The Conversation (0)
Ioneer Ltd. (ASX:INR, Nasdaq: IONR), Nasdaq: IONR), Nasdaq: IONR) aims to develop a source of both lithium and boron for the US domestic supply chain. The company owns 100 percent of the only lithium-boron deposit in North America and one of two known lithium-boron deposits globally. Its flagship asset, the Nevada Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project, is the most advanced lithium development project in the United States and has the potential for future low-cost production. An experienced management team with expertise throughout the natural resources industry leads Ioneer towards its goals.
The Rhyolite Ridge Project is unique both within North America and globally due to its lithium-boron deposits. Both elements are necessary for decarbonisation, making the asset ideal for supporting the United States’ goals of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. A 2020 definitive feasibility study (DFS) confirmed the project is a world-class lithium and boron asset with a long mine life and strong economics.
Ioneer has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sibanye Stillwater Ltd (Sibanye-Stillwater) (NYSE:SBSW) to advance the Rhyolite Ridge project once a final investment decision is made. Ioneer will remain the operator of the asset, and the new partner will contribute US$490 million in exchange for a 50 percent interest in a joint venture to support the development of the Rhyolite Ridge Project.
Company Highlights
- Ioneer Ltd is an exploration and development mining company with a 100-percent-owned advanced-stage lithium-boron asset in the United States.
- The company’s goal is to reach production and become an important source for the domestic US supply chain with lithium and boron, elements necessary for decarbonisation.
- Rhyolite Ridge, the company’s flagship lithium-boron asset, is the only deposit of its kind in North America and is one of two known lithium-boron deposits globally.
- A definitive feasibility study (DFS) indicates the asset has the potential to become a world-class project with a long mining life and strong economics.
- The DFS forecasts that the Rhyolite Ridge asset can produce batteries necessary for nearly 400,000 EVs per year.
- Ioneer has entered into binding lithium offtake agreements with automotive and electronics manufacturers, securing a future revenue stream once the project reaches production.
- The company has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater to contribute US$490 million in exchange for a 50 percent interest in the project.
- With a term sheet finalised, the U.S. Department of Energy has offered a conditional commitment for a loan of up to US$700 million to develop the Rhyolite Ridge Project
- With debt and equity commitments of nearly US$1.2 billion, Ioneer is primed to commence construction upon final permitting and well positioned to become a cornerstone supplier of lithium to the domestic US EV battery supply chain.
- An experienced management team with expertise throughout the mining industry, including lithium and boron, guide the company towards its mission of supporting the domestic U.S. supply chain.
This Awakn ioneer Ltd. profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Ioneer Ltd. (ASX:INR, Nasdaq: IONR) to receive an Investor Presentation
INR:AU
Jindalee Lithium
Investor Insight
With compelling economic metrics demonstrated through its new prefeasibility study, Jindalee Lithium’s McDermitt Project presents a strong case for investors to gain exposure to this critical mineral and participate in the global clean energy transition.
Overview
Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL,OTCQX:JNDAF) is an Australia-based pure-play US lithium company focused exclusively on its 100-percent-owned McDermitt Lithium Project, currently one of the largest lithium deposits in the US, boasting a resource of 21.5 million tons (Mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
Backed by a newly released (November 2024) prefeasibility study (PFS) demonstrating very compelling economics, the McDermitt Project is poised to play a crucial role in meeting North America’s growing lithium demand for the lucrative battery value chain.
As the US continues to transition to energy independence, demand for lithium is expected to exponentially increase. Jindalee’s McDermitt Project, located in southeast Oregon, is a game-changer for North American lithium supply, critical for meeting the demands of the fast-growing electric vehicle, energy storage and defense sectors.
McDermitt also stands to significantly benefit from the US government’s policies and incentives to boost domestic supply of critical resources. In fact, in a move that signifies the US government's support of the McDermitt Lithium Project, the US Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Jindalee's subsidiary HiTech Minerals to develop cutting-edge extraction methods for the McDermitt Project. The Ames National Laboratory spearheads the DOE's Critical Materials Innovation Hub.
