This lithium battery materials company's shares ended the day almost 27% higher at 40.5 cents.

This means the Ecograf share price is now up 44% in the space of two weeks.

Why is the Ecograf share price rocketing higher?

Investors appear to have been loading up on battery materials shares recently following some sharp declines in the previous months.

For example, the Ecograf share price is still down 43% since the start of the year despite this recent resurgence.

It has been a similar story for the Novonix share price. It is up 20% in the last couple of weeks but remains down 70% year to date.

What is Ecograf?

EcoGraf is in the process of building an integrated battery anode material business to produce high purity graphite products for the lithium-ion battery and advanced manufacturing markets.

A recent quarterly update reveals that over US$30 million has been invested to date to create two highly attractive, development ready graphite businesses.

The first new state-of-the-art EcoGraf processing facility in Western Australia will manufacture spherical graphite products for export to Asia, Europe and North America. It will provide customers with sustainably produced high performance battery anode material.

Additional battery graphite processing facilities are in planning for Europe, Asia and North America to support the global transition to clean, renewable energy and the rapid growth in demand for battery materials.

Judging by the Ecograf share price performance in recent weeks, it appears as though some investors believe the company is well-placed to benefit from the decarbonisation megatrend. Time will tell if that is the case.

The post This lithium battery materials share is up 44% in two weeks, what's going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shannon O'Rourke is the former general manager of new energy at Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL). He is also the founder of the company's hydrogen, carbon, and carbon capture and storage businesses. He believes the traditional battery sector provides more benefits that other emerging energy sources.

O'Rourke became the CEO of the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) in December after more than 25 years in the energy sector.

Let's take a look at the energy technology that he believes Australia should invest in for the future.

Battery technology a better opportunity than hydrogen: O'Rourke

As an energy industry veteran, O'Rourke has seen plenty of "hydrogen hype" – a trend that many ASX shares have leaned into. But he's looking to convince policymakers to invest in battery technology research.

O'Rourke told The Australian that "hydrogen has a place… but, ultimately the opportunity is much bigger and much real for batteries."

"[Australia has a] huge strength in minerals," he continued. "It should be incumbent on us to turn that into a strength in mineral processing and materials."

FBICRC is reportedly pushing for a $750 million stand-alone Australian Battery Institute (ABI) to be included in the upcoming Federal budget.  

It argues an ABI would ensure Australia's battery industry could help keep costs of domestic energy storage technology low.

Currently, Australia's battery industry adds $1.3 billion to the economy. It holds a 50% market share in critical ores and demand for domestic storage products is growing. Yet, most of its trade is with China, as the nation controls 90% of the world's battery chemicals market.

FBICRC argues Australia could create said chemicals, as well as advanced materials, cells, and modules for global value chains.

Commenting on FBICRC's Towards 2030 – Australia's Battery Powered Future strategy released on Monday, O'Rourke said:

Put simply, Australia has a choice.

We can continue our traditional focus on the mining and export of raw battery materials and accept the lost opportunity of value add for Australia.

Alternatively, we can shift our mindset, invest with purpose and adopt courageous and visionary policy settings. These measures have the potential to unlock a significant economic prize of $7.4 billion annually and more than 34,000 jobs by 2030.

Which ASX shares are involved in battery technology?

There are plenty of ASX shares involved in the battery technology industry.

Perhaps the most iconic ASX battery share is Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX). The company is involved in graphite exploration and mining, battery technology, and battery materials.

Additionally, Ecograf Ltd (ASX: EGR) is a vertically integrated creator of battery anode material.

Finally, ASX newbie, Li-S Energy Ltd (ASX: LIS) has created a new battery technology based on lithium sulphur chemistry.

The post Expert explains why this investment opportunity is 'much bigger' than hydrogen appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

• EcoGraf share price acelerates 9.23% to 71 cents
• It comes amid a business update on the company's new battery anode material facility
• Strong South Korean demand could lead to a bumper revenue stream

The EcoGraf Ltd (ASX: EGR) share price is pushing higher on Wednesday. This comes after the company announced a business update on its lithium-ion battery anode material (BAM) facility in Western Australia.

During early afternoon trade, the graphite producer's shares are up 9.23% to 71 cents apiece.

What did EcoGraf update the ASX with?

Investors are buying up EcoGraf shares following the company snapshot of its progress at the new BAM facility.

