4 Top Graphite Stocks Up in 2016

Graphite is emerging in the critical metals sphere, and some junior graphite stocks are reaping the benefits (with a little help from lithium and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)).
Last year, the Investing News Network (INN) chatted with Jon Hykawy of Stormcrow Capital to see what has contributed to graphite’s growing demand.
He said that, “natural graphite in a lithium-ion battery actually increases the energy density of the cell, makes the battery better,” which could be one reason why some graphite companies saw success in the last months of 2016.
Here’s a breakdown of top graphite stocks up in a one-year period, with market capitalizations of not less than $10 million. Read more below to learn about these top gainers:

Leading Edge Materials (TSXV:LEM)

Topping our graphite stocks list is Leading Edge Materials, who has made gains of 507 percent over a one-year period. The company has also steadily made gains of 66.67 percent year-to-date, with shares currently at $0.85.
Leading Edge Materials currently has the Woxna graphite project in Sweden, which commenced production almost two years ago, in July 2014. The facility is currently permitted to feed 100,000 tones of graphitic rock per year.
Mining at the Woxna project commenced in 2015.

Mason Graphite (TSXV:LLG)

Over a one-year period, shares of Mason Graphite rose over 303 percent, over a one-year period. The company has also started 2017 well, with gains of 2.31 percent year-to-date and shares currently at $1.33.
The company is focused on its 100 percent owned Lac Gueret graphite project in Quebec and is looking to obtain all permits required to begin construction this year, with production beginning in 2017.
In March, the company filed an amended technical report for the project. Mineral reserves of graphite reported in the technical report from November had been reduced to 4,741,00 tonnes grading 27.77 percent from 62,875,000 tonnes grading 17.18 percent.

Northern Graphite (TSXV:NGC)

Northern Graphite has not started the year well with its shares dropping 3.64 percent year-to-date to $0.26. However, over a one-year period, the company has gained 39.47 percent.
Northern Graphite owns 100 percent interest in its Bissett Creek deposit in eastern Ontario. In March of 2015, the company qualified Bissett Creek concentrates for major graphite markets. The testing, carried out by Naturgraphit, didn’t detect any limitations on potential uses for the detected flake graphite.
Northern Graphite’s most recent news in October 2016 together with Elcora Advanced Materials (TSXV:ERA), Nouveau Monde Mining Enterprises (TSXV:NOU), Metals of Africa (ASX:MTA) and Coulometrics LLC announced that the micronizing and spheronizing mill acquired by the group had been installed and is operational.

Eagle Graphite (TSXV:EGA)

Eagle Graphite owns one of two natural flake graphite facilities in North America: the Black Crystal graphite quarry and plant in British Columbia. In February, the company released new drill results and graphite discoveries, reporting that they had received all assays from its 2015 diamond drill program at the Black Crystal graphite project.
From the eight holes drilled at the plant site during the 2015 program, up to 1.75 graphite was intersected in near surface mineralization.
Over a one-year period, the company’s stocks have made gains of 20 percent, to sit at $0.45.

Other graphite stocks up year-to-date

The above graphite stocks may notably be up over a one-year period, but there are other companies who have also seen mild success year-to-date. Here’s a brief overview of those companies:

• Focus Graphite (OTCMKTS:FCSMF):up year-to-date by 33.33 percent, or $0.02 per share, to $0.060;
• Zenyatta Ventures (TSXV:ZEN): up year-to-date by 13.64 percent, with shares currently at $1.
• Noram Ventures (TSXV:NRM):Noram has not seen gains percent year-to-date, but over a one-year period, the company has made gains of 175 percent;

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Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: Leading Edge Materials, Eagle Graphite, Noram Ventures and Focus Graphite are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.