High Voltage: These 5 lithium explorers are outperforming in 2020

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

Right now, COVID-19 is having a ‘freezing’ effect on the entire battery supply chain — from raw materials through to battery manufacturing and electric vehicle (EV) production.

In January, figures show Chinese EV output and sales falling about 55 per cent year-on-year. February figures could be even worse; early estimates suggest that numbers could plummet +90 per cent year-on-year.

The near-term outlook isn’t all bad. Despite the disruption, 59 out of 183 automotive suppliers in China — 32 per cent in the industry — had already reportedly resumed production by February 12, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reports.

Scroll down for our Top 5 of 2020 (so far) >>>

Still, even if COVID-19 impacts are minimised the issues that plagued battery raw materials prior to the outbreak remain.

In February, spodumene concentrate prices nudged lower to an average $US463 ($697) per tonne — a 46 per cent drop from the same period last year — due to that ‘overhang’ in Chinese stockpiles.

WA hard rock producers like Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS), Altura Mining (ASX:AJM) and Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY) have been curbing exports in response but this excess feedstock — estimated at 25,000t LCE (lithium carbonate equivalent) — is still expected to persist through the first half of the year at least, Benchmark says.

The medium-to-long term outlook still remains strong, underlined by Altura’s ability to lock in a crucial $305m financing package on Friday.

Shareholders will be breathing a sigh of relief — the hard rock producer needed this deal to keep the lights on.

“We are pleased by the support shown by our existing lenders, their belief in the Altura lithium project, management and the global lithium sector,” managing director James Brown says.

“The combined sum of the financing package gives us considerable balance sheet strength and working capital headroom so we can continue to push through this period of market weakness.”

But investors are still rewarding the best development stories, even as pricing remains in the toilet.

This cluster of advanced ASX-listed lithium explorers — who aren’t exposed to prevailing low prices — are making appreciable gains in 2020.

