Sydney, Australia (ABN Newswire) – New Energy Minerals Limited (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) (OTCMKTS:MTTGF) is pleased to provide an update to the market in relation to the Company’s activities for the period ending 31 December 2020.
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Magnis Energy Technologies Reports Evaluation of Nachu Graphite by Major Prospective Customers
May 20, 2020
Resource Investing News
Over the past six months Magnis held discussions with major suppliers in the LIB industry from Japan and South Korea.
Magnis Energy Technologies Limited (“Magnis”, the “Company”) (ASX: MNS) is pleased to announce that graphite from the Nachu Graphite Project in Tanzania, has generated interest from major players in the Lithium-ion Battery (LIB) industry while ongoing metallurgical work continues to yield market leading results.
Recent Interest
Over the past six months Magnis held discussions with major suppliers in the LIB industry from Japan and South Korea. From these discussions, it was noted that prospective Japanese and Korean customers were seeking to diversify their supply of uncoated spherical graphite. Significant customer interest has been demonstrated, with a particular interest in the ability of Nachu graphite to be processed into high purity uncoated spherical graphite using low cost sustainable processes without using any chemical or thermal purification steps.
Engagement with these prospective customers is ongoing and has included provision of samples and discussions around the potential for downstream partnering in uncoated spherical graphite production. This has culminated in a recent site visit by a representative of a significant player in the anode materials supply chain for South Korean LIB producers. With the COVID-19 pandemic, delays have now been experienced in progressing talks towards future supply agreements.
Metallurgical Work
Ongoing metallurgical test work, led by CEO Dr Frank Houllis, has focused on optimisation of a
two-stage downstream process to produce 99.95% uncoated spherical graphite from the
>99% purity flake graphite concentrate that is to be produced at the mine. The table below
provides an overview of the production processes used to produce uncoated spherical
graphite:
|
The downstream stages result in zero waste, as rejected material can be sold as by-product
across a number of graphite applications. The overall recovery from mine to uncoated
spherical graphite is more than twice that achieved using current technology. When combined
with the absence of any thermal or chemical purification of graphite, uncoated spherical
graphite produced from Nachu will have both the lowest cost and lowest environmental
footprint in the LIB industry.
The downstream stages result in zero waste, as rejected material can be sold as by-product
across a number of graphite applications. The overall recovery from mine to uncoated
spherical graphite is more than twice that achieved using current technology. When combined
with the absence of any thermal or chemical purification of graphite, uncoated spherical
graphite produced from Nachu will have both the lowest cost and lowest environmental
footprint in the LIB industry.
Magnis Chairman Frank Poullas commented: “Magnis maintain that view that it has the
market leading product and the only natural graphite product that can be turned into a high
performing anode material without any Chemical/Acid or thermal purification and purely
based on mechanical processes.
“Whether it’s due to trade wars or the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear to battery
producers that they need to look at alternative sources for their anode material and we believe
we will be the lowest cost producer with the greenest product in the marketplace.”
LMR:CA
Featured
Australia isn't a producer of graphite (yet), but three states in the country are home to millions of tonnes of reserves and resources.
Graphite has been growing in popularity in recent years as its applications as a battery mineral are realised, and as the popularity of electric vehicles grows around the world.
A form of carbon, graphite is a good conductor and is invaluable in electronics. It comes in three different forms, each with their own valuable applications in modern technology, making it a sought-after commodity without which supply lines for many industries around the world would grind to a halt.
Graphite isn't produced in Australia (yet), but the country sits on 1.05 million tonnes of ore reserves, and 7.14 million tonnes of economic demonstrated resources (EDR), as per 2017 government data — and those numbers are way up from the previously disclosed data from Canberra in 2013.
For reference, global production of graphite is relatively small — 1.1 million tonnes were produced around the world in 2020, with the lion's share (650,000 tonnes) coming from China.
But back to Australia, whose graphite reserves and EDR are shared between three states: Queensland, with 1.32 million tonnes EDR, South Australia, where 4.72 million tonnes EDR can be found, and Western Australia, which is home to 1.1 million tonnes EDR.
Exploration is on the up in Australia and around the world for graphite, with demand for the mineral set to grow thanks almost solely to the proliferation of electric vehicles.