According to its release, EcoGraf advised that it has completed the vendor equipment test work. This will see the use of specific equipment for stage 1 development activities at the site. 

In addition, regulatory permits and approvals studies covering noise, air, and bushfire management have been finalised.

A procurement process for key overseas long lead equipment has commenced. This includes battery supply chain-related equipment such as mechanical shaping equipment.

Lastly, the company expanded its project delivery team to manage key supply contracts, site services, utilities, and operational readiness aspects.

Engineering is continuing to optimise and incorporate new product lines for EcoGraf's expanded 20,000 tonnes per annum facility.

Once online, the company will employ its HFfree processing technology to create battery anode material products. This will be used to supply purified spherical graphite for the lithium-ion battery market.

EcoGraf noted that it is well-positioned to cater for battery minerals demand in the South Korean market. Outside of China, South Korea is the largest electric vehicle market.

Three major battery manufacturers, LG Chem, Samsung SDIm and SK Innovation, plan to invest US$35.3 billion over the next decade.

EcoGraf share price summary

Over the last 12 months, the EcoGraf share price has soared 124% higher, with year-to-date up 4.4% so far. The company's shares reached a 52-week high of $1.10 in February before moving in a sideways channel.

Based on today's price, EcoGraf presides a market capitalisation of roughly $317 million, with approximately 450 million shares on its registry.

The post EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price powers ahead 9% following lithium update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Ecograf has entered a memorandum of understanding with South Korean multinational industrial company POSCO International. The agreement will see Ecograf selling its HFfree battery anode material products to POSCO International.

The companies intend to sign a formal offtake agreement following their understanding.

At the time of writing, the Ecograf share price is 82.5 cents, 28.91% higher than its previous close.

Let's take a look at today's news from the battery anode material business.

Ecograf share price surges on Thursday

Ecograf's stock is surging higher on the back of a planned offtake agreement for the products of its upcoming Australian Battery Anode Material facility and its planned facility in Europe.

By supplying POSCO International with its HFfree battery anode material products, Ecograf will be supporting POSCO's anode production expansion plans.

According to Ecograf, POSCO International is a key subsidiary of Korean steel maker POSCO Group.

POSCO International has an international network made up of more than 80 subsidiaries. It uses its position to establish value chains in various sectors including steel, energy, machinery parts, and infrastructure. 

On top of the offtake agreement, Ecograf and POSCO International will look for other opportunities to work together on product development, battery anode recycling, and EcoGraf's battery anode material business' development.

Ecograf is working to build its first battery anode materials facility in Perth. It will focus on exporting battery anode material products to Asian, European, and North American anode, lithium-ion battery, and electric vehicle markets.

Additionally, Ecograf announced it has signed a land reservation agreement for an industrial site in Sweden in August. There, it's planning to build another battery anode facility.

Right now, the Ecograf share price is 385% higher than it was at the start of 2021.

The post Ecograf (ASX:EGR) share price launches 29% on battery material deal appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

According to EcoGraf, a major anode producer put the company's HFfree battery anode material through performance testing, with the product returning encouraging results.

Unsurprisingly, the market is responding well to EcoGraf's news. At the time of writing, the EcoGraf share price is 67.5 cents, 4.65% higher than its previous close.

Let's take a closer look at today's announcement from the electric vehicle and lithium-ion-focused vertically intergrated battery anode material producer.

EcoGraf's product outperforms competition

The EcoGraf share price is gaining on news that the material the company will produce at its new Western Australian Battery Anode Material Facility has outperformed international benchmarks.

An unnamed anode producer found EcoGraf's HFfree battery anode material outperformed reference materials in half-cell electrochemical testing. The battery anode material also satisfied the producer's physical and chemical specifications.

According to EcoGraf, the test results represent a "critical milestone".

The company is currently finalising its construction plans for its Western Australian Battery Anode Material Facility. The facility will be the first of its kind, and today's news further supports EcoGraf's environmentally-friendly processing technology.

EcoGraf's HFfree battery anode material is made without hydrofluoric acid. According to the company, hydrofluoric acid is highly toxic and widely used to create battery spherical graphite with 99.95% carbon grade.

Spherical graphite makes up battery anode material.

Previously, EcoGraf has found it can produce spherical graphite with 99.97% carbon grade without using hydrofluoric acid.

