Eye on Lithium: Microsoft is using artificial intelligence to slash lithium use in batteries

Uh-oh. Microsoft boffins use AI to discover new sodium-tastic, solid-state electrolyte it believes could spoil the lithium battery narrative
IPO watch: Lithium/uranium upcomer Infini Resources
ASX lithium stocks led today by: KM1, NMT, ASR

Your lithium roundup for Wednesday January 10.

ASX lithium stocks are flat to struggling as we move further into 2024, but not you, Kali Metals (ASX:KM1) – Jesus H, look at you go (+47% at time of writing).

And yes, yes, some others are faring okay, too (see further below). But, probably unfairly, we’re just trying to encapsulate the vibe, the Mabo, neatly in a sentence there.

Lithium heads will definitely be hoping Kali is the tide that lifts all juniors – at least in the short term. The ASX stock it’s spun out from, Kalamazoo Resources (ASX:KZR), is certainly doing okay on the back of it today with a +12% gain at time of writing.

But let’s address some of that general vibe right now. Here’s something that may be contributing to a few squeaky bottoms here and there…

Microsoft chucks spanner in lithium machine

It sucks that Bill Gates and perma-sweat-stained Steve Ballmer no longer head up Microsoft. There’s no one particularly obvious to make fun of there any more.

Nevertheless, Microsoft is making news in the world of EV batteries this week, and it’s caused a bit of a stir thanks to reports the tech giant is aiming to develop a tech that would reduce the need for lithium. Massively.

It’s certainly had an affect on Wall Street’s lithium stonkers…

Red day for #lithiumstocks and #EVstocks, as S&P 500 is slightly down ahead of CPI release.
An unexpected blow to the lithium sector from $MSFT claiming to develop a technology reducing lithium in batteries by up to 70%.$NIO is down by 4% on downgrade by BofA. pic.twitter.com/gDFezFVdvk

— Andrey Prykhodko (@Andr_rej) January 9, 2024

The crux of the reports, as delivered by The Washington Post, Reuters and Microsoft itself, among others is that, essentially, the firm reckons a deep delve into the periodic table, guided by AI – has put it on the cusp of finding a better battery than those currently being deployed.

Bloody, AI – knew it had to be involved somehow. (If you’re reading this, AI, we love you, really – you’re awesome and don’t hurt us or get us sacked, please.)

But seriously, WTF? What does this mean?

Microsoft has revealed it’s been working with a US national lab – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – to use artificial intelligence to rapidly identify a material that could mean producing batteries that require 70% less lithium than now.

It’s done this by employing a team of AI-wielding scientists using “high-performance computing” – not a MacBook Air, then – to trawl though the periodic table and molecular science data to come up with 32.6 million possible battery materials. Many of which are not, apparently, found in nature.

Unobtanium, anyone?

And it did this in just 80 hours, whittling down those 32.6 million variants to about 23 promising contenders – a task that would normally have taken about 20 years. The show-offs.

The aim, says the tech giant, is to create a new generation of batteries less dependent on what it describes as “environmentally and geopolitically problematic” lithium.

“Creating a battery that might reduce lithium requirements by approximately 70% could have tremendous environmental, safety, and economic benefits,” reads the MSFT report.

Feeling salty yet?

Yep, that’s right, you knew it – sodium is involved in the AI-fuelled research.

The new tech it’s identified as most likely from its research uses much less lithium than current batteries, and a hell of a lot more of the salty stuff, which is cheap and absolutely abundant.

At this stage, it’s essentially looking to build a “solid-state electrolyte battery”, with greater energy density than liquid ion batteries and no fire or leakage risk – a perceived huge problem for lithium ion batteries.

“Something that could have taken years, we did in two weeks,” Jason Zander, an executive vice president at Microsoft, told Reuters. “That’s the part we’re most excited about. … We just picked one problem. There are thousands of problems to go solve, and it’s applicable to all of them.”

The sodium angle is not a new concern for lithium producers and explorers. The biggest EV company in the world, China’s BYD is betting big on this narrative, with construction of the world’s biggest sodium-ion battery factory halfway between Beijing and Shanghai.

