Our High Voltage column wraps all the news driving ASX stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, rare earths, and vanadium.

Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor told talkback radio that he’s “not driving an electric car”.

“I live in regional New South Wales and drive huge distances each year – 60,000 or 70,000 kilometres,” Taylor said.

“I need something that can handle the hard roads and the distances.”

Taylor said he drove a Ford Everest.

Maybe the Cybertruck’s specs — 800km range, 6300kg towing capacity, ~2m tray, and a “near impenetrable” exoskeleton — will get him on board.

 

European EVs cheaper than ICE by 2027: study

Meanwhile, electric cars and vans will be cheaper to make than fossil-fuel vehicles in every light vehicle segment across Europe from 2027 at the latest, according to a new BloombergNEF study commissioned by non-profit Transport & Environment (T&E).

It finds that falling battery costs, new vehicle architectures, and dedicated production lines for electric vehicles will make them cheaper to buy, on average, even before subsidies.

The research found that battery electric vehicles could reach 100% of new sales across the EU by 2035, if lawmakers introduce measures like tighter vehicle CO2 targets and strong support for charging infrastructure.

If left to the market without strong additional policies, battery electric cars will still reach 85% market share in the EU by 2035.

Here’s how a basket of ASX battery metals stocks are performing

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop:

CODE COMPANY 1 WEEK RETURN % 1 MONTH RETURN % 6 MONTH RETURN % 1 YEAR RETURN % PRICE MARKET CAP
VRC Volt Resources 52 153 280 322 0.038 $ 83,311,483.54
HNR Hannans 33 0 14 60 0.008 $ 18,879,817.54
DEV Devex Resources 33 9 42 263 0.305 $ 83,382,882.80
BKT Black Rock Mining 22 10 158 290 0.165 $ 121,766,702.06
JRV Jervois Mining 16 6 67 163 0.5 $ 369,053,873.80
ALY Alchemy Resources 13 13 -10 67 0.018 $ 10,755,895.25
FFX Firefinch 12 56 163 460 0.42 $ 336,751,335.63
EGR Ecograf 10 -9 229 678 0.56 $ 274,032,409.99
CNJ Conico 10 6 -21 467 0.034 $ 27,632,378.27
CLA Celsius Resources 9 27 34 422 0.047 $ 49,219,719.81
BOA Boadicea Resources 7 35 59 84 0.365 $ 22,683,197.29
TKL Traka Resources 6 -6 -23 328 0.017 $ 8,103,441.09
SLZ Sultan Resources 5 55 18 181 0.295 $ 19,469,628.92
GME GME Resources 5 -3 40 68 0.059 $ 31,741,415.01
RLC Reedy Lagoon 5 -9 82 900 0.02 $ 9,400,523.32
ARL Ardea Resources 5 -1 3 106 0.515 $ 63,196,938.09
ADD Adavale Resources 4 42 82 407 0.071 $ 18,642,909.68
BUX Buxton Resources 4 14 13 14 0.08 $ 11,156,545.42
AGY Argosy Minerals 3 -10 68 78 0.089 $ 112,524,453.36
IPT Impact Minerals 3 -11 -23 31 0.017 $ 32,380,718.70
GAL Galileo Mining 2 -4 17 20 0.275 $ 37,206,313.30
BSX Blackstone 1 -8 -8 137 0.355 $ 116,141,266.50
INR Ioneer 1 -1 64 188 0.36 $ 673,320,052.42
HAS Hastings Tech Metals 1 -4 40 164 0.18 $ 312,921,947.88
MRC Mineral Commodities 0 -14 -35 -4 0.22 $ 100,373,145.62
VR8 Vanadium Resources 0 -10 93 247 0.052 $ 21,759,093.46
IXR Ionic Rare Earths 0 -54 73 333 0.026 $ 86,302,786.88
PSC Prospect Resources 0 -14 45 113 0.16 $ 59,740,910.88
VMC Venus Metals 0 -3 -25 6 0.18 $ 26,438,769.53
LPD Lepidico 0 -32 100 78 0.016 $ 77,818,197.48
AVL Aust Vanadium 0 -13 83 91 0.021 $ 61,533,335.09
BEM Blackearth Minerals 0 -20 155 253 0.12 $ 24,356,305.10
PNN PepinNini Minerals 0 -7 73 60 0.285 $ 11,074,311.87
AVZ AVZ Minerals 0 -16 103 167 0.16 $ 419,073,950.38
MOH Moho Resources 0 -9 -36 13 0.077 $ 7,642,379.75
ATM Aneka Tambang 0 0 0 0 1 $ 1,303,649.00
AJM Altura Mining 0 0 0 71 0.07 $ 209,037,029.25
LML Lincoln Minerals 0 0 0 100 0.008 $ 4,599,869.49
MAN Mandrake Resources 0 10 122 493 0.16 $ 60,010,354.14
MCR Mincor Resources -1 4 4 55 1 $ 425,881,586.61
BHP BHP Group -1 8 39 62 49.6 $ 146,025,853,600.58
ARU Arafura Resources -1 -1 76 136 0.17 $ 193,178,825.90
PUR Pursuit Minerals -2 -30 307 1124 0.057 $ 55,136,918.88
CTM Centaurus Metals -2 -1 32 190 0.695 $ 236,414,721.20
CHN Chalice Mining -2 19 130 550 7.67 $ 2,631,721,393.39
ESS Essential Metals -2 -18 -7 -25 0.09 $ 18,274,374.30
TMT Technology Metals -3 -7 -22 176 0.345 $ 51,811,429.67
