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

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Lithium plays are in vogue with investors

We know that small cap resources plays are finding it particularly tough to raise money right now.

But things could be a-changin’, because research shows cash inflows into ASX-listed juniors increased for the first time in the March quarter since June last year.

Lithium explorers were particularly popular with investors, says BDO’s Sherif Andrawes.

“Financing cash inflows for the March 2019 quarter were $908 million, representing an increase of 7% from $848 million in the December 2018 quarter,” says Andrawes.

“Of this, $154 million of the cash inflows were from lithium exploration companies, which is more than double the $76 million that was raised last quarter.”

Mr Andrawes said five lithium companies raised in excess of $10 million during the quarter, with all of them opting for equity raisings, “showing an investment appetite from the market”.

Pic: BDO Explorer Quarterly Cash Update.

 

Toyota fast-tracks EV timeline by 5 years after “higher than expected” demand

Toyota has traditionally been a bit of an EV laggard – until now.

The Japanese automaker sold 10.52 million vehicles in 2018. Now says it wants 50 per cent of global sales to come from EVs by 2025; five years ahead of the original schedule.

It will introduce 10 EVs from 2020 onwards after realising that demand for cars that use batteries, rather than gasoline was “higher than it expected”.

Not that Toyota is ‘anti-zero-emission’ vehicles by any stretch. It launched the Prius, one of the world’s very first ‘green’ cars over 20 years ago, and has spent a huge amount developing its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle tech.

But it has dawdled in bringing all-battery EVs to market.

To try and make up for lost time, Toyota will partner with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and EV maker BYD for battery procurement. It also announced a partnership with Subaru to develop a battery-electric SUV.

Pic: Toyota.

LME moves towards clearer lithium pricing

And positive news for all lithium hopefuls, the London Metals Exchange will partner with price reporting agency Fastmarkets to launch a new lithium futures contract.

It’s an important move for the sector. The LME hopes exchange traded lithium will lead to deeper liquidity on the spot market and clearer pricing so that larger lenders — like banks — are more comfortable investing in new mining and processing operations.

So it’s good news; but Fastmarkets was definitely a controversial choice.

Benchmark Minerals Intelligence was considered by many to be the lithium contract frontrunner because, unlike Fastmarkets, its focus has always been the lithium ion battery to EV supply chain.

 

 

SMALL CAP SPOTLIGHT

Of the companies on our list, 79 lost ground, 53 were ahead and 59 were steady this week.

Only 27 stocks are in the green over the past year – but there’s some big winners amongst that lot.

If you hold Liontown Resources (+202 per cent), Walkabout Resources (+138 per cent) or Black Rock Mining (+109 per cent), you’d have to be pretty happy with how your investment has performed over the past 12 months.

Heading the winners column this week is graphite microcap Metals Australia (ASX:MLS), which managed to raise $425,000 via a private placement at a premium to the last traded share price.

Metals Australia say international institutional investors had approached the company directly to make the investment, which will be used to continue exploration at the Lac Rainy Graphite Project.

Lithium-focused Zenith Minerals (ASX:ZNC) was up 20 per cent for the week after offloading its Mt Alexander magnetite iron project to a private company for $2.5m in staged payments.

The cash will be used to advance the Split Rocks lithium project in Western Australia. Split Rocks is located within the Forrestania greenstone belt, which hosts SQM-Kidman’s Mt Holland/Earl Grey lithium deposit.

And cobalt stock Celsius Resources (ASX:CLA) is an interesting one to watch right now.

In March, the cobalt stock essentially became a shell after it all but stopped evaluation work on its Opuwo cobalt project in Namibia due to the languishing cobalt price.  This immediately sent shares into freefall.

But since early May, the Celsius share price has been on a steady march northward – for no good reason.

Celsius has previously mentioned that it was evaluating “additional opportunities in the battery minerals space” with its pretty substantial $9.6 million cash balance.