The Australian government is cognizant of this development, reporting that it is confident interest in the mineral will not only remain high, but will increase as time goes on. In fact, graphite is classified by the nation's government as a critical mineral, and the country has dedicated significant resources to researching market gaps and opportunities available.
Graphite in Australia: Potential producers
The government has identified five projects between Western Australia and South Australia that have the potential to bring Australia to the table when it comes to production.
However, as of the most recent government report, none of them are producing. One asset is being explored, another is in the prefeasibility stage and the remaining three are in the feasibility stage.
The most developed projects appear to be Mineral Commodities' (ASX:MRC) Munglinup project in Western Australia, where a definitive feasibility study was completed in early 2020, with a final investment decision targeted in 2023, and Renascor Resources' (ASX:RNU) Siviour project on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, which has a final investment decision slated for 2022.
Renascor has hopes for production to begin by the end of 2023, and has signed memorandums of understanding for 100 percent offtake agreements. The company boasts that Siviour, which had a definitive feasibility study completed recently — is the world's second largest proven reserve of graphite, and the largest graphite reserve outside of Africa.
For its part, the Munglinup project in Western Australia is Mineral Commodities' second major graphite project, behind its flagship Skaland project in Norway. Munglinup is in the far south of Western Australia, near the port city of Esperance — giving it fantastic transport options.
Both Munglinup and Siviour, if they proceed in coming years, would produce 132,000 tonnes of graphite between them in the early stages — putting Australia well and truly on the leaderboard globally when it comes to graphite production.
The remaining projects — though not as developed or as far along with investment planning — would add another 178,000 tonnes of graphite production if they are constructed as envisaged.
As boasted by the Australian government, "the only direction for Australia's graphite production is up" — though that is indeed a reflection of the fact that current graphite production is exactly zero.
More broadly, Australia is positioning itself to take advantage of wider industry gains across the electric vehicle market, and to present itself as a reliable trading partner. Graphite, like rare earths, is classed a critical mineral by both Australia and the US — and its use extends beyond technology and into national security as well given its applications as a heat-resistant material.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Scott Tibballs, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Sydney, Australia – New Energy Minerals Limited is pleased to provide an update to the market in relation to the Company’s activities for the period ending 31 December 2020. Corporate Update New Project Acquisition The Company has previously announced with the closing of the Balama Sale Transaction on 17 July 2020 that it has no further operations in Mozambique and that the closing also represented a disposal of its …
New Project Acquisition
The Company has previously announced with the closing of the Balama Sale Transaction on 17 July 2020 that it has no further operations in Mozambique and that the closing also represented a disposal of its main undertaking as previously approved by shareholders at a general shareholder meeting on 13 May 2020.
Subsequently, the Company agreed to acquire a new mineral project and on 13 October 2020 requested a trading halt pursuant to ASX Listing Rule 17.1 pending announcement of a project acquisition.
On 13 November 2020, the ASX suspended the Company from official quotation pending the release of an announcement regarding an acquisition and that the Company’s securities will remain suspended until it has recomplied with Chapters 1 and 2 of the Listing Rules, including the issue of a prospectus.
Arena Investors Dispute
Confidential settlement negotiations with Arena have continued during the quarter and the Company expects to be able to make a further announcement in this regard during the first quarter of 2021.
Appointment of experienced technical directors
On 18 November 2020, the Company announced the appointment of Dr Bernard Olivier and Dr Evan Kirby to the Board of the Company in conjunction with the resignation of Mr Paul Ching and Mr Jackie Lee. Both were nominated to the Board by the Company’s largest shareholder UBezTT International Investment Holdings (BVI) Ltd.
To view the report, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/YR138716
About New Energy Minerals Ltd:
New Energy Minerals (ASX:NXE) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company’s Caula vanadium – graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique.
Source:
New Energy Minerals Ltd
Contact:
Christiaan Jordaan
Managing Director
info@newenergyminerals.com.au
+ 61-8-9217-2400
News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia
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The mining and resources sector now sets its sights on Australia’s largest mining investment forum, Mines and Money @ IMARC, co-located with IMARC from January 31, 2022, to February 2, 2022, at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
It was gold price, lithium demand and China’s appetite for copper that dominated much of the discussion at Mines and Money Online Connect @ IMARC this week at the virtual event running from the 19th to the 21st October.