The West Australian facility will export the hydrofluoric acid-free battery anode material to battery markets in Asia, Europe, and North America.

EcoGraf share price snapshot

This year has been particularly good to the EcoGraf share price.

It is currently 302% higher than it was at the start of 2021. It has also gained 280% since this time last year.

The post EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price lifts 5% on battery anode update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, the share price is falling slightly this afternoon and is trading at 84 cents, down 1.18%.

What happened in August for EcoGraf?

The first update came in early August regarding the company evaluating an industrial site in Sweden to build a battery anode materials facility.

EcoGraf advised that the Skelleftea location benefits from ample clean and renewable energy and it has the lowest industrial power costs in Europe.

A detailed evaluation is currently underway for the 65,000 sqm industrial site.

The second update came in the middle of the month, announcing the completion of EcoGraf's Engineering Scoping Study.

The concept design looked at a modular recycling pilot plant to recover carbon battery anode materials. Building such a facility would cost an estimated $5.8 million.

The company is developing work programs with potential partners to support the construction of the plant.

In late August, EcoGraf also updated the market on its progress with key sustainability activities. This is in relation to its new Australian Battery Anode Material facility. As such, this includes:

• Zero-waste operating strategy with the aim of using 100% of feedstock through product innovation and development
• Engineered water processing solutions to treat and recycle Kwinana-Rockingham wastewater and achieve a 75% reduction in water usage
• Adoption of renewable energy content within the Kwinana-Rockingham Industrial zone
• Lowering the carbon emissions footprint through the development of Life Cycle Assessment models.

The battery anode material facility in Western Australia will be the first of its kind to be built outside China. The plant will provide the supply of purified spherical graphite for the lithium-ion battery market.

EcoGraf share price summary

Over the past 12 months, the EcoGraf share price has soared 827% higher, with year-to-date growth of 391%.

The EcoGraf share price reached a 52-week high of $1.10 in February before profit-takers swooped in.

EcoGraf has a market capitalisation of $375.6 million, with approximately 450 million shares on its registry.

The post Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price leapt 16% in August appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The red hot sector has been supported by factors including higher commodity spot prices, major economies making firm commitments towards net zero emissions and a steady increase in electric vehicle sales.

A major headline for the industry came about last Thursday when US President Joe Biden signed an executive order targeting 50% of new vehicles sold in 2023 to be electric, according to Reuters.

Top performing ASX shares in 2021

Lake Resource NL (ASX: LKE)

The Lake Resources share price has rallied an extraordinary 728% year-to-date. This is thanks to the ASX share's position as an emerging clean lithium producer.

The company operates its flagship Kachi project as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects cover 200 square kilometres in a location known as the "Lithium Triangle". This is where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost.

Furthermore, a drilling campaign is currently underway at Kachi to support the expansion of future production and reserves.

A definitive feasibility study is in progress for Kachi, with completion anticipated in Q1 2022.

Ecograf Ltd (ASX: EGR)

This ASX share is focused on becoming a supplier of eco-friendly anode material to customers in sectors such as lithium-ion batteries.

The company has made a number of positive recent announcements. These include its fourth-quarter results, a land reservation agreement in Sweden and an update on funding facilities.

The Ecograf share price has lifted 444% year-to-date.

Podium Minerals Ltd (ASX: POD)

This ASX share plans to become Australia's first Platinum Group Metals (PGM) producer.

PGMs are a family of six chemically similar elements — ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum — used in a wide range of industrial, medical and electronic applications.

Podium Minerals is undergoing aggressive drilling activities to accelerate its resource estimates.

The Podium Minerals share price is up an impressive 420% this year.

The post What do the best performing ASX shares this year have in common? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, EcoGraf shares are up 7.51% to 93 cents. This means that the graphite producer's share price has rocketed to more than 50% in the space of a month.

Let's take a quick recap of the events that have led to the company's shares pushing higher.

Expanded market presence

In its most recent update provided to the ASX, EcoGraf advised it had signed a land reservation agreement in Sweden.

Essentially, this allows EcoGraf to secure the 65,000-kilometre industrial site, while it evaluates the feasibility to build a battery anode materials facility. The company previously explored a number of sites across Europe, including Germany.

Located in the Vasterbotten region, Sweden, the area is said to benefit from ample clean and renewable energy. In addition, it is considered to have the lowest industrial power costs in all of Europe.