CZN Corazon -3 -31 -45 -43 0.033 $ 6,903,840.90
OZL OZ Minerals -3 5 68 192 24.93 $ 8,362,897,654.04
PAN Panoramic Resources -3 3 7 66 0.155 $ 307,637,100.60
IGO IGO -3 9 56 65 7.43 $ 5,558,345,747.42
TNG TNG -3 -12 -16 52 0.088 $ 109,955,739.52
TLG Talga Group -3 -1 -21 317 1.44 $ 433,618,765.58
VML Vital Metals -4 -23 93 414 0.054 $ 224,328,586.54
STK Strickland Metals -4 4 -70 94 0.025 $ 10,528,788.03
PAM Pan Asia Metals -4 -20 -20 0.12 $ 6,328,752.84
LIT Lithium Australia -4 -8 118 155 0.12 $ 104,118,575.57
CXO Core Lithium -4 -18 390 327 0.235 $ 270,046,968.42
RXL Rox Resources -4 -5 -38 40 0.035 $ 78,015,767.84
BAR Barra Resources -4 16 -42 10 0.022 $ 14,907,378.22
COB Cobalt Blue -4 -14 230 200 0.33 $ 82,003,959.51
ARN Aldoro Resources -4 -19 150 103 0.325 $ 26,504,346.99
SRI Sipa Resources -5 -7 -3 24 0.063 $ 11,203,122.92
AXE Archer Materials -5 -18 41 71 0.725 $ 166,136,861.31
MNS Magnis Energy Tech -5 -19 65 369 0.305 $ 247,303,129.44
AUZ Australian Mines -5 0 36 155 0.02 $ 75,267,623.15
SRL Sunrise -5 10 -16 23 2.52 $ 226,014,496.29
NTU Northern Minerals -5 -22 6 64 0.036 $ 179,129,689.74
AQD Ausquest -5 -14 0 50 0.018 $ 14,817,416.96
RNU Renascor Resources -5 -23 610 689 0.071 $ 129,631,103.99
PRL Province Resources -5 21 1315 2101 0.175 $ 181,412,815.04
ESR Estrella Resources -6 -6 -59 600 0.049 $ 44,776,841.61
FGR First Graphene -6 7 57 81 0.235 $ 125,911,186.74
LYC Lynas Rare Earths -6 -13 66 222 5.44 $ 4,901,867,469.76
GL1 Global Lithium -6 0.3 $ 27,137,648.28
REE Rarex -6 -19 -29 256 0.089 $ 37,796,558.75
AOU Auroch Minerals -6 2 16 368 0.22 $ 60,784,574.40
LTR Liontown Resources -6 4 71 335 0.435 $ 782,217,291.83
CWX Carawine Resources -7 0 -14 46 0.27 $ 29,944,723.05
EUR European Lithium -7 -17 29 20 0.054 $ 50,432,522.62
GLN Galan Lithium -7 -3 436 362 0.67 $ 167,409,786.05
POS Poseidon Nickel -7 2 -8 97 0.065 $ 176,993,135.68
MIN Mineral Resources -8 1 59 160 43.88 $ 8,394,976,479.36
SGQ St George Mining -8 -12 -50 3 0.082 $ 47,724,465.90
S2R S2 Resources -8 13 -37 85 0.17 $ 53,531,500.43
NIC Nickel Mines -8 -18 13 93 1.02 $ 2,527,604,196.26
SBR Sabre Resources -8 -21 -54 175 0.055 $ 8,415,318.25
QPM Queensland Pacific -8 21 244 633 0.11 $ 124,209,495.38
RFR Rafaella Resources -9 -13 14 14 0.1 $ 16,902,581.12
GED Golden Deeps -9 -9 -29 43 0.01 $ 7,748,514.40
PLS Pilbara Minerals -9 -14 132 389 1.07 $ 3,172,100,717.04
LEG Legend Mining -10 -10 2 -22 0.12 $ 316,840,607.92
JRL Jindalee Resources -11 -10 209 710 2.47 $ 128,169,518.40
LKE Lake Resources -11 -29 298 634 0.235 $ 250,357,766.82
SYR Syrah Resources -12 -8 73 256 0.98 $ 485,446,229.78
AML Aeon Metals -12 -28 -54 -8 0.065 $ 46,752,311.16
MLX Metals X -13 6 171 130 0.23 $ 204,134,865.08
ORE Orocobre -13 2 105 232 6.09 $ 2,147,546,369.28
TON Triton Minerals -13 -11 -11 -26 0.04 $ 44,244,254.61
GXY Galaxy Resources -13 -1 116 386 3.49 $ 1,820,410,660.80
BSM Bass Metals -14 -25 100 100 0.006 $ 26,308,741.82
AZS Azure Minerals -14 -23 -70 270 0.27 $ 86,264,001.88
NMT Neometals -15 4 102 182 0.465 $ 256,315,095.02
VUL Vulcan Energy -15 -6 252 2816 6.56 $ 702,362,149.12
EMH European Metals -15 -21 72 480 1.19 $ 162,317,456.25
QXR Qx Resources -16 7 -6 14 0.016 $ 8,540,197.15
PLLDA Piedmont Lithium -16 -22 96 571 0.705 $ 1,102,461,150.00
SYA Sayona Mining -16 -24 356 356 0.031 $ 143,343,676.80
ADV Ardiden -17 -38 -62 150 0.01 $ 21,493,542.16
GBR Great Boulder Resources -17 146 94 183 0.091 $ 25,194,785.34
LPI Lithium Power International -18 -12 8 83 0.25 $ 70,753,221.67
ASN Anson Resources -18 -31 74 157 0.054 $ 46,501,397.38
HWK Hawkstone Mining -19 -27 161 275 0.03 $ 49,076,799.21
ARR American Rare Earths -20 -32 -43 300 0.068 $ 24,002,141.15
HXG Hexagon Energy -21 0 69 47 0.091 $ 41,033,272.08
PGM Platina Resources -21 26 49 191 0.067 $ 24,759,143.09
NKL NickelX -24 0.145 $ 8,025,000.00
G88 Golden Mile Resources -29 -31 11 110 0.063 $ 8,961,172.99
WKT Walkabout Resources -40 -30 39 50 0.195 $ 64,589,724.33
MLS Metals Australia -50 -25 -25 50 0.0015 $ 8,454,376.09
INF Infinity Lithium -67 -67 -37 88 0.062 $ 76,504,365.64
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SMALL CAP STANDOUTS