Key milestones in the US lithium resource space also provide significant insights into the future prospects for Jindalee’s project. Lithium Americas (TSX:LAC), for instance, has received a total of US$945 million investment from General Motors, which will fund the development, construction and operation of the Thacker Pass project in Humboldt County, Nevada. In October 2024 LAC closed a $2.3 billion loan from the US Department of Energy and in April 2025 announced the Final Investment Decision for Thacker Pass following a $250 million investment from Orion Resource Partners.
Another lithium resource developer in Nevada, Australia-based Ioneer (ASX:INR) has closed a US$996 million loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy to finance the development of its flagship Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project.
The US government has taken further action to bolster domestic critical mineral production. On 20 March 2025, President Trump issued a significant executive order titled "Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production", underscoring the urgency and strategic imperative of increasing domestic supply chains for critical minerals. This order builds on previous initiatives by fast-tracking the permitting processes, prioritizing access to mineral-rich federal lands, clarifying regulatory frameworks, and mobilizing substantial financial resources – including Defense Production Act (DPA) funds – towards domestic mineral projects.
As one of the largest lithium resources in the US and situated on federal lands, Jindalee’s McDermitt Lithium Project stands to potentially benefit from these accelerated permitting processes and enhanced government support mechanisms. The clear commitment demonstrated by the US administration highlights the critical strategic advantage of domestically located mineral assets such as McDermitt, reinforcing its importance in securing robust domestic supply chains, essential for energy security
These are just a few examples of current market dynamics that point to a rapidly accelerating lithium resource development in the US.
An experienced management team, with the right blend of experience and expertise in geology, corporate administration and international finance, leads Jindalee to fully capitalize on the potential of its assets.
Company Highlights
- Jindalee Lithium is focused on its wholly owned flagship McDermitt Lithium Project, one of the largest lithium deposits in the US.
- McDermitt’s new prefeasibility study shows strong project economics, including a US$3.23 post-tax NPV8 based on the first 40 years of a 63 year-year mine life.
- Jindalee is committed to strengthening the North American critical minerals supply chain by reducing US reliance on foreign lithium, thereby enhancing energy security.
- The company’s wholly owned US subsidiary HiTech Minerals Inc, has executed a strategic Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Ames National Laboratory, which leads the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub.
- The company’s McDermitt deposit is sediment-hosted, an emerging style of lithium deposit with the potential to be a large scale, long-life, low-cost source of lithium.
- Ideally positioned to benefit from US administration’s push to increased domestic mineral production via permitting reformed increased funding.
- An experienced management team leads Jindalee towards capitalizing on the potential of its assets.
Key Project
McDermitt Lithium Project Economics
The economic metrics revealed in the PFS paint a compelling picture of the McDermitt Lithium Project's potential:
Production Capacity: The Project is set to produce 1.8 Mt of battery-grade lithium carbonate over its first 40 years, with an annual output forecast of 47,500 tons per annum (tpa) in the initial 10 years, tapering to 44,300 tpa over the first 40 years.
Financial Metrics: The Project boasts a net present value (NPV) of US$3.23 billion at an 8 percent discount rate, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17.9 percent. These figures underscore the Project’s strong economic viability.
Payback Period: Investors can expect a payback period of less than five years, a relatively short timeframe for a project of this magnitude.
Break-even Price: The break-even NPV price is approximately US$14,600/t of lithium carbonate, providing a buffer against market fluctuations.
The PFS estimates a total project cost of US$3.02 billion, which includes a prudent 21 percent contingency margin. This substantial investment is balanced by impressive profitability projections, including an EBITDA margin of 66 percent generating post-tax free cash flow of US$6.6 billion during the first decade of operations. With a pre-tax net operating cashflow margin of 17 percent at current spot prices, McDermitt shows strong cash generation potential.
