High Voltage: Lithium prices – and stocks – jump after market moves in China

News.com.au

13 hours ago

Lithium stocks surged in a manic ASX trading day on Thursday
Price jump reported for spodumene and carbonate in China could be behind the optimism
It's risky, but have investors correctly picked the bottom?
Our High Voltage column wraps all the news driving ASX stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, rare earths, and vanadium.
Lithium stocks rose 10% yesterday off the back of an increase in spot prices, driven by a run in the Chinese futures market. Finally something for the bag holders to cling to.
Fastmarkets' 6% lithia spodumene price lifted from US$633/t to US$667.50/t overnight Wednesday, and carbonate was up slightly from US$8100 to US$8200/t.
The price increase followed a surge on the GFEX, China's main lithium futures exchange and strengthened market sentiment.
Global sentiment is also positive, even with an oversupply of lithium depressing prices (generally) demand growth is forecast to soar.
That saw market bellwether Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) run a remarkable 11.3% higher on Thursday, with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) up 7.8%. Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) climbed 5% and IGO (ASX:IGO) rose 4.4%.
Earlier this week, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources released its Resources and energy quarterly report, which flagged that Australia's lithium export earnings are forecast to increase from $4.6 billion in 2024–25 to $6.6 billion in 2026–27.
That's largely driven by a growth in export volumes, with Australian mine output expected to grow by more than 7% a year to 2027.
Compare that to global demand, expected to grow almost 15% a year to 2027, and outstripping supply growth at 14%.
'The accumulated surplus will persist to 2027 and possibly beyond,' the report said. But with low prices persisting, more product could well come out of the market, stirring a real price recovery as demand continues to increase.
Battery Metals Winners and Losers
Here's how a basket of ASX stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, rare earths, magnesium, manganese and vanadium is performing >>>
Code Company Price % Week Market Cap
XTC XTC Lithium Limited 0.2 19900% $17,528,272
AGY Argosy Minerals Ltd 0.028 87% $27,662,498
LLM Loyal Metals Ltd 0.24 85% $23,168,604
PUR Pursuit Minerals 0.068 79% $6,682,176
LSR Lodestar Minerals 0.0105 75% $3,343,450
ANX Anax Metals Ltd 0.007 75% $5,296,845
VMLDB Vital Metals Limited 0.084 68% $10,257,416
ADDDB Adavale Resource Ltd 0.032 60% $3,659,647
IXR Ionic Rare Earths 0.0155 55% $68,476,535
WMG Western Mines 0.2 54% $20,809,494
BCA Black Canyon Limited 0.16 52% $20,744,111
AX8 Accelerate Resources 0.009 50% $7,354,698
ENT Enterprise Metals 0.003 50% $4,113,952
AOA Ausmon Resorces 0.0015 50% $1,966,820
