That's because the potential returns on offer from small-cap ASX stocks are often superior to what you would find elsewhere on the market.

With that in mind, let's look at one small cap that Bell Potter is tipping to more than double in value. Here's what the broker is recommending:

Which small-cap ASX stock?

The small cap that has caught the eye of Bell Potter is Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N).

It is the owner of the First Facility in Queensland, which is aiming to supply high-purity aluminium-based products to the semiconductor, lithium-ion battery, and light emitting diode (LED) manufacturing sectors.

Bell Potter highlights that the project's proprietary technology is expected to disrupt incumbent HPA production through delivering ultra-high purity products with significantly lower unit costs.

Following a site visit, the broker is feeling very positive about the small-cap ASX stock's outlook. It said:

A4N hosted a site visit and management briefings at its HPA First project in Gladstone yesterday, attended by around a dozen investors and sell-side analysts. The visit highlighted construction progress at Stage 2 and an update on engagement with customers. With reference to the January 2026 estimates, Stage 2 development is on budget and on schedule for wet commissioning in mid-2027 and first production in 2H 2027. A4N management spoke confidently about product demand and the potential for future expansions at Gladstone. They expect to meet the conditions for debt draw-down by the end of 2026.

Bell Potter also points out that the company is well-placed to benefit from increasing demand for aluminium compounds in the booming data centre market. It adds:

Around 70-80% of A4N's current customer engagement is with the semiconductor sector which is seeing unprecedented demand from AI data centre expansions. A4N's high purity aluminium compounds have purity and morphology which unlock greater manufacturing and computational efficiency compared with incumbent suppliers and materials (high purity silica). Key applications are for Chemical Mechanical Planarization used in semiconductor manufacturing and for thermal management (thermal fillers). A4N also has ongoing engagement for direct lithium extraction and battery anode coating use-cases where its products are again driving higher value in use.

Big potential returns

According to the note, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating on the small-cap ASX stock with an unchanged price target of $1.50.

Based on its current share price of 62.5 cents, this implies potential upside of 140% over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy rating, Bell Potter said:

A4N's HPA First process has a competitive advantage in the production of aluminabased thermal interface fillers and CMP abrasives for the semiconductor sector. A Stage 1 facility commissioned in 2022 has technically derisked the process and is providing product for market outreach and customer qualification. Over 2026, we expect A4N to sign further offtake Letters of Intent and progress to sales contracts.

The post Why Bell Potter says this small-cap ASX stock could rise 140% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Despite coming with significant volatility, experts have suggested that conditions could be favourable for small caps. 

According to VanEck, valuations for global small caps are reasonable/attractive relative to global large caps (MSCI World Index), with valuations close to 25-year lows.

Here in Australia, ASX small-cap shares outperformed larger players by almost 2.5 times in 2025.

New analysis from two brokers has identified two more exciting small caps that should be on investors' radars this year. 

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N) 

Alpha HPA is an Australian mining company specialising in high purity alumina (HPA). HPA is a key component of lithium-ion batteries, LED lighting, and has other essential commercial applications.

A4N's HPA First Project in Gladstone (Queensland) is aiming to supply high-purity aluminium-based products to the semiconductor, lithium-ion battery, and light emitting diode (LED) manufacturing sectors. 

The project's proprietary technology is expected to disrupt incumbent HPA production. This is through delivering ultra-high purity products with significantly lower unit costs.

The company has drawn a speculative buy recommendation from Bell Potter. 

In a note out of the broker yesterday, it said the company recently completed a $225m equity placement. This will support delivery and commercialisation of the HPA First Stage 2 Project. 

The placement was supported by the Australian Government's National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. 

Bell Potter said A4N is now expecting higher product prices, boosting potential revenue. The project's profits are also projected to grow, with EBITDA estimated at $289 million. 

On the other hand, the project will cost more to build, with capital costs now at $699 million. 

First production is slightly delayed, now expected in FY28, about six months later than originally planned.

The team at Bell Potter currently has a price target of $1.50 on this ASX small cap. 

From yesterday's closing price of $0.72, that indicates an upside of 108.33%. 

A4N's HPA First process has a competitive advantage in the production of aluminabased thermal interface fillers and Chemical Mechanical Planarization abrasives for the semiconductor sector.

A Stage 1 facility commissioned in 2022 has technically derisked the process and is providing product for market outreach and customer qualification.