These financial indicators suggest that McDermitt is not only economically viable but potentially highly profitable, positioning it as an attractive prospect for investors and strategic partners alike.
Project Overview
The McDermitt Project is located in Malheur County on the Oregon-Nevada border and is approximately 35 kilometres west of the town of McDermitt. The 100-percent-owned asset covers 54.6 square kilometres of claims at the northern end of the McDermitt volcanic caldera.
The Project is characterized by its unique sedimentary lithium deposits, primarily composed of lithium-bearing clays, a geological formation that sets McDermitt apart from many other lithium projects worldwide. This sedimentary nature of the deposit offers several advantages:
- Consistent grade distribution throughout the ore body
- Potential for large-scale, low-cost mining operations
- Amenability to environmentally friendly extraction methods
The lithium-rich clays at McDermitt are part of a broader geological context that includes volcanic tuffs and sedimentary rocks. This geological setting is indicative of a complex depositional history, which has resulted in the concentration of lithium in economically viable quantities.
The 2023 mineral resources estimate (MRE) for the McDermitt Project contains a combined indicated and inferred mineral resource inventory of 3 billion tons at 1,340 parts per million (ppm) lithium for a total of 21.5 Mt LCE at 1,000 ppm cut-off grade.
Project Highlights:
- Rare Sediment-hosted Lithium Deposits: The McDermitt asset supports low-cost mining operations due to its flat-lying sediments. This type of lithium deposit is amenable to low-cost mining operations, while still producing excellent metallurgical results.
- A 62 percent resource increase in early 2023: Compilation of the 2022 drilling results saw the estimated indicated and inferred resources at McDermitt increase to 3 billion tons at 1,340 ppm lithium, a 62 percent increase in contained lithium.
- Fluor recommended processing route: In March 2023, US engineering group Fluor reviewed all testwork undertaken at McDermitt and recommended beneficiation and acid leaching as the optimal processing route.
- Battery-grade lithium carbonate successfully produced in July 2024: The production is an important milestone validating all steps of the processing flowsheet for the project from ore beneficiation and leaching to purification and production of battery-grade lithium carbonate.
- Completion of the PFS outlines large scale, long life and low cost source of American made battery grade lithium chemicals (November 2024)
Management Team
Ian Rodger - Chief Executive Officer
Ian Rodger is a qualified mining business executive with almost 15 years of experience in various roles including as a mining engineer for Rio Tinto across two large greenfield mine developments, before successfully transitioning into mining corporate finance where he held Executive and Director positions at RFC Ambrian overseeing origination and management of numerous mandates across a range of corporate advisory roles. Rodger was the project director for Oz Minerals (ASX:OZL) where he made significant contributions to successfully define the value potential of the West Musgrave nickel/copper province through the delivery of a portfolio of growth studies. Most notably, he led technical, market and partnership development workstreams, successfully confirming value potential for producing an intermediate Nickel product for the battery value chain.
Rodger holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Queensland, a Masters of Mineral Economics from Curtin University and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Lindsay Dudfield - Executive Director
Lindsay Dudfield is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in multi-commodity exploration, primarily within Australia. He held senior positions with the mineral divisions of Amoco and Exxon. In 1987, he became a founding director of Dalrymple Resources NL and spent the following eight years helping acquire and explore Dalrymple’s properties, leading to several greenfield discoveries. In late 1994, Lindsay joined the board of Horizon Mining NL (Jindalee Lithium’s predecessor) and has been responsible for managing Jindalee Lithium since inception. Lindsay is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Geological Society of Australia and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is also a non-executive director of Jindalee spin-out companies Energy Metals (ASX:EME), Dynamic Metals (ASX:DYM) and Alchemy Resources (ASX:ALY).
