• Ford cuts 3,000 jobs within operations that build internal combustion engine vehicles to focus on EV push 
  • Arcadia releases 560% increase to resource at Bitterwasser Project
  • Latin Resources first pass ‘sighter’ metallurgical test work returns recovery of 78.72% of lithium oxide 

 

The second largest US-based automaker and the fifth largest in the world, Ford, has cut 3,000 jobs in the hope to fund its US$50 billion-dollar electric vehicle plans.

A spokesperson told Bloomberg that while the cuts will come primarily in the US, some positions in Canada and India are also being slashed mainly within Ford’s operations that build traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

This comes hot on the heels of its goal to bring 2 million electric vehicles into production each year by 2026 – a massive jump from the 64,000 announced last year.

In September 2021, Ford revealed the largest ever US investment in electric vehicle production at one time by any automotive manufacturer – a US$11.4 billion investment to create an EV factory in Tennessee and twin battery plants in Kentucky.

But more recently, the company announced a series of MoU investments with companies such as Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO), Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR), Ioneer (ASX:INR) and graphite miner Syrah Resources (ASX:SYR) in a bid to secure the materials it needs to fill its EV orders in the future.

 

Here’s how ASX lithium companies are tracking today:

CODE COMPANY PRICE % TODAY % WEEK % MONTH MARKET CAP
AM7 Arcadia Minerals 0.46 136% 156% 188% $9,106,089
AOA Ausmon Resorces 0.007 17% 17% 17% $5,143,736
ASN Anson Resources Ltd 0.195 11% 26% 50% $179,884,659
AX8 Accelerate Resources 0.04 11% 3% 21% $9,736,520
LNR Lanthanein Resources 0.042 11% 50% 180% $36,587,372
ARN Aldoro Resources 0.265 10% 2% 83% $23,900,956
LRS Latin Resources Ltd 0.12 9% -4% 46% $214,352,078
MRR Minrex Resources Ltd 0.06 9% 2% 71% $58,980,059
NWM Norwest Minerals 0.05 9% 2% 47% $8,307,940
PLL Piedmont Lithium Inc 0.885 8% -5% 62% $432,608,056
AAJ Aruma Resources Ltd 0.071 8% -11% 6% $10,359,459
SRZ Stellar Resources 0.015 7% -12% -6% $11,750,237
FRS Forrestaniaresources 0.16 7% -3% 7% $5,004,196
LPI Lithium Pwr Int Ltd 0.595 5% -4% 27% $197,266,839
PSC Prospect Res Ltd 0.105 5% 0% 110% $46,225,946
DRE Dreadnought Resources Ltd 0.105 5% 19% 106% $304,103,355
EPM Eclipse Metals 0.022 5% -4% 10% $40,343,655
SYA Sayona Mining Ltd 0.2875 5% 5% 60% $2,282,165,378
WCN White Cliff Min Ltd 0.012 4% 0% -11% $7,516,439
KGD Kula Gold Limited 0.024 4% -14% -16% $4,949,040
WR1 Winsome Resources 0.24 4% -11% 26% $31,076,219
MMG Monger Gold Ltd 0.37 4% 19% 61% $14,214,200
LTR Liontown Resources 1.7225 4% -1% 44% $3,634,882,948
AKE Allkem Limited 13.675 4% 9% 34% $8,391,580,412
BNR Bulletin Res Ltd 0.135 4% -4% 13% $38,036,843
OCN Oceanalithiumlimited 0.68 4% -2% 45% $21,958,875
MLS Metals Australia 0.055 4% -11% 2% $32,172,918
NMT Neometals Ltd 1.38 4% -1% 31% $734,620,856
EMS Eastern Metals 0.145 4% -6% 7% $5,411,875
ESS Essential Metals Ltd 0.44 4% -13% 5% $104,899,805
AZI Altamin Limited 0.088 4% 6% -7% $33,295,924
AZL Arizona Lithium Ltd 0.089 3% -11% 9% $206,995,598
VUL Vulcan Energy 8.1 3% -11% 13% $1,122,315,407
GLN Galan Lithium Ltd 1.235 3% -10% 11% $363,911,009
EFE Eastern Resources 0.031 3% -3% 15% $30,201,921
TMB Tambourahmetals 0.16 3% -9% 10% $6,384,853
INR Ioneer Ltd 0.67 3% -4% 29% $1,363,787,149
JRL Jindalee Resources 2.8 3% -1% 9% $156,070,788
AS2 Askarimetalslimited 0.35 3% -10% 43% $15,323,552
AOU Auroch Minerals Ltd 0.071 3% 6% 13% $25,606,714
IGO IGO Limited 12.43 3% 1% 26% $9,147,795,181
IMI Infinitymining 0.18 3% 16% 38% $10,062,500
RGL Riversgold 0.036 3% -5% 29% $26,989,756
TYX Tyranna Res Ltd 0.036 3% -3% 89% $81,807,623
AGY Argosy Minerals Ltd 0.38 3% -4% 1% $505,112,748
MIN Mineral Resources. 63.3 3% 5% 35% $11,695,509,342
LIT Lithium Australia 0.082 3% 0% 14% $82,832,746
STM Sunstone Metals Ltd 0.043 2% -12% -14% $109,050,750
RAG Ragnar Metals Ltd 0.046 2% -2% 21% $17,063,320
CXO Core Lithium 1.385 2% -7% 31% $2,353,899,707
PLS Pilbara Min Ltd 3.34 2% 5% 33% $9,739,194,262