Island Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: ILA)

Island Pharmaceuticals is an ASX-listed biotech company developing its flagship drug ISLA-101 against mosquito diseases.

In a note out of Morgans last week, the broker said The FDA has provided formal confirmation and alignment on Galidesivir's Animal Rule development pathway, setting out a clear two-stage program and materially de-risking the asset. 

The update represents the strongest regulatory signal to date that Galidesivir is on a viable, accelerated path toward approval as a US biodefence countermeasure and supports multiple potential value levers including a Priority Review Voucher.

ILA has also announced it has raised A$9m at A$0.35, which the company believes will be ample funding to see Galvesivir through to potential marketing approval, as well as sufficient excess to advance other opportunities in Ebola and Sudan Viruses.

The post Two exciting ASX small caps to watch according to brokers appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This was thrown into sharp relief earlier this year when rare earths became a political hot button topic, with China tightening export controls on more of its own resources, sending the share prices of Australian producers and would-be producers higher.

In a recent research note to clients, Bell Potter has taken a tighter focus in terms of the strategic minerals companies it is forecasting will do well.

But as they said in their note, "geopolitical volatility and trade tensions are positive for strategic mineral and processing technology equities''.

They went on to say:

Western governments are increasingly seeking to reshore supply chains and manufacturing capabilities, particularly in high-technology and aerospace/ defence sectors. US defence spending as a percentage of GDP is at a cyclical low and is expected to lift over the coming decade. NATO members have recently announced increased spending commitments.

In terms of stocks they are recommending, they have focused in on high-tech production processes which could differentiate the companies.

Here are their picks:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

Bell Potter says this company's proprietary process "produces ultra-high purity aluminium compounds with applications in technology growth sectors including semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, LED displays/lighting, and direct lithium extraction''.

The analysts say the process is disruptive in terms of its low production costs, "ultra-high" product purity, and low emissions. Australian chemicals group Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) is also a shareholder.

The broker has a speculative buy rating on the stock and a price target of $2 compared with 71 cents at the moment.

IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX)

Bell Potter says IperionX "has the potential to disrupt the incumbent titanium supply chain through materially lowering production costs and manufacturing waste".  

The analysts say the company started producing titanium on a large scale this year at its Virginia US site, and will now scale that up, "and progress commercial relationships with aerospace, automotive, luxury goods and government end users''.

As they said:

Titanium is a highly strategic metal given its applications across the defence and aerospace sectors, with around 95% of current US supply met through imports, predominantly from Japan. Russia and China account for more than 70% of global titanium supply.

Bell Potter has a speculative buy recommendation on the stock and a price target of $9.25 compared with $5.01 currently.

Titomic Ltd (ASX: TTT)

Three-D printing company Titomic has applications in the defence, aerospace, and natural resources markets Bell Potter says, with its technology bringing "unique manufacturing capabilities around material selection and component properties".

We expect news flow relating to Titomic's participation in US defence programs, new commercial agreements and non dilutive government-backed funding.

Bell Potter has a speculative buy recommendation on the stock and a 50 cent price target compared with 22 cents currently.

The post Looking for 100% gains? These strategic minerals companies might be worth a look, Bell Potter says appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Penny stocks can be more volatile investments compared to other options, such as blue-chip stocks. 

However, investors in small, fast-growing companies can capture substantial gains compared to those who wait until the companies have grown.

Alpha HPA

Because there are thousands of companies listed on the ASX, it's impossible to be across all of them. 

This is what makes researching so important.

For investors who are not familiar with this ASX penny stock, Alpha HPA is an Australian mining company specialising in high-purity alumina (HPA). 

HPA is a key component of lithium-ion batteries and LED lighting and has other essential commercial applications.

According to Bell Potter, A4N's HPA First Project in Gladstone (Queensland) is aiming to supply high-purity aluminium-based products to the semiconductor, lithium-ion battery, and light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturing sectors. 

The project's proprietary technology is expected to disrupt incumbent HPA production by delivering ultra-high purity products with significantly lower unit costs.

Share price upside

This ASX penny stock has seen plenty of volatility in its share price this year and is down 16% YTD. 

At the time of writing, it is trading for $0.73 per share. 

However, Bell Potter has a $2 price target and a speculative buy recommendation on this ASX penny stock. 

This indicates an enormous upside of almost 174%. 

Part of this optimism is due to a positive funding update from the company last week.

Bell Potter believes that by the March quarter of 2026, A4N will have secured Letters of Intent (LOIs). This could cover its full planned production volumes. 

