Almaden Minerals (NYSEMKT:AAU) is a prospect generator focused on gold and silver assets, and its Ixtaca Project in Mexico in particular. Prospect generators come in many different forms, but they are all guided by the philosophy that finding and defining a mineral resource requires a different skill-set from developing and operating a mine. Consequently they decide to focus on the former, and they generate value from their properties by selling them to companies focused on developing and operating mines. In exchange prospect generators receive cash, or sometimes something that allows them to retain some interest in the project without laying out additional capital such as stock in the company or a royalty on the mine.