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June 18, 2024
Assays from first three holes intersect high-grade lithium mineralisation
Astute Metals NL (ASX: ASE) (“ASE”, “Astute” or “the Company”) is pleased to advise that assays results from the first three holes of the maiden RC drilling campaign at its 100%-owned Red Mountain Lithium Project in Nevada, USA have returned high-grade mineralisation, indicating the potential discovery of a significant lithium deposit.
The assay results included the following high-grade drill intersections:
- RMRC001 : 59.4m @ 1,300ppm Li / 0.69% Lithium Carbonate Equivalent1 (LCE) from 73.2m
- RMRC002 : 15.2m @ 810ppm Li / 0.43% LCE from 15.2m
- RMRC003 : 6.1m @ 1,050ppm Li / 0.56% LCE from surface, and
- 12.2m @ 1,060ppm Li / 0.56% LCE from 18.3m
A total of 11 holes were drilled for a combined 1,518m as part of the maiden RC drilling campaign, which targeted lithium clay mineralisation in zones of strong soil anomalism and/or rock chip anomalism with a view to understanding the thickness and grade potential of the project (Table 1 and Figure 1).
These initial results have confirmed the anticipated discovery of sub-surface lithium mineralisation at Red Mountain, which has clear potential to emerge as a significant project in the context of North American exploration efforts for battery metals.
Once assays for the remaining drill holes have been received by the Company, results will be collated and interpreted in order to guide the next steps for exploration at the project, which is now expected to include a follow-up drilling campaign in the second half of the calendar year. The remaining assays are expected to be received in two batches in early and late July.
Astute Chairman, Tony Leibowitz, said:
“This is a very exciting start to our drilling campaign at Red Mountain, with all three of our initial drill holes intersecting high-grade lithium mineralisation. The results have been returned over 4.6km of strike, indicating the potential for a major new discovery.
We are now eagerly awaiting the results from the remaining eight holes, which are expected to be received in July, with assays from all holes to be integrated into an updated geological model for Red Mountain with a view of expediting the process to achieving a maiden resource for our Red Mountain Project.”
Figure 1. Drill-hole locations and intersections, and gridded soil sample geochemistry over aerial image.
About Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE)
Unlike spodumene concentrate, which is a feedstock for a value-added battery product, Lithium Carbonate is a principal lithium-ion battery product, which may be used directly in battery production or converted to other battery products such as lithium hydroxide. The Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Lithium Carbonate China Index priced lithium carbonate product at US$13,710/t6 as of 12 June 2024.
Lithium carbonate is the product of many of the most advanced lithium clay projects around the world, including Lithium Americas’ (NYSE: LAC) 16.1Mt LCE Thacker Pass Project3 which is currently under construction. Accordingly, exploration results for Red Mountain have been reported as both the standard parts-per-million (ppm) and as % Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). A full table of tabulated assay results is provided in Appendix 2.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Astute Metals NL, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
01 April
4 Best-performing ASX Lithium Stocks of 2025
Global demand for lithium presents a significant opportunity for Australia, which is home to many ASX lithium mining stocks as the world's top lithium producer.
Australia’s abundant lithium reserves and strong mining sector, position the country as a key player in the battery value chain into the 2030s. However, rapid electric vehicle (EV) market growth projections drove increased lithium mining rates, leading to a global surplus.
Against that backdrop, Australia’s lithium sector faced headwinds in Q1 2025 due to falling global lithium prices and continued market oversupply.
As profit margins across the sector tightened, mining companies implemented production cuts, shuttered projects and cancelled expansion plans. Additionally, some refining operations were put on hold amid the unfavourable economic conditions.
The challenges that have plagued the lithium market over the past year have prompted speculation that the market has bottomed and prices will begin to recover by year’s end.
Despite the current downturn the lithium market long term outlook remains bright. The closing of Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO)AU$6.7 billion acquisition of Arcadium Lithium underscores the long-term potential that major miners see in the lithium sector.
