Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is down 3% to 30 cents. This appears to have been driven by profit taking after the semiconductor company's shares rocketed higher in recent weeks. Even after today's pullback, Brainchip's shares are up approximately 90% since this time last month. This is despite there being no announcements released to the share market. It did unveil Akida Pico earlier this month on its website. It is a low power acceleration co-processor that enables the creation of very compact, ultra-low power, portable and intelligent devices for wearable and sensor integrated AI. Brainchip's next quarterly update is due to be released later this month.

Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU)

The Fletcher Building share price is down 2% to $2.76. This morning, the building materials company announced the completion of the retail entitlement offer component of its capital raising. Fletcher Building raised a total of NZ$700 million under the placement and entitlement offer. This includes gross proceeds of approximately NZ$587 million from institutional investors and approximately NZ$113 million under the retail entitlement offer. However, approximately 13 million new shares were not taken up under the retail entitlement offer and have been allocated to the underwriters. If they have decided to sell them on-market today, that could be weighing on its share price.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is down almost 17% to 10 cents. This sustainable process technology developer's shares have come under pressure after it received firm commitments from sophisticated, professional, and institutional investors for a $4 million placement. These funds were raised at a discount of 9 cents per new share. Managing Director Chris Reed said: "The capital raising will reinforce commercialisation activities by Neometals' battery recycling plant building joint venture, Primobius, as it delivers its maiden plant for Mercedes-Benz."

WAM Research Limited (ASX: WAX)

The WAM Research share price is down 6% to $1.11. This has been driven by the investment company's shares going ex-dividend this morning for its final dividend of FY 2024. In August, WAM Research declared a partially franked final dividend of 5 cents per share. Eligible shareholders can look forward to receiving this payout later this month on 25 October.

The post Why Brainchip, Fletcher Building, Neometals, and WAM Research shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The prospectus showcases 52 high-quality, investment-ready critical minerals projects that the government hopes will attract further local and international investment.

Let's check out which ASX mining shares have projects being spruiked by the government.

5 ASX mining shares with projects in the prospectus

The prospectus forms part of the Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030.

The strategy aims to make Australia a globally significant producer of raw and processed critical minerals.

The purpose of the prospectus is to attract investment from local and global investors to help Australia develop new mines and build the new industries it needs to become a renewable energy superpower.

Here are five ASX mining shares featured in the prospectus:

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Core Lithium is Australia's newest lithium producer. The government is spruiking its BP33 underground mine, which is currently the subject of an updated Feasibility Study ahead of a final investment decision (FID) due in the first quarter of 2024.

The Core Lithium share price is 19 cents, down 1.54% today and down 83.3% over the past 12 months.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR)

In the prospectus, the government tells investors that Liontown's Kathleen Valley hard-rock lithium project is world-class in scale and economics, with first production due in mid-2024. The government tells investors that Liontown will deliver US Inflation Reduction Act-compliant material to Tier 1 customers.

According to the prospectus:

Liontown is progressing studies into downstream processing options to convert spodumene concentrate into higher grade outputs. The Company is ideally positioned to be a fully integrated lithium producer to capture long-term value from mine to end-use in the EV market.

The ASX lithium mining share is currently fetching 98 cents. It's down 1.01% today and down 37.8% over the past 12 months.

Iluka Resources Limited (ASX: ILU)

The government is seeking funding to help Iluka build the Eneabba Refinery, Australia's first fully integrated rare earths refinery. It is due for commissioning in late 2025.

Also featured was Iluka's high-grade Balranald critical minerals deposit. It contains significant amounts of rutile, zircon, and other rare earths. Iluka began construction in August and expects this to take 18 months. Commissioning is currently scheduled for Q1 2025.

The ASX mining share is currently worth $7.20, up 1.7% today and down 36.1% over the past 12 months.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

Neometals owns one of the world's largest and highest-grade hard-rock titanium and vanadium deposits.

The government says the company is open to discussions regarding project equity ownership, joint venturing, project financing and offtake for the Barrambie project. With a significant Mineral Resource Estimate and Ore Reserve, and a pre-feasibility study completed last May, the project is mine-ready.

The Neometals share price is 14 cents, down 2.14% today and down 83.5% over the past 12 months.

Renascor Resources Ltd (ASX: RNU)

The government is seeking backing for Renascor's vertically integrated processed graphite operation in South Australia. It will process graphite concentrate from the company's Siviour mine and concentrator on the Eyre Peninsula as well as from a battery anode material (BAM) processing facility in Bolivar.