VOLT RESOURCES (ASX:VRC) +52%

Battery metals minnow Volt aims to join more established players Talga (ASX:TLG) and Mineral Commodities (ASX:MRC) as an integrated graphite mine and battery anode material producer in Europe.

Last week, it locked in a deal to buy 70% of the Ukraine-based ‘Zavalievsky’ graphite business, immediately transforming Volt into one of the few ASX-listed graphite producers.

It plans to install a processing plant and equipment in order to commence production of spheronised purified graphite (SPG) for the booming European lithium battery anode market within the next 12 months.

“The Zavalievsky mine’s strategic location for the future supply of SPG to the European markets has already attracted interest from LIB cell manufacturers and major car makers,” Volt says.

DEVEX RESOURCES (ASX:DEV) +33%

(Up on no news)

The Tim Goyder-backed explorer is working ground in some of Australia’s most prospective exploration regions, including the Julimar palladium-nickel-copper complex in WA.

An expanded aircore drilling program at the ‘Sovereign’ nickel-copper-PGE project near Julimar is planned for June.

This will be followed by ground-based EM and potentially RC and diamond drilling.

 

HANNANS (ASX:HNR) +33%

(Up on no news)

The explorer is planning to drill test four nickel targets in WA’s ‘Forrestania’ region this quarter.

“The ultramafic belts at Forrestania host some of the most attractive nickel sulphide deposits in Australia and possibly the world,” Hannans says.

“It’s nickel sulphide endowment is remarkable, having four mines with two open pits and nickel sulphides persisting beyond 1km depth.

“All the mineralised belts that host the mines, resources, and prospects at Forrestania are represented within the Hannans ground package, particularly the Western Ultramafic belt that contains the highest-grade nickel deposits.

“It is principally for these reasons that Hannans persists with its methodical exploration process targeting a new nickel sulphide discovery.”

BLACK ROCK MINING (ASX:BKT) +22%

The Tanzanian graphite mine developer has jumped through the remaining hoops to allow POSCO’s 15% investment worth $US7.5m  to go ahead.

Korea’s POSCO is a global major in the lithium-ion battery anode supply chain.

Both parties continue to progress offtake discussions, which could include a prepayment facility of up to $US20m towards mine development.

JERVOIS MINING (ASX:JRV) +16%

One of only a handful of decent cobalt players on the ASX.

First commercial production of cobalt and copper concentrates at the flagship Idaho Cobalt Operations (ICO) is expected to kick off mid-2022.

ICO will be the only cobalt mine in the US once up and running.

Last week, the company received Idaho Tax Reimbursement Incentive (TRI) approval which will provide reimbursement of 28% of Idaho corporate, payroll and sales taxes for 14 years. Bonus.