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Strategic Project Review Commenced: Gold and Copper Potential
Premier1 Lithium Limited (ASX:PLC) (“Premier1” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the Company’s activities including a recently commenced strategic review of all exploration assets. The strategic review follows the recent refresh of the board and management including new Managing Director, Chair and Exploration Manager, as well as the relocation of all company functions to Perth.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Board and management refresh is complete with new Managing Director, Chair and Exploration Manager now in place
- First phase field work at Abbotts North, Montague and Yalgoo lithium projects completed
- Strategic review of the current portfolio underway to define follow up exploration targets
- Additional gold and copper potential within the Abbotts North, Yalgoo, Boodanoo and Mount Magnet North projects being assessed
- The Company supported by Deutsche Rohstoff AG continues to seek new opportunities to strengthen the portfolio and generate shareholder value
Whilst lithium remains a core focus of the Company, there remains considerable potential for gold and copper mineralisation within the existing exploration portfolio.
The Company and new management are strictly committed to maintaining a disciplined investment and financial returns framework for testing its exploration projects as well as identifying new project opportunities.
Managing Director Jason Froud commented:
“While we currently review our existing lithium portfolio for the next round of exploration work, early indications from our internal review of the Company’s tenure are also highly encouraging for gold and potentially copper mineralisation. This allows us to maintain a parallel focus on multiple commodities over our existing projects whilst the lithium market remains weak. The Company’s long-term view of lithium remains positive and we continue seeking further transactional opportunities to strengthen our portfolio and generate shareholder value going forward.”
Following the completion of the first phase of field work at its main Abbotts North, Yalgoo and Montague projects, the Company is currently analysing all data including historic intercepts of pegmatites for interpretation and follow up lithium exploration targeting. As part of this, a strategic review of the current portfolio commenced to focus future exploration work on the most prospective areas and commodities (see Table 1 and Figure 1).
All recently collected data includes multielement analysis that allow for the review of other commodities at projects where the Company holds all mineral rights. This applies to Abbotts North, Yalgoo (except for REE), Mt Magnet North and Boodanoo. As part of the strategic review, Premier1 is focussing on the identification of gold and copper prospectivity within these projects. The gold and copper potential is considered to be a parallel work stream to the Company’s lithium exploration. The Company remains optimistic on the long-term outlook for lithium but expects a ‘U’ shaped recovery.
Table 1: Summary of projects within the Premier1 portfolio
Yalgoo Project - Gold Occurrences within the Yalgoo-Singleton Greenstone Belt
At the Yalgoo project, a number of gold occurrences are known within the Yalgoo-Singleton Greenstone Belt. Within the Premier1 tenure, there are known gold occurrences at the Wadgingarra, Cumberland Well and Federal prospects among others (Figure 2). Between 1985 and 1989, the Wadgingarra area was explored by Mount Kersey Mining who completed a 73 hole (2,971 m) RC drilling program around the historical gold workings. The intersected gold mineralisation is associated with narrow, subvertical quartz veins which were exploited by late 19th and early 20th century workings. This work resulted in the reporting of a historical resource estimate extending to only 40m below surface1. Only minor follow- up exploration has been completed since this program concluded and further gold potential exists at Bridge Well, Bourkes United and Bridge Well to the south.
The Wadgingarra prospect area is located approximately 12km south and along strike from Spartan Resources’ Yalgoo Gold Project (5.3Mt at 1.45g/t Au2). In this context, the Yalgoo project warrants an additional detailed review of its gold potential which will be completed over the coming quarter.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Premier1 Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Premier1 Lithium
Overview
Premier1 Lithium (ASX:PLC) is an Australian company focused on lithium exploration in Western Australia. The company was formed following the restructuring of SensOre. SensOre demerged its non-core software and AI technology business and the remaining company was rebranded as Premier1 Lithium to focus on the lithium business.
Premier1 employs artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to choose its lithium prospects. Through a data-driven approach, the company can strategically allocate resources to prioritize the most promising targets.
The company’s portfolio comprises one wholly-owned project and three other projects with joint venture (JV) partners. The wholly owned Abbotts North project is its flagship asset, with the Buttamiah Prospect as the primary area of focus. The Buttamiah Prospect is characterized by lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences and has returned assays up to 1.25 percent lithium oxide at the surface.
