Dmitry Silversteyn, Senior Research Analyst of Water Tower Research joins in discussion with Howard Klein and Matt Fernley to break down the latest lithium market trends, rare earths outlook, critical minerals investing, and the geopolitical forces shaping commodity stocks. They cover spodumene prices, rare earth supply chains, China dependency, US and Western reshoring, energy security, and why critical minerals equities are lagging underlying commodity prices.

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This episode is essential viewing for anyone following lithium stocks, rare earth stocks, battery metals, energy transition investing, and global macro trends affecting mining and resource markets.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

Sponsors

Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC)  

USCF Investments  

Links

Sign up for the Lithium-Ion Bull newsletter / Matt’s blogs:  

Questions:  

Patreon:  

Podcast  

Follow us on X (Twitter):

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Howard, Matt, and Rodney are not financial advisors or broker-dealers. This video is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please conduct your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity’s website: https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

Howard Klein and Matt Fernley interview Bruce Richardson, Executive Chairman and CEO of Anson Resources, for an update on the company’s Green River Lithium Project in Utah.

The conversation covers direct lithium extraction (DLE), PFS timing, funding options, and Anson’s position within the developing US critical minerals supply chain. Bruce also discusses recent DLE test work, the significance of low-impurity brine, potential cost advantages at Green River, Utah permitting progress, DOE funding opportunities, and relationships with POSCO and Aquatech. The interview also includes updates on the Paradox Lithium Project and Yellow Cat.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

Sponsors

Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC)  

USCF Investments  

Links

Sign up for the Lithium-Ion Bull newsletter / Matt’s blogs:  

Questions:  

Patreon:  

Podcast  

Follow us on X (Twitter):

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Howard, Matt, and Rodney are not financial advisors or broker-dealers. This video is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please conduct your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity’s website: https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

Iran War shocks commodities—lithium deals surge while supply risks grow.

In this Rock Stock Recap, Howard Klein, Matt Fernley and Rodney Hooper break down how Middle East tensions are impacting global commodities, from sulfur bottlenecks to delayed oil supply recovery. We also dive into major lithium deals, China vs West supply dynamics, and what it all means for EVs, inflation, and future markets.

At the end of our discussion, we've attached an update chat with Q2 Metals following their most recent press release including new spodumene hits and an extended MRE delivery date.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Strategic Lithium Reserve (SLR) White Paper: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

Jonathan Evans, CEO of Lithium Americas, discusses the development of Thacker Pass — one of the most significant lithium projects under construction in North America.

Howard Klein and Jonathan walk through the economics, financing, and execution strategy behind Thacker Pass, including the role of strategic partners such as General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy loan facility supporting the project.

Jonathan explains how Lithium Americas plans to scale production of battery-grade lithium carbonate, why the company chose carbonate rather than hydroxide as its initial product, and how the project’s process technology has been validated over multiple engineering and pilot stages.

We also discuss the broader context shaping the lithium market today — including EV demand, grid-scale batteries, supply chain security, and the growing role of batteries in supporting power demand from data centers and AI infrastructure.

Topics covered include:

- The construction timeline and ramp-up plan for Thacker Pass

For investors and industry observers, Thacker Pass represents a case study in building large-scale critical mineral supply in the United States — from permitting and engineering to financing and construction.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Thacker Pass Overview

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Strategic Lithium Reserve (SLR) White Paper: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

In March 2026's Recharge podcast, co-presenters Matt Fernley (RK Equity/Battery Materials Review) and Cormac O'Laoire (Electrios Energy) discuss key developments along the battery supply chain, including:

• Sodium-ion scaling and hybrid pack strategies emerging from Battery Show Asia

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

Links

- Read Matt's research blog: https://blog.rkequity.com/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Matt and Cormac are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Iola Hughes, Head of Research at Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, discusses the 2026 EV and battery energy storage system (BESS) outlook.

Register for Benchmark GigaUSA 2026: https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/events/giga-usa

From our perspective, this was a timely conversation. Iola recently published Benchmark’s latest outlook, forecasting overall battery demand growth of roughly 16.5% in 2026 to more than 2 terawatt-hours, following strong growth in the prior year. We wanted to dig into what is driving that forecast, where the differences are between EV and BESS demand, and how current market conditions are shaping the battery materials landscape.

Matt Fernley focuses on Benchmark’s methodology, including the distinction between battery installations and shipments, the impact of inventory build in the BESS market, and how lithium prices affect storage economics across China, the US and Europe. Rodney Hooper examines China EV demand, export pressure on western automakers, the outlook for plug-in hybrids and range extenders, and the competitive position of European OEMs. Howard Klein frames the broader discussion around geopolitics, power prices, energy security and how crises can accelerate solar and storage adoption.

We also cover:

- 2026 battery demand forecast

This interview should be useful for investors, battery materials developers, EV supply chain participants and anyone following lithium, LFP, battery storage, critical minerals and the future of electrification.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Sign up for the Lithium-Ion Bull newsletter/Matt's Blogs: https://rkequity.com/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

Rock Stock Recap breaks down the biggest market-moving trends in critical minerals, battery materials, and global supply chains. In this episode, Howard Klein, Matt Fernley, and Rodney Hooper discuss how the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions could impact sulfur, sulfuric acid, aluminum, bauxite, graphite, rare earths, EVs, and lithium markets.

