Each week our High Voltage column wraps up all the news driving ASX battery metals stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese and vanadium.

INDUSTRY FOCUS

The Nissan Leaf has became the first EV to crack 400,000 in sales.

Porsche says it’s going to boost production of its (probably super expensive) Taycan EV ahead of its launch later this year after receiving over 20,000 reservations.

Kia reckons European buyers are looking at lengthy delivery times as “demand clearly exceeds expectations and current battery production capacity”.

And the Geneva Motor Show was jammed full of EV models — not just prototypes, but the kind that people will be actually able to drive in the next few years.

Carmakers are also going vegan.

Myth-busting battery manufacturing

Every year Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) releases a Battery Price Survey.

In 2018, this showed average battery pack prices falling 85 per cent from 2010 to 2018, reaching an average of $US176 ($250) per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

They get a lot of feedback from industry — some good, some bad.

Seeing through some of the ‘myths’ around battery production is key to successfully managing the EV transition, BNEF head of energy storage Logan Goldie-Scott says.

So here he is, clearing the air on a few of the big ones.

One: higher metals prices won’t make batteries unaffordable (to a point).

Two: there’s numerous examples of pack prices that are both lower and higher than the BNEF average – which is why it’s an average.

Three: companies midway through their own battery procurement process “often sigh with disbelief as they are unable to secure the prices we’ve disclosed,” Mr Goldie-Scott says.

“While unfortunate for them, they do not have the clout of a Volkswagen or Nissan when it comes to negotiations.”

Four: Historically, every time battery volume doubles BNEF observes an 18 per cent drop in average prices.

“Based on this observation, and our battery demand forecast, we expect the price of an average battery pack to be around $US94/kWh by 2024 and $US62/kWh by 2030,” Mr Goldie-Scott says.

SMALL CAP SPOTLIGHT

Of the companies on our list, about 78 lost ground, 61 were ahead and 52 were steady this week.

Microcap explorer Ardiden (ASX:ADV) has boosted the size of its Seymour Lake lithium project resource by 400 per cent – and the share price went gangbusters.

Seymour Lake now contains defined resources of 4.8 million tonnes grading 1.25 per cent lithium oxide and 186 parts per million (ppm) tantalum.

The Canada-focused explorer and developer was up over 33 per cent to 0.4c for the week, paring some of the losses suffered over the past year.

Andromeda Metals (ASX:ADN) says dry processing – which is faster and lower cost – could be a goer for its Poochera halloysite-kaolin project in South Australia.

And investors loved it, sending the stock up 20 per cent to 0.6c for the week.

Kaolin is an aluminous clay used to make high purity alumina (HPA), which is in demand because it helps stop lithium-ion batteries from catching fire.

Andromeda wanted to find out whether dry processing would give it a fully processed product (less than 1 per cent quartz).

Results “exceeded expectations”, the company says.

Dry processing successfully removed virtually all of the quartz sand from the final product, with less than 1 per cent remaining.

Andromeda managing director James Marsh told Stockhead that wet processing was typically two to three times more expensive.

“It is not often possible to use a dry process for kaolin so this is an excellent outcome for us,” he says.

At the crappy end of the stick, cobalt explorer Celsius Resources (ASX:CLA) has decided to all but stop evaluation work on its Opuwo project in Namibia due to the languishing cobalt price, sending shares into freefall.

After closing on Friday at 4.7c, Celsius shares fell as low as 1.4c, a 70 per cent drop and their lowest point since the company re-listed on the ASX in late 2016.

They’ve since recovered slightly to 2.1c.

Celsius is keeping the lights on, however, saying the project has plenty of cobalt to be mined should prices improve, and that optimising metallurgical recoveries could also “significantly change the board’s view”.

via GIPHY
Here’s a table of ASX battery metal stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese and vanadium>>>