The other three JV projects are: 1) Yalgoo and Yalgoo West Project, with JV partners Venture Minerals and Firetail; 2) Montague Project, with JV partner Gateway Mining; and 3) Gecko North Project, with JV partner LithGold.
Western Australia represents one of the best jurisdictions for lithium exploration. The state offers a stable investment environment supported by a transparent regulatory system, access to export markets, and minimal barriers to international trade. Archean cratons in the region are the most prospective and represent some of the world’s largest lithium-bearing pegmatite deposits. The company’s Abbotts North Project is in the Archean cratons making it a sought-after lithium asset.
According to the Office of the Chief Economist within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Western Australia is projected to possess around 10 percent of the global lithium hydroxide refining capacity by 2024. That projection is expected to further increase to over 20 percent of the global lithium refining capacity by 2028.
Lithium as a mineral is in great focus, given its application in batteries for electric vehicles. It represents the most in-demand metal required for the energy transition. The global shift away from fossil fuels is ongoing, which should fuel demand for lithium in the next decade. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, global battery and minerals supply chains must expand by 10 times to meet the demand in 2030. This should benefit lithium which remains a key battery ingredient.
Projections by mining giant Albemarle suggest that lithium demand will reach 3.7 million tons by 2030 driven by favorable government policies in many countries aimed at phasing out new internal combustion engine car sales. As the global demand for lithium continues to expand, Premier1’s exploration and development initiatives are well-timed, providing investors with an opportunity to participate in the swiftly growing lithium market.
Company Highlights
- Premier1 Lithium is focused on lithium exploration in Western Australia, one of the best jurisdictions in the world for hard rock lithium.
- The company was formed following the restructuring of SensOre Limited. SensOre demerged its non-core software and AI technology business, and the remaining company was rebranded as Premier1 Lithium to focus on the lithium business.
- The company holds a pipeline of promising lithium projects led by its wholly owned flagship project, Abbotts North, and three joint venture projects – Yalgoo and Yalgoo West, Montague and Gecko North.
- The company’s lithium prospects are selected using AI and machine learning. This data-driven approach allows Premier1 to prioritize resource allocation toward the most prospective targets.
- Premier1 is on track to commence a 2,000-meter RC drilling program at Abbotts North in February 2024. All the environmental and heritage approvals required for the drilling program have been received.
- The focus of the drilling program is on the Buttamiah Prospect within the Abbotts North Project, which is characterized by lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences and has returned assays up to 1.25 percent lithium oxide at the surface.
- In addition to Abbotts North, Premier1 has planned extensive exploration work at its JV projects. This includes pegmatite mapping and sampling, as well as soil and auger geochemistry to delineate drill targets at Montague and Yalgoo beginning the second half of 2024.
- Premier1 Lithium offers investors an attractive way to benefit from the growing demand for lithium.
Key Projects
Abbotts North Project
Abbotts North is the company’s 100 percent-owned flagship lithium project. This project is situated in the Abbotts Greenstone Belt region, which has not been previously explored for lithium. The Buttamiah prospect, the key target area within the Abbotts North, has shown confirmed pegmatite occurrences that yield up to 1.25 percent lithium oxide at the surface.
Several parallel lithium-bearing pegmatites have been mapped and sampled at the Buttamiah Prospect. The individual pegmatites exhibit an average width ranging from 2 meters to 3 meters and can be followed along a strike length of up to 350 meters. The main Buttamiah Prospect extends over a total area of 1.5 kilometers.
Premier1 is on track to commence a 2,000-metre RC drilling program in February 2024, designed to test the depth and extent of the mineralized pegmatite field at the Buttamiah Prospect. All the environmental and heritage approvals required for the drilling program have been received.
Several additional priority targets have been identified at the Abbotts North Project following the completion of the initial phase of field mapping, rock chip sampling and soil geochemistry in December 2023. The soil survey results unveiled areas of interest with a geochemical structure similar to those observed over the primary Buttamiah Prospect. Subsequent fieldwork will be undertaken to evaluate these newly identified priority targets and plan for additional heritage clearance surveys.
Yalgoo and Yalgoo West Project
Yalgoo and Yalgoo West are key projects in the company’s lithium portfolio. AI and machine learning were used to identify these projects as having significant potential for lithium. These assets are part of the Greenstone Belt region, which is underexplored. The greenstone belt is characterized by multiple phases of granitic intrusions, including known LCT pegmatites.