The conversation covers why sulfur may be the most overlooked supply chain risk, how aluminum smelters could face major disruption, and why bauxite could become a more interesting investment theme. The team also explores China’s latest five-year plan, the outlook for rare earth demand driven by robotics, drones, and defense, and what slowing Chinese EV sales could mean for global battery materials demand. The episode closes with a lithium market update, including spodumene pricing, upstream shortages, and recent strategic offtake activity.

If you follow lithium stocks, rare earth stocks, aluminum markets, EV supply chains, battery metals, or China industrial policy, this episode is packed with timely insights.

Topics covered:

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Strategic Lithium Reserve (SLR) White Paper: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

Alex Grant (Big Lithium) discusses direct lithium extraction (DLE), US lithium project financing, and the growing strategic importance of magnesium in Western supply chains.

Alex Interview on HyperChange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Aa1BD7a9s

Alex was an early advocate of DLE through his work with Lilac Solutions, Vulcan Energy and other advanced lithium projects. Howard Klein and Matt Fernley ask him where DLE stands today as projects in Arkansas, Argentina and Europe move closer to final investment decisions, and whether the next few years will prove the commercial case for unconventional brine resources.

We also examine the key issues shaping lithium markets and critical minerals policy:

A major part of the conversation focuses on the shift in critical minerals narratives from decarbonization toward national security, defense manufacturing and AI infrastructure. Alex explains why he believes many large-scale lithium and processing projects are effectively becoming state-backed strategic assets rather than purely market-driven developments.

In the second half, we discuss Alex’s current venture, Magrathea, and why magnesium may be one of the most underappreciated critical materials in the Western industrial base. He outlines the company’s technology, funding history, Pentagon support, Arkansas joint venture plans, and the broader case for rebuilding domestic magnesium production in the US.

Topics covered include:

This conversation is intended for investors, operators and policymakers following lithium, battery materials, critical minerals, energy security and US industrial strategy.

Chapters

(00:00) Alex Grant And DLE

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Strategic Lithium Reserve (SLR) White Paper: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

In this Rock Stock Recap, Howard Klein and Matt Fernley share their key takeaways from PDAC 2026 in Toronto, the world’s largest mining conference and one of the most important annual gatherings for the global mining, lithium, and critical minerals industry.

After several days meeting with mining companies, investors, policymakers, and analysts, we discuss the major themes emerging from the conference - including the growing geopolitical importance of critical minerals, government policy support for new projects, and the evolving outlook for the lithium market and battery supply chain.

We examine recent announcements from the Canadian government aimed at accelerating investment in critical minerals development, as well as the role Canada could play in strengthening Western supply chains for lithium, phosphate, graphite, and other battery metals. We also discuss the disconnect between strong long-term demand expectations and recent volatility in lithium equities, including market reactions to EV demand data and broader geopolitical developments.

From a market perspective, we cover several key issues currently shaping the sector:

- The outlook for lithium demand and supply over the coming decades

We also discuss how governments - particularly in North America - are increasingly viewing battery supply chains as strategic infrastructure, with implications for defense, energy security, and the global technology race.

Following our discussion, the video includes a series of short interviews recorded at PDAC with several companies active in the critical minerals and battery metals sector, including:

- Q2 Metals

These interviews provide additional insights directly from companies developing projects across the lithium, battery metals, and critical minerals ecosystem.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

Sponsors

- Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) - diversified lithium royalty portfolio.

- USCF Investments - commodity-focused ETFs (e.g., CPER copper, ZSB battery metals, USG gold, SDCI diversified commodities).

Links

- Strategic Lithium Reserve (SLR) White Paper: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/

Have a question? Drop us an email: [email protected]

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

Howard, Matt and Rodney are not financial advisors nor broker-dealers, this video is for information purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Please do your own independent research and read the disclaimer at the end of the video or on RK Equity's website https://www.rkequity.com

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

High Purity Alumina (HPA) Explained: Uses, Market Growth, Supply, and Investment Opportunities

High Purity Alumina (HPA) is one of the most critical materials powering modern technology—from LEDs and semiconductors to lithium-ion batteries and AI infrastructure. Yet, it remains widely misunderstood by investors.

In this episode of Rock Stock University, commodity strategist Matt Fernley and investor Ben Hammond explain what HPA is, why purity matters, how it's made, and why demand could surge in the coming decade. Learn how China dominates supply, why Western markets may face shortages, and what this means for future prices and investment opportunities.

Whether you're an investor, student, or interested in critical minerals, battery materials, or semiconductor supply chains, this video provides a clear and practical introduction to High Purity Alumina.

CHAPTERS

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS VIDEO

FEATURED HOSTS

Matt Fernley

Ben Hammond

LEARN MORE

RK Equity: https://rkequity.com/