Rio also made headlines in late March with reports that it was engaged in preliminary talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo about developing the massive Roche Dure lithium deposit.
Below the Investing News Network looks at the top four ASX-listed lithium companies by year-to-date gains. The list below was generated using TradingView’s stock screener on March 27, 2025, and Australian lithium companies with market caps above AU$10 million at that time were considered for inclusion.
1. Tyranna Resources (ASX:TYX)
Year-to-date gain: 40 percent
Market cap: AU$23.02 million
Share price: AU$0.007
Africa-focused exploration company Tyranna Resources is currently focused on its flagship Muvero lithium project in Angola.
In a January 30 update, Tyranna reported it completed a drill program totalling 11 diamond drill holes spanning 817 meters. Initial results from drilling at the Muvero and Loop prospects confirmed visible spodumene-bearing pegmatite. Additionally, core from the Muvero prospect will be used for metallurgical testing and structural data.
The company is also pursuing and evaluating additional projects that align with its strategy of focusing on in-demand metals, and had applied for one licence at that time.
Shares of Tyranna reached a quarterly high of AU$0.007 several times over the three month period.
2. Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR)
Year-to-date gain: 24.53 percent
Market cap: AU$1.58 billion
Share price: AU$0.66
Liontown Resources has two assets in the resource-rich Western Australia, including the producing Kathleen Valley mine, which entered production during the second half of 2024 and transitioned to commercial production in January 2025.
The company's Buldania project in the Eastern Goldfields Province of Western Australia has an initial mineral resource of 15 million tonnes at 1.0 percent lithium oxide.
In its fiscal H1 2025 financial update, Liontown reported that over 100,000 wet metric tons of spodumene concentrate had been shipped from Kathleen Valley between July and the end of December.
Liontown’s shares rose to a Q1 high of AU$0.735 on March 19, 2025, shortly after the release of the half year results.
3. Delta Lithium (ASX:DLI)
Year-to-date gain: 9.09 percent
Market cap: AU$125.39 million
Share price: AU$0.18
Delta Lithium is a diversified exploration and development company focused on discovering high quality, lithium bearing pegmatite deposits in Western Australia.
Currently, Delta is developing the Mt Ida gold and lithium project, which reportedly has a JORC-compliant resource of 14.6 million tonnes grading 1.2 percent.
Additionally, the company is also exploring its Yinnetharra lithium project, including the Malinda deposit, in the Upper Gascoyne Region.
Company shares registered a Q1 high of AU$0.20 on January 14.
On January 21, Delta released an exploration update for Yinnetharra that highlighted drilling and metallurgical results from the M1 pegmatite at the Malinda deposit.
“The program has realised highly positive metallurgical results, with pilot plant spodumene recoveries exceeding our Internal financial modelling and proving the whole-of-ore flotation flowsheet as suitable for the M1 mineralogy,” Managing Director James Croser said.
In a subsequent financial statement, Delta noted the submission of the mining lease application for the Malinda mining area and the commencement of Native Title negotiations. The company is also advancing its environmental permitting process at Malinda.
4. Future Battery Minerals (ASX:FBM)
Year-to-date gain: 5.56 percent
Market cap: AU$12.64 million
Share price: AU$0.019
Explorer and developer Future Battery Minerals (FBM) is advancing its flagship Coolgardie lithium project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields region.
The project includes FBM's wholly owned Kangaroo Hills lithium project and the 85 percent-owned Miriam lithium project.
Shares of FBM marked a Q1 high of AU$0.028 on January 9, 2025.
On January 22, FBM announced the expansion of the Coolgardie project footprint through the application for new tenements near the asset.
In its report for the quarter ended in December 2024, released in late January, FBM outlined near-term plans for the Coolgardie project, including completing its ground gravity survey. The company also reported that initial drilling of high-priority lithium targets at the Miriam project remains on track for H1 2025, while the mining lease application for Kangaroo Hills is advancing.
FAQs for investing in lithium
What is lithium?
