B2i Digital, Inc. has named Hayasa Metals Inc. (OTCQB: HAYAF | TSXV: HAY) as its newest Featured Company, a move that could raise the profile of a junior explorer holding copper and gold assets in a country most US investors have never considered. The announcement, carried by NEWMEDIAWIRE, comes as Hayasa advances multiple projects in Armenia, including one backed by a major mining company.
Why this matters: Armenia exports a mix of copper, molybdenum, and gold that accounts for roughly 30% of its total exports, according to B2i Digital CEO David Shapiro. Yet the country remains largely off the radar for North American investors. Hayasa, which has operated in Armenia since 2021, offers exposure to a mineral-rich region at a time when global demand for copper—a key component in electrification and renewable energy infrastructure—is surging. The company’s inclusion in B2i Digital’s featured lineup aims to bridge that information gap by introducing Hayasa to a network of retail and institutional market participants.
The centerpiece of Hayasa’s story is a term sheet signed September 17, 2026, with an unnamed major mining company that will sole-fund a two-year copper exploration alliance in southern Armenia. Under the agreement, after spending US$1 million in the alliance area, the partner can earn 51% of any project by funding an additional US$1 million over two years, and up to 70% with a further US$3 million over three years. Hayasa would remain the operator. A definitive agreement is expected before year-end. The structure is significant because it validates the geological potential of the region while limiting Hayasa’s capital outlay—a critical advantage for a junior explorer.
Separately, Hayasa holds 100% of the Urasar copper-gold project in northern Armenia, a 15-kilometer mineralized corridor. In 2025, Franco-Nevada and EMX Royalty paid US$1 million for a 1.25% royalty on the project, providing third-party validation. Drill hole UDD-021 returned 39 meters of 0.50% copper and 0.18 grams per tonne gold from 11 meters, and two deeper holes totaling 1,070 meters have assays pending. The company is also seeking a new partner for its 93-square-kilometer Vardenis project in central Armenia, and it has three additional exploration licenses in application, with approval expected in the first quarter of 2027.
“Most US investors have never looked at Armenia, and some, myself included, may have to pull out a map to find this critical country,” Shapiro said. “When a major is willing to pay the bills, we think it’s time for our investors to hear Hayasa’s story.”
Hayasa’s leadership team brings relevant experience. President and Chairman Dennis Moore, a geologist with over 40 years in the field, discovered the 2-million-ounce Tocantinzinho gold mine and the Cuiú Cuiú gold deposit. CEO Joel Sutherland, a CPA, CA, CFA, spent two decades in capital markets, including 12 years on Wall Street selling Canadian stocks to US institutions such as Fidelity and Wellington. The board includes Derek White, former President and CEO of KGHM International, and Randall Chatwin, Senior Vice President at B2Gold.
“The stream sediment and soil sampling in the alliance area is nearly done, ahead of schedule; assays from our deeper holes at Urasar are on the way, and three new licenses are in application,” Sutherland said. “We want US investors to know the name.”
B2i Digital will feature Hayasa through its platform, which connects companies with a media network spanning over 1,200 outlets and a combined monthly audience of more than 330 million. The full Featured Company profile is available at https://b2idigital.com/hayasa-metals-inc-1, and more information about B2i Digital can be found at b2idigital.com.
For Hayasa, the featured status could improve liquidity and broaden its shareholder base, but the real test will be the pending drill assays and the finalization of the alliance agreement. With copper demand forecast to outstrip supply in the coming years, a junior with a major partner and multiple irons in the fire may find a more receptive audience than ever before.