Wayne Zekulich - Non-executive Chair
Wayne Zekulich was appointed to the board as Chair on 1 February 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Business and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Zekulich is a consultant and non-executive director who has substantial experience in advising, structuring and financing transactions in the infrastructure and resources sectors. He was previously the head of Rothschild in Perth, chief financial officer of Gindalbie Metals Limited, chief development officer of Oakajee Port and Rail and a consultant to a global investment bank. Currently, he is chair of Pantoro (ASX:PNR) and non-executive director of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation. In the not-for-profit sector, he is the past chair of the Lester Prize and is a mentor in the Kilfinan program.
Darren Wates - Non-executive Director
Darren Wates is a corporate lawyer with over 23 years of experience in equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, resources, project acquisitions/divestments and corporate governance gained through private practice and in-house roles in Western Australia. Wates is the founder and principal of Corpex Legal, a Perth-based legal practice providing corporate, commercial and resources related legal services, primarily to small and mid-cap ASX listed companies. In this role, he has provided consulting general counsel services to ASX listed company Neometals (ASX:NMT), having previously been employed as legal counsel of Neometals. Wates holds Bachelor's degrees in Law and Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.
Paul Brown - Non-executive Director
Paul Brown has over 23 years of experience in the mining industry, most recently with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) where he was chief executive – lithium, and chief executive – commodities. Brown has held senior operating roles with Leighton, HWE and Fortescue (ASX:FMG) and has a strong track record in technical leadership, project/studies management, and mine planning and management. Brown is currently CEO of Core Lithium (ASX:CXO). He holds a Master in Mine Engineering.
Brett Marsh - VP Geology and Development (US)
Brett Marsh is an AIPG certified professional geologist and a registered member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) with over 25 years of diverse mining and geological experience. He has worked for and held senior leadership roles for Kastan Mining, Luna Gold, Kiska Metals, Newmont, Freeport-McMoRan, Phelps Dodge, ASARCO and consulted to deliver numerous NI 43-101 technical reports. Marsh has demonstrated the ability to deliver results in culturally diverse and geographically difficult environments, such as Brazil, Peru, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Australia, and has also worked in remote areas of Alaska. He has managed all phases of the mining lifecycle including greenfield and brownfield exploration, project development (including preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility and feasibility), project construction, mine operations, and environmental. He successfully led multi-cultural teams to develop business processes and implementation plans for many mine development and operational projects.
Lithium Africa: Searching for Low-cost, Marquee Hardrock in Africa
Lithium Africa is a next-generation exploration company purpose-built to seize the opportunities of the coming lithium supercycle. With a focus on early-stage land acquisition, rapid drilling, and a landmark joint venture with Ganfeng Lithium, the company delivers maximum exploration efficiency, capital leverage, and de-risked discovery potential at scale.
Lithium Africa’s mission is to discover, de-risk, and monetize Tier 1 hard rock lithium assets through data-driven targeting, aggressive fieldwork, and disciplined exit strategies. Its partnership with Ganfeng—one of the world’s leading lithium producers—anchors its strategy with industrial expertise and financial strength from the earliest phases of project development.
Lithium Africa is the first company to implement a systematic, multi-jurisdictional discovery strategy across the continent, combining world-class geology with capital discipline and strategic focus to unlock the next generation of globally significant lithium deposits.
Company Highlights
- Exploration-focused Model: Lithium Africa focuses purely on discovery and value creation, with no intention to develop or operate a mine
- Strategic 50/50 JV with Ganfeng Lithium: Doubles exploration spending and provides access to processing expertise and long-term downstream offtake partners.
- Pan-African Footprint: Over 8,000 sq km of tenure across Zimbabwe, Morocco, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and others – enabling diversification in discovery strategy.
- Contrarian, Countercyclical M&A: Well-capitalized and positioned to roll up distressed lithium juniors during a downcycle
- Rapid Permitting & Scalability: Target jurisdictions offer 3- to 4-year discovery-to-mine timelines versus 10 to 15 years in North America.
- RTO & Listing Expected by August 2025: Tight structure, early institutional support and significant near-term drilling catalysts
This Lithium Africa profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Lithium Africa to receive an Investor Presentation
Lithium Africa
Investor Insight
Leveraging early-stage land acquisition, accelerated drilling and a strong strategic partnership, Lithium Africa delivers maximum exploration efficiency, capital leverage and de-risked lithium discovery upside at scale.