MXR Maximus Resources 0.05 2% -11% 0% $15,626,383
LLL Leolithiumlimited 0.5 2% -12% 18% $483,461,887
ZNC Zenith Minerals Ltd 0.3 2% -3% -5% $101,704,872
AML Aeon Metals Ltd. 0.0315 2% 5% 5% $33,896,354
CAI Calidus Resources 0.63 2% -7% 1% $271,424,657
GL1 Globallith 1.75 1% -7% 54% $273,754,492
TEM Tempest Minerals 0.0405 1% -8% -12% $20,190,647
MNS Magnis Energy Tech 0.455 1% 3% 38% $436,649,167
LIS Lisenergylimited 0.63 1% -8% -16% $103,696,367
LKE Lake Resources 1.1825 1% -12% 69% $1,633,065,767
RIO Rio Tinto Limited 97.68 0% 2% 1% $36,252,975,459
ADV Ardiden Ltd 0.008 0% -11% 0% $21,346,683
1MC Morella Corporation 0.025 0% -11% 47% $141,905,350
AVZ AVZ Minerals Ltd 0.78 0% 0% 0% $2,752,409,203
EMH European Metals Hldg 0.81 0% -15% 8% $96,958,730
INF Infinity Lithium 0.14 0% -7% 4% $58,101,829
QPM Queensland Pacific 0.155 0% 11% 11% $242,360,035
RLC Reedy Lagoon Corp. 0.015 0% -6% -21% $8,361,404
TKL Traka Resources 0.006 0% -14% 9% $4,132,647
BMM Balkanminingandmin 0.185 0% -8% -8% $6,058,750
LEL Lithenergy 0.96 0% -10% 15% $43,344,000
CHR Charger Metals 0.52 0% -2% 8% $16,942,138
BYH Bryah Resources Ltd 0.027 0% -4% -16% $7,539,844
DTM Dart Mining NL 0.076 0% -5% 23% $10,279,772
FG1 Flynngold 0.1 0% 4% 0% $6,406,105
GSM Golden State Mining 0.063 0% 0% 26% $7,371,895
LRV Larvottoresources 0.24 0% -6% 17% $9,967,800
MMC Mitremining 0.1275 0% 11% 2% $3,453,350
SHH Shree Minerals Ltd 0.009 0% -10% 0% $11,146,382
TSC Twenty Seven Co. Ltd 0.003 0% 0% 0% $7,982,442
WML Woomera Mining Ltd 0.015 0% -17% 0% $10,302,496
CRR Critical Resources 0.046 0% -22% 7% $68,448,701
PNN Power Minerals Ltd 0.48 0% -19% 3% $29,538,605
MTM Mtmongerresources 0.145 0% 21% 32% $5,438,955
QXR Qx Resources Limited 0.03 0% -17% 0% $25,780,870
ENT Enterprise Metals 0.01 0% -9% -9% $6,529,807
KAI Kairos Minerals Ltd 0.028 0% -7% 17% $54,994,618
AVW Avira Resources Ltd 0.005 0% 0% 43% $10,593,950
NVA Nova Minerals Ltd 0.86 0% -1% 14% $154,973,965
RMX Red Mount Min Ltd 0.007 0% 17% 0% $11,496,547
RDT Red Dirt Metals Ltd 0.51 0% 13% 46% $155,322,757
A8G Australasian Metals 0.3 0% 13% 30% $12,351,148
MQR Marquee Resource Ltd 0.075 0% -14% 6% $23,671,319
LSR Lodestar Minerals 0.007 0% -13% 8% $12,169,061
VKA Viking Mines Ltd 0.008 0% 0% 0% $8,202,067
SRI Sipa Resources Ltd 0.045 0% 2% 18% $9,226,116
VMC Venus Metals Cor Ltd 0.175 0% 3% 3% $28,013,770
RAS Ragusa Minerals Ltd 0.245 0% 32% 236% $31,197,018
G88 Golden Mile Res Ltd 0.032 0% 7% 14% $6,519,444
WC8 Wildcat Resources 0.029 0% 0% 21% $18,712,909
THR Thor Mining PLC 0.009 0% -10% 0% $9,680,080
CZL Cons Zinc Ltd 0.024 0% 9% 26% $9,296,588
XTC Xantippe Res Ltd 0.009 0% -18% 13% $73,131,612
LRD Lordresourceslimited 0.21 0% 0% -2% $6,674,770
WMC Wiluna Mining Corp 0.205 0% 0% 0% $74,238,031
DAF Discovery Alaska Ltd 0.079 0% 44% 65% $17,714,541
FTL Firetail Resources 0.285 0% 14% 21% $17,608,013
IR1 Irismetals 0.82 0% 22% 169% $49,913,400
DAL Dalaroometalsltd 0.09 0% -9% -18% $2,688,750
TKM Trek Metals Ltd 0.077 0% 10% 12% $23,916,982
CY5 Cygnus Gold Limited 0.2 0% -17% 33% $29,437,063
WES Wesfarmers Limited 47.16 0% -2% -1% $53,607,966,642
PGD Peregrine Gold 0.825 -1% -9% 88% $31,923,849
PAM Pan Asia Metals 0.465 -1% -4% 22% $34,742,514
EUR European Lithium Ltd 0.087 -1% -2% 14% $123,221,047
SCN Scorpion Minerals 0.08 -1% 19% 18% $26,878,327
KTA Krakatoa Resources 0.062 -2% 0% 3% $21,716,725
LPD Lepidico Ltd 0.0285 -2% -8% -8% $188,708,546
TUL Tulla Resources 0.52 -2% -2% -3% $84,914,942
MM1 Midasmineralsltd 0.25 -2% 0% 32% $14,568,600
GW1 Greenwing Resources 0.245 -2% -16% 9% $30,811,837
GT1 Greentechnology 0.68 -2% -12% -1% $128,067,402
KZR Kalamazoo Resources 0.22 -2% -20% 0% $32,668,734
EVR Ev Resources Ltd 0.03 -3% -12% 3% $28,705,506
ZEO Zeotech Limited 0.059 -3% -6% 9% $93,019,844
AUN Aurumin 0.13 -4% -19% -16% $15,164,401
ALY Alchemy Resource Ltd 0.018 -5% -5% 6% $18,108,407
IPT Impact Minerals 0.008 -6% -11% 0% $21,091,650
TON Triton Min Ltd 0.027 -7% -10% 17% $36,504,741
M2R Miramar 0.125 -7% 25% 19% $8,665,200
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61 lithium companies finished in the green, 52 fell flat and 18 ended the day in the red zone.

