GMV Minerals is an attractive investment proposition with both gold and lithium projects that have compelling market economics, in well-established mining jurisdictions in the USA.
Junior exploration and development company GMV Minerals (TSXV:GMV,OTCQB:GMVMF) is advancing two major projects in Arizona and Nevada, both positioning the company to take full advantage of a continuing gold bull market and the exponentially rising demand for lithium - a mineral facilitating the global push for decarbonization and energy transition.
The Mexican Hat gold project, located in Arizona, is a high-quality, 5,000-acre gold asset with an inferred resource of 688,000 ounces of gold and compelling positive preliminary economic assessment, including a 10-year mine life, low CAPEX and very strong pre-tax NPV.
In Nevada, GMV has a three-year option agreement to earn a 100 percent interest in the Daisy Creek lithium project located in Lander County. Nevada currently hosts the only producing lithium mine in North America, and is home to Thacker Pass, the largest known lithium deposit in the US. GMV now controls or owns 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres at Daisy Creek. The claims are close to operating gold mines and have access to existing power lines, water and paved highways. Following a high-resolution radiometric and magnetic helicopter survey in October 2023 and a field sampling program in December 2023, GMV is now drill-permitted to test the Nevada property.
A low-sulphidation epithermal gold deposit, GMV’s 100-percent owned Mexican Hat contains an estimated gold resource of 688,000 ounces across 5,000 acres. As GMV's flagship project, the company aims to further expand this resource through drilling, ultimately moving from an inferred resource estimate to a measured and indicated estimate. The mine development itself will consist of two pits — a smaller southeast pit will be mined first, followed by a larger pit to the north.
Mexican Hat project in Arizona
View across the Basin showing historical trenching from the 1970s; material trenched is a claystone.
Located in Lander County, Nevada, Daisy Creek consists of 165 lode claims. Initially targeted for uranium by multiple oil and mining companies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the project instead proved rich in lithium, displaying values of up to 2 percent in clay-altered volcanic tuffs, which geologists noted was likely hectorite-based.
Because there was very little demand for lithium at the time, Daisy Creek largely sat ignored and forgotten. It was not until several decades later that two of the geologists involved in the project's original drilling program noted multiple similarities between Daisy Creek and Lithium America's highly prospective Thacker Pass discovery. GMV plans to conduct a field program to confirm these observations.
Ian Klassen has 30 years of experience in public company management, public relations, government affairs, entrepreneurship, media relationship strategies and project management. Klassen is the president of a North American mineral exploration company and sits on the board of directors of several private and public companies. Previous to his management activities within private and public companies, he held a variety of positions within federal Canadian politics, including as senior political advisor to the Minister of State (Transportation), and as chief of staff, Office of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. Klassen graduated with an undergraduate honors degree from Western University in 1989. In 1992, he received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in recognition of his significant contribution to his community and country.
Dr. D.R. Webb graduated with a geological engineering degree from the University of Toronto, where he obtained awards for the highest marks in both third-year and fourth-year field camps. He obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in geological sciences at Queen’s University and Western University, respectively, where his focus was on the structural and geochemical controls of gold mineralization in the Yellowknife Greenstone Belt. Webb is credited for discovering both the largest granitic-hosted gold deposit in the Northwest Territories and the largest gold deposit in the Yellowknife Greenstone Belt found in the past 30 years. He served as president and director of Tyhee Gold, where he and his team developed a high-grade gold deposit into production, becoming Mongolia’s first hard-rock gold mine. He later advanced his discoveries in Yellowknife into a multimillion-ounce resource, completed economic and engineering analysis and initiated both feasibility studies and permitting.
Webb also developed the Mon Gold Mine into the most recently permitted gold mine in the Yellowknife Gold Belt, operating for seven years and then shutting down in 1997. Webb is a consultant to the industry, providing services throughout the world and sits on the board of Lake Victoria Mining Company and Metallis Resources, several private corporations, and is on the advisory council for the Centre of Training Excellence in Mining. Webb co-authored the qualifying report on Fortune Minerals’ Nico Deposit, recommending the acquisition of what is now the largest bismuth resource in the world.
Michelle Pillon is an accountant with several years of experience in the junior mining exploration sector. Since 1988, Pillon has been providing accounting and regulatory assistance to public and private companies.
GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce that preliminary results from the four drill holes completed on the Daisy Property are very encouraging with a thickening in the claystone horizons and increasing in the grade towards the south. The southern-most hole, DC24-1 intersected three distinct claystone horizons totaling 48.7 m of lithium enrichment starting 76.2 m down hole
All holes were 5.5-inch RC holes drilled vertically.
Drill Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Thickness (m) | Li (ppm) |
DC24-1 | 76.2 | 109.7 | 33.5 | 1,085 |
Incl | 85.3 | 109.7 | 24.4 | 1,125 |
And | 164.6 | 170.7 | 6.1 | 1,170 |
And | 189.0 | 198.1 | 9.1 | 1,004 |
DC24-2 | 39.6 | 45.7 | 6.1 | 942 |
And | 100.6 | 112.8 | 12.2 | 773 |
DC24-3 | 54.9 | 61 | 6.1 | 676 |
DC24-5 | No significant values | |||
DC24-4 was not drilled.