Quarterly results

The week prior to the land reservation announcement, EcoGraf reported its fourth quarter results to the ASX.

Over the 3-month period, the company revealed that it spent $553,000 in operating activities. This was made up of exploration programs, staffing expenses, as well as administration and corporate costs.

Pleasingly, EcoGraf received a total of $374,000 of government grants and tax incentives.

At the end of the quarter, the company had a healthy cash balance of $52.6 million.

Funding update

In that same week of releasing its activities statement, EcoGraf provided an update on its funding facilities. It noted that the Australian Government's export credit agency is set to lend the company US$35 million. EcoGraf will use these funds to build its battery anode material facility in Western Australia.

EcoGraf share price snapshot

Over the last 12 months, EcoGraf shares have rocketed 1,229% higher, with year-to-date up almost 447%. The company's share price reached a 52-week high of $1.10 in February before profit takers swooped in.

EcoGraf presides a market capitalisation of roughly $416 million, with approximately 450 million shares on its registry.

The post Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price has soared 50% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the battery materials and technology company are now exchanging hands at 88.5 cents, an 11.32% gain from the market open.

What's up with the EcoGraf share price today?

Investors continue buying EcoGraf shares since the company announced its plans to gain market share in the lithium-ion battery market.

EcoGraf recently signed a "land reservation agreement" with a locality in Sweden, thereby expanding its footprint in Europe.

The site offers renewable energy benefits and boasts low costs of production to compress operating margins.

As a result, EcoGraf states the site is eco-friendly and, therefore, aligns with the company's sustainable production process.

EcoGraf's process involves removing "toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF)" via a patented technology process.

The company also released its quarterly report at the end of July. In it, EcoGraf detailed it finished the quarter well capitalised with $52.6 million in cash on its balance sheet.

Moreover, the company explained the Battery Anode Material facility in WA was given major project status.

Furthermore, EcoGraf successfully secured an Australian government funding facility of US$35 million.

EgoGraf then capped this off by successfully listing on the OTCQX market during the quarter

EcoGraf share price snapshot

The EcoGraf share price has delivered outsized returns of 411% this year to date, extending the previous 12 months' return of 1,259%.

These returns have far outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)'s return of around 26% over the past year.

The post Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price is up 11% on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The EcoGraf Ltd (ASX: EGR) share price is continuing its ascent since the beginning of July, up 30%. This comes after the graphite producer announced it will be evaluating an industrial site in Sweden.

During mid-afternoon trade, EcoGraf shares are racing to 78.5 cents, up 10.56%. In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is sitting at 7,760 points, up 1.3%

EcoGraf signs land reservation agreement

Investors are buying up EcoGraf shares as the company plans to further expand its presence in the lithium-ion battery market.

In a statement to the ASX, EcoGraf advised it signed a land reservation agreement with the Skelleftea municipality in Sweden. This follows the company's previous efforts in exploring a number of sites across Europe, including Germany.

EcoGraf is assessing a 65,000 square metre industrial site in Skelleftea as a potential location for its battery anode materials facility. Located in the Vasterbotten region, the area benefits from ample clean and renewable energy. It is considered to have the lowest industrial power costs in all of Europe.

The company will commence a detailed evaluation of the potential development after completing a preliminary assessment to select the site. Pleasingly, the area is of sufficient size to accommodate future expansion for increasing production capacity along with battery anode recycling.

The company says its eco-friendly production process aligns with many world governments adopting new environmental, social and governance frameworks to help transition to cleaner energy.

EcoGraf's facilities use the company's patented purification technology which eliminates the use of toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF).

It is expected work will begin on the selected European site once EcoGraf's new Australian facility is completed.

About the EcoGraf share price

The EcoGraf share price has rocketed by more than 1,118% in the past year and is up an astonishing 360% year-to-date. The surge reflects growing investor confidence within the lithium-ion industry and the company itself.

Based on the current valuations, EcoGraf commands a market capitalisation close to $353.1 million.

The post EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price powers 10% ahead on industrial site news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Ecograf's quarterly activities and cash flow report details the performance of its battery anode material business, lithium-ion battery materials recycling business, and graphite mining business.

The Ecograf share price is currently 72 cents, 3.38% lower than its previous close.

Let's take a closer look at today's news from Ecograf.