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

Ticker Name 1 Week Price Change % 1 Year Price Change % Share Price [March 18] Market Cap
KLH KALIA 100 -50 0.004 $10,057,390.00
SRK STRIKE RESOURCES 90 38 0.08 $15,260,098.00
BMT BERKUT MINERALS 83 0 0.15 $7,875,916.50
SRN SUREFIRE RESOURCES 33 -77 0.004 $2,203,268.25
MEI METEORIC RESOURCES 30 -70 0.013 $5,744,557.50
MZN MARINDI METALS 25 -50 0.005 $9,923,794.00
CZN CORAZON MINING 25 -58 0.005 $5,061,133.50
HMX HAMMER METALS 24 -43 0.026 $8,486,021.00
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES 20 -50 0.003 $4,731,233.00
GPP GREENPOWER ENERGY 20 -81 0.003 $3,130,740.75
N27 NORTHERN COBALT 14 -85 0.065 $3,232,744.50
VMS VENTURE MINERALS 14 -32 0.025 $11,974,076.00
AXE ARCHER EXPLORATION 13 -18 0.076 $14,593,411.00
AOU AUROCH MINERALS 13 -30 0.068 $6,834,240.50
GED GOLDEN DEEPS 12 -27 0.037 $6,341,089.00
E25 ELEMENT 25 12 -42 0.19 $16,792,870.00
ENT ENTERPRISE METALS 11 -44 0.01 $3,880,627.50
AJM ALTURA MINING 11 -65 0.155 $265,635,232.00
CMC CHINA MAGNESIUM 10 -12 0.022 $10,173,648.00
GWR GWR GROUP 10 -45 0.11 $27,886,918.00
AZI ALTA ZINC 10 -22 0.005 $7,940,001.00
TON TRITON MINERALS 10 -45 0.045 $40,794,068.00
CHK COHIBA MINERALS 9 20 0.012 $7,975,371.00
AEE AURA ENERGY 8 -41 0.013 $15,632,709.00
RTR RUMBLE RESOURCES 8 0 0.054 $19,636,558.00
RDS REDSTONE RESOURCES 8 -3 0.014 $6,122,536.00
BAT BATTERY MINERALS 8 -64 0.028 $28,955,460.00
KDR KIDMAN RESOURCES 7 -37 1.34 $536,356,544.00
PM1 PURE MINERALS 7 -12 0.015 $4,086,927.75
ESR ESTRELLA RESOURCES 7 -35 0.015 $7,378,249.50
ANW AUS TIN MINING 7 -42 0.015 $31,810,732.00
TRT TODD RIVER RESOURCES 7 -26 0.08 $12,115,860.00
FEL FE 7 -61 0.016 $6,158,047.50
IDA INDIANA RESOURCES 7 -29 0.049 $5,193,749.00
SO4 SALT LAKE POTASH 6 -7 0.575 $115,511,528.00
RNU RENASCOR RESOURCES 6 -50 0.017 $19,608,214.00
NVA NOVA MINERALS 6 -58 0.015 $13,194,281.00
EMH EUROPEAN METALS 6 -8 0.35 $51,324,780.00
PGM PLATINA RESOURCES 6 -45 0.072 $19,281,216.00
KAI KAIROS MINERALS 6 -49 0.018 $15,340,911.00
TNG TNG 6 -42 0.096 $91,529,408.00
SUH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MINING 5 -45 0.039 $3,450,309.25
KSN KINGSTON RESOURCES 5 -13 0.02 $24,463,968.00
TNO TANDO RESOURCES 5 10 0.105 $19,383,708.00
BDC BARDOC GOLD 5 -57 0.045 $46,223,940.00
EUR EUROPEAN LITHIUM 5 -62 0.091 $48,739,684.00
VRC VOLT RESOURCES 5 -43 0.023 $30,565,042.00
BUX BUXTON RESOURCES 4 -4 0.12 $16,326,652.00
POW PROTEAN ENERGY 4 -70 0.012 $3,114,372.50
DEG DE GREY MINING 4 -25 0.097 $38,507,176.00
BEM BLACKEARTH MINERALS 4 -60 0.074 $4,785,288.00
DGR DGR GLOBAL 4 42 0.135 $79,713,648.00
JRV JERVOIS MINING 4 -48 0.245 $53,583,120.00
MLM METALLICA MINERALS 3 -39 0.03 $9,379,975.00
AUR AURIS MINERALS 3 -54 0.03 $12,260,430.00
CHN CHALICE GOLD MINES 3 22 0.155 $42,650,900.00
ORN ORION MINERALS 3 -24 0.032 $65,580,672.00
CLQ CLEAN TEQ HOLDINGS 3 -75 0.325 $231,361,072.00
SGQ ST GEORGE MINING 3 -20 0.165 $49,189,176.00
FGR FIRST GRAPHENE 3 -20 0.165 $66,188,640.00
BOA BOADICEA RESOURCES 3 0 0.19 $10,040,583.00
DEV DEVEX RESOURCES 2 -46 0.044 $4,137,306.75
MIN MINERAL RESOURCES 2 -5 15.93 $2,996,215,040.00