Lithium is the lightest metal on the periodic table, and it is used in a wide variety of applications, including lithium-ion batteries, pharmaceuticals and industrial applications like glass and steel.
How do lithium-ion batteries work?
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries work by using the flow of lithium ions in the battery's cell to power a device.
A lithium-ion battery has one or more cells, depending on the amount of energy storage it is capable of, and each cell has a positive electrode and negative electrode with an electrolyte separating them. When the battery is in use, lithium ions flow from the negative electrode to the positive electrode, running out of power once all have transferred. When the battery is charging, ions flow the opposite way.
Where is lithium mined?
Lithium is mined from two types of deposits, hard rock and evaporated brines. Most of the world's lithium production comes out of Australia, which hosts the Greenbushes hard-rock lithium mine. The next-largest producing country is Chile, which like Argentina and Bolivia is located in South America's Lithium Triangle.
Lithium in this famed area comes from evaporated brines, including the Salar de Atacama. Lithium can also be found in sedimentary deposits, but currently none are producing.
Where is lithium found in Australia?
Australia is the world’s top producer of lithium, and its lithium mines are all located in Western Australia except for one, which is Core Lithium’s (ASX:CXO,OTC Pink:CXOXF) Finniss mine in the Northern Territory. Western Australia accounts for around half of global lithium production, and the state is looking to become a hub for critical elements.
Who owns lithium mines in Australia?
Several companies own lithium mines in Australia, including some of the biggest ASX lithium stocks. In addition to the entities discussed above, others include: Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS,OTC Pink:PILBF) with its Pilgangoora operations; Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium (HKEX:0358), which owns the Mount Marion mine alongside Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF); and Tianqi Lithium (SZSE:002466), which is a partial owner of Greenbushes via its stake in operator Talison Lithium.
Who is Australia’s largest lithium producer?
Australia’s largest lithium producer is Albemarle (NYSE:ALB), which has interests in both the Greenbushes and Wodgina hard-rock lithium mines. Greenbushes is the world’s largest lithium mine, and Albemarle holds 49 percent ownership of operator Talison Lithium’s parent company.
Albermarle also has 60 percent ownership of Mineral Resources’ Wodgina mine, and owns the Kemerton lithium production facility as part of a 60/40 joint venture with Mineral Resources.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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28 March
California Touts US$540 Billion Salton Sea Lithium Discovery
Scientists have discovered an estimated US$540 billion worth of lithium beneath California’s Salton Sea, a finding that could reshape the global energy market and reduce US reliance on foreign lithium supply.
The Salton Sea, located in Southern California’s Imperial County, has long been considered an environmental concern due to its receding shoreline and rising air pollution.
Now, researchers funded by the US Department of Energy have confirmed the area holds approximately 18 million metric tons of lithium — far more than previous estimates of 4 million metric tons.
“This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China,” the Daily Galaxy quotes Michael McKibben, a geochemistry professor at the University of California, Riverside, as saying in a Monday (March 24) article.
With global demand for lithium surging due to the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, California officials are viewing the discovery as a potential economic windfall.
Governor Gavin Newsom has dubbed the Salton Sea region the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” underscoring its potential to dominate the supply chain for battery production. Local officials have also branded the area as “Lithium Valley,” hoping to generate new revenue streams and job opportunities for Imperial County, one of California’s poorest regions.
Currently, talk is circulating about plans to allocate 80 percent of the revenue from lithium extraction to local development, which could significantly improve infrastructure and public services.
Despite the economic promise, extracting lithium from the Salton Sea’s geothermal brine presents challenges.
The process involves pumping lithium-rich brine from deep underground, separating the lithium and re-injecting the liquid back into the earth. While this technique is considered more environmentally friendly than traditional open-pit mining, it still raises concerns over water consumption, air quality and potential harm to Indigenous lands.
The Colorado River, a critical water source for California, is already facing shortages, and large-scale lithium extraction could further strain the region’s limited water resources.
