as we look forward. The fact that their every move is not being kept as transparent as possible is, in my opinion, not only quite normal but is a prerequisite. Historically, this has been proven, to be the only strategy that a company can use when there are so many competitors competing fr the same technology. Imagine where Apple, Microsoft, and Google would be if they had made their every move completely transparent. We know that Grafoid is currently working on some 25 or more specific projects, and with this in mind, it is with ease that I would expect to hear some astounding news that has the potential to move Focus Metals into a completely new global position. With the global graphene research tab reaching well into the billions of dollars, it should be starting to become more clear that graphene is not going away, but rather will truly continue to undoubtedly become the product that will start us into a new age. In my opinion, to under-estimate just how huge the potential for Focus Metals is, considering all that graphite and graphene have to offer the world, would be a mistake.
If we consider the fact that Focus Metals had the lowest projected cost for production when the company first started, it should be easy enough to appreciate the fact that Dr. Chiu has effectively lowered this cost considerably. The fact that Dr. Chiu has provided the company with a processing and purification technology, whereby Focus Metals can produce graphene directly from the ore at Lac Knife, should be accepted as a very monumental step. I would venture to say that this will add untold value to not only the company, but also to the shareholders.

If this has prompted anyone to consider Focus Metals as an investment choice, I would urge everyone to do their own due diligence. An extremely good starting point would be the Focus Metals website which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation for this post or my opinions. I own shares in Focus Metals.

An expanded look at my trip to Focus Metals' Lac Knife property

2011-10-05T02:08:00.000-05:00

In this post I will be writing more about my recent trip to Lac Knife, the deposit owned by Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF). I am still quite inspired by what I saw, and also by the detailed tour narrative given by CEO Gary Economo. It quickly became evident, why Gary has such an energy and enthusiastic spirit, in regards to Lac Knife. The scenery was beautiful as we dropped below the clouds, as we prepared to land at Wabush airport in Labrador. As we drove from the airport towards Lac Knife in Quebec, it was very noticeable to me that this was indeed such a serene setting. As we got closer to Lac Knife this only intensified, until we actually entered the property.
The following 3 images are some of the outcrops that are visible at surface. All of these outcrops are easy to chip and it becomes clear that these are actually graphite.

As we stopped in various locations on the Lac Knife property, and got out to walk around, it provided a chance to examine many of the surrounding outcrops, of which there were several. As I stood beside a couple of these outcrops, which dwarfed me, and listened as Gary explained that the over-burden is, generally speaking, about 3-6 meters thick. This heightened my sense of what this deposit truly held, and then to consider that this entire deposit is open both at depth and to the south. Considering the size and basic shape of the deposit, it was indeed quite a feeling, as I fully realized what I was standing on. When I reached the southern portion of the mineralized zone, and could look farther to the south, that was when I saw one large outcrop and a few smaller ones. The larger being approximately 2 to 2.5 meters high and approximately 2 meters in diameter. This is an image of the above mentioned outcrop which is beyond the southern edge of the known mineralized zone. As you can see this was not taken on my trip, due to some of my images not being usable, I graciously thank Focus Metals for providing these images.

There was lots of evidence of the last drilling program, with all the holes being clearly marked. As we talked about the previous drilling, Gary pointed out approximately where they would like to drill some of the holes in this expanded drilling program, which was announced on June 30, 2011. http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/june302011

In this news release, Gary states, " Samples will be drilled out by large-bore machines to depths of up to 300 meters – almost twice the depth of previous drilling – while new areas will be drilled on the southern portion of the Lac Knife property."
Once this drilling begins and Focus Metals begins to test the depth of just how deep the graphite truly goes, as well as drilling in the southern portion of the property, where no drilling has been performed to date, this could truly re-define Focus Metals completely.
Lac Knife reportedly has a 40 year mine life, (non NI43-101 compliant as yet), so it may not seem that important in that respect, however, if the resource can be enlarged, this will undoubtedly add to shareholder value.

According to Gary, the processing plant is most likely to be built in Fermont, Quebec. The distance from Lac Knife to Fermont is approximately 35 kilometers, with a portion of this on a paved provincial highway, and the remaining portion being a gravel road. The gravel portion will need some upgrading, however, the base of the road is in place. This road is maintained by the electric utility company, whose high-voltage transmission line passes with-in 7km of the property.

What I believe makes this deposit stand out from any other is the fact of the grade. Although this is non 43-101 compliant at this point, it has had major studies done as recently as 2001, and it would appear that the grade can be expected to be very close to 17%. This may not hold much meaning for some but it is in reality one of the highest concentrate flake graphite resource in the world at nearly 17% (pre-NI 43-101). It has attracted worldwide attention because of its purity and its economic value.
If that sounds extremely good, then let me tell you what has the potential to take Focus Metals into a leading global position. As we all know graphene has taken the world by storm, and as recent tests suggest, the graphite from Lac Knife has proven to produce some of the highest quality graphene. With the use of graphene actually entering products in our lives as we speak, it is with little difficulty that I can foresee Focus Metals becoming a go-to global company for graphite and graphene, which will obviously lead to enormous wealth for both the company and the shareholders.

I should add, that as we watch the markets as of late, it is evident that most if not all juniors and mid-tier companies are experiencing significant drops in their share price. For many this can become quite disconcerting, but I think this is a time when we need to watch very closely as I believe this is exactly what it takes to afford those with a high risk tolerance to gain some very envious possible entry points.

For those who find Focus Metals attractive as a possible investment choice, I strongly urge you to do your own due diligence on this company. As usual I recommend starting at the Focus Metals web site which can be found at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation for this post or my opinions. My travel expenses to Lac Knife were paid by Focus Metals. I own shares in Focus Metals.

Acceleware is proving they are not just another run-of-the-mill company

2011-09-28T01:18:00.000-05:00

Well it's good to be back from a few weeks of vacation. While I was away I have noticed that I had many readers who continued to visit my blog, in my absence. I would like to sincerely thank all those who have continued to read my writings.

While I was away Acceleware (TSXV:AXE) has released some very good news in the form of a partnership deal that has been reached between Bull SA and Acceleware. The purpose of this partnership is to deliver a combined solution of Bull Extreme Computing platforms and Acceleware’s multi-core accelerated seismic solutions to customers in the EMEA Oil & Gas markets. The partnership will provide Bull customers streamlined access to Acceleware GPU software, multi-core consulting services and training offerings. The effect of this type of partnership should be obvious in that it will bring an increased value to both companies and especially to those companies that use this newest offering of this technology. This increased value will come from the superb ability of Bull being able to provide more software offerings with better overall performance to their clients. Bull is definitely known, not only as one of Europe's most prestigious IT companies, but as a result of their commitment to this technology, Bull has made Extreme Computing one of its key strategic priorities. Within a few years, Bull has won over 200 customers in 15 countries across 3 continents. Bull has a proven track record of building Extreme Computing systems for prestigious academic and industry customers, most notably in France, Germany, UK, Spain, Netherlands and Brazil. With coverage of this nature, in what would appear to be quite possibly the world's next areas of focus, this should be news that will continue to bring Acceleware the opportunity to expand into markets they previously had little connection with. Acceleware has gone the distance in proving that the technology the possess is worthy of teaming up with a comany like Bull, and I expect this will continue to blossom for some time to come for both companies. http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/bull-and-acceleware-announce-partnership-deliver-unified-hardware-software-experience

