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

INDUSTRY FOCUS

General Lithium, China’s 4th largest producer, wants to have a new 60,000 tonne-a-year lithium chemical convertor up and running by the end of 2020.

The problem is that General Lithium – which will consume an estimated 135,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate this year — doesn’t have enough supply to feed this new plant.

So where’s the spodumene gonna come from?

“We need more. We are in very frequent contact with all the major guys,” the unnamed official told Reuters.

Scroll down for a table showing the recent performance of 200 ASX battery metal stocks >>

Currently, General Lithium has offtake agreements with  producers like Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS).

But it’s also playing the long game, recently signing an MOU with aspiring producer Birimian (ASX:BGS).

General Lithium might need Birimian to come online sooner rather than later.

READ: The Explorers — Birimian’s Chris Evans on pitfalls, project development and that 100m tonne Mali resource

Myth busted

There’s a common myth floating around – EVs are no cleaner than combustion engines if they use electricity generated by traditional sources, like coal.

That’s incorrect, according to new study.

Researchers found that even when electricity is generated from combustion sources, electric vehicles have a net positive impact on air quality and climate change.

“Across scenarios, we found the more cars that transitioned to electric power, the better for summertime ozone levels,” author Jordan Schnell says.

“No matter how the power is generated, the more combustion cars you take off the road, the better the ozone quality.”

So, there you go.

 

SMALL CAP SPOTLIGHT

Of the battery metals players on our list, 57 advanced, 50 remained steady and 85 lost ground this past week.

Renascor Resources (ASX: RNU) had a really good week.

The graphite play confirmed that it’s received in-principle project finance support from the Dutch government for its Siviour graphite project in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

The finance contribution could potentially cover around 60 per cent of mine development expenditure.

It’s still very early days but investors loved the news, sending the stock up 33 per cent for the week.

In March, lithium explorer Lepidico (ASX:LPD) said drilling at the Alvarrões mine in Portugal suggested a massive resource upgrade was on the way.

Last week, the explorer unveiled a resource which is 210 per cent bigger, helping boost the stock by 24 per cent for the week.

Lepidico is on a golden run right now, with the share price up over 150 per cent since the start of February.

Check this out:

The Lepidico share price over the past year.
The Lepidico share price over the past year.

 

And fellow lithium play Piedmont (ASX:PLL) says it remains on track to start construction of its namesake project in North Carolina in early 2020.

“As the only conventional lithium project in the USA, we have attracted considerable strategic interest and have engaged in initial conversations with parties in the lithium, mining, chemicals, battery, automotive, and private equity sectors,” Piedmont CEO Keith Phillips says.

“We plan to appoint financial and legal advisors in the coming weeks to assist in the evaluation of strategic and financial plans as we approach a construction decision.”

The explorer certainly attracted considerable interest from investors last week, who sent the stock up 24 per cent.

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.