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 MONTH TOTAL RETURN	YEAR TO DATE RETURN [2020]	1 YEAR TOTAL RETURN	PRICE [intraday Friday]	MARKET CAP [$AU]
GLN	GALAN LITHIUM	16%	100%	-58%	0.25	42,028,396
AVZ	AVZ MINERALS	3%	56%	46%	0.068	154,722,848
LKE	LAKE RESOURCES	-19%	46%	-34%	0.037	23,768,504
VUL	VULCAN ENERGY RESOURCES	8%	35%	5%	0.21	8,940,000
LTR	LIONTOWN RESOURCES	34%	32%	475%	0.11	194,808,304
AXE	ARCHER MATERIALS	-15%	26%	167%	0.19	41,421,816
MTC	METALSTECH	4%	24%	108%	0.059	6,081,602
AVL	AUSTRALIAN VANADIUM	-8%	22%	-45%	0.012	28,080,822
SVM	SOVEREIGN METALS	-14%	20%	43%	0.12	45,874,508
RIE	RIEDEL RESOURCES	-20%	20%	20%	0.012	5,016,837
PGM	PLATINA RESOURCES	-9%	18%	-72%	0.019	6,525,521
PUR	PURSUIT MINERALS	56%	17%	-77%	0.007	2,472,640
BAT	BATTERY MINERALS	17%	17%	-74%	0.007	9,226,641
NVA	NOVA MINERALS	42%	16%	200%	0.05	52,293,612
WML	WOOMERA MINING	13%	13%	-55%	0.016	3,112,298
JRV	JERVOIS MINING	-9%	12%	2%	0.23	147,575,504
KAI	KAIROS MINERALS	25%	11%	-41%	0.011	10,196,730
JRL	JINDALEE RESOURCES	23%	11%	32%	0.315	13,472,989
VMC	VENUS METALS	14%	11%	74%	0.2	30,215,736
CHN	CHALICE GOLD MINES	-12%	11%	61%	0.245	68,517,032
ASN	ANSON RESOURCES	-14%	11%	-60%	0.03	17,998,854
PIO	PIONEER RESOURCES	0%	8%	-13%	0.013	19,613,864
FGR	FIRST GRAPHENE	-17%	7%	-9%	0.14	68,885,160
CAZ	CAZALY RESOURCES	14%	4%	78%	0.024	8,652,832
MNS	MAGNIS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES	-21%	4%	-71%	0.078	52,418,208
ORE	OROCOBRE	-26%	3%	-25%	2.61	715,198,784
CXO	CORE LITHIUM	0%	3%	-37%	0.034	28,530,882
WKT	WALKABOUT RESOURCES	3%	3%	41%	0.195	66,335,392
NMT	NEOMETALS	-9%	3%	-15%	0.185	106,180,800
MIN	MINERAL RESOURCES	-3%	2%	10%	15.87	3,129,012,224
HRZ	HORIZON MINERALS	-18%	1%	-39%	0.084	36,805,868
MTB	MOUNT BURGESS MINING	50%	0%	-25%	0.003	1,596,388
ADV	ARDIDEN	33%	0%	0%	0.003	7,154,081
SVD	SCANDIVANADIUM	17%	0%	-46%	0.007	2,463,063
AEE	AURA ENERGY	0%	0%	-62%	0.005	7,946,357
SI6	SIX SIGMA METALS	0%	0%	-25%	0.003	1,935,010
BDI	BLINA MINERALS	0%	0%	0%	0.001	6,268,772
VRC	VOLT RESOURCES	0%	0%	-50%	0.011	19,127,204
CZR	COZIRON RESOURCES	0%	0%	-20%	0.009	19,090,818
MTH	MITHRIL RESOURCES	-10%	0%	50%	0.01	4,413,503
PM1	PURE MINERALS	-16%	0%	7%	0.016	9,538,749
MCT	METALICITY	-20%	0%	-69%	0.004	2,892,840
TAR	TARUGA MINERALS	-21%	0%	-79%	0.011	3,569,883
PNN	PEPINNINI LITHIUM	-33%	0%	-48%	0.002	2,933,863
CZN	CORAZON MINING	-38%	0%	-50%	0.0025	6,024,740
CFE	CAPE LAMBERT RESOURCES	-43%	0%	-75%	0.004	4,865,213
MQR	MARQUEE RESOURCES	-9%	-2%	-14%	0.05	3,180,505
GXY	GALAXY RESOURCES	-22%	-2%	-57%	0.88	370,578,816
BYH	BRYAH RESOURCES	-13%	-3%	-48%	0.04	3,934,080
MLL	MALI LITHIUM	-10%	-3%	-59%	0.072	23,483,760
EUR	EUROPEAN LITHIUM	-6%	-5%	-10%	0.074	50,791,276
CRL	COMET RESOURCES	-14%	-5%	-45%	0.019	5,328,000
LI3	LITHIUM CONSOLIDATED	-26%	-8%	-61%	0.023	3,387,136
BOA	BOADICEA RESOURCES	-13%	-9%	17%	0.21	11,675,107
PLL	PIEDMONT LITHIUM	-19%	-9%	5%	0.1	86,553,624
E25	ELEMENT 25	-6%	-9%	-3%	0.155	14,265,002
SYA	SAYONA MINING	-29%	-9%	-44%	0.01	21,416,546
CLQ	CLEAN TEQ	-30%	-10%	-43%	0.19	138,095,136
LPI	LITHIUM POWER INTERNATIONAL	-30%	-10%	-2%	0.23	59,178,128
JMS	JUPITER MINES	-9%	-11%	-9%	0.24	489,747,744
LIT	LITHIUM AUSTRALIA	-15%	-12%	-40%	0.053	30,662,632
MLM	METALLICA MINERALS	8%	-13%	-52%	0.014	4,536,664
PLS	PILBARA MINERALS	-25%	-13%	-67%	0.235	544,807,552
INR	IONEER	-8%	-13%	-15%	0.16	277,180,736
COB	COBALT BLUE	-11%	-14%	-23%	0.12	19,192,932
SRK	STRIKE RESOURCES	-16%	-15%	-5%	0.041	6,852,505
TLG	TALGA RESOURCES	-16%	-16%	-24%	0.4	97,459,656
PSC	PROSPECT RESOURCES	-12%	-17%	-17%	0.155	36,838,764
EMH	EUROPEAN METALS	-12%	-17%	-29%	0.23	26,872,070
BUX	BUXTON RESOURCES	-17%	-17%	-39%	0.072	9,523,880
KSN	KINGSTON RESOURCES	-17%	-17%	-20%	0.15	26,488,848
ZNC	ZENITH MINERALS	-17%	-17%	-27%	0.045	10,951,201
BSX	BLACKSTONE MINERALS	-24%	-17%	30%	0.125	24,057,058
BSM	BASS METALS	-29%	-17%	-55%	0.004	14,049,373
GBE	GLOBE METALS AND MINING	0%	-18%	-7%	0.014	6,522,913