Also of particular note, is the news that Acceleware, while attending SEG in San Antonio, TX, has showcased the major release of TTI AxRTM. It was available to be viewed at their booth at the SEG.
As most of us are aware, the decisions that are required to be made by most companies in respect to their quest to find more and better oil/gas fields, has led them into ever-increasingly more difficult geological settings. I believe we will see more demand for this newest technology, since many companies are faced with such complex geologies to deal with, and this will in turn off-set the expensive cost of this technology. This is brought to light by Darren Foltinek, Seismic Imaging Product Manager at Acceleware in this excerpt, "TTI RTM brings the advanced imaging capabilities required to deliver high quality images in complex geologies – especially in deep water sub-salt reservoirs – however, the cost being one of the most computationally expensive seismic imaging methods in the industry today,” said Darren Foltinek, Seismic Imaging Product Manager at Acceleware. “AxRTM dramatically improves the economics of TTI RTM by combining industry validated geophysics with Acceleware’s extensive high performance computing techniques and expertise, making it accessible to a broad range of seismic exploration professionals.” http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/acceleware-showcases-major-release-tti-axrtm-seg-san-antonio

Considering that just over a month ago, Paradigm™ (www.pdgm.com) announced that Fugro (www.fugro.com) has selected the Paradigm Reverse Time Migration to meet its challenging depth imaging objectives. Reverse Time Migration is a preferred solution for imaging of seismic data in areas affected by complex wave phenomena, such as those encountered in the deep waters of Gulf of Mexico in the presence of salt structures. This all bodes extremely well for Acceleware looking forward in my opinion, and apparently with the consistent insider buying being done at market price, insiders seem to have a similar view.

I believe Acceleware has made huge steps in carrying out the plan as presented by management, previous to the re-structuring agreement, and that management is quite capable of taking Acceleware to the next level. Actually, at this point I would not be surprised to see Acceleware skip a level or two and step squarely onto center stage of the global platform for this type of technology. I have addressed some of the companies that Acceleware has aligned themselves with in the past, and I have found most of these relationships are very intact and healthy. Now that we are experiencing management starting to expand as they had stated they would, it is with relative ease that I expect Acceleware to begin gaining momentum, both from a business standpoint, and also from a value standpoint in regard to their stock.

There is lots happening this year yet that can allow for more interesting news. Starting Oct. 11-14, Acceleware will be presenting yet another CUDA training class in conjunction with Microsoft. This session will be made available at Los Angeles, CA, USA. Following this will find Acceleware in Seoul, South Korea, where they will be joined with their partners SPEAG and Dymstec, as they attend
SEMCAD X Korea 2011 Workshop. This workshop takes place on Oct. 18, and will afford those who attend to learn about the newest features in Electromagnetic modeling and GPU acceleration. Acceleware will then be off to Frankfurt, Germany for another CUDA course, again offered in conjunction with Microsoft. The dates for this course offering are Nov 1-4. Then on Nov. 12-18 comes Supercomputing 2011, which will be held in Seattle, WA, USA. The SC Conference is the premier international conference for high performance computing (HPC), networking, storage and analysis.

As you can see, Acceleware is definitely staying very busy, and in talking with management, they seem to have a very deep-seated commitment and dedication, to continue building and expanding the parameters that Acceleware has had thus far. I sincerely do not expect that Acceleware will remain at these levels regarding their share price.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation for this post or my views. I do own shares in Acceleware.

Huge potential for Focus Metals is evident with the addition of graphite and graphene to our lives

2011-09-27T09:22:00.000-05:00

I have just returned from vacation, which is something I am not prone to take regularly. However, as much as I absolutely love my work in connection to following the different companies I have chosen to cover, I also realized that it was time for a vacation. I must say it was an excellent vacation with many quality days spent with my wife and our children and grandchildren.

Once again I will be writing about Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF), and what I view as a company that is well on its path to meet its goals, and a company that has an exceptional management team to continue this progress.
Having been gone for the past few weeks I see that Focus Metals has had some very exciting and interesting news. I might add that, in my opinion, this will be only the beginning of much more news to come. While I was talking to CEO Gary Economo, during my recent tour of the Lac Knife property, he stated that there is alot of news to come in the near future. I see that some people have decided that they cannot wait for this news, which is a decision that is completely in the hands of each and every investor. Having seen Lac Knife and talking at length with Gary, I am the more convinced that Focus Metals will, in my opinion, surpass most if not all competitors in the graphite and graphene space. This company has the potential to make investors a serious return on investment, but as with anything worth possessing, it will come to those who approach it from a realistic and patient stand.

Gary has said that an expanded drilling program would be implemented immediately, http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/june302011. Unfortunately, some people do not seem to understand the logistics of how this will all come about. The management of Focus Metals made the decision to expand the drilling and released this news immediately, but this should not have been interpreted to mean that the drilling would commence within days or even a couple of weeks. As most investors should be aware, there is the need for a drilling application to be completed, and this can take 30 to 90 days. Further, there is nothing binding the government to issue said permits within this time-frame, but it does give us the general time-frame which we would expect to receive the permit. Since the news release is dated June 30, 2011, I would hope that we may hear news soon, but again this is something completely out of the company's control.

For those who have read my blog consistently, you will be well aware that I have written at length about the importance of graphene, in regards to the future of Focus Metals. On Sept. 21, 2011, I see that Gary has commented on just how important graphene really is from the company's viewpoint. In my opinion, Gary has always demonstrated an inordinate amount of dedication and commitment to Focus Metals, and this excerpt speaks volumes, "Once our graphene research, development and testing activities are completed, I’ll be in a position to provide additional details. Until then, one of my immediate goals is raise graphene’s profile in the global marketplace.
I’ll have more to say about graphene this fall, culminating in London, on the 6th and 7th of December as Focus Metals is the prime sponsor of Industrial Minerals’ Graphite Conference. I’ll be delivering two presentations: one on graphite, the second on graphene.
My three speaking engagements in Europe this fall – two in London, one in Munich – provide opportunities to grow our profile internationally.
Ultimately, my immediate goal is to increase awareness of our unique and highly-focused company and the benefits that come with an investment in Focus Metals." http://www.focusmetals.ca/ceo-connect
I have attempted to bring this topic to light in the past and I will continue to do so as I too feel this is one of the main aspects that sets Focus Metals apart from those other companies which desire to be in the graphite and graphene arena. In one of my conversations with Gary, he had mentioned they were currently studying how they could reduce the production cost even further. As most of you are aware Focus Metals has what appears to be, by far, the lowest production costs associated with graphite production, and now it would appear quite likely the same may be true for graphene. Given the price of graphene currently, this could truly propel Focus Metals into the top seat globally for graphite and graphene production, and thus bring the company and its shareholders into a unique financial situation.

