Ann: Update on exploration activities, page-9

Lockitt, I'm sure you will be pleased to know that those issues which concern you are being addressed.

eg Queensland Govt is investing 5 billion in a new Copper String 2032 Project to bring the grid up to requirements of an electrified future.
No doubt there will be wind, solar, nuclear, and gas feeding into that grid.

As for Li and EVs the news is outstanding.

• Benchmark Minerals Intelligence predicts US$1.6 trillion investment needed in battery industry
• 44% of 2040 investment needed to build battery gigafactories
• Lithium needs $94 billion invested to meet 2030 demand, and double that for 2040

Our High Voltage column wraps all the news driving ASX stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, rare earths, and vanadium.

It’s no secret that to plug the gap between battery industry demand and supply we need more investment but the actual numbers are astounding.

Benchmark Minerals Intelligence says to meet 2040 battery demand we’ll need a massive $1.6 trillion of investment.

That’s almost triple the $571 billion needed just to meet 2030 demand, because battery demand is set to double for the decade from 2030 to 2040 – that’s after its forecast growth from 937 gigawatt hours last year to 3.7 terawatt hours in 2030.

Of this 2040 investment, 44% is needed to build the battery gigafactories that produce the battery cells and assemble the packs, BMI says.

Of the critical raw materials, lithium will require the largest investment of $94 billion to meet 2030 demand, and double that to meet 2040 demand.

And BMI says that’s just the base case scenario.