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BHP chair doubles down – again – on why it’s missing from lithium’s hall of fame
Lithium is undoubtedly a hot commodity but mining giant BHP continues to maintain an arm’s length from the battery metal. … Read More
The post Eye on…
- Which major miner has ruled out lithium?
- St George drilling hits visual lithium mineralisation
- Lithium Power says all is well with Chilean project
There’s no question that lithium is a hot commodity given strong demand, prices that keep marching upwards as well as continued interest from markets and companies.
Abermarle can attest to how well this attention has treated it, marking quarterly net sales of US$2.1bn while Livent is looking at Canada as the place to be to boost production and processing of the key battery metal.
But there is a glaring omission in the line up of companies with some skin in the lithium game and it’s none other than our very own 800lb gorilla BHP.
Speaking at the company’s later Shareholder Q&A, BHP chair Ken Mackenzie described lithium as a “very hot commodity” but said that it did not tick off all the criteria for it to be attractive to the company.
He said the commodity had to have meaningful scale and scope with steep cost curves and profitability in the upstream part of the supply chain rather than in the midstream or downstream, which is very much the case with lithium.
“It’s not necessarily a commodity that we’re interested in pursuing at this point in time, but we keep everything under continuous review.”
So while our other giant Rio Tinto remains interested in lithium, BHP clearly has a different set of priorities.
Here’s how ASX lithium stocks are tracking:
| CODE | COMPANY | PRICE | % TODAY | MARKET CAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRS | Forrestaniaresources | 0.27 | 23% | $11,092,360 |
| RMX | Red Mount Min Ltd | 0.006 | 20% | $8,211,819 |
| FG1 | Flynngold | 0.12 | 14% | $6,726,410 |
| TON | Triton Min Ltd | 0.026 | 13% | $31,804,036 |
| WCN | White Cliff Min Ltd | 0.018 | 13% | $11,961,654 |
| THR | Thor Mining PLC | 0.009 | 13% | $8,814,388 |
| LPI | Lithium Pwr Int Ltd | 0.545 | 12% | $189,732,546 |
| RAG | Ragnar Metals Ltd | 0.019 | 12% | $6,446,143 |
| PNN | Power Minerals Ltd | 0.53 | 10% | $34,635,376 |
| AUN | Aurumin | 0.09 | 10% | $10,275,185 |
| LLI | Loyal Lithium Ltd | 0.62 | 8% | $26,875,500 |
| RGL | Riversgold | 0.044 | 7% | $31,828,343 |
| GT1 | Greentechnology | 1.04 | 7% | $185,016,241 |
| AGY | Argosy Minerals Ltd | 0.545 | 7% | $716,247,824 |
| CY5 | Cygnus Gold Limited | 0.55 | 7% | $79,014,037 |
| AKE | Allkem Limited | 14.99 | 6% | $8,984,602,432 |
| NWM | Norwest Minerals | 0.05 | 6% | $10,439,047 |
| GLN | Galan Lithium Ltd | 1.71 | 6% | $490,357,508 |
| LTR | Liontown Resources | 1.91 | 6% | $3,953,583,630 |
| ZEO | Zeotech Limited | 0.04 | 5% | $61,352,248 |
| CXO | Core Lithium | 1.42 | 5% | $2,477,778,624 |
| MIN | Mineral Resources. | 73.85 | 5% | $13,324,474,863 |
| BYH | Bryah Resources Ltd | 0.022 | 5% | $5,906,323 |
| LRS | Latin Resources Ltd | 0.11 | 5% | $209,672,345 |
| MRR | Minrex Resources Ltd | 0.044 | 5% | $45,508,751 |
| RAS | Ragusa Minerals Ltd | 0.22 | 5% | $27,512,652 |
| CHR | Charger Metals | 0.46 | 5% | $19,186,655 |
| WML | Woomera Mining Ltd | 0.0135 | 4% | $10,178,830 |
| PLS | Pilbara Min Ltd | 5.215 | 4% | $15,026,319,622 |
| INR | Ioneer Ltd | 0.58 | 4% | $1,174,955,083 |
| LKE | Lake Resources | 1.0875 | 4% | $1,460,443,644 |
| TEM | Tempest Minerals | 0.029 | 4% | $14,133,453 |
| KAI | Kairos Minerals Ltd | 0.03 | 3% | $56,958,711 |
| WC8 | Wildcat Resources | 0.03 | 3% | $18,901,409 |