We currently see the entire globe in what can only be likened to, "the great race", to determine what new applications graphene might be capable of. The amount of R&D being conducted globally can easily be likened to the amount of research that burst forth from such discoveries as bronze, steel, and plastic. As this research continues to gain momentum it is literally anyone's guess just how many applications will become viable. I will interject that at the pace the research is progressing it will undoubtedly reach the same proportions as these other life-changing ages that have presented themselves to us in past times. I believe that as soon as it is practical we will hear news from our own research team at Grafoid Inc. There is an obvious need for a cloak of secrecy surrounding any patent applications that may result from the research being done. Without this, Focus Metals stands to possibly lose control of proprietary information, procedures, or products. If this were to become the case, we as shareholders would ultimately feel the resulting loss. Historically we will notice that research being conducted on any new product or procedure takes time to reach its full effect, and I would expect nothing less from graphene. With the reports that are being made available to us from many sources, it is quite easy to see the potential become reality before our eyes. Companies such as Nokia and Samsung have already admitted that graphite and graphene are being incorporated into the products that they are currently working on for near-future release. One of the biggest players in the electronic world is Apple, and they have also made remarks that graphene is currently being considered as a large part of their future device offerings. This is just from the communications device sector. With the amount of research being conducted for and by the military, and the many other numerous industries we can only wait to see just what this may bring to Focus Metals in terms of financial gain. Some investors may consider this to be more risk than they are willing to deal with, however, I truly believe this will become one of my better investment choices, given the time needed to mature.

If we want to see proof that graphite and graphene are already entering our lives and just what type of impact they will have initally, let us look at the car maker BMW, who has gone to great expense to let everyone know that many panels for their automobiles will be constructed with carbon fiber technology. As are the Dreamliner jets that Boeing is currently building, which has seen many setbacks since the beginning, and yet this jet is still warmly welcomed by all the companies that have ordered this jet. http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/8-ways-boeings-dreamliner-will-change-flying-25

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international-business/after-3-years-boeing-787-dreamliner-becomes-reality/articleshow/10125064.cms
I think you will find that these articles from CBC and The Economic Times (respectively) address just what can be expected from carbon fiber technology, and this my friends is only the very beginning.
Now to take a look at the automotive industry, I think this article by Bloomberg speaks volumes as to what carbon fiber technology, and the graphite and graphene producers of the world can expect looking forward. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-14/bmw-carbon-lets-vehicles-follow-bicycle-road-to-lightness-cars.html
Not only has BMW aligned themselves with none other than SGL, who were respected as one of the premier carbon companies globally, but have now reached the status of the world's most expensive carbon company. Why have they reached this platform? It is the result of BMW realizing the tremendous value of using carbon fiber technology in producing the various panels and parts for their line of autos, which did not go unnoticed by the likes of Audi and Volkswagen. Volkswagen became so convinced of this technology that they went to the lengths of buying 9.9% of SGL. From this point I must say the future of carbon fiber technology should be starting to become clearer. As anyone who follows my blog, you will undoubtedly be familiar with SGL, who I cannot make claims of Focus Metals being deeply involved with, but in my opinion it would amaze me if this is not one of the secretive potential off-take customers. If I am correct in my thinking of this it will in all likelihood mean that Focus Metals is destined to become one of the world's largest graphite and graphene producers. As a shareholder this would result in a dream come true since to pick a company that will rise this significantly is not something that can be accomplished with any regularity, and although I cannot advise anyone to buy or sell any stocks, I personally believe strongly in the huge potential of Focus Metals and the future of graphite and graphene globally. This belief is bolstered largely by the actions of such global companies as Boeing, BMW, Volkswagen, and SGL. These companies have not shown the typical "dipping of the toes" into this market, but rather have invested heavily, and have made public statements that concretely state what the expect to see looking forward from this technology, not to mention that these companies are basing their futures on this type of technology. If one were to believe that such Titans were to have this all wrong and that the large investments each has made will be the beginning of their end, then and only then could I agree Focus Metals would lose appeal. On the contrary though, I expect these behemoths have more than done their homework, and that the graphite/graphene space is only at its earliest stages.

Another company that I continue to feel is quite likely to play an important part in the progress of Focus Metals is Superior Graphite. Here is a link to a pdf from Superior Graphite, http://www.superiorgraphite.com/pdfs/SG-Capabilities.pdf. I think this is quite informative about who Superior Graphite is, and I especially like this excerpt from page 11 of this pdf. "

We have pioneered some of the most-advanced coating technologies for

high-tech industries by applying our dispersion expertise, blending capabilities,
granular processing, and wet chemistry.
Dedicated manufacturing and research facilities disperse and surface treat a wide
variety of substrates using water, solvents, or oil-based diluents. Carbon loadings and
viscosities can be formulated to meet critical customer requirements."
Remember Gary has stated that high-tech useage is something Focus Metals will target as they progress towards production and in their search for off-take customers. Superior Graphite would make a good choice in my opinion, and to try and align oneself with them would undoubtedly hold great value, for both Superior Graphite and Focus Metals.
I will be writing more about my Lac Knife trip in the very near future. My apologies for being somewhat tardy on this issue, but it really was a necessary break for vacation. One every couple to three years is definitely needed. I will do my best to expedite my writing efforts and coverage, and I thank the many readers who have continued to read my blog in my absence.

For those who would like to consider Focus Metals as a potential investment choice, I urge everyone to do your own due diligence. All the views expressed here are only my views. As always I suggest the Focus Metals website as a very good starting point to begin doing due diligence. Their website can be located at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation for this post or my views. I own shares in Focus Metals.

Hathor Exploration vs Cameco - good deal or bad deal

2011-08-31T01:23:00.000-05:00

Hathor Exploration (TSX:HAT) is a company that is currently exploring for uranium in one of the finest uranium areas on earth. This would be the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Known as an area where political stability is definitely not an issue, and the grade of most uranium from this area reaching unusually high grades, including some of the highest grades known, it is viewed as a premiere address for all company's involved in uranium.

I wrote about Hathor Exploration, back on May 20, 2011, and questioned whether Hathor Exploration would become a mine or a take-over target. On Friday Aug. 26, 2011, news broke of a hostile bid by one of the world's larger uranium producers, namely Cameco. This acted as a driver to the Hathor shareprice, causing it to reach new 52 week highs Friday, and continuing on Monday and Tuesday. The closing price on Tuesday was $4.10 per share.

It would seem that shareholders are making a statement about the offer at this point, since $4.10 is a respectable premium over and above the $3.75 offer from Cameco. Hathor management has requested that shareholders not respond to Cameco's offer at the present time, in a news release dated August 29, 2011. In this news release Hathor also stated that they were unable to comment at this time since they had not received any official papers concerning this hostile bid. http://www.hathor.ca/i/pdf/NR_29aug2011_CCOresponse_V6-2.pdf

It would be my opinion that this price could conceivably appreciate from this level. Cameco may need to sweeten the offer at this point, and that is assuming that no other offers come to light. Some analysts are saying they see little chance of an alternate offer. The main argument for this view is the foreign takeover rules. However, in my opinion, while this may be somewhat of a problem, there are companies that could either present an offer since they are Canadian, or a Canadian company could JV with one of the foreign company's. This would leave several scenarios open which could include names like Areva, Denison Mines, not to mention a few others, although these would definitely standout. Of course there is the possibility of even BHP Billiton, but I'm not certain where they might stand on this. All of the company's mentioned have been unavailable for comment so far.

