33 OCTOBER 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® In Memoriam Ronald Joseph “Ron” Mask (1958~2026) Born in 1958, Ronald Joseph “Ron” Mask of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, passed away surrounded by his family on July 31, 2026. The International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) joined the Mask family in honoring Ron’s more than 40 years of dedicated service to ISEE. Delivering vibration and noise monitoring solutions, Ron worked for Instantel for over 36 years before moving on to be Director of Global Business Development at Sigicom. Ron loved people and always did his best to help others and make their day great. He enjoyed hunting, travelling the world, and spending time at the Mask cabin with family and friends. Ron is survived by his wife Laurie; sons Michael (Shannon), David (Shannon), and Jonathon (Jade); his mother Sally; siblings Delmer, Dale, Brenda (Allan), and Sandy; and grandchildren Lily, Cole, Kylie, Heidi, Wesley, and baby Thomas. Keeping with Ron’s lifelong commitment to the explosives industry, the Mask family respectfully requested that memorial donations be made to the SEE Education Foundation. The management and staff of WWDR extend their sincere sympathies to Ron’s family, friends, and former colleagues. Lest we forget . . . Exploration Agreement for Howells Lake Adapted from Information by Critical One Energy Inc. Critical One Energy Inc. announced the signing of a significant exploration agreement with Eabametoong First Nation (EFN) and the commencement of the first phase of drilling for the Howells Lake Project in Ontario, Canada. The agreement with EFN establishes a framework for responsible exploration and potential development of the Howells Lake Project, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with indigenous communities. The company values transparency and respect for traditional Indigenous knowledge and ways of life, alongside meaningful economic opportunities for EFN members. With the agreement in place, crews were mobilized and commenced Phase I diamond drilling at the Howells Lake Project. The initial program is to test high-priority targets, confirm and expand upon historical antimony and gold intersections, while gathering essential data to support future development efforts. “Eabametoong First Nation has been considering the proposed work at Howells Lake, and through recognition of EFN engagement protocols and the rights and interests of membership to partner in the design and conduct of activities in EFN territory, this project represents an important step forward in corporate and First Nation relationships. As our families intensively use and harvest throughout the Howells and surrounding areas, so we had to develop new and innovative environmental measures as well as a strong role in deciding where and when activities may occur, including community environmental monitors to participate on-site in any activity,” said Chief Solomon Atlookan. “It has been a positive and respectful dialogue with Duane Parnham and his team to establish this phased agreement that will ensure our community is involved in guiding the Howells Lake Project over time and will also share in benefits from any work on our land. We are finding ways for this project to enable members to get out on the land together and make it easier to harvest and enjoy our territory and way of life, which is a major change from the harmful legacy of other exploration companies. Partnering with Eabametoong is the way forward,” Chief Solomon Atlookan continued. Duane Parnham, Founder, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Critical One said, “We are thrilled to formalize our relationship with Eabametoong First Nation and to kick off drilling at Howells Lake. This milestone reflects our dedication to responsible exploration in collaboration with Indigenous partners while advancing a project of strategic importance for critical minerals like antimony, which is essential for defense, technology, and clean energy applications. Phase I drilling marks the beginning of an exciting phase for the company, and we look forward to sharing results as they become available.” The Howells Lake Project represents one of Canada's largest known undeveloped antimony systems, with a historical resource of 1.7 million tons of 1.4% antimony with associated gold mineralization. The project spans a substantial land package of approximately 6200 acres across a roughly 18-mile strike in a proven greenstone belt, positioning it as a key asset in addressing North America's growing demand for critical minerals amid supply chain constraints and elevated antimony prices.
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