DGR	DGR GLOBAL	-9%	-18%	-47%	0.067	39,243,640
OMH	OM HOLDINGS	-2%	-18%	-67%	0.415	302,835,584
BAR	BARRA RESOURCES	-14%	-18%	-49%	0.018	10,737,283
RNU	RENASCOR RESOURCES	-18%	-18%	-44%	0.009	11,863,365
CLA	CELSIUS RESOURCES	-36%	-18%	-55%	0.009	6,814,963
AGY	ARGOSY MINERALS	-21%	-18%	-52%	0.061	63,209,132
INF	INFINITY LITHIUM	-14%	-19%	-41%	0.048	10,247,184
BPL	BROKEN HILL PROSPECTING	-24%	-19%	-30%	0.013	3,307,614
SRN	SUREFIRE RESOURCES	0%	-20%	-33%	0.0025	1,256,307
HAV	HAVILAH RESOURCES	-13%	-20%	-46%	0.083	21,491,038
AML	AEON METALS	-17%	-20%	-59%	0.11	81,308,368
LRS	LATIN RESOURCES	-20%	-20%	-93%	0.004	1,457,581
POW	PROTEAN ENERGY	-20%	-20%	-64%	0.003	1,245,749
AUZ	AUSTRALIAN MINES	-20%	-20%	-57%	0.011	41,336,908
RMX	RED MOUNTAIN MINING	-20%	-20%	-20%	0.004	3,512,147
ARE	ARGONAUT RESOURCES	-33%	-20%	-80%	0.004	6,313,523
LML	LINCOLN MINERALS	-33%	-20%	-33%	0.004	2,299,935
SYR	SYRAH RESOURCES	-31%	-20%	-70%	0.38	155,126,704
LCD	LATITUDE CONSOLIDATED	-27%	-21%	-31%	0.014	3,026,969
GME	GME RESOURCES	4%	-22%	-38%	0.047	23,793,418
ARL	ARDEA RESOURCES	-19%	-23%	-11%	0.38	46,333,672
VML	VITAL METALS	0%	-23%	25%	0.009	21,426,112
CUL	CULLEN RESOURCES	-17%	-23%	-23%	0.01	1,894,648
FEL	FE	-23%	-23%	-33%	0.013	4,887,016
TON	TRITON MINERALS	-22%	-24%	-29%	0.029	32,899,202
BKT	BLACK ROCK MINING	-15%	-24%	-45%	0.041	25,786,692
THR	THOR MINING	0%	-25%	-73%	0.006	6,459,881
AMD	ARROW MINERALS	-14%	-25%	-50%	0.006	5,444,373
MZZ	MATADOR MINING	-25%	-25%	-14%	0.175	21,814,818
EGR	ECOGRAF	-27%	-25%	-45%	0.055	18,462,824
NWC	NEW WORLD RESOURCES	-29%	-25%	26%	0.012	10,478,249
TNG	TNG	-20%	-25%	-24%	0.072	76,469,072
IDA	INDIANA RESOURCES	-20%	-26%	-56%	0.02	3,669,894
DEV	DEVEX RESOURCES	-18%	-26%	19%	0.05	9,708,517
BEM	BLACKEARTH MINERALS	-20%	-27%	-49%	0.035	4,091,599
LPD	LEPIDICO	-15%	-27%	-57%	0.011	50,970,352
KOR	KORAB RESOURCES	-27%	-27%	-70%	0.008	3,505,813
SO4	SALT LAKE POTASH	-12%	-29%	3%	0.555	161,110,848
MRR	MINREX RESOURCES	-13%	-30%	-53%	0.007	671,144
HIP	HIPO RESOURCES	-36%	-30%	27%	0.014	5,411,147
POS	POSEIDON NICKEL	-9%	-30%	-32%	0.03	84,566,456
VR8	VANADIUM RESOURCES	-25%	-31%	-83%	0.018	6,736,994
ANW	AUS TIN MINING	0%	-33%	-93%	0.001	2,718,663
MLS	METALS AUSTRALIA	0%	-33%	-71%	0.0015	3,207,353
NXE	NEW ENERGY MINERALS	0%	-33%	-71%	0.008	1,333,553
CHK	COHIBA MINERALS	-11%	-33%	-33%	0.007	5,316,914
HNR	HANNANS	-25%	-33%	-33%	0.006	11,927,727
EUC	EUROPEAN COBALT	-29%	-33%	-43%	0.011	9,140,368
DHR	DARK HORSE RESOURCES	-33%	-33%	-50%	0.002	4,928,793
RLC	REEDY LAGOON	-33%	-33%	-50%	0.002	804,543
HWK	HAWKSTONE MINING	-33%	-33%	-76%	0.006	5,094,788
IEC	INTRA ENERGY	-43%	-33%	-71%	0.004	1,550,896
DTM	DART MINING	-15%	-36%	-36%	0.064	3,770,823
TMT	TECHNOLOGY METALS AUSTRALIA	-36%	-36%	-63%	0.085	9,193,977
PAN	PANORAMIC RESOURCES	-7%	-37%	-55%	0.195	152,626,080
SEI	SPECIALITY METALS	-19%	-38%	59%	0.037	34,483,036
TKL	TRAKA RESOURCES	-38%	-38%	-67%	0.005	2,002,315
AZI	ALTA ZINC	-38%	-38%	10%	0.005	11,010,744
GPX	GRAPHEX MINING	-38%	-38%	-63%	0.075	8,480,447
CNJ	CONICO	-33%	-40%	-64%	0.006	2,306,389
SUH	SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MINING	-36%	-41%	-57%	0.016	1,511,512
WCN	WHITE CLIFF MINERALS	-13%	-42%	-42%	0.0035	1,646,225
GNM	GREAT NORTHERN MINERALS	-29%	-44%	-83%	0.005	1,734,679
HXG	HEXAGON ENERGY MATERIALS	-19%	-46%	-72%	0.038	11,112,469
GED	GOLDEN DEEPS	-48%	-46%	-61%	0.013	3,647,911
SBR	SABRE RESOURCES	-50%	-50%	-75%	0.001	851,717
AYR	ALLOY RESOURCES	-50%	-50%	-60%	0.002	2,088,677
FFR	FIREFLY RESOURCES	-39%	-51%	-88%	0.031	2,478,291
TICKER	NAME	1 MONTH TOTAL RETURN	YEAR TO DATE RETURN [2020]	1 YEAR TOTAL RETURN	PRICE [intraday Friday]	MARKET CAP [$AU]
GLN	GALAN LITHIUM	16%	100%	-58%	0.25	42,028,396
AVZ	AVZ MINERALS	3%	56%	46%	0.068	154,722,848
LKE	LAKE RESOURCES	-19%	46%	-34%	0.037	23,768,504
VUL	VULCAN ENERGY RESOURCES	8%	35%	5%	0.21	8,940,000
LTR	LIONTOWN RESOURCES	34%	32%	475%	0.11	194,808,304

