Brent Cook met Paul van Eeden in 1997 when they both worked with Rick Rule at Global Resource Investments (now Sprott USA). In 2003 Paul started writing a newsletter focused on gold, macroeconomic trends, and the junior mining space. In January 2008, Paul recognized the severity of stresses on the US banking sector and foresaw the stock market crash. He sold everything he could, including his newsletter.

Brent had been contributing to his letter with exploration commentary for a few years while executing his consulting jobs for major mining companies and a few funds. In March 2008, he took over Paul’s letter and subscriber base right when the Global Financial Crisis was in full swing. Later in 2008, Brent rebranded the letter Exploration Insights (EI) and began focusing on the junior exploration space to provide not just stock picks, but also context and a nuanced view of the exploration business that would help subscribers in their due diligence. The website was structured such that subscribers could research back to any company or topic that was ever discussed in the letter. Every good, bad, or dumb investment made is still here, as well as some brilliant rants.

While touring mining projects on analyst trips, Brent and I got to know each other. After many conversations, Brent convinced me of the advantages of being independent, which included the ability to state (write) my assessment of projects and companies exactly how I see them, and I decided to join Exploration Insights. I published my first piece— “Going where the reward exceeds risk”— in the December 6, 2015 letter (Issue No. 353), and from then on, I turned into an established contributor to the newsletter and stock picks.

In 2017, I became the majority owner and publisher of the EI Newsletter, and Brent transitioned into the role of senior advisor. Today, the content of the letter, stock picks, and opinions are exclusively about what I am buying or selling in the (mostly) junior mining sector. I am constantly reviewing new opportunities and evaluating the current portfolio, which involves numerous phone calls, meetings, and travels to project sites and conferences. My objective is to arrive at well-reasoned investment conclusions that result in a well-rounded and well-researched product. I am only compensated for subscriptions, the return on my investments, and the occasional consulting service. 

Thanks for your interest in the EI story, and if you would like to dig deeper, join the hundreds of subscribers that benefit from my insights on a weekly basis by subscribing now. 

Best,

Joe