Overview
Lithium Africa is an exploration company purpose-built to capitalize on the next cycle of lithium demand. Its strategic mission is to discover, de-risk and monetize Tier 1 lithium assets through data-driven targeting, aggressive fieldwork and value-driven exits. The company's unique 50/50 joint venture with Ganfeng Lithium is the cornerstone of its strategy, providing both financial leverage and industrial alignment at the earliest stages of project development.
Africa remains largely underexplored for lithium despite sharing geological similarities with major hardrock lithium belts in Canada and Australia. Lithium Africa is the first company to systematically deploy a multi-jurisdictional discovery strategy across the continent – combining top-tier geology with capital efficiency and strategic clarity.
At the heart of Lithium Africa’s model is its joint venture with Ganfeng Lithium, one of the top two lithium chemical producers globally. The 50/50 JV, established in 2023, enables Lithium Africa to double its capital efficiency, with $1 raised equating to $2 spent on exploration. The partnership provides unmatched advantages: access to Ganfeng’s downstream processing know-how, established customer relationships with Tier 1 OEMs, and a long-term offtake framework that allows Lithium Africa to retain flexibility and optionality on any asset monetization.
Lithium Africa does not intend to develop or operate mines. Instead, the business model is designed around efficient land acquisition, aggressive de-risking via trenching, sampling, and early drilling, and ultimately monetizing high-value discoveries through royalties, sales or carried interests. In a down market, the company is actively pursuing counter-cyclical M&A opportunities to acquire stranded or undercapitalized lithium assets. With this strategy, Lithium Africa provides shareholders exposure to world-class discovery upside with significantly reduced financing risk.
Company Highlights
- Exploration-focused Model: Lithium Africa focuses purely on discovery and value creation, with no intention to develop or operate a mine
- Strategic 50/50 JV with Ganfeng Lithium: Doubles exploration spending and provides access to processing expertise and long-term downstream offtake partners.
- Pan-African Footprint: Over 8,000 sq km of tenure across Zimbabwe, Morocco, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and others – enabling diversification in discovery strategy.
- Contrarian, Countercyclical M&A: Well-capitalized and positioned to roll up distressed lithium juniors during a downcycle
- Rapid Permitting & Scalability: Target jurisdictions offer 3- to 4-year discovery-to-mine timelines versus 10 to 15 years in North America.
- RTO & Listing Expected by August 2025: Tight structure, early institutional support and significant near-term drilling catalysts.
Key Projects
Zimbabwe
Birthday Gift Project (Flagship)
The Birthday Gift project is Lithium Africa’s flagship asset and highest-priority exploration target. Located along a >12 km pegmatite corridor, the project hosts three parallel, flat-lying spodumene-bearing pegmatites within metasediments. Surface trenching has returned multiple significant intercepts, including 100 m, 67 m, and 55 m widths with true thicknesses averaging ~35 m. Rock chip samples from fresh spodumene zones have returned assays as high as 5.25 percent lithium oxide. More than 3,000 geochemical samples have been collected, and a 1,500-meter RC drill program commenced in January 2025 to test a 1,300-meter strike length.
The pegmatites remain open at depth and along strike. SGS South Africa is performing ICP assay analysis, and environmental permitting and trenching on the western trend are ongoing.
The Birthday Gift asset has strong potential to support an inaugural resource estimate by late 2025.
West Africa
Torakoura in Bougouni District, Mali
Lithium Africa controls six highly prospective licenses in Mali, located within the prolific Bougouni Basin, home to Leo Lithium’s Goulamina project, one of the world’s largest spodumene deposits. The Torakoura permit is situated along the same structural corridors and granitic host rocks. Surface exploration has identified spodumene-bearing pegmatites, supported by strong lithium and pathfinder anomalies from historic soil sampling.