Additionally, the Salton Sea’s receding lakebed has led to increased levels of toxic dust in the air, which has been linked to rising asthma rates among local residents. Mining operations could exacerbate these public health risks, making environmental safeguards a critical component of any development plans.
Adding to the complexity of lithium extraction is an evolving geopolitical landscape. China, the world’s largest lithium producer, has recently taken steps to tighten control over its battery technology exports.
Jiangsu Jiuwu Hi-Tech (SZSE:30063), a Chinese firm, announced in February that it would halt exports of a key lithium-processing component known as a sorbent. Sorbents are crucial in lithium extraction from brine, and export restrictions could disrupt supply chains for US and European companies looking to develop alternative lithium sources.
The US, the European Union and allied countries have accelerated initiatives such as the Minerals Security Partnership, launched in 2022, to secure alternative sources of lithium and other essential materials.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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26 March
Top 5 Canadian Lithium Stocks of 2025
The lithium market continued to battle headwinds during the first quarter of 2025 as residual oversupply weighed on prices, pushing them to a four year low.
Weaker-than-expected demand to start the year also added pressure to the oversupplied market, resulting in the lithium carbonate CIF North Asia price to fall below US$9,550 per metric ton, its lowest point since 2021.
Analysts have suggested the persistent downturn is the signaling of a market bottom. This theory is further supported by a projected production reduction that will help absorb market oversupply.
“Lithium market conditions — particularly during the latter part of 2024 – led to growing producer restraint, both in China and elsewhere,” wrote Fastmarkets’ head of battery raw material analytics Paul Lusty. “Australian production cuts started in January 2024 but built momentum during the year, with several miners announcing production cuts, plans to place plants on care and maintenance and the suspension of planned expansions owing to market conditions.”
The global commodities firm is forecasting a shift in market dynamics, with analysts projecting a much tighter balance ahead. Initial estimates peg 2025’s surplus at 10,000 metric tons before the market moves into a deficit position in 2026.
How are Canadian lithium stocks performing against this backdrop?
The Investing News Network has created an overview of the top-performing Canadian lithium stocks. While companies on the TSX, TSXV and CSE were considered, only stocks on the TSXV made the list this time.
This list was created on March 25, 2025, using TradingView's stock screener, and all data was current at that time. Only companies with market caps above C$10 million for the TSX and TSXV and above C$5 million for the CSE are included.
1. Power Metals (TSXV:PWM)
Year-to-date gain: 163.04 percent
Market cap: C$196.57 million
Share price: C$1.21
Exploration company Power Metals holds a portfolio of diversified assets in Ontario and Québec, Canada. The company’s flagship Case Lake project in Ontario hosts spodumene-bearing lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatites.
In November 2024, Power Metals identified a new pegmatite zone at Case Lake through soil sampling. The samples from the zone, located north-northwest of its West Joe prospect, revealed elevated levels of cesium, tantalum, lithium and rubidium, which the company said "affirmed prospective drill targets" for its winter program.
On February 10, Power Metals announced the beginning of work associated with the maiden mineral resource estimate and preliminary economic assessment for Case Lake, which it plans to release in Q1 and Q2 of 2025 respectively. Days later on February 14, the company followed that announcement by releasing the final assays from its Phase 3 drilling at Case Lake, including “exceptional cesium oxide and tantalum intercepts” from the West Joe prospect.
The company's share price rose in the weeks following the pair of announcements to reach a Q1 high of C$1.46 on February 25.
2. NOA Lithium Brines (TSXV:NOAL)
Year-to-date gain: 41.18 percent
Market cap: C$46.99 million
Share price: C$0.36
NOA is a lithium exploration and development company with three projects in Argentina’s Lithium Triangle region. The company’s flagship Rio Grande project and prospective Arizaro and Salinas Grandes land packages total more than 140,000 hectares.
In late January, NOA reported its completion of 28 vertical electrical sounding geophysics tests at the Rio Grande project as part of its 2025 exploration program.
The recent testing expands on past studies and will aid NOA's water exploration program, refining one of three identified potential water sources.
