LITHIUM, enough resources for all electric vehicles?

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From lithium to Arkansas. A pilot plant will be built to treat lithium brine.

Standard Lithium, Lanxess Mull Arkansas Lithium Joint Venture

Reuters Nov 12, 2018



Standard Lithium Ltd said on Monday it had signed an agreement with Lanxess AG to build a lithium plant that will process from Arkansas brine, part of an ongoing study on whether to develop a joint venture to produce the white metal.

The pair to be produced by lithium - a key component of electric car batteries - it is a byproduct of existing bromine production facilities run by Lanxess in the southern state.

The lithium production process would be different from the evaporation ponds typically used in Chile and elsewhere to produce the metal.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Standard Lithium said it has developed a proprietary lithium extraction process that would rely on existing Lanxess infrastructure in Arkansas as well as the German company's brine.

“This will be a key step in developing a lithium industry in Arkansas,” said Robert Mintak, Standard Lithium's chief executive. "The pilot plant has to show that it's a process that can work long term."
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http://www.mining.com/web/standard-lith ... t-venture/

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Australia drops lithium prices

By Claire Fages RFI 30 November 2018

It is the key metal of the energy transition: lithium, used in the batteries of electric cars. Yet its price has collapsed in a few months. Projects are proliferating as far as Australia.

Sudden correction in the lithium market. Prices that had quadrupled from 2014 to 2017 have fallen by 50% since the middle of the year. They stagnate today at about 12 000 dollars a ton of lithium carbonate, 18 000 dollars a ton of lithium hydroxide. China has decreased its subsidies for electric cars.

Above all, lithium extraction sites have multiplied, there are a dozen in total and fifty is in project. In America, Latin of course, in salars, the salt deserts of Chile and Argentina. But also in China and especially in Australia. This is the new frontier of lithium. Between 2016 and 2020, the Oceanian giant will have tripled its production. Australia is already at the end of the year 2018 becoming the world's largest producer of lithium, ahead of Chile.

Rush to Australian lithium hydroxide

Why this sudden rush to Australian lithium? It is not the same geology as in Latin American salars. In Australia, lithium is contained in a rock, spodumene. And it is easier to extract lithium hydroxide than in Chilean salts. Now this lithium hydroxide is taking over in the new composition of electric batteries, on the lithium carbonate that was so far easily extracted from South American salars.

A sign: the world's number one lithium, the American Albermarle, has suspended a project in Chile, it is complicated by the requirements of the Chilean state on prices for local battery manufacturing, to invest in two mines Australian. Chinese Tianqi, already very present in Chile, invests in Australian deposits.

Agreement with the United States

This new production also aims to rebalance the resource for the manufacturers of electric batteries. The transformation of lithium rock in Australia, a rare occurrence in this raw ore exporting country, is encouraged by global lithium giants and the United States, which has signed an agreement with Australia in this area. Kidman Resources, one of the local mining players, is planning a third lithium hydroxide plant in Australia to supply, among other things, the US electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla.

http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20181130-aus ... ix-lithium

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Lithium prospecting Ghana :

Phase 1 drilling at IronRidge's Ghana lithium project confirms significant deposit
20th November 2018 BY: MARLENY ARNOLDI

Aim-listed IronRidge Resources has compiled the results of a 58-hole, 8 210 m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Ewoyaa project, in Ghana


The results include the last 13 drilled holes, which had multiple broad, high-grade lithium drill intersections returned to a 0.5% lithium oxide cutoff and maximum 10 m of internal dilution.

Highlights from the last 13 holes include 56 m at 1.71% lithium oxide from 48 and 67 m at 1.32% lithium oxide from 37 m.

The final results received for the Phase 1 drill program indicate that the Ewoyaa deposit included steeply east dipping to subvertical pegmatite dykes and bodies in the southern, central, north and north-east areas with 20 m and remains open to the north.

A pitting program is also under way to test for extensions.

COO Len Kolff stated on Tuesday that the 1 phase drilling program confirmed Ewoyaa's potential as a significant lithium discovery and that the jurisdiction of the company's Cape Coast lithium portfolio.

http://m.miningweekly.com/article/phase ... ep_id:3861

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Iberian peninsula, after the lithium of Portugal of which I already spoke, good Lithium in Spain !

Infinity Lithium reveals "outstanding results" of lithium hydroxide scoping study at San Jose in Spain

By DANIEL BRIGHTMORE. Dec 03, 2018

Infinity Lithium has been successfully completed by the San Jose Lithium Project Scoping Study.

The project is located in San Jose, Texas, and is located in Madrid in the area of ​​Extramadura, with a major gas pipeline. It will take advantage of one of Europe's largest lithium deposits with a forecast project life of 2.5 years and 24 supporting roles.