These LOIs are anticipated to be converted into binding offtake contracts ahead of the company's commercial production ramp-up in 2027.

The broker also said a key driver of A4N's growth is its specialised product capability. This positions the company strongly within the semiconductor manufacturing market.

Momentum in A4N's key markets is strong, with leverage to data centres and AI applications, renewable power generation, critical minerals/technologies and the defence sector.

The post Broker tips this ASX penny stock to double appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Heading into ASX earnings season, it is typically the large capitalisation ASX stocks that receive the most attention. These are covered by the analysts at the large investment banks and broker firms who reveal their forecasts ahead of company reporting. 

However, many lucrative opportunities lie in the ASX small-cap space. 

ASX small capitalisation stocks are defined as those with a market capitalisation of less than $2 billion. Such companies are typically underfollowed and can fly under the radar.

When considering what to buy ahead of earnings season, investors should consider these opportunities also. 

In its report SMID-CAP Best Picks July 2025, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) revealed its top picks this month in the small and mid-sized capitalisation space. 

Here are three ASX small-cap stocks named in that report.

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

Macquarie currently sees a lot of potential in Bega Cheese. 

The company produces and sells a variety of dairy and food products, including household names such as Vegemite, Farmer's Union, and Dare.

It has a market capitalisation of around $1.6 billion. 

Bega's shares have risen 16% over the past 12 months. However, Macquarie thinks they will be much higher in 12 months.

Macquarie currently has an outperform rating and price target of $6.40 on Bega shares. That's 25% upside from here, based on Friday's closing price of $5.13.

The broker cited its "ongoing progress to 2028 targets and upside via M&A" as catalysts that could drive strong share price action over the next year.

Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN)

Macquarie also has high hopes for fellow ASX small-cap Jumbo Interactive over the next 12 months. 

Jumbo Interactive sells lottery games in Australia. 

It has a market capitalisation of just $643 million, after falling 37% over the past 12 months.

However, Macquarie views this as a buying opportunity. 

According to Macquarie, "Jumbo generates more than 75% of earnings from Australian lottery businesses, which are subject to short-term volatility based on jackpot activity, but over the medium term have proven to show robust growth." 

The broker predicts lottery volumes have dropped 9% in FY25, and will rebound 11.5% in FY26. 

Accordingly, the broker believes Jumbo shares are attractively valued today. It has assigned the stock an outperform rating and a price target of $13.90. 

Given that shares closed at $10.31 on Friday, this suggests 35% upside from here. 

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

In its report, Macquarie also named Alpha HPA. 

Alpha APA delivers a critical ingredient for energy storage and other breakthrough technologies through its Smart SX Technology. 

The company has a market capitalisation of around $1 billion. 

It has risen 15% in the past 12 months. 

However, Macquarie is forecasting the next 12 months to be much more lucrative. 

The broker has placed an outperform rating on the stock and a price target of $1.42. 

Given that shares closed at $0.96 on Friday, this suggests 48% upside from here. 

Driving this forecast, Macquarie noted:

Alpha's novel HPA manufacturing process and technology offers it strong quality and cost advantages across a number of high purity alumina end markets. Alpha is gaining traction with prospective customers across industries (particularly the semi-conductor sector).

The post Broker names 3 ASX small-cap shares with 25%, 35% and 48% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here's why they are bullish on them:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their speculative buy rating and $2.00 price target on this high-purity aluminium-based products company. Bell Potter highlights that recent commentary gives it further confidence in Alpha HPA key market-based de-risking events and value drivers. This includes growth in in volumes under letter of intent offtake arrangements, which are expected to exceed Stage 2 capacity (10ktpa) and enables the drawdown of project debt finance. It also points to the continued best-in-class product performance and capability to deliver commercial volumes to the market within two years. Overall, the broker remains positive on the company and sees significant value in its shares at current levels. The Alpha HPA share price is trading at 70 cents on Monday.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have upgraded this investment platform provider's shares to an overweight rating with an improved price target of $31.25. The broker was pleased with the company's performance during the third quarter, which saw Netwealth record further strong growth in funds under administration (FUA). The good news is that Morgan Stanley believes this trend will continue given how it expects advisers to continue migrating from incumbent platforms to specialist platforms. It points out that its market share is tiny compared to incumbent platforms, giving it a long runway for growth as the structural shift continues. In light of this, the broker feels that recent share price weakness has presented investors with a compelling buying opportunity and has upgraded its shares accordingly. The Netwealth share price is fetching $25.29 at the time of writing.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