Mines and Money Online Connect saw 90 mining companies, 600+ investors and more than 2,000 participants log-on to hear mining executives and analysts discuss the next big thing for savvy investors in 2022.
Time to Strike Gold?
‘Frustrating’ sums up the 2021 gold price according to Commodity Discovery Fund Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Willem Middelkoop. Middelkoop spruiked gold’s glittering upside during the Mines and Money Gold Outlook Panel Discussion.
The panellists suggested that with the gold price soaring to record highs, a gold correction was inevitable. Historically, gold price is linked to market volatility and the much of new money printed in the United States.
In 2022, panellists expect plenty of market volatility and money printing, with an overinflated US dollar set to weaken in value, and subsequently drive up the price of gold. Through the Commodity Discovery Find, Middelkoop has studied the gold price in relation to increased money supply over the past decade.
“If you look at the current graph, the gold price needs to move back toward over US$2,000, and it should move toward US$8,000-$10,000 dollars to be in line with money growth. If you look at that statistic, there is so much upside,” said Middelkoop.
“A doubling of the gold price within 12 months is easily possible,” said Middelkoop.
The Need for Speed
The US has the need for speed with car manufacturing adopting electric vehicles (EVs) at an accelerating rate. The rising demand for EVs, which is expected to surge to 10% in global sales by 2025 according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, will require startling quantities of lithium.
The price of lithium hydroxide continued to soar in 2021 and shows no sign of slowing down in 2022. Prices topped US$23,375 per tonne at the time of writing, which is up from a US$6,300 average per tonne in the September quarter 2020.
During the Mines and Money Battery Metals Session, Piedmont Lithium President and Chief Executive Officer, Keith Phillips, said the EVs market is fuelling the demand for lithium hydroxide. “I’ve always had the view that the market would speak, and the time would come, and it will,” said Phillips.
Phillips said Ford’s Blue Oval City required 125,000 tonnes per year of lithium hydroxide to service its three battery plants, which surpasses the production capacities of all lithium projects currently planned in the United States.
“Tesla has been a leader here, but LG and General Motors are making big commitments. “Everyone is talking about bringing more capacity to the US, which we desperately need, and even if we all succeed, we are still going to be short, and require lots of material from outside the US,” said Philips.
China’s Quiet Copper Rush
Copper was the metal of the hour during the China Commodities Supply and Demand Outlook 2022 Panel at Mines and Money. Companies from Australia’s biggest trading partner are digging for strategic commodities to enhance diversification and survival in an uncertain marketplace.
Gold Mountains General Manager, Maggie Huang said sourcing and developing copper mines was critical to not only Gold Mountains, but to the Chinese economy. “We see copper as a highly strategic metal for China, we are the largest consumer in the world. We consume half of all output of copper but produce only 20 to 25% of what we actually use,” said Huang.
Huang pointed out that whilst Australia and Canada represented stable and mature investment destinations in the past, “an investment is an investment,” and Chinese companies are now seeking new opportunities in other mining destinations.
As Africa and South America mature as mining destinations, Huang said emerging opportunities in Africa and South America could be more profitable and signify a more attractive investment than Australia or Canada.
As Mines and Money Online Connect @ IMARC concludes with positive outlooks on gold, lithium and copper, the mining and resources sector now sets its sights on Australia’s largest mining investment forum Mines and Money @ IMARC co-located with the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) from the 31st January to 2nd February 2022 at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
-ENDS-
About
The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) is where global mining leaders connect with technology, finance, and the future. Now in its 8th year, it is Australia’s largest mining event, bringing together over 8,000 decision makers, mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators, and educators from over 130 countries for three days of learning, deal-making and unparalleled networking. IMARC is developed in collaboration with its founding partners the Victorian State Government of Australia, Austmine, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and Mines and Money.
For more information, please visit https://imarcglobal.com/
Media Contacts
Samantha Morgan
Head of Marketing
IMARC
samantha.morgan@imarcmelbourne.com
Isaac Stewart
PR Consultant
Cannings Purple
istewart@canningspurple.com.au
+61 423 306 794
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Silver is on the rise in Australia, with new silver mines opening, production potential booming and the precious metal's valuation reaching new heights.
Analysts have been bullish on gold for the better part of the past decade, but now it's silver's time to shine. While the price of silver tends to rise and fall alongside that of gold, silver's valuation is generally more volatile — slower to move in either direction, but more prone to abrupt spikes and plunges.