No significant uranium values were encountered.
Ian Klassen President states "We are very pleased with the results showing a thickening and increasing grade to the south on our 100% controlled Daisy Creek Property. The 48.7 m of total claystone in DC24-1 with values >1,000 ppm is economically interesting, and the grades are increasing towards the deeper parts of the basin. These values well exceed the cut-off grade for most claystone projects in Nevada and similar to some that have been taken to feasibility studies in the Clayton Valley (see table below). Claystones typically have an SG of 1.7 gm/cc such that each cubic meter contains 1.7 tonnes of rock. Drill holes DC24-1, 2, and 3 are separated by 300 to 1,000 m meaning substantial tonnages can be inferred quickly from each drill hole."
Company | Project | Tonnes (millions) | ppm Li |
American Lithium | TLC Project | 2052 | 809 |
Pan American Energy | Horizon Li | 2,800 | 669 |
Spearmint Resources | McGee | 470 | 830 |
Noram Lithium | Zeus | 586 | 957 |
RC samples were collected into premarked bags from 10' runs, collected and dried before transporting them to the independent certified ALS Global's laboratory in Elko Nevada. They were further dried, crushed and pulverized using CRU-31, SPL-21 and PUL-31 procedures. The pulps were then shipped to ALS Global's laboratory in North Vancouver and were processed using ME-MS41 aqua regia digestion and mass spectrometry analysis. Six Certified Reference Standards, CDN-Li1, were submitted, checked in re-runs with internal laboratory standards together with selected samples and returned acceptable results.
Figure 1. The image shows lithium and magnesium analyses down hole (meters) for the four drill holes completed, schematically distributed from the basin margin on the left to towards the deeper basin on the right.
Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.
About GMV Minerals Inc.
GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Property, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company's NI 43-101 resource estimate (Inferred) is 36,733,000 tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 688,000 ounces of gold. In 2023, GMV acquired a total of 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres in Lander County, Nevada where it is exploring highly prospective claims for lithium.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
________________________________________
Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: Klassen@gmvminerals.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: GMV Minerals, Inc.
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce that, pursuant to its news release dated September 10th, 2024, it has completed its initial drill program on the Daisy Project, located in Lander County, Nevada
The Company drilled five targets with 643m (2109 feet) of RC and tricone drilling. All holes intercepted various claystone horizons and claystone with felsic ash to lapilli tuffs with a distinctive trend towards more abundant claystone in the central portions of the caldera. Abundant alteration was noted in some drill holes with both oxidized and sulphide-bearing horizons observed.
A total of 221 samples have been submitted to ALS Global for analysis in Elko Nevada, including 10 Certified Reference Standards. The results will be released once they have been received and checked. No lost time accidents occurred, and all disturbed sites were graded and reseeded with the recommended seed mix.
Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.
About GMV Minerals Inc.
GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Property, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company's NI 43-101 resource estimate (Inferred) is 36,733,000 tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 688,000 ounces of gold. In 2023, GMV acquired a total of 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres in Lander County, Nevada where it is exploring highly prospective claims for uranium & lithium.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: Klassen@gmvminerals.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: GMV Minerals, Inc.
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce that it has commenced drilling at its Daisy Creek lithiumuranium project in Lander County, Nevada. The Company has engaged Nevada-based Harris Exploration Drilling and Associates Inc. to commence its initial drill program at the Daisy Creek project. Harris Exploration has decades of successful drill exploration experience spanning across the Americas on all types of projects
Ian Klassen, President, remarked "We are pleased to be drill testing the Daisy Creek project and to be doing so with Harris Exploration, a highly reputable and experienced company that is very familiar with this type of geology". The Company's initial reverse circulation drill program will be approximately six holes from six different set ups totaling ~3500 feet. The program is designed to test the most prospective lithium targets as defined by the most recent geophysical, field work and historical information.
Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.
About GMV Minerals Inc.
GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Property, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company's NI 43-101 resource estimate (Inferred) is 36,733,000 tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 688,000 ounces of gold. In 2023, GMV acquired a total of 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres in Lander County, Nevada where it is exploring highly prospective claims for lithium.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
________________________________________
Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: Klassen@gmvminerals.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE:GMV Minerals, Inc.
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce the following update
The Company continues to be highly encouraged by its primary core project known as the Mexican Hat gold deposit located in SE Arizona. The Company's Preliminary Economic Assessment" PEA" reports 36.7 million tonnes grading 0.58 gpt gold in a 688,000 ounce Inferred Mineral Resource. An open pit with a 1.87:1 strip ratio was modeled to extract 32.6 million tonnes of this deposit recovering 525,000 ounces of gold over a 10-year mine life. This is a low capital cost operation, total cost of US$67.8 million, which includes US$12 million in contingency and US$13 million in sustaining capital. Heap leach testing demonstrates an exceptional recovery of 88% of the gold from a two-stage crushing circuit.
