Each week our High Voltage column wraps all the news driving ASX battery metals stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese and vanadium.

Scroll down for a table showing the recent performance of 200 ASX battery metal stocks

Industry focus

An anticipated surge in EV demand has triggered an 82 per cent increase in global exploration budgets for cobalt and lithium in 2018, according to a report from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Cobalt and lithium exploration budgets are now up 500 per cent from 2015 levels.

Just as well, because Volkswagen Group — which owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda and Volkswagen — is going to spend more than $68.5 billion in the coming five years on EVs, autonomous driving, new mobility services and digitalisation.

The Group made revenues of almost $360 billion selling 10.7 million cars in 2017, so this is clearly a watershed moment for the entire battery supply chain.

It previously announced plans to ramp up to 1 million EVs per year by 2025 – but the announcements last week really set the wheels in motion.

At the moment, these plans appear far more  bullish — and coherent — than those of fellow leading automakers.

Volkswagen reckons it will need battery capacity in excess of 150GWh per year through to 2025 just to equip its own electric fleet.

That’s equal to the annual battery cell capacity of more than four Tesla Gigafactories.

Separately, the German government announced a $1.71 billion investment to support its own lithium-ion battery industry, as it looks to catch up with EV and battery cell front-runner China.

Germany is a car-making behemoth, employing about 820,200 people and generating revenues of $665 billion in 2017.

Its Government wants Europe to supply 30 per cent of global battery cell production by 2030 to reduce dependence on Asian EV battery suppliers, according to Reuters.

Speaking of Asian battery suppliers – Analysts at Roskill report that automotive parts giant Wanxiang Group is planning a $13.6 billion gigafactory to produce 80 GWh of EV batteries each year.

Benchmark Minerals Intelligence now counts 52 large lithium-ion battery factories either planned, under construction, or in operation.

Small cap spotlight

Investor confidence in the small cap space took a wallop last week. Of the 200 battery metals stocks on our list, about 102 lost ground, 45 were ahead and 45 were steady.

Of the winners, lithium focussed explorer Hannans (ASX:HNR) was up 40 per cent to 1.4c for the week, while fellow lithium player Lake Resources (ASX:LKE) jumped over 27 per cent to 12.5c.

Marquee Resources took off on news of a deal to supply cobalt from its Canadian project to a big Chinese battery cathode maker.

The junior explorer (ASX:MQR) revealed it had signed a non-binding agreement with Zhejiang Meidu Haichuang Lithium Battery Technology.

Shares shot up over 62 per cent to an intra-day high of 12.5c on the news, before cooling to finish the week 15 per cent up to 9.1c.

Perhaps it reflected  general market sentiment, but even the well-publicised “official opening” of Pilbara Minerals’ (ASX:PLS) Pilgangoora mine – and fresh commitment to bullish expansion plans – resulted in a paltry 1.7 per cent share price increase to 85c.

Here’s a table of ASX battery metal stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese and vanadium:

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop

ASX code Company One-week price change One-year price change Price Nov 19 (intraday) Market Cap
BOA BOADICEA RESOURC 0.7 0.214285714286 0.17 7.9M
HNR HANNANS 0.4 -0.263157894737 0.014 25.8M
LKE LAKE RESOURCES 0.275510204082 -0.342105263158 0.125 46.8M
SI6 SIX SIGMA METALS 0.25 -0.722222222222 0.005 2.3M
MRR MINREX RESOURCES 0.25 -0.833333333333 0.03 2.9M
CUL CULLEN RES 0.227272727273 -0.181818181818 0.027 3.0M
DHR DARK HORSE RESOU 0.2 -0.454545454545 0.006 11.9M
RTR RUMBLE RESOURCES 0.177777777778 -0.302631578947 0.053 18.9M
SXX SOUTHERN CROSS 0.166666666667 -0.3 0.007 7.5M
CZN CORAZON MINING L 0.166666666667 -0.65 0.007 8.9M
ORE OROCOBRE 0.155963302752 -0.127423822715 5.04 1.2B
MQR MARQUEE RESOURCE 0.151898734177 -0.636 0.091 3.9M
RMX RED MOUNTAIN MIN 0.142857142857 -0.6 0.008 5.4M
DTM DART MINING NL 0.142857142857 -0.111111111111 0.008 6.9M
RDS REDSTONE RESOURC 0.125 0.384615384615 0.018 7.9M
INF INFINITY LITHIUM 0.112676056338 -0.561111111111 0.079 14.8M
TKM TREK METALS 0.0909090909091 -0.636363636364 0.012 3.7M
LTR LIONTOWN RESOURC 0.0909090909091 -0.04 0.024 25.9M
ZNC ZENITH MINERALS 0.0759493670886 -0.346153846154 0.085 18.1M
DGR DGR GLOBAL 0.0740740740741 0.45 0.145 85.8M
MEI METEORIC RESOURC 0.0714285714286 -0.776119402985 0.015 10.3M
HMX HAMMER METALS 0.0714285714286 -0.142857142857 0.03 8.3M
CZI CASSINI RESOURCE 0.0705882352941 0.213333333333 0.091 31.8M
BMT BERKUT MINERALS 0.0666666666667 -0.771428571429 0.08 4.3M
CRL COMET RESOURCES 0.0625 -0.6 0.034 7.0M
MCT METALICITY 0.0588235294118 -0.55 0.018 12.0M
CXO CORE LITHIUM 0.0566037735849 -0.253333333333 0.056 33.6M
RNU RENASCOR RESOURC 0.0555555555556 -0.366666666667 0.019 17.3M
ARE ARGONAUT RESOURC 0.0555555555556 -0.269230769231 0.019 29.5M
BSM BASS METALS 0.0526315789474 0 0.02 47.8M
AEE AURA ENERGY 0.0526315789474 -0.166666666667 0.02 22.5M
AGY ARGOSY MINERALS 0.0454545454545 0.0454545454545 0.23 221.6M
BEM BLACKEARTH MINER 0.0421052631579 0 0.099 6.0M
KOR KORAB RESOURCES 0.0384615384615 -0.15625 0.027 8.3M
AML AEON METALS 0.037037037037 0.191489361702 0.28 152.7M
OMH OM HLDGS 0.0323741007194 1.89898989899 1.435 1.0B
MNS MAGNIS ENERGY TE 0.0307692307692 -0.302083333333 0.335 213.9M
JRV JERVOIS MINING 0.0285714285714 -0.666666666667 0.18 39.1M
E25 ELEMENT 25 0.0277777777778 -0.350877192982 0.185 15.0M
AVZ AVZ MINERALS 0.0243902439024 -0.664 0.084 153.0M
KRC KING RIVER COPPE 0.0227272727273 2 0.045 53.3M
GPX GRAPHEX MINING L 0.0222222222222 -0.19298245614 0.23 17.3M
PLS PILBARA MINERALS 0.0179640718563 -0.0810810810811 0.85 1.5B
BAU BAUXITE RESOURCE 0.0178571428571 -0.313253012048 0.057 12.2M
TRT TODD RIVER RESOU 0.0121951219512 -0.565445026178 0.083 7.8M