OMH OM HOLDINGS 2 6 1.32 $949,131,008.00
ERX EXORE RESOURCES 1 42 0.078 $35,846,764.00
RIO RIO TINTO 1 35 91.65 $133,135,122,432.00
BSX BLACKSTONE MINERALS 1 -74 0.097 $10,883,862.00
CZI CASSINI RESOURCES 1 34 0.098 $32,823,174.00
S32 SOUTH32 1 18 3.81 $19,429,103,616.00
JMS JUPITER MINES 0 376 0.335 $656,262,016.00
SEI SPECIALITY METALS 0 13 0.034 $16,646,293.00
EME ENERGY METALS 0 8 0.105 $22,016,748.00
IEC INTRA ENERGY 0 0 0.014 $5,428,136.50
AUT AUTECO MINERALS 0 0 0.006 $6,317,252.50
BDI BLINA MINERALS 0 0 0.001 $4,543,882.50
BAU BAUXITE RESOURCES 0 -5 0.06 $12,865,340.00
A4N ALPHA HPA 0 -8 0.125 $68,052,000.00
CXO CORE LITHIUM 0 -8 0.057 $39,584,600.00
VML VITAL METALS 0 -11 0.008 $13,940,890.00
NZC NZURI COPPER 0 -17 0.32 $93,210,232.00
ARE ARGONAUT RESOURCES 0 -18 0.018 $27,978,852.00
KOR KORAB RESOURCES 0 -21 0.027 $8,339,111.50
PLS PILBARA MINERALS 0 -23 0.715 $1,273,494,784.00
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS 0 -25 0.006 $8,132,995.50
PLL PIEDMONT LITHIUM 0 -31 0.11 $77,093,744.00
NMT NEOMETALS 0 -31 0.23 $125,114,080.00
SXX SOUTHERN CROSS EXPLORATION 0 -33 0.006 $6,461,059.00
DTM DART MINING 0 -36 0.005 $4,640,214.00
HAV HAVILAH RESOURCES 0 -39 0.165 $36,011,092.00
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURCES 0 -40 0.024 $2,820,000.00
HXG HEXAGON RESOURCES 0 -43 0.135 $39,390,760.00
BYH BRYAH RESOURCES 0 -43 0.08 $4,868,009.50
RMX RED MOUNTAIN MINING 0 -44 0.005 $3,890,184.00
LCD LATITUDE CONSOLIDATED 0 -48 0.016 $4,402,864.00
BSM BASS METALS 0 -52 0.012 $33,137,350.00
MCT METALICITY 0 -58 0.013 $7,832,028.50
OAR OAKDALE RESOURCES 0 -60 0.012 $805,052.25
PSM PENINSULA MINES 0 -67 0.004 $3,451,488.25
MTB MOUNT BURGESS MINING 0 -67 0.004 $1,807,517.63
CAD CAENEUS MINERALS 0 -67 0.001 $18,619,644.00
SI6 SIX SIGMA METALS 0 -69 0.004 $1,830,012.63
TKM TREK METALS 0 -70 0.006 $1,873,821.63
ZNC ZENITH MINERALS 0 -70 0.06 $12,765,728.00
SBR SABRE RESOURCES 0 -71 0.005 $2,034,868.00
TAR TARUGA MINERALS 0 -71 0.064 $9,034,703.00
CUL CULLEN RESOURCES 0 -71 0.012 $2,033,577.88
DHR DARK HORSE RESOURCES 0 -79 0.004 $7,904,346.50
LRS LATIN RESOURCES 0 -82 0.002 $6,482,506.50
RIE RIEDEL RESOURCES 0 -85 0.01 $4,180,697.00
CGM COUGAR METALS 0 -86 0.001 $1,065,472.13
NXE NEW ENERGY MINERALS 0 -89 0.029 $4,375,968.00
NWC NEW WORLD COBALT 0 -89 0.01 $5,515,176.50
RLC REEDY LAGOON 0 -89 0.005 $2,011,358.50
GXY GALAXY RESOURCES -1 -43 2.05 $823,198,528.00
SVM SOVEREIGN METALS -1 -32 0.082 $28,534,168.00
INF INFINITY LITHIUM -1 -39 0.082 $15,594,031.00
GME GME RESOURCES -1 -54 0.075 $36,160,516.00
ARU ARAFURA RESOURCES -2 -59 0.049 $36,070,156.00
ORE OROCOBRE -2 -44 3.35 $886,596,864.00
HIG HIGHLANDS PACIFIC -2 21 0.105 $114,737,056.00
ASN ANSON RESOURCES -3 -27 0.077 $37,152,176.00
CRL COMET RESOURCES -3 -62 0.032 $7,422,400.00
PIO PIONEER RESOURCES -3 -42 0.0145 $21,057,570.00
LIT LITHIUM AUSTRALIA -3 -49 0.086 $41,034,924.00
VMC VENUS METALS -3 -10 0.14 $12,672,057.00
AML AEON METALS -4 -2 0.275 $158,778,832.00
WKT WALKABOUT RESOURCES -4 47 0.135 $41,073,716.00
LPD LEPIDICO -4 -44 0.027 $90,616,728.00
IRC INTERMIN RESOURCES -4 -42 0.125 $29,423,558.00
