• Battery-grade lithium chemical prices continue to fall
  • Technical grade lithium carbonate makes gains
  • Burley drilling extends lithium mineralisation at Chubb

All your lithium news, Friday May 5.

 

Prices of battery-grade lithium continued to slip with the Benchmark Lithium Price Index down 12.9% in the assessment period from 19 April to 3 May as international prices continue to fall in lagged response to the price decline in China across the first quarter.

Lithium hydroxide prices dived 16.9% to US$38,217/t while lithium carbonate was down 9.9% to US$35,333.

However, spodumene concentrate pricing was down just 5% to US$4,750/t with Benchmark noting that some contracts with longer lags are set to remain high throughout the quarter.

It also noted that Chinese pricing for technical grade lithium carbonate climbed 8.1% to US$24,3000/t in the week from 26 April to 3 May.

Prices also stabilised towards the end of the assessment period due to holidays in several relevant markets, including China, which subdued purchasing activity.

Benchmark added that electric vehicle sales saw strong month on month grow in March though bulk buyers in the supply chain remained cautious about purchasing material, citing uncertainty over whether lithium prices had hit their floor, or whether they could fall further.

Albermarle open to Chile renegotiations

Meanwhile, famously optimistic Albemarle, which has plans to triple production by 2027, has flagged that it is open to renegotiating its Chile lithium contract before 2043 and will even seek access to other salars (salt flats) in the country.

Reuters quoted chief executive officer Kent Masters as saying that the company had not ruled out renegotiating before 2043.

“Post-2043, or after we renegotiate, the government will be involved, probably as a partner. And we would anticipate even before that having the opportunity to perhaps get even more rights for additional resources.,” he added.

Accessing these other salars will require the use of direct lithium extraction technology, which has yet to be used in commercial operations.

 

Here’s how ASX lithium stocks are tracking:

CODE COMPANY PRICE TODAY RETURN % MARKET CAP
NWM Norwest Minerals 0.034 13% $7,421,136
TON Triton Min Ltd 0.035 13% $48,402,024
WCN White Cliff Min Ltd 0.009 13% $7,672,435
IMI Infinitymining 0.17 10% $11,854,139
AS2 Askarimetalslimited 0.41 8% $23,895,674
LLO Lion One Metals Ltd 1.04 7% $11,695,254
PAT Patriot Lithium 0.25 6% $14,308,563
MRR Minrex Resources Ltd 0.017 6% $17,357,880
AGY Argosy Minerals Ltd 0.435 6% $575,807,074
LNR Lanthanein Resources 0.019 6% $20,188,360
MNS Magnis Energy Tech 0.195 5% $195,236,324
MAN Mandrake Res Ltd 0.04 5% $22,752,877
TUL Tulla Resources 0.3675 5% $112,631,401
LEL Lithenergy 0.77 5% $44,210,250
KAI Kairos Minerals Ltd 0.022 5% $41,245,963
DLI Delta Lithium 0.46 5% $195,847,296
AX8 Accelerate Resources 0.024 4% $8,684,840
WML Woomera Mining Ltd 0.012 4% $10,995,854
ASN Anson Resources Ltd 0.1825 4% $213,741,098
CHR Charger Metals 0.51 4% $31,678,327
VSR Voltaic Strategic 0.026 4% $7,682,505
LKE Lake Resources 0.4975 4% $682,773,459
WR1 Winsome Resources 1.44 4% $225,471,229
ARN Aldoro Resources 0.145 4% $18,819,324
A8G Australasian Metals 0.145 4% $5,763,869
AUN Aurumin 0.029 4% $5,537,230
WC8 Wildcat Resources 0.03 3% $19,198,659
PLS Pilbara Min Ltd 4.37 3% $12,682,310,693
GL1 Globallith 1.475 3% $304,837,756
GLN Galan Lithium Ltd 1.015 3% $302,311,674
LIT Lithium Australia 0.034 3% $40,299,325
LTR Liontown Resources 2.83 3% $6,045,750,241
AKE Allkem Limited 12.325 3% $7,645,520,451
MLS Metals Australia 0.037 3% $21,853,303
BNR Bulletin Res Ltd 0.074 3% $21,138,559
LLL Leolithiumlimited 0.56 3% $537,728,017
CXO Core Lithium 0.965 3% $1,747,005,786
CAI Calidus Resources 0.2 3% $107,126,725
SGQ St George Min Ltd 0.04 3% $32,779,911
ZEO Zeotech Limited 0.042 2% $67,268,932
INR Ioneer Ltd 0.3375 2% $692,451,628
IGO IGO Limited 14.23 2% $10,548,740,635
EUR European Lithium Ltd 0.1 2% $145,945,439
GW1 Greenwing Resources 0.25 2% $36,727,895
LRV Larvottoresources 0.27 2% $17,822,501
ESS Essential Metals Ltd 0.4275 2% $112,378,011
NVA Nova Minerals Ltd 0.36 1% $74,865,870
RAS Ragusa Minerals Ltd 0.083 1% $11,693,100
MIN Mineral Resources. 69.44 1% $13,285,681,107
AZL Arizona Lithium Ltd 0.0435 1% $115,711,526
LPM Lithium Plus 0.2625 1% $13,230,932
ADV Ardiden Ltd 0.007 0% $18,818,347
1MC Morella Corporation 0.009 0% $54,887,224
AVZ AVZ Minerals Ltd 0.78 0% $2,752,409,203
INF Infinity Lithium 0.12 0% $55,511,051
PSC Prospect Res Ltd 0.14 0% $64,716,325
RLC Reedy Lagoon Corp. 0.007 0% $3,967,037
TKL Traka Resources 0.007 0% $6,071,305
BMM Balkanminingandmin 0.205 0% $9,793,263
AAJ Aruma Resources Ltd 0.065 0% $10,202,498
PAM Pan Asia Metals 0.27 0% $41,878,509
AM7 Arcadia Minerals 0.175 0% $8,172,131
BYH Bryah Resources Ltd 0.01975 0% $5,554,756
FRS Forrestaniaresources 0.077 0% $4,688,630
RAG Ragnar Metals Ltd 0.017 0% $6,446,143
CTN Catalina Resources 0.005 0% $6,192,434
TMB Tambourahmetals 0.11 0% $4,531,186
TEM Tempest Minerals 0.018 0% $9,122,790
EMC Everest Metals Corp 0.072 0% $9,319,184
KZR Kalamazoo Resources 0.135 0% $20,574,857
SCN Scorpion Minerals 0.07 0% $24,199,433
AZI Altamin Limited 0.075 0% $29,378,756
ENT Enterprise Metals 0.006 0% $4,230,484
STM Sunstone Metals Ltd 0.03 0% $78,613,393
PGD Peregrine Gold 0.36 0% $20,196,940
AVW Avira Resources Ltd 0.003 0% $6,401,370
EFE Eastern Resources 0.011 0% $13,661,411
MQR Marquee Resource Ltd 0.022 0% $7,198,565
SRZ Stellar Resources 0.011 0% $11,050,940
LSR Lodestar Minerals 0.0055 0% $10,138,685
AOA Ausmon Resorces 0.004 0% $3,877,157
VKA Viking Mines Ltd 0.01 0% $10,252,584
IPT Impact Minerals 0.013 0% $32,257,817
VMC Venus Metals Cor Ltd 0.2 0% $35,645,737
RGL Riversgold 0.025 0% $23,636,693
ZNC Zenith Minerals Ltd 0.15 0% $52,755,907
G88 Golden Mile Res Ltd 0.021 0% $5,532,077
EPM Eclipse Metals 0.015 0% $30,420,897
YAR Yari Minerals Ltd 0.02 0% $9,647,156
DRE Dreadnought Resources Ltd 0.06 0% $198,763,693
MM1 Midasmineralsltd 0.15 0% $8,569,765
LLI Loyal Lithium Ltd 0.32 0% $19,036,800
LRD Lordresourceslimited 0.25 0% $9,058,030
WMC Wiluna Mining Corp 0.205 0% $74,238,031
ALY Alchemy Resource Ltd 0.016 0% $18,849,220
KTA Krakatoa Resources 0.031 0% $11,264,674
DAF Discovery Alaska Ltd 0.051 0% $11,945,970
IR1 Irismetals 1.16 0% $74,506,800
DAL Dalaroometalsltd 0.055 0% $1,643,125
TKM Trek Metals Ltd 0.058 0% $21,108,815
CY5 Cygnus Metals Ltd 0.24 0% $50,381,811
CMD Cassius Mining Ltd 0.017 0% $6,944,379
PL3 Patagonia Lithium 0.185 0% $9,065,648
LM1 Leeuwin Metals Ltd 0.305 0% $12,288,448
ENT Enterprise Metals 0.006 0% $4,230,484
FIN FIN Resources Ltd 0.012 0% $7,422,424
DTM Dart Mining NL 0.056 0% $9,648,085
XTC Xantippe Res Ltd 0.003 0% $31,740,299
KOB Kobaresourceslimited 0.175 0% $18,447,917
EMC Everest Metals Corp 0.072 0% $9,319,184
LRD Lordresourceslimited 0.25 0% $9,058,030
WES Wesfarmers Limited 51.46 0% $58,468,649,639
FG1 Flynngold 0.064 -1% $6,635,343
RIO Rio Tinto Limited 108.9 -1% $40,885,753,810
PNN Power Minerals Ltd 0.37 -1% $27,125,356
OCN Oceanalithiumlimited 0.315 -2% $12,536,480
LPI Lithium Pwr Int Ltd 0.305 -2% $195,020,244
MMC Mitremining 0.305 -2% $11,852,881
GT1 Greentechnology 0.59 -2% $114,443,036
A11 Atlantic Lithium 0.565 -2% $350,313,955
FBM Future Battery 0.1125 -2% $49,202,190
AML Aeon Metals Ltd. 0.022 -2% $24,669,014
SYA Sayona Mining Ltd 0.195 -3% $1,793,753,185
MXR Maximus Resources 0.037 -3% $12,124,119
QXR Qx Resources Limited 0.036 -3% $33,183,906
PLL Piedmont Lithium Inc 0.7775 -3% $346,223,200
GSM Golden State Mining 0.03 -3% $3,627,440
EVR Ev Resources Ltd 0.015 -3% $14,507,753
EMH European Metals Hldg 0.595 -3% $77,418,636
BUR Burleyminerals 0.29 -3% $18,424,306
EG1 Evergreenlithium 0.41 -4% $23,897,750
LRS Latin Resources Ltd 0.135 -4% $353,965,022
NMT Neometals Ltd 0.5925 -4% $339,935,823
NIS Nickelsearch 0.076 -4% $4,779,928
TYX Tyranna Res Ltd 0.025 -4% $62,567,058
FTL Firetail Resources 0.096 -4% $7,700,000
SRI Sipa Resources Ltd 0.02 -5% $4,791,321
MTM MTM Critical Metals 0.17 -6% $15,904,360
QPM Queensland Pacific 0.1175 -6% $218,293,490
JRL Jindalee Resources 2.03 -6% $123,938,567
M2R Miramar 0.042 -7% $3,515,478
KGD Kula Gold Limited 0.011 -8% $4,478,543
LIS Lisenergylimited 0.32 -9% $58,069,965
LPD Lepidico Ltd 0.009 -10% $76,377,717
THR Thor Energy PLC 0.0045 -10% $7,368,064
RMX Red Mount Min Ltd 0.0035 -13% $9,087,404
EMS Eastern Metals 0.06 -15% $2,773,573
VUL Vulcan Energy 5.15 -16% $883,561,454
CRR Critical Resources 0.045 -17% $86,116,763
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Lithium closed the week on a positive tone with 52 companies making gains while another 61 were companies were essentially unchanged. The remaining 37 companies on our list were in the red.

