Transformative Technology with Global Impact

Sustainable metal recovery technology unlocking exceptional value from e-waste and critical minerals.

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9th April 2025

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Company Overview

MTM Critical Metals Limited (ASX: MTM | OTCQB: MTMCF) is positioned at the intersection of technology innovation, sustainability, and critical materials supply. The company's breakthrough Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology has demonstrated exceptional results in recovering precious and critical metals from electronic waste and other feedstocks, addressing growing global challenges in resource recovery and environmental management. With recent test results showing ultra-high-grade gold recovery exceeding 550 g/t and the securing of a long-term feedstock supply agreement, MTM is on the path toward commercial implementation of its innovative metal recovery solution.

Flash Joule Heating

MTM's proprietary Flash Joule Heating technology represents a fundamental advancement in how valuable metals can be recovered from complex waste streams. Unlike conventional extraction methods that rely on energy-intensive smelting or hazardous acid leaching, FJH applies rapid electrical pulses to heat materials to approximately 3,000°C in milliseconds within a controlled atmosphere. This single-step process efficiently converts metals into water-soluble chlorides without the environmental impacts associated with traditional techniques.

The technology demonstrates substantial advantages over conventional methods, including drastically reduced energy consumption, processing time measured in milliseconds rather than hours, elimination of toxic chemical usage and significantly higher recovery rates. These benefits position FJH as potentially transformative for metal recovery across multiple industries and applications.

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Exceptional Recovery Results from E-Waste

Recent testing on high-value printed circuit board (PCB) feedstock has yielded extraordinary results that showcase the technology's capabilities. The processed e-waste contained metal concentrations of 551g/t gold and 2,804g/t silver, alongside 42% copper content - grades that dramatically exceed traditional mining concentrations. For context, typical gold ore grades in conventional mining operations range from 1-5 g/t, meaning MTM's e-waste feedstock contains over 100 times more gold per tonne than conventional ore. Most impressively, the FJH process achieved near-perfect recovery rates across multiple metals - 100% for gold, 97% for silver, and consistently above 90% for other valuable metals including copper (91%), tin (97%), and zinc (99%). These exceptional results demonstrate both the economic potential of "urban mining" from e-waste and the technical superiority of MTM's approach compared to conventional recovery methods.

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Commercial Validation Through Supply Agreement

In a significant milestone for its commercialisation strategy, MTM secured a five-year e-waste supply agreement with Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, a leading U.S.-based recycling company. This arrangement guarantees a minimum annual volume of 700 tonnes of high-grade e-waste feedstock, with a target of approximately 800 tonnes per year. The agreement includes notable performance penalties to ensure reliable supply and extends for an initial five-year term commencing Q4 2025, with potential for extension. This partnership significantly de-risks MTM's commercial rollout by ensuring consistent access to metal-rich feedstock. Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Wisconsin, specialises in secure data destruction and responsible e-waste recycling, providing MTM with a reliable and quality-controlled supply chain.

They have recently signed a second long-term supply agreement with U.S. recycler Plastic Recycling Inc. for up to 400 tonnes per year of high-metal-content processed electronic scrap (PES). This complements an earlier agreement with Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, bringing total guaranteed feedstock to over 1,100 tonnes annually. The five-year agreement, soon to be formalised, enables scalable metals recovery from PCB-rich e-waste, particularly from U.S. datacentres and telecom sectors.

Addressing Critical Supply Chain Challenges

The global e-waste challenge presents both an environmental imperative and a substantial economic opportunity. Global e-waste generation reached 62 million tonnes in 2022 and is projected to rise to 82 million tonnes by 2030, with the recycling market valued at a potential $250 billion by 2032. Yet current recycling rates remain below 20%, highlighting the massive untapped potential. MTM's technology addresses this market gap by providing a more efficient, environmentally responsible solution for recovering valuable materials from e-waste. The company's approach aligns with growing regulatory pressures, circular economy initiatives and consumer demand for sustainable resource management. The U.S. Department of Defense has also expressed strategic interest in MTM's sustainable recovery process, highlighting the national security implications of domestic critical material processing.