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:

Ticker Name Share Price ($AU) 1 Week Return % 1 Month Return % 6 Month Return % 1 Year Return % Market Cap ($AU)
MLS METALS AUSTRALIA 0.0014 100 0 -33.3333 -60 4076415.761
ARU ARAFURA RESOURCES 0.0696 38.1579 105.8824 94.4444 12.1795 57129556.93
CHK COHIBA MINERALS 0.007 25 0 -28.5714 25 4627709.221
MCT METALICITY 0.0056 25 25 -37.5 -60 4194955.271
ARE ARGONAUT RESOURCES 0.0042 20 -57.1429 -72.7273 -71.4286 6493891.827
ZNC ZENITH MINERALS 0.0469 19.6429 36.7347 -11.8421 -62.7778 9925800.791
SO4 SALT LAKE POTASH 0.4592 18.5185 7.563 39.1304 16.3636 92254996.82
GME GME RESOURCES 0.0383 17.3077 10.9091 -18.4033 -56.2875 21276443.12
PMY PACIFICO MINERALS 0.0049 16.6667 16.6667 75 -36.3636 11274303.47
AXE ARCHER EXPLORATION 0.0689 16.4557 22.6667 41.5385 -12.3809 12575174.36
CLA CELSIUS RESOURCES 0.0306 16.2162 95.4546 -38.5714 -77.9487 22671792.17
BPL BROKEN HILL PROSPECTING 0.0146 15.7895 22.2222 -33.3333 -80 2265366.713
AGY ARGOSY MINERALS 0.0515 15.7143 17.3913 -53.5761 -65.429 57218226.56
BSM BASS METALS 0.0056 14.2857 -20 -42.8571 -74.1935 15652125.58
PM1 PURE MINERALS 0.0132 12.5 38.4615 20 12.5 4357600.861
RMX RED MOUNTAIN MINING 0.0032 12.5 12.5 -35.7143 -50 2437861.642
VRC VOLT RESOURCES 0.0139 11.7647 0 -13.6364 -34.4828 19255540.9
LTR LIONTOWN RESOURCES 0.0696 11.7021 47.8873 381.0911 202.4001 111742540.7
VMS VENTURE MINERALS 0.0139 11.1111 -19.2307 0.0001 -32.258 9070623.198
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS 0.008 11.1111 42.8571 42.8571 25 9438341.333
SCI SILVER CITY MINERALS 0.0063 11.1111 11.1111 -28.5714 -75 2045104.558
RNU RENASCOR RESOURCES 0.0146 10.5263 5 16.6667 -19.2308 16865718.05
HXG HEXAGON RESOURCES 0.08 10 -15.3846 -21.4286 -43.5897 22348566.91
4CE FORCE COMMODITIES 0.0077 10 22.2222 -26.6667 -77.0833 3549356.327
CZR COZIRON RESOURCES 0.007 10 -8.3333 -8.3333 -35.2941 13676073.45
CUL CULLEN RESOURCES 0.007 10 -15.3846 -47.619 -73.5294 1297982.024
MXR MAXIMUS RESOURCES 0.0445 9.6774 17.2414 -40.8696 -40.8696 1648444.191
LPI LITHIUM POWER INTERNATIONAL 0.2018 9.6154 16.3265 5.5556 -10.9375 52094706.11
WKT WALKABOUT RESOURCES 0.2539 8.8235 48 311.1111 138.7097 81418657.71
SGQ ST GEORGE MINING 0.087 8.3333 -3.7037 -3.7037 -16.129 26985182.85
TKL TRAKA RESOURCES 0.0083 8.3333 -13.3333 -31.5789 -69.0476 3998779.7
GBE GLOBE METALS AND MINING 0.0118 6.6667 14.2857 -11.1111 14.2857 5190748.217
MTC METALSTECH 0.0112 6.6667 0 -48.3871 -86.6667 1302959.96
JRL JINDALEE RESOURCES 0.2435 6.0606 40 27.2727 66.6667 8528401.832
OMH OM HOLDINGS 0.6053 5.7325 -13.5417 -36.8209 -20.935 426871846.9