Renascor completed the BAM Feasibility Study last year.

This ASX mining share is changing hands for 7.9 cents, up 1.3% today. It has fallen 70.7% over the past 12 months.

Updates to the Critical Minerals List

In addition to seeking private investment through the prospectus, the government has also committed $4 billion in funding for critical minerals supply chain businesses through its Critical Minerals Facility.

In December, the government also updated its Critical Minerals List. The list highlights urgently required minerals that are essential for modern green technologies, economies and security.

The government considers them crucial to our own transition to net-zero emissions. They are also important for the development of our advanced manufacturing industry.

In the recent update, the government added fluorine, molybdenum, arsenic, selenium, and tellurium to the list and removed helium.

The government has also introduced a Strategic Minerals List.

This list comprises six minerals considered important for the global energy transition but which are not currently in short supply. They are copper, nickel, aluminium, phosphorous, tin, and zinc.

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell said:

Australia is on the cusp of a golden age in critical minerals development.

This Prospectus showcases many game-changing Australian critical minerals opportunities for international investors. We have an abundance of minerals with a strong regulatory environment, and a range of free trade agreements with countries in need of our resources.

The post 5 ASX mining shares with projects being spruiked by the Australian Federal Government appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX lithium stock is up 17% to 20.5 cents.

Though, it is worth noting that its shares remain down approximately 75% on a 12-month basis despite today's strong gain.

Why is this ASX lithium stock surging today?

Investors have been buying Neometals shares today after the battery materials recycler released an update on its Primobius joint venture.

Primobius is a 50:50 joint venture between Neometals and German global plant manufacturer SMS group. It is focused on the development of sustainable processes for the recovery and recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LiB).

According to the release, Primobius has received a purchase order for the supply of a hydrometallurgical refining Hub from automotive giant Mercedes-Benz (ETR: MBG). The hydrometallurgical refining Hub will be installed at the automaker's Kuppenheim operation in Germany.

Neometals notes that the order value is estimated to be 18.8 million euros (A$30.8 million) and was awarded as part of a cooperation arrangement. Under the cooperation, Primobius is responsible for the engineering, equipment supply, and installation for a 2,500tpa fully-integrated, closed loop Mercedes LiB Recycling Pilot Plant.

The Hub is being designed to match the capacity required to process intermediate feed material generated from the front-end refining Spoke.

'Proud to partner with Mercedes'

Neometals' Managing Director, Chris Reed, was very pleased with the news. He said:

We are proud to partner with Mercedes in its journey to lead the closed-loop recycling of lithium batteries. The relationship exemplifies some of the unique aspects to Primobius' business model.

One of these is the ability to supply plant and offer technology licences so OEMs can retain their battery materials from scrap and end-of-life batteries. Supply certainty, low operating costs and low carbon footprint are key value drivers for OEM's looking forward. Our measured approach to delivering scalable solutions with our partner and leading plant builder SMS augurs well for penetrating this enormous addressable market.

The post Guess which ASX lithium stock is surging 17% on deal with Mercedes-Benz appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are sinking:

IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO)

The IGO share price is down 9.5% to $9.63. Investors have been selling this battery materials producer's shares following the release of its quarterly update. Although it reported record free cash flow for the quarter, management warned that the current quarter could be tough due to volatility in the lithium market.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is down 22% to 24.5 cents. This morning, this battery materials recycler revealed that it will not proceed with the construction of a vanadium recovery facility in Finland. It said: "Despite the potential lowest-quartile operating cost and low-carbon footprint, the state of the global financial markets dictate that the Company preserves its cash balance and not contribute further material funding to VRP1 evaluation activities."

Pantoro Ltd (ASX: PNR)

The Pantoro share price is down almost 28% to 2.9 cents. This follows the release of the gold miner's quarterly update. Although production at its Norseman operation is continuing to improve, investors appear alarmed by its cash burn. Pantoro ended the period with cash and gold of $35 million, down from $46.7 million three months ago. That's despite raising $30 million during the quarter.

Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR)

The Star share price is down 9% to 54 cents. Investors appear concerned by proposed reforms to Queensland casino regulations. The proposed reforms include the introduction of mandatory carded play, cash and time play limits, restrictions on the use of cash, mandatory player pre-commitment restrictions on expenditure by customers for certain games and activities and a supervisory levy payable by casino licence holders.