What's driving the Ecograf share price today?

Cash flow report

The Ecograf share price is down on the back of the company's final quarter of the 2021 financial year report.

Over the quarter ended 30 June, Ecograf used $553,000 in operating activities.

It spent $79,000 on exploration, $195,000 on staffing, and $242,000 on administration and corporate costs.

The company received $374,000 worth of government grants and tax incentives.

That brings its total spend on operating activities over the 2021 financial year to $2.33 million.

Ecograf finished the quarter with $52.6 million cash in the bank, mostly left over from its February capital raise.

That's enough to fund it for another 88 quarters, or 22 years, if its outflows stay the same.

Activities report

The Ecograf share price is slipping despite the company's productive quarter.

Over the quarter, the company's Battery Anode Material Facility, located near Perth, was awarded Major Project Status.

It also completed locked cycle testing for the facility's pre-construction program.

The company is also in discussions with European countries about developing a Battery Anode Material Facility in Europe.

Ecograf's Tanzanian graphite mining business is going well, having received the approval of the Tanzanian government.

Finally, Ecograf listed on the OTCQX market over the quarter.

Ecograf share price snapshot

Despite today's fall, Ecograf has been performing well this year.

So far, Ecograf shares have gained 320% since the start of 2021. They are also 921% higher than they were this time last year.

The company has a market capitalisation of around $321 million, with approximately 449 million shares outstanding.

The post Ecograf (ASX:EGR) share price falls on the back of its Q4 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors are jumping for shares in the battery anode manufacturer after EcoGraf released a funding update earlier today.

At market close, the EcoGraf share price is 8.82% higher and trading at 74 cents. The EcoGraf share price was up more than 14% earlier today after hitting an intra-day high of 78 cents.

Let's take a look at what EcoGraf announced.

EcoGraf share price gets boost from funding update

Earlier today, EcoGraf provided an update on funding arrangements for the development and expansion of its battery anode material facility in Western Australia.

According to the update, the Australian Government's export credit agency is poised to lend EcoGraf US$35 million to fund the facility.

EcoGraf noted that the company will fund the initial phase of the development using its existing cash reserves.

The company's cash reserves were topped up following a $54.6 million institutional placement earlier this year.

EcoGraf also highlighted that the expansion phase would be financed through a combination of cash reserves and loan funding.

The proposed facility is slated to produce high purity battery anode material using the company's proprietary EcoGraf HFfree purification process.

EcoGraf has estimated a construction timeframe for the facility to be around 11 months. Following construction, the company plans to undertake a 12-month expansion program.

More on EcoGraf

EcoGraf is a diversified battery anode material company that aims to produce high purity graphite products for the lithium-ion battery market.

The company's flagship HFfree purification technology enables an environmentally responsible manufacturing process.

In addition, its facility in Western Australia EcoGraf is also in the process of developing its Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania.

EcoGraf made headlines earlier this week after releasing results for its recycled lithium-ion battery anode.

The company reported strong results from the purification process in line with major lithium-ion battery manufacturer specifications.

Snapshot of the EcoGraf share price

The EcoGraf share price has had a volatile performance in 2021.

Shares in the battery material company opened the year at around 16.5 cents, before hitting a high of $1.07 in mid-February.

Despite the wide trading range and volatility, shares in EcoGraf are trading more than 318% higher for the year.

The post EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price flying 14% higher on funding update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The EcoGraf share price received a boost after the company released an update earlier today.

At market close, shares in the company are trading around 1.5% higher at 70 cents. The EcoGraf share price was up more than 5% earlier, after hitting an intra-day high of 72.5 cents.

Here's what the company had to announce.

EcoGraf share price lifts on positive lithium-ion battery results

Before the market open, EcoGraf released results for its recycled lithium-ion battery anode.

The company noted that the results are a significant achievement and in line with major lithium-ion battery specifications.

EcoGraf noted that the purified carbon anode material is a high value finished product. The anode is made up of both natural and synthetic graphite, representing over half the raw materials in a lithium-ion battery.

According to EcoGraf, recycling the material would provide significant benefits to battery manufacturers. Key benefits include lowering battery unit costs and reducing carbon emissions.

In the announcement, EcoGraf noted that SungEel will submit the purified product to the South Korean lithium-ion battery manufacturer for battery cell tests.