I do expect that Hathor will quite likely continue to gain ground with their shareprice. In any event, the one thing that Cameco has done through all this, is bring global attention to Hathor Exploration, and in so doing, it is extremely difficult to say with any certainty just where this shareprice may end up.

I do like the fact that I was able to call Hathor back in late May, and now to watch the company appreciate as I had first envisioned it. From the time I called Hathor, in May to now, represents a 59.5% ROI. If this plays out the way I expect it may, there could still be some profit to be made yet.
If anyone would like more information on Hathor, I would suggest going to their website which can be found at http://www.hathor.ca/s/Home.asp

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation for my views or this post. I do not own any shares of Hathor Exploration.

Acceleware steps up a level with the latest news release

2011-08-29T17:54:00.000-05:00

Acceleware (TSXV:AXE) is a Canadian based company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Acceleware develops and markets software acceleration products that bring unparalleled performance and speed to today's most strenuous and challenging compute and/or data-intensive demands. With Acceleware solutions installed, computer processing for data processing and simulation applications can benefit from speed-ups of 10x to 50x. Acceleware also uses its unique expertise for providing consulting services for companies, and research institutions involved with High Performance Computing. These services include architecting multi-core processing solutions, code porting and training.

In a news release of Aug. 24, 2011, Paradigm states that Fugro has chosen the Paradigm Reverse Time Migration to meet its challenging depth imaging objectives. http://www.acceleware.com/press_release/fugro-selects-paradigm-and-acceleware%E2%80%99s-reverse-time-migration
The fact that Fugro is the first to choose the RTM approach is, in my opinion, of significance. The fact that Acceleware was able to work in collaboration with Paradigm to produce a product, such as Reverse Time Migration, and then to have a company of the stature of Fugro choose this as a product of value in their operations speaks volumes. Fugro is afterall a world leader in their industry, and as they say on their website, "Fugro’s mission is to be the world’s leading service provider for the collection and interpretation of data relating to the earth’s surface and sub-surface and for associated services and advice in support of infrastructure development on land, along the coast and on the seabed." http://www.fugro.com/index.asp
This is excellent news for everyone involved, but especially for Acceleware, since this is something that Acceleware has been working on for some time. Now that a company with the size and stature of Paradigm has successfully brought this into the mainstream, it definitely holds the potential for more work that is similar. Paradigm reportedly has more customers in the pipeline that could potentially use this type of service. In my opinion, this could well be the first step, of many to come, that will take Acceleware upwards in this sector of technology. As this newest technology begins to prove itself, I would expect we can look for the possibility of Paradigm and Acceleware to continue to work together on future projects. The two company's have a constructive relationship, with the RTM product bearing witness of the same.

The entire industry is preparing for the largest gathering of geophysicists, geologists, earth scientists, energy industry executives, researchers and software developers. Yes, it is time for SEG once again. In 2011, the SEG will return to San Antonio for its Eighty-first Annual Meeting. Do not miss this opportunity to share your latest case histories, technological advancements, and research discoveries with the world's greatest assembly of applied geophysicists at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Acceleware is not only going to be present, but will also be presenting two papers. http://www.acceleware.com/events/seg-2011
For those of you who may be planning to attend SEG, I would encourage you to stop by the Acceleware booth at 3600 Hall B, I am quite confident you won't be disappointed. The dates of the SEG are Sept. 18th - 23rd, 2011, and it will be held in San Antonio, Texas.
For shareholders of AXE, the presentation of two papers by Acceleware is of particular importance. There is, however, another presentation that holds significance, and that is the presentation by Paradigm, of Paradigm 2011. http://www.pdgm.com/ This has been a long awaited presentation, and I believe this could in turn be a positive for Acceleware, since the RTM technology is an integral part of the whole Paradigm 2011 package. This years SEG definitely looks poised to be one of the best yet.

My focus, looking forward, will be to watch for the anticipated benefits that Fugro should experience with the implementation of the Paradigm RTM product. The more benefit they recognize, will only continue to build value from this technology, for Acceleware. I am very pleased that this product will be anchored by Fugro, and anticipate that this will be only the beginning of a steady trend in continuous demand. The other driver that will influence the continuing growth of Acceleware is the presentation of their training classes. These classes are being met with positive results, and I anticipate this will continue to grow, both on the CUDA level and on the OpenCL level.

Overall Acceleware has progressed quite impressively up to this point, considering that the restructuring arrangement was completed only months ago. In my opinion we will quite likely see a continued gaining in momentum. For those who may be unaware of how these training programs are affecting Acceleware, here is a link to the schedule, http://www.acceleware.com/events.
As you can see the schedule is busy, and in talking with management, subscriptions are very good.

If I am correct in my assumptions that Acceleware will continue to gain momentum, then it goes without saying just how undervalued this company is. I see a management team that is extremely dedicated and committed to building this company and keeping the shareholder in mind as they progress. I also see the successful steps they have taken thusfar and I truly expect we should start to see some appreciation in the share price in the near-term.

For those who find Acceleware a compelling investment consideration, I strongly suggest you do your own due diligence. An excellent place to start is at the Acceleware website, which is located at, http://www.acceleware.com/.

For disclosure purposes I have recieved no compensation of any kind for my views or this post. I own shares of Acceleware.

A walk around the Lac Knife deposit owned by Focus Metals

2011-08-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Recently I was invited to attend a trip, by the management of Focus Metals, for the purpose of going to the Lac Knife property and seeing first-hand what the property looked like and as a factual information opportunity. This of course offers a chance to really get a feel for what the property holds from a resource standpoint, as well as offering some insight into just how large the potential is for this project. Our tour guide was CEO Gary Economo, who was very open on most topics, but of course some questions could not be answered due to the need for confidentiality at this time, which I might add will be revealed as quickly as is practical.

The flight from Ottawa to Wabush, Labrador, which is the closest airport to Lac Knife where we could land, offers a stunning view of the several operating iron-ore mines in the area. Once we landed in Wabush, we then were driven approximately an hour and a half to the Lac Knife property.

As we entered the property, there were several outcrops, which were clearly visible at surface, that are graphite boulders. Some of them had the appearance of being just another boulder, but with little effort it was possible to chip off a sample and easily see that it was graphite. Gary explained that as we first enter the resource area, the deposit is approximately 20 meters wide and reaches widths of approximately 100 meters or more midway through the property, and then narrowing down to approximately 30 meters wide. Thus, it leaves the actual deposit with a similar shape to a North American football. The drilling to date has only accomplished reaching depths of approximately 120 meters. This leaves Lac Knife not only open at depth, but also to the south. The potential for an expansion of resources to the south are exceptional, since, while standing at the south end of the current resource area, and looking to the south, there are several large outcrop boulders of graphite visible. These outcrops to the south are approximately 250 -300 meters past the south end of the resource area. It was with relative ease that one could start to sense the actual potential of this property.

There has been a considerable amount of excavation done in the mineralized zones. Much of this work was completed by the previous owners, such as Mazarin, while they were in a JV with the town of Fermont, QC, and also Graftech who was working with Ballard Power Systems. This work has left the deposit with an overburden of 3 to 6 meters in most areas. The following are some images showing what I am attempting to describe.

This is one of several outcrops visible as we entered the mineralized zone of the property. Although it may appear to look like just another rock, it takes very little effort to chip off a sample, and it is clearly graphite.