The post Why IGO, Neometals, Pantoro, and Star shares are sinking 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 pushing higher:

Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL)

The Incitec Pivot share price is up 4.5% to $2.89. This morning, the agricultural chemicals company revealed that it is considering approaches for its fertiliser business. No details have been provided but management is weighing up the offer against its current plan of spinning off the business.

Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN)

The Jumbo share price is up 3% to $14.25. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its outperform rating and lifted its price target on the online lottery ticket seller's shares to $17.45. Macquarie is confident that Jumbo will have a solid year in FY 2024 and is forecasting strong earnings growth.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The Megaport share price is up a further 4.5% to $9.39. Investors have been scrambling to buy this elastic interconnection services provider's shares this week after it upgraded its guidance for FY 2023. This news went down well with analysts at UBS. In response, the broker has retained its buy rating on the company's shares with an improved price target of $12.50.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is up 8% to 50.7 cents. This morning, this battery materials company announced a binding offtake agreement with mining giant Glencore for vanadium products produced by the Vanadium Recovery Project. Neometals has a 72.5% ownership interest in the project.

The post Why Incitec Pivot, Jumbo, Megaport, and Neometals shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up a healthy 0.4%.

But these two ASX All Ordinaries shares are leaving those gains far behind.

ASX energy share rocketing 12%

First up we have Melbana Energy (ASX: MAY).

The All Ordinaries share is up 12% in intraday trading at the time of writing, having earlier posted gains of 20%.

The last price-sensitive news from Melbana came on 5 July. But, atop an overnight bump in oil prices, the oil and gas explorer could still be receiving some support from that announcement.

Melbana reported some promising results from its Alameda well with a "significant interval of oil rich fractured carbonate". The All Ordinaries share is up 28% since that announcement.

That brings the stock's year to date gains to a whopping 44%.

Which brings us to…

All Ordinaries share leaps on offtake update

The Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) share price was up 15% in earlier trade at 54 cents per share. After some likely profit-taking, shares in the battery metals resource explorer are up 8% at the time of writing at 51 cents per share.

Despite that boost, shares remain down 37% in 2023.

Investors are bidding up the Neometals share price after the miner announced it had inked an agreement for the guaranteed offtake for 100% of the vanadium products produced by the Vanadium Recovery Project.

The agreement was secured with commodities producer and marketer, Glencore International.

Commenting on the update that's boosting this All Ordinaries share today, Neometals managing director Chris Reed said:

Removing volume risk on offtake is seen as a key requirement for securing project finance and we have mitigated this risk with the take or pay nature of our Offtake Agreement with a Tier 1 counterparty in Glencore.

Reed also pointed to "significant expected demand from the vanadium redox flow battery sector and other potential high purity applications".

The post 2 ASX All Ordinaries shares surging over 10% on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX: AZS)

The Azure Minerals share price is down 5% to $1.56. This is despite the lithium explorer releasing more promising drilling results this morning. However, with the company's shares up almost 200% in the space of a month, some profit-taking could be happening today.

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

The Bega Cheese share price is down a further 4% to $2.81. Investors continue to sell down this diversified food company's shares following a disappointing update earlier this week. Not even news of some insider buying has been able to turn the tide. The Bega share price is now down 22% since this time last month.

Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX: LNK)

The Link share price is down 14% to $1.67. This has been driven by news that the company's contract for the provision of fund administration services to industry superannuation fund HESTA will not be renewed when it expires. The current deal represents 4% of total revenue. HESTA is moving to Grow Inc. It seems some investors fear others may follow.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is down 6% to 48.5 cents. This follows news that the company has pushed back the final investment decision for the Neometals vanadium recovery project to 30 September. Management has tried to ease concerns by advising that debt financing-related due diligence by a European Investment Bank is progressing favourably.

The post Why Azure Minerals, Bega Cheese, Link, and Neometals shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The lithium stock closed yesterday trading for 48 cents a share. Shares are currently changing hands for 57.5 cents apiece.

Here's what's likely piquing investor interest in the ASX lithium share.

What's sending the Neometals share price skywards?

Investors are bidding up the Neometals share price after the company released a promising update on the activities taking place with Primobius GmbH.

Primobius is a joint venture company owned 50:50 by Neometals and SMS group GmbH. The JV partners are working to commercialise the company's lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling technology.