Analysts at Macquarie have retained their outperform rating on this energy giant's shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $8.60. According to the note, the broker has boosted its production and revenue forecasts ahead of the release of the company's first quarter update later this week. And while its earnings estimates (and valuation) have been reduced to reflect higher depreciation and amortisation, it believes its shares are still seriously undervalued. The Santos share price is trading at $5.56 today.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are charging higher:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

The Alpha HPA share price 5.5% to 89.7 cents. This morning, the High Purity Alumina (HPA) producer released an update on its semiconductor sector marketing activities. Management notes that these activities are positively impacting both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the HPA First Project in Gladstone, Queensland. Managing Director, Rob Williamson, said: "The semiconductor sector is a key focus for the Commercial team, with attractive pricing and demand pull from significant AI data centre growth and power electronics. Alpha's technology is enabling our products to outperform in both the CMP slurry and thermal interface packaging applications, which is leading to the recent Letters of Intent we are seeing coming from this space."

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

The Harvey Norman share price is up 3.5% to $5.41. This appears to have been driven by a positive reaction to the retailer's half year results from brokers. One of those was Macquarie, which has responded to the results by retaining its outperform rating and lifting its price target to $5.50. Elsewhere, the team at Citi has retained its buy rating on Harvey Norman's shares with an improved price target of $5.80.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is up 4.5% to $264.93. Investors have been buying the health imaging technology company's shares following the announcement of another big contract win. Pro Medicus has signed a $40 million, seven-year contract with LucidHealth. It is a leading provider of radiology services in the US. The company's CEO, Dr Sam Hupert, said: "LucidHealth joins our rapidly growing list of private practice clients. Their needs, which include subspecialized onsite and remote reading/ teleradiology capabilities, are uniquely catered for by our proprietary server-side streaming technology reinforcing our view that Visage 7 is ideally positioned to address this market and the other key market segments we service, which include academic medical centers, IDNs and outpatient clinics."

Synlait Milk Ltd (ASX: SM1)

The Synlait Milk share price is up 5% to 81.5 cents. This morning, the dairy processor announced that it has appointed its new CEO. Synlait Milk has appointed Richard Wyeth as its new leader. The company notes that he is a "seasoned, tested, and highly regarded CEO in New Zealand's dairy industry." He was previously CEO of both Westland Milk Products and Taupo-based dairy company Miraka.

The post Why Alpha HPA, Harvey Norman, Pro Medicus, and Synlait Milk shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three ASX shares that brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here's why their analysts are feeling bullish on them right now:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have reaffirmed their speculative buy rating and $2.00 price target on this ultra-high purity aluminium products company's shares. This follows news that the company has secured $400 million in debt funding from lenders the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and Export Finance Australia. This will support the development of the HPA First Stage 2 Project which will produce ultra-high purity aluminium compounds for applications in high-technology growth sectors. This includes the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, LED displays/lighting, and semiconductors. The Alpha HPA share price is trading at 87.5 cents.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this energy company's shares with a trimmed price target of $2.00. This follows news that Karoon Energy has downgraded its full year production guidance after two of sixteen chains securing its floating production storage and offloading failed. This led to management being forced to shut down production from the Baúna Project and downgrade its guidance from 7.5 million barrels to 7.7 million barrels of oil to 7.2 million barrels to 7.4 million barrels. While Macquarie was disappointed with the news and has cut its earnings estimates to reflect this, it remains positive on the future and sees plenty of value in its shares at current levels. The Karoon Energy share price is fetching $1.19 this morning.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have initiated coverage on this health imaging technology company's shares with an overweight rating and $300.00 price target. According to the note, the broker believes that Pro Medicus has similar qualities to logistics software developer WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). It highlights that Pro Medicus' solutions, like those at WiseTech, are very scalable and have relatively low penetration of global markets and very small customer churn rates. Another positive is the broker's belief that Pro Medicus will grow its customer volumes quicker than the industry over the next five years. It is expecting customer volume growth of roughly 7% per annum, whereas it expects the industry to grow at a much lower rate of 2.3% per annum. In light of this, the broker appears to believe that Pro Medicus is destined to continue its strong profit growth and deserves to trade at a premium to peers. The Pro Medicus share price is trading at $261.35 today.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, there has been at least one exception.