This is an image of another of the outcrops visible as we entered the Lac Knife deposit. These two outcrops are approximately 20 meters apart. While handling some of the material shown here it is quite apparent that this is an extremely high grade sample of graphite.

In this image I am holding a small piece I found on the roadway between the first and second mineralized zones. It would appear that all the graphite that is visible at surface seems to be of an unusually high grade. CEO Gary Economo, stated in his address to the Cambridge House Critical Materials Symposium, in June, 2011, " Early indications from our consultant preparing our 43-101 resource calculation are that we shall see no inconsistencies or variations from previous non-43-101 estimates that our property contains a 17% pure carbon content." I found that in walking the Lac Knife deposit these statements become more valid.

After experiencing Lac Knife in person, I look forward to just where this company is headed looking forward. The fact that the resource size is open at depth and to the south, and shows viable signs that this will undoubtedly become reality, is something that only helps one to view this in a positive light. The fact that the grade and quality of the graphite are so noticeable, tends to inspire questions of just what industries this grade of graphite may become useful to. The possible answer to these questions will be something for another article, but it has become clear that this graphite will undoubtedly attract the attention of some of the world's most prominent buyers. Further to the study of who may be interested in purchasing this graphite, comes the speculation of what, graphite of this grade, will be capable of in the graphene arena. This will also be something covered in an upcoming post.

The one thing that stood out prominently in my mind, was the fact that, not only does Focus Metals hold ownership of a world-class graphite deposit, but they also see the importance of finding the right customers who may potentially become off-take partners. This is a very important aspect, and as such it is being addressed by management as vigorously as possible. As I pointed out in an earlier post, there are several company's that seem well suited to potentially fill this need for an off-take partner. While I was not told who these company's are, I remain optimistic that my predictions have a good potential to become a reality. The much anticipated 43-101 is expected to come very close to the historical data, but it is also causing some waves, as some investors seem reluctant to believe the historical data. While I can appreciate the fact that the 43-101 is obviously necessary by todaysde-risk the project somewhat, but after visiting the site, I truly came away with a belief that the potential for Focus Metals and their 100% owned Lac Knife deposit is large at the least. With the feasibility of a resource expansion, pending further drilling, Lac Knife will, in my opinion, stand an excellent chance of achieving the goal of management, to become a dominant factor in the world of graphite, and eventually graphene supply.

On our return trip to the airport in Wabush, Labrador we stopped off in Fermont, QC briefly, where it is expected that the processing plant will be built, and following that, the upgrader plant that will bring the graphite to the 99% - 99.99% purity level, which is what the high-tech industries will require. According to Gary, there have been meetings with the town council, which have resulted in the town expressing their interest in welcoming this plant to their town.

Overall, I found this to be an inspiring property viewing, which by the time we left, had me appreciating this company and the management more than ever. I feel justified in my opinion that Focus Metals has what it takes to become the worlds premiere graphite supplier. In the coming days I will explore some of the topics that were omitted from this post.

I strongly encourage anyone who finds this company attractive as an investment choice, to do your own due diligence. An excellent place to start would be the Focus Metals website which is located at www.focusmetals.ca,

For disclosure purposes I have not received any compensation for my point of view or for this post. My travel expenses were covered by Focus Metals. I own shares in Focus Metals.

Focus Metals will be supported by the pace of research and demand for graphite and graphene

2011-08-15T01:46:00.000-05:00

It is quite amazing when one looks at the incredible pace that researchers seem to be progressing with the research being done on graphene and its many potential uses. Some of these potential uses have progressed to the point that reportedly we should see graphene start to enter devices, that are commonly used in our day to day lives, by early next year. Nokia is virtually depending on graphene to put their company back into a leading spot in their sector of the mobile industry. There are many company's clamouring for graphene technology and the patents race seems nearly insatiable. Thompson-Reuters has an article that illustrates this quite well, http://www.ipsolutionsblog.com/?p=427.

I believe that for Focus Metals, the graphene research will undoubtedly bring the company to a level that will be at the forefront of global recognition. Although the research into potential uses of graphene has reached an incredible pace, this is something that will in all probability take time to perfect. There are some products that are destined to use graphene and should be hitting the market possibly as early as next year. I truly believe that as this research continues there will be more and more breakthroughs, which in turn will lead to more patented uses. With the joint venture that Focus Metals is involved with, this could potentially lead to an enormous area of growth within the company.

We can also expect many exciting things from Focus Metals looking forward, in regards to graphite. Graphite is a product that has been around for quite some time, but recently has started to enjoy an ever-increasing demand. This will continue in my opinion as scientists find ever more uses for graphite, and with the superiority of graphite in comparison to many of the products we traditionally used, this is not that difficult to expect. The demand for graphite has risen dramatically over the last few years, which in turn has driven prices up considerably compared to prices a decade ago.

Graphite is being implemented into many sectors currently, some of which include, steel, aluminum, automotive, chemical and glass/ceramics industries. However, manufacturers in the semiconductor, battery, solar/wind energy, environmental protection, aerospace and defense industries as well as in the nuclear energy industry also figure among the varied sectors developing an appetite for graphite.

There are a large number of company's that are avidly pursuing the evolution of graphite use, as well as constantly researching more potential uses, one company that is note-worthy is the SGL Group. This is a company that has a clear vision of just where carbon and graphite products are leading the entire globe. SGL Group - The Carbon Company - is one of the world's leading manufactures of carbon-based products. As this company continues to grow along with the increased demand for their products, it would be my opinion that Focus Metals will look towards this type of company in regards to a market for the high quality of graphite that can be supplied from the Lac Knife deposit. I will provide a link to the home page of SGL Group, and I would encourage you to view the 2 short video presentations as well as the interactive tour. I believe this will help everyone to see just how realistic it is to view graphite and graphene as the next wonder material that will change the world as we now know it, and how graphite can improve upon our quality of life. http://www.sglgroup.com/cms/international/home/index.html?__locale=en. An example of how one industry is making a significant change towards the future of carbon useage is the joint venture between SGL Group and the automotive manufacturer BMW. http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/07/sgl-automotive-carbon-fibers-breaks-ground-in-moses-lake/
These are the types of advancement that will lead to an increase in demand for quality graphite, which is exactly what Focus Metals possesses, and is continuing in their efforts to bring their Lac Knife deposit into production. In my opinion this is precisely the type of demand that will equate into Focus Metals progressing towards a significant supplier of graphite on a global standing.

Another company that is equally committed to the overall use and research of carbon and graphite use is Superior Graphite. I have previously expressed that in my opinion there is the possibility of Superior Graphite becoming a source for Focus Metals to sell graphite. I continue to view this as entirely possible. Superior Graphite is also experiencing an increase in demand for carbon and graphite products, which of course in turn leads to an increase in their need for more graphite. Superior Graphite also has a team that is devoted to researching further uses of carbon and graphitic applications at each of 3 R&D facilities. Each facility, located at a specific manufacturing site is designed to support various processing technologies and to develop new products and processes. Superior Graphite also attended GIFA, which is basically a quartet of trade fairs, comprised of GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, and NEWCAST, held once every four years in Dusseldorf, Germany, and at closing they came away quite impressed with the amount of international visitors they received at their booth. Dr. Eric Salmon from Superior Graphite,“This has been my third GIFA and this year we had more stand area than ever before", says Dr Eric Salmon of Superior Graphite from Sweden. "And that was well worth it since we experienced good approaches with our clients that may result in future business. Great!”.
It was reported that the trade fairs posted new records both in terms of exhibitors and visitors. 1,958 exhibitors from throughout the world met with 79,000 visitors from 83 countries.
graphene are only just beginning on a journey that will truly bring these products to front and center of the global stage of innovative design and implementation. To view just how many industries are using products that Superior Graphite produce from graphite you can go to their website, http://www.superiorgraphite.com/index.php.