Initial drilling at Torakoura began in 2024 but paused for LIBS-to-ICP calibration. A new RC drilling campaign resumed in Q4 2024. These permits offer substantial scale and proximity advantages in a well-established lithium district with proven permitting and development pathways.
Adzopé & Regional Licenses, Côte d’Ivoire
In Côte d’Ivoire, Lithium Africa holds four early-stage but highly promising permits totaling 1,254 sq km. The Adzopé license has returned rock samples with lithium oxide values up to 0.98 percent. Field mapping and lithological sampling have been completed, and a 21,700-meter auger drilling program is planned to refine targets for follow-up RC and core drilling. The region is emerging as a new pegmatite belt in West Africa, and Lithium Africa has first-mover status in building a pipeline of discovery-stage projects.
Kobikoro Project, Guinea
The Kobikoro project in southeastern Guinea consists of four licenses covering 376 sq km in the Archean Kinema-Man domain. This district is part of the underexplored Kissidougou pegmatite belt. Historical stream sediment geochemistry conducted by BRGM highlights multiple anomalous trends in lithium, tantalum and niobium. The standout feature is a 20 km-long lithium-tantalum-niobium anomalous zone aligned with regional structures and underlain by fractionated granite intrusions.
Morocco
Bir El Mami
In 2024, Lithium Africa acquired a 585 sq km, district-scale land package in the Bir El Mami region of Morocco, located on the northern extension of the Tasiast greenstone belt. The project is notable for its spodumene-bearing pegmatites confirmed by surface rock samples, which include lithium values up to 862 parts per million (ppm), and historic soil anomalies up to 363 ppm. The region is emerging as a key lithium district given Morocco’s favorable trade agreements and a growing domestic EV battery manufacturing base. Lithium Africa is currently Morocco’s only major lithium concession holder, and early-stage target identification is underway as of Q1 2025. The company is well positioned to be Morocco’s lithium sector leader and consolidator.
Management Team
Tyron Breytenbach - CEO
Tyron Breytenbach is a former Detour Gold resource geologist and leading equity analyst at Stifel Canada and Cormark. He blends deep geology with institutional capital markets acumen.
Carl Esprey - Executive Chair
Carl Esprey is a former M&A analyst at BHP Billiton and fund manager at GLG Partners. He is the founder of several resource ventures and current CEO of Waraba Gold.
Coulibaly Mamadou - Executive Director
Coulibaly Mamadou is a geologist with 12 years’ experience in mineral exploration. Coulibaly started his career with Randgold, and has extensive knowledge of and experience with the West African Birimian geology.
Ben Gelber - VP Exploration
Ben Gelber is a former VP at Gold Line Resources and exploration manager at Barrick in Guyana. He has more than 19 years of lithium and gold exploration experience.
Dr. Jeroen van Duijvenbode - Development Geologist
With a PhD in geometallurgy, Jeroen van Duijvenbode is an expert in lithium pegmatite targeting and geochemical data interpretation.
Jamie Robinson - CFO
Jamie Robinson is a chartered accountant with extensive mining CFO experience across private and public markets. Prior to his stint in the mining sector, he worked with Deloitte in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Chris O’Connor - General Counsel
Chris is a lawyer with over 19 years of private practice and in-house experience, focused on capital markets, corporate finance and M&A transactions in emerging markets throughout Africa, Eastern Europe and the CIS.
Toluwalase Seriki - Non-Executive Director
Toluwalase Seriki is Ganfeng Lithium’s head of business development in Africa. He possesses a strong M&A and finance background.
Roy Zhang - Advisor
Roy Zhang has nearly 10 years of experience in investment, M&A and corporate development, and is experienced and knowledgeable in lithium trading through his role at Ganfeng.
Dr. Tom Benson - Advisor
Tom Benson is a Stanford PhD volcanologist who leads global exploration at Lithium Americas. He is a widely respected authority on caldera-related lithium resources across the industry.