GALAN LITHIUM (ASX:GLN) +100% YTD

Market Cap: ~$42m

‘Lithium triangle’ brines explorer Galan peaked at ~61c per share in early 2019 before dropping precipitously, finishing the year at 13c.

In January, global battery metals behemoth Ganfeng Lithium joined the explorer’s register via a subsidiary, igniting a rocket under the Galan share price. Galan is also hitting remarkable grades this year, culminating in a record 330m-long, 1010mg/l lithium interval at Rana de Sal.

READ: Could ‘Turmoil in the Triangle’ impact global lithium supply?

AVZ MINERALS (ASX:AVZ) +56% YTD

Market Cap: ~$155m

Like its peers, former market darling AVZ ended 2019 on a low. In 2020, investors are rewarding the stock as it drives the mammoth Manono project in the DRC toward a development decision.

“We are no longer an exploration company having commenced site works for mining and are migrating towards becoming a fully-fledged mining company,” managing director Nigel Ferguson said in February.

“With the DFS expected soon, financing and offtakes to soon follow, we are stepping up to ensure a successful mining operation is established at Manono.”

LAKE RESOURCES (ASX:LKE) +46% YTD

Market Cap: ~$24m

Lake, also in the heart of the ‘lithium triangle’, spun a partner’s own success into a pretty substantial share price increase.

In January, Lake soared after confirming that a disruptive lithium brine processing tech from California-based Lilac Solutions worked really well at its projects.

In February Lake jumped again — this time when a fund led by American software magnate Bill Gates invested $US20m into Lilac.

VULCAN ENERGY RESOURCES (ASX:VUL) +35% YTD

Market Cap: ~$9m

Vulcan listed in 2018 as Norway focused copper-zinc explorer Koppar Resources.

In 2019, the company rebranded and refocused after getting its hands on a large, lithium-rich geothermal brine project in Germany.

For the European battery sector, a local and sustainable raw materials supply chain is increasingly important.

This is Vulcan’s angle – the explorer reckons it can produce a “unique zero carbon lithium product” from this project, already the largest in Europe.

READ: Geothermal lithium brine play Vulcan performs mind meld with German utility

LIONTOWN RESOURCES (ASX:LTR) +32% YTD

Market Cap: $177m

WA-based Liontown continues to perform remarkably as countless battery metals hopefuls slide into obscurity.

Liontown was one of 2019’s true lithium success stories, up 239 per cent in a horror year for both producers and explorers.

Up another ~30 per cent in 2020, the company talks often about benefiting from the next tsunami of lithium demand. It has pencilled in first production for 2024, about the time lithium demand is expected to climb strongly out of its current malaise.