EUR European Lithium Ltd 0.069 41% $92,491,614
AS2 Askarimetalslimited 0.007 40% $2,829,195
CZN Corazon Ltd 0.002 33% $2,369,145
GT1 Greentechnology 0.024 33% $9,503,401
WC8 Wildcat Resources 0.18 33% $220,533,792
PTR Petratherm Ltd 0.35 32% $117,849,022
GAL Galileo Mining Ltd 0.13 30% $22,726,867
SRL Sunrise 1.15 29% $128,478,555
PMT Patriotbatterymetals 0.2925 27% $148,309,409
CXO Core Lithium 0.11 26% $225,016,632
GLN Galan Lithium Ltd 0.1175 25% $114,957,408
TON Triton Min Ltd 0.005 25% $7,841,944
EV1 Evolutionenergy 0.015 25% $5,077,107
LKE Lake Resources 0.032 23% $54,094,494
PNT Panthermetalsltd 0.016 23% $4,814,473
WR1 Winsome Resources 0.16 23% $31,096,415
TKM Trek Metals Ltd 0.105 22% $56,421,395
SRI Sipa Resources Ltd 0.017 21% $6,037,776
SYA Sayona Mining Ltd 0.017 21% $196,236,032
OCN Oceanalithiumlimited 0.068 21% $10,459,689
LML Lincoln Minerals 0.006 20% $12,615,418
SLZ Sultan Resources Ltd 0.006 20% $1,388,819
PFE Pantera Lithium 0.012 20% $5,685,404
HRE Heavy Rare Earths 0.043 19% $8,945,457
GRE Greentechmetals 0.05 19% $5,669,757
PLS Pilbara Min Ltd 1.48 19% $4,408,564,108
MIN Mineral Resources. 23.88 18% $4,457,041,939
OM1 Omnia Metals Group 0.013 18% $2,605,100
ETM Energy Transition 0.055 17% $80,673,251
FLG Flagship Min Ltd 0.062 17% $13,196,926
IPT Impact Minerals 0.007 17% $25,709,645
CNB Carnaby Resource Ltd 0.42 17% $94,781,376
LRV Larvottoresources 0.665 17% $282,434,040
EMT Emetals Limited 0.0035 17% $2,975,000
PLL Piedmont Lithium Inc 0.1025 16% $52,795,335
FRS Forrestaniaresources 0.086 16% $27,325,974
WA1 Wa1Resourcesltd 16.9 16% $1,119,341,777
BUX Buxton Resources Ltd 0.044 16% $14,033,581
MHC Manhattan Corp Ltd 0.022 16% $4,697,978
ARU Arafura Rare Earths 0.19 15% $431,257,521
ARN Aldoro Resources 0.355 15% $60,449,119
EVR Ev Resources Ltd 0.008 14% $15,886,693
M2R Miramar 0.004 14% $3,987,293
TAR Taruga Minerals 0.008 14% $5,710,032
NVX Novonix Limited 0.4225 14% $260,841,696
KM1 Kalimetalslimited 0.086 14% $6,462,102
GL1 Globallith 0.165 14% $39,259,818
INF Infinity Lithium 0.017 13% $8,034,066
AXE Archer Materials 0.26 13% $61,163,283
SGQ St George Min Ltd 0.035 13% $93,548,785
SBR Sabre Resources 0.009 13% $3,550,157
ASL Andean Silver 1.08 13% $162,743,099
AM7 Arcadia Minerals 0.018 13% $1,995,518
GSM Golden State Mining 0.009 13% $2,514,336
LCY Legacy Iron Ore 0.009 13% $87,858,383
CHN Chalice Mining Ltd 1.7875 12% $663,290,674
HAS Hastings Tech Met 0.285 12% $52,882,518
S32 South32 Limited 3.165 11% $14,051,341,578
NWC New World Resources 0.0635 11% $225,116,749
ASN Anson Resources Ltd 0.049 11% $66,563,354
LIT Livium Ltd 0.01 11% $15,214,564
RNU Renascor Res Ltd 0.06 11% $150,046,107
VR8 Vanadium Resources 0.02 11% $11,285,837
IMI Infinitymining 0.01 11% $4,653,174
ABX ABX Group Limited 0.04 11% $9,571,497
ICL Iceni Gold 0.06 11% $21,971,289
DVP Develop Global Ltd 5.04 11% $1,628,818,378
ADV Ardiden Ltd 0.16 10% $10,002,801