During this time, the Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N) share price has actually managed to rise by almost 11%.

As a comparison, Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares are down 85% and Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR) shares are down 70%.

The even better news is that one leading broker believes this ASX battery materials stock can rise significantly more over the next 12 months.

What is being said about this ASX battery materials stock?

Firstly, there was some big news this week that you need to know about.

That news was that Alpha HPA has received conditional approval for $320 million in project loan facilities and an $80 million cost overrun facility for Stage 2 of the HPA First Project.

These funds are from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) and Export Finance Australia (EFA), with support provided under the Australian Government's $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility and EFA's Commercial Account.

Commenting on the news, the ASX battery materials stock's managing director, Rimas Kairaitis, commented:

We are delighted to receive extensive and attractive financing support from the Australian Government. This financing support represents a comprehensive endorsement of the Company's technology and business strategy.

This key milestone brings Alpha one step closer to establishing Australia's first, sovereign, large scale commercial capability to manufacture high purity aluminas and related products to support key high technology growth sectors driving the global energy transition. This support, combined with the deep and positive end-user engagement, consolidates our confidence in this unique business opportunity.

Broker response

In response to the funding, analysts at Bell Potter reaffirmed their speculative buy rating and lifted their price target on the company's shares to $1.75.

Based on its current share price, this implies a potential upside of approximately 60% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the funding news, the broker said:

The $320-400m in Government-backed concessional debt facilities are a major de- risking catalyst (we had assumed $300m) with extended tenor and what we expect to be a highly competitive cost of funds.

Looking ahead, Bell Potter believes the HPA First Project could deliver big profits in the future. It adds:

A4N's high purity aluminium products have value adding applications across lithium ion battery, micro-LED and semiconductor manufacturing, technologies at the forefront of the global decarbonising and reshoring themes. We assume the HPA First Project Stage 2 is developed over 2024-25 for first production in 2026 and estimate EBITDA of over $250m at steady state at a HPAe price of US$25/kg.

The post Why this ASX battery materials stock could rocket 60% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

And while the index is trading way off its highs, that hasn't stopped some ASX All Ords stocks from hitting multi-year highs of their own today.

Here are five ASX All Ords stocks achieving this milestone:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

The Alpha HPA share price climbed to a multi-year high of $1.21 today. On Monday, this lithium-ion battery materials company released an update that revealed that production of high-purity Al-nitrate has continued with cumulative production having now reached 150 tonnes at its target rate.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The Bellevue Gold share price hit a multi-year high of $1.65 today. This ASX All Ords gold developer's shares have been on fire since the release of an announcement last week which revealed cash flow generation plans.

Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT)

The Cettire share price hit a new multi-year high of $3.66 earlier today before dropping into the red. Investors have been buying this online luxury retailer's shares after it delivered very strong growth in FY 2023 despite the cost of living crisis.

Latin Resources Ltd (ASX: LRS)

The Latin Resources share price reached a multi-year high of 38 cents today. Late last month, this lithium developer revealed that multiple spodumene pegmatites were intersected in reconnaissance drilling along strike south-west of the Colina Deposit in Brazil.

Leo Lithium Ltd (ASX: LLL)

The Leo Lithium share price hit a new high of $1.29 today. The lithium developer recently announced the production of its first direct shipped ore (DSO) from the Goulamina Lithium Project in Mali. The first revenue from DSO is on track to be received during the fourth quarter of 2023. The ASX All Ords stock anticipates the export of DSO ore for 6 to 9 months in advance of spodumene production.

The post 5 ASX All Ords stocks smashing new multi-year highs on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Over the past five years, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained just over 20%.

But one obscure ASX All Ords share has left those gains well and truly in the dust.

And I'll admit, until recently, this one was flying beneath my own radar as well.

Any guesses?

If you said Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N), go to the front of the virtual class.

What is Alpha working on?

Alpha, if you're not familiar, is a battery metals development company with a market cap of $952 million.

The ASX All Ords share is primarily focused on its licensed Smart SX Technology, which enables it to produce sustainable, high-purity aluminium.

Alpha is currently developing its new Gladstone-based HPA First Project in Queensland.

According to the company website, Gladstone will "meet the growing demand for high purity alumina (HPA) using the most environmentally responsible and efficient methods".

Alpha is targeting LED lighting, lithium-ion batteries and semiconductors as its primary demand drivers.

