Graphite costs have skilled volatility not too long ago attributable to bottlenecks in demand for electrical autos (EVs).
One main issue specialists are watching proper now’s the commerce battle between China and the US. China’s export restrictions on sure graphite merchandise took impact on December 1, 2023, and require Chinese language exporters to use for particular permits to ship the fabric to international markets.
In Might 2024, the US beneath the Biden administration introduced it could increase tariffs on overseas EVs and batteries. “The tariff fee on pure graphite and everlasting magnets will enhance from zero to 25 % in 2026,” the assertion reads. “The tariff fee for sure different vital minerals will enhance from zero to 25 % in 2024.” With tariff-loving President Donald Trump set to take the reins in January 2025, market watchers imagine these tariffs may grow to be even harsher.
These dynamics will seemingly encourage the event of extra ex-China graphite provide sources.
As Dr. Nils Backeberg, co-founder and director of market intelligence agency Venture Blue, informed the Investing Information Community in December 2023, graphite-mining corporations are already “securing funding from US and EU authorities initiatives to develop their mine initiatives and battery-grade anode materials vegetation to develop provide chains exterior China.”
One other development shaping this market in 2024 has been the growing substitution of pure graphite with artificial in battery anode manufacturing in response to Chinese language exports restrictions and US tariffs on pure graphite. This has led to a lot decrease costs for pure graphite this yr.
In opposition to that backdrop, many Canadian graphite shares have trended downward in 2024. Nonetheless, a number of graphite-focused corporations have seen sturdy performances this yr.
Beneath is a take a look at the yr’s best-performing graphite shares on the TSX, TSXV and CSE. Information was obtained on November 29, 2024, utilizing TradingView’s inventory screener, and all corporations listed had market caps above C$10 million at the moment. Learn on to be taught extra about their work this yr.
1. HydroGraph Clear Energy (CSE:HG)
12 months-to-date acquire: 75 %
Market cap: C$38.95 million
Share worth: C$0.175
HydroGraph Clear Energy produces cost-effective, excessive purity graphene, hydrogen and different strategic nano-materials. Graphene is a pure carbon materials extracted from graphite. It has a myriad of potential functions in lots of industries, comparable to transport, photo voltaic cells, medication, electronics, power, protection and desalination.
HydroGraph has an unique license from Kansas State College to provide each graphene and hydrogen by way of their patented detonation course of.
The corporate’s achievements by way of the yr have had a constructive impression on its share worth. In April, Hydrograph inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Khalifa College of Science and Expertise’s Analysis and Innovation Middle in Graphene and 2D Supplies within the United Arab Emerits to develop and commercialize graphene functions in cement, concrete, lubricants and power storage and composites.
That very same month, the firm introduced that its flagship graphene product, FGA-1, was chosen by {hardware} firm Volfpack Power to be the bottom materials of its supercapacitor expertise aimed toward growing the adoption of renewable power throughout Asia.
Within the following month, HydroGraph secured one other strategic MoU, this time with Gulf Cryo, which supplies industrial, medical and specialty gasoline options within the Center East and Africa area.
Shares of Hydrograph greater than doubled throughout this time interval to a year-to-date excessive of C$0.20 for the primary time on Might 17. The corporate went on to shut on an oversubscribed personal placement totaling C$3.6 million in mid-June.
Though Hydrographs inventory worth dipped again into the C$0.10 to C$0.12 vary for a lot of the third quarter, the corporate had a sequence of recent movement for the autumn that has pushed its worth again in vary with its excessive for the yr.
In late October, Hydrograph prolonged its nanomaterials analysis partnership with the College of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre. The next week, the corporate introduced the companions had made an essential breakthrough with the invention that its FGA-1 graphene product elevated efficiency in bottles with diminished use of non-recycled plastic within the international polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging business.
On November 20, Hydrograph acquired a buy order for analysis portions of 4 novel graphene merchandise from a worldwide automotive business buyer. Automotive composites characterize a big development marketplace for graphene. This was adopted quickly after by the announcement of recent collaborations with Volfpack Power and NEI, a provider of specialty supplies to the battery business.
2. Zentek (TSXV:ZEN)
12 months-to-date acquire: 13.01 %
Market cap: C$174.83 million
Share worth: C$1.65
Zentek is a expertise firm creating graphene-based merchandise for industrial companions. The cornerstone of its mental property portfolio is its patented expertise platform ZenGUARD which has displayed 99 % efficient antimicrobial properties, considerably growing the viral filtration effectivity for surgical masks. The corporate is working to include this expertise into HVAC programs. As well as, Zentek totally owns the rights to the Albany graphite deposit in Ontario, Canada, by way of its subsidiary Albany Graphite.
The corporate’s year-to-date excessive share worth got here early within the yr at C$2.11 on January 8, earlier than it embarking on a gradual however regular declining development for a lot of the yr. This was regardless of constructive information movement together with a distribution settlement with DCL Provide for ZenGuard enhanced air filters; the granting of second US patent for the energetic graphene-based ingredient in its ZenGuard merchandise; the achievement of 99.99915 % purity for a graphite pattern from the Albany graphite deposit; and the launch of constructive preliminary battery outcomes coinciding with the growth of a analysis collaboration with the College of Toronto.
Nonetheless, Zentek’s share worth took a flip for the higher within the fourth quarter of the yr, rising to as excessive as C$1.79 on November 18. This adopted information of growing demand for ZenGuard antimicrobial surgical masks following a Canada-wide sampling program amongst dental professionals.
3. Black Swan Graphene (TSXV:SWAN)
12 months-to-date acquire: 6.25 %
Market cap: C$14.4 million
Share worth: C$0.085
Black Swan Graphene describes itself as an rising powerhouse within the bulk graphene enterprise.
The corporate is a spinout of Mason Sources (TSXV:LLG,OTCQX:MGPHF), which owns the Uatnan graphite challenge in Québec and holds a 39 % stake in Black Swan. Graphite from Uatnan is used to produce Black Swan.
UK-based international chemical compounds producer Thomas Swan & Co. holds a 15 % curiosity in Black Swan, and brings a portfolio of patents and mental property associated to graphene manufacturing. By means of this partnership, Black Swan is constructing out a completely built-in provide chain from mine to graphene merchandise.
Black Swan’s share worth to this point this yr has benefited from the launch of quite a lot of new graphene merchandise, comparable to its GraphCore 01 household of graphene nanoplatelets merchandise. Introduced in April, these merchandise embrace powders and polymer-ready masterbatches designed for the polymer business.
Shares of Black Swan reached their highest year-to-date worth of C$0.15 on June 19 following the announcement of a industrial partnership with superior supplies engineering firm Graphene Composites. It would see Black Swan’s graphene used within the fabrication of GC Defend, a patented ballistic safety expertise.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, maintain no direct funding curiosity in any firm talked about on this article.
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