Investors in Precious Metals

Sprott is a global asset manager providing investors with access to highly-differentiated precious metals and real assets investment strategies. It invests and holds all of its assets in physical gold and silver bullion and seeks to provide a secure, convenient, and exchange-traded investment alternative for investors interested in holding physical bullion without the inconvenience that is typical of direct investment.

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Limited offers security brokerage services. The company provides market research and equity sales and trading, analysis, and financing services. Additionally, it offers tax, insurance, pension consulting, and online dealing services. Canaccord Genuity Wealth Limited was formerly known as Collins Stewart Wealth Management Limited and changed its name to Canaccord Genuity Wealth Limited in April 2013. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in London, United Kingdom. Canaccord Genuity Wealth Limited operates as a subsidiary of Canaccord Genuity Wealth Group Limited

Founded in 1985, Gen Cap America (GCA) is a private investment firm headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. GCA specializes in acquisitions and recapitalizations of middle market businesses. GCA is actively investing Southvest Fund VI, L.P., a $165 million fund which began making investments in May 2010. Investment candidates usually have revenues between $5 and $100 million and most are privately held businesses or subsidiaries and divisions of larger corporations. Investments are made in established businesses with demonstrated operating histories and quality management teams. GCA is a partner with management teams who wish to invest in their companies by becoming part of the buying group. Recapitalizations are also structured for business owners who desire immediate liquidity yet wish to participate in the growth of their business by maintaining operating control.

SIDEX is a private equity, venture capital, and venture debt firm specializing in investments in seed/start-ups, early venture companies and growth capital investments. It also specializes in PIPE transactions. It seeks to invest in mineral exploration and mining industry projects and companies. The firm prefers to invest in companies based in Quebec and may invest in companies headquartered outside Quebec so long as the full amount of its investment is expended in Quebec. It may consider investments in gold projects in Abitibi. It invests between CAD $0.1 million ($0.07 million) and CAD $1.5 million ($1.13 million) in companies with enterprise value between CAD $1 million ($0.75 million) and CAD $200 million ($151.04 million). The firm prefers to invest up to 10 percent in a company's equity but can also invest beyond ten percent. The firm makes balance sheet investments. Its investments take the form of common shares. SIDEX was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada with an additional office in Rouyn-Noranda, Canada.

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is a development capital fund that calls upon the solidarity and savings of Quebecers to help create and maintain jobs in Québec by investing in small and medium-sized businesses. Its mission also involves offering its shareholders a fair return. No other institution has stricken such a balance, which indeed, is a fundamental principle of a labour-sponsored investment fund. Since its inception in June 1983, the Fund, whose net assets is $9.3 billion as at May 31, 2013, has become a hub of knowledge, resources and contacts for Québec companies and a key player in the Québec economy.

MASSACHUSETTS CAPITAL RESOURCE COMPANY was established in 1977 as a limited partnership privately owned and funded by Massachusetts-based life insurance companies. The Company’s mission was to create a source of risk capital to fill the senior debt to equity funding “gap” experienced by growing companies. Their investment activity complements, rather than competes with, the financing provided by senior lenders and equity investors. Mass. Capital provides higher risk growth and acquisition capital to manufacturing, distribution, service and technology companies. They focus on emerging growth and middle market companies with operations in Massachusetts. Their investments are structured to fit the specific needs of portfolio companies and to complement funding available from senior lenders and equity investors.

Macquarie Group is an independent asset management institution and investment bank that manages specialist funds, owning assets in infrastructure, real estate, private equity and development capital. It is based in Sydney, Australia and was founded in 1969.

BMO Mezzanine Fund is a private equity arm of BMO Capital Markets Corp. specializing in mezzanine debt investments in support of middle market leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth financings, corporate lending, loan syndications, corporate broking. It also considers the structuring alternatives, including deferred interest, equity co-investments, and warrants. The firm seeks to make subordinated debt investments between $4 million and $15 million and also underwrites and distributes subordinated debt in larger transactions. It may act as a lead or as the sole investor in the transaction. BMO Mezzanine Fund is based in Toronto, Canada.

Umicore S.A. operates as a materials technology and recycling company worldwide. Its Catalysis segment produces automotive catalysts for gasoline and diesel light and heavy duty vehicles; stationary catalysis for industrial emissions control; and precious metals-based compounds and catalysts for pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries. The company’s Energy & Surface Technologies segment offers cobalt and specialty materials, electro-optic materials, rechargeable battery materials, and thin film products, as well as electroplating products. Its Recycling segment treats waste streams containing precious and other specialty metals from a range of industrial residues and end-of-life materials. This segment also produces precious metals-based materials for glass production, electric, and electronic applications. The company was formerly known as Union Minière du Haut Katanga and changed its name to Umicore S.A. in 2001. Umicore S.A. was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

Founded in 1992, Advantage Capital Partners is a venture capital firm specialised in equity and debt investments. The firm has worked with state and federal economic organisations to invest in small businesses and in low income areas.