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES -4 -70 0.5 $50,949,804.00
LPI LITHIUM POWER INTERNATIONAL -4 -49 0.215 $56,440,488.00
POS POSEIDON NICKEL -5 11 0.042 $110,993,480.00
BPL BROKEN HILL PROSPECTING -5 -73 0.021 $3,697,085.00
EUC EUROPEAN COBALT -5 -79 0.021 $15,995,644.00
LTR LIONTOWN RESOURCES -5 -48 0.02 $27,190,534.00
AVL AUSTRALIAN VANADIUM -5 -59 0.019 $41,450,720.00
HWK HAWKSTONE MINING -5 -44 0.018 $10,265,724.00
PSC PROSPECT RESOURCES -5 -61 0.018 $34,783,956.00
INR IONEER -5 -64 0.18 $272,871,936.00
CNJ CONICO -6 -56 0.017 $5,979,890.50
VXR VENTUREX RESOURCES -6 7 0.225 $58,190,912.00
MXR MAXIMUS RESOURCES -6 -35 0.075 $2,361,295.25
ARM AURORA MINERALS -6 -50 0.015 $1,756,999.25
TMT TECHNOLOGY METALS AUSTRALIA -6 -44 0.22 $20,137,458.00
GBE GLOBE METALS AND MINING -7 -22 0.014 $6,522,913.00
TKL TRAKA RESOURCES -7 -75 0.014 $4,638,494.50
AVZ AVZ MINERALS -7 -86 0.041 $93,611,136.00
CAZ CAZALY RESOURCES -7 -46 0.027 $6,286,114.50
SYR SYRAH RESOURCES -7 -72 1.08 $395,172,384.00
AUZ AUSTRALIAN MINES -7 -73 0.027 $83,897,736.00
CGN CRATER GOLD MINING -7 -32 0.013 $16,694,942.00
MZZ MATADOR MINING -8 -26 0.185 $11,046,083.00
FCC FIRST COBALT -8 -83 0.185 $62,774,536.00
GPX GRAPHEX MINING -8 -25 0.23 $20,083,628.00
PNN PEPINNINI LITHIUM -8 -89 0.0035 $2,456,023.25
OAU ORA GOLD -8 -54 0.011 $7,107,054.50
AMD ARROW MINERALS -8 -66 0.011 $3,459,946.75
AGY ARGOSY MINERALS -8 -71 0.105 $102,200,288.00
KNL KIBARAN RESOURCES -9 -35 0.1 $28,193,096.00
4CE FORCE COMMODITIES -9 -89 0.01 $4,245,158.50
COB COBALT BLUE -9 -86 0.145 $18,689,030.00
LKE LAKE RESOURCES -10 -64 0.057 $22,018,608.00
BKT BLACK ROCK MINING -10 27 0.065 $33,925,796.00
HNR HANNANS -10 -55 0.009 $17,891,590.00
MNS MAGNIS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES -11 -48 0.25 $152,784,000.00
BAR BARRA RESOURCES -11 -38 0.031 $17,783,394.00
TLG TALGA RESOURCES -12 -29 0.55 $125,460,776.00
CZR COZIRON RESOURCES -13 -61 0.007 $12,498,859.00
CDT CASTLE MINERALS -13 -70 0.007 $1,566,571.88
MQR MARQUEE RESOURCES -14 -87 0.051 $2,265,447.00
THR THOR MINING -14 -53 0.019 $13,621,110.00
LI3 LITHIUM CONSOLIDATED -14 -52 0.05 $4,995,216.50
PAN PANORAMIC RESOURCES -14 -26 0.395 $195,338,560.00
CLA CELSIUS RESOURCES -14 -84 0.018 $14,387,144.00
HGM HIGH GRADE METALS -14 -90 0.007 $3,170,565.00
BGS BIRIMIAN -15 -66 0.17 $42,321,620.00
SVD SCANDIVANADIUM -15 -57 0.011 $3,870,527.00
MLS METALS AUSTRALIA -17 -38 0.003 $5,854,494.50
PMY PACIFICO MINERALS -17 -44 0.005 $8,232,189.50
SYA SAYONA MINING -17 -76 0.015 $27,540,160.00
MTC METALSTECH -17 -87 0.025 $2,806,893.25
MTH MITHRIL RESOURCES -17 -88 0.005 $2,534,335.25
WCN WHITE CLIFF MINERALS -17 -96 0.005 $2,822,081.25
OKR OKAPI RESOURCES -20 -60 0.16 $5,838,287.50
MRR MINREX RESOURCES -20 -83 0.012 $1,150,532.75
PUR PURSUIT MINERALS -23 -82 0.02 $3,927,601.25
ADV ARDIDEN -25 -82 0.003 $5,030,640.50
WML WOOMERA MINING -26 -79 0.035 $4,846,290.50
SCI SILVER CITY MINERALS -27 -80 0.008 $2,349,682.00
LML LINCOLN MINERALS -29 -84 0.005 $3,449,902.00
GLN GALAN LITHIUM -54 159 0.285 $34,294,648.00
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