The ASX lithium share is flying higher on news that demonstration plant trialling of process improvements to the hydrometallurgical refining flowsheet have yielded "outstanding results".

Nickel, cobalt, and copper recoveries in the trials exceeded 95%. New lithium process recovery results are pending, with the previous process recovery coming in at around 83%.

Neometals JV completed three LIB recycling hub demonstration trials from December to March on EV battery modules that were shredded in the Hilchenbach LiB disposal facility.

The ASX lithium share aims to be the first to achieve the proposed recycling recovery requirements in the pending EU Battery Regulations.

Neometals managing director Chris Reed applauded the collaboration between SMS group and Neometals teams "to improve the process flowsheet to meet the ambitious new 2030 recovery targets of the EU Battery Regulations".

Reed added:

The goal post shift from 85% to 95% during the drafting of the legislation was challenging and we are nearly there. We look forward to seeing the benefits of our new lithium recovery process option and step changes in key recoveries across the process in the upcoming Hub ECS results.

He also thanked Primobius' collaboration partner, Mercedes-Benz.

Neometals said it plans to conduct future demonstration in the second half of 2023 for existing and new carmakers and cell makers in its business development pipeline.

How this ASX lithium share been tracking?

Despite the big boost in the Neometals share price today, the ASX lithium share remains down 28% in 2023.

The post Why is ASX lithium share Neometals soaring 20% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is up almost 16% to 55.5 cents. This morning, this battery materials producer provided an update on its joint venture, Primobius. According to the release, the demonstration plant trialling process improvements to the hydrometallurgical refining flowsheet have yielded outstanding results. This has seen nickel, cobalt and copper recoveries of >95%.

Neurizer Ltd (ASX: NRZ)

The Neurizer share price is up a massive 57% to 8 cents. This morning the energy company announced a binding contract with China's largest integrated hydrogen company, Meijin Energy Investments, for site assessments and operating in situ gasification sites. The agreement offers Neurizer a significant opportunity to enter China's growing hydrogen market and establish a joint venture partnership.

Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

The Paladin Energy share price is up 11% to 60.7 cents. Investors have been buying this uranium developer's shares after it downplayed reports that the Namibian government is seeking to take minority stakes in mines in the southern African country. Paladin owns the significant Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia.

Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

The Perseus Mining share price is up 5% to $1.92. This follows a rise in the gold price overnight due partly to increased market volatility. It isn't just Perseus Mining that is climbing today. The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is up a sizeable 2.9% this afternoon.

The post Why Neometals, Neurizer, Paladin Energy, and Perseus Mining shares are rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher:

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

The Bega Cheese share price is up 3% to $3.74. This morning, analysts at Bell Potter retained their buy rating on the diversified food company's shares with an improved price target of $4.10. It said: "In our view the exposure of BGA to relatively stronger commodities (cream cheese and Mozzarella) against the backdrop of commodity driven weaker southern farmgate prices could see EBITDA approach previous BGA-LDD targets of $200-220m."

Elanor Investors Group (ASX: ENN)

The Elanor Investors share price is up 12% to $1.66. This follows news that the investment company is acquiring the real estate funds management business of Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF). Elanor is paying $41.8 million in scrip for the business. This will see Challenger become Elanor's largest shareholder with an 18.2% stake.

Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT)

The Neometals share price is up 6% to 60.5 cents. This morning, this battery materials company announced that it will be increasing its ownership in the Vanadium Recovery Project's incorporated joint venture company, Recycling Industries Scandinavia, to 72.5%. The joint venture is currently working towards a final investment decision to construct a facility in Pori, Finland that will process and recover high-purity vanadium pentoxide.

Talga Group Ltd (ASX: TLG)

The Talga share price is up 4% to $1.68. Investors have been buying this graphite developer's shares after it announced the receipt of an environmental permit for the Nunasvaara South natural graphite mine. It is part of the company's vertically integrated Vittangi Anode Project in northern Sweden.

The post Why Bega Cheese, Elanor Investors, Neometals, and Talga shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

And much of their gains have been driven by demand for lithium-ion batteries. But there's another green metal in the renewable energy storage game – and it's also abundant in Australia.

Enter vanadium. The element is usually used alongside iron to produce steel.

However, another use for vanadium that might pique the interest of those invested in ASX 200 lithium shares is in battery technology. Here's the lowdown.

Is vanadium coming for your ASX 200 lithium shares?

Vanadium is an essential component of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB).