| LEL | Lithenergy | 1.07 | 3% | $62,255,250 |
| SYA | Sayona Mining Ltd | 0.2325 | 3% | $1,870,675,344 |
| ARN | Aldoro Resources | 0.31 | 3% | $33,176,195 |
| GW1 | Greenwing Resources | 0.33 | 3% | $40,385,748 |
| KGD | Kula Gold Limited | 0.036 | 3% | $11,767,417 |
| MNS | Magnis Energy Tech | 0.37 | 3% | $349,319,334 |
| TYX | Tyranna Res Ltd | 0.044 | 2% | $103,390,289 |
| IGO | IGO Limited | 14.99 | 2% | $11,101,546,139 |
| GL1 | Globallith | 2.3 | 2% | $457,317,014 |
| A8G | Australasian Metals | 0.235 | 2% | $9,469,214 |
| KTA | Krakatoa Resources | 0.061 | 2% | $20,682,595 |
| PLL | Piedmont Lithium Inc | 0.95 | 2% | $493,278,698 |
| RIO | Rio Tinto Limited | 91.97 | 2% | $33,617,340,340 |
| TUL | Tulla Resources | 0.385 | 1% | $76,225,239 |
| VUL | Vulcan Energy | 7.32 | 1% | $1,036,314,226 |
| RDT | Red Dirt Metals Ltd | 0.54 | 1% | $178,010,098 |
| CRR | Critical Resources | 0.0555 | 1% | $82,143,691 |
| LIS | Lisenergylimited | 0.4025 | 1% | $66,365,675 |
| WES | Wesfarmers Limited | 45.26 | 1% | $51,056,826,097 |
| ADV | Ardiden Ltd | 0.006 | 0% | $16,010,012 |
| 1MC | Morella Corporation | 0.02 | 0% | $116,031,116 |
| AML | Aeon Metals Ltd. | 0.024 | 0% | $26,242,339 |
| ASN | Anson Resources Ltd | 0.3 | 0% | $352,768,201 |
| AVZ | AVZ Minerals Ltd | 0.78 | 0% | $2,752,409,203 |
| EMH | European Metals Hldg | 0.785 | 0% | $93,477,237 |
| ESS | Essential Metals Ltd | 0.465 | 0% | $117,074,737 |
| LIT | Lithium Australia | 0.05 | 0% | $61,059,584 |
| MLS | Metals Australia | 0.038 | 0% | $23,067,375 |
| QPM | Queensland Pacific | 0.17 | 0% | $294,145,290 |
| PSC | Prospect Res Ltd | 0.096 | 0% | $44,376,908 |
| TKL | Traka Resources | 0.006 | 0% | $4,132,647 |
| BMM | Balkanminingandmin | 0.29 | 0% | $12,473,119 |
| AAJ | Aruma Resources Ltd | 0.07 | 0% | $10,987,305 |
| AX8 | Accelerate Resources | 0.029 | 0% | $7,843,308 |
| AM7 | Arcadia Minerals | 0.26 | 0% | $12,141,452 |
| AS2 | Askarimetalslimited | 0.4 | 0% | $19,735,649 |
| DTM | Dart Mining NL | 0.068 | 0% | $10,557,691 |
| EMS | Eastern Metals | 0.13 | 0% | $5,078,374 |
| GSM | Golden State Mining | 0.04 | 0% | $4,680,568 |
| MMC | Mitremining | 0.18 | 0% | $4,875,318 |
| TMB | Tambourahmetals | 0.1325 | 0% | $5,458,019 |
| TSC | Twenty Seven Co. Ltd | 0.0015 | 0% | $7,982,442 |
| AZL | Arizona Lithium Ltd | 0.079 | 0% | $190,384,119 |
| MTM | Mtmongerresources | 0.098 | 0% | $3,675,983 |
| SCN | Scorpion Minerals | 0.07 | 0% | $23,359,433 |
| AZI | Altamin Limited | 0.086 | 0% | $33,687,641 |
| ENT | Enterprise Metals | 0.009 | 0% | $5,876,826 |
| PGD | Peregrine Gold | 0.45 | 0% | $17,424,700 |
| AVW | Avira Resources Ltd | 0.003 | 0% | $6,401,370 |
| EFE | Eastern Resources | 0.037 | 0% | $41,452,616 |
| SRZ | Stellar Resources | 0.013 | 0% | $13,060,202 |
| LSR | Lodestar Minerals | 0.005 | 0% | $8,692,187 |
| AOA | Ausmon Resorces | 0.007 | 0% | $6,001,025 |
| VKA | Viking Mines Ltd | 0.008 | 0% | $8,202,067 |
| IPT | Impact Minerals | 0.0065 | 0% | $16,128,909 |
| SRI | Sipa Resources Ltd | 0.053 | 0% | $10,866,315 |
| VMC | Venus Metals Cor Ltd | 0.15 | 0% | $24,011,802 |
| ZNC | Zenith Minerals Ltd | 0.28 | 0% | $96,533,438 |
| G88 | Golden Mile Res Ltd | 0.022 | 0% | $4,500,975 |
| EPM | Eclipse Metals | 0.018 | 0% | $36,436,623 |
| DRE | Dreadnought Resources Ltd | 0.11 | 0% | $335,798,271 |
| M2R | Miramar | 0.095 | 0% | $6,714,766 |
| AOU | Auroch Minerals Ltd | 0.053 | 0% | $19,668,925 |
| WMC | Wiluna Mining Corp | 0.205 | 0% | $74,238,031 |
| ALY | Alchemy Resource Ltd | 0.033 | 0% | $38,711,516 |
| DAF | Discovery Alaska Ltd | 0.03 | 0% | $6,727,041 |
| LNR | Lanthanein Resources | 0.036 | 0% | $34,661,721 |
| TKM | Trek Metals Ltd | 0.064 | 0% | $19,879,050 |
