Inventus Announces Leadership Transition and Provides Pardo Operations Update

The February 17, 2026, news release announces a leadership transition and provides an operational update on the Pardo Project. Wesley Whymark, previously the President and Head of Exploration, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Stefan Spears, the outgoing CEO, will remain on the Board of Directors. Operationally, the company confirmed that processing of the 5,000-tonne Trench 1 bulk sample at McEwen Inc.’s Stock Mill is approximately 50% complete (2,500 tonnes processed), with results currently pending. Extraction of an additional 10,000-tonne bulk sample at Trench 1 North is reported as on time and on budget. Furthermore, Phase 2 drilling has completed 63 holes to date, with all assays pending.

The impact of this news is Routine - Neutral. While leadership transitions can sometimes signal internal friction, this appears to be a logical succession, moving the lead technical figure (Whymark) into the CEO role as the project shifts from pure exploration to advanced bulk sampling and resource definition. - Leadership: The transition is non-material in the short term as Whymark was already a key face of the company and the primary technical driver. - Operations: The update is "in-line" with previously stated goals. The 50% processing milestone is a progress marker, but the "material" news will be the actual grade reconciliation and recovery figures once the full 5,000 tonnes are processed. - Contextual Progress: Looking at the historical news, the company has successfully progressed from Phase 1 drilling (Nov 2024) to consistent bulk sampling in 2025 and 2026. However, the stock price has recently retreated from its January 2026 high of $0.37 to $0.28, suggesting the market is in a "wait and see" mode for the pending assays and bulk sample reconciliations.

Inventus Mining Corp. is focused on the Pardo Gold Project, located 65 km northeast of Sudbury, Ontario. Pardo is a "paleoplacer" deposit, which management compares to the Witwatersrand in South Africa, characterized by gold-bearing conglomerate reefs. - Flagship Project: Pardo Gold Project (100% owned). - Status: Advanced exploration/bulk sampling. The project is currently being de-risked through large-scale bulk samples (up to 50,000 tonnes permitted) to overcome the nugget effect common in placer deposits. - Strategy: Utilizing nearby existing infrastructure (McEwen’s Stock Mill) to minimize capital expenditure while generating potential operational cash flow from bulk samples.