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, these can be re-used over and over, boast a typical lifespan of more than 20 years, and have a low risk of catching fire.

They can also be a more economical energy storage solution. University of New South Wales VRFB researcher Chris Menictas was quoted by ABC News as saying:

As you start increasing the storage time, vanadium becomes cheaper. At more than three hours' storage, vanadium is cheaper than lithium-ion.

Though, VRFBs aren't a total replacement for lithium-ion batteries. As the publication notes, they're far larger, making them unsuitable for phone or car batteries, and vanadium is more expensive to produce than lithium.

Thus, they will likely be used in industrial and grid energy storage solutions – an important piece of the renewable transition puzzle.

4 ASX shares involved in vanadium production

Australia's vanadium mining sector is still in its infancy, with a handful of projects in development stages. One major deposit is the Saint Elmo Vanadium Project, located in outback Queensland. It's in the hands of unlisted operator Mulicom Resources.

Fortunately, however, there's a large handful of Australian-listed vanadium shares out there.

First up is Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT). The $467 million company has a collaboration agreement to look into constructing a vanadium recycling facility. It also owns Western Australia's Barrambie Titanium and Vanadium project.

Another ASX vanadium stock is Technology Metals Australia Ltd (ASX: TMT). It's behind Western Australia's Murchison Technology Metals Project – one of the world's highest-grade vanadium projects.

It was recently joined on the bourse by Richmond Vanadium Technology Ltd (ASX: RVT), owner of Queensland's Richmond Vanadium Project. The project is the first critical minerals endeavour to be dubbed a 'coordinated project' by the state's government.

Finally, Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX: AVL)'s Australian Vanadium Project, located in Western Australia, has been awarded major project status by the Australian government and lead agency status by the state's government.

The post Could vanadium spell the downfall of your ASX 200 lithium shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is lingering 0.11% lower following the release of surprisingly high inflation data. Despite this, several Aussie companies involved in producing the electrifying material are in the green.

Driving a positive outlook for lithium

For some background, Albemarle is one of the largest suppliers of battery-grade lithium in the world. The company not only produces lithium but also processes it.

In the September 2022 ending quarter, Albermarle achieved US$1.5 billion in net lithium sales. In comparison, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) recorded $1.19 billion in revenue across the entire 2022 financial year.

Last night, Albermarle provided updated estimates for the future of lithium in its 2023 strategic update. The most eye-catching metric was a 15% increase in the company's lithium demand forecast for 2030, primarily due to higher expected electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

As such, management is now forecasting a total of 3.7 million metric tonnes worth of lithium demand in 2030 — giving ASX lithium shares something to cheer about. This is based on the assumption that annual EV production will reach 46.9 million by that point in time, equating to a 48% market penetration of light-duty vehicles.

Albemarle energy storage president Eric Norris described the catalyst for increased demand, stating:

We expect to continue to see increased EV adoption with charging speed and range improvements; more access to charging infrastructure; and changing consumer preferences. In response, auto OEMs are setting ambitious electrification goals and making large investments in EV production.

How are ASX lithium shares are responding?

The peachy outlook painted by Albermarle's management could be supporting the prices of Aussie lithium companies today. Greater demand for lithium could mean higher prices for longer, promoting strong ASX lithium share prices today, including:

• Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) up 0.73%
• Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) up 0.81%
• Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) up 3.07%
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) up 2.78%

At the larger end of town, Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) is struggling on Wednesday despite releasing its quarterly report. Shares in the lithium and iron ore miner are down 1.42% this afternoon with iron ore shipments weighing on shareholder sentiment.

The post Lithium giant forecasts 15% greater demand. How are ASX lithium shares reacting? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) also had a tough day, down 1.84%

However, Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) and Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) shares both finished in the green.

So why did these ASX lithium shares fare so well today?

Galan Lithium

Galan Lithium shares jumped 1.9% higher today to $1.61. Investors appeared to be maintaining momentum in the share following a positive update yesterday.

Galan has applied to scale up the piloting plant stage of its HMW project in Argentina. Galan is aiming to construct a 4 kilo-tonnes per annum lithium carbonate equivalent plant in the second half of 2023.

Commenting on the news, Galan managing director JP Vargas de la Vega said:

The scaling to semi-commercial pilot plant testing delivers significant ancillary and de-risking benefits, including the construction of larger ponds which are similar to those planned to be utilised during HMW's full-scale production stage

The Galan share price climbed 1.94% on Wednesday following the update. This ASX lithium share is now up more than 30% in the past month.