PNN Power Minerals Ltd 0.065 10% $8,023,852
AZL Arizona Lithium Ltd 0.0055 10% $31,621,887
GED Golden Deeps 0.022 10% $3,808,203
BOA BOA Resources Ltd 0.022 10% $2,713,763
ILU Iluka Resources 3.83 10% $1,615,529,319
ARL Ardea Resources Ltd 0.4 10% $85,217,231
TMB Tambourahmetals 0.023 10% $3,530,161
CAE Cannindah Resources 0.024 9% $16,017,759
MEI Meteoric Resources 0.12 9% $280,483,534
NMT Neometals Ltd 0.075 9% $55,398,606
ASM Ausstratmaterials 0.565 9% $98,830,672
IGO IGO Limited 4.275 9% $3,135,088,746
PVW PVW Res Ltd 0.013 8% $2,585,762
CLA Celsius Resource Ltd 0.0065 8% $20,380,675
GW1 Greenwing Resources 0.026 8% $7,618,691
LM1 Leeuwin Metals Ltd 0.135 8% $13,104,830
BHP BHP Group Limited 38.9 8% $188,826,911,142
PAT Patriot Resourcesltd 0.056 8% $8,961,257
TLG Talga Group Ltd 0.43 8% $188,656,106
LTR Liontown Resources 0.73 7% $1,700,583,486
STM Sunstone Metals Ltd 0.015 7% $91,263,892
CHR Charger Metals 0.046 7% $3,251,651
EFE Eastern Resources 0.031 7% $3,908,788
1MC Morella Corporation 0.016 7% $5,832,111
SYR Syrah Resources 0.265 6% $265,772,428
SYR Syrah Resources 0.265 6% $265,772,428
DYM Dynamicmetalslimited 0.27 6% $13,252,772
MAN Mandrake Res Ltd 0.019 6% $11,290,679
WIN WIN Metals 0.019 6% $11,001,168
GRL Godolphin Resources 0.0095 6% $4,264,296
RXL Rox Resources 0.29 5% $205,238,425
HAW Hawthorn Resources 0.058 5% $19,430,906
RAG Ragnar Metals Ltd 0.02 5% $9,479,720
VHM Vhmlimited 0.2 5% $50,713,990
MLX Metals X Limited 0.5625 5% $478,651,431
JMS Jupiter Mines. 0.205 5% $392,208,352
PGM Platina Resources 0.021 5% $13,086,787
PSC Prospect Res Ltd 0.1675 5% $119,099,820
KZR Kalamazoo Resources 0.092 5% $19,745,417
VUL Vulcan Energy 3.75 4% $795,969,276
KFM Kingfisher Mining 0.05 4% $2,685,750
FGR First Graphene Ltd 0.026 4% $19,469,152
M24 Mamba Exploration 0.013 4% $3,837,153
KNG Kingsland Minerals 0.079 4% $5,877,434
PBL Parabellumresources 0.055 4% $3,364,200
NIC Nickel Industries 0.73 4% $3,103,769,151
PEK Peak Rare Earths Ltd 0.295 4% $123,840,727
PEK Peak Rare Earths Ltd 0.295 4% $123,840,727
TOR Torque Met 0.15 3% $78,986,572
SRZ Stellar Resources 0.016 3% $33,276,009
KNI Kunikolimited 0.097 3% $8,431,654
BC8 Black Cat Syndicate 0.815 3% $566,037,538
INR Ioneer Ltd 0.1 3% $254,937,907
NH3 Nh3Cleanenergyltd 0.034 3% $16,938,144
S2R S2 Resources 0.068 3% $34,016,785
KOB Kobaresourceslimited 0.034 3% $5,607,305
DEV Devex Resources Ltd 0.075 3% $34,010,182
QEM QEM Limited 0.038 3% $8,746,813
FBM Future Battery 0.019 3% $12,116,899
FRB Firebird Metals 0.08 3% $11,388,912
CY5 Cygnus Metals Ltd 0.089 2% $95,693,596
NC1 Nicoresourceslimited 0.09 2% $11,110,552
AR3 Austrare 0.052 2% $10,811,356
COB Cobalt Blue Ltd 0.055 2% $23,131,620
STK Strickland Metals 0.1425 2% $328,042,171
MTM MTM Critical Metals 0.645 2% $304,806,431
A8G Australasian Metals 0.067 2% $3,878,612
ATM Aneka Tambang 1.125 1% $1,447,050
IDA Indiana Resources 0.085 1% $53,989,526