Boeing and Airbus are two of the main airplane manufacturers. Both have found themselves utilizing carbon and graphite in the production of their latest efforts. You might not normally think of making things out of carbon, but lately the material of the future is carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) as used in the new Boeing 787 airliner. In a whole different approach to commercial aircraft design, body sections of composites act as both skin and structure.
Meanwhile HITCO has supplied Airbus with the delivery of the first operational ship set of the carbon fiber tail structure parts for the vertical tail plane of the Airbus A380. http://composite.about.com/cs/aerospacenews/a/bpr_hitco.htm

These are only a couple of a multitude of company's that are directly involved with graphite research and the manufacture of products that require graphite. The list of company's on a global scale would be staggering, then add to that the research being focused on graphene, and I think it should start to become much clearer just how large the graphite industry is set to become.

After examining the company's I have touched on here, this brings me to the question of, what will this do for Focus Metals. In my opinion the Lac Knife deposit, holds an enormous value for Focus Metals. Focus Metals has a slogan found directly below the company insignia on the home page of their website, this slogan speaks volumes in my opinion, "Think Graphite Today, Think Graphene Tomorrow". With plans for 25,000 tons per year over a mine life of 40 years, which has the potential to be extended considerably pending further drilling which is currently on-going, one can easily see how Focus Metals could come to be known as a world-class supplier of graphite. However, what really sets this company apart from most other graphite deposits globally, is the fact that the Lac Knife property is unique in the world because of its cost-mitigating, high concentration (some 17% in pre-NI 43-101 terms) of large, medium and small flake graphite destined to meet rising global demand from both industrial and high technology end users. The Lac Knife graphite property has a proven history. Nearly developed in the early 2000’s in a joint venture between Graftech International and Ballard Power Systems, previous studies are being recast to NI 43-101 standards.

When one takes into account all the reports of present day usage of graphite, and with the upcoming utilization of graphene, it leads to yet another question of just how much will demand grow for graphite looking forward. According to a new report issued by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., the global carbon and graphite market is set to reach $7.5 Billion dollars by 2015. That is just over 3 years from now. http://www.prweb.com/releases/carbon/graphite/prweb4545674.htm

All of these facts and forecasts have caused me to consider whether graphite and graphene will actually become the worlds next wonder material. At this time it would seem nearly inevitable, however, just how big this will really become remains to be seen. Historically we have seen what steel and plastic have done for our lives. Looking into the future is not easily done but I would have to say I have little difficulty recognizing the immense potential with a company like Focus Metals. They possess a world class deposit (which will be 43-101 compliant soon), are working diligently on off-take agreements, and they have a management team that is very committed and focused on advancing Focus Metals to the top of the list of global graphite supply companies.

For those who find Focus Metals to be of interest as a possible investment choice, I will advise you to do your own due diligence. The website for Focus Metals is a very good starting point and can be found at www.focusmetals.ca.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post. I do own shares of Focus Metals.

Focus Metals could realize a huge benefit in regards to the success and speed of graphene research

2011-07-29T01:03:00.000-05:00

Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF) is currently working diligently to bring their Lac Knife graphite deposit to production. There is of course much work to be done before the company reaches this goal, but with the amount of dedication and commitment that management is expending on this project, it is quite conceivable to view this goal as attainable. Lac Knife is a graphite deposit, that although lacking a NI 43-101 compliant document which is being completed currently, does have according to historical records 8.1MT of large flake graphite. The historical data is considered to be accurate to a large degree, since this property has had studies completed regarding resource size and grade, due to the fact that Lac Knife was nearly put into production twice.
The first feasibility study on Lac Knife was completed in 1989 by Mazarin Inc., and updated by Cambior Inc., in 1991. A recession and falling commodity prices delayed further progress for 10 years.
In 2001, Graftech International entered the picture in a joint agreement with Ballard Power Systems Inc. to produce fuel cell batteries. Strathcona Mineral Services did a worldwide search of graphite deposits and found Lac Knife’s quality of graphite to be two to three times the average grade of most deposits being mined at that time.Although Focus Metals has many advantages that help to bring Lac Knife to the forefront of most, if not all graphite deposits currently known, the one that really stands out is the "Factor 17". Focus Metals’ Lac Knife, Quebec, property holds the highest concentrate flake graphite resource in the world at nearly 17% (pre-NI 43-101). It has attracted worldwide attention because of its purity and its economic value. When comparing Lac Knife to the average graphite deposit globally we will find that 17% is not only uncommon, we will come to learn that the average graphite deposit grades at between 2.5% and 5%. To help you grasp the depth of this statement, here is a link that will help you see just what this Factor 17 means in financial terms for Focus Metals, http://www.focusmetals.ca/investors/reasons-to-own-fms/the-7-factors.

We now know that graphite holds a large value for Focus Metals. What if Focus Metals could increase this financial benefit many fold? Well that is exactly what the potential is for Focus Metals, and this comes because of a product being discovered that ultimately led to two scientists receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics. I'm sure you have already heard of this product by now, as it continues to gain attention on many fronts. Yes, it is the world's next wonder material, and it is called graphene. Since its discovery, graphene has had a virtual avalanche of interest in research. Currently there are very few universities, corporate, and government labs that do not have some type of research program in place. The future for this product appears to be so huge at this time that many are describing this as the next product that will change the world as we know it. With all the recent attention being garnered upon graphene research, and the fact that some of these research projects are reaching rather successful results, helps us to gain some insight into just how quickly graphene could become a part of our everyday life.

The novel material graphene makes faster electronics possible. Scientists at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) developed light-detectors made of graphene and analyzed their astonishing properties. This research has found a way for graphene to considerably improve the speed at which data can be exchanged between computers. The exact speed is not definitively known, since we have no known technology that can measure at these speeds. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-material-faster-electronics.html

What has turned out to be some very interesting research, is something that is being done at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Graphene, a form of pure carbon arranged in a lattice just one atom thick, has interested countless researchers with its unique strength and its electrical and thermal conductivity. But one key property it lacks -- which would make it suitable for a plethora of new uses -- is the ability to form a band gap, needed for devices such as transistors, computer chips and solar cells. The research being conducted at MIT may have found a way to overcome this deficiency. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-layer-method-two-three-tier-graphene.html

Graphene researchers have been troubled with one aspect of graphene. According to Dr. Dan Li, of the Monash University Department of Materials Engineering, “The reason graphene isn’t being used everywhere is that these very thin sheets, when stacked into a usable macrostructure, immediately bond together, reforming graphite. When graphene restacks, most of the surface area is lost and it doesn’t behave like graphene anymore.” However, Dr. Li and his team feel they may have discovered the key to this obstacle. Here is a link to an article that was released July 15, 2011, by Monash University, http://www.monash.edu.au/news/show/graphite-water-the-future-of-energy-storage. This is the type of research that brings an understanding of just how quickly graphene could be implemented into many uses in our daily lives.