Neometals

Neometals shares climbed 3.13% today to $1.16.

The ASX lithium share's battery materials business units include lithium-ion battery recycling, vanadium recovery, and lithium chemicals.

Neometals has developed a process to produce lithium hydroxide from lithium chloride using electrolysis through a 70% owned subsidiary.

However, today's news relates to the Barrambie titanium and vanadium project in Western Australia. Neometals informed the market of a successful commercial-scale smelting trial. Barrambie mineral concentrate blended with commercial ilmenites produced +90% titanium dioxide chloride slag.

Commenting on the news, Neometals managing director Chris Reed said:

The ability to produce chloride-grade titanium slag from simple gravity concentrate from Barrambie is the key technical milestone for the next stage of project development.

Despite today's gains, the Neometals share price is down more than 3% in the past month.

The post 2 ASX lithium shares that defied today's sell-off to climb higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Its gain follows the release of the company's quarterly report, showing it burned through around $9.4 million in cash over the three months ended 30 September.

But the market's seemingly more focused on the positive progress made by the developer of technology to produce sustainable battery metals.

Right now, the Neometals share price is up 2.8%, trading at $1.10.

Let's take a closer look at today's news from the All Ords lithium share.

This ASX All Ords lithium share is taking off today

The Neometals share price is joining many of its fellow ASX All Ords lithium shares in the green on Monday as a host of stocks post quarterly updates.

Here are the key takeaways from Neometals' financial activities in its most recent quarter:

• Used $6 million in operating activities
• Spent $3.3 million in investing activities
• Used $16,000 in financing activities
• Ended the period with $50.8 million in cash and no debts

What else happened during the quarter?

Neometals' 50%-owned Primobius booked its maiden recycling revenue last quarter.

Meanwhile, the company continued work at its core battery materials business units: its Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Operation, its Vanadium Recovery Project, and its Lithium Chemicals Project.

Additionally, results from trials using products from the company's Barrambie Titanium and Vanadium Project are expected to be released next month.

Looking beyond that, the project's pre-feasibility study is on track to be completed in December.

Neometals share price snapshot

The Neometals share price is gaining alongside many of its ASX All Ords lithium peers amid several quarterly updates.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO), Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR), and Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) also dropped quarterlies today. They're gaining 3.88%, 2.96%, and 3.76% respectively right now.

But unlike many of its ASX lithium peers, the Neometals share price has tumbled in 2022.

It's dumped 33% year to date. Though, it has gained 10% over the last 12 months.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords lithium share is getting a boost today despite burning through nearly $10m appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Indeed, these four have gained more than 10% at the time of writing. And there's been exciting news from many of the winners.

For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 1.64% right now while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has lifted 1.66%.

So, what's driving these ASX lithium shares to outperform on Monday? Keep reading to find out.

Why are these ASX lithium shares soaring more than 10%?

The first ASX lithium share to be posting a gain of more than 10% on Monday is Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT).

The sustainability-focused battery mineral producer has developed a process to recover lithium from spent batteries. However, today's news from the company regards its Vanadium Recovery Project.

Finland has granted the project an environmental permit. The permit will allow the company to produce around 9,000 tonnes of vanadium pentoxide per annum from steel making by-product, slag.

The Neometals share price is currently up 11.14% at $1.167.

It's joined in the green by shares in Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) – the company behind the Zero Carbon Lithium Project.

It revealed its sorption pilot plant has produced its highest-grade lithium hydroxide to date this morning, exceeding best-on-market battery grades. It also provided an optimistic update on its definitive feasibility study, due to be released next year.

The Vulcan Energy share price is up 11.92% right now, trading at $6.76.

The Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) share price is also having a great day, surging 17.32% out of a trading halt to reach $1.49 at the time of writing.

The lithium explorer announced its Hombre Muerto West Project's mineral resource estimate has exploded to 5.8 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent at 866 milligrams per litre lithium.

Finally, the Piedmont Lithium Inc (ASX: PLL) share price is leaping 10% to 93.5 cents today.

That's despite the company's silence. Though, it follows a similar gain posted by its NASDAQ listing overnight.

The post 4 ASX lithium shares surging more than 10% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares of the minerals developer currently trade 8.25% lower at $1.335 apiece.

To put this into context, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is up 0.03% for the day so far while the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.31% ahead.