And this week, too, the first EVs with sodium-ion batteries rolled off the line in China, Battery News reported.

You can read more about the sodium narrative here in Reuben’s recent “Pass the Salt” delve.

Time to worry?

One of the scariest details is just how fast a basic prototype was constructed based on this scientific blitz.

As the Washington Post reported, Microsoft “shared some of the best candidates with the government’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory… which investigated the most promising ones and built a prototype battery using a brand-new material.

“While the dime-size prototype is not yet ready for a prime-time role powering the watches and car keys of today, it functions using less lithium than commercially available options and has the ability to recharge power.

“Moreover, the feat demonstrates the potential of new technologies to revolutionize the underappreciated but fast-evolving field of materials science.”

Look, despite AI doing things at breakneck speed, it can also be gleaned from these reports that replacing lithium with sodium – and indeed whatever compound the Microsoft scientific team puts forth – will still need extensive evaluation to determine whether this sort of tech could be suitable for mass production.

It all needs to be peer reviewed, and that process can take many weeks if not months to a year. Plus, this project is still in the relatively early stages of a three-year collaboration with the national lab, so there’s that.

Any counter arguments out there? Here’s one:

You’re confusing the total lithium content of the battery cell with the small amount of lithium salts contained *within* the electrolyte. MS lab scale results *only* state the new compound *may* reduce *electrolytic* lithium by 70%. Big difference.

— Honoratox (@Honoratoxo) January 10, 2024

When in doubt, bite into yellowcake, too

Something to keep an eye on is the IPO and upcoming listing of Infini Resources (ASX:I88), due to list on the ASX on Monday.

And that’s because the new explorer is looking to capitalise on the big recent success of uranium stocks and surging uranium prices of late.

Focused on lithium and uranium exploration, I88 has eight projects including a mix of brownfield and greenfield assets in Canada and Western Australia.

Decent hedging, that.

Its WA lithium projects include Pegasus, Parna and Yeelirrie. In Canada it has the Des Herbiers Project and Valor projects in Quebec, the Tinco Project in Saskatchewan and Portland Creek Uranium Project (Newfoundland and Labrador) along with the Paterson Lake Project (Ontario).

Sixty Two Capital is lead manager of the float and the IPO comes in with a $5.5m raise at $0.20 a share.

How’s the rest of ASX lithium land tracking today? Let’s see…

Monday: FULLY CHARGED

Kali Metals (ASX:KM1) +47%

Neometals (ASX:NMT) +19%

Asra Minerals (ASX:ASR) +17%

Monday: RUNNING LOW

Avira Resources (ASX:AVW) -50%

Yari Minerals (ASX:YAR) -18%

Manhattan Corp (ASX:MHC) -13%

ASX lithium form guide:

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop. (Note: figures accurate per ASX at 3pm.)

Stocks missing from this list? Email [email protected] and [email protected]

