June 25, 2021
EV and lithium battery markets to experience significant growth

Electrification and decarbonization won’t happen without these 4 metals

2021.06.25 The new “green economy” rejects dirty sources of energy and transportation, namely […]
June 16, 2021

Marvel Discovery Corp: First sample assays at Black Fly contain high-grade and visible gold

Just two weeks into 2021 exploration at its Black Fly gold project near Atikokan, Ontario, Marvel Discovery Corp (TSXV:MARV, FSE: O4T1, IMTFF:OTC PINKS) has already found success in a collection of sample assays reporting high-grade gold and in one batch, visible gold that assayed an impressive 24.3 grams per tonne Au (gold).
June 8, 2021

‘Fully green’ Palladium One advancing sulfide nickel deposit in Ontario, palladium project in Finland

Though rare, there are companies that have nickel sulfide deposits under development. Palladium One’s (TSXV:PDM, FSE: 7N11, OTC:NKORF) Tyko project is located in northwestern Ontario’s Mid-Continent Rift Nickel Province, where previous and current work indicates strong potential for Voisey’s-style (referring to the huge Voisey’s Bay nickel mine in Newfoundland, re-opened in 2020 by Vale) feeder dyke nickel-copper-platinum group element (PGE) mineralization.
June 4, 2021

The future of Canada’s nickel supply isn’t Indonesia

China says it has found a way to make “green” nickel chemical for EV batteries from nickel laterite deposits in Indonesia that could help to alleviate the coming supply deficit in the metal that is essential to electric vehicle batteries.

Don’t be fooled. The process itself is extremely polluting, and ‘ocean tailings ponds’ are anything but green. Thankfully car companies aren’t buying it.

Future nickel supply for battery-making is therefore unlikely to come from Indonesia or anywhere else where nickel laterites are mined.
June 3, 2021

Cashed-up Graphite One advancing Alaska project to prefeasibility with 2021 drill program and new hire

The global supply chain for graphite is severely vulnerable to disruptions due to the near monopolistic nature of the market.

Currently nearly all graphite processing takes place in China because of the ready availability of graphite there, weak environmental standards, and low costs.

Located on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska, Graphite One’s (TSXV:GPH, OTCQB:GPHOF) Graphite Creek property hosts America’s highest-grade large flake deposit.
June 2, 2021

The future of Canada’s nickel supply is NOT Indonesia

AOTH’s favorite nickel junior is Renforth Resources (CSE:RFR, OTC:RFHRF, WKN:A2H9TN), whose Surimeau nickel sulphide project covers an area of about 260 square kilometers south of the Cadillac Break in Quebec, among current and former producing mines.
May 30, 2021

Cypress Development moves closer to advancing Clayton Valley lithium project towards feasibility

One company committed to developing America’s next lithium supply is Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V: CYP) (OTCQB: CYDVF) (Frankfurt: C1Z1), which presently holds a 100% interest in the Clayton Valley lithium project in southwest Nevada.
May 28, 2021

The future of US lithium supply

“The world’s future energy course is being charted today because of the ramifications of peak oil and a need to reduce our carbon footprints.

A whole new industry – a global wide automotive and industrial lithium-ion battery industry – is going to be built.” April 17th 2010, Richard Mills, aheadoftheherd.com
May 16, 2021

Drilling underway at Victory Resources’ Loner property as it looks to unlock value of Nevada assets

One international mining company that is committed to exploring Nevada’s mineral-rich regions is Victory Resources Corp. (CSE: VR) (FWB: VR61) (OTC: VRCFF), which has been actively looking at precious metals opportunities in the state and recently expanded its focus to battery metals.
May 12, 2021

Norden Crown developing Broken Hill Type ‘look-alike’ as investors pump billions into silver & base metals ETFs

As base metals prices continue to attract investor interest, I’m keeping a close eye on juniors like Norden Crown, whose Fredriksson Gruva target, and its resemblance to a Broken Hill Type deposit, appears to have the scale, the grades and the consistency of mineralization to interest a major.
May 11, 2021

