At first glance, I can identify a couple of potential reasons...

At first glance, I can identify a couple of potential reasons why both companies have experienced growth compared to Ioneer. Please note that I'm not directly involved with these companies, so my assessment is surface-level as of twenty minutes ago.

One significant aspect to consider is LRS's frequent and high-quality announcements, especially when contrasted with Ioneer's. These announcements seem to have generated considerable quarterly momentum for LRS, even without delving deep into their content.

LRS Quarterly Announcements:
12 April 2023 – Noteworthy High-Grade Colina Intersections.
19 April 2023 – Successfully raised A$37.1M to accelerate resource growth.
27 April 2023 – Appointed CFO and VP of Operations – Americas.
2 May 2023 – Diamond Drilling on Track for June Resource Update – Colina.
18 May 2023 – Confirmed Colina Lithium Pegmatites Extending Over 2KM.
7 June 2023 – Imminent Upgrade in Colina Lithium Deposit Resource.
8 June 2023 – Latin Increases Investment in Solis Minerals to 17.79%.
20 June 2023 – Impressive 241% Increase in the Colina Mineral Resource.
28 June 2023 – Confirmed New Salinas Lithium Corridor.

Ioneer Quarterly Announcements:
12 April 2023 - Reported a Change in substantial holding.
19 April 2023 - Announced a 168% Increase in Mineral Resource to 3.4Mt LCE.
27 April 2023 - Released the March 2023 Quarterly Activities Report.
27 April 2023 - Issued the March 2023 Quarterly Cash Flow Report.
2 May 2023 - Established Ioneer and Dragonfly Energy Partnership.

Regarding Leo (LLL), they are on track for commencing production in the first half of 2024, which speaks for itself compared to Ioneer's current status.

While we can anticipate some high-quality announcements from INR this month, we'll ultimately have to wait until Q1 2024 for the ROD.

Concerning the previous discussions about the DFS CapEx and OpEx, it would be reasonable to consider a fair adjustment within the range of +29% to +31%. This adjustment is based on the US PPI growth since 2020 in products and services pertinent to the project, such as the construction sector. Additionally, given that the figures are at the producer level, an additional +5% contingency should also be factored in. Ultimately, without having access to the complete DFS, it remains uncertain, and any definitive conclusion is merely speculative.

If you apply these adjustments to the previous DFS financials, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how significantly a revised average lithium price can alter the overall picture when quantified. The ability to make such substantial adjustments to the average commodity price presents an opportunity South32 needed in the zinc, lead, and silver space.