NA Proactive news snapshot: Chemistree, Aequus, Ceylon Graphite, Para Resources UPDATE …

Chemistree Technology Inc (CSE:CHM) (OTCMKST:CHMJF) will unveil for shareholders and potential investors a virtual reality tour of its state-of-the-art Washington State cannabis-cultivation facility. In a statement, President Karl Kottmeir said the cannabis investment company will make the unveiling at the Lift & Co Cannabis Expo 2020 in Vancouver “to illustrate first hand what we do, and how we do it.” The expo runs Friday through Saturday. The entire tour was filmed using Method Seven filters on a Go Max 360 Camera and captures every essence of the company’s grow room at its 5,000-square-foot Sugarleaf Farm facility in Sedro-Woolley. Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc (CVE:AQS) (OCTMKTS:AQSZF) announced Friday that it has advanced the filings for provincial reimbursement in Quebec and British Columbia for its flagship glaucoma-treatment product Vistitan. If successful, the company noted that the additional coverage would advance sales in the second and third largest markets in Canada and would trigger an increase in the percentage of total revenue that Aequus receives from its partner. Meanwhile, investors cheered the news, sending Aequss shares up 10% to US$0.07 in morning trading on the OTC markets in New York. Aequus has been consistently growing market share of Vistitan in Ontario and Alberta and is continuing its expansion of access for Canadian patients in both British Columbia and Quebec. Ceylon Graphite Corp (CVE:CYL) (OTCMKTS:CYLYF) said it has closed the second tranche of its earlier announced non-brokered private placement. On December 6, it issued 2,500,000 units at $0.08 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $200,000, which combined with the first tranche that closed on October 17, brings the proceeds to $1,000,000. Each unit consists of one share and one warrant with each warrant entitling the holder to a share at $0.15 per share for a period of two years from closing date. Ceylon intends to use the proceeds as general working capital. Para Resources Inc (CVE:PBR) (OTCMKTS:PRSRF) is poised to acquire Operadora Mineras S.A.S. (Operadora) for US$5.5 million in cash, which adds to its asset portfolio in Colombia and includes an operating gold mine and plant. Its subsidiary Colombia Milling Ltd has struck a binding letter of intent with Mineros S.A. to acquire 100% of the shares of Operadora. The latter includes the El Bagre operation, which includes the La Ye and Los Mangos operating underground gold mines, and the Cordero gold project located in the municipality of Zaragoza, Antioquia. "The purchase creates a significant contiguous concession package in Colombia, including our Zara concessions and El Limon projects," said Geoff Hampson, chief executive. "In addition to an operating gold mine and plant, the purchase will incorporate a veteran team of operators, engineers, and geologists, and exploration equipment that creates an important center of gravity for the exploration and development of all our assets in Colombia." NexTech AR Solutions Corp (CSE:NTAR)  (OTCMKTS:NEXCF) CEO Evan Gappelberg calls Mastercard's new augmented reality (AR) credit card app “ridiculously fun.” He told Proactive: “I’m definitely getting one of these AR credit cards, how about you?” Gappelberg, for his part, knows a thing or two about fun AR. NexTech has worked with companies to highlight their products in unique ways, including working with Budweiser to bring a limited edition beer can to life with interactive designs. The Mastercard app, coming to iPhones in the second quarter of 2020, creates a photorealistic 360-degree virtual environment that users will see as they scan their phones around them. South African gold producer DRDGOLD Limited (JSE:DRD) (NYSE:DRD) said Friday that it was on track to produce the higher end of its guidance of 190,000 ounces for the full year to end June as it also revealed that mining major Sibanye-Stillwater had exercised an option to acquire a further 12% of the group, giving it a total stake of 50.1%. In a statement, DRDGOLD said it had generated over three tonnes of gold (3,037kg) from its Ergo and Far West Gold Recoveries (FWGR) operations in the six months to the end of 2019. This is a 33% increase on the 2,280 kg it produced for the six months to the end of 2018 mainly due to the increased contribution by the tailings project, Far West Gold Recoveries, it said. Seelos Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SEEL) announced promising interim data from a Phase 1 study of its ketamine-based depression treatment.  The study showed 60 milligrams of Intranasal Racemic Ketamine, known as SLS-002, to be safe and well-tolerated when administered as a monotherapy or in combination with an oral antidepressant. Capstone Turbine Corporation (NASDAQ:CPST), the maker of clean-energy microturbines, hailed the federal tax credit reinstated in 2020 for microturbines fueled by renewable energy sources. The 30% federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) for biomass and landfill gas facilities has been retroactively extended to the end of 2020. Customers can claim an investment tax credit (ITC) of 30% in lieu of the Production Tax Credit. Orgenesis Inc (NASDAQ:ORGS), a developer of advanced cell therapies, said Friday that it has added the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to its point-of-care network. In a statement, the Germantown, Maryland-based company, said that under the terms of the agreement, UC Davis Health will utilize Orgenesis’ point-of-care platform to develop, commercialize and supply cell and gene products and therapies. American Manganese Inc (CVE:AMY) (OTCMKTS:AMYZF), which is developing a breakthrough lithium-ion battery recycling process, is moving towards realizing a 3 tonne-per-day (tpd) plant to show its commercial potential. On Friday, the group also said it was in a "solid financial position" as it outlined immediate goals, as it raised $731,720 from a warrant exercise. The firm said it had met with contractor Kemetco Research and requested a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) and design proposal for the demonstration plant. "The AMY process is being recognized by major government labs, and key private sector players in the EV Battery markets, even as we continue to build our IP portfolio via the patent process. All of this creates momentum as we move toward a 3 tonne per day processing plant that will demonstrate the commercial potential of our process," said  Larry Reaugh, chief executive at American Manganese. Blackrock Gold Corp (CVE:BRC) is eager to search for bonanza gold grades at its Silver Cloud project in Nevada, USA, it said Friday, as the company announced a non-brokered placing to raise up to C$1.5 million. On Monday this week, the group posted its latest drill results, which confirmed an epithermal vein system heading in an east-west direction.  VolitionRx Limited (NYSEAMERICAN:VNRX) announced Friday that its subsidiary Belgian Volition SPRL has closed on its acquisition of epigenetic reagent company Octamer GmbH for $725,000 (€650,000) in cash and stock. The company said the strategic acquisition helps secure the supply of one of the key components of its Nu.Q tests, the recombinant nucleosome used as the calibrant. The tests screen for colorectal and prostate cancers. Volition also announced the receipt of additional non-dilutive funding in the form of a $550,000 (€500,000) unsecured loan from Namur Invest to assist with the Octamer acquisition. This takes the total non-dilutive funding provided by the Namur Regional Government in Belgium and associated agencies to over $7 million (€6.3 million) to-date Matinas BioPharma Holdings Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:MTNB) is moving forward with a public offering of more than 32.2 million shares at a price of $1.55 per share. The move is expected to generate proceeds of roughly $50 million before deducting commissions and underwriting discounts. The deal is expected to close by January 14, although Matinas has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an additional 4.8 million shares. The company plans to use the proceeds from the offering to further develop its hypertriglyceridemia treatment MAT9001 and other product candidates, among other things.