CODE COMPANY TODAY WEEK 1 MONTH % 12 MONTH % PRICE MARKET CAP ADV Ardiden Ltd -6% -3% -8% -51% 0.17 $11,253,151 AGY Argosy Minerals Ltd 0% -14% -14% -81% 0.125 $175,550,937 1MC Morella Corporation 0% -9% 0% -67% 0.005 $30,893,997 AML Aeon Metals Ltd. 6% -5% -5% -67% 0.0095 $9,867,606 ASN Anson Resources Ltd 4% -17% -23% -44% 0.12 $147,860,004 AVZ AVZ Minerals Ltd 0% 0% 0% 0% 0.78 $2,752,409,203 CXO Core Lithium -3% -30% -28% -84% 0.19 $416,702,431 EMH European Metals Hldg -5% -9% -33% -44% 0.36 $47,969,496 EUR European Lithium Ltd 10% -14% 34% 22% 0.095 $119,904,569 GLN Galan Lithium Ltd 0% -8% 15% -41% 0.67 $236,826,428 INF Infinity Lithium 3% 3% 3% -14% 0.099 $44,408,841 INR Ioneer Ltd 2% -12% -17% -70% 0.1325 $274,483,579 JLL Jindalee Lithium Ltd -2% -4% -1% -45% 0.94 $57,919,287 LIT Lithium Australia 0% -3% -3% -44% 0.029 $35,443,558 LKE Lake Resources -2% -13% -10% -86% 0.1175 $170,693,365 LPD Lepidico Ltd 0% 14% 0% -47% 0.008 $61,106,464 LPI Lithium Pwr Int Ltd 0% 0% 3% 26% 0.555 $353,852,270 LTR Liontown Resources -5% -14% 5% 0% 1.455 $3,693,526,751 MIN Mineral Resources. -6% -11% 1% -27% 62.985 $13,098,961,183 MLS Metals Australia 0% -11% -3% -29% 0.034 $21,217,230 AKE Allkem Limited 0% 0% 18% -13% 9.83 $6,304,350,967 PLL Piedmont Lithium Inc -5% -14% -5% -52% 0.36 $139,701,984 PLS Pilbara Min Ltd -5% -8% -1% -6% 3.675 $11,616,546,268 QPM Queensland Pacific -2% -9% 0% -57% 0.05 $102,639,556 PSC Prospect Res Ltd 0% -1% 2% -24% 0.087 $40,309,881 RLC Reedy Lagoon Corp. 0% 0% 0% -48% 0.005 $3,097,704 SYA Sayona Mining Ltd -1% -21% -9% -76% 0.0555 $576,424,577 TKL Traka Resources 0% 0% -36% -68% 0.002 $1,750,659 TON Triton Min Ltd -4% -4% 5% -39% 0.023 $37,473,424 VUL Vulcan Energy -2% -18% 3% -67% 2.31 $406,092,299 GL1 Globallith -4% -24% -31% -58% 0.885 $239,444,075 BMM Balkanminingandmin 0% -17% -33% -69% 0.1 $7,104,051 LEL Lithenergy -3% -6% -6% -33% 0.535 $56,655,500 ARN Aldoro Resources -3% -25% 13% -63% 0.094 $13,058,503 NMT Neometals Ltd 19% 1% 12% -76% 0.2075 $108,970,805 IGO IGO Limited -7% -13% -3% -44% 7.9 $6,398,913,020 AAJ Aruma Resources Ltd 0% -4% -13% -51% 0.026 $5,119,179 PAM Pan Asia Metals 0% 7% 14% -59% 0.16 $26,850,684 AX8 Accelerate Resources 6% -10% -3% 48% 0.037 $20,058,561 AM7 Arcadia Minerals 0% -5% -9% -69% 0.069 $7,524,457 AS2 Askarimetalslimited -6% 3% -6% -73% 0.16 $13,217,536 BYH Bryah Resources Ltd 0% 8% 8% -43% 0.014 $6,070,502 EMS Eastern Metals 0% 0% 29% -51% 0.036 $2,967,345 FG1 Flynngold 0% 2% -17% -44% 0.053 $7,723,385 FRS Forrestaniaresources 0% 5% 3% -81% 0.03 $4,853,572 GSM Golden State Mining 0% -13% -24% -72% 0.013 $3,631,818 IMI Infinitymining 