Diversified Application Portfolio

Beyond e-waste, MTM has achieved significant breakthroughs in processing other high-value materials:

Rare Earth Elements (REE): The company's FJH technology has demonstrated 93% REE conversion to high-purity chlorides with a 95% reduction in impurities like iron, aluminium, and phosphorus. This achievement provides a sustainable alternative to conventional energy-intensive REE processing methods, potentially addressing supply constraints in materials critical for renewable energy, electric vehicles and high-tech applications.

Lithium Recovery: MTM has successfully transformed nearly 90% of spodumene from the refractory alpha phase to the beta phase—a critical step in lithium extraction—in significantly less processing time compared to conventional kiln methods. The company has also completed promising test work to convert spodumene concentrate directly into lithium chloride, potentially streamlining the lithium refining process and enhancing commercial viability.

Types of Feed

Feed

Description

Lithium Battery Waste

Lithium batteries (LiBs) contain valuable metals like lithium, copper, manganese, cobalt, and nickel, which make up around 30% of the battery’s weight—far more concentrated than in natural resources. Once retired, batteries are discharged, shredded, and processed to extract a metallic mixture known as black mass, which contains key anode and cathode materials. Its dark color comes from high graphite content in the anodes. NMC 111 batteries, for example, contain 11% lithium, 30% nickel, 31% cobalt, and 28% manganese. Lab tests (Chen et al., 2023) show that applying flash joule heating (FJH) before acid leaching improves metal recovery from black mass, and MTM plans to test this in its prototype FJH unit. The black mass recycling market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.5% from USD 8.1 billion in 2022 to USD 33.6 billion by 2030 (xResearch, 2024), driven by the rising use of LiBs in EVs and electronics, and growing environmental concerns around pollution, resource depletion, and climate change.

Red Mud

Red mud is a waste byproduct from the Bayer process used to refine bauxite into alumina. It contains residual aluminium and critical metals like titanium, rare earth elements (REE), scandium, and gallium. Flash joule heating (FJH) has been tested to assess its potential for metal recovery from red mud. Around 140 million tonnes of bauxite residue are produced annually, with global stockpiles expected to reach 10 billion tonnes by 2050 (IAI, 2022). Like coal fly ash (CFA), red mud storage poses environmental risks, prompting ongoing research into metal recovery and reducing long-term waste volumes.

Coal Fly Ash

Recent testing shows that flash joule heating (FJH) can enhance the recovery of rare earth elements (REE) and other critical metals from coal fly ash (CFA) by improving its response to acid leaching. Coal-fired power plants generate around 900 million tonnes of CFA annually (Markets and Markets, 2024), with an average REE grade of 445 ppm TREO—equating to roughly 0.5 billion tonnes of contained TREO (Sreenivas et al., 2021). In comparison, only 350,000 tonnes of TREO were produced globally in 2023, with demand projected to reach 466,000 tonnes by 2035, driven by growth in electric vehicles and wind turbines. CFA deposits, especially those in landfill, represent a strategic source of REE—if economically viable processing technologies are developed. Additionally, CFA poses environmental risks, as acidic leachates can contaminate soil and groundwater.

E-Waste

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) can contain up to 30% metals by weight, including valuable materials like copper, gold, silver, and palladium (Fortune Business Insights, 2024). E-waste holds between 0.2 to 0.5g of gold per kilogram, or 200–500g per ton. The global e-waste recycling market was valued at USD 14.2 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 61.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 15.9% (2023–2032). In 2022, 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally—up from 34 million tonnes in 2010—with volumes expected to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030 (Balde et al., 2024). Recycling efforts vary worldwide but pose major challenges in regions like Europe and the USA. Growing environmental and economic concerns, coupled with the rapid rise in electronic devices, continue to drive the urgency for effective e-waste recycling.

Financial Performance and Capital Position

Financial Position Overview

MTM Critical Metals Ltd has strengthened its financial position significantly in the quarter ending March 31, 2025, with cash reserves reaching approximately $10 million, representing a substantial increase from $5.38 million at the end of the previous quarter. The company's current funding runway extends to approximately 8.7 quarters based on its current cash utilisation rate, providing a solid foundation for continued operations and development activities.

