SmallCaps Spotlight: Blake and James (AAA.ASX) — EV conversion momentum, critical minerals permitting & lithium drilling

### Welcome back - **Intro:** James Whelan and Heath Moss (HLM Investments) settle in and chat the week’s weather—then move straight into the investment headlines.

### 1) Janus Electric (US EV trucking): conversion orders flow in - **What’s happened:** Janus Electric **won ~US$45m** of orders for **diesel-to-electric truck conversions** and **swappable packs**. - **Why it matters:** Electrifying fleets is moving from pilots into repeatable roll-outs—especially where operational schedules and depot charging make battery logistics practical. - **Notable market reaction (from the discussion):** Heath notes the **stock reportedly doubled** after the news, moving back toward **~A$28.5**. - **Big-picture angle:** More electrified heavy vehicles generally means **higher demand for lithium and battery supply chains**.

### 2) Resolution Minerals (US critical minerals): FAST-41 permitting progress - **What’s happened:** Resolution Minerals secured **FAST-41 “transparency” designation** for work tied to the **Golden Gate project** in **Idaho**. - **Why it matters:** FAST-41 is designed to **coordinate federal agencies, tighten timelines, and track milestones**—useful when projects face permitting bottlenecks. - **Resource focus mentioned:** **tungsten**, alongside other minerals in the broader critical-minerals context. - **Takeaway:** Heath frames it as another step that keeps the project **ticking along** and de-risks the path to drilling.

### 3) Solus Minerals (Brazil lithium): drilling starts amid softer sentiment - **What’s happened:** Solus Minerals **has started drilling** its lithium project in **Brazil**. - **Context:** Heath points to lithium pricing/sentiment fluctuations tied to supply coming out of places like **Zimbabwe**. - **Why it matters:** Even with short-term price noise, drilling and progression can be the catalyst investors focus on. - **Management/continuity angle:** Heath notes the team’s lineage from the former Latin Resources transaction, suggesting continuity of execution.

### 4) Conference watch: Noosa Mining Conference next week - **Where/when:** Noosa Mining Conference (unofficially kicking off **Tuesday evening**), with Small Caps front and centre. - **What’s featured:** Heath and James flag the companies presenting and mention a strong events programme, plus James’ first-time involvement in the **conference presentation area**.

--- ### Disclaimer This podcast content is for information only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research and consider your risk profile.