Natural Hydrogen Corridor Takes Shape as Max Power Mining Lands Municipal Partner and Adjacent Rival Doubles Down

Max Power Mining leads the Genesis Trend as land grabs, a Moose Jaw partnership, and Eric Sprott's investment push stock to 52-week high of €1.65.

A scramble is under way in southern Saskatchewan, where the race to stake claims on natural hydrogen deposits is drawing in everyone from billionaire investors to small-town city councils. At the centre of it all sits Max Power Mining, the largest landholder in the emerging Genesis Trend, whose stock has rocketed more than 300 percent since the start of the year.

The latest catalyst comes from a direct neighbour. Makenita Resources has more than doubled its acreage to over 51,000 acres adjacent to Max Power’s project boundary, signalling that the industry sees genuine potential in the iron-rich rock formations that can produce natural hydrogen. The move helped push Max Power’s stock 12 percent higher on the day to a new 52-week high of EUR 1.65, extending a year-to-date gain that now stands at an eye-popping 324 percent.

That land grab followed hard on the heels of a formal partnership with the city of Moose Jaw. The municipal council approved a memorandum of understanding back in April, and the two parties signed it this week. They will jointly identify business opportunities around naturally occurring hydrogen gas, leveraging the project’s location within the industrial corridor that links Regina and Moose Jaw – an area with heavy demand for clean energy. Mayor James Murdock sees hydrogen as a tool to strengthen local industry and attract research partners, while CEO Ran Narayanasamy described the corridor as a strategic hub for Canada.

Financial backing for the push comes from a familiar name in the resource space. Eric Sprott recently acquired another 1 million shares at an average price of C$2.02 per share, lifting his stake to just under 13 percent of the outstanding float. His vote of confidence reinforces the narrative that Max Power is transitioning from explorer to potential developer.

On the technical front, the company is eyeing a confirmation drill at the Lawson structure in mid-2026. That programme is designed to demonstrate commercial flow rates and will be guided by Calgary-based energy consultancy GLJ, which is modelling the geology after spring seismic data revealed a continuous structure spanning roughly 14 square kilometres. GLJ will also assess commercial viability and optimise the drilling campaign.

There is a secondary prize as well. Helium concentrations on the Bracken field averaged 4.4 percent, with peak readings of 8.7 percent, making it a potentially lucrative by-product alongside hydrogen. The broader Genesis Trend runs for 475 kilometres, and Max Power already controls over 1.3 million acres of permitted land, with applications pending on another 5.7 million.

The company’s war chest is well stocked. It raised approximately C$20.5 million at the end of March to fund upcoming work at Lawson and Bracken. And at the start of May, the management team was strengthened by the arrival of Tony Van Burgsteden as chief financial officer, a former finance head at uranium producer Orano Canada. His experience in the mining sector is expected to prove valuable as Max Power moves towards commercial evaluation of its hydrogen platform.