With that said…

This ASX All Ords share has been on fire

Spurred on by a $15.5 million federal government grant in late 2022 to support the production of critical minerals in Australia, Alpha has been steadily progressing the Gladstone plant towards full production.

In the latest quarterly report, the company advised it was "rapidly" deploying the first $6.8 million of that grant to expand equipment capabilities to include its full high-purity product range.

And investors clearly believe the ASX All Ords share has a bright future ahead.

Five years ago, you could have bought shares in the critical battery metals stock for 12 cents apiece.

Today those same shares are swapping hands for $1.08.

That's a whopping 800% gain.

Or enough to turn a $5,000 investment into $45,000 in just five years.

Happy investing!

The post This obscure ASX All Ords stock has quietly turned a $5,000 investment into $45,000 in 5 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The release said the grants would help the government reach its net zero ambitions by 2050. They would also "bolster development across Northern Australia, generate new jobs and drive regional economic growth".

Minister for Resources and Minister for North Australia Madeline King, made the following comments:

Australia has the potential to become a major global supplier of critical minerals and rare earths which will be essential to help Australia and the world transition to low-emissions technology and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The grants will accelerate early and mid-stage projects, driving new investment in our processing and manufacturing capabilities as we develop our critical minerals sector.

King said Australia's vast reserves of critical minerals were "crucial" to the production of batteries and electric vehicles, as well medical equipment, defence, aerospace, automotive and agritech industries. She added:

These junior projects, should they be successful in scaling up to full production, will help diversify global critical minerals supply chains.

Which companies will receive grants?

A total of six companies will receive part of the $50 million in funding.

The companies include:

• Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N): $15.5 million for its "ultra-pure" aluminium chemical plant in Gladstone, Queensland
• Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX: COB): $15 million for its Broken Hill Cobalt project in New South Wales.
• EQ Resources Ltd (ASX: EQR): $6 million for tungsten production and to restart production at its Mount Carbine site in Queensland
• Global Advanced Metals Pty Ltd: $4 million for its recovery plant in Western Australia
• Lava Blue: $5.24 million for developing modular re-processing technology
• Mineral Commodities Limited (ASX: MRC) $3.94 million to develop its integrated ore-to-battery anodes business

What will the grants produce?

Materials investors may well be hoping the grants will bring new life to the materials sector amid China's fears of a slowdown in economic activity.

While ASX lithium shares are doing what they can to keep S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) above water, which is down 9.51% year to date, some other materials are falling far behind.

Iron ore has been hit especially hard due to China's real estate crisis, and precious metals gold and silver are suffering from a stronger US dollar.

On the positive front, ASX graphite shares are emerging as an alternative to lithium, and copper's outlook was recently upgraded for the long-term.

The post These ASX critical minerals companies just received millions in government grants appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Australian mineral exploration and development company has just released exciting news about its high-purity aluminium (HPA) project. The project aims to produce critical HPA products driving decarbonisation.

Right now, the Alpha share price is roaring 15.05% higher to trade at 54 cents. That makes it the top performing All Ords share right now. The index has slumped 1.85% at the time of writing.

So, what could the small-cap mineral stock have revealed to elicit such a reaction from the market? Let's take a look.

What's driving the All Ords share higher today?

The Alpha share price is leaping upwards today on an update on the company's HPA First Project, located in Gladstone, Queensland.

The project has been connected to 100% renewable electricity while the fit-out of the site's buildings and installation of a security gate is underway. They're expected to be completed by the middle of this month.

The company's still working towards the full-scale HPA First Project's final investment decision.

Also likely moving the All Ords share today is news of a memorandum of understanding signed with Brenntag, the world's largest chemical distributor.

The deal could see Alpha's products sold and/or distributed in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and considers potential commercial collaboration in testing or production facilities.

On top of that, the company has received new sales orders. One is from a US lithium-ion battery manufacturer. The order is for an initial tonne of HPA to be delivered in April 2023. The battery maker predicts its demand will scale from 2024.

Alpha has also updated the market on its 5N purity aluminium nitrate. It now has test work underway with numerous parties looking to use the material to coat lithium-ion cathode and anode materials.

And finally, a $45 million grant from the Modern Manufacturing Initiative collaborations stream has proceeded to the negotiation stage.

Alpha share price snapshot

Despite today's uptick, the Alpha share price is 14% lower than it was at the start of 2022. Though, it has gained 5% since this time last year.

In comparison, the All Ords has dumped 11% year to date and 9% over the last 12 months.