RIL Redivium Limited 0.004 0% $13,609,422
LPD Lepidico Ltd 0.002 0% $17,178,371
MRD Mount Ridley Mines 0.002 0% $1,556,978
RLC Reedy Lagoon Corp. 0.002 0% $1,553,413
MNS Magnis Energy Tech 0.042 0% $50,378,922
BKT Black Rock Mining 0.024 0% $33,877,841
VRC Volt Resources Ltd 0.004 0% $18,739,398
AXN Alliance Nickel Ltd 0.035 0% $25,404,387
NTU Northern Min Ltd 0.03 0% $250,714,675
JRV Jervois Global Ltd 0.011 0% $29,730,402
CTM Centaurus Metals Ltd 0.35 0% $171,361,918
AUZ Australian Mines Ltd 0.011 0% $15,383,633
LEL Lithenergy 0.37 0% $41,440,581
AQD Ausquest Limited 0.055 0% $75,160,091
MRC Mineral Commodities 0.026 0% $25,596,288
EMH European Metals Hldg 0.16 0% $33,191,153
BMM Bayanminingandmin 0.035 0% $3,603,439
LEG Legend Mining 0.007 0% $20,380,340
MOH Moho Resources 0.004 0% $2,981,656
WKT Walkabout Resources 0.095 0% $63,769,838
VMC Venus Metals Cor Ltd 0.105 0% $20,593,512
CNJ Conico Ltd 0.007 0% $1,905,020
PVT Pivotal Metals Ltd 0.009 0% $8,618,646
SMX Strata Minerals 0.012 0% $2,938,226
EMS Eastern Metals 0.01 0% $1,394,262
CTN Catalina Resources 0.004 0% $9,704,076
TEM Tempest Minerals 0.004 0% $4,407,180
OB1 Orbminco Limited 0.001 0% $3,402,568
LMG Latrobe Magnesium 0.008 0% $21,012,720
KOR Korab Resources 0.008 0% $2,936,400
CMX Chemxmaterials 0.026 0% $3,354,580
CMO Cosmometalslimited 0.018 0% $5,798,441
OMH OM Holdings Limited 0.285 0% $218,383,188
KGD Kula Gold Limited 0.007 0% $6,448,776
CRR Critical Resources 0.003 0% $8,310,256
SCN Scorpion Minerals 0.019 0% $8,384,899
AKN Auking Mining Ltd 0.007 0% $4,023,451
RR1 Reach Resources Ltd 0.008 0% $7,869,882
KAI Kairos Minerals Ltd 0.029 0% $76,296,453
NWM Norwest Minerals 0.012 0% $10,651,944
RAS Ragusa Minerals Ltd 0.014 0% $1,996,383
RGL Riversgold 0.004 0% $6,734,850
THR Thor Energy PLC 0.01 0% $5,686,319
ODE Odessa Minerals Ltd 0.006 0% $9,597,195
AZI Altamin Limited 0.019 0% $10,915,555
LNR Lanthanein Resources 0.001 0% $2,810,182
CLZ Classic Min Ltd 0.001 0% $3,017,699
CRI Criticaltd 0.016 0% $37,764,280
RR1 Reach Resources Ltd 0.008 0% $7,869,882
DRE Dreadnought Resources Ltd 0.009 0% $40,636,000
DM1 Desert Metals 0.021 0% $9,288,018
KTA Krakatoa Resources 0.012 0% $8,316,950
LNR Lanthanein Resources 0.001 0% $2,810,182
LLL Leolithiumlimited 0.332997 0% $401,204,047
SRN Surefire Rescs NL 0.002 0% $4,972,891
WSR Westar Resources 0.005 0% $1,993,624
REC Rechargemetals 0.013 0% $3,854,850
TMX Terrain Minerals 0.002 0% $5,063,629
RON Roninresourcesltd 0.155 0% $5,652,501
ASR Asra Minerals Ltd 0.002 0% $8,000,396
FTL Firetail Resources 0.076 -1% $28,882,126
LOT Lotus Resources Ltd 0.1875 -1% $462,122,117
DLI Delta Lithium 0.1675 -1% $111,063,978
GBR Greatbould Resources 0.062 -2% $57,057,138
IPX Iperionx Limited 4.47 -2% $1,436,476,064
BM8 Battery Age Minerals 0.052 -2% $6,582,158
1AE Auroraenergymetals 0.051 -2% $9,311,314
IG6 Internationalgraphit 0.05 -2% $9,097,242