Lomiko sharpens focus on green metals with lithium property acquisition

I’m looking forward to seeing what Lomiko has planned for its lithium and graphite properties in Quebec and upcoming shareholder catalysts.
May 8, 2021

Dark side of green

What’s the point of making supposedly “green” battery components when the refining process is so dirty?
April 27, 2021

The case for green economy metals and the companies exploring for them

The United States is back in the fold of countries pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and that is helping to drive demand for an assemblage of metals that a global push to decarbonize and electrify is expected to require.
April 24, 2021

Biden’s Green New Deal

Joe Biden came to power as the 46th US president expecting to spend more on green energy and clean technology. Just how much more is starting to be revealed.
April 19, 2021

Renforth delivers more promising results from Parbec, Surimeau drill programs

Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE: RFR) (OTCQB: RFHRF) (FSE: 9RR) continues to deliver good news for shareholders, this week announcing new assay results for the 2020 drill program on its wholly owned Parbec open-pit constrained gold deposit in Quebec.

Meanwhile, Renforth has also been making significant progress at its Surimeau District property (nickel, copper, zinc), a brownfield project covering an area of 215km2 south of the Cadillac Break among current and former producing mines.
April 17, 2021

Copper: the linchpin of ancient and modern society we need to find a lot more of

The big question is, will there be enough copper for future electrification needs, globally? Plus all the other modern-day uses of copper?

The short answer is no, not without a massive acceleration of copper production worldwide.

Global leaders have set strict decarbonization targets that require green-focused infrastructure built with copper. This, combined with a massive rise in government expenditures and years of underinvestment, has investment bank Goldman Sachs predicting that another commodity super-cycle is on the horizon.

April 15, 2021

Tinka makes tin discovery at Ayawilca project, Peru

Tinka Resources’ (TSX.V:TK, OTCQB:TKRFF) Ayawilca polymetallic project in Peru just got a whole lot more interesting with the discovery of a new tin zone, that is expected to add significant value to what is already the largest zinc development project in Latin America and one of the biggest zinc resources held by a junior explorer.
April 11, 2021

The mounting obstacles to battery/ energy metals supply parity

“The adage of ‘if it can’t be grown it must be mined’ serves as a reminder that electric vehicles, transitional energy, and a green economy start with metals. The supply chain for batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, electric motors, transmission lines, 5G — everything that is needed for a Green Economy starts with metals and mining. Demand for these metals, principally lithium, nickel and cobalt on the battery side and copper, uranium and rare earth elements on the energy side is expected to rise rapidly.”
April 5, 2021

The US has a metals problem

Years of neglecting its critical metal supplies is catching up with the United States, as demand for the raw materials needed to build a new green economy that rejects fossil fuels gears up.
April 2, 2021

Renforth continues to unlock huge VMS/ sulfide nickel system at Surimeau, Quebec

Though early stage, the possibility of widespread sulfide nickel mineralization at Surimeau looks promising. The grades and rock value given here are conservative; the 0.224% Ni used to calculate the rock value of US$41.83 per tonne is based on only three intercepts from three holes drilled at Surimeau, less than 200m. Highlights from summer 2020 grab sampling show grades up to 0.495% Ni. If those grades start showing up in drill core, Renforth could really be onto something.
April 2, 2021

Victory Resources names new CEO as it expands exploration focus to battery metals

As Victory Resources Corp. (CSE: VR) (FWB: VR61) (OTC: VRCFF) continues to scale up mining operations on multiple properties across North America, the company has made a significant management change to reflect its broadening exploration focus that now includes battery metals.
March 27, 2021

Graphite One: America’s climate plan comes down to building domestic critical mineral supply

The common denominator for each countries climate action plan is electric vehicles; that’s easy to identify. But whether economies can acquire sufficient raw materials to reach “full electrification” is another story — it's a problem that has yet to be solved.