More on EcoGraf

EcoGraf is a diversified battery anode material company that aims to produce high purity graphite products for the lithium-ion battery market.

The company currently has a processing facility in Western Australia that manufactures graphite products for export. In its manufacturing process, EcoGraf uses an environmentally responsible HFfree purification technology.

In addition, the company is also in the process of developing its Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania.

The company is currently working closely with recycling group SungEel to include its tailored EcoGraf recycling process in their recycling plants.

Snapshot of the EcoGraf share price

Notwithstanding a stellar start to the year, the EcoGraf share price has been rather volatile in 2021.

Shares in the battery material company opened the year at around 16.5 cents, before hitting a high of $1.07 in mid-February.

Since then, the EcoGraf share price has troughed and peaked in a wide trading range.

Despite the volatility, shares in EcoGraf are trading more than 309% higher for the year.

The post EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price lifts 5% on lithium update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While there's been no news from Ecograf today, it did release an exciting announcement on Wednesday.

Let's take a look at the latest news that boosted the Ecograf share price.

Ecograf's positive results

Ecograf released the results of a mechanical shaping program on Wednesday.

The results proved the company's planned battery anode production facility could achieve an overall product yield of more than 60%. That represents a 20% increase in the company's expected yield.

The news saw the Ecograf share price end Wednesday's session 9.6% higher than the previous day's trade.

The program has seen Ecograf take another stride closer to finalising its planned Western Australian Battery Anode Material Facility's engineering design.

It will also be able to select the equipment it will use at the facility before construction starts.

Ecograf partnered with an unnamed leading equipment manufacturer to run the program. The program took place in a commercial scale plant.  

It intended to find how to best shape graphite feedstock into battery anode product.

The program isolated 3 products that can maximise Ecograf's overall product yields, including an ultrafine battery anode material, known as 'Super' BAM.

According to Ecograf, 'Super' BAM products can be sold at a 25% premium on other battery anode materials.

Interestingly, the Ecograf share price fell 6.5% yesterday. Luckily, it's more than recovered today.

Ecograf share price snapshot

Today's gains are just the latest that the Ecograf share price has experienced this year.

Right now, it's a whopping 338% higher than it was at the start of 2021. It has also gained an impressive 1,141% since this time last year.

The company has a market capitalisation of around $287 million, with approximately 449 million shares outstanding.

The post Why the Ecograf (ASX:EGR) share price is soaring 16% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, shares in Ecograf are swapping hands for 67.5 cents apiece – 8% more than their previous closing price.

The battery anode producer has announced the results from a mechanical shaping program using a commercial-scale plant in partnership with a leading equipment manufacturer.

The program helped Ecograf get closer to finalising the engineering design for its Battery Anode Material Facility.

Successful mechanical shaping program

The Ecograf share price is reacting positively to news the program enabled the company to achieve an overall product yield of more than 60%.

Previously, Ecograf was able to reach an overall product yield of around 50%.

The mechanical shaping program looked at how to efficiently shape graphite. To sell graphite feedstock as battery anode product, a company has to be able to shape it to customer specifications.

The program found 3 core products that Ecograf's facility will be able to produce to maximise its yields. These are:

• 15-16µm battery anode material.
• ultrafine battery anode material, known as 'super' BAM products. 'Super' BAM products are used to make high-performance batteries. They can sell for between 20% to 25% more than other battery materials.
• Fines bi-products – which can be used in industrial and alkaline batteries.

According to Ecograf, the findings of the program will help it to select equipment for its facility before construction starts.

Ecograf share price snapshot

The Ecograf share price has been performing exceptionally well lately.

Right now, it has gained 297% in 2021. It's also a whopping 988% higher than it was this time last year.

The company has a market capitalisation of around $303 million, with approximately 449 million shares outstanding.

The post Here's why the Ecograf (ASX:EGR) share price is up 8% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Novonix share price has since retreated to trade at $2.60 at the market close, up 14.5%

The integrated battery materials developer and supplier has not announced any price-sensitive news since 23 June, where it purchased a second facility to produce anode materials.

But investors have been bidding up the Novonix share price with approximately 9.05 million shares changing hands on Tuesday. This compares to its 10-day average of approximately 1.96 million.

Let's take a look at what else might be driving a sharp re-rating in Novonix shares.