In a subsequent corporate update on February 7, NOA outlined its plans for Q1 2025, which largely focused on the advancement of the Rio Grande project through geophysical evaluation and water exploration drilling. The company also plans to review engineering proposals for preliminary economic assessment work.
The company's share price began climbing in early February and reached a Q1 high of C$0.37 on March 13.
The high came days after a Simply Wall Street report highlighted insider buying at the company, a signal of strong internal confidence. According to the report, NOA insiders invested C$862,600 over the prior six months, with C$358,000 of that coming in a single transaction by CEO and Director Gabriel Rubacha. Additionally, they had not sold any shares in the prior 12 months.
3. Frontier Lithium (TSXV:FL)
Year-to-date gain: 35.56 percent
Market cap: C$141.38 million
Share price: C$0.61
Pre-production mining company Frontier Lithium aims to be a strategic and integrated supplier of premium spodumene concentrates as well as battery-grade lithium salts in North America.
The Company's flagship PAK lithium project, which is a joint venture with Mitsubishi (TSE:8058), holds the “largest land position and resource” in a premium lithium mineral district located in the Great Lakes region of Ontario, Canada. Frontier also owns the Spark deposit, located northwest of the PAK project.
Shares of Frontier Lithium reached a Q1 high of C$0.79 on March 4. After already trending upwards through February, its share price peaked alongside news that the Government of Canada and the Ontario Government supported the company's plans to build a critical minerals refinery in Northern Ontario.
Once complete the proposed lithium conversion facility will process lithium from PAK into around 20,000 metric tons of lithium salts per year. “This expected capacity would support the production of batteries for approximately 500,000 electric vehicles per year,” Frontier's statement reads.
4. Q2 Metals (TSXV:QTWO)
Year-to-date gain: 30.77 percent
Market cap: C$144.59 million
Share price: C$1.02
Exploration firm Q2 Metals is exploring three lithium properties — Cisco, Mia and Stellar — in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec, Canada. Its Mia project hosts the Mia trend, which spans over 10 kilometers, and its Stellar lithium property comprises 77 claims 6 kilometers north of the Mia property.
In 2024, Q2 Metals acquired the Cisco lithium property and spent much of the year exploring the area. In December, Q2 acquired a 100 percent interest in 545 additional mineral claims, tripling its land position at the Cisco lithium property. A February 12 update reported that metallurgical testing on 2024 drill core showed that the primary lithium-bearing mineral in Cisco pegmatite is spodumene.
On February 26, Q2 announced that investors exercised 12.8 million share purchase warrants at C$0.60 each, generating C$7.68 million in proceeds for the company. The warrants were issued through a private placement in February 2023.
Shares of Q2 jumped to a Q1 high price of C$1.08 on March 18. The following day, later the company released some early results from its ongoing winter drill program, which is targeting 6,000 to 8,000 meters of drilling using two diamond drill rigs. The first four holes intersected “multiple wide intercepts of spodumene pegmatite, expanding previously identified mineralization.” The longest continuous interval of spodumene mineralization is 179.6 meters.
5. Wealth Minerals (TSXV:WML)
Year-to-date gain: 20 percent
Market cap: C$18.47 million
Share price: C$0.06
Lithium exploration company Wealth Minerals owns three exploration-stage projects — Kuska, Pabellón and Yapuckuta— all located in Chile.
On February 3, Wealth Minerals released its first news of the year, announcing it penned a joint venture development deal with the Quechua Indigenous Community of Ollagüe for the development of the Kuska project.
Under the deal the Quechua community will hold a 5 percent free-carried interest and a board seat in the JV, ensuring community participation. The partnership may also explore additional projects in the region.
On February 6, Wealth Minerals acquired the Pabellón lithium project, consisting of a portfolio of 26 mineral exploration licenses with an area of 7,600 hectares located in Northern Chile near the Chile-Bolivia border. The project may serve as an additional source of material to Kuska.