For years, the US has been heavily reliant on foreign supply of minerals required for key areas such as national defense, electronics and medical equipment, and its EV sector is no different.

Under Trump’s executive order (September 2020), graphite was identified as one of four minerals considered essential to the nation’s “national security, foreign policy and economy.”
March 25, 2021

ZincX Resources: Critical state of zinc mineral supply places Akie project in spotlight

Unsurprisingly, many of the base metals, which are invaluable to many sectors of the global economy, are found within Canada’s critical minerals list. Among them is zinc, an essential ingredient used to build our roads, bridges, buildings, and cars.

The Akie property is an advanced exploration project with drill indicated resources owned by Vancouver’s ZincX Resources Corp. (TSXV: ZNX).
March 23, 2021

Competition for energy and battery metals intensifying

Goldman Sachs says that the next structural bull market for commodities will be driven by spending on green energy.

The fossil-fueled based transportation system needs to be electrified, and the switch must be made from oil, gas, and coal-powered power plants to those which run on solar, wind and thorium-produced nuclear energy. If we have any hope of cleaning up the planet, before the point of no return, a massive decarbonization needs to take place.

In a recent report, commodities consultancy Wood Mackenzie said an investment of over $1 trillion will be required in key energy transition metals over the next 15 years, just to meet the growing needs of decarbonization.
March 21, 2021

Arctic mines face thawing permafrost disaster

The thawing of permafrost is yet another manifestation of climate change, that populations living near it will have to deal with in the coming decades as global warming accelerates, particularly in the polar regions

Mining is often deemed complicit in the rise of greenhouse gas emissions, given its use of heavy machinery and ground disturbance, but in this case, in areas where the ground is permanently frozen but starting to thaw, operations can be negatively impacted, and big miners are having to shell out millions. We have seen the implications of thawing permafrost at Teck’s Red Dog Mine in Alaska, and at Norilsk Nickel’s Oktyabrsky and Taimyrsky mines in Siberia.

The problem is not going away; in fact, there is every indication it will get worse.
March 20, 2021

Getchell Gold prepares for Phase 1 drill program at Fondaway Canyon

It is not very often that every hole of an exploration drill program returns gold intersections as good as or better than expected, but that is exactly what junior miner Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE:GTCH, OTCQB:GGLDF) has done so far from drilling at its Fondaway Canyon project in the world-famous mining state of Nevada.

Last year’s drilling has already shown that the gold mineralization at Fondaway Canyon is thick and broad, with high-grade intervals that were not accounted for in the company’s geological model. The mineralization remains open, and every indication shows that it could continue.

The significant potential for extensions is likely to be investigated further in this year’s exploration program, as Getchell continues its path towards building ounces at what it believes could be another Carlin-style gold system.
March 19, 2021

Tinka adds Nexa Resources to share register; Ayawilca showing high-grade zinc promise

Peru-focused Tinka Resources (TSXV:TK, OTCP:TKRFF) has the backing of a major player in the Peruvian zinc and silver market, adding significant heft to its flagship Ayawilca zinc-silver play.

Nexa Resources (TSX:NEXA), one of the world’s largest zinc producers, and owner of the only zinc smelter in Peru, purchased 28.895 million common shares from an arms-length shareholder, giving the Luxembourg-based firm an 8.8% stake in Tinka.

The transaction means Tinka Resources now has two major miners as shareholders — the other being Buenaventura SA (NYSE:BVN) — along with JP Morgan UK.
March 16, 2021

Call for domestic mining of critical minerals is finally being answered

North America relies heavily on foreign supplies of critical minerals — the raw materials it needs to become a leader in high technology, transportation, energy, and defense. Materials like lithium, graphite, and tin.

For years, the United States and Canada did not bother to explore for these minerals and build mines. Globalization brought with it the mentality that all countries are free traders, and friends. Dirty mining and processing? NIMBY. Let China do it, let the DRC do it, let whoever do it.

