TESLA

It’s been a big couple of weeks for one of our long term investments Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL). After hitting a high of $14.20 and seeing huge trading volumes over the last week, the share price seems to be finding its feet between the $7 to $10 mark.

Having almost singlehandedly spurred the mainstream auto industry towards an electric powered future, Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk, is now pushing the industry to seek out more high purity manganese to power its vehicles. This could have positive ramifications for Euro Manganese Inc (ASX: EMN).

Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL | FRA:6KO) holds Europe’s largest lithium resource and the fastest growing lithium project in the world at its Zero Carbon Lithium™ Project

Vulcan Energy Resources is on track to develop Europe’s and the world’s first Zero Carbon lithium project that will produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide from hot sub-surface lithium-rich geothermal brines pumped from wells, while generating a renewable energy by-product.

This ASX junior’s exploration target suggests it has Europe’s the largest lithium resource from which it is planning to produce ‘zero carbon’ lithium.

Last year we introduced you to one company with a pathway to capitalise on what many have dubbed the fourth industrial revolution – lithium ion batteries. Since then, Caeneus Minerals (ASX:CAD), has experienced major developments… and is now at the stage where it is about to commence drilling at its Lithium Brine Exploration Projects in Nevada, USA.

The era of lithium exploration and production is well and truly upon us as the shift towards lithium-ion battery powered technologies accelerates. By 2030, petrol powered cars could be in the minority as petrol-power is expected to be replaced by electric powered lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium is driving the energy industry into the future. You only have to look at the emergence of Tesla to realise just how important rechargeable lithium batteries have become. Tesla founder Elon Musk said for the company to meet its target of 500,000 cars a year, “we would basically need to absorb the entire world’s lithium-ion production”.

The superalloy cobalt is one of only three naturally occurring magnetic metals, along with iron and nickel and has long been valued for its colour and its versatile properties – it’s rust resistant and retains its properties at high temperatures. Ancient civilisations used cobalt in ceramics and glass, and more recently its use has been […]

The majority of opportunistic graphite explorers that made early moves to secure favourable graphite exploration tenure have all been ASX or TSX-listed — but there is one UK-based company that wants to be part of the pecking order – Armadale Capital (LSE: ACP).

There is something of a futuristic tech angle about this edition of The Next Small Cap — a pathway to capitalising on the newly emerging paradigm shift built on lithium-ion batteries. A plucky ASX company with the most mythological of names, is taking the prescribed steps to transform the lithium myth into a commercial reality for its shareholders.

There’s a thunder being heard down under. In the junior market, graphite appears to be the name of the game as ASX investors fall over themselves to reward early-stage plays seeking to take advantage of graphite’s portrayal as a material very much of the future as a part of lithium ion electric car batteries.

In terms of global lithium hotspots, you can’t go much better than Nevada, USA. This particular region hosts Tesla’s gigafactory, which has ignited interest in the electric vehicle (EV) market and is set to change the face of vehicle manufacturing.

The lithium market has recently astounded market analysts, miners and investors alike, posting double-digit growth since the start of the year. Even The Economist has weighed in on this typically peripheral market – one that’s going mainstream rather quickly.

Ardiden Ltd (ASX:ADV) has stepped up the pace in its lithium and graphite hunt in Canada. It’s just bolstered its team with the recruit of high calibre deal maker Brad Boyle, who comes with a pedigree from none other than Triton Minerals (ASX:TON).

One of the real success stories in the commodities space over the past few years has been lithium. The metal has seen steady increases in demand despite most other commodities experiencing falls over the same period.

ADV is drilling its Canadian graphite play right now, testing key electromagnetic targets with the drillbit.