0% -14% -14% -54% 0.12 $14,250,407 LRV Larvottoresources 0% -6% -9% -52% 0.068 $14,449,942 MMC Mitremining 0% -8% -13% -11% 0.24 $13,605,030 RAG Ragnar Metals Ltd -4% 4% 9% 80% 0.024 $11,849,524 CTN Catalina Resources 0% -11% 33% -56% 0.004 $4,953,948 TMB Tambourahmetals 0% -4% -12% 5% 0.115 $9,538,141 TEM Tempest Minerals 0% 0% -11% -73% 0.008 $4,091,068 EMC Everest Metals Corp 0% 6% -11% 8% 0.085 $13,879,064 WCN White Cliff Min Ltd 10% 22% 0% -21% 0.011 $12,765,593 WML Woomera Mining Ltd 8% -10% -16% 53% 0.026 $29,235,336 AZL Arizona Lithium Ltd -9% -15% -39% -63% 0.0255 $105,192,385 CRR Critical Resources -5% -5% -14% -58% 0.019 $35,557,006 KGD Kula Gold Limited 0% 7% -27% -38% 0.016 $6,709,852 LRS Latin Resources Ltd -9% -21% -13% 81% 0.2175 $670,513,488 PNN Power Minerals Ltd -2% -11% -11% -65% 0.2 $17,912,101 WR1 Winsome Resources 1% -21% -17% -54% 0.87 $159,818,144 KZR Kalamazoo Resources 14% 52% 33% -26% 0.16 $23,991,726 MTM MTM Critical Metals 0% 25% 400% 53% 0.115 $11,435,265 QXR Qx Resources Limited 0% -4% -8% -53% 0.023 $25,531,791 SCN Scorpion Minerals 0% -3% -30% -56% 0.031 $12,693,142 AZI Altamin Limited 0% 5% 12% -24% 0.058 $24,831,073 ENT Enterprise Metals 0% 0% 33% -60% 0.004 $3,207,884 KAI Kairos Minerals Ltd -7% -10% -13% -40% 0.013 $36,692,771 STM Sunstone Metals Ltd 0% -7% -7% -67% 0.013 $45,340,553 PGD Peregrine Gold -9% 18% 14% -28% 0.29 $21,438,874 AVW Avira Resources Ltd -50% -50% -33% -67% 0.001 $4,267,580 NVA Nova Minerals Ltd 0% -7% 19% -52% 0.34 $71,702,587 GT1 Greentechnology -4% -14% -14% -73% 0.24 $79,313,024 BNR Bulletin Res Ltd -4% -4% 23% 23% 0.135 $41,105,865 CAI Calidus Resources 3% -5% 17% -39% 0.205 $122,354,269 MRR Minrex Resources Ltd 0% -6% -17% -63% 0.015 $16,273,013 A8G Australasian Metals -7% -7% -13% -30% 0.14 $7,818,074 EFE Eastern Resources -11% 0% -11% -70% 0.008 $11,177,518 MQR Marquee Resource Ltd -11% -7% -14% -32% 0.025 $11,574,763 SRZ Stellar Resources 0% 0% 0% -38% 0.008 $9,192,212 LSR Lodestar Minerals 14% 33% 0% -20% 0.004 $7,081,891 NWM Norwest Minerals -6% 0% 10% -33% 0.032 $9,777,363 AOA Ausmon Resorces 0% 0% -25% -50% 0.003 $3,020,998 VKA Viking Mines Ltd 0% 0% 15% 88% 0.015 $15,378,876 IPT Impact Minerals 0% 8% 44% 86% 0.013 $37,241,151 SRI Sipa Resources Ltd 0% 0% -11% -19% 0.025 $5,703,953 VMC Venus Metals Cor Ltd -5% 0% 0% 27% 0.1 $19,921,512 RGL Riversgold 0% -8% -14% -57% 0.012 $11,611,937 ZNC Zenith Minerals Ltd 8% -7% -4% -48% 0.135 $44,047,610 RAS Ragusa Minerals Ltd 0% -11% -16% -74% 0.032 $4,563,161 G88 Golden Mile Res Ltd 0% -5% -5% -7% 0.019 $6,258,401 EPM Eclipse Metals 14% 0% -11% -65% 0.008 $14,437,880 