WHO’S GOT NEWS OUT?

Here’s a selection of news out from lithium plays today.

Burley Minerals (ASX:BUR)

The company’s exploration team is positively giddy with excitement after the maiden drill program at its Chubb lithium project expanded mineralisation beyond prior exploration.

Initial visual estimates from this program have confirmed the presence and persistence of spodumene-bearing pegmatites within two mineralised zones at the Chubb Central prospect, substantially building on drilling results from the 2017-2022 drilling campaigns by earlier project holders.

Notably, the Main dyke has consistently returned spodumene-pegmatites with down-hole intersections ranging between 4 and 12m widths as drilling continues to test for mineralised extensions.

Initial assays from the drill program are expected in three to four weeks time.

Gateway Mining (ASX:GML)

The farm-out of up to 80% of the lithium rights at Gateway’s Montague gold project to SensOre (ASX:S3N) is now complete with SensOre moving to start exploration.

SensOre plans to use its proprietary SensOre DPT artificial intelligence tool to generate targets within the tenements to explore for lithium.

This will be carried out in parallel with Gateway’s ongoing gold exploration activities.

Recharge Metals (ASX:REC)

Recharge has started exploration work at its Express project in Quebec after completing its acquisition from DG Resource Management.

This is focused on identifying pegmatites at the 73.5km2 project ahead of a helicopter-assisted field program.

Express is just 12km southeast of Allkem’s James Bay Deposit (37.2Mt at 1.3% Li2O) and 15km northeast of Cygnus Metals’ Pontax lithium project.

Woomera Mining (ASX:WML)

Auger sampling at Woomera’s Mt Cattlin project in southeast Western Australia has defined two strong lithium anomalies.

The main eastern lithium anomaly, which is 1.5km long and open to the north, is coincident with recently reported rock chip sample that returned highly elevated pathfinder elements for lithium.

The western anomaly is about 1km long and extends north from Woomera’s southern tenement boundary.

Woomera will start the next phase of geochemical sampling later this month and will plan reverse circulation drilling to test the anomalies once the results from this sampling are received and processed.

 

 

At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Burley Minerals and Recharge Metals are Stockhead advertisers, it did not sponsor this article.