VXR VENTUREX RESOURCES 0.1252 5.7143 -5.1282 5.7143 -11.9048 36050647.16
EUC EUROPEAN COBALT 0.0139 5.2632 -16.6667 -54.5455 -72.6027 10607397.75
TNG TNG 0.0689 5 5 11.7021 -25 70440551.91
TNO TANDO RESOURCES 0.0487 5 -37 -21.25 -73.1915 9341912.134
MQR MARQUEE RESOURCES 0.0294 5 -6.6667 -40 -88.8 1250039.504
AJM ALTURA MINING 0.0748 4.7619 -15.3846 -37.1429 -68.5714 162795559.7
ORE OROCOBRE 2.2402 4.6053 -9.915 -17.8295 -39.4286 579416499.8
IRC INTERMIN RESOURCES 0.0806 4.5455 -4.1667 -23.3333 -32.3529 18848614.81
MEI METEORIC RESOURCES 0.0167 4.5455 64.2857 76.9231 -34.2857 14237299.63
BUX BUXTON RESOURCES 0.087 4.1667 8.6957 -7.4074 -19.3548 11841924.47
CHN CHALICE GOLD MINES 0.0835 4.1667 4.1667 8.6957 19.0476 23201424.43
A4N ALPHA HPA 0.0904 4 18.1818 18.1818 27.6786 51333327.09
CNB CARNABY RESOURCES 0.087 4 -3.7037 73.3333 8.3333 8688315.489
CRL COMET RESOURCES 0.0216 3.3333 10.7143 10.7143 -26.1905 5180472.221
TMT TECHNOLOGY METALS AUSTRALIA 0.1565 2.2222 27.7778 -35.2113 -48.3146 14021712.6
BYH BRYAH RESOURCES 0.0508 1.3333 -2.5641 -22.449 -33.913 3375717.204
PLS PILBARA MINERALS 0.4731 0.7353 -10.4575 -9.8684 -22.5989 883063695.9
KDR KIDMAN RESOURCES 1.3114 0.266 -1.8229 39.1144 -12.3256 531306958.3
S32 SOUTH32 2.2332 0 -1.5198 7.5106 -11.6975 11325502470
JRV JERVOIS MINING 0.1635 0 -4 20 -26.1538 37309928.05
MNS MAGNIS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES 0.1391 0 -13.0435 -32.2034 -48.7179 85106803
BOA BOADICEA RESOURCES 0.1191 0 3.0303 21.4286 100 6255335.955
PLL PIEDMONT LITHIUM 0.1183 0 -3.0303 39.1304 -8.5714 74685737.22
GWR GWR GROUP 0.0974 0 33.3333 14.2857 -25 21182903.56
HAV HAVILAH RESOURCES 0.0974 0 -12.1212 -17.1429 -34.0909 22035188.73
OKR OKAPI RESOURCES 0.0899 0 8.3333 -44.6809 -63.3803 3108681.965
DGR DGR GLOBAL 0.0765 0 -15.3846 -18.5185 15.7895 46965442.58
HIG HIGHLANDS PACIFIC 0.0737 0 0 45.8333 -22.2222
DEG DE GREY MINING 0.0647 0 11.1111 -28 -51.3514 26724705.37
BSX BLACKSTONE MINERALS 0.0564 0 11.5942 -35.8333 -64.186 6552021.042
AOU AUROCH MINERALS 0.0488 0 12.9032 -6.6667 -12.5 4898643.392
SRK STRIKE RESOURCES 0.0349 0 -9.0909 0 -16.6667 5059812.826
TRT TODD RIVER RESOURCES 0.0348 0 -16.6667 -34.2105 -49 5272671.049
POS POSEIDON NICKEL 0.0264 0 0 -11.9048 0 68084194.63
SUH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MINING 0.0243 0 -40.678 -22.2222 -41.6667 2156045.346
WML WOOMERA MINING 0.0209 0 -13.1579 -59.2593 -76.4286 2589711.275
KOR KORAB RESOURCES 0.0202 0 3.5714 11.5385 -17.1429 6283944.834
HMX HAMMER METALS 0.0181 0 -10.7143 4.1667 -13.7931 6113753.789
CAZ CAZALY RESOURCES 0.0181 0 24 40.9091 -47.4576 5651443.295