The post This ASX All Ords share you've never heard of is flying 15% today. Here's why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

These companies include Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR), Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N) and American Pacific Borates (ASX: 5EA).

Let's take a look at why this investment company highlighted these shares.

Battery industry power

Fund manager Tribeca Investment Partners has outlined why it favours certain battery metal shares — outside the popular copper and lithium producers — that contribute other elements critical to the production of lithium-ion batteries.

In a livewire report, Tribeca included Syrah Resources, a company that produces the crucial battery element, graphite.

The fund manager also favoured Alpha, which produces high purity aluminum used in battery resources and LED lighting.

Tribeca's natural resources team predicted the company could "generate greater than $250 million of free cash flow from its products".

In the report, Tribeca also included boron producer American Pacific Borates on its list of battery metal shares, although the company has since stopped trading on the ASX under this name. In a bid to list on the US NASDAQ exchange in mid-March, all ordinary shares of the company were transferred today to 5E Advanced Materials (ASX: 5EA).

5E Advanced Materials is now the sole shareholder and parent company of American Pacific Borates. The company's shares are up 1% today.

Speaking to livewire, Tribeca head of research Todd Warren said boron was a key ingredient for solar glass, used in electric vehicle drivetrains and wind turbines. He predicted boron would see "10 times demand growth" over the next few decades.

Share price recap

In the past year, Syrah shares surged 16% and Alpha climbed 1%. Meanwhile, American Borates surged 37.3% in the 12 months preceding yesterday's market close.

In the year to date, Syrah has dropped 30%, while Alpha has fallen 18%.

For perspective, the  S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned nearly 4% in the past year.

The post Fundie tips ASX battery metal shares that are NOT lithium appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Both have been named by analysts at Bell Potter as top picks for next year. Here's why they are bullish on them:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

Bell Potter is bullish on this producer of High Purity Alumina (HPA) and aluminium precursor products for the lithium battery market. This is due to its exposure to the global decarbonising and onshoring themes.

The broker has put a speculative buy rating and 87 cents price target on the company's shares.

Bell Potter explained: "A4N's HPA and aluminium precursor products have applications in lithium ion battery, micro-LED and semiconductor manufacturing – technologies at the forefront of the global decarbonising and onshoring themes. The company's proprietary process has produced product samples which have been recognised by a number of end users as the highest purity tested."

"The high purity products and competitive unit costs have the potential to disrupt incumbent production methods and establish A4N as an integral part of rapidly advancing technology supply chains. The company has line of sight to cash flows as operations commence from its Precursor Production Facility from August 2022," it added.

Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE)

This lithium developer could be an ASX mining share to buy in 2021. Bell Potter has placed a speculative buy rating and $1.37 price target on its shares.

The broker is bullish thanks to its lithium exposure and strategic appeal. The latter is due to its uncommitted product offtake and independent share register.

Bell Potter commented: "LKE is developing the Kachi lithium brine project located in north western Argentina. A March 2021 prefeasibility study evaluated a 25.5ktpa lithium carbonate project with average annual EBITDA of $260m and a post-tax NPV8 of US$1,580m."

"Kachi is unique in that LKE is aiming to employ direct lithium extraction through ion exchange technology to recover lithium from its brine Resource. The key advantages of this technology are a smaller environmental footprint, lower carbon emissions and greater process control. A definitive feasibility study for Kachi is due by mid-2022. With uncommitted product offtake and an independent share register, LKE has strategic appeal," it concluded.

The post Bell Potter names 2 ASX mining shares to buy in 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This follows the mineral exploration and development company's announcement of a successfully completed placement.

During late afternoon trade, Alpha shares are swapping hands for 59 cents, down 4.84%.

Alpha to accelerate commercial production plans

A possible catalyst for investors dragging down Alpha shares is an impending share dilution.

In a statement to the ASX, Alpha revealed it has raised $50 million (before costs) by a way of placement. Approximately 90.9 million new ordinary shares will be issued at a price of 15.5 cents each to participating institutional and sophisticated investors. This represents a discount of 11.3% on the last closing price of 60 cents per share.

The company will use its existing placement capacity to create the new shares. Under listing rule 7.1, this allows up to 15% of its shares to be issued without shareholder approval.

Funds raised from the placement will be allocated primarily towards accelerating the construction of Alpha's Precursor Production Facility (PPF). The remaining monies will be used for the fast-tracking of long-lead items, land acquisition, and general working capital purposes.

