In this Rock Stock Recap, we (Howard and Matt) sit down with YJ Lee (Arcane Capital) in Singapore to assess what’s changed in the lithium market—and why this rally looks different from the false starts investors have seen before.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

On the demand side, YJ outlines a more aggressive view of lithium consumption growth—driven by ESS, electrified trucking, and a widening set of electrification use cases—while Matt frames the near-term through a fundamentals lens and highlights where market expectations can get ahead of reality. We then turn to supply: what “latent supply” really means, the pace of growth in Chile (including SQM), Argentina, China, Africa, and Australia, and why conversion capacity is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck versus mined supply over time.

We close with a focused discussion on silver: the structural deficit driven by solar demand, the tension between physical and paper markets, and why this may be a useful analog for how deficit commodities can behave over longer periods.

Topics covered include: lithium price, lithium inventories, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, China lithium market, battery energy storage (BESS/ESS), grid storage, EV battery demand, electric trucks, critical minerals, supply/demand balance, conversion capacity, SQM, Argentina lithium, Africa lithium, and silver market deficits.

- 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).

- 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 panel discussion, I (Howard Klein) moderate a conversation on how Nevada is positioning itself as a leading U.S. hub for domestic lithium supply—linking mining, refining, battery production, and recycling into a more integrated “closed-loop” ecosystem.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

- Melanie Sheldon (Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development) on why Nevada is uniquely active across the full lithium value chain, and how the state supports projects through workforce development, incentives, and a mature permitting environment.

- John Evans (Lithium Americas) on Thacker Pass—construction status, the GM joint venture, financing realities, and what it takes to build large-scale lithium projects through commodity cycles.

- James Calaway (Ioneer) on Rhyolite Ridge—project readiness, the role of DOE financing, and how co-producing boric acid can materially improve the project’s cost position.

- Ryan Melsert (American Battery Technology Company) on pairing battery recycling with primary lithium production—why both are needed, how recycling can support earlier cash flow, and the pathway from demonstration to commercial scale.

We also cover the broader market and policy context: lithium’s boom-bust dynamics, the scale of North American battery buildout versus available domestic supply, and how U.S. industrial policy is evolving across administrations—especially around permitting, DOE programs, and the competitive landscape with China.

Topics include: Nevada lithium, Thacker Pass, Rhyolite Ridge, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, battery recycling, critical minerals policy, DOE Loan Programs Office, EV supply chain, U.S. battery manufacturing, and China competition.

#Lithium #Nevada #CriticalMinerals #BatteryRecycling #EVSupplyChain #ThackerPass #RhyoliteRidge #LithiumAmericas #Ioneer #ABTC

- 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).

- 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 episode, we (Howard and Matt) step outside Washington to examine how China approaches batteries, critical minerals, and supply chain strategy from the inside. Our guest is Henry Sanderson—former China-based journalist (including at the Financial Times) and author of Volt Rush—who brings on-the-ground perspective on how Chinese industrial policy, corporate competition, and capital allocation actually work in practice.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

From the U.S. perspective, we explore what is realistically achievable in critical minerals processing, cathodes, anodes, batteries, graphite, and rare earth magnets over the next few years, and where timelines are likely to extend toward the end of the decade. We also look at why the demand narrative is shifting from “EV-only” toward grid reliability, energy storage (ESS), data centers, and AI infrastructure, and what that means for lithium and battery supply chain resilience.

- 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).

- 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 episode of Rock Stock Channel, we (Howard and Rodney) sit down with Chris Evans (CEO, Winsome Resources) and Francis MacDonald (CEO, Li-FT Power) to walk through the recently announced scheme of arrangement to merge Winsome and Li-FT.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

Rather than rehashing the press release, we focus on what shareholders and lithium investors are debating most: the strategic logic for full consolidation, what changes when Adina and the adjoining ground are brought together, and why capital certainty, permitting execution, and governance matter at this point in the lithium cycle—especially for high-quality Quebec spodumene development projects.

Key topics we cover:

- Why a merger (vs. JV): Francis explains the technical rationale for consolidating the land package and removing boundary constraints to potentially unlock greater pit scale and development flexibility.

- 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).

- 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 episode, Howard, Matt, and Rodney sit down with Ernie Ortiz (CEO, Lithium Royalty Corp) and Ofer Amir (Clean Elements family office) to discuss why sentiment and pricing changed so sharply in 2025, and why the next leg of the lithium cycle may be driven less by EV headlines and more by battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

- Why energy storage demand is becoming a primary driver for lithium (and why carbonate/LFP matters)

- 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).

- 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 December 2025 episode of the Recharge Podcast, we (Matt Fernley, editor of Battery Materials Review, and Cormac O’Laoire, MD of Electrios Energy) break down the key developments shaping the battery supply chain as we head into 2026.

Chapters

We also look at near-term supply dynamics in China, including the situation around CATL’s lithium asset and what low-grade resources mean for cost and production decisions. On technology, we use NIO’s 150 kWh semi-solid pack as a real-world case study for the current economics of semi-solid and solid-state batteries, and where those technologies may find early adoption (including aviation and low-altitude electric flight).