CMC CHINA MAGNESIUM 0.0138 0 0 -33.3333 11.1111 6439919.523
NVA NOVA MINERALS 0.0125 0 28.5714 -10 -48.5714 9702533.579
AVL AUSTRALIAN VANADIUM 0.0125 0 -5.5555 -39.2857 -58.5366 23364587.03
THR THOR MINING 0.0118 0 6.6667 -33.3333 -60 9101581.394
OAR OAKDALE RESOURCES 0.0111 0 -15.7895 -23.8095 -23.8095 2321245.487
KSN KINGSTON RESOURCES 0.0105 0 -15.9605 -11.017 -34.2299 16370999.66
PSC PROSPECT RESOURCES 0.0104 0 -5.8824 -36 -60.9756 22795358.97
IEC INTRA ENERGY 0.0098 0 0 27.2727 40 3779611.607
LCD LATITUDE CONSOLIDATED 0.0098 0 -6.6667 -22.2222 -63.1579 2682500.042
HNR HANNANS 0.009 0 -25 0 -14.2857 16610553.33
ANW AUS TIN MINING 0.0083 0 0 -26.6667 -31.25 16462306.88
PIO PIONEER RESOURCES 0.0083 0 -21.4286 -26.6667 -45 11545822.19
ESR ESTRELLA RESOURCES 0.0077 0 -7.6923 -20 -45.4545 4431670.821
OAU ORA GOLD 0.007 0 83.3333 -8.3333 -45 4948642.26
VML VITAL METALS 0.007 0 0 25 0 12133802.3
SVD SCANDIVANADIUM 0.007 0 -18.1818 -55 -64.4737 2205039.453
POW PROTEAN ENERGY 0.0063 0 0 -59.0909 -75 1951683.898
DTM DART MINING 0.0049 0 16.6667 0 -12.5 4929548.669
LML LINCOLN MINERALS 0.0042 0 -14.2857 -14.2857 -73.913 2402166.865
WCN WHITE CLIFF MINERALS 0.0042 0 0 -48.718 -92.2449 1637523.247
RLC REEDY LAGOON 0.0035 0 0 -16.6667 -54.5455 1400508.983
SBR SABRE RESOURCES 0.0035 0 0 -28.5714 -66.6667 1416878.649
MTH MITHRIL RESOURCES 0.0035 0 -28.5714 -16.6667 -58.3859 1470548.063
HGM HIGH GRADE METALS 0.0028 0 -33.3333 -63.6364 -92.9825 1261522.623
PSM PENINSULA MINES 0.0028 0 -25 -25 -72.7273 2074010.584
DHR DARK HORSE RESOURCES 0.0028 0 -27.2727 -27.2727 -80.9524 5503796.703
TKM TREK METALS 0.0028 0 0 -42.8571 -78.9474 869828.0935
SRN SUREFIRE RESOURCES NL 0.0028 0 -33.3333 -42.8571 -73.3333 1401383.536
AZI ALTA ZINC 0.0021 0 0 -34.1463 -58.8415 3805212.122
ADV ARDIDEN 0.0021 0 0 -25 -80 3512235.18
PNN PEPINNINI LITHIUM 0.0021 0 -14.2857 -47.5 -84.25 2586082.855
MTB MOUNT BURGESS MINING 0.0021 0 33.3333 -20 -50 1325419.379
MZN MARINDI METALS 0.0021 0 0 -50 -75 4454309.972
CZN CORAZON MINING 0.0021 0 0 -40 -70 2884120.679
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES 0.0014 0 -33.3333 -50 -71.4286 2358058.521
GPP GREENPOWER ENERGY 0.001 0 -20 -42.8571 -66.6667 2706110.358
CGM COUGAR METALS 0.0007 0 0 -66.6667 -80 819254.952
BDI BLINA MINERALS 0.0007 0 0 0 -50 3163905.52
GXY GALAXY RESOURCES 1.0175 -0.339 -8.6957 -38.75 -57.0175 418986878.5
RIO RIO TINTO 69.3195 -0.5682 2.8655 46.7716 27.4883 97510263653
SVM SOVEREIGN METALS 0.073 -1 25.3164 41.4286 -5.7143 24766063.52
CZI CASSINI RESOURCES 0.0668 -1.0309 3.2258 20 43.2836 27774489.07