Partial economics of the base case gold price variance is shown in an excerpt from the PEA (below). For ease of reference, please review the entire PEA by visiting the Company's website at www.gmvminerals.com.
Gold price Base Case Variance | Base | +40% |
US$/troy oz Gold | 1,600.00 | 2,240.00 |
IRR (Pre-Tax) | 39.3% | 77.4% |
NPV @ 5% (Pre-Tax) US$M | 150.6 | 395.0 |
All technical detail is drawn from "NI 43-101 Technical Report Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mexican Hat Project" by Kuestermeyer, A., Pozder, S., Webb, D., Barr, J., Dyer, T., Barrios, F., Garcia, D., 2020.
As a result of the recent and steady increase in the price of gold, well beyond numbers that were conceived in the PEA, the Company is now advancing upon its intention to continue developmental drilling at the project while remaining focused on the share structure of the company.
A drill program will twin approximately thirty-five shallow holes drilled by past operators (approximately 90% completed by Placer Dome USA). This wide diameter diamond drill program intends to refine the internal boundaries of the mineralization and provide geomechanical parameters which cannot be obtained from reverse circulation drilling.
The result from this work is expected to:
Upgrade the mineral resource to higher categories within the Measure, Indicated and Inferred resources classification.
Provide geotechnical data for engineering designs geared to maximize the pit slope and potentially increase recoverable gold ounces.
Provide opportunities to confirm hydrogeological properties of the rock.
Provide samples for environmental testing to characterize both the ore and waste materials for permitting requirements.
In addition, this phase of the drilling will be completed in parallel with a resumption of hydrogeological and atmospheric testing being conducted by SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc. and Westland Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc. This work will enable the company to identify pertinent data to allow for the Company to advance the project towards production.
The Company also confirms that it has received the approval of the Notice of Intent ("NOI") for the Company's Daisy Creek Project in Lander County, Nevada.
The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") has reviewed the NOI and determined it is complete, containing all the information required by the surface management regulations at 43 CFR 3809.30. The BLM has reviewed the proposed operation and determined that it is appropriate to proceed to a drill phase.
Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.
About the Daisy Creek project:
The Daisy Creek project is in Lander County, Nevada where GMV now controls or owns a total of 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres. An initial 6-hole drill program been established based upon recent sampling, historical data, and the high-resolution aeromagnetic survey completed by Precision GeoSurveys in late 2023. The program is designed to test the Daisy Property for prospective Lithium Claystone (LC) mineralization. The property was explored in the past because of the prospectivity for uranium when the unexpected discovery of high-grade lithium was found. After field evaluation and analyses of past data and a helicopter geophysical survey and the recent approval of the NOI, the Company intends to proceed and commence drill-testing. The Company has engaged Nevada based Harris Exploration to conduct the program.
About GMV Minerals Inc.
GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Property, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. GMV. Recently updated its National Instrument inferred mineral resource to 36,733,000 tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 688,000 ounces of gold.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
________________________________________
Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: info@gmvminerals.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: GMV Minerals, Inc.
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce that it has filed permitting documentation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for GMV's Daisy Creek lithiumuranium project in Lander County, Nevada
The Notice of Intent (NOI) covers a six hole drill program up to a total depth of 3000 feet and focuses on the most prospective lithium targets as defined by recent geophysical work. Upon approval and receipt of permits, GMV is targeting to drill its Daisy Creek project in June/July 2024 and will provide further updates as new information comes available.
In addition, the Company has applied to the TSX Venture Exchange to extend the expiry date for 4,500,000 of its outstanding unlisted common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants"). The Warrants, each of which is currently exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company at $0.16 per share, were originally issued by the Company as part of non-brokered unit private placement financing completed on June 8, 2022. The Company will extend the original warrant expiry date of June 24, 2024 to 4:30 pm PST on June 24, 2025 subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
The Company currently has an aggregate of 4,500,000 Warrants issued and outstanding pertaining to the above-noted Private Placement, all of which are eligible for amendment, pursuant to the policies of the Exchange.
Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.
About GMV Minerals Inc.
GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Property, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company's NI 43-101 resource estimate (Inferred) is 36,733,000 tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 688,000 ounces of gold. In 2023, GMV acquired a total of 165 lode claims covering 3,408 acres in Lander County, Nevada where it is exploring highly prospective claims for lithium.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: Klassen@gmvminerals.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: GMV Minerals, Inc.
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM: CTL), an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, is pleased to announce the downstream conversion process is successfully producing pilot scale samples of lithium carbonate. CTL is a leader in Chile in producing lithium carbonate using Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") at the pilot scale, marking a major milestone for the Company. The samples will be sent to a laboratory to confirm the grade and impurity profile, which is expected to be battery-grade and prepared for strategic partner qualification.