The surface of Pabellón hosts South America's only geothermal power plant, Cerro Pabellón, which is majority owned by electricity company ENEL (MIL:ENEL). Wealth Minerals stated it is considering installing a direct lithium extraction unit next to the plant.
The company's share price spiked in mid-January, and touched a Q1 high of C$0.095 on January 31, February 7 and February 10.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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25 March
Results of General Meeting, Admission of Retail Offer Shares and Total Voting Rights
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM: CTL), an exploration and development lithium company in Chile, is pleased to announce that at the General Meeting ("GM") held earlier today all the resolutions were duly passed.
Retail Offer
On 10 March 2025 the Company announced the Retail Offer had conditionally raised £143,980, in addition to the £2.4 million raised from a Placing announced on 11 February 2025. 899,873 new ordinary shares ("Retail Offer Shares") will be issued to existing retail shareholders who subscribed via the BookBuild platform at a price of 16 pence per Retail Offer Share pursuant to the Retail Offer.
It is expected that Admission will become effective, and trading of the Retail Offer Shares will commence on AIM, at 8.00 a.m. on 25 March 2025.
Total Voting Rights
Following the issue of the Retail Offer Shares, the Company will have a total of 100,346,774 Ordinary Shares in issue. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury and accordingly the total number of voting rights in the Company is 100,346,774.
With effect from Admission, this figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company, under the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority.
Words and expressions defined in the Company's announcement of 10 March 2025 shall have the same meaning in this announcement.
For further information please visit https://ctlithium.com/
For further information contact: | |
Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter | Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile office: +562-32239222 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak | +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Daniel Fox-Davies | +44 (0) 20 3884 8450 |
Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker) James Asensio | +44 (0) 20 7523 4680 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
Notes
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL) is an exploration and development company advancing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to become a new supplier of battery grade lithium using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and exploration stage projects in Llamara and Arenas Blancas (Salar de Atacama), located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two most advanced projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. All four projects have good access to existing infrastructure.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine resulting in no aquifer depletion. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine with higher recoveries, short development lead times and no extensive evaporation pond construction. www.ctlithium.com
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This article includes content from Cleantech Lithium PLC, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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24 March
Funding the Energy Transition: The Role of Public and Private Finance in Building Supply Chains
The energy transition demands substantial funding as participants look to build out infrastructure and supply chains, but experts say new solutions are emerging to help navigate this landscape.
During the "Financing the Energy Transition" panel at the Benchmark Summit, participants discussed the role of government and public sector investment, as well as the outlook for Canada's electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.
Moderated by Adam Webb, head of battery raw materials at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the discussion at the Toronto-based event opened with a snapshot of Canada’s EV battery supply chain buildout.
Daanish Hussein, senior manager of grants and direct funding at BDO Canada, highlighted the downstream, midstream and upstream development happening in Ontario and Québec.
“If you look at the last four years, just looking at Ontario, we've secured over C$45 billion in this industry,” he said, adding that Ontario's strategy has initially been focused on downstream growth.
“Whereas in Québec, I think what you've seen is a bigger focus on the midstream and upstream,” added Hussein.
Moving forward, he expects both provinces to prioritize midstream and upstream expansion.
“We want to make sure that Canada has the breadth and depth to get supply chain security, but also it's an economic development imperative to develop the north, and there's a lot of private and public sector support for this,” he noted.
Federal support for Canada's mining industry
During the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, which coincided with the Benchmark Summit, Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources, made several announcements aimed at supporting the country’s exploration, mining and development sectors.
The first was an extension to the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) until March 31, 2027.
The 15 percent METC aims to support junior exploration, mining and mineral processing companies, providing an estimated C$110 million to drive exploration investment.
Wilkinson also announced a second round of funding under Canada's Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund. It will offer up to C$500 million for energy and transportation projects to boost the mining sector.
Last year’s round approved over 31 projects with C$300 million pending final review.
Hussein noted that these types of funding initiatives are imperative to encourage northern development.
Will US tariffs derail Canadian growth?