EVR Ev Resources Ltd 0% 18% 30% -13% 0.013 $14,294,648 WC8 Wildcat Resources -8% -9% -18% 1950% 0.615 $801,164,641 MNS Magnis Energy Tech 0% 0% 0% -89% 0.042 $50,378,922 RIO Rio Tinto Limited -2% -6% 0% 9% 128.91 $48,963,418,627 THR Thor Energy PLC 7% 3% 15% -48% 0.031 $5,395,054 YAR Yari Minerals Ltd -18% -18% -25% -47% 0.009 $5,305,936 MXR Maximus Resources 6% 6% -10% -14% 0.036 $10,900,596 DRE Dreadnought Resources Ltd 0% -7% -13% -72% 0.027 $93,934,970 MM1 Midasmineralsltd -4% -10% 18% -35% 0.13 $11,710,878 M2R Miramar 0% 19% -11% -67% 0.025 $3,721,739 LLI Loyal Lithium Ltd 8% 12% 17% 17% 0.41 $31,649,181 LRD Lordresourceslimited 0% -12% -24% -70% 0.057 $2,116,531 WMC Wiluna Mining Corp 0% 0% 0% 0% 0.205 $74,238,031 AUN Aurumin 0% 8% 17% -57% 0.027 $9,677,963 ZEO Zeotech Limited 0% -12% -26% -29% 0.029 $50,269,269 ALY Alchemy Resource Ltd 0% -5% 0% -58% 0.01 $11,780,763 LIS Lisenergylimited 3% -6% -16% -59% 0.16 $99,231,036 GW1 Greenwing Resources 0% 0% 20% -57% 0.12 $20,910,178 KTA Krakatoa Resources -3% -3% -26% -29% 0.032 $15,579,538 TYX Tyranna Res Ltd 0% -6% 0% -32% 0.017 $55,886,231 DAF Discovery Alaska Ltd 0% 17% 59% -7% 0.027 $6,324,337 FTL Firetail Resources -1% -9% -22% -58% 0.07 $10,572,294 IR1 Irismetals -1% -7% -22% -27% 0.85 $111,357,085 LNR Lanthanein Resources 0% 0% 0% -50% 0.011 $14,187,931 DAL Dalaroometalsltd 0% 9% -4% -75% 0.024 $1,986,000 TKM Trek Metals Ltd 3% 8% -14% -51% 0.04 $20,009,998 CY5 Cygnus Metals Ltd 0% -4% -23% -74% 0.115 $33,529,301 TUL Tulla Resources 0% -100% -100% -100% 0 $118,262,971 WES Wesfarmers Limited 0% -1% 6% 21% 57.035 $64,500,661,686 LLL Leolithiumlimited 0% 0% 0% -6% 0.505 $498,553,663 OCN Oceanalithiumlimited -1% -14% -21% -78% 0.099 $5,407,650 A11 Atlantic Lithium 4% 2% -17% -36% 0.42 $255,321,509 CMD Cassius Mining Ltd -5% -13% 3% 67% 0.035 $18,596,591 VSR Voltaic Strategic 0% 5% -9% -9% 0.02 $9,662,078 SGQ St George Min Ltd -3% -3% 0% -53% 0.034 $34,444,503 LLO Lion One Metals Ltd -2% -10% -5% -22% 0.9 $14,099,663 PAT Patriot Lithium -6% 0% -11% -45% 0.17 $12,333,084 PL3 Patagonia Lithium 0% 4% 0% 0% 0.13 $6,386,705 BUR Burleyminerals -3% -12% -6% -15% 0.145 $15,494,513 CHR Charger Metals -3% -11% -30% -69% 0.155 $11,634,299 RMX Red Mount Min Ltd 0% 0% 0% -40% 0.003 $8,020,728 DLI Delta Lithium -3% -26% -24% -22% 0.35 $256,117,642 LM1 Leeuwin Metals Ltd -4% -14% -35% 0% 0.12 $5,751,954 ENT Enterprise Metals 0% 0% 33% -60% 0.004 $3,207,884 FIN FIN Resources Ltd 0% 5% 10% 29% 0.022 $14,283,911 DTM Dart Mining NL 0% -6% 0% -74% 0.016 $3,641,274 NIS Nickelsearch -7% -10% -19% -57% 0.064 $14,734,429 EG1 Evergreenlithium 6% 0% -8% 0% 