Paydirt by name, patience by nature
The Equities Club team scouts for potential at the Paydirt Battery Minerals Conference in Perth
This week, we joined miners, explorers, and industry experts at the Paydirt Battery Minerals conference in Perth. This conference spotlights the essential building blocks of Industrial Revolution 4.0. With global demand for these critical minerals set to skyrocket, we were keen to connect with companies, hear the latest insights, and scout for the next wave of potential investments.
We were able to listen to a fair few company presentations, speak with company directors, government officials and, most importantly, get a feel for the sector.
Presentations that caught our eye
FireFly Metals (ASX: FFM), a company we covered back in February, continues to impress. Their share price has climbed 60% since then, and they've made significant strides. They’ve had some great copper drill results, raised a heap of cash to continue exploration and development, and secured port access in Canada.
Atlantic Lithium (ASX: A11) caught our team's eye with their lithium deposit in Ghana. Sure, investing in West Africa isn’t for everyone, but A11 presents a compelling story. Their resource is growing, and they're in negotiations with five potential funders for their mine development.
Lindian Resources (ASX: LIN) is touted as the next rare earth producer. Their Malawian deposit, Kangankunde, is being hailed as the most significant rare earth discoveries this century, based on size and grade. Again, investing in Africa carries its own set of risks. But LIN does look to have a world-class deposit and the necessary in-country approvals – they just need to secure funding for construction.
The conference vibe
The overall sentiment of the conference echoed the challenging market conditions. We all know the space is facing headwinds: raising capital is tough, and attracting new investors is even tougher.
Every company director we spoke with acknowledged this reality, which is a good sign for investors as capital spending seems to have tightened. Yet, every director also expressed confidence that the market will turn in time.
For the Equities Club team, our takeaway was the need for careful evaluation. There are many opportunities out there, but we must prioritise quality over hype. Before investing heavily in a project, we need to truly believe in its potential.
While this conference didn't reveal a 'must-buy' opportunity for us, we know from experience that the next big runner could be just around the corner.