CWX Carawine Resources 0.096 -2% $22,668,043
SLM Solismineralsltd 0.084 -2% $12,556,136
E25 Element 25 Ltd 0.205 -2% $48,008,604
WC1 Westcobarmetals 0.0165 -3% $3,542,451
ITM Itech Minerals Ltd 0.029 -3% $5,125,062
BNR Bulletin Res Ltd 0.056 -3% $16,442,346
VTM Victory Metals Ltd 0.825 -4% $95,524,451
OD6 Od6Metalsltd 0.025 -4% $4,172,167
ARR American Rare Earths 0.24 -4% $124,318,708
CDT Castle Minerals 0.07 -4% $8,584,708
ESR Estrella Res Ltd 0.046 -4% $96,441,973
GCM Green Critical Min 0.022 -4% $49,088,566
LIN Lindian Resources 0.095 -5% $111,688,535
NVA Nova Minerals Ltd 0.3175 -5% $103,359,173
TVN Tivan Limited 0.087 -5% $179,900,371
AVL Aust Vanadium Ltd 0.0085 -6% $73,394,594
RMX Red Mount Min Ltd 0.0085 -6% $3,719,662
QPM QPM Energy Limited 0.034 -6% $83,334,571
MLS Metals Australia 0.017 -6% $12,388,232
ZNC Zenith Minerals Ltd 0.034 -6% $14,412,955
SUM Summitminerals 0.034 -6% $3,011,587
MRR Minrex Resources Ltd 0.008 -6% $8,678,940
FG1 Flynngold 0.03 -6% $11,348,178
ENV Enova Mining Limited 0.0075 -6% $11,660,801
PGD Peregrine Gold 0.15 -6% $12,727,161
MEK Meeka Metals Limited 0.145 -6% $422,777,250
A11 Atlantic Lithium 0.145 -6% $100,506,360
EMC Everest Metals Corp 0.13 -7% $31,378,376
LYC Lynas Rare Earths 8.415 -7% $7,801,626,912
EMN Euromanganese 0.18 -8% $11,121,992
YAR Yari Minerals Ltd 0.012 -8% $6,656,538
MHK Metalhawk. 0.395 -8% $45,038,285
RVT Richmond Vanadium 0.077 -8% $16,429,883
LPM Lithium Plus 0.053 -9% $7,040,520
EG1 Evergreenlithium 0.028 -10% $6,587,495
REE Rarex Limited 0.018 -10% $16,562,952
MQR Marquee Resource Ltd 0.009 -10% $5,024,723
RBX Resource B 0.027 -10% $3,109,981
WCN White Cliff Min Ltd 0.0215 -10% $53,094,495
EVG Evion Group NL 0.017 -11% $7,393,640
AAJ Aruma Resources Ltd 0.008 -11% $2,787,494
BUR Burleyminerals 0.044 -12% $8,103,362
AVW Avira Resources Ltd 0.007 -13% $1,610,000
FIN FIN Resources Ltd 0.0035 -13% $2,432,110
JLL Jindalee Lithium Ltd 0.345 -14% $27,555,442
DTM Dart Mining NL 0.003 -14% $3,594,167
LU7 Lithium Universe Ltd 0.006 -14% $4,679,898
EGR Ecograf Limited 0.25 -15% $120,344,932
BSX Blackstone Ltd 0.077 -16% $108,892,297
ALY Alchemy Resource Ltd 0.005 -17% $5,890,381
G88 Golden Mile Res Ltd 0.01 -17% $5,986,726
L1M Lightning Minerals 0.042 -30% $4,339,789
QXR Qx Resources Limited 0.002 -33% $2,620,658
BYH Bryah Resources Ltd 0.008 -33% $10,439,442
TKL Traka Resources 0.001 -50% $2,125,790
PRL Province Resources 0 -100% $0
POS Poseidon Nick Ltd 0 -100% $23,380,727
AML Aeon Metals Ltd. 0 -100% $5,482,003
LRS Latin Resources Ltd 0 -100% $477,661,711
CAI Calidus Resources 0 -100% $93,678,206
ASO Aston Minerals Ltd 0 -100% $28,491,414
LTM Arcadium Lithium PLC 0 -100% $1,994,929,982
Weekly Small Cap Standouts
Black Canyon (ASX:BCA)
The company says RC drilling at its Wandanya project has confirmed the presence of large manganese and iron mineralising systems with assays expected through July and August.
