Element V: The Most Important Commodity You've Never Heard of

LONDON, October 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Forget about lithium, last year's "White Petroleum." It's about to be left in the dust. The mineral of the moment is Vanadium…the key to the next energy revolution.  Mentioned in today's commentary includes:  Franco-Nevada Corporation (NYSE:FNV), Enbridge, Inc (NYSE:ENB), Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ:BLDP), Largo Resources (OTC:LGORF), Prophecy Developments (OTC:PRPCF).

Analysts pegged it as the "metal to watch" in January. And they were right. The price of vanadium has soared 300% in the past three years. And one company is sitting on the only potential major U.S. deposit of Element 23: United Battery Metals (UBM, UBMCF)

Why is it so important? Well, Vanadium is likely to displace lithium as the world's most important battery metal.

That's according to billionaire Robert Friedland, who says there's a revolution coming in energy storage, and it's all thanks to Vanadium. Flow batteries, running on "liquid electricity," are about to take the energy storage world by storm.

The White House has labeled Vanadium as a mineral crucial to national security. But there's no domestic supply. The U.S. could fall behind, but UBMCF (UBM, UBMCF) is trying to fill the gap.

Here are 5 reasons investors should take note. 

#1 The Future of Energy 

Vanadium redox flow batteries, or VRFB, are about to become the foundation of energy storage. Robert Friedland, legendary mining billionaire and recipient of the 2017 Northern Miner's Lifetime Achievement Award, knows vanadium is revolutionary, evolutionary and a technology dream come true. "The beauty of the vanadium redox battery is that you can charge and discharge it at the same time, something that can't be done with a lithium battery."

A study completed last year by the Imperial College London found that flow batteries beat out their lithium competitors: they would require an investment of only $4 billion to reach a level lithium could only reach after $94 billion. And the demand for Vanadium is expected to skyrocket…which is why prices have been climbing all year, doubling since September 2017 and United Battery Metals (UBM, UBMCF) is positioning itself to benefit from the coming boom.

#2 Global Battle for Element 23

The power of vanadium is no secret. In fact, vanadium steel has been around for a while. Lighter and stronger than other metal alloys, it's used in the manufacturing of complex components in airplanes, high performance cars and rocket engines.

China is leading the way. It wants to launch multiple VRFB pilot projects, with 100 MW-scale VRFBs in place by 2020. This $500 million installation will triple China's grid-connected battery storage capacity.

China has already started construction on the biggest battery in the world, a 200-MW 800-megawatt/ hour storage station in Dalian province. The battery will be charged with wind power and will utilize VRFB technology to store more power for longer, resulting in a stable energy grid without any fossil fuels or lithium.

To compete, the U.S. needs its own Vanadium supply. And that's where United Battery Metals aims to come in…

#3 American Vanadium

United Battery Metals (UBM, UBMCF) is unique among American mining companies: it's sitting on top of an estimated resource of 2,640,000 pounds of vanadium according to a report prepared in 2013 by Anthony Adkins who is a qualified professional geologist.

UBMCF's mining team had a hunch. Where there's uranium, there's usually vanadium close by, as the two minerals tend to be found in close proximity.

The current estimated total deposit as per the previous 43-101 report could be huge, as big as 2.64 million pounds of vanadium, with a current market price of $50 million for mined product. But that's just the beginning, based on previous efforts to uncover uranium. The UBMCF team has new exploration underway that focuses JUST on vanadium.

More than 700 holes have been dug by previous miners, and there's plenty of local infrastructure in place to move the product to market with less than the usual extensive capex.

#4 Team Vanadium 

There's a team at United Battery Metals (UBM, UBMCF) are ready to turn vanadium dreams into a reality.

President and CEO Matthew Rhoades is an accomplished professional geologist with thirty years of extensive experience in the US, Mexico, Canada and South America.

Advisor Eric Saderholm is another mining professional with three decades of experience, and a man who has added millions of ounces of gold to reserve bases in Nevada, Washington and Peru. Mr. Saderholm worked with Newmont Mining as their exploration manager for the entire western region of the USA. His skills and access to potential new properties add tremendous value to the company's portfolio.

UBMCF has a potential major find on their hands: what could possibly be one of the first productive vanadium mines in the United States.

#5 The Future is Already Here 

There are powerful reasons to expect the vanadium market to surge in the coming months.

Right now, the Chinese are leaps and bounds ahead in the VRFB race. They're building the world's biggest battery, the size of 20 soccer fields, and they want hundreds more just like it. The U.S.-Chinese trade war is heating up, and investors better believe China will buy up all the Vanadium it can find.