China recognized opportunity knocking and answered the door
March 12, 2021

Renforth excites market with high-grade gold intercept

Renforth Resources (CSE:RFR, OTC:RFHRF, WKN:A2H9TN) continues to make good progress on its Parbec gold project in Quebec, releasing a cache of drill results to the market on Tuesday, March 9.

The highlight from was 21.45 meters grading 5.57 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, between 254.8m and 276.2m meters in hole PAR-20-112. Two higher-grade sub intervals returned 6.27 g/t Au over 16.7m and 37.3 g/t Au over 1m.
March 12, 2021

Copper shortage narrative goes mainstream

Mainstream media and the large mining companies are finally catching on to what we at AOTH have been saying for the past two years: the copper market is heading for a severe supply shortage due to a perfect storm of under-exploration/ lack of discovery of new deposits, clashing with a huge increase in demand due to electrification and decarbonization.

Copper is trading over $4.00 a pound this year on rapidly tightening physical markets, rebounding economic growth especially in China, the top metals consumer, and the expectation that the era of low inflation in key economies may soon be over.
March 6, 2021

Lithium prices take off, graphite demand to surge 9X on EV battery growth

Currently, only 1% of the world’s vehicles are electric, but by 2030 they are expected to represent about 11% of new car sales, according to commodities consultant Wood Mackenzie.

Like lithium, graphite is indispensable to the global shift towards electric vehicles; it is the second-largest component in lithium-ion batteries by weight, with each EV containing between 40 and 60 kg of material.
March 6, 2021

Biden’s massive infrastructure plan might be expensive but well worth it

Is America’s infrastructure spending worth it? So far, the answer would lean towards a yes.

A report published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) this week has validated the nation’s recent success in improving its infrastructure, while justifying the need for additional government spending.
March 3, 2021

Could Norden Crown Metals have discovered a Broken Hill-type deposit?

The presence of BHT mineralization hosted in banded iron formations could be an important characteristic at Fredriksson to trace and find deposits with the potential for scale — something a junior like Norden Crown Metals must be able to demonstrate to a prospective major (or mid-tier) acquirer.
February 27, 2021

Tinka Resources’ Ayawilca project stands to benefit from commodity boom, historic supply squeeze

21.02.27 Industrial metals are on an absolute tear with no signs of slowing […]
February 26, 2021

Graphite One Secures C$10 Million in Financings to Advance Graphite Supply Chain Project

2021.02.26 Looking to advance what would be an integral part of the US […]
February 23, 2021

Commodities and soon Juniors in vogue

2021.02.23 Gold and copper are up, the dollar is down, and bond yields […]
February 18, 2021

ZincX Resources: Developing the world’s next zinc mine

2021.02.18 According to the US Geological Survey, zinc is mined in over 50 […]
February 13, 2021

The bull market hiding in zinc’s shadow inventories

2021.02.13 Despite zinc’s low profile among resource investors, it is the fourth most […]
February 10, 2021

Nickel, graphite to benefit from explosive growth in battery storage market

2021.02.10 The challenges most countries are facing right now are daunting. Not only […]
February 5, 2021

ZincX planning to launch summer drilling at Akie Property in BC

2021.02.05 As the global economic recovery progresses over the next few years, demand […]
December 27, 2020
hand-holdin-gree

Lithium-ion batteries – an overview

2020.12.27 A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is a type of rechargeable battery technology that […]
December 24, 2020
Gas nozzle with one l

Why solar and wind can’t save us

2020.12.24 Recently, British Petroleum (BP) went public in declaring that “peak oil demand” […]
December 19, 2020

Graphite: the mineral flying under the radar during the global electrification push

2020.12.19 For all the talk about the era of “global electrification” and the […]
November 19, 2020

Renforth expands Surimeau polymetallic property, begins drilling

2020.11.19 Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits are one of the richest sources of […]
November 14, 2020

US stands to gain from Chile’s lithium restrictions

2020.11.14 Everybody in the lithium game knows about the lithium triangle. Straddling three […]
October 10, 2020
Graphene molecular nano