Quantum dots are something that have been studied considerably, but most of these studies have involved the composition of toxic substances, such as lead and cadmium. The seriousness of the threats posed, by large-scale application of these, is completely unacceptable. In contrast, the 9-nm quantum dots made of graphenegraphene has a high charge carrier mobility, which means that it can quickly transport charges to the electrodes, reducing current losses and improving solar cell efficiency. In their experiments, the researchers found that GQDs blended with a conjugated polymer exhibit significantly enhanced characteristics compared to graphene sheets blended with the same polymer. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-07-graphene-quantum-dots-low-cost-solar.html

One of the more interesting avenues of research being conducted with graphene currently is the research involving supercapacitors. Supercapacitors have the ability to hold a charge, but unlike a battery which relys on a chemical reaction to store the electric energy, supercapacitors hold this charge in the form of ions. Supercapacitors have been around for quite some time, but with the advent of graphene, now have the potential of being produced to much higher standards. Research teams from the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Texas-Austin developed a new material using graphene, a carbon-based nanomaterial, to increase the storage performance of supercapacitors. This research has led to a seemingly positive outlook for activated graphene, to become quite useful in the creation of supercapacitors capable of high storage performance. When we make reference to high storage performance, this would mean a supercapacitor capable of dramatically increased performance. http://www.ecoseed.org/technology-article-list/article/2-technology/9818-supercapacitors-reach-high-storage-performance-with-activated-graphene-

As has been mentioned numerous times, the amount of research being conducted on graphene is virtually without limit. In many instances graphene has been viewed to have tremendous potential for any number of potential uses. In the case of possible renewable energy applications, researchers have had difficulties in attempting to grow graphene. In this article by Kristin Dian Mariano, it is explained how researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered how hydrogen plays a vital role with graphene. http://www.ecoseed.org/technology-article-list/article/2-technology/10454-hydrogen-influences-graphene-growth-–-o-r-n-l-

This is of course, just a sampling of some of the research being done with graphene, and with new discoveries being made almost daily, it truly is a very exciting time to witness the birth of such a pivotal product with huge potential in so many areas of our lives.

From all this, which like I have pointed out is just a sampling, it stands clear in my opinion that this world changing product known as graphene will come to benefit Focus Metals immensely. As I pointed out at the beginning of this post, Focus Metals has a world class project, which is open to further exploration and therefore further possible expansion of resources. This coupled with a continual rising of graphite prices recently, especially the highly purified large flake graphite capable of producing graphene, and further global demand expected to sustain this trend, leaves one sensing the significant financial benefit available. On that note, I would urge anyone who may find Focus Metals of interest, as a possible investment choice, to do your own due diligence. The company's new website is an excellent place to start. Here is the link to Focus Metals' site, http://www.focusmetals.ca/

For disclosure purposes, I have received no compensation of any kind for this post. I do own shares in Focus Metals.

Compliance Energy - A well diversified company

2011-07-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

Compliance Energy (TSXV:CEC) is a Canadian company. They are based in British Columbia, with their flagship property being, the Raven Project. Through the Comox Joint Venture (‘CJV’), CEC owns 60% of the Raven Underground Coal project and is the manager & operator of the CJV. The semi–soft coking coal resource is 43–101 compliant and consists of 97.5M tonnes of measured & indicated, as well as, 34.5M tonnes of inferred. Just 82km (50 miles) from a deep water port, the Raven project is a near term producer ideally situated near power and transportation corridors. Currently Compliance Energy has completed just over half of the required permitting process.

The public comment period on the draft AIR/EIS guidelines was conducted from May 18, 2011 until June 27, 2011 and included three public meetings. After taking all public comments into consideration and ensuring responses are adequate, the CEAA and the BC EAO will finalize the AIR/EIS Guidelines and issue it. At that point the Comox Joint Venture can begin preparation of its applications for environmental certification and approval. At this time, Compliance Energy is currently tracking, tabling, and responding to all comments from this public comment period.

Compliance Energy has just released news of a planned drilling program at other properties that the company holds 100% ownership of. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/compliance-energy-receives-vancouver-island-exploration-permit-125966703.html

The Company acquired five properties in 2010 and performed early stage exploration which included geological mapping, soil and rock geochemistry, and airborne geophysical surveys totalling 927 kilometre. http://www.complianceenergy.com/index.php?id=115

The following is a list of the mineral properties that Compliance Energy owns and gives an indication of what resources may be potentially found.

Property Approx. loc. Size(Ha) Exploration Objectives/Targets

Camp lake	Campbell River	3,441	Magnetite skarn and porphyry copper deposits
Hisnit	Tahsis	1,294	Porphyry and skarn deposits containing Copper, Molybdenum, and Gold
Tower	Sayward	2,107	Porphyry deposits containing Copper, Molybdenum, and Gold
NIC	Port Alice	7,533	Porphyry deposits containing Copper, Molybdenum, and Gold
CJD	Gold River	1,042	Porphyry deposits containing Copper

It is not difficult to see the advantages offered by a company that is this diversified, and even more so when the targeted resources are in a strong demand group. With current forecasts of strong demand of these resources, and to continue for some time to come yet, bodes well for Compliance Energy.

These properties all have good potential for copper, molybdenum, and gold, except for the CJD property which to-date has only shown potential for copper. Globally, copper saw an estimated deficit of approximately 250,000 metric tonnes of refined copper in 2010. This deficit is expected to grow to approximately 380,000 metric tonnes for 2011. http://www.icsg.org/images/stories/pdfs/icsg_press_release_-_2011_04__forecast.pdf
Currently copper prices are in the $4.35 range, and have been on an uptrend, no doubt in part because of the supply deficit. http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/cu/cu.asp
With this deficit forecast to grow, it is not difficult to see the trend continue regarding the price of copper. Last year it was reported that Mexico experienced a reduction in the amount of copper being produced by approximately 19%. Another aspect that will have a major impact on copper is the fact that there are only a handful of new deposits coming on-line globally over the next couple of years.

Molybdenum is also facing growing demand. According to ASM, in an article from June 13, 2011 they report that Molybdenum demand has hit new highs. http://www.asminternational.org/portal/site/www/NewsItem/?vgnextoid=43d89d3a43980310VgnVCM100000621e010aRCRD
Moly Investing News, in an article written by Michael Montgomery, reports that although molybdenum is being supplied at a rate which is satisfying global demand, there is an expected increase that will leave molybdenum production in a deficit. In the article it is stated, that demand is expected to rise to approximately 300 million pounds from the approximate 400 million pound consumption range we currently are experiencing. http://molyinvestingnews.com/3869-molybdenums-long-term-potential.html. As with everything, if this deficit in supply is accurate, then we can expect molybdenum prices to obviously increase.

Gold is something that has been experiencing an uptrend that is unprecedented. To get a feel for what the future for gold may be, let's look at the amount of exploration being conducted at present for this elusive metal. To-date gold has continued to set new record highs.