Finally, we review the latest signals on battery costs—including pack prices around $108/kWh and recent indications of cell price increases tied to lithium carbonate and cobalt. We then shift to BESS (battery energy storage systems): strong shipment momentum, project delays, inventory build concerns, and why we see energy storage becoming increasingly strategic infrastructure—especially as utilities, grids, and data center demand accelerate.

We close with what we’re watching for 2026: lithium price sensitivity, the economics of longer-duration storage, and when alternatives like sodium-ion and flow batteries could become more competitive.

Topics covered: Lithium demand forecasts • EV battery size trends • China lithium supply • CATL • Semi-solid & solid-state batteries • Battery pack pricing • LFP • Gigafactory competitiveness • BESS installations vs shipments • Grid storage economics • Long-duration storage • Sodium-ion • Flow batteries

- 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).

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

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

_________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER

NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

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

Intro and outro audio credit: Jamie Klein

In this episode, Howard and Matt speak with Richard Seville, Executive Chairman of Advanced Energy Minerals (AEM), ahead of the company’s planned ASX listing (ticker: AEM).

(00:00) Introduction

Richard is best known in the lithium industry for founding and leading Orocobre, taking it from a sub–$25m market cap IPO through project build-out, major corporate combinations, and ultimately to a transaction involving a global major. In this interview, we focus on AEM’s strategy in high purity alumina (HPA)—a niche but important industrial material used in sapphire/LED substrates, semiconductors, and emerging battery applications.

- 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).

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

In this episode, we’re joined by Keith Phillips for a wide-ranging, data-driven discussion on lithium markets, battery economics, and critical minerals strategy as 2026 approaches.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

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

From there, we analyze near-term lithium price drivers, including delays to Chinese supply restarts, seasonal demand patterns, and the growing role of energy storage systems (ESS). We examine battery technology trends, including semi-solid and solid-state batteries, falling battery costs, and what consumer price sensitivity means for EV adoption, battery size, and lithium intensity.

The conversation also tackles a critical forecasting issue: whether lithium demand is being overstated due to unrealistic assumptions around battery chemistry and average EV battery size. We compare LFP, mid-nickel, and high-nickel batteries, and discuss how China’s mass-market EV model differs from Western assumptions.

Keith shares insights from his experience as a former lithium CEO, including how to evaluate lithium projects, the importance of location and permitting timelines, the realities of offtake agreements versus spot sales, and how government funding and capital markets shape project outcomes. We also discuss Quebec’s growing role in hard-rock lithium, Q2 Metals’ Cisco project, Rio Tinto’s conversion strategy, and the outlook for permitting reform in Canada.

We close with a market update on recent deals, including Power Metals and Surge Battery Materials, and discuss where institutional interest in lithium may return as prices stabilize and policy priorities shift.

This episode is designed for investors, industry professionals, and policymakers looking for a clear, grounded view of lithium markets, battery economics, and the strategic decisions shaping the next phase of the energy transition.

- 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).

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

We've released a major new RK Equity policy white paper:

The USA Strategic Lithium Reserve

Read the full white paper here: https://blog.rkequity.com/2025/12/08/strategic-lithium-reserve/ 

Lithium prices have swung 10–15× in the past two cycles, driven largely by China’s dominance of chemical conversion. This volatility makes it extremely difficult for Western projects—no matter the geology or management—to reach Final Investment Decision.

After the House critical minerals hearings this fall, one important idea was missing from the policy conversation:

A Strategic Lithium Reserve — an SPR-style buffer for lithium.

The SLR is simple and market-driven:

And critically:

This can begin within months at today’s low prices.

The white paper outlines the cost model ($3–7B) and how a three-phase implementation could stabilize the market and diversify supply chains across the Western Hemisphere.

If you find the analysis valuable, please share it with colleagues in policy, industry, or the investment community. Your support helps bring this idea into the national conversation.

Thanks for reading,

The discussion opens with a detailed assessment of Rio Tinto's Lithium Strategy Day—its updated demand outlook, cost assumptions, expansion plans in Argentina and Canada, and the organizational shift aligning lithium with the aluminum division. Howard and Matt examine implications for hard-rock supply, brine dominance, and potential M&A in Quebec.

(00:37:14) 121: NOA Lithium Brines

The conversation then turns to Q2 Metals and its standout drill results at the Cisco Project, which we see as one of the strongest hard-rock intercepts in recent years. Matt explains why the geology, scale, metallurgy, and infrastructure advantages could differentiate Cisco from other Canadian projects. We also discuss lithium brine dynamics—especially in Argentina—highlighting growing interest from major producers and why standalone brine assets may be increasingly scarce and undervalued.

We also analyze Europe's shifting approach to critical minerals, including recent EU-backed financing for lithium projects and the continent's push to secure its own battery materials supply chain despite limited upstream resources. We close with a broader view across critical minerals: tightening physical silver markets, the strategic significance of heavy rare earths, and copper's central role in electrification, AI infrastructure, and energy transition technologies.

At the end of the video, viewers will also find a separate 121 panel discussion featuring NOA Lithium Brines, Q2 Metals, and Hawke's Point Capital, where the panel explores lithium brine development in Argentina, early-stage discovery value in Quebec, permitting pathways, jurisdictional dynamics, and investor perspectives on project economics and global critical minerals supply chains.

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

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