America’s graphite vulnerability

2020.10.10 At Ahead of the Herd we’re invested in metals necessary for the […]
September 30, 2020
Tools-for-Geologists

Large potential nickel sulfide and VMS system identified in Quebec

2020.09.30 Some of the largest mines in Canada have been developed from volcanogenic […]
September 10, 2020
Renforth reports additional assay results from Parbec drilling

Renforth poised to drill Parbec, in Quebec’s Cadillac Break

2020-09-10 Cashed up from a recent property sale, Renforth Resources (CSE:RFR) is ready […]
July 9, 2020

Asset investing in Freegold and Cypress

2020.07.09 Are you a speculator or an investor?  A lot of people new […]
June 23, 2020

Gold, copper and silver are must-own metals

2020.06.23 Gold surged on Monday after a spike in coronavirus cases worldwide dashed […]
June 9, 2020

America’s much needed lithium mine

2020.06.09 Things are looking up in the lithium market and producers of the […]
May 16, 2020

Cypress Development Corp. (TSX.V:CYP) Clayton Valley Lithium Project versus Chinese LCE/ EV battery supply

2020.05.16 The pause in industrial activity brought about by the covid-19 crisis has […]
February 12, 2020

The DRC just turned the screws on cobalt supply

2020.02.12 The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is finally doing something about cobalt […]
January 28, 2020

EV predictions show strained metals supply

2020.01.28 One of the most prevalent current trends concerning mined commodities is the […]
December 14, 2019

Demand for battery metals strong despite weak EV sales

2019.12.14 For all the hype over electric vehicles and their relentlessly optimistic growth […]
November 23, 2019

Inomin eyeing monster BC nickel sulphide deposits

2019.11.23 Canada has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the world’s leading […]
November 13, 2019

Over-supplied lithium unlikely to happen to nickel

2019.11.13 An irrefutable truth right now is the global shift towards the electrification […]
November 6, 2019

Australian lithium mines not viable at current prices

2019.11.06 Australia’s Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) said last week it is pausing operations at its […]
November 6, 2019

Is China locking up Indonesian nickel?

2019.11.06 As it has done with cobalt, graphite and rare earths, China appears […]
August 31, 2019

Dark horse nickel continues to gallop

2019.08.31 Indonesia is advancing a 2022 deadline for banning the export of mineral […]
July 25, 2019

Cobalt to share EV battery duties with nickel

2019.07.25 In the spring of 2018 Tesla came out with a bold prediction: […]
June 11, 2019

Cobalt

2019.06.11 Our coverage of the electrification of the transportation system has been focused […]
May 11, 2019

Trade impasse threatens US lithium, rare earth imports

2019.05.11 On Friday the United States made good on its threat to ratchet […]
April 17, 2019

EVs get a boost from Big Auto

2019.04.17 Is the age of the gas-powered automobile coming to an end? Doubtful. […]
March 30, 2019

EV and lithium battery markets to experience significant growth

2019.03.30 In North America, electric vehicles are still a niche market, with most […]
March 8, 2019

Codelco lithium fizzle: Chile’s loss is US’s gain

2019.03.08 The world’s largest copper miner is sticking to what it knows best […]
February 23, 2019

Called for lithium tsunami cancelled

2019.02.23 The prevailing theme for the lithium market over the past several months […]
February 16, 2019

Chilean water fight casts doubt on ‘Saudi Arabia of lithium’

2019.02.16 Everybody in the lithium game knows about the lithium triangle. Straddling three […]
February 14, 2019

Where will the US get its lithium from?