MIN MINERAL RESOURCES 9.9659 -1.1165 -5.6591 1.1015 -20.8312 1855888019
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES 0.2818 -1.1765 -1.1765 -30 -56.701 31041807.33
ERX EXORE RESOURCES 0.0519 -1.3333 1.3699 34.5455 64.4444 23987630.72
JMS JUPITER MINES 0.2418 -1.4286 15 43.5687 22.8103 470595700.9
NZC NZURI COPPER 0.2365 -1.4706 4.6875 15.5172 31.3726 69023063.31
BEM BLACKEARTH MINERALS 0.0473 -1.5152 8.3333 -25.2874 -40.9091 3785480.023
ASN ANSON RESOURCES 0.039 -1.6667 -4.8387 -6.3492 37.2093 21145423.13
RTR RUMBLE RESOURCES 0.0378 -1.8182 20 17.3913 -18.1818 14505820.77
BAU BAUXITE RESOURCES 0.0336 -2.0408 -4 -14.2857 -20 7166509.3
PGM PLATINA RESOURCES 0.032 -2.0408 -12.7273 -11.1111 -44.8276 8827732.859
AML AEON METALS 0.1531 -2.1277 0 -9.8039 -36.9863 107791444.7
E25 ELEMENT 25 0.1292 -2.6316 5.7143 2.7778 -26 11491648.65
TLG TALGA RESOURCES 0.3896 -2.6549 -6.7797 42.8571 -27.1523 83776067.8
EMH EUROPEAN METALS 0.2505 -2.8571 -13.9241 -2.8571 -10.5263 34716374.77
BKT BLACK ROCK MINING 0.0661 -3.2258 -2.1739 181.25 109.3023 36694716.34
SEI SPECIALITY METALS 0.0202 -3.2258 0 150 57.8947 13329435.8
KNL KIBARAN RESOURCES 0.1044 -3.3333 11.5385 11.5385 -9.375 29544038.11
TON TRITON MINERALS 0.0397 -3.3333 34.8837 45 -20.5479 37442837.8
GPX GRAPHEX MINING 0.1739 -3.8462 0 35.1351 -10.7143 15332490.45
NMT NEOMETALS 0.1531 -4.2553 -2.1739 14.3861 -28.7159 85223090.67
NXE NEW ENERGY MINERALS 0.0154 -4.3478 -26.6667 -52.1739 -89 2311507.035
N27 NORTHERN COBALT 0.0278 -4.6512 -21.1819 -44.3019 -83.2906 1793216.108
LIT LITHIUM AUSTRALIA 0.0487 -4.7619 -11.1111 -15.7895 -36 26689511.58
AUR AURIS MINERALS 0.0133 -5 -24 -53.6585 -75 5406731.783
BAT BATTERY MINERALS 0.0125 -5 -13.6364 -13.6364 -61.2245 17437956.91
BDC BARDOC GOLD 0.0383 -5.1724 -21.4286 -10.3851 -42.1237 46963025.02
EUR EUROPEAN LITHIUM 0.0633 -5.2083 -8.0808 -20.8696 -49.4444 36906455.61
FEL FE 0.0132 -5.2632 38.4615 28.5714 -45.4545 5728202.018
PUR PURSUIT MINERALS 0.0118 -5.5555 0 -45.1613 -82.8283 2113245.872
MZZ MATADOR MINING 0.1612 -6.1224 15 4.5455 -17.8571 10746665.41
EME ENERGY METALS 0.1051 -6.25 7.1429 50 -6.25 21900373.9
IDA INDIANA RESOURCES 0.0216 -6.25 -3.2258 -43.3962 -54.6825 2214127.039
KAI KAIROS MINERALS 0.0118 -6.25 -11.7647 -40 -60.5263 8901564.336
ARM AURORA MINERALS 0.009 -6.25 87.4999 -1.7858 -31.25 1631198.231
BGS BIRIMIAN 0.0974 -6.6667 -22.2222 -30 -72.8155 25784976.06
ORN ORION MINERALS 0.0195 -6.6667 -17.6471 12 -36.3636 39058014.34
NWC NEW WORLD COBALT 0.009 -6.6667 7.6923 -33.1818 -81.3924 7526818.802
FGR FIRST GRAPHENE 0.1948 -7.0175 39.4737 55.8823 60.606 80769499.98