Image 1: CTL Director Gordon Stein and CEO of Conductive Energy Haafiz Hasham
with first Lithium Carbonate produced from Conversion Process
The Company shipped four tanks with a total of 88m3 of concentrated eluate from its DLE pilot plant in Copiapó, Chile, to the facilities of Conductive Energy in Chicago, USA, for conversion into lithium carbonate. The first tank with 20m3 of eluate is currently being processed and produced the first 50kg of lithium carbonate on November 19th. The full tank will be processed over the next week and is expected to produce approximately 150kg of battery grade lithium carbonate.
To mark the commencement of production a site visit to the conversion facility was held showcasing the innovative process. The conversion process utilises forward osmosis at the concentration stage rather than the conventional evaporator helping to reduce water consumption and energy use before solution purification and then carbonation into the final product.
Conversations with potential strategic partners interested in testing the product have begun. After laboratory analysis, the Company will be aiming to send samples of battery-grade lithium carbonate to such partners initially in the several kilograms to tens of kilograms, to start the product qualification process.
Highlights:
· CTL has produced pilot scale lithium carbonate from Laguna Verde brine following successful commencement of the downstream conversion process
· CTL is a leader in Chile producing lithium carbonate at the pilot scale using sustainable DLE which, with spent brine reinjection, prevents aquifer depletion and through innovative downstream processing, minimises water and energy consumption
· Lithium carbonate product will be sent to a laboratory in North America to be verified as battery-grade (>99.5%)
· A site visit to Conductive Energy's conversion facility took place on Tuesday 19th November to mark the commencement of production from what is the largest pilot plant in operation in North-East USA.
· Conversations with strategic partners have started and samples will be available for product qualification
Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer, CleanTech Lithium PLC, said:
"CleanTech Lithium has reached an important milestone by commencing pilot scale lithium carbonate production using a sustainable and innovative DLE based process. As a leader in the DLE sector in Chile with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, this accomplishment marks a significant step forward. Years of hard work have led to this important milestone, and it sets the stage for future development with a commitment to supporting the transition to electric vehicles and clean energy. Thank you to the partners involved and we look forward to enter the next phase of development."
Haafiz Hasham, Chief Executive Officer, Conductive Energy, said:
"The successful conversion to lithium carbonate in partnership with CleanTech Lithium and Forward Water Technologies represents a significant milestone for all the companies involved. This achievement highlights our commitment to developing innovative, efficient, and sustainable processes that meet the growing global demand for lithium, a critical component in green energy solutions. We are excited to continue advancing Direct Lithium Extraction, which we believe represents the future of battery-grade lithium production."
Image 2: Site visit at Conductive Energy's facilities was held on 19th November
to see the conversion process to lithium carbonate
Image 3: Filter press used in the conversion process to separate precipitated
Li2CO3 from solution. White powder is lithium carbonate
Image 4: Two tanks of concentrated eluate arrive on site in Chicago, USA
Image 5: Industrial Forward Osmosis unit
**ENDS**
The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. The person who arranged for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Gordon Stein, Director and CFO.
For further information contact: | |
CleanTech Lithium PLC | |
Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter | Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile office: +562-32239222 |
Or via Celicourt | |
Celicourt Communications Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani | +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak | +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Daniel Fox-Davies | +44 (0) 20 3884 8450 |
Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker) James Asensio | +44 (0) 20 7523 4680 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
Notes
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to become a new supplier of battery grade lithium using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and exploration stage projects in Llamara and Arenas Blancas (Salar de Atacama), located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two most advanced projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. All four projects have good access to existing infrastructure.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine resulting in no aquifer depletion. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine with higher recoveries, short development lead times and no extensive evaporation pond construction. www.ctlithium.com
Gina Rinehart is an Australian iron ore magnate and the executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, as well as the richest person in Australia and one of the world’s richest women. Rinehart is the daughter of Australian mining mogul and Hancock Prospecting founder, the late Lang Hancock. As the current executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart won the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from CEO Magazine in 2019.
Rinehart was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2022 for her “distinguished service to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives, and to sport as a patron.”
Gina Rinehart inherited Hancock Prospecting after her father’s passing in 1992. The following year, Gina Rinehart’s company acquired the Roy Hill tenements. Centering the massive project as the cornerstone of the company, Hancock Prospecting has greatly benefited from the iron ore market boom that began in the early 2000s.
Today, Roy Hill is Australia’s largest iron ore mine, producing 60 million tonnes of iron ore per year. The mine was recently approved to increase its annual production to 70 million tonnes. Success at Roy Hill has made Hancock Prospecting Australia’s most valuable private company, worth an estimated AU$15.6 billion.
As with many of the world’s most successful billionaires, Gina Rinehart has developed an investment strategy based on strategic partnerships as well as diversification to mitigate risk and build value. Under her leadership, Hancock Prospecting Pty Limited (HPPL) as well as the HPPL Group of companies has expanded into some of the world’s most economically important markets, such as real estate, agriculture, energy and critical metals.