Battery-related shares are running hot

The Novonix share price isn't alone in today's rally. The company supports the global deployment of lithium-ion batteries, and its peers — including battery developers, lithium miners and electric vehicle manufacturers — were also pushing higher.

Talga Group Ltd (ASX: TLG) develops a similar integrated battery anode plant in Sweden to produce anode products and lithium-ion batteries. The Talga share price pushed higher today, up 3.15% to close at $1.31.

Similarly, shares in Ecograf Ltd (AX: EGR) climbed today, closing up 4.17% at 62.5 cents apiece.

Ecograf is also positioned to support the global battery market, with operations in battery anode production and battery recycling.

Elsewhere, ASX lithium shares were surging on Tuesday, with heavyweight miners Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY), Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) and Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) rallying between 1.63% and 4.88%.

Today's rally also appears to be supported by gains from Wall Street peers overnight, including top lithium producer Albemarle Corporation and electric car manufacturer Tesla Inc.

About the Novonix share price

The Novonix share price has rallied 111.3% year-to-date, with most of its gains occurring between January and February.

From March onwards, its shares have stalled around the $2.30 level.

With today's renewed buying interest, the Novonix share price has propped back up to a 5-month high.

The post Why the Novonix (ASX:NVX) share price rocketed 16% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At market close, the graphite producer's shares finished the day at 63.5 cents, up 0.79%. It's worth noting that at one point, the company's shares reached an intraday high of 66 cents, up 7%, before investors took profit off the table.

Quick take on EcoGraf

Based in Australia, EcoGraf is engaged in the exploration and development of graphite and nickel projects in Tanzania. The company uses innovative technologies to recover graphite from recycled batteries, thus reducing waste and environmental impact.

EcoGraf's battery facility update

According to its release, EcoGraf reported that pre-construction locked-cycle testing has been completed by GR Engineering Services Ltd (ASX: GNG). The program aimed to provide data for detailed engineering design of EcoGraf's new battery graphite facility in Western Australia.

The state-of-the-art processing facility, when constructed, will produce battery anode material products that will be treated through the company's patented purification technology, which eliminates the use of toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF).

EcoGraf's eco-friendly process comes at a time when world governments have adopted new environmental, social and governance frameworks to help transition into cleaner energy.

EcoGraf stated that a total of six cycles were completed, processing spherical graphite through its HFfree purification flowsheet. This was conducted to mimic operational conditions and obtain final data for construction of the facility.

The company reported the testing achieved purities of 99.97% for the carbon product, highlighting the effectiveness of its HFfree purification process. However, the company is aiming to exceed carbon purity targets, which will lead to lower production costs.

GR Engineering Services manager of engineering Ryan Kriedemann commented:

The results of the locked-cycle testing were very encouraging and confirmed that the EcoGraf HFfree process effectively removes impurities from flake graphite feedstock to deliver high purity battery anode material. Mass balance analysis data was also very good and so we'll evaluate the potential to reduce the level of reagent used in the EcoGraf process, which will deliver operational efficiency benefits for the new facility.

The EcoGraf share price has accelerated by more than 650% over the past 12 months.

The post Why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price powered ahead today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

According to reporting by Reuters, Biden is turning to the US' allied nations to source metals used in EV manufacturing, which he plans to increase during his presidency.

2 US administration officials also told Reuters the US has allocated $174 billion to EV manufacturing.

The Australian Financial Review reported that the move would help the US move away from relying on Chinese metals for its EV industry.

Deputy White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi was reported by Reuters to have said that the US is looking to invest in supply chains that include recycling.

Let's take a look at 3 ASX shares that could benefit from the US' international sourcing of EV metals.

ASX electric vehicle-focused shares

Ecograf Ltd (ASX: EGR)

Ecograf is an Australian battery anode material producer. It already focuses on selling its products to EV and lithium-ion battery manufactures.

Ecograf claims its Western Australian facility is the worlds first to process purified spherical graphite outside of China.

Spherical graphite is a key component of lithium-ion batteries, which are used in EVs.

Additionally, Ecograf sources its graphite from its Epanko Graphite Project, located in Tanzania.

Ecograf is focused on making the production of spherical graphite more eco-friendly. It also works to recycle disused lithium-ion batteries.

Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY)

Galaxy Resources is an Australian lithium producer.