Ryan Parkin, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We have had a great result with our scoping study - an NPV (net present value) in excess of $ 715m and an IRR (international rate of return) of 51%. The production of lithium hydroxide is a highly specified field. We have come up with a number of operating costs of $ 1 for which we have the advantage of having the greatest impact in this space. "

Infinity expects the project to generate $ 5.1bn in revenue and over $ 126m in free cashflow (pre-tax) per annum, driving a payback period of circa 28 months. The company has also cited significant potential to enhance revenue through the inclusion of by-product credits (tin and boron). "

https://www.miningglobal.com/mining-sit ... y-san-jose

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A German company obtains the exploitation of the salar of Uyuni

Located in Bolivia, the Uyuni Salar is the largest salt desert in the world and contains one third of the planet's lithium reserves. Until now it was not exploited for lack of competence of the Bolivian state enterprises in charge of this exploitation. To solve this problem, Bolivia has appointed the German company ACI Systems as a strategic partner for the industrialization of Salar Uyuni.
An agreement between ACI and the Bolivian company YLB (Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos) was officially signed in Berlin in mid-December. This is very good news for the European project "Airbus batteries" since European companies will be able to access the largest lithium reserve in the world.

The partners plan to produce 30.000 at 40.000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year from 2022. Subsequently production could increase further.

Extract of https://www.automobile-propre.com/batte ... tiel-actu/

German ACI Systems and YLV to develop Uyuni lithium deposit in Bolivia

Metal News - Published on the 13 Dec 2018

Reuters reported that Germany and Bolivia have sealed a partnership for the industrial use of lithium, a key raw material for the production of battery cells, in an important step to become less dependent on Asian market leaders in the dawning age of electric cars. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said "Germany should become a leading location for battery cell production. A large part of production costs is linked to raw materials. German industry is therefore well advised to secure its needs for lithium early in order to avoid falling behind and slipping into dependency. The deal is an important building block to secure this supply. ”

With the joint venture, Bolivian state company YLB is teaming up with Germany's privately-owned ACI Systems.o develop its massive Uyuni salt flat and build a lithium hydroxide plant as a factory for electric car batteries in Bolivia.

https://steelguru.com/auto/german-aci-s ... type=metal

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The Thacker Pass project in Nevada is expected to start producing 30 000 from Lithium to 2022, then to 60 000 and 2026.

The Thacker Pass lithium project is a world-class lithium project being developed in Humboldt County, Nevada, US.

Set to be the largest lithium deposit in the US, Thacker Pass is being developed by Lithium Nevada, a fully-owned subsidiary of Lithium Americas (LAC). It is expected to have a life of 46 years.

Pre-feasibility study (PFS) of the two-phased project was completed in 2018. Lithium production from the first phase is anticipated in 2022 at a rate of 30,000 tons per annum (tpa) for a period of 3.5 years. The second phase is expected to increase production by 60,000tpa starting from 2026.
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The Thacker Pass is located within the McDermitt Caldera supervolcano extinct, which is associated with the Yellowstone hotspot.

https://www.compelo.com/energy/projects ... evada-usa/

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Bolivia signs with a consortium of Chinese industrialists for Lithium production in Bolivia.
2.3 billions of dollars will be invested.

Bolivia picks Chinese partner for 2.3B lithium project

Reuters feb 6 2019

Bolivia has chosen a Chinese consortium to help it produce lithium, the government said on Wednesday, giving China a potential foothold in the country's huge untapped reserves of the prized electric battery metal.

China's Xinjiang TBEA Group Co Ltd will hold a 49 stake in a joint venture with Bolivia's state lithium company YLB, the Bolivian firm said. Together, the two companies will produce lithium and other materials from the Coipasa and Pastos Great salt flats in the Bolivian Andes, with an estimated investment of at least $ 2.3 billion.

Bolivia has some of the world's largest reserves of lithium - a key component in batteries that power electric cars, laptops and cellphones - but has yet to produce the metal at a commercial scale.

Beijing has second chance in Bolivia after German firm ACI Systems GmbH was chosen last year over Chinese rivals as strategic partner on Bolivia's largest lithium deposit in the salt flats of Uyuni.

Xinjiang TBEA beat six rivals that also sought to partner with Bolivia on Coipasa and Pastos Grandes, including ACI, Uranium One - a subsidiary of Russia 's nuclear company Rosatom - and the Irish company Clontarf Energy Plc.

China's ambassador in La Paz, Liang Yu, hailed the agreement as "historic" at a ceremony with Bolivian officials in the highland city of Oruro, broadcast on the state TV channel.

China, the biggest global consumer of lithium, will need 800,000 tons of it per year by 2025 to support its growing.

“We're going to establish a strategic alliance,” Liang said.

There are no official estimates yet for how much lithium Coipasa and Pastos Grandes hold.

Bolivia said last month that a new study found that at least 21 million tons of lithium, more than double to a previous estimate.

YLB and Xinjiang TBEA will produce hydroxide, lithium carbonate and lithium chloride from Coipasa and Pastos Grandes, as well as potassium sulfate, boric acid and sodium bromide, YLB said.

http://www.mining.com/web/bolivia-picks ... m-project/

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Lithium news in Portugal:

Europe's push for EVs in Savannah's Portugal lithium project

Cecilia Jamasmie Feb 23 2019

Lithium miners have their eyes on Portugal, a country that does not scream "mining" like other jurisdictions, but which is already Europe's biggest producer of the commodity, thanks to the surge in popularity of electric vehicles (EVs).