MTM successfully completed a capital raise of $8 million in October which was oversubscribed at $0.065 per share, a small discount of only ~3% below the 30-day VWAP. The purpose of the raise was to fund a 1-tonne per day demonstration plant.

The company also announced a $7.5 million placement in December 2024, though it's important to note that this second placement actually closed in January 2025 and was therefore not included in the December 31, 2024 cash balance. It was fully subscribed at $0.145 per share which was at no discount to the last closing price. This placement was particularly notable as it was unsolicited and driven by strong interest from institutional investors, highlighting strong confidence in MTM's direction and growth potential. Key institutional investors included Pengana Capital, which invested $4 million to become a substantial shareholder and Terra Capital, an existing substantial shareholder that increased its holding.

Together, these raises totalled $15.5 million, providing significant financial resources for the company's operations.

KnightHawk Engineering, the company contracted to design and deliver the 1-tonne-per-day pilot plant, agreed to accept payment in MTM shares instead of cash, converting a portion of its engineering fees into equity. The equity-for-services arrangement aligns KnightHawk’s interests with MTM’s success and signals optimism about MTM’s future prospects.

The company reported a comprehensive loss of $3,299,791 for the six-month period ending December 31, 2024, compared to $1,643,580 in the previous corresponding period. This increase primarily reflects the expanded operations associated with Flash Joule Heating technology development, including higher administration costs and R&D expenditure. Net cash outflow from operating activities ($1,265,658) and investment activities ($3,344,641) increased from the previous corresponding period due to expenditure relating to development of the Flash Joule Heating processing system.

Asset Position and Future Outlook

Total assets increased by 32% from the previous year-end, reaching $24,729,769. With net assets of $23,886,818 as of December 31, 2024, MTM is well-positioned to execute its growth plans. The company anticipates a strong pipeline of news flow throughout 2025, including updates on its pilot facility, ongoing testing programs, and advancements in collaborations. Recent developments in 2025 have shown promising results, including a breakthrough in gallium and germanium recovery from semiconductor waste using the company's proprietary FJH technology, achieving recovery rates of approximately 90% for gallium and 80% for germanium.

Accelerating Commercialisation Pathway

MTM is advancing rapidly toward commercial implementation with significant progress on its 1-tonne-per-day demonstration plant in Texas. The process design was signed off at the end of February 2025, representing a significant development milestone. With design completion achieved in Q1-2025, commissioning is planned for Q4-2025. This demonstration facility will validate the scalability of the FJH technology across various feedstocks and serve as a springboard for commercial partnerships and potential licensing arrangements.

Collaboration with Indium Corporation

During the second half of 2024, MTM established a strategic collaboration with Indium Corporation, a global leader in refined technology metals. This partnership aims to develop sustainable U.S.-based recovery solutions for gallium, germanium, and indium—critical metals essential for the semiconductor and technology industries. The collaboration has advanced applications for U.S. Department of Energy grants, targeting $3-10 million in potential funding. Backed by Indium Corporation's industry expertise, MTM is well-positioned to capitalise on the increasing demand for domestically-sourced critical materials.

Environmental and Economic Advantages

The environmental benefits of MTM's technology are substantial. Compared to traditional extraction methods, FJH offers:

  • Drastically reduced energy consumption, potentially 500 times less energy than conventional methods
  • Elimination of acid usage and toxic waste streams typically associated with metal recovery
  • Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to smelting
  • Minimised water consumption and environmental footprint

These advantages align with growing regulatory pressures, corporate sustainability commitments, and investment criteria focused on environmental performance. As regulatory frameworks continue to evolve toward greater producer responsibility for electronic waste and stricter standards for processing operations, MTM's cleaner technology offers a compelling compliance pathway.

Conclusion

MTM Critical Metals Limited stands at the forefront of a significant opportunity in sustainable metal recovery. With its innovative Flash Joule Heating technology demonstrating exceptional results in recovering high-value metals from e-waste and other feedstocks, the company is seemingly well-positioned to capitalise on growing global demand for environmentally responsible resource recovery solutions.