ASX Code Company Market Cap Price Intra-day April 15 1-Week % Change 1-Year % Change
NWC NEW WORLD COBALT $9,375,800.00 0.017 55 -83
WKT WALKABOUT RESOURCES $65,413,696.00 0.265 37 179
RNU RENASCOR RESOURCES $25,375,336.00 0.025 33 -27
SI6 SIX SIGMA METALS $1,830,012.63 0.004 33 -73
HNR HANNANS $23,855,454.00 0.013 30 -28
CGN CRATER GOLD MINING $17,184,942.00 0.015 25 -21
LPD LEPIDICO $104,041,432.00 0.04 24 -10
PLL PIEDMONT LITHIUM $107,260,856.00 0.15 24 7
KNL KIBARAN RESOURCES $36,651,024.00 0.13 24 -4
SUH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MINING $3,538,778.75 0.04 21 -20
EMH EUROPEAN METALS $59,390,100.00 0.4 21 1
CLQ CLEAN TEQ $250,019,216.00 0.37 18 -69
BKT BLACK ROCK MINING $42,745,212.00 0.083 18 37
INR IONEER $294,996,704.00 0.2 18 -56
PMY PACIFICO MINERALS $11,525,066.00 0.0065 17 -50
MTH MITHRIL RESOURCES $2,534,335.25 0.007 17 -76
DHR DARK HORSE RESOURCES $11,856,520.00 0.007 17 -61
AOU AUROCH MINERALS $7,236,255.00 0.069 15 -31
GBE GLOBE METALS AND MINING $7,454,758.00 0.016 14 0
CZN CORAZON MINING $4,142,066.00 0.004 14 -67
VML VITAL METALS $13,940,890.00 0.008 13 0
INF INFINITY LITHIUM $17,115,400.00 0.094 11 -22
NXE NEW ENERGY MINERALS $4,526,863.50 0.03 11 -87
ARU ARAFURA RESOURCES $51,941,024.00 0.072 11 -32
HAV HAVILAH RESOURCES $31,646,112.00 0.155 11 -34
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS $7,455,245.50 0.0055 10 -21
BUX BUXTON RESOURCES $15,646,375.00 0.12 10 -12
AEE AURA ENERGY $14,694,025.00 0.013 8 -38
KDR KIDMAN RESOURCES $552,548,480.00 1.34 8 -28
TKL TRAKA RESOURCES $4,969,815.50 0.015 7 -71
TAR TARUGA MINERALS $6,211,358.50 0.044 7 -83
SRK STRIKE RESOURCES $11,481,407.00 0.08 7 33
GLN GALAN LITHIUM $38,453,100.00 0.365 6 229
GED GOLDEN DEEPS $6,169,708.50 0.035 6 -42
BPL BROKEN HILL PROSPECTING $2,809,784.50 0.019 6 -85
GWR GWR GROUP $25,351,744.00 0.1 5 -50
DEV DEVEX RESOURCES $4,225,606.00 0.039 5 -43
AVL AUSTRALIAN VANADIUM $39,476,876.00 0.021 5 -58
AVZ AVZ MINERALS $95,894,336.00 0.043 5 -81
A4N ALPHA HPA $62,381,000.00 0.11 5 -13
PUR PURSUIT MINERALS $3,927,601.25 0.022 5 -82
IRC INTERMIN RESOURCES $28,246,616.00 0.125 4 -38
CAZ CAZALY RESOURCES $6,545,476.50 0.025 4 -50
TLG TALGA RESOURCES $137,627,568.00 0.625 4 -17
MZZ MATADOR MINING $17,782,604.00 0.25 4 -13
CHN CHALICE GOLD MINES $35,986,700.00 0.135 4 9
BMT BERKUT MINERALS $7,875,916.50 0.15 4 -6
SO4 SALT LAKE POTASH $123,762,352.00 0.58 3 -3
LKE LAKE RESOURCES $23,687,934.00 0.053 3 -53
ORN ORION MINERALS $58,085,740.00 0.031 3 -24
RTR RUMBLE RESOURCES $22,678,512.00 0.06 3 19
LIT LITHIUM AUSTRALIA $37,304,476.00 0.081 2 -43
HIG HIGHLANDS PACIFIC $120,200,720.00 0.1075 2 33
VXR VENTUREX RESOURCES $61,547,784.00 0.235 2 5
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES $49,888,348.00 0.455 2 -54
PGM PLATINA RESOURCES $17,168,206.00 0.068 2 -43
RIO RIO TINTO $146,568,101,888.00 100.56 1 45
RDS REDSTONE RESOURCES $5,687,571.50 0.012 0 -11
OAR OAKDALERESOURCES $3,542,041.25 0.017 0 -23
SXX SOUTHERN CROSS EXPLORATION $5,384,216.00 0.005 0 -44
NZC NZURI COPPER $90,251,176.00 0.31 0 -13
CGM COUGAR METALS $2,242,055.50 0.002 0 -69