ZEU ZEUS RESOURCES L 0 -0.277777777778 0.013 2.3M
VRC VOLT RESOURCES L 0 -0.0833333333333 0.022 32.0M
VML VITAL METALS 0 0 0.007 12.2M
TON TRITON MINERALS 0 -0.385714285714 0.043 40.8M
SUH SOUTHERN HEMISPH 0 -0.688235294118 0.053 4.6M
SEI SPECIALITY METAL 0 0 0.013 7.8M
RLC REEDY LAGOON 0 -0.857142857143 0.007 2.8M
RIE RIEDEL RESOURCES 0 -0.62962962963 0.03 12.5M
PSM PENINSULA MINES 0 -0.714285714286 0.006 5.2M
POW PROTEAN ENERGY L 0 -0.206896551724 0.023 7.4M
PNN PEPINNINI LITHIU 0 -0.871794871795 0.005 3.4M
PM1 PURE MINERALS 0 -0.4 0.015 4.4M
PLL PIEDMONT LITHIUM 0 -0.342105263158 0.125 69.9M
NZC NZURI COPPER 0 0.361111111111 0.245 71.0M
NVA NOVA MINERALS 0 0.6 0.024 19.5M
MTC METALSTECH 0 -0.853333333333 0.044 5.1M
MTB MOUNT BURGESS 0 -0.5 0.005 2.2M
MOX MONAX MINING 0 -0.777777777778 0.002 1.8M
MLS METALS AUSTRALIA 0 -0.2 0.004 7.0M
LRS LATIN RESOURCES 0 -0.555555555556 0.004 12.8M
LPI LITHIUM POWER IN 0 -0.553846153846 0.29 77.4M
LPD LEPIDICO 0 -0.71186440678 0.017 57.1M
LI3 LITHIUM CONSOLID 0 -0.526315789474 0.09 8.1M
IEC INTRA ENERGY COR 0 1 0.012 4.7M
IDA INDIANA RESOURCE 0 -0.349397590361 0.054 5.2M
HWK HAWKSTONE MINING 0 -0.0769230769231 0.024 13.7M
GPP GREENPOWER ENERG 0 -0.818181818182 0.004 6.3M
GME GME RESOURCES 0 -0.556213017751 0.075 36.2M
GBE GLOBE METALS AND 0 -0.125 0.014 6.5M
FCC FIRST COBALT 0 0 0.28 89.9M
EUR EUROPEAN LITHIUM 0 0.949152542373 0.115 63.0M
ENT ENTERPRISE METAL 0 -0.4 0.015 5.8M
DEV DEVEX RESOURCES 0 -0.666666666667 0.004 4.4M
CGM COUGAR METALS NL 0 -0.769230769231 0.003 2.9M
CDT CASTLE MINERALS 0 -0.787234042553 0.01 2.2M
CAZ CAZALY RESOURCES 0 -0.439024390244 0.023 5.3M
CAD CAENEUS MINERALS 0 -0.666666666667 0.001 14.1M
BGS BIRIMIAN 0 -0.569892473118 0.2 46.7M
BDI BLINA MINERALS N 0 -0.5 0.001 4.3M
AZI ALTA ZINC 0 -0.625 0.006 8.2M
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES 0 0 0.004 6.3M
AUZ AUSTRALIAN MINES 0 -0.4 0.06 162.9M
ASN ANSON RESOURCES 0 -0.217391304348 0.09 44.5M
AGO ATLAS IRON 0 1.5 0.045 432.9M
ADV ARDIDEN 0 -0.631578947368 0.007 11.7M
BYH BRYAH RESOURCES -0.010101010101 -0.47027027027 0.098 5.6M
WKT WALKABOUT RESOUR -0.0104166666667 -0.020618556701 0.095 29.5M
TMT TECHNOLOGY METAL -0.0188679245283 1.41860465116 0.52 37.8M
RIO RIO TINTO -0.0217899790718 0.120891522076 79.46 120.7B
GXY GALAXY RESOURCES -0.0222222222222 -0.292225201072 2.64 1.1B
WML WOOMERA MINING L -0.0222222222222 0 0.088 10.6M
NWC NEW WORLD COBALT -0.0285714285714 -0.728 0.034 18.1M
LIT LITHIUM AUSTRALI -0.0309278350515 -0.572727272727 0.094 44.1M
IRC INTERMIN RES -0.03125 0.107142857143 0.155 36.5M
CHN CHALICE GOLD MIN -0.03125 -0.184210526316 0.155 41.3M
VMC VENUS METALS COR -0.0322580645161 -0.0625 0.15 14.8M
PGM PLATINA RESOURCE -0.0322580645161 -0.692307692308 0.06 15.8M