The recently secured long-term e-waste supply agreement, combined with the progress toward a demonstration plant in Texas, significantly reduces execution risk on the commercial pathway. The company's strengthened balance sheet following successful capital raises provides a solid foundation for executing its growth strategy. As global challenges in critical material supply chains and e-waste management intensify, MTM's technology offers a compelling solution that addresses both environmental and economic imperatives. The coming year represents a pivotal period as the company transitions from technology validation to commercial operations, with potential for the demonstration plant to accelerate adoption across multiple industries and applications.

Additionally, President Trump's recent implementation of substantial tariffs—particularly the 104% rate on Chinese imports—creates a uniquely favourable environment for MTM's domestic critical metals recovery operations, as manufacturers seek secure supply chains insulated from international trade tensions. This protectionist trade policy effectively enhances the economic case for MTM's technology while positioning the company as a strategic contributor to national resource security.

Board & Management

John Hannaford

John Hannaford

Non-Executive Chairman

John is an experienced corporate executive with extensive experience in the ASX Resources sector as Corporate Advisor, Executive, Chairman, Company promoter and investor.

A qualified Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Securities Institute of Australia, he is a founder and director of Rockford Partners, a boutique financial services company located in Perth, Western Australia.

Anthony Hadley

Anthony Hadley

Non-Executive Director

Tony is a metallurgist, a rare earth element (REE) technical expert and a senior manager with more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry in operations, technical development of complex metallurgical flowsheets, project design and management, engineering and process plant commissioning.

He has worked extensively in the REE sector, having previously held the roles of General Manager with both Lynas Corporation (ASX:LYC) at the world-class Mt Weld light REE mine and subsequently with Northern Minerals Limited (ASX:NTU) at Australia’s first heavy REE mine at Browns Range.

Simon Adams

Simon Adams

CFO & Company Secretary

Mr Adams is an experienced CFO with background in a range of industries including the upstream energy sector, aquaculture (pearl production and distribution), hybrid power systems (design and manufacture) and mining (gold exploration and mining). Skilled in business analysis, negotiation, team building and risk management. Strong finance, accounting and administrative skills.

Mr Adams gained a wide range of experience as a senior member of the executive team in organisations that have had operations globally including USA, Indonesia and Australia.

Michael Walshe

Michael Walshe

Managing Director & CEO

Mr. Walshe has over 15 years of international experience in engineering, operations, technology commercialisation, and project development roles across the minerals, chemicals, and renewable energy sectors. Prior to MTM, Michael served as CEO of Voltaic Strategic Resources Ltd (ASX: VSR), a Battery Metals and Rare Earths exploration company. His career includes a decade with Metso:Outotec, the global leader in mining and metals processing technology solutions, where he held senior leadership roles such as Director and Vice President for the Asia Pacific Minerals division. His experience covers team leadership, metallurgy, process design, sales, and structuring project finance packages for junior miners via export credit funding. Michael has been involved in several international minerals projects with particular exposure to Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, PNG and South Korea, and has worked across a wide range of commodities including lithium, rare earths, nickel, copper, zinc and gold. Michael holds a Bachelor of Chemical and Process Engineering (Hons.) from University College Dublin, Ireland, and a Master of Business Administration (Finance) from the Australian Institute of Business. He is a chartered engineer with both Engineers Australia & the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), and is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM).

Paul Niardone

Paul Niardone

Non-Executive Director

Paul Niardone is an experienced director and executive in a range of roles for ASX-listed companies, private entities and not-for-profit organisations. Paul is known as a strategic planner, a problem solver and, above all, a consummate professional, with over 15 years advising and establishing numerous high profile businesses, including the Agency Group Ltd where he has been an executive Director since 2013. Founder and Executive Director of Professional Public Relations, the largest PR and communications firm in Western Australia. Paul has an extensive network of connections across business and government which have been developed from direct involvement across a range of businesses and sectors.

Paul has a degree in Politics and Industrial Relations and an MBA, he started his career in the Department of Cabinet and Parliamentary Services.

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