RDS REDSTONE RESOURCES 0.0101 -7.1429 -7.1429 -18.75 -28.9132 4290277.7
VMC VENUS METALS 0.0835 -7.4074 -3.8462 -10.7143 -7.4074 8075457.966
GED GOLDEN DEEPS 0.0181 -7.4074 -7.4074 -30.5556 -40.4762 2983311.055
BAR BARRA RESOURCES 0.0154 -8.3333 -21.4286 -33.3333 -54.1667 8255051.848
AEE AURA ENERGY 0.0083 -8.3333 10 -35.2941 -47.619 9281545.707
CNJ CONICO 0.0083 -8.3333 -15.3846 -38.8889 -76.087 2694222.079
MRR MINREX RESOURCES 0.0077 -8.3333 -21.4286 -45 -78.8462 734356.3079
SYA SAYONA MINING 0.0077 -8.3333 -21.4286 -47.619 -75 13193714.39
PAN PANORAMIC RESOURCES 0.2348 -8.4507 -8.4507 -7.1429 -49.2188 123725986.8
SYR SYRAH RESOURCES 0.7166 -8.6207 -6.6079 -33.75 -64.6667 254252897.5
FCC FIRST COBALT 0.1044 -8.8235 3.3333 -26.1905 -77.5362 40175606.53
LI3 LITHIUM CONSOLIDATED 0.0473 -9.0909 -12.5 11.1111 -25.5319 4426761.21
CFE CAPE LAMBERT RESOURCES 0.0077 -9.0909 -28.5714 -44.4444 -67.7419 7101757.575
AMD ARROW MINERALS 0.007 -9.0909 -9.0909 -28.5714 -54.5455 2190146.291
INR IONEER 0.1009 -9.6774 -26.3158 -22.2222 -68.8889 143784351.9
LPD LEPIDICO 0.0188 -9.6774 -12.5 77.1472 -27.3242 72871775.38
TAR TARUGA MINERALS 0.0189 -10 -12.9032 -47.0588 -86.5 2653958.356
SI6 SIX SIGMA METALS 0.0032 -10 -10 -10 -65.3846 1433517.609
COB COBALT BLUE 0.1009 -11.4286 14.4048 -27.197 -85.981 13987754.05
GLN GALAN LITHIUM 0.1531 -12.5 -16 -16 13.5135 18911646.68
CXO CORE LITHIUM 0.0306 -12.5 -19.2308 -22.2222 -10.6383 20309400.75
ENT ENTERPRISE METALS 0.0049 -12.5 0 -46.1538 -63.1579 1956525.968
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURCES 0.0132 -13.0435 -28.5714 -23.0769 -42.8571 1636305.07
AUZ AUSTRALIAN MINES 0.0182 -13.3333 23.8095 -35 -72.043 55821376.28
MLM METALLICA MINERALS 0.0097 -13.3333 -13.3333 -55.1724 -70.4545 2933244.994
DEV DEVEX RESOURCES 0.0473 -14.2857 13.2075 42.8571 -28.5714 5558587.16
INF INFINITY LITHIUM 0.0494 -15.1163 -18.8889 1.3889 -14.1176 9666378.896
AVZ AVZ MINERALS 0.0494 -15.2941 75.6097 -8.8608 -31.4286 114464962.4
HWK HAWKSTONE MINING 0.0153 -15.3846 -4.3478 15.7895 0 10574705.77
CDT CASTLE MINERALS 0.0035 -16.6667 -16.6667 -44.4444 -75 779145.7203
AUT AUTECO MINERALS 0.0035 -16.6667 0 0 66.6667 3490081.002
CLQ CLEAN TEQ HOLDINGS 0.2052 -17.1429 0 -23.6842 -72.2488 150730473.9
LKE LAKE RESOURCES 0.057 -17.1429 77.551 -3.3333 -17.1429 24430299.29
CGN CRATER GOLD MINING 0.0083 -20 -7.6923 -29.4118 -33.3333 10256464.62
LRS LATIN RESOURCES 0.0007 -25 0 -50 -78.5714 3663330.894
RIE RIEDEL RESOURCES 0.0049 -30 -30 -53.3333 -89.5522 2037713.682
KLH KALIA 0.0007 -33.3333 -33.3333 -50 -88.8889 1750740.239
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