CDT CASTLE MINERALS $1,566,571.88 0.007 0 -63
MRR MINREX RESOURCES $1,150,532.75 0.013 0 -80
PM1 PURE MINERALS $4,086,927.75 0.015 0 -21
AZI ALTA ZINC $4,106,897.00 0.004 0 -63
PSM PENINSULA MINES $3,451,488.25 0.004 0 -60
FEL FE $5,773,169.50 0.015 0 -52
OAU ORA GOLD $5,168,767.00 0.008 0 -62
NMT NEOMETALS $119,674,336.00 0.235 0 -28
CHK COHIBA MINERALS $8,639,985.00 0.012 0 41
PNN PEPINNINI LITHIUM $2,456,023.25 0.003 0 -90
RMX RED MOUNTAIN MINING $4,668,220.50 0.005 0 -50
GME GME RESOURCES $28,400,368.00 0.0588 0 -59
MTB MOUNT BURGESS MINING $1,355,638.13 0.003 0 -67
CMC CHINA MAGNESIUM $18,497,542.00 0.04 0 82
BOA BOADICEA RESOURCES $10,569,034.00 0.2 0 -7
MIN MINERAL RESOURCES $3,146,589,696.00 16.675 0 3
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES $4,731,233.00 0.003 0 -67
GPP GREENPOWER ENERGY $4,696,111.00 0.003 0 -80
SCI SILVER CITY MINERALS $2,349,682.00 0.009 0 -73
SYA SAYONA MINING $30,982,680.00 0.018 0 -74
LRS LATIN RESOURCES $5,008,130.00 0.002 0 -86
CAD CAENEUS MINERALS $18,619,644.00 0.001 0 0
THR THOR MINING $12,254,390.00 0.015 0 -64
DTM DART MINING $5,568,257.00 0.006 0 -38
LTR LIONTOWN RESOURCES $33,237,274.00 0.024 0 -35
VMC VENUS METALS $14,122,777.00 0.165 0 31
AMD ARROW MINERALS $3,774,487.25 0.012 0 -60
BDC BARDOC GOLD $45,233,424.00 0.042 0 -60
WCN WHITE CLIFF MINERALS $2,822,081.25 0.006 0 -95
BDI BLINA MINERALS $4,543,882.50 0.001 0 0
MEI METEORIC RESOURCES $8,663,925.00 0.013 0 -68
AJM ALTURA MINING $265,682,816.00 0.1275 0 -64
LML LINCOLN MINERALS $3,449,902.00 0.006 0 -82
LCD LATITUDE CONSOLIDATED $4,402,864.00 0.016 0 -52
MCT METALICITY $4,819,710.00 0.01 0 -68
MZN MARINDI METALS $8,359,484.00 0.003 0 -60
RLC REEDY LAGOON $1,609,086.88 0.004 0 -89
MLM METALLICA MINERALS $7,439,290.50 0.023 0 -49
TNO TANDO RESOURCES $19,472,510.00 0.1 0 -45
LPI LITHIUM POWER $53,815,352.00 0.195 0 -37
SRN SUREFIRE RESOURCES $1,321,960.88 0.003 0 -75
CLA CELSIUS RESOURCES $13,629,925.00 0.019 0 -89
LI3 LITHIUM CONSOLIDATED $9,082,212.00 0.11 0 0
MTC METALSTECH $2,572,985.50 0.02 0 -92
MQR MARQUEE RESOURCES $1,838,004.25 0.043 0 -90
MXR MAXIMUS RESOURCES $2,452,114.50 0.077 -1 -33
CXO CORE LITHIUM $38,195,668.00 0.057 -2 -16
PLS PILBARA MINERALS $1,293,893,504.00 0.715 -2 -12
DEG DE GREY MINING $38,930,332.00 0.1 -2 -44
IDA INDIANA RESOURCES $4,239,795.00 0.045 -2 -11
TON TRITON MINERALS $38,939,792.00 0.042 -2 -43
ERX EXORE RESOURCES $40,036,644.00 0.082 -2 65
OMH OM HOLDINGS $893,734,208.00 1.185 -2 -7
PAN PANORAMIC RESOURCES $203,386,768.00 0.395 -2 -13
AXE ARCHER EXPLORATION $14,209,374.00 0.077 -3 -39
TRT TODD RIVER RESOURCES $10,904,274.00 0.072 -3 -30
BEM BLACKEARTH MINERALS $5,687,483.00 0.066 -3 -61
E25 ELEMENT 25 $14,273,940.00 0.17 -3 -39
BYH BRYAH RESOURCES $3,955,257.75 0.065 -3 -50
AGY ARGOSY MINERALS $92,319,696.00 0.092 -3 -71
BGS BIRIMIAN $40,999,068.00 0.155 -3 -72
SGQ ST GEORGE MINING $41,736,268.00 0.145 -3 -3
COB COBALT BLUE $18,066,062.00 0.155 -3 -89
SEI SPECIALITY METALS $16,646,293.00 0.028 -3 12
TNG TNG $79,004,328.00 0.086 -4 -50
DGR DGR GLOBAL $82,779,552.00 0.135 -4 44
BAU BAUXITE RESOURCES $11,364,384.00 0.053 -4 -15