At the same time, two of Neometals' peers have recovered from yesterday's market rout triggered by US equities having their worst day in two years.

Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY) is the big winner of the two, up 3.77% at the time of writing while St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) is also up a more modest 0.56%.

There are no announcements to report on for Neometals this afternoon. But it seems there may be broader factors at play. Let's investigate.

What's going on with the Neometals share price?

There have been numerous media reports of China's expected economic slowdown which, in turn, could pressure the demand for titanium and vanadium, two of Neometal's key operating segments.

This afternoon, The Straits Time reported that China could enter into a renewed economic slowdown. It said several factors could play a part, including its real estate crisis, continuing COVID-19 policies, and falling international and domestic demand for its goods.

The sentiment may be dampening enthusiasm for Neometals shares today.

However, prior to today's slump, Neometals has updated the market with a seemingly uninterrupted stream of good news.

On Tuesday, the company announced cost estimates for the first phase of its integrated battery recycling plant, planned to be built in Germany. It will be Europe's first integrated discharging and disassembly operation, with capacity to process larger units from electric vehicles.

And in July, the company announced its vanadium recovery project could see it produce the element at highly competitive prices.

Neometals is working to secure a 50% stake in a venture aiming to recover vanadium from the steel-making by-product, slag.

So while Neometals has made significant progress of late, it shows no company is immune to changes in its macro backdrop.

Neometals share price snapshot

The Neometals share price is down almost 19% year to date but up 53% in the past 12 months.

By comparison, the ASX 200 is down almost 10% in 2022 so far and nearly 8% lower over the past year.

The company's current market capitalisation is $737 million.

The post Neometals share price drops 8% amid China slowdown fears appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Management released the Engineering Cost Study (ECS) for the first stage shredding plant (Spoke). The first stage Spoke has the potential to process 50 tonnes per day of lithium-ion battery scrap.

The company said that the plant will be Europe's first integrated discharging and disassembly operation. As such, the facility can process larger modules from electric vehicles (EVs) and cell production scrap.

Neometals share price powers up on ECS details

The Neometals share price rallied 3.5% in early trade to $1.64 but has slipped 0.3% to 1.58 at the time of writing. In contrast, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has added 0.7%.

The operating cost is estimated at US$1,400 per tonne of feed. This assumes a mix of 70% modules from EVs and 30% cells.

The capital cost of the project is forecast at US$103.9 million, which includes buildings, plant and equipment, installation, infrastructure, pre-production and owner's costs – such as engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC).

The capital cost estimate also has a 20% contingency, in case things don't go to plan as often the case.

Second ECS expected by year end

The plant is owned by Primobius GmbH, which is a 50-50 joint venture between Neometals and MS group GmbH.

Investors' love for all things lithium has benefited the Neometals share price. The surging popularity of EVs will mean demand for battery recycling plants is set to grow strongly.

The ECS comprises two parts. The first is the Spoke and the second is the hydrometallurgical refinery Hub. The Hub will be co-located with the Spoke on a greenfields industrial park. The second part of the ECS is scheduled to be completed in December this year.

Lining up customer agreements

Primobius is looking to strike supply agreements with Mercedes-Benz and Stelco Holdings. The JV is hoping to have the signed agreements in place in 2023.

Neometals' managing director Chris Reed said:

The addition of a large manual discharging and disassembly operation for modules comes at a cost, that is outweighed by access to a larger market in the medium to long-term. It is also worth noting that we currently get paid to process modules whereas many American recyclers compete to buy purchase individual cells.

Our proprietary refining Hub is the largest value generator for Primobius and its customers. The Hub processes Black Mass into high-purity and higher-value battery materials which can be used in production of new batteries.

Neometals share price snapshot

The Neometals share price has jumped 92% over the past year compared with a 6% decline in the All Ordinaries.

Other ASX lithium-exposed shares have also outperformed on expectations that demand for the commodity will outstrip supply for years to come.

The post Why is the Neometals share price in the spotlight on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This may surprise some investors as the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ), which tracks the mining sector, hasn't exactly had a stellar performance year to date. In fact, it's down 9.95%.

On an industry level, things aren't too hot either with the S&P/ASX 300 Metals and Mining Index (ASX: XMM) also down 7.72% over the same period.

So these companies are outliers from the aggregate performance of their peers. They were included due to a surge in their share prices over the last quarter which, in turn, boosted their market capitalisations high enough to overtake laggards in the index.