CMC CHINA MAGNESIUM -0.0322580645161 0.304347826087 0.03 8.8M
BUX BUXTON RESOURCES -0.0333333333333 0.260869565217 0.145 16.8M
BAT BATTERY MINERALS -0.0344827586207 -0.631578947368 0.028 30.1M
EMH EUROPEAN METALS -0.0352941176471 -0.414285714286 0.41 58.0M
GLN GALAN LITHIUM -0.0377358490566 2.54166666667 0.255 25.9M
THR THOR MINING-CDI -0.0384615384615 -0.193548387097 0.025 16.9M
KAI KAIROS MINERALS -0.04 -0.730337078652 0.024 20.5M
AUR AURIS MINERALS L -0.04 -0.261538461538 0.048 19.6M
POS POSEIDON NICKEL -0.0408163265306 0.0217391304348 0.047 121.6M
COB COBALT BLUE HOLD -0.0425531914894 -0.0425531914894 0.225 28.5M
CNJ CONICO -0.0434782608696 -0.371428571429 0.022 7.7M
CFE CAPE LAMBERT RES -0.0434782608696 0 0.022 22.3M
ESR ESTRELLA RESOURC -0.0454545454545 -0.34375 0.021 10.3M
ARM AURORA MINERALS -0.0454545454545 -0.461538461538 0.021 2.3M
SVM SOVEREIGN METALS -0.0506329113924 -0.375 0.075 20.8M
HAV HAVILAH RESOURCE -0.0512820512821 -0.119047619048 0.185 41.5M
BAR BARRA RESOURCES -0.0526315789474 -0.265306122449 0.036 19.4M
ANW AUS TIN MINING L -0.0526315789474 1.25 0.018 33.6M
TLG TALGA RESOURCES -0.0531914893617 -0.293650793651 0.445 98.0M
SO4 SALT LAKE POTASH -0.054347826087 -0.171428571429 0.435 87.8M
KDR KIDMAN RESOURCES -0.0585714285714 0.0177606177606 1.318 497.5M
PIO PIONEER RESOURCE -0.0588235294118 -0.515151515152 0.016 25.6M
LCD LATITUDE CONSOLI -0.0588235294118 -0.384615384615 0.016 4.4M
GED GOLDEN DEEPS -0.0612244897959 0.15 0.046 7.7M
THX THUNDELARRA -0.0625 -0.53125 0.015 10.2M
AMD ARROW MINERALS L -0.0625 -0.758064516129 0.015 4.6M
S32 SOUTH32 -0.0649717514124 0.0030303030303 3.31 17.2B
WCN WHITE CLIFF MINE -0.0666666666667 -0.915662650602 0.014 3.0M
CLL COLLERINA COBALT -0.0714285714286 0.120689655172 0.13 68.1M
SYA SAYONA MINING -0.0714285714286 -0.35 0.026 44.6M
VXR VENTUREX RESOURC -0.0731707317073 -0.396825396825 0.19 45.6M
PSC PROSPECT RESOURC -0.0740740740741 -0.45652173913 0.025 51.6M
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURC -0.0740740740741 -0.5 0.025 2.9M
DEG DE GREY MINING -0.0740740740741 -0.537037037037 0.125 45.0M
MLM METALLICA MINRAL -0.075 -0.177777777778 0.037 11.3M
CZR COZIRON RESOURCE -0.0769230769231 -0.52 0.012 21.4M
CLA CELSIUS RESOURCE -0.0769230769231 -0.347826086957 0.06 44.2M
BPL BROKEN HILL PROS -0.0769230769231 -0.2 0.036 5.3M
VMS VENTURE MINERALS -0.08 -0.640625 0.023 12.5M
4CE FORCE COMMODITIE -0.08 -0.557692307692 0.023 10.2M
SRK STRIKE RESOURCES -0.0833333333333 -0.112903225806 0.055 8.0M
EUC EUROPEAN COBALT -0.0833333333333 -0.812765957447 0.044 34.3M
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES -0.0845070422535 -0.591194968553 0.65 65.6M
PAN PANORAMIC RESOUR -0.0851063829787 -0.027149321267 0.43 212.6M