Premier1 can earn up to 70 percent of the lithium rights for the Yalgoo project from Venture Minerals and 80 percent of mineral rights (except rare earth elements) from Firetail Resources for the Yalgoo West project.
The land access approvals are in place and the company is planning extensive fieldwork, including pegmatite sampling, soil and auger geochemistry, to identify targets for initial drilling beginning H2 2024.
Montague Project
Montague project, located within the Greenstone Belt, is a joint venture between Premier1 and Gateway Mining. Premier1 can earn up to 80 percent interest in the JV by meeting certain expenditure criteria. Premier1 has selected tenements within the Montague project for lithium, using AI and machine learning.
The project comprises historical mining leases and is situated in proximity to geological formations that indicate the presence of lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Land access approvals are in place for the project and the next steps include pegmatite mapping and sampling, and soil geochemistry, which will be followed by drilling in H2 2024.
Gecko North Project
Gecko North project is a joint venture between Premier1 and LithGold Minerals. The company used AI and machine learning to generate lithium targets at Gecko North. Premier1 can earn up to 80 percent interest in this JV project. This includes earning 51 percent interest by spending $2.5 million over four years, and an additional 29 percent interest by completing a bankable feasibility study.
Land access approvals for this project are in place and the next steps include extending soil geochemistry and shallow drilling to test soil anomaly in H1 of 2024.
Management Team
Richard Taylor – Executive Director and CEO
Richard Taylor is a qualified lawyer and holds an MBA from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in law from ANU. He has more than 15 years of experience and has held several senior leadership roles in the resource sector. Previously, he has worked with Terramin Australia, Mineral Deposits, PanAust, MMG, and Oxiana. His experience spans various domains including strategy, business development and governance.
Jason Froud - Managing Director
Jason Froud is a geologist with over 25 years of experience in the resources sector working for major mining companies including Newcrest and WMC as well as global consultancies with experience across the mining cycle and numerous commodities. He was recently responsible for business development at Liontown Resources including the generation of new lithium and battery metals projects of Tier 1 potential including the execution of various farms-ins and joint ventures across Australia. With his wide range of experience including commercial and stakeholder engagement, Jason is ideally suited to drive PLC’s growth and success into the future.
Anja Ehser - Non-Executive Director
Anja Ehser is a geologist with over 15 years of experience in the mineral exploration sector in Europe, and Canada, focusing on base, precious and battery metals. She has held several senior leadership roles within the Deutsche Rohstoff Group and its subsidiaries.
Hugh Thomas - Non-executive Chairman
Hugh Thomas is an experienced public market director and former investment banker with over 30 years specialisation in the mining and exploration sectors particularly across the Asia Pacific and African regions. Thomas’ previoulsy served on the boards of various listed exploration companies and corporately as managing director and head of natural resources Asia Pacific for J.P Morgan and Morgan Stanley. Currently, Thomas serves as chairman of International Base Metals Limited and non-executive director of NT Minerals Limited.
Paul Smith - Exploration Manager
Paul Smith has 13 years’ experience in the exploration of precious, base and critical minerals throughout Australia and Central Asia. He was recently leading the discovery, exploration and drill out at the Andover lithium project by Azure Minerals that has been acquired by joint bidders Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) and Hancock Prospecting for $1.7 billion. Prior to working with Azure Minerals, Smith was senior geologist at Iluka Resources responsible for project generation and evaluation as well as project management.
At-The-Market Raise
The 7,050,000 Galan shares will be issued out of the Company’s LR7.1A capacity. The issue price of $0.156 represents a discount of 8.8% to the 15-day VWAP of $0.171 to Friday 12 July 2024 (inclusive).
The funds raised will be put towards the further development of its Hombre Muerto West lithium brine project in Argentina and working capital.
In addition, Galan is pleased to advise that in accordance with Resolution 10 at its General Meeting held on Friday 12 July 2024 it has placed an additional 7,950,000 fully paid ordinary shares to Acuity Capital to top up the shares held as security against the ATM. The shares were issued for nil cash consideration and bring the total number of shares held as security held by Acuity Capital to 15,000,000 (“Collateral Shares”).
Galan has to date utilised the ATM to raise a total of $3,350,000 (see announcement dates above). The remaining standby equity capital available under the ATM is $11,650,000 and the ATM expiry date is 31 January 2029.