Considering the market's longtime gold rush, silver is due for a major price hike. In 2020, silver hit a seven year high with 27 percent year-over-year growth, climbing faster than gold. Silver was on the rise again in February 2021, bolstered by WallStreetBets fervour. Though prices have stabilised since, they remain elevated compared to the past decade. Additionally, at only a fraction of gold's valuation, silver is a much more attainable buy.
Shrewd investors are looking to Australia for their silver picks. A country whose silver mines continued to flourish even when most of the world was in a precious metal slump, Australia has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic as a major player in the global silver market.
A look at Australia and silver mining
When you think of mining in Australia, you may not think of silver, especially since the country is a top global producer of several other metals, including gold and iron ore. Nevertheless, silver is on the rise in Australia, with new silver mines opening, production potential booming and the precious metal's valuation reaching new heights.
This may be surprising news, especially since 2020 was an erratic year for silver. Global silver-mining production plunged by 5.9 percent in 2020 — its biggest drop in over 10 years — following four years of steady decline.
Output from primary silver mines plummeted by 11.9 percent year-over-year, while silver by-product suffered a more modest drop, with production from gold and lead-zinc mines falling by 5.7 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively. Note that silver is largely produced as a by-product of other metal-mining processes, with 72 percent of silver production taking place at non-silver mines.
This production downturn was the result of COVID-19 restrictions that forced mines to suspend operations temporarily. Silver mine closures hit certain places harder than others, with extended closures in top silver-producing countries such as Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Bolivia causing major production drops.
Australia, however, was an exception to this rule, with production increasing by 3 percent. The reason for Australia's success is that it remained relatively untouched by COVID-19 restrictions. While other countries were forced to shut down production facilities, Australia was able to avoid these closures, continuing — and even upgrading — regular operations.
Australia is now the fifth largest silver producer globally, with an annual output of 43.8 million ounces in 2020. While the output of silver-mining giants such as Mexico and Peru (178.1 million and 109.7 million ounces produced in 2020, respectively) continues to far exceed that of Australia, global demand for silver is on the rise, hitting 900 million ounces annually and making room for a new silver-mining powerhouse.
What should investors know about silver investing in Australia?
Silver remains a relatively untapped resource in Australia, which means that investors have plenty of major mining companies to choose from.
Australia's largest mine is the Cannington mine owned by South32 (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF). It is ranked as the ninth largest silver-producing mine worldwide, with 11.6 million ounces produced in 2020.
The country's second biggest silver-producing mine is the Mount Isa zinc mine. It is owned by Mount Isa Mines, a subsidiary of Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), and produced around 5.8 million ounces of silver in 2020. The Tritton copper mine, owned by Aeris Resources (ASX:AIS,OTC Pink:ARSRF), followed closely behind with nearly 4.5 million ounces produced in the same year.
Other notable Australian silver mines include the Golden Grove mine, which is owned by 29Metals (ASX:29M), and the Dugald River mine, which is owned by Metallic Minerals (ASX:MMG,TSXV:MMG,OTCQB:MMNGF). In 2020, these mines produced around 2.9 million and 2 million ounces of silver, respectively.
Australia's impressive silver-mining industry is well-positioned for further expansion, with Silver Mines (ASX:SVL,OTC Pink:SLVMF) planning to launch its Bowden silver project in 2023. This New South Wales-based silver mine is projected to produce around 6 million ounces of silver annually, which would make it the country's new second largest producer. The company hopes to capitalise on the promising solar panel market, which currently accounts for about 5.5 percent of all silver demand worldwide.
Moreover, Australian company Thomson Resources (ASX:TMZ,OTC Pink:TMZRF) bought the New South Wales-based Webb and Conrad silver projects from Silver Mines earlier this year in a transaction worth around US$8.6 million. The deal closed on March 31, and will enable Silver Mines to concentrate on its flagship Bowden project.
Investing in silver in Australia
There are many ways to invest in silver, including physical silver, stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, options and futures. Choosing which investment route to take is all about balancing risk and reward.
Investing in physical silver is the most straightforward option: you simply buy a tangible piece of the precious metal in the form of bullion, official coins or medallions. Bullion is a bar or 1 ounce coin of solid silver with at least 99.9 percent purity. Official silver coins are currency produced by a government mint, while silver medallions resemble coins, but lack monetary value, .