The U.S. could miss out…but United Battery Metals (UBM, UBMCF) is working to meet American Vanadium needs. By 2020, the U.S. could be the largest vanadium market on the planet.

Even with all the vanadium buzz, the story around UBMCF has gone unnoticed.

This little company may be the only game in town when it comes to Vanadium mining, and its little market cap is sure to grow bigger and bigger if it starts mining the estimated 2.64 million pounds locked away at Wray Mesa.

Other resources companies looking to take advantage of the next commodity boom:

Franco-Nevada Corporation (NYSE:FNV) specializes in securing precious-metal streams, but the company also works in the oil and gas industry. With key assets in some of North America's most desirable oil and gas plays, including Texas, Oklahoma and Alberta, it is clear that the company has amazing potential in the coming years.

Franco-Nevada's diverse holdings make it a key company in tomorrow's new energy revolution, and its latest investment with Minera Panama, a subsidy of First Quantum Minerals, according to a late-September announcement, is going smoothly, as well.

Enbridge, Inc (NYSE:ENB), based in Canada's oil sands capital Alberta, is an energy delivery company focusing on transportation, distribution, and generation of energy. Operating in the United States and Canada, Enbridge owns and operates the largest natural gas distribution network in Canada and the longest crude oil transportation system in the world.

Despite some pipeline problems over the past year, Enbridge was recently given the OK by regulators to begin its Ohio-Michigan NEXUS natural gas pipeline project which will connect the Marcellus and Utica shale basins with customers in other parts of the United States and Canada.

Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ:BLPD) Ballard develops and produces hydrogen fuel cell products for markets such as heavy-duty motive, portable power, material handling and transportation. In addition to its production and development of fuel cell products, Ballard also holds over 2,000 patents/applications.

At the end of August, Ballard announced a huge divestment agreement, releasing non-core assets to Revision Military Ltd., for up to $16 million in cash to provide a hefty boost to its fuel cell business.  CEO Randy MacEwen noted, "This divestiture is consistent with our strategy of continuous portfolio optimization."

Largo Resources (OTCMKTS:LGORF) is another Canadian resource explorer diving into the vanadium industry. In addition to vanadium, Largo explores for iron, tungsten, molybdenum, chromite, palladium, and platinum group metals. It's flagship project, the Maracás Menchen Mine, has been profitable for Largo, but its real potential lies in its new initiatives.

In early October, Largo announced new production results, in addition to a management shakeup. CEO Mark Smith noted, "With 7,235 tonnes of V2O5 produced so far this year, the Company is well positioned to achieve the upper end of its increased and revised 2018 guidance range of 9,150 to 10,150 tonnes of V2O5 produced for the full year."

Prophecy Developments (OTCMKTS:PRPCF) owns the Gibelinni project, another Nevada-based plot containing significant vanadium reserves. Prophecy, like First Vanadium and United Battery Metals, are trying to become America's go-to vanadium producer.

Last week, Prophecy appointed a new President and CEO, Gerald Panneton, an expert geologist and businessman with years of experience in the field. Mr. Panneton noted, "I am very excited to join the Prophecy team to work on the Gibellini vanadium project in Nevada. "

By. Ian Jenkins

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Forward-Looking Statements 

This article contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.  Forward looking statements in this article include that prices for vanadium will retain value in future as currently expected; that  UBM can fulfill all its obligations to maintain its property; that UBM's property can achieve drilling and mining success for vanadium, and potentially sell 2.7M pounds of vanadium; that the vanadium extraction process being developed will be cost effective; that the vanadium battery process can be commercialized for large scale production; that high grades found in samples are indicative of a high grade deposit; that vanadium prices will increase; that high-grade vanadium is in sufficient quantities to make drilling economic; that permits may be easier and quicker than usual because vanadium is considered a vital element for America; that batteries and EVs will start using large amounts of vanadium; that vanadium system costs will be reduced quickly and dramatically; and that UBM will be able to carry out its business plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information.  Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that the Company may not be able to finance its intended drilling programs, aspects or all of the property's development may not be successful, mining of the vanadium may not be cost effective; even if mining is successful, UBM's property may not yield 2.7M pounds of vanadium; UBM may not raise sufficient funds to carry out its plans, changing costs for mining and processing; permits may not be easier or quicker than regular mining projects; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations and technological results based on current data that may change with more detailed information or testing; potential mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work with further test work may not be viable; competitors may offer cheaper vanadium; more production of vanadium could reduce its price, or the price may drop for other reasons; technological advances to reduce vanadium system costs may not occur as expected; alternatives could be found for vanadium in battery technology; the availability of  labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of its projects, that the minerals cannot be economically mined on its properties, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mines cannot be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

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