What did the managing director say?

Alpha managing director, Rimas Kairaitis welcomed the successfully placement, saying:

We are delighted with the level of support received from new and existing shareholders and the strong endorsement for our PPF strategy. The Company is extremely excited by the opportunity to fast-track commercial production of its ultra-high purity precursors and establish itself as a premium supplier of these products into a rapidly growing array of end user markets.

Furthermore, Mr Kairaitis went on to talk about the company's PPF strategy, adding:

The ability of the PPF to be integrated into our commercial plant will not only enable us to pull forward valuable additional cash flows for the business but importantly will facilitate the fast-tracking of several important work streams for the full-scale commercial facility. With the PPF now fully funded we look forward to executing on its timely delivery and positioning the Company as a recognised global producer of high purity aluminium products.

About the Alpha share price

Since this time last year, Alpha shares have posted a gain of more than 280%, reflecting positive investor sentiment. The company's share price reached an all-time high of 67.5 cents late last month.

On valuation grounds, Alpha commands a market capitalisation of around $408 million, with 692 million shares on issue.

The post Alpha (ASX:A4N) share price drops on capital raising efforts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are tumbling lower:

Alpha HPA Ltd (ASX: A4N)

The Alpha HPA share price is down 5% to 59 cents. This morning the high purity alumina (HPA) company announced the successful completion of a $50 million placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. These funds were raised at an 11.3% discount of 55 cents per new share. The proceeds will be used for the construction and delivery of its Precursor Production Facility (PPF), the fast-tracking of long lead items for the full-scale commercial facility, and for general working capital purposes.

BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET)

The BetMakers share price has continued to sink and is down a further 4% to $1.09. This betting technology company's shares have been sold off since announcing a $4 billion offer to acquire the Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) Wagering and Media business last week. Given that $3 billion will be paid in BetMakers shares, shareholders appear concerned they will be diluted materially.

Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB)

The Mesoblast share price has fallen 3% to $1.86. This follows the release of the allogeneic cellular medicines company's third quarter update. During the quarter, the company reported a loss after tax of US$26.5 million. This brought its financial year to date loss to US$76.75 million. But thanks to a US$110 million private placement in March, the company finished the period with a cash balance of US$158.3 million. Management believes this is sufficient to meet its short-term goals, commitments, and ongoing operations during the next twelve months.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

The Wesfarmers share price is down 2% to $55.13. This follows the release of its strategy briefing this morning. Wesfarmers provided an update on current trading with the briefing. That update reveals that its retail businesses have been cycling the impacts of COVID-19 in the prior year from mid-March. This has led to significant volatility in monthly sales growth results. It also revealed that online sales growth has moderated and that its Catch business has experienced a decline in sales since March.

The post Why Alpha HPA, BetMakers, Mesoblast, & Wesfarmers are tumbling lower appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Alpha share price is down 2.8% at the time of writing, trading at 52 cents per share. 

Alpha is an Australian based mineral exploration and development company. The company is focused on the Collerina aluminium-nickel-cobalt project in central New South Wales. It operates through the following segments: HPA First Project, minerals exploration in New South Wales, and minerals exploration in Indonesia.

Alpha's MoU with Saint Gobain

Alpha has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saint Gobain for the product evaluation, development and commercial supply of Alpha's high-purity aluminas and boehmites. 

The MoU will essentially result in a wide-ranging partnership, in which Saint Gobain will assist with work across the entirety of Alpha's product range.

The Alpha share price has been a big mover of late. The company is now focused on producing high-quality surface conditioning, battery materials and crystals in various emerging markets. 

Alpha investors may be concerned with the lack of individuality the MoU allows, with intellectual property rights to be potentially shared between the two businesses. Alpha will now work closely on joint product ventures with Saint Gobain's proprietary aluminium purification technology department.

What is Saint Gobain?

Saint Gobain is listed on the stock markets of London, Frankfurt, Brussels and Amsterdam, among other major European cities. It employs more than 150,000 people for its global manufacturing and materials business.

Its statement of aims includes reducing global emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. The company is interested in the next generation of building materials and sustainable design.

Alpha share price snapshot

The Alpha share price has risen 311% over the past 12 months and is currently at an all-time high of above 50 cents. It has increased rapidly from just 12 cents in May last year and is also up 69% so far in 2021. 

The post Why is the Alpha (ASX:A4N) share price falling today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.