2019.02.14 The lithium bears took another bullet to the backside on Tuesday with […]
February 6, 2019

We have a problem, spodumene

2019.02.06 Over the next four years, lithium from Western Australia is expected to […]
January 29, 2019

Top down bottom up on lithium

2019.01.29 Remember playing that game to see how fast your muscle car could […]
January 15, 2019

Volkswagen to drag Tesla, making EVs in Tennessee

2019.01.15 Watch out Elon Musk, Herbert Diess is pulling up beside you at […]
January 11, 2019

Lithium-ion batteries to become cheapest form of energy storage by 2030

2019.01.11 Lithium-ion batteries find their most common applications in small electric devices, power […]
January 8, 2019

Rare earths deja vu: Chinese crackdown = higher prices

2019.01.08 In a scene awfully familiar to those who follow the rare earths […]
January 8, 2019

Rare earths deja vu: Chinese crackdown = higher prices

2019.01.08 In a scene awfully familiar to those who follow the rare earths […]
December 22, 2018

Bolivia: Where revolutionaries and lithium miners go to die

2018.12.22 Other than being the country where Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara was killed, […]
November 27, 2018

Cypress Development PEA shows rare earth recovery potential

2018.11.27 The devil, or should we say the dollars, are in the details. […]
November 3, 2018

The US needs Cypress’s lithium

2018.11.03 On June 11 Cypress Development Corp (TSXV:CYP) published its resource estimate for its […]
November 3, 2018

A Beautiful Mine

2018.11.03 At the Beijing Auto Show this year, 7 out of 10 “new […]
November 3, 2018

Building the most critical metals mine in America

2018.11.03 In the movie Avatar, humans have depleted their natural resources to the point […]
November 1, 2018

Why the lithium bears are wrong

2018.11.01 Economics has been called “the dismal science” for its conclusions which often […]
October 29, 2018

The EV battery arms race is on

2018.10.29 Chile, the best place to be Access to raw materials at competitive […]
August 9, 2018

Cypress closing in on billion-ton resource in Nevada’s Clayton Valley

2018.08.09 As interest in battery metals continues (it was a major theme at […]
January 12, 2018

How China is locking up critical resources in the US’s own backyard

2018.01.12 In the 1800’s the United States under President James Monroe invoked the […]
January 12, 2018

Lithium Supercycle

2018.01.12 The truth, in regards to the world’s mineral resources, is that we […]
October 23, 2017

Vanadium: The Metal We Can’t Do Without And Don’t Produce

2017.10.23 From swords to jet engines  One of the world’s least known metals […]
October 16, 2017

Lithium Supercycle

2017.10.16 The truth, in regards to the world’s mineral resources, is that we […]
September 17, 2017

Lithium ABC’s

2017-09-17 The Puna plateau sits at an elevation of 4,000m, stretches for 1800 […]
June 29, 2017

The Dawn Of Energy Storage

2017.06.29 Burning fossil fuels releases CO2.   Bloomberg   Carbon emissions from burning […]
June 25, 2017

Vanadium Solves Renewable Energy’s Biggest Challenge

2017.06.25 When looking for an investment your method should involve a thematic approach, […]
April 8, 2017

From Mine To Battery

2017.04.08 Four minerals – chromium, cobalt, manganese and the platinum group metals (PGM) […]
March 4, 2017

Renewable Energy’s Problem and the solution

2017.03.04   The electric vehicle (EV) market, indeed the entire energy storage market, […]
January 28, 2017

Manganese Is Energy Critical

2017.01.28 In 1917 the War Industries Board (WIB) noted that the United States […]
January 1, 1970

Chilean water fight casts doubt on ‘Saudi Arabia of lithium’

As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man […]
January 1, 1970

Nickel

As it has done with cobalt, graphite and rare earths, China appears to […]
January 1, 1970

Exploding Demand for Lithium-ion EV Batteries Puts Cypress Development Corp. In The Driver’s Seat

2018.11.10   In the last 25 years, Lithium-ion batteries have become essential to […]
January 1, 1970

The Most Beautiful Metal

2017.02.23 Vanadium is a soft, silvery gray, ductile transition metal and is the […]
January 1, 1970

Cobalt

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is finally doing something about cobalt mining, […]
January 1, 1970

Permanent magnets primer

Anyone with a passing interest in renewable energy, consumer electronics or electric vehicles […]