 

Who’s got news out?

ARCADIA MINERALS (ASX:AM7)

Biggest lithium winner today is AM7 with a huge 560% increase in resources totalling 287,000t of LCE at the Bitterwasser Lithium-in-Clay Project in Namibia.

The company says this is equivalent to a 1% lithium hard rock resource of 11.6Mt, with the resource identified within the first 12m from surface, open at depth and covering only one of the known 14 exposed clay pans in the area.

“These factors along with the potential for further pans obscured by mobile Kalahari dunes, have the potential to expand the Bitterwasser lithium resource substantially,” CEO Philip le Roux says.

“Additionally, the Cyclone Test Work and early tests around leachability of the ore using low cost lixiviants, suggests the potential of feeding a comparatively competitive leach plant with higher grade material.

“This will now be investigated through our association with the University of Stellenbosch in producing a bench-scale lithium carbonate product for battery grade use”.

 

LATIN RESOURCES (ASX:LRS)

LTR’s first pass ‘sighter’ metallurgical test work has wrapped up on drill core from the high-grade Salinas Lithium Project.

Results have returned high recoveries of 78.72% of lithium oxide and production of an extremely high-grade concentrate (up to 65.7%) from simple heavy liquid separation (HLS).

The ability to achieve such high recoveries using an uncomplicated liberation process at a relatively coarse crush eliminates the need for complex and costly floatation processing to produce a very high-quality, industry standard concentrate.

Importantly for Latin Resources (ASX:LRS), this could substantially reduce both capital costs and ongoing operational costs which could grant the Salinas project in Brazil very attractive economics.

“We are seeing lithium recovery rates and concentrate grades from simple HLS processing that are well above industry standards,” executive director Chris Gale says.

“This points to strong potential for production of a premium lithium product and therefore premium pricing for our product.”

 

AURIC MINING (ASX:AWJ)

Auric is planning a 220-hole aircore drilling program to test for Chalice gold mine analogues as well as other minerals including nickel, lithium, and rare earth elements at its Chalice West and Jeffrey Find Projects.

A drilling contract with Kalgoorlie-based drilling contractor, Kennedy Drilling, has been executed with a rig scheduled for a mid-October start date.

At the Chalice West area, the company says 85 holes will expand the extent of known greenstone units, including some with associated nickel-in-soils anomalism.

In addition, a hand-held XRF instrument will be used in the field to scan all samples for a range of elements that will include nickel and proxies for lithium and rare earth elements.