The price of physical silver rises and falls alongside the metal's market value. Physical silver is a relatively safe investment, since its value can't be affected by third-party interference or bad business practices (risks characteristic of mining stocks). However, if you plan to trade often, the added costs of buying, selling and storing physical silver may make the investment not worth your while.
Investments in physical silver rose by 8 percent last year, boosted by silver's status as a safe asset and market bullishness on gold. In Australia, coins and medals fabrication increased by 35 percent year-over-year, making physical silver a smart choice for any risk-averse investor.
Of course, low risk often means low reward. If you're looking for a bigger payday, consider investing in silver-mining stocks instead. After all, when silver's market price goes up, it is often the case that the value of a mining stock could spike far higher than that of the physical metal. The disadvantage is that mining stocks are always risky — even when the silver market is strong, a mining endeavour can fail to pan out.
ETFs offer investors the best of both worlds. ETFs are a basket of varied equities, including physical metals and shares in mining companies. Much like individual stocks, they are liable to rise or fall in price according to the market, though they tend to be less risky than stocks.
In 2020, ETF investments were at an all-time-high, though Australia only has one silver ETF that includes the physical precious metal. Stocks are a much more common means of investing in silver in Australia. The country boasts over a dozen silver-mining companies, including South32 and Silver Mines, as well as Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM,TSX:NCM,OTC Pink:NCMGF), Golden Deeps (ASX:GED) and Investigator Resources (ASX:IVR).
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates.
Securities Disclosure: I, Isabel Armiento, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Following international pressure, the Australian government has promised to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
In a last-minute commitment after months of debate, the Australian government has promised to reach net zero emissions by 2050, expecting to meet the goal largely through technology development.
The move comes following international pressure as Australia had previously refused to join countries in pledging to meet the target ahead of the United Nations' COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
However, the plan unveiled on Tuesday (October 26), which includes a government investment of AU$20 billion, does not strengthen the target set for 2030, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying Australia is on track to beat its Paris Agreement goal, cutting emissions by 30 to 35 percent by that decade.
"We will do this the Australian way," Morrison said ahead of a press conference, announcing investments in new energy technologies like hydrogen and low-cost solar.
An Australian hydrogen industry could be worth more than AU$50 billion in 2050, according to the government. Meanwhile, expanding production and processing of metals like lithium, nickel, copper and uranium could together be worth around AU$85 billion in exports in 2050.
That said, Australia will continue to be heavily dependent on fossil fuels as the plan will not shut down coal or gas production. The country is a major coal player, with the third largest reserves in the world, but its reliance on coal-fired power makes it one of the world's largest carbon emitters per capita.
"We want our heavy industries, like mining, to stay open, remain competitive and adapt, so they remain viable for as long as global demand allows," Morrison said. "We will not support any mandate — domestic or international — to force closure of our resources or agricultural industries."
Australia's desire to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 is a step in the right direction, Prakash Sharma, Wood Mackenzie's Asia Pacific head of markets and transitions, said.
"Our analysis shows that Australia can reach net zero emissions by 2050," he said. The country's major trading partners — China, Japan and South Korea — are already in transition towards that goal.
According to Wood Mackenzie, nearly 83 percent of Australia's power generation will come from solar and wind by 2050, as compared to about 20 percent last year. Natural gas, bio energy, geothermal and small modular reactors will supply the remaining 17 percent in power output. Coal into power is expected to be phased out by 2035.
"Although the pathway requires complete transformation of its traditional energy and export sectors, there are significant opportunities to capitalise on and protect future revenues," Sharma said.
"This will require Australia to become a significant player in low-carbon hydrogen trade as well as being able to offer carbon storage and offset services."
Meanwhile, the Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the prime minister's commitment to reach net zero by 2050, but said the mid-century goal is only meaningful with deep cuts to climate pollution this decade.
"Unless the government sets the wheels in motion to cut our emissions in half by 2030, it is making climate change worse and turning its back on the opportunities," said Chief Executive Kelly O'Shanassy.
"Australia can become a global clean energy superpower in the next decade by replacing coal and gas with renewable energy," she added. "We have abundant clean energy, tools and talent, but we cannot delay any longer."
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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