Despite focusing largely on Canada, the panel could not escape talks of US tariffs.
While acknowledging the uncertainty that the tariff threat presents, Hussein explained that the EV supply chain project pipeline in Québec and Ontario is robust and financially strong.
He pointed to Linamar’s (TSX:LNR,OTC Pink:LINAF) C$1 billion investment in six Ontario automotive technology sites, announced in January, as an example. The Ontario-based global auto parts manufacturer is also receiving support from the provincial (C$100 million) and federal (C$169.4 million) governments.
“So yes, there is reason for trepidation, but I think there's a lot of compelling reasons to be optimistic,” said Hussein.
Battery metals investors must rejig expectations
Webb next asked where investors are currently finding value.
Arun Viswanathan, senior equity analyst for chemicals and packaging at RBC (TSX:RY,NYSE:RY), told the audience that investors are currently grappling with three issues.
“First off, they're a little bit anchored to the recent peak as a potential possibility as to how high they think prices can go, and there isn't really support for investors to get to that level,” he said.
In addition to unrealistic expectations about metals prices returning to peaks seen in late 2021 and early 2022, Viswanathan pointed to apprehension in EV sales growth in the EU and North America.
“Investors are also struggling with the idea that (in) North America and Europe, EV demand is very weak, and that demand has coincided with this downturn in pricing,” Viswanathan said.
“Even though 80 percent of the supply chain in lithium is in China, 99 percent of LFP capacity production is there, people actually do think that the North American and European markets do matter to drive pricing.”
A lack of transparency was the final factor impacting investor sentiment Viswanathan underscored.
“The third thing I would mention is opacity in the market,” he said. “And when you think about what is actually observable in China and elsewhere, I think investors struggle with data.”
He suggests that investors often “hone in” on inventory numbers, which do not always paint a complete picture.
Viswanathan went on to say that the lithium industry was once seen as a high-growth sector, but major producers are now scaling back their forecasts. For example, Albemarle (NYSE:ALB), has reduced its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from double digits to low single digits for 2025 and possibly 2026.
With a significant surplus in the market, there’s little immediate catalyst for change. Many investors remain focused on the short term, limiting interest in long-term opportunities despite potential value over the next decade.
“I think in general, investors are optimistic on the long-term story. But even though prices have come down significantly, I don't know if we're at value stages yet,” he said.
Does ESG matter for financing?
From there, the discussion shifted to the importance of ESG credentials in financing projects.
Weighing in on the topic, Shelley Gilberg, markets leader of managed accounts at PwC, noted that it “depends on whose money you are taking" and said alternative forms of financing are emerging.
“You're starting to see the emergence of much more purpose capital that understands what they're investing in. They're prepared to potentially take a slightly lower rate of return in exchange for the thematic investing that they're doing.”
Gilberg highlighted the Canada Growth Fund’s recent equity stake in the Nouveau Monde Graphite (TSXV:NOU,NYSE:NGM) as part of the shift in financing strategies. Announced in December, the C$57 million investment aligns with the Canada Growth Fund’s goal of supporting national critical minerals development.
Gilberg went on to suggest that companies seeking financing have to pay attention to a multitude of factors, including boardroom dynamics, shareholder activism and industry partnerships.
In today’s geopolitical climate, some market expectations conflict — some US buyers reject ESG commitments, while European buyers demand them, leaving Canadian firms navigating a middle ground.
“I think the most difficult thing for every company right now — this isn't unique to mining — is how do you line up customer sentiment around this stuff with investor sentiment?” she said. “And I can tell you, it's difficult.”
Ultimately, Gilberg explained that these are strategic business decisions, not just ESG concerns.
Although the landscape is rough, companies that are able to mesh customer needs with investor concerns are likely to benefit from what Gilberg described as a “reset” of the sustainability and ESG lens.
"I think the greatest risk and the greatest opportunity right now for mining companies comes from aligning the customers you're going to serve with the investors whose money you're using,” she said. “That has to be the magic.”
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Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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