Manganese mineralisation has now been delineated along 2km of strike by the drill program and remains open to the north and east.
Plus, shallow to outcropping hematite dominated iron was also intersected in multiple drill holes over hundreds of metres strike and remains open to the north.
The company says it confirmed an exciting commodity diversification opportunity, with further drilling to extend and delineate these targets planned for August 2025.
'We are pleased to update that the program has been highly successful in advancing the understanding and confidence for both scale and grade for both commodities,' MD Brendan Cummins said.
'From an exploration perspective it rarely gets better than this when every hole drilled yields important information about the key parameters of the mineralisation that include potential grade, thickness, depth of cover and areal extents of the manganese and iron enrichment.
'What I find most remarkable is the consistency of the geology and mineralisation over thousands of metres, and in most circumstances is yet to be closed off.
'We look forward to updating the market as assay results come to hand over the coming weeks.'
Lake has completed the front-end engineering design (FEED) study for the delivery of power to its flagship Kachi lithium brine project in Argentina.
The study provides a solution for Kachi's electrical interconnection to the Argentine national grid, including proposed infrastructure routing, system specifications, and integration options tailored to Kachi's projected power demands.
It's a solid milestone in the company's development plans for the project.
Lake also welcomed the recent announcement by YPF Luz and Central Puerto S.A., which have signed a strategic agreement to jointly develop an electrical interconnection project aimed at enhancing power infrastructure and enabling sustainable mining growth in Argentina's Puna Region, which includes the Kachi site.
'The broader infrastructure initiative between YPF Luz and Central Puerto underscores the importance of bringing grid power to this region of Argentina to enable development of the country's resources in remote areas for Argentina to secure itself as a global leader in lithium supply,' CEO David Dickson said.
The company says recent drilling at its Kameelburg rare earths and niobium project in Namibia has extended mineralisation to the north by a further 300m.
The project has previously been compared to Niobec Saint-Honoré, which has has a resource of 640Mt at 0.41% niobium and 1.63% TREO.
Notable new intercepts include:
193m grading 1.74% total rare earth oxides, 0,23% niobium pentoxide and 229ppm molybdenum in the upper REE dominant layer and 46m at 0.76% TREO and 0.45% Nb in the lower niobium dominant layer (ND002A);
35m at 1.6% TREO, 0.28% Nb and 225ppm Mo in the upper layer and two separate intersections of 30m at 0.81% TREO and 0.46% Nb and 58m at 0.92% TREO and 0.28% Nb in the lower layer (ND003); and
10m at 2.78% TREO, 0.24% Nb and 88ppm Mo in the upper layer and 330m at 0.95% TREO, 0.27% Nb and 130ppm Mo (ND006B).
Aldoro is also acquiring two new diamond drill rigs which will arrive on site in September 2025 and are expected to enable the company to increase the drill depth from the current maximum of 510m to about 740m.