For the 2024 fiscal year, Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting reported a bumper profit of AU$5.6 billion, up 10 percent from the previous year.
Through her company Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart owns interest in mining companies across many sectors, including iron ore, lithium, rare earths, copper, oil and gas, as well as potash. While much of her investment portfolio is focused on Australia and ASX companies, Rinehart is actively strengthening the geographical diversification of her investments.
In recent years, Rinehart has made a series of key investments in mining companies, especially targeting critical metals projects in Germany, Brazil, Ecuador and the United States. These include exploration-stage firms such as Titan Minerals (ASX:TTM) and Azure Minerals as well as producers such as Atlas Iron and MP Materials.
Vehicles hauling ore at Roy Hill iron ore mine.
Photo of Roy Hill iron ore mine via Roy Hill.
Hancock Prospecting’s Roy Hill and Hope Downs iron ore mines are located in the resource rich Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Roy Hill has attracted strategic partnerships with major global enterprises: Marubeni (TSE:8002) with a 15 percent equity stake; POSCO (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490) holds a 12.5 percent stake; and China Steel (TPE:2002) has a 2.5 percent equity position. The minority partners purchase a combined 28.75 million tonnes of iron ore annually from Roy Hill’s production.
This September, Hancock Prospecting got the green light for its AU$600 million McPhee iron mine located about 100 kilometres north of the Roy Hill mine after a long approval process. The McPhee iron mine is expected to produce around 10 million tonnes of the metal each year over an estimated 15 year mine life. First production is expected to kick off next year, and ore will be transported by road trains to Roy Hill for processing and blending. The goal is to improve the larger mine's product mix and sustain its production volumes.
The Hope Downs iron ore complex is another of Australia’s largest iron ore projects. A 50/50 joint venture partnership with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO), Hope Downs hosts four open-pit mines and has an annual production capacity of 47 million tonnes. Hope Downs has also been the subject of a more than decade-long civil dispute in a Western Australian court over royalties, put forth by the descendants of Lang Hancock's business partner Peter Wright as well as Rinehart’s own children. A judgment in the case is expected this year.
Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments in Western Australia extend beyond Roy Hill and Hill Downs to its subsidiary Atlas Iron’s three producing mines and a pipeline of development projects, as well as an earn-in agreement on Legacy Iron Ore (ASX:LCY) and Hawthorn Resources’ (ASX:HAW) Mt Bevan project through its subsidiary Hancock Magnetite Holdings.
Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting acquired Atlas Iron in 2018 through a AU$427 million deal that turned out to be dirt cheap as the company would go on to deliver AU$1.5 billion in revenues over the next three years alone.
Today, Atlas Mines operates the Mt Webber, Sanjiv Ridge and Miralga Creek mines. Production from these mines in its fiscal year ended June 2023 led to a AU$222 million dividend payment for Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting.
At Mt Bevan, as part of its earn-in agreement, Hancock completed a prefeasibility study( PFS) for a 12 million tonne per year high-grade magnetite project in July of this year. The PFS incorporated a mineral resource estimate totalling 1,291 million tonnes, which was completed by Atlas, and delineates a capital cost of AU$5 billion to develop the potential Mt Bevan mine.
Completion of the PFS increased Hancock’s stake in the JV ownership from 30 percent to 51 percent with Legacy now holding 29.4 percent and Hawthorn 19.6 percent.
Like iron, coal is another essential material in steel manufacturing. To this end, Rinehart is also pursuing an investment in a past-producing metallurgical coal mine in Alberta, Canada. Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Northback Holdings is the owner of the proposed Grassy Mountain steelmaking coal project in the province’s Crowsnest Pass region. Northback is awaiting approval of its exploration licenses for the project.
Gina Rinehart's lithium investments include Azure Minerals’ Andover lithium project, Liontown Resources, Delta Lithium (ASX:DLI) and Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL). The majority of her lithium investments have came in a flurry over the past year.
In June 2023, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting signed a separate joint venture earn-in agreement for the Mt Bevan magnetite project, which is discussed above, this time for the lithium, nickel and copper mineralization at the project. The agreement will similarly see Hancock able to earn a 51 percent interest by completing certain milestones.
Last September, Rinehart made headlines when she took a position in Liontown Resources and then rapidly increased the position to 19.9 percent over the following month. This allowed Hancock, which was now Liontown's largest shareholder, to effectively block Albemarle’s (NYSE:ALB) accepted takeover of the smaller lithium company.
However, since then, Liontown’s stock has taken a hit as the economics for its near-production Kathleen Valley lithium project in Western Australia have been damaged by the effects of high inflation and low lithium prices. Ultimately, in January, Albemarle decided to sell off its 4 percent stake in Liontown Resources. The lack of any further moves or comment by Rinehart in relation to Liontown Resources has led to speculation she may be waiting for the right opportunity to buy up the lithium company at a discount.