HMX HAMMER METALS $8,486,021.00 0.029 -4 -33
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURCES $2,820,000.00 0.024 -4 -40
EUR EUROPEAN LITHIUM $59,176,668.00 0.115 -4 -43
EME ENERGY METALS $23,065,164.00 0.11 -4 10
VMS VENTURE MINERALS $11,453,464.00 0.021 -5 -42
JMS JUPITER MINES $617,082,176.00 0.32 -5 348
CZI CASSINI RESOURCES $34,550,708.00 0.1 -5 45
POS POSEIDON NICKEL $108,350,776.00 0.04 -5 8
PSC PROSPECT RESOURCES $38,876,184.00 0.019 -5 -60
KSN KINGSTON RESOURCES $23,240,770.00 0.019 -5 -21
GXY GALAXY RESOURCES $745,768,960.00 1.83 -5 -37
MNS MAGNIS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES L $161,951,040.00 0.27 -5 -35
FGR FIRST GRAPHENE $72,181,288.00 0.17 -6 0
CNJ CONICO $5,276,374.00 0.015 -6 -67
JRL JINDALEE RESOURCES $10,148,485.00 0.29 -6 16
ESR ESTRELLA RESOURCES $7,425,366.00 0.014 -7 -63
PIO PIONEER RESOURCES $21,103,952.00 0.014 -7 -46
AUR AURIS MINERALS $11,443,078.00 0.029 -7 -58
CRL COMET RESOURCES $7,190,450.00 0.028 -7 -55
ORE OROCOBRE $897,058,176.00 3.425 -7 -29
HXG HEXAGON RESOURCES $37,931,840.00 0.14 -7 -41
TMT TECHNOLOGY METALS AUSTRALIA $17,073,062.00 0.195 -7 -58
NVA NOVA MINERALS $10,837,878.00 0.014 -7 -62
POW PROTEAN ENERGY $4,360,121.50 0.014 -7 -61
S32 SOUTH32 $18,036,172,800.00 3.5 -7 7
AUZ AUSTRALIAN MINES $77,905,040.00 0.026 -7 -73
EUC EUROPEAN COBALT $20,565,828.00 0.025 -7 -67
KOR KORAB RESOURCES $11,427,671.00 0.037 -8 -24
CUL CULLEN RESOURCES $2,033,577.88 0.012 -8 -71
SVD SCANDIVANADIUM $4,574,259.50 0.012 -8 -53
ZNC ZENITH MINERALS $12,552,966.00 0.058 -8 -71
BSM BASS METALS $30,864,620.00 0.011 -8 -59
BSX BLACKSTONE MINERALS $8,078,743.00 0.07 -9 -85
BAR BARRA RESOURCES $15,627,831.00 0.03 -9 -46
CZR COZIRON RESOURCES $17,855,512.00 0.01 -9 -57
VRC VOLT RESOURCES $29,109,564.00 0.02 -9 -41
KAI KAIROS MINERALS $17,045,456.00 0.018 -10 -49
4CE FORCE COMMODITIES $3,820,642.75 0.009 -10 -89
SVM SOVEREIGN METALS $28,382,620.00 0.079 -10 -31
WML WOOMERA MINING $3,719,246.25 0.032 -11 -76
RIE RIEDEL RESOURCES $3,344,557.50 0.008 -11 -89
GPX GRAPHEX MINING $19,647,028.00 0.24 -12 -19
IEC INTRA ENERGY $8,917,653.00 0.022 -12 83
HGM HIGH GRADE METALS $3,623,503.00 0.007 -13 -89
OKR OKAPI RESOURCES $6,181,716.00 0.17 -13 -60
ASN ANSON RESOURCES $31,396,826.00 0.059 -13 -13
ARM AURORA MINERALS $1,756,999.25 0.013 -13 -63
N27 NORTHERN COBALT $3,390,244.50 0.056 -14 -83
AML AEON METALS $144,709,984.00 0.21 -14 -23
ANW AUS TIN MINING $27,834,390.00 0.012 -14 -29
ADV ARDIDEN $5,030,640.50 0.003 -14 -79
AUT AUTECO MINERALS $6,014,788.00 0.006 -14 20
JRV JERVOIS MINING $53,583,120.00 0.24 -15 -43
SYR SYRAH RESOURCES $413,159,072.00 1.1425 -15 -64
FCC FIRST COBALT $59,437,540.00 0.175 -18 -81
ARE ARGONAUT RESOURCES $21,761,328.00 0.013 -18 -42
BAT BATTERY MINERALS $30,568,118.00 0.023 -18 -68
HWK HAWKSTONE MINING $7,984,452.00 0.013 -24 -68
MLS METALS AUSTRALIA $4,037,696.75 0.002 -25 -63
ENT ENTERPRISE METALS $3,612,714.75 0.011 -25 -44
TKM TREK METALS $1,561,518.13 0.005 -29 -78
KLH KALIA $7,543,042.00 0.002 -33 -78
SBR SABRE RESOURCES $1,220,920.88 0.003 -40 -86
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