This was helped by the relatively poor performance of shares in other sectors, such as information technology and consumer discretionary. These have been two of the worst hit on a year-to-date basis. It's also helped companies from stronger sectors over the last quarter to take their positions in the index.

Let's find out which miners are new to the ASX 300.

Which mining companies were added to the index?

They are:

• 5E Advanced Materials Inc (ASX: 5EA) is a mineral exploration company. Market capitalisation: $706 million
• Arafura Resources Ltd (ASX: ARU) is a rare earth exploration company. Market capitalisation: $586 million
• Grange Resources Ltd (ASX: GRR) is an iron ore mining and pellet production business. Market capitalisation: $862 million
• Argosy Minerals Ltd (ASX: AGY) is a mineral exploration company. Market capitalisation: $553 million
• Mincor Resources NL (ASX: MCR) is a high-grade nickel producer. Market capitalisation: $1.02 billion
• Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) is a producer of sustainable battery materials. Market capitalisation: $723 million

The post These 6 ASX mining shares are now in the ASX 300 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is also up a respectable 0.7% on the back of positive investor reaction to the US Federal Reserve's 0.75 interest rate hike.

But three ASX lithium stocks leading the charge today are up 13%, 19% and 17% respectively.

ASX lithium shares charging higher

First up we have Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT).

The Neometals share price is up 13% today. The miner closed yesterday trading for $1.04 per share and is currently trading for $1.117 per share. That gives it a current market cap of some $625 million.

There's been no fresh market-sensitive news out from the company since it announced a shakeup in its battery recycling project schedule on 14 July. But investors are continuing to favour the ASX lithium share, which is now up 24% over the past month.

Also charging higher today is Africa-focused battery minerals explorer Prospect Resources Ltd (ASX: PSC).

Prospect Resources finished the day yesterday trading for 8.3 cents and is currently trading for 9.9 cents per share, an intraday gain of 19.3%.

If you've been following along with Prospect Resources, you'll have noticed that the ASX lithium share appeared to crash yesterday, tumbling from $1.01 to close at 8 cents, down 92.1% for the day.

But as The Motley Fool reported yesterday, this crash wasn't actually bad news for shareholders. It came after the company distributed most of the proceeds from the sale of its holdings in the Arcadia Project for the tidy sum of US $342.9 million "by way of a 96 cents per share distribution".

Yesterday Prospect Resources traded ex-capital return, seeing the share price drop 93 cents as new investors will no longer be eligible for the 96-cent share distribution.

Rounding off today's leaders list

Rounding off the ASX lithium shares going gangbusters today we have Lithium Power International Ltd (ASX: LPI).

Lithium Power shares closed yesterday at 46 cents and are currently trading for 54 cents, up 17.4% in intraday trading. That gives the explorer a market cap of $185 million.

The last market-sensitive news from the company came out more than a month ago.

But as with Neometals, Lithium Power has had a tremendous month, with shares up 31% since 28 June.

That momentum looks to be carrying on today as investors broadly reward ASX lithium shares amid a strong demand outlook for the critical battery metal.

The post 3 ASX lithium shares going gangbusters on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the share is trading 4.17% in the green at $1.00 apiece on no market-sensitive news. Earlier in the day, the share price hit an intraday high of $1.035.

In broader market moves, the S&P/ASX 300 Metals and Mining Index (ASX: XMM) is also trading almost 3% higher today.

What's up with the Neometals share price?

Two recent updates may be inflecting positively on the company's share price lately.

Firstly, the company noted that it could become a low-cost producer of the chemical element, vanadium.

Following a feasibility study at its Vanadium Recovery Project, estimates found the company could produce around 19 million pounds of vanadium each year at a net cost of US$4.38 a pound.

The project is seeking to recover vanadium from slag, a by-product of the steel-making process. Neo is working to obtain a 50:50 stake in a joint venture with a Scandanavian company.

Neometals then provided a second update. The company outlined reasons for the delay in completing the engineering and cost study (ECS) of its Primobius GmbH joint venture (JV).

It says the ECS will be delivered in two parts, an individual shredding plant and a hydrometallurgical refining plant. They are due for completion in July and Q4 FY23 respectively.

Delays are understood to be from the venture's focus on its Hilchenbach Spoke operation and fulfilling other agreements, TMF reported last week.

In the last 12 months, the Neometals share price has climbed 107% into the green.

The post Why is the Neometals share price up 5% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.