Kathleen Valley entered production in late July 2024, and is expected to produce approximately 2.8 million tonnes per year of spodumene concentrate by the end of FY 2027.
That wasn't the only lithium bid Rinehart blocked in October 2023. As is her strategy, Rinehart scooped up an 18.9 percent stake in Azure Minerals last year after SQM announced its intention for a total takeover of the company and its Andover lithium project in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia. This story had a different ending, though, as Hancock Prospecting instead joined the lithium giant in a AU$1.7 billion deal to become a co-owner of the exploration-stage Andover project, which also hosts nickel, copper and cobalt mineralisation. The deal closed in May 2024.
Shortly after its Liontown and Azure moves last year, Hancock Prospecting continued investing in Western Australia's lithium prospects when it participated in a AU$70.2 million fundraising for Delta Lithium in November 2023. The proceeds of the fundraising will help Delta Lithium to fund the development of its Mt Ida lithium-gold project, which is adjacent to Hancock's Mt Bevan joint venture project, through to a final investment decision. As of November 2024, Hancock Prospect owns 10.65 percent of Delta Lithium.
Rinehart has made lithium investments outside of Australia as well. Looking further afield to Germany, with a 7.5 percent stake, Hancock Prospecting is the second largest shareholder in Vulcan Energy and its flagship Zero Carbon lithium project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley, a milestone Rinehart's company reached after investing an additional AU$20 million in Vulcan, which made headlines in June. The Zero Carbon project is slated to produce an initial 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide by the end of 2025, targeting Europe’s electric vehicle manufacturing sector.
In November 2024, Vulcan Energy reached another major milestone with first production at its downstream lithium hydroxide optimisation plant, which is designed to produce lithium hydroxide and battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate.
Facilities at MP Materials' Mountain Pass rare earths mine.
clayton harrison / Shutterstock
Through Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart has recently made investments in some of the world’s most well known rare earths producing companies — US-based MP Materials and Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths — as well as development-stage Arafura Rare Earths and exploration-stage Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE). Rinehart taking a position in these rare earths companies shows she is looking to capitalise on the significant need for these critical metals outside of China.
As mentioned in the introduction to this article, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting is the largest shareholder of Arafura Rare Earths, giving it a 10 percent stake in the advanced-stage Nolans project in the Northern Territory. Rinehart made the investment in December 2022.
In April of this year, Rinehart made two significant moves into the sector. The first came on April 9, when it was revealed that Hancock Prospecting had acquired a 5.3 percent stake in MP Materials, the second largest rare earths producer outside of China. The company’s California-based Mountain Pass mine is the only integrated rare earth mining and processing operation in North America.
Rinehart’s investment in MP Materials could later bring in “Roy Hill-type cash flow,” Dylan Kelly, head analyst at Terra Capital, told Australian Financial Review. “Anything that is producing and not China-aligned is highly strategic. These materials are very, very hard to make and there’s a lot of demand in making magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines."
One week later, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting also took up a 5.82 percent interest in Lynas Rare Earths, the largest ex-China rare earths producer. The Australian rare earths miner produces the critical metals at its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia and ships the raw material to Malaysia for processing. Lynas is also ramping up processing at its Kalgoorlie rare earth processing facility in Australia, and building light rare earths processing facilities and a heavy rare earths separation facility in Texas, US.
Rinehart’s near simultaneous investments in both Lynas and MP Materials comes after merger talks between the two rare earths behemoths stalled in February. There is speculation stirring that Rinehart’s participation could renew merger discussions, Reuters reported. In November, the mining mogul increased her position in MP Materials to 8.5 percent, further raising the possibility of a merger down the road.
Andy Forster, Lynas investor and senior investor of Argo Investments, had his interest piqued by Rinehart’s move "given she's clearly made a play across the whole space. She obviously wants to potentially have a seat at the table if there's any chance of consolidation."
Rinehart is also getting her foot in the rare earths door at the exploration level. Last year, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting made a pre-IPO investment for a 5.85 percent share in Brazilian Rare Earths, which went on to list on the ASX in December. The rare earths explorer is working its district-scale Rocha da Rocha rare earth province in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The province is highly prospective for both heavy and light rare earths, with grades of over 40 percent total rare earth oxides found. The company expects to complete an updated JORC mineral resource estimate this year.
Gina Rinehart’s copper investments are centered on Ecuador’s Andean copper-gold belt, and include explorer Titan Minerals and Ecuador's state-owned Empresa Nacional Minera (ENAMI).
Ecuador has seen a rush of major mining companies taking up positions in key copper and gold projects in recent years, placing Hancock Prospecting in the company of Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD), Zijin Mining (HKEX:2899) and Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF).
Rinehart’s Ecuadorian copper investments are in line with her shift toward the critical metals necessary for the green transition and her strategy to expand the global footprint of her mining empire.
Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining has been in the region since 2017, but recently began making more investments. In March 2024, Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining acquired a 49 percent stake in six mining concessions for AU$186.4 million. The deal sees it partner with state mining company ENAMI for the concessions, which surround the stalled Llurimagua copper-molybdenum project in Northern Ecuador.
In late April, Ecuador’s constitutional court nixed appeals by ENAMI and its partner in the Llurimagua project, Chile’s state-owned CODELCO, to review the March 2023 decision by Imbabura’s provincial supreme court suspending the environmental license for Llurimagua.
Shortly after the investment with ENAMI, Rinehart's Hanrine made another play in Ecuador by striking an earn-in agreement with Titan Minerals for up to an 80 percent ownership stake in the explorer’s Linderos copper-gold project contingent on up to AU$120 million in exploration spending. Linderos is an early-exploration stage project with the potential to host a large-scale copper porphyry system. Hanrine has made an initial investment of AU$2 million for a 5 percent stake.
Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments include private firms Warrego Energy in Western Australia and Senex Energy in Queensland.
In February 2023, Hancock Prospecting won a protracted bidding war for the then-public Warrego with Warrego's joint venture partner Strike Energy (ASX:STX) for a price of AU$0.36 per share. Warrego and operator Strike Energy maintain their 50/50 joint venture on the West Erregulla onshore gas field within exploration permit EP 469 near Perth in Western Australia.
In mid-August 2024, the West Erregulla project received its production licence and the partners expect to start operations once a final investment decision is made later this year. During phase one, the project is expected to produce 87 terajoules per day.
As for Senex Energy, it is a joint venture between POSCO (50.1 percent) and Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hancock Energy (49.9 percent) that holds the Atlas and Roma North natural gas developments in Queensland’s Surat Basin. The two JV partners acquired Senex in 2022, with Rinehart’s company putting up AU$440.89 million.
Senex Energy is embarking on a AU$1 billion expansion endeavor at Atlas and Roma North this year that will see 60 petajoules of natural gas delivered to Australia’s east coast market annually by the end of 2025. This figure represents more than 10 percent of the region’s demand. Regulatory approval for the expansion was finally approved following an uphill battle with a Federal government more keen on renewable energy projects than the natural gas variety.
Rinehart once had a significant stake of nearly 20 percent in Lakes Oil, now Lakes Blue Energy (ASX:LKO), through subsidiary Timeview Enterprises. Timeview's stake in Lakes Blue Energy has been lowered in recent years, but it remains the company's fourth largest shareholder at 4.63 percent.
More recently, Rinehart offered financial assistance to Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF), a diversified mining company with lithium, iron ore and oil and gas operations in Western Australia. Headed by another mining heavyweight, Chris Ellison, Mineral Resources, or MinRes, is reportedly drowning in debt and embroiled in a tax evasion investigation. Hancock Prospecting has agreed to a AU$1.13 billion buyout of MinRes' oil and gas projects in the Perth Basin and an exploration acreage in the Carnarvon Basin.
Gina Rinehart’s potash and agricultural investments center on Hancock Prospecting’s ownership interests in multiple premium cattle stations in Australia, and the company's royalty revenue generated from the Anglo-American-controlled Woodsmith potash project currently under construction in the United Kingdom.
With an original investment of AU$380.6 million in 2016 to then-owner Sirius Minerals, Hancock Prospecting has a 5 percent revenue royalty on the first 13 million tonnes of fertiliser produced from Woodsmith and 1 percent thereafter. Hancock also has a 20,000 tonne-a-year offtake option. The timeline for Rinehart’s royalty revenue has been pushed back, however, as Anglo is cutting spending at Woodsmith following BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) failed mega-merger with Anglo American.
With Gina Rinehart at the helm of Hancock Prospecting, the Roy Hill iron ore mine has generated stellar revenues. That wealth creation not only made her Australia's richest person, but has also built a powerful war chest from which Rinehart is expanding her mining empire.
Investors can take cues from her recent and future moves in the mining sector. Although she may be defensive toward renewable energy technologies encroaching on agricultural land, she understands the strategical importance of investing in critical metals for the green transition such as lithium, rare earths and copper.
Gina Rinehart's net worth is reported to be AU$40.61 billion as of May 31, 2024. That's up 8.5 percent over the previous year, according to figures from the Australian Financial Review's Rich List 2024.
"Rinehart’s net worth jumped $3.2b in the last year thanks to multiples in the sector expanding," the list's authors explain. "However, her iron grip on the Rich List top spot may be weakened by ore price declines in 2024, on the back of concerns over steel output reducing in China."
Gina Rinehart owns Hancock Prospecting, a private company founded by her late father Lang Hancock. Originally an iron ore mining company, today the firm has strategic stakes in a wide-range of metals and commodities from lithium and rare earths to copper and agriculture, which are detailed in this article.
While investors can't buy public shares in privately held Hancock Prospecting, they can take equity positions in the publicly traded stocks in which the company itself holds interest. Some of these stocks include Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU,OTC Pink:ARAFF), Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR), MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC).
