On Stockhead today, the ASX’s weirdest and wonderfullest biotech stocks, is it time for Lockdown 2.0, and lithium’s litmus test arrives.

But first, the day ahead.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics issues two publications today — Australian Industry (detailed transport statistics) and the National Land Cover account.

The National Skills Commission also releases the latest detailed skilled vacancy data for the month of May. Vacancies are at 14-year highs, CommSec says.

 

WHO’S LISTING?

LEO LITHIUM (ASX:LLL)

Listing: 11am AEST

Raised: $100m at $0.70

The Firefinch (ASX:FFX) spinoff is focused on the ‘Goulamina’ lithium project in Mali, which is expected to be one of the largest hard rock lithium mines in the world once it enters production in H1 2024.

The project is being developed in a 50/50 joint venture with Ganfeng, the world’s largest lithium chemical producer. Ownership will be split between LLL (45%), Ganfeng (45%) and the State of Mali (10%).

Ganfeng is providing funding, offtake, and operational support to de-risk development – making this project one of the few to come online over the next few years.

 

TRADING HALTS

The following companies are in trading halts and are expected out in the coming days:

Livehire Limited (ASX:LVH) – Material master services agreement

ArchTIS Limited (ASX:AR9) – a material customer contract

Hartshead Resources NL (ASX:HHR) – the Phase I development of the Anning and Sommerville gas fields

Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) – capital raising

Orbital Corporation Limited (ASX:OEC) – reimbursement request against Insitu Inc., associated with Insitu’s termination of the third engine development program under its long term supply agreement

PainChek (ASX:PCK) – Non-renounceable entitlement offer and placement

 

MARKETS

Gold: $US1,838.43 (+0.37%)

Silver: $US21.49 (-0.81%)

Nickel (3mth): $US25,005/t (-3.64%)

Copper (3mth): $US8,730/t (-2.62%)

Lithium Carbonate, China (Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, June 17): $US69,750/t (0.4% weekly)

Lithium Hydroxide, China (Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, June 17): $US70,875/t (0.0% weekly)

Oil (WTI): $US104.69 (-5.39%)

Oil (Brent): $US110.23 (-3.92%)

Iron 62pc Fe: $US117.00 (+1.74%)

AUD/USD: 0.69065 (-0.74%)

Bitcoin: $US20,449 (-1.77%)

 

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING YESTERDAY?

Can’t speak to its accuracy, but very cool chart.

 

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Also, be sure to check in at 10.20am each day for our daily ‘10 at 10’ column — a live summary of winners & losers at the opening bell.

 

YESTERDAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP WINNERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow rose after making announcements during the trading day).

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In March, explorer Tempest Minerals (ASX:TEM)  spiked hard on a potentially very large copper discovery. We say ‘potentially’ because assays for the maiden holes are still pending.

The first 709m-long hole of a two-hole diamond drilling program at ‘Orion’, part of the flagship ‘Meleya’ project in WA, pulled up three mineralised copper sections. The second, 1,021m-long hole hit more of the same.

Yesterday it ran again, this time on no news.

In response to a price query from the ASX, it said that “assays for key zones should be available within two weeks and complete assays of both holes should be available within 8-10 weeks”.

It is busy times for Thor Mining (ASX:THR), which has approvals to begin drilling its ‘Wedding Bell’ and ‘Radium Mountain’ projects, located in a historic uranium-vanadium mining district in Colorado, USA.

The drilling program at priority prospects will commence once a suitable drill rig has been sourced, the company says.

Earlier this week, THR began a 3,000m drilling program at the ‘Ragged Range’ gold project in the Pilbara region of WA.

 

YESTERDAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP LOSERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow fell after making announcements during the trading day).

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