Altech Batteries secures €2.5 million in cash funding in agreement with major shareholder Deutsche Balaton AG

Altech Batteries Ltd has inked an agreement with major shareholder Deutsche Balaton AG to draw down up to €2.5 million in cash funding – subject to shareholder approval – in the form of bearer bonds. The company is also selling its land in Johor, Malaysia, to secure repayment of the bonds, which will be provided with interest payable at 7% per year. ATC intends to hold a general meeting in late April to secure shareholder approval for the repayment and land sale. The available funding from the new agreement will go to the ongoing development of the CERENERGY® battery project and the Silumina Anodes™ battery materials project, as well as to support general working capital requirements. The agreement terms are as follows: The company is positioning CERENERGY® batteries as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, being fire and explosion proof, with a life span of more than 15 years and the ability to operate in extreme environments. Altech’s commercialisation strategy includes a joint venture with German government battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS, and plans to construct a 120 megawatt-hour (MWh) production facility in Germany for its CERENERGY® batteries. Altech and its subsidiaries have also completed a definitive feasibility study for the Silumina Anodes™ battery materials project, involving an 8,000-tonne-per-annum silicon alumina coating plant in Germany to supply its Silumina Anodes product to the burgeoning European electric vehicle market. Using high-capacity silicon in lithium-ion batteries, the company has achieved a 30% higher energy battery with improved cyclability and battery life, resulting in in smaller, lighter batteries with a smaller greenhouse gas footprint. Episode 203 of Noel Ong's Coffee with Samso introduces what could become one of the most compelling Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) small-cap resource stories of 2025 – Cyclone Metals Ltd – a largely overlooked company with a significant asset in magnetite iron ore. This episode focuses on the pedigree of Cyclone’s Iron Bear magnetite project. In the Australian market, iron ore is traditionally associated with haematite grading above 62% iron (Fe). However, the industry is shifting. Magnetite is emerging as a key player – and Cyclone Metals holds a project with the potential to deliver premium-grade iron pellets. “Where can you find a mineral resource business owned by a small-cap junior with a market capitalisation of under A$50 million that has secured funding all the way through to mining and processing?” asks Paul Berend, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cyclone Metals. “Cyclone began this journey with a market cap of just A$10 million.” Berend notes that the shift from haematite to magnetite is being driven by the depletion of high-grade haematite deposits. Cyclone’s strategy aligns with this trend, bolstered by a strategic partnership with global iron ore major VALE, which is providing funding support through to production – a rare position for a junior company. The steel industry’s move towards low-emission production through Direct Reduction (DR) requires high-purity iron pellets. “Not all magnetite deposits are suitable for Direct Reduction Pellets, which is why the Iron Bear deposit is perfectly aligned to allow this process to be achieved,” says Berend. Cyclone’s recent technical work indicates that iron ore from Iron Bear can be upgraded into pellets exceeding 71% Fe – a distinctive characteristic not commonly found, even among larger producers such as Champion Iron.

Mar 25, 2025 | www.proactiveinvestors.com