| OCN | Oceanalithiumlimited | 0.49 | 0% | $16,427,250 |
| CMD | Cassius Mining Ltd | 0.03 | 0% | $12,112,227 |
| IR1 | Irismetals | 1.5 | -1% | $94,722,300 |
| LLL | Leolithiumlimited | 0.64 | -1% | $636,393,708 |
| NVA | Nova Minerals Ltd | 0.8 | -1% | $148,765,633 |
| JRL | Jindalee Resources | 2.36 | -1% | $137,135,729 |
| PAM | Pan Asia Metals | 0.375 | -1% | $55,805,124 |
| CAI | Calidus Resources | 0.36 | -1% | $159,790,322 |
| MQR | Marquee Resource Ltd | 0.058 | -2% | $18,739,437 |
| A11 | Atlantic Lithium | 0.845 | -2% | $520,937,828 |
| IMI | Infinitymining | 0.225 | -2% | $14,517,313 |
| MXR | Maximus Resources | 0.043 | -2% | $14,031,854 |
| QXR | Qx Resources Limited | 0.084 | -2% | $75,840,160 |
| INF | Infinity Lithium | 0.2 | -2% | $85,423,453 |
| KZR | Kalamazoo Resources | 0.19 | -3% | $29,019,778 |
| STM | Sunstone Metals Ltd | 0.033 | -3% | $88,279,178 |
| FTL | Firetail Resources | 0.165 | -3% | $10,503,025 |
| LRD | Lordresourceslimited | 0.275 | -4% | $9,486,117 |
| BNR | Bulletin Res Ltd | 0.125 | -4% | $38,036,843 |
| NMT | Neometals Ltd | 1.11 | -4% | $637,960,217 |
| EVR | Ev Resources Ltd | 0.021 | -5% | $20,371,650 |
| EUR | European Lithium Ltd | 0.1 | -5% | $151,645,113 |
| MM1 | Midasmineralsltd | 0.185 | -5% | $11,140,694 |
| LRV | Larvottoresources | 0.18 | -5% | $9,482,045 |
| LPD | Lepidico Ltd | 0.017 | -6% | $118,479,892 |
| SHH | Shree Minerals Ltd | 0.007 | -7% | $9,288,652 |
| XTC | Xantippe Res Ltd | 0.007 | -7% | $61,089,224 |
| DAL | Dalaroometalsltd | 0.12 | -8% | $3,883,750 |
| RLC | Reedy Lagoon Corp. | 0.011 | -8% | $6,689,123 |
| CZL | Cons Zinc Ltd | 0.02 | -9% | $10,184,272 |
| WR1 | Winsome Resources | 0.71 | -13% | $110,117,905 |
In a better showing than yesterday, 53 companies finished in the green while 29 slipped under the water.
Who’s got news out?
St George Mining (ASX:SGQ)
Drilling at the company’s Mt Alexander project has intersected multiple intervals of pegmatite – up to 13m thick – from surface with visual lithium-bearing minerals logged in reverse circulation drill chips.
It follows surface rock chips returning results such as 3.25% Li2O, 225 parts per million (ppm) cesium oxide (Cs2O), 53ppm tantalum and 1.24% rubidium along with 1.89% Li2O, 180ppm Cs2O, 86ppm tantalum and 0.63% rubidium
The RC drill program will test six outcropping lithium-bearing pegmatite dykes at the prospect, which stretches out over licences E29/962 and E29/638 (IGO 25%).
Additionally, diamond drilling is scheduled to begin next week alongside RC drilling.
This will initially test for deeper extensions to the mineralised pegmatites at Jailbreak and assist with the geological interpretation of the evolving lithium targets.
Lithium Power International (ASX:LPI)
Lithium Power has rubbished recent Chilean media reports, saying that contrary to what has been reported, the standing of its concessions and permitting remained solid according to Chilean law.
It added that this has been reinforced by multiple legal positions during the last three years from large and specialist law firms in Chile.
The company’s feasibility study for its Maricunga Stage One project has been developed in a very detailed manner to a shovel-ready stage covering permitting, exploration work, environmental approvals and export permitting.
Final completion for 100% consolidation of the project is also nearing completion with the company’s shareholders approving at the end of October the issue of shares to acquire Bearing Lithium Corp’s 17.14% interest.
The post Eye on Lithium: BHP chair doubles down – again – on why it’s missing from lithium’s hall of fame appeared first on Stockhead.
