Infinity Stone Ventures (CSE: GEMS)(OTC: GEMSF) CEO Zayn Kalyan on Derisking a Diversified Critical Metals Portfolio

Gerardo Del Real: This is Gerardo Del Real with Resource Stock Digest. Joining me today is the CEO of Infinity Stone Ventures, Mr. Zayn Kalyan. Zayn, how are you today?

Zayn Kalyan: I'm doing well. How about yourself?

Gerardo Del Real: I am well, thank you for asking.

Let's get right into it. You had a pretty robust news release this week that I wanted to get into here. You intersected 3.36% graphitic carbon over 101 meters, including 21.96% over 4.32 meters at the Rockstone Graphite Project.

I've said to you in the past that I really like the commodities that you're targeting and the commodity diversification in the portfolio. But, man, when you have a news release like this, it's hard not to focus specifically right now on Rockstone. Heck of a hit, heck of a news release, some awesome results. I'd love for you to provide the context to this.

Zayn Kalyan: Yeah, no, I think we're really happy with the results that we got there. I think we're in the right place, obviously. I think the grade stands out amongst other graphite deposits and graphite projects in Quebec and Ontario. I think it really is a good in indication that we're on something there and we want to continue to develop the project and build more value.

I think the gold mineralization that we hit in the second hole was also pretty interesting. I think we weren't expecting that. It's hard enough to hit gold when you're looking for it, I think as we talked about last week. But when you hit it when you're drilling blind and we were looking for graphite and we hit gold, we're going to take that. I think it could indicate that we're in the similar mineralization to some other significant gold discoveries that exist in the region and nearby, including the Hemlo deposit.

Overall, I think we're going to continue to build on Rockstone. I think the market really hasn't seen the value of graphite yet. I think everyone's very focused on lithium and I know that a lot of our shareholders and a lot of the people watching Infinity Stone would much prefer to hear about hitting significant mineralization at the Hellcat Camaro project next to Patriot Battery Metals, especially with how Patriot's been performing in the market over the past, call it, week and a half. 

But at the same time, I think all of this is just good indication that we're in the right spot and we're going to get on the Patriot property as soon as we possibly can. We know lithium is what everyone wants to hear, it's the product that the market wants. We understand that Patriot has hit a really significant discovery and we definitely want to deliver that. We want to be in that. We want to find mineralization on the Hellcat Camaro, as well. As soon as we can get on that property and end of March, early April, we'll be up there and we'll be doing an extensive work program. We're going to be finding geophysics there sooner.

But just focusing on the graphite, I think that really is what everyone should be focused on. It's a great project, great grade, lots of opportunity. You can see that Nouveau Monde, which is probably one of the most developed graphite companies in Quebec or in Canada, for that matter, has signed an agreement with Panasonic, which supplies Tesla. 

I think a lot of people are going to start to see that graphite is just as critical as lithium in these batteries and there's not a lot of natural graphite supply. It's going to become a critical piece of the equation and it'll be reflected in the price of graphite and hopefully it'll be reflected in the price of our stock as we continue to develop the project and build more value.

Gerardo Del Real: You mentioned your lithium project, which I agree, look, most shareholders and subscribers and readers of our base always reach out and ask about that. But it's got to feel good to be able to deliver this in the meantime, if that's how shareholders are looking at it?

Zayn Kalyan: 100%. I think we're de-risking the opportunity. You're getting the opportunity to invest in a company that has property adjacent to Patriot. We're one of the largest project packages adjacent to Patriot. We're located a kilometer and a half from some of the higher testing pegmatites that they have and drilling results that they've had.

Yeah, if you take that step back, you're getting the opportunity to invest in the potential upside that exists there. But at the same time, you're backstopped by a great graphite project that has great upside. We really, truly do believe that graphite is going to be the next lithium in terms of market potential and how that's going to manifest itself in the price of graphite in the market.

Gerardo Del Real: You mentioned Quebec, and I have to say Quebec is emerging as I've heard it described as the new Saudi Arabia of Lithium. I know that you are a deal maker, Zayn. Are you looking at other projects in the region or elsewhere?

Zayn Kalyan: Well, what I'd say is that on my desk right now, there's some opportunity to expand our Patriot project. I would probably say that we're looking at that quite critically and obviously there's a lot of opportunity in that region. Quebec, I think, is a great place to operate. Ontario, equally great spot to be in. You're seeing that Canadian government is really pushing.

I actually got an Instagram ad, funny enough, from Justin Trudeau yesterday or two days ago. It's a Justin Trudeau Instagram ad talking about the potential of battery metals projects in Canada, in Quebec and Ontario.

That starts with battery metals projects like what we're doing with the Rockstone graphite and the Camaro Hellcat next to Patriot. But that extends all the way through the value chain, all the way up to manufacturing of the electric vehicles in southern Ontario.

So Canada really is well-positioned and I've said it again, I've written lots of articles that are being published all over the internet now, just about the opportunity that exists in Canada to really be a key player in the battery metals and EV transition, what I call the energy transition and the electrification of not only transportation, but also energy generation in the grid.

Gerardo Del Real: No, listen, great work, great results. Looking forward to a very busy 2023. You've been absolutely great about getting out news releases, keeping busy, de-risking the projects. It's great to get these types of results and looking forward to what the rest of the year holds.

Anything to add to that, Zayn?

Zayn Kalyan: No, I think we hit it all and really appreciate the time today. Looking forward to continuing to keep the market updated over the next couple weeks. Always got a lot going on in the pipeline, we're working hard and we hope that shareholders will see that value and we always are looking to bring new shareholders into the fold.

Gerardo Del Real: Good stuff. Appreciate the time, as always. Take care out there.

Zayn Kalyan: Thanks, Gerardo.