COB update – 10 key takeaways

I’ve just reviewed the 43 min quarterly webinar video update now posted on the Cobalt Blue website.

The video was filmed on May 13. While it's brimming with news it’s so far scored just 28 views.

My top 10 takeaways:

1. COB is now a miner. The group was due to hit cobalt sulphide near Broken Hill, NSW last Sunday

2. COB management is currently attending the two-day ‘Powering the Green Economy’ conference of the Cobalt Institute in Zurich, Switzerland.

3. While in Europe COB CEO, Joe Kaderavek, will be meeting with battery makers and key EV makers (I presume they include Audi, BMW and Renault).

4. Earlier this month Joe visited South Korea. He met with battery makers. I assume they included LG, SK and Samsung. He also met with EV makers. I assume they included Hyundai and its Kia affiliate.

5. One EV maker told Joe that it’s considering marketing the fact that its battery pack includes cobalt mined in Broken Hill.

6. Joe is having prospective  ‘commercial-in-confidence’ talks with the Queensland and NSW Governments about processing mine waste and generating income from the sale of recycled metal.

7. COB intends to sign offtake agreements with a short-list of two quality AA/AAA-rated OEM partners.

8. Joe wants COB to supply cobalt to local makers of batteries for Australian electric buses.

9. COB is using $15m Federal Government grant to fast-track construction, power and land tenure activities allowing it to “de-risk” the cobalt mining/processing project.

10. COB is to host on-site inspections by institutions and “bigger calibre funds” towards the end of next month.

I find the COB video compelling viewing. And I like the fact that COB is promising to answer shareholder questions sent to [email protected].

Apart from the webinar video, the COB website is featuring other recordings – one of a recent (and rare) pro-mining edition of the ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ and two broadcasts out of ABC studios in Broken Hill and Dubbo.

I think Joe Kaderavek deserves credit for these astute marketing initiatives. And so does Investor Relations Manager, Joel Crane.