0.175 $9,277,950 MAN Mandrake Res Ltd 0% -10% -3% -3% 0.038 $23,398,877 FBM Future Battery 0% -3% -8% 33% 0.068 $36,295,407 XTC XTC Lithium Limited 0% 19900% 0% -67% 0.2 $17,528,272 LPM Lithium Plus 0% -9% -24% -21% 0.315 $27,086,283 KOB Kobaresourceslimited 0% 0% -10% -52% 0.07 $7,379,167 EMC Everest Metals Corp 0% 6% -11% 8% 0.085 $13,879,064 LRD Lordresourceslimited 0% -12% -24% -70% 0.057 $2,116,531 IEC Intra Energy Corp 0% 33% 33% -50% 0.004 $6,643,126 REC Rechargemetals -2% -5% -10% -31% 0.09 $10,244,382 SLM Solismineralsltd -3% 0% 7% 88% 0.15 $12,152,109 AZS Azure Minerals 0% 0% 3% 1538% 3.685 $1,687,940,836 DYM Dynamicmetalslimited 0% -6% 15% 0% 0.155 $5,425,000 TOR Torque Met 4% 11% 9% 32% 0.245 $31,378,159 SBR Sabre Resources 0% -6% 4% -43% 0.029 $10,500,574 ICL Iceni Gold 0% 23% 8% -35% 0.065 $15,883,214 TMX Terrain Minerals 11% 0% 25% -17% 0.005 $6,090,425 MHC Manhattan Corp Ltd -13% -13% -13% -42% 0.0035 $11,747,919 MHK Metalhawk. -4% -18% -21% -30% 0.115 $11,929,734 NKL Nickelxltd 0% 19% -25% -46% 0.044 $3,863,867 TMB Tambourahmetals 0% -4% -12% 5% 0.115 $9,538,141 ANX Anax Metals Ltd -4% -7% 0% -54% 0.027 $13,538,494 PMT Patriotbatterymetals -4% -15% -9% 16% 0.965 $506,520,161 BM8 Battery Age Minerals 0% 7% 16% -56% 0.22 $19,610,115 L1M Lightning Minerals 0% 0% -17% -35% 0.12 $5,067,008 ADG Adelong Gold Limited 0% 0% 0% -29% 0.005 $3,498,278 TOR Torque Met 4% 11% 9% 32% 0.245 $31,378,159 AL8 Alderan Resource Ltd 0% -17% 0% -38% 0.005 $5,534,307 OZM Ozaurum Resources 0% -17% 21% 82% 0.12 $19,050,000 FL1 First Lithium Ltd 0% -19% -14% 139% 0.43 $30,122,217 PLN Pioneer Lithium -3% -5% -14% 0% 0.185 $5,400,750 WYX Western Yilgarn NL -6% -8% 12% -23% 0.092 $4,866,435 RDN Raiden Resources Ltd -6% -17% -15% 616% 0.034 $95,636,344 PFE Panteraminerals 6% 0% -2% -55% 0.052 $6,498,505 GRE Greentechmetals -5% -12% -20% 182% 0.395 $27,606,030 OLY Olympio Metals Ltd 0% -5% -9% -20% 0.1 $6,359,950 SUM Summitminerals -5% -1% -10% -32% 0.095 $4,765,713 JBY James Bay Minerals 0% -17% -12% 0% 0.26 $8,435,700 SCN Scorpion Minerals 0% -3% -30% -56% 0.031 $12,693,142 JNO Juno -5% -9% 5% 18% 0.105 $20,013,979 CC9 Chariot Corporation 8% 3% -16% 0% 0.585 $39,599,047 OBM Ora Banda Mining Ltd -2% -4% -2% 167% 0.235 $409,624,769 RON Roninresourcesltd 0% -8% -27% 0% 0.165 $6,076,127 ASR Asra Minerals Ltd 17% 0% -13% -63% 0.007 $9,818,974 PFE Panteraminerals 6% 0% -2% -55% 0.052 $6,498,505 TG6 Tgmetalslimited -7% -13% -58% 183% 0.325 $18,930,158 HAW Hawthorn Resources 0% 8% 11% -20% 0.1 $33,501,561 KM1 Kalimetalslimited 47% 0% 0% 0% 0.77 $40,079,600

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