Compliance Energy has not only proven there value in regards to the Raven Project Underground Coal Project, but the management has taken the strategic steps to acquire these other properties, and has positioned the company to display an inordinate amount of potential. This becomes even clearer when we consider that Compliance Energy has just over 76 million shares on a fully diluted basis. While we view all of these properties as exceptional in terms of potential for copper, molybdenum, and gold, it goes without saying, that the Raven Project is, at this point, truly the focus of Compliance Energy. The fact that Compliance Energy entered into the joint venture in 2009 with 2 stellar companies, namely I-Comox Coal Co. (100% sub of Itochu Corp. of Japan), and LG International Investments (Canada) Ltd. (100% sub of LG of Korea), speaks volumes about the management and their commitment to this company and shareholders alike. This joint venture leaves Compliance Energy owning 60% with both I-Comox and LG both owning 20% each respectively.

The fact that transportation costs are reduced, in comparison to many competitors, is due to the fact that Compliance Energys' properties are situated on Vancouver Island, with access to deep water port facilities. In the case of Raven Project, the majority of the coal if not all, will probably find its way to the Asian market, due to the nature of business that the joint venture partners are involved in. Itochu and LG are both International trading company's. Itochu's 2010 annual trading of energy metals and minerals accounted for US $35 billion. LG is Asia's largest coal trader.

After considering all this, it is my opinion, that Compliance Energy is not only a very attractive investment possibility, but also one of the best diversified company's. For anyone who finds Compliance Energy to be a company of interest, I would suggest doing your own due diligence. An excellent place to start would be the Compliance Energy website, which can be located at www.complianceenergy.com

For disclosure purposes I have not received any compensation of any kind for this post. I do own shares in Compliance Energy.

Property	Approximate Location	Size (Hectares)	Exploration Objectives/Targets

Graphite and Graphene - The backbone of Focus Metals

2011-07-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

Currently the world is experiencing a tremendous surge in the demand for graphite. This appears to not only be a trend that will be sustainable but seems that it will most certainly continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Of course, as with all things, the supply and demand factors play a huge part in the setting of prices.

Many people are asking why the seemingly sudden increase in graphite demand. This seems like a rather simple question to answer but in fact there are a variety of answers that collectively lead to the increase in demand. Definitely the fact that China has control over approximately 80% of the global supply of graphite at present, coupled with the fact that they have imposed limits on the amount of graphite they are prepared to export, has undoubtedly had a significant impact. It is also becoming realized that the amount of global supply has continually diminished. This played a large part in China's decision to ensure they retained enough graphite supply for their own domestic use as their economic growth continues at a record level. This growth, which is being witnessed in several areas of the world besides China, has led to an enormous need for steel. As more and more people are buying automobiles and building, the amount of steel required continues to grow. This affects graphite since a considerable amount of graphite is used in refractories. Natural graphite is used mostly in what are called refractory applications. Refractory applications are those that involve extremely high heat and therefore demand materials that will not melt or disintegrate under such extreme conditions. One example of this use is in the crucibles used in the steel industry. Such refractory applications account for the majority of the usage of graphite. It is also used to make brake linings, lubricants, and molds in foundries. A variety of other industrial uses account for the remaining graphite consumed each year.

As we can see there are a number of uses that graphite has in our world today. As technology advances, we are coming up with more and more ingenius applications. Take for instance the researchers from Rice University, who have used graphite to produce a "super-sand." This might not sound like a life-changing product, however, for many people it has the potential to be just that. So called super-sand is regular sand that has been coated with nanosheets of graphite. The point of all this, is to allow people to have access to safe drinking water, in areas where this is not something that is available currently. http://inhabitat.com/rice-university-uses-graphite-to-make-water-filtering-super-sand/. To think that one out of eight people does not have access to safe drinking water in today's world is difficult to fathom, especially for those of us who happen to take this luxury for granted.

Actually the list goes on, and I feel confident it will continue to grow as research continues to find ever-more applications for graphite. All of this truly leads us to the realization that graphite definitely seems poised to become the next product that will define the world. Steel had a similar effect, as did plastic, and now seems to be the perfect time for graphite to enter the world. I anticipate many new discoveries to come from graphite research.

The research of graphite has already led to the discovery of graphene, and this is almost beyond words, where this could take our lives and the world as we know them. The amount of research currently being conducted on graphene is virtually unlimited. There are few university, corporate, and government labs around the globe that are not researching some possible application for graphene. If we think that graphite is cause for excitement, graphene only magnifies this many fold. http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/graphene-the-miracle-material-explained-968797
This article is by Gary Marshall in Techradar.com, and as is stated near the end, that many of these potential uses are still in research mode as of yet. However, it was not that long ago that Nokia and Samsung started the research that has led to Nokia reporting, they expect to introduce a product based on this research of graphene. Andre Geim, one of the scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics just last year, is reported saying to Nature, "Nokia banks on graphene for future tech". This should help us to more clearly see that not only is graphene causing a huge stir in the global community, but is also starting to breakout of the research labs and into our lives. This will only continue and at an accelerated pace in my opinion.

This is an exciting time to be living in, what with all the limitless possibilities of graphite and graphene. What I find just as exciting is that there is access to this market through a company known as Focus Metals (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF). Focus Metals owns one of the worlds purest graphite deposits called Lac Knife. Lac Knife is situated in Quebec, Canada, which happens to be probably the most stable mining area in the world. The Lac Knife deposit has a proven history. Nearly developed in the early 2000’s in a joint venture between Graftech International and Ballard Power Systems, previous studies are being recast to NI 43-101 standards.
The Lac Knife property is unique in the world because of its cost-mitigating, high concentration (some 17% in pre-NI 43-101 terms) of large, medium and small flake graphite destined to meet rising global demand from both industrial and high technology end users.
A 17% carbon content means Focus Metals will have the most competitively priced technology graphite in the world.
extendable mine life. http://www.focusmetals.ca/global-operations/lac-knife
Early indications from our consultant preparing our 43-101 resource calculation are that we shall see no inconsistencies or variations from previous non-43-101 estimates that our property contains a 17% pure carbon content.
We recently filed those indications with the securities regulator.
With supplies continuing to become tighter globally, and forecasts that the demand will continue to grow in the coming years, it is not difficult to see almost unimaginable potential with Focus Metals. Another aspect that could potentially take Focus Metals, to a level that would be described as a global leader in this space, is the fact that they have announced a joint venture to develop, patents and secure global rights for applications of graphene technologies. http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/feb232011
The potential of this joint venture is something that could surpass many if not all expectations. Add to this that Focus Metals' treasury is flush with money at present. http://www.focusmetals.ca/news/press-releases/2011-2/may122011
Management has stated that several possible acquisitions are possible as the company strives to position themselves as a major in the graphite and graphene space.

As you can see there is more than ample reason to view Focus Metals as a desirable investment choice. For those who agree, I would suggest that you do your own due diligence, and an excellent place to start is the company's new website. If you have looked at this company in the past, I am sure you will be impressed with the newest addition to the company. The link for Focus Metals is http://www.focusmetals.ca/.

For disclosure purposes I have received no compensation of any kind for this post. I do own shares in Focus Metals.