Although she has interest in many mining companies and the two companies share the Hope Downs joint venture, Gina Rinehart does not own mining giant Rio Tinto. Yahoo Finance reports that Aluminum Corporation of China (SHA:601600) is its largest shareholder at 11 percent, followed by BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) with 8.7 percent and the Vanguard Group at about 3.1 percent of shares.
Gina Rinehart is pro-nuclear energy. During a speech at The Australian Bush Summit in 2023, she railed against the impact of wind and solar farms on much needed agricultural land in Australia. She suggested that nuclear energy offers a more viable solution for reaching the country's net zero targets.
Gina Rinehart is the richest person in Australia. In 2024, she made the Australian Financial Review's Rich List for the fifth consecutive year in a row. The next richest Australian, real estate developer Harry Triguboff, trails her by about AU$14 billion.
Gina Rinehart is not the richest woman in the world, but she does rank as the world's ninth richest woman in 2024. The distinction of richest woman in the world goes to France's Francoise Bettencourt Meyer, the heir of L'Oréal (EPA:OR). Rinehart previously held the title in 2012.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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SQM will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 10:00am ET (12:00pm Chile time). |
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SANTIAGO, Chile , Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) reported today net loss ( [1] ),(2) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 , of (US$524.5) million or (US$1.84) per share, compared to US$1,809.5 million or US$6.33 per share reported for the same period last year.
Gross profit (3) reached US$1,033.3 million (29.9% of revenues) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 , lower than US$2,674.3 million (43.4% of revenues) recorded for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 . Revenues totaled US$3,455.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 , representing a decrease of 43.9% compared to US$6,155.9 million reported for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 .
The Company also announced net income for the third quarter of 2024 of US$131.4 million or US$0.46 per share, a decrease of 72.6% compared to US$479.4 million or US$1.68 per share for the third quarter of 2023. Gross profit for the third quarter of 2024 reached US$280.8 million , 62.7% lower than the US$753.6 million reported for the third quarter of 2023. Revenues totaled US$1,076.9 million for the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 41.5% compared to US$1,840.3 million for the third quarter of 2023.
SQM's Chief Executive Officer, Ricardo Ramos , stated, "We are publishing our third quarter 2024 financial results with positive volume growth in almost all of our business lines compared to last year. Fertilizer markets have shown solid market dynamics with a market size recovery. Our Specialty Plant Nutrition volumes grew more than 20% year-on-year while our revenues in this business line increased close to 12%."
He continued, "Iodine demand continued to be strong, leading to an increase in our sales volumes and revenues compared to last year. Prices continued to move up slightly quarter over quarter since the beginning of this year and we have used part of our inventories to answer market needs."
Mr. Ramos further stated, "In lithium, we reported sales volumes of more than 51 thousand metric tons of lithium products, an 18% growth year-on-year, demonstrating strong demand in the market. As anticipated, prices during the third quarter continued their downward trend, with average realized prices 24% lower than the second quarter this year. Although demand continues to grow at a strong pace, mainly driven by strong EV sales growth in China , we continue to see the prices pressured by an oversupply that persists despite the curtailment announcement we have seen over the past few weeks."
Mr. Ramos closed by saying, "Our more than 30-year track record in the lithium market has proved that we have a long-term view in this business. Despite current market prices, we strongly believe in the lithium market and its fundamentals which are highly related to the clean energy transition. SQM is in a strong competitive position and well prepared to continue developing our projects in Chile and abroad to harvest the benefits of this transition."
About SQM
SQM is a global company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Santiago Stock Exchange (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A). SQM develops and produces diverse products for several industries essential for human progress, such as health, nutrition, renewable energy and technology through innovation and technological development. We aim to maintain our leading world position in the lithium, potassium nitrate, iodine and thermo-solar salts markets.
For further information, contact:
Gerardo Illanes / gerardo.illanes@sqm.com
Isabel Bendeck / isabel.bendeck@sqm.com
For media inquiries, contact:
Maria Ignacia Lopez / ignacia.lopez@sqm.com
Pablo Pisani / pablo.pisani@sqm.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make concerning the completion and implementation of the proposed partnership with Codelco, the development of Salar Futuro Project, Company's capital expenditures, financing sources, Sustainable Development Plan, business and demand outlook, future economic performance, anticipated sales volumes and sales prices, profitability, revenues, expenses, or other financial items, anticipated cost synergies and product or service line growth.
Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are estimates that reflect the best judgment of SQM management based on currently available information. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are outside of our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in such statements, including our ability to successfully implement the Sustainable Development Plan. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Readers are referred to the documents filed by SQM with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which identifies other important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to SQM on the date hereof and SQM assumes no obligation to update such statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
1 Includes the net effect of accounting adjustments for the payments of the specific tax on mining activities for the exploitation of lithium for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 , in a total amount of US$1.303,3 million . For more detail, please refer to Note (1) to this Earnings release.
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SOURCE Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile , S.A. (SQM)
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