One of those companies is Savannah Resources, currently advancing its Mina do Barroso project in the north of the country, arguably one of the most advanced lithium mining concessions in Europe.


Drilling at Mina do Barroso lithium project in northern Portugal. (Courtesy image of Savannah Resources.)

The company is one of the largest producers of spodumene, a hard-rock form of lithium.

"We're in a unique position in Europe," David Archer chief executive tells MINING.com. "Mina do Barroso contains the largest spodumene lithium mineral resource in Europe at 20.1Mt at 1.04% Li₂O and is akin to the successful Australian spodumene mine developments."

Leixoes Port, Portugal's second largest archer notes that the project is well served with local infrastructure.


Mina do Barroso lithium project rental. (Courtesy of Savannah Resources.)

Savannah, which is listed on AIM, the London Stock Exchange's international market for smaller firms, acquired at 75% interest in Mina do Barroso in May 2017, and has maintained a fast paced development approach since.

The company is currently moving forward with a definitive feasibility study (DFS) led by Primero, an Australian consultancy with deep experience in the lithium field. Archer expects the study to be completed by mid-year.

DFS, the program continues to expand expansions to the mineralized zone at the Grandao area, extensions in depth at Reservatorio and further encouraging results at the Pinheiro deposit.

Savannah Resources estimates the total project holds a total of 20 million tons with over 200,000 tons contained Li20. Additionally, metallurgical test-work results have been produced in "excellent" 6% Li20 low impurity concentrate, which according to Archer is "ideal" for the EV battery industry, further validating the project.

One hiccup is that based on experts' estimates, it is more expensive to produce lithium extracted from Portugal's granite rocks than from the brine fields of Chile, which hosts some of the planet's largest known reserves of white metal.

"Mina do Barroso is in the lower quartile of spodumene lithium and is the best European analogue of the successful Australian producers," Archer argues. "Australia is now the dominant producer of lithium, which is one of the top producers of lithium, which is preferred for producing lithium hydroxide and has advantages over brines," he says.

Mina do Barroso is set to produce 6% Li2O spodumene concentrates destined to China. The open pit mine will also yield a feldspar and quartz co-product to be sold to ceramics industry customers locally and in neighbouring and Spain.

Archer says the company will make a decision on developing the mine, for which it has 30-year mining lease to 2036.

Portugal produces about 11% of the global lithium market, but its output is entirely used to make ceramics and glassware. That's why Europe links to lithium imports from Latin America's "Lithium Triangle," as well as Australia and China.

http://www.mining.com/wp-content/upload ... dotcom.jpg

http://www.mining.com/europes-push-evs- ... m-project/

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Reassessment of 100% of the Lithium Carbonates reserves of the Pastos Grandes project Argentina.

Millennial Lithium stock jumps 12% following boost in resource estimate

Earlier, the company released an updated resource estimate for its Pastos Large Lithium Project in Salta, Argentina. The project now contains 4.12Mt lithium carbonate equivalent and 15.3Mt potash equivalent in Measured and Indicated resource. Inferred resource has also increased to 798,000t lithium carbonate equivalent and 2.97Mt potash equivalent.

The resource estimate is based on 15,000 33 and 100 2017 resource estimate. The company expects to table a feasibility study and build a pilot processing plant at the end of 2019's second quarter
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http://www.mining.com/millennial-lithiu ... -estimate/

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Continuation of this 24 February 2019 post http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 3#p2281213

Savannah Resources becomes owner of 100% stake in the Barroso Lithium Mine project in Portugal.

Savannah Resources to take full control of lithium mine in Portugal

15 April 2019

Multi-commodity developer Savannah Resources (AIM: SAV) will become the sole owner of Mina do Barroso lithium project in Portugal through an all-share offer worth $ 11.9 million.

The London, England-based company, which already owns 75% of the asset, said full ownership would "provide greater exposure" for its shareholders to the project as it's developed and commercialized.
Mina do Barroso, arguably one of the most advanced lithium mining concessions in Europe, is expected to become the continent's largest producer of spodumene, a hard-rock form of lithium.

Savannah, who acquired a major stake in the project in May 2017, has maintained a fast paced development approach since.



The company estimates the total value of 20 million tons with over 200,000 tons contained Li20. Furthermore, metallurgical test-work results have produced an "excellent" 6% Li20 low impurity concentrate, which according to chief executive David Archer, is "ideal" for the EV battery industry, further validating the project.

Mina do Barroso is set to produce 6% Li2O spodumene concentrates destined to China. The open pit mine will also yield a feldspar and quartz co-product to be sold to ceramics industry customers locally and in neighbouring and Spain.

http://www.mining.com/savannah-resource ... -portugal/