V-Con is Stockhead’s investing focused video conference series, bringing you expert insights, panel discussions and presentations from leading analysts, listed small caps and industry players.
Any metals associated with the burgeoning electric vehicle thematic are running red hot.
Lithium carbonate prices rose to $US63,900 in February – a massive 450% jump from February 2021 prices of $US11,250 per tonne.
Benchmark Mineral Intelligence says this growth has no signs of slowing down.
The cobalt price surged to a three-year high in China on February 16, supported by increasing downstream demand and tight upstream cobalt hydroxide supply.
Australia’s bellwether rare earths stock Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC) says customers in Asia want companies to grow “as fast as possible” to meet demand, driven by electric vehicles, wind turbines and permanent magnets.
Prices of neodymium-praseodymium oxide, the highest value product churned out by Lynas and a benchmark for the rare earths market, were at record levels on the Shanghai Metals Market last month.
EVs also contain approximately four times as much copper as conventional cars. This could push copper above $US20,000 per tonne, up from a current price of ~$US10,700/t, experts say.
And then there’s nickel, which has just gone parabolic to hit a barely believable US$51,000/t in Tuesday trade.
At more than US$17,000/t, it was the largest single day gain for the metal in the LME contract’s history. By a country freaking mile.
This mega boom is going to benefit a range of ASX miners and explorers.
To get a gauge on the growth prospects for battery metals, we hear from experts and a selection of listed companies making waves in the sector — each giving an overview of market trends, price dynamics, and future plans.
Session 1 – Expert Interview
Sky News and CNBC business journalist Oriel Morrison interviews Professor Ray Wills of Future Smart Strategies and Pete Petrovsky
Professor Ray Wills is an authoritative commentator and respected adviser on sustainability across all sectors, including the built environment, cleantech, energy infrastructure, industrials, manufacturing, resources, transport, and water.
Pete Petrovsky is an Independent Energy Consultant at Imppact Energy Consultancy with 10 years experience in the renewable and grid energy profession with a demonstrated history of market leading projects.
Session 2 – Company Presentations
Lithium Energy (ASX:LEL)
William M. Johnson, Executive Chairman
Lithium Energy is an emerging battery minerals company with two exciting exploration and development projects, the Solaroz Lithium Project in Argentina and the Burke Graphite Project in Queensland.
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT)
Dr Mike Jones, Managing Director
Impact Minerals is an exploration company with extensive tenement holdings (>2,000 km2) in two major mineral provinces within Australia including the Commonwealth gold-silver-copper project and the Broken Hill project with its unique and exceptional grades of platinum group metals, in particular palladium as well as gold, nickel and copper.
Mount Ridley Mines (ASX:MRD)
David Crook, Technical Manager
Mount Ridley is a company targeting demand driven metals in Western Australia. Its namesake Mount Ridley Project, located within a Fraser Range sub-basin, was initially acquired for its nickel and copper sulphides potential, and is now recognised as being prospective for ionic clay REE deposits.
American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR)
Christopher Gibbs, Managing Director & CEO
American Rare Earths is an Australian exploration company focussed on the development of rare earths in Arizona, North America. The company made its mark as the only ASX-listed company with exposure to the US rare earths market following its acquisition of the La Paz Scandium and Rare Earths Project in August 2019. The project, which has the potential to be the largest rare earths project in North America, contains an existing NI 43-101 resource.
Panther Metals (ASX:PNT)
Daniel Tuffin, Managing Director and CEO
Panther Metals, is an Australian explorer with drill-ready targets in Tier 1 Mining Districts of Laverton WA and in the NT.