This week's Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week is Solis Minerals. The rollercoaster continues for the ASX. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation to celebrate securing an additional two days of fuel supply (200 million litres or 1.25 million barrels), highlighting his commitment to securing the country's future.
In a rare occurrence, the ASX has officially decoupled from the S&P500, which is currently at all-time highs. However, pessimism prevails, especially among those close to the oil market.
Last Friday, the world rejoiced as Iran's foreign minister declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open, sending Brent crude tumbling more than 10 per cent to about $US90 a barrel. Within hours, Iran reversed course and attacked an Indian tanker. The US seized at least two Iranian tankers, and Iran took control of two cargo ships in Hormuz in a tit-for-tat ceasefire.
By week's end, Brent crude rose to US$105 a barrel, with only lithium showing green on the ASX alongside oil. The US blockade on Iranian oil traps more oil in the Gulf, with President Trump aiming to max out Iran's storage facilities.
Nearly two months into the conflict, the world has lost about 87.5 billion litres (550 million barrels) of Gulf crude, almost 2 per cent of last year's global output and roughly 300 times the amount of oil Albanese secured. In the West, life continues, but the buffer is thinning, and consequences for unprepared nations could be dire.
Domestically, Cochlear shares collapsed after an earnings downgrade flagged weaker implant demand, joining other pummelled biotechs on the ASX.
Bulls N' Bears ASX Runner of the Week: Solis Minerals Ltd (ASX: SLM)
Solis Minerals surged 210% (from 3.1c to 9.6c) after announcing the acquisition of a Brazil lithium project from Rio Tinto. The 93,000-hectare district-scale exploration package is adjacent to PLS Group's $19 billion market cap Colina lithium project in Minas Gerais, a proven region for spodumene discoveries.
PLS acquired the Colina tenure through its acquisition of Latin Resources for $560 million in scrip. Solis is reuniting executives Chris Gale, Tony Greenaway, and Mitch Thomas from their successful venture at Latin Resources. Minas Gerais is Brazil's mining capital, and Solis's tenure sits along the valley from Colina's 77.7 million tonne resource grading 1.24% lithium.
Solis acquired the project for just US$500,000, with Rio Tinto retaining a 1.75% net smelter return royalty. Historical work by Rio Tinto includes auger drilling, soil sampling, and rock-chip sampling. The company has a collaboration agreement with PLS, which holds a 5.1% interest in Solis and a participation right in future transactions. Solis is fully funded for an initial 2,000-metre drilling campaign at its Mandacaru and Campo Grande targets.
Adisyn Ltd (ASX: AI1) Up 143% (6.8c to 16.5c)
Semiconductor technology developer Adisyn secured a major raise after demonstrating graphene-layer conductive technology on a 1cm by 1cm coupon. The technology aims to revolutionise semiconductors by addressing limitations of traditional copper interconnects in advanced chips. As copper interconnects shrink, issues like increased resistance, heat generation, and power loss arise.
Adisyn uses a proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) methodology. This week's milestone involved independent verification of low-temperature ALD deposition of a carbon layer on copper below 300°C, well under the 450°C semiconductor thermal limit. This breakthrough attracted $20 billion fund manager Regal Funds Management, which cornerstoned a $14 million institutional placement. Funds will support the next phase of its semiconductor strategy, commercial partnerships, and development.
333D Ltd (ASX: T3D) Up 96% (2.8c to 5.5c)
3D printing company 333D Limited runs a digital platform for medical imaging data. Its shares more than doubled after a quarterly report highlighted positive operating cash flows and revenue momentum. The platform captures, manages, and monetises medical imaging data (DICOM) and 3D visual datasets, positioning it at the intersection of healthcare, AI-driven analytics, and digital infrastructure.
The stock has seen volatility before, surging from 0.7c to 29c in August last year. This quarter, cash receipts reached $231,702, with positive net operating cash flow of $71,505, compared to a net outflow of $99,180 last quarter. 333D uses its NFT IP for chest x-rays and MRIs. Its design and engineering team also produces high-performance 3D printing solutions, such as a lightweight custom horseshoe made from scandium alloy that helped a racehorse win.
Noviqtech Ltd (ASX: NVQ) Up 72% (1.8c to 3.1c)
Sustainability and supply chains service company Noviqtech's subsidiary Coralia entered a strategic agreement with Pure Data Centres Group subsidiary A Healthier Earth (AHE) to assess carbon removal offtake and facility construction at its Great Barrier Reef biochar project in North Queensland. Biochar is a charcoal-like material made from organic waste via pyrolysis.
The project plans to convert 2 million tonnes of agricultural biomass waste and woody weeds into 550,000 high-integrity biochar credits. The deal will assess the economic feasibility of AHE securing a long-term credit offtake for at least 70% of the project's total biochar carbon removal credits. NoviqTech noted a supercycle of demand for high-integrity biochar carbon removals, driven by data centres and AI, with prices up to US$220 per tonne.
Coralia also partnered with Swinburne University of Technology to advance biochar applications in low-carbon concrete for the data centre sector. Phase 1 will test biochar from invasive Chinese apple trees in low-carbon concrete and landscaping. The project targets a share of the cement market, responsible for about 8% of global emissions, while positioning for rising data centre construction demand in Australia.
