Ground Breakers: Battery metals, energy transition reshapes the ASX 200

Lithium, battery metals and the broader energy transition have become dominant narratives across the ASX this year.

Some of the hottest mining stocks in recent months have been in that space, as prices for lithium and demand for batteries and EVs continues to rise.

We have seen that play out in the recent rebalance of the S&P ASX 200.

Joining the bellwether group of ASX stocks is a second of Tim Goyder’s battery metals companies as Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) rode a wave of momentum around its Kathleen Valley lithium project in WA’s Goldfields region.

$2.75 billion capped Liontown is actually down some 23% over the past month after announcing a discounted $490 million raising to substantially fund the construction of the Kathleen Valley mine, due to be operational by 2024.

But it is still up around 250% year to date after emerging as the next Australian lithium mine of scale ahead of its DFS last month.

Happy news as well for uranium bulls, who have seen Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) rejoin the ranks of the ASX 200 three years after slipping into administration on troubles at its mothballed and almost ready to refire Langer-Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia.

Uranium miners are back in vogue amid an uptick in spot prices for the long-depressed commodity and enthusiasm that the need to reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuels will bring the nuclear energy fuel out of the ESG doghouse.

Battery metals adjacent Novonix (ASX:NVX) has also crept into the ASX 200 despite shedding a quarter of its value over the past week, while $5.5 billion capped lithium miner Orocobre (ASX:ORE) has charged into the ASX 100 after its merger with Galaxy Resources.

Some big names have dropped out of the ASX’s top stock index, notably contractor Monadelphous (ASX:MND) and online retailer Kogan (ASX:KGN).

Gold miners lead to open the week

Gold prices enjoyed a slight rebound after disappointing US jobs data last week.

Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) was the choice stock amongst the large caps, gaining 3.06% as of 12.45 AEDT.

Newcrest (ASX:NCM), Silver Lake (ASX:SLR), Gold Road (ASX:GOR) and thinly traded Kirkland Lake (ASX:KLA) were all up this morning.

News on Silver Lake’s plans around Canada’s distressed Harte Gold and its high grade Sugar Zone underground mine could become clearer soon after the WA gold miner extended the forbearance period in the debt facilities it acquired last month to today.

The forbearance had been due to expire on November 30.

“Silver Lake continues to work cooperatively with Harte Gold and its stakeholders to deliver an outcome which will provide the best opportunity to realise the full potential of the Sugar Zone mine and the associated land package,” the company said in a statement last week.