The company operates the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project in Western Australia. Mt Cattlin's products are also qualified to be used in the global lithium-ion battery chain.

Currently, most of the products of Mt Cattlin are exported to Asia.

Galaxy also has a lithium project in Canada, named James Bay. James Bay is still in development, but Galaxy already plans for its products to be used in the North American EV industry.  

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

Finally, Lynas Rare Earths may also benefit from the US' spin towards internationally sourced metals.

According to Lynas, it's the largest producer of separated rare earths outside of China. Additionally, its rare earths can already be used in EV manufacturing.

Its Mt Weld Central Lanthanide Deposit is located in Western Australia.

Currently, Lynas sends its products from Mt Weld to Malaysia to be processed. Though it's in the process of building a new processing plant in Kalgoorlie.

The post 3 ASX shares that could benefit from Biden's Aussie electric vehicle swing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the graphite producer's shares are selling for 54.5 cents, up 11.2%.

Quick take on EcoGraf

Based in Australia, EcoGraf is engaged in the exploration and development of graphite and nickel projects in Tanzania. The company uses innovative technologies to recover graphite from recycled batteries, thus reducing waste and minimising the environmental impact.

What's pushing EcoGraf shares higher?

Investors are snapping up EcoGraf shares following the company's listing efforts in other overseas stock markets.

According to its release, EcoGraf advised that its application to join the OTCQX market in the United States has been approved. This enables the company's shares to commence trading at market open today under the code of ECGFF.

EcoGraf noted that its primary listing continues to be the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Its secondary listing is through the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).

By EcoGraf shares listing on the OTCQX, it provides access to one of the largest investment markets in the world. In addition, it allows ease of trading by investors in real-time quotes and market information.

The company highlighted surging investor interest in the electric vehicle sector as one of the reasons for joining the OTCQX. Recently, United States president Joe Biden announced plans to replace its government fleet of vehicles with electric vehicles.

Furthermore, international attention has picked up after the European Commission put forward new legislation in favourable of eco-friendly batteries. This includes improved recycling, visibility, and traceability of raw materials within the electric vehicle supply chain.

About the EcoGraf share price

Over the past 12 months, the EcoGraf share price has accelerated over 660%. These strong gains reflect growing positive sentiment among investors regarding the lithium-ion industry. Many of Ecograf's fellow ASX-listed producers have also posted whopping gains over the same time frame.

Based on today's prices, EcoGraf has a market capitalisation of around $247 million, with approximately 449 million shares outstanding.

The post Here's why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price is storming 11% higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the EcoGraf share price is 62.5 cents, 1.63% higher than yesterday's close.

Let's take a closer look at the graphite producer's news.

Major Project Status

The federal government bestowed the Kwinana Battery Anode Materials Facility's project with its new status in March this year, but re-announced it yesterday. The day the news was first announced in March the EcoGraf share price closed 11% higher than the previous session.

Yesterday, the news came from a joint media release from the Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon Christian Porter MP, and the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, the Hon Keith Pitt MP.

Together, the MPs said the project supports both the Australian Government's Critical Minerals Strategy and Western Australia's Future Battery Industry Strategy.  

Companies awarded with Major Project Status are eligible for support from the Major Projects Facilitation Agency. This support includes a single-entry point for Australian Government approvals, project support and coordination.

The Kwinana Battery Anode Materials Facility, located near Perth, is still under construction.

In the media release, Minister Porter said the project is bringing multiple benefits to Western Australia, including up to 250 new jobs during construction and up to 65 new jobs during operation. He said:

The Australian Government is committed to boosting investment in the Australia's critical minerals industry to help build our sophisticated manufacturing capability and deliver new jobs across the country, and particularly to our regional areas.

Minister Pitt said the project's new status recognised its significance to Australia:

EcoGraf is an excellent example of what we want to see more of in Australia – our raw materials being downstream processed right here in Australia, adding value to our exports and creating well paid and sustainable jobs for Australian workers in the process. 

EcoGraf share price snapshot

Today's news it the latest boost for the EcoGraf share price, which is having a roaring year on the ASX. Many investors are eyeing the company's incredible growth.

Currently, the EcoGraf share price is up a whopping 267% year to date. It's also bloomed 941% over the last 12 months.

EcoGraf has a market capitalisation of around $279 million, with approximately 454 million shares outstanding.

The post Here's why the EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) share price is rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.