TNO TANDO RESOURCES -0.0869565217391 0.363636363636 0.105 21.3M
TAW TAWANA RESOURCES -0.0877192982456 -0.341772151899 0.26 153.2M
FGR FIRST GRAPHENE L -0.0909090909091 0.515151515152 0.15 62.6M
KNL KIBARAN RESOURCE -0.0967741935484 -0.151515151515 0.14 38.6M
HXG HEXAGON RESOURCE -0.0967741935484 -0.0666666666667 0.14 39.4M
NMT NEOMETALS -0.0980392156863 -0.494505494505 0.23 122.4M
OKR OKAPI RESOURCES -0.105263157895 -0.622222222222 0.17 6.0M
ARU ARAFURA RESOURCE -0.106666666667 -0.367924528302 0.067 43.4M
BSX BLACKSTONE MINER -0.107142857143 -0.791666666667 0.125 12.0M
SYR SYRAH RESOURCES -0.10824742268 -0.570719602978 1.73 594.4M
SRN SUREFIRE RESOURC -0.111111111111 -0.529411764706 0.008 4.0M
SBR SABRE RES -0.111111111111 -0.2 0.008 3.3M
PUR PURSUIT MINERALS -0.111111111111 -0.8 0.032 4.1M
OAR OAKDALERESOURCES -0.111111111111 -0.627906976744 0.016 1.0M
SGQ ST GEORGE MINING -0.111111111111 0.230769230769 0.16 46.2M
AXE ARCHER EXPLORATI -0.1125 -0.453846153846 0.071 14.3M
ORN ORION MINERALS L -0.115384615385 -0.28125 0.023 43.1M
MIN MINERAL RESOURCE -0.115688859591 -0.233428571429 13.415 2.5B
MZZ MATADOR MINING -0.118644067797 -0.0714285714286 0.26 14.3M
TNG TNG -0.12 -0.3125 0.11 105.7M
JMS JUPITER MINES -0.121212121212 0 0.29 587.7M
AOU AUROCH MINERALS -0.125 -0.72 0.07 6.9M
KSN KINGSTON RESOURC -0.125 0.05 0.021 26.9M
CCZ CASTILLO COPPER -0.125 -0.481481481481 0.028 16.2M
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS -0.125 -0.222222222222 0.007 8.6M
HIG HIGHLANDS PAC -0.127272727273 0.0909090909091 0.096 104.9M
CLQ CLEAN TEQ HOLDIN -0.135922330097 -0.701342281879 0.445 324.3M
PMY PACIFICO MINERAL -0.142857142857 -0.142857142857 0.006 8.2M
N27 NORTHERN COBALT -0.142857142857 -0.797752808989 0.09 4.6M
MTH MITHRIL RESOURCE -0.142857142857 -0.85 0.006 1.4M
SPI SPITFIRE MATERIA -0.144736842105 -0.48 0.065 64.1M
BKT BLACK ROCK MININ -0.15 -0.527777777778 0.034 17.8M
TKL TRAKA RESOURCES -0.151515151515 -0.555555555556 0.028 9.3M
TAR TARUGA MINERALS -0.153846153846 -0.395604395604 0.055 7.8M
GWR GWR GROUP -0.153846153846 0 0.11 27.8M
AJM ALTURA MINING -0.163265306122 -0.467532467532 0.205 391.4M
SCI SILVER CITY MINE -0.166666666667 -0.558823529412 0.015 3.7M
MZN MARINDI METALS L -0.166666666667 -0.736842105263 0.005 9.9M
AVL AUSTRALIAN VANAD -0.170731707317 0.7 0.034 60.5M
FEL FE -0.176470588235 -0.51724137931 0.014 5.2M
KLH KALIA -0.2 -0.733333333333 0.004 10.1M
HGM HIGH GRADE METAL -0.214285714286 -0.650793650794 0.022 10.0M
LML LINCOLN MINERALS -0.25 -0.85 0.006 4.0M
CHK COHIBA MINERALS -0.285714285714 -0.444444444444 0.005 2.8M
CGN CRATER GOLD MINI -0.3 0.5 0.021 5.6M
EME ENERGY METALS -0.333333333333 -0.230769230769 0.1 27.3M
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