Please note there is no requirement on Galan to utilise the ATM and there were no fees or costs associated with the increase in Collateral Shares. The Company may at any time cancel the ATM, including buying back and cancelling the Collateral Shares for nil cash consideration (subject to shareholder approval).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galan Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
HMW Project Update
Galan Lithium Limited (ASX: GLN) (Galan or the Company) is pleased to provide a further update on the progress at its 100% owned Hombre Muerto West (HMW) Phase 1 lithium brine project. Lithium inventories continue to build in the HMW Phase 1 ponds, in line with Feasibility Study expectations, which will provide the feedstock for the HMW processing plant. Over the last month, Galan has re-worked its construction activities to preserve cash with a view to procuring both a definitive sales agreement and an associated funding package for the Project in the short term.
- In situ lithium mining inventory continues to build with over 2,800t LCE accumulating in ponds.
- Overall project completion is close to 40%.
- Project construction continues to advance at a pace commensurate with preserving cash. First production from HMW is now targeted for H2 2025.
- Average brine flow rate, well lithium grade and evaporation rates are in line with or better than those utilised in the Phase 1 Feasibility Study.
- Pond inventory management system in place to protect inventory and optimise evaporation process.
- Offtake partners shortlisted with Galan progressing towards a definitive sales agreement and associated funding package.
First 3 ponds completed, filled and evaporating
Overall completion of the HMW Phase 1 project now sits at approximately 40% with the ponds system at 60% capacity. The designed ponds system can allow an inventory, until H2 2025, of up to 10,000tpa LCE without the need for processing. Approximately 750,000 m2 of evaporation area has now been built, currently housing 2,800t LCE contained inventory. This current evaporation area is sufficient to produce a lithium chloride volume of approximately 3.0 ktpa LCE. The key processing parameters, including brine well average flow rates, lithium grades and evaporation rates are all aligned with the Phase 1 DFS. Due to the slower pace of construction activities, first production from HMW is now expected to be within H2 2025.
As previously announced, the HMW project was separated into four production phases. The initial Phase 1 Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) focused on the production of 5.4ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate by H2 2025, as governed by the approved production permits. The Phase 2 DFS targets 21ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate in 2026, followed by Phase 3 production of 40ktpa LCE by 2028 and finally a Phase 4 production target of 60ktpa LCE by 2030. Phase 4 will include lithium brine sourced from both HMW and Galan’s other 100% owned project in Argentina, Candelas. The positive Phase 2 DFS results were announced on 3 October 2023 (https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/GLN/02720109.pdf).
HMW Project looking south
Galan’s Managing Director, Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, commented:
“We are very proud of the solid progress made to date especially in light of current market conditions. During this time, the Board also made the prudent decision to strategically slow construction activities so as to preserve our cash.
Our current in situ inventory of 2,800t LCE has been the first step of our production pathway. Our inventory will continue to increase as we have a low energy cost operation that only requires brine pumps to operate. As a result, once Galan finalises sales and funding arrangements, which are progressing well, the Company will be in a strong position to produce a competitive low-cost lithium product.
It should also be noted that we have received strong international market interest in our HMW lithium concentrate. In our view, this evidence indicates that the current lithium pricing environment and market oversupply is not expected to be a long term trend.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galan Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Update on "Expressions of Interest" RFI Process
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF), an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, comments on the Chilean Government's announcement yesterday on the "Expressions of Interest" ("RFI"), which is part of the process towards award of a Special Lithium Operating Contract ("CEOL") required to develop lithium projects in the country. As previously announced on the 17th June 2024, the Company submitted RFIs for the advanced Laguna Verde and Viento Andino projects and three others in Joint Ventures ("JV") and, as per yesterday's update, now expects to hear back by the end of August 2024. CTL believes it is well positioned to meet the criteria set out by the Government as evidenced by CTL's advancement in Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") and the existing alliance with the local communities to co-develop the Company's lithium projects.
On Tuesday 9th July, the Government confirmed a total of 88 RFIs were received for the available salars in Chile to develop lithium projects with over 80% indicating the use of DLE technologies. Further details of which companies or the number of submissions per salar were not provided.
According to the announcement the Government will engage local communities in July to inform them of the results of the RFI process and gather their views and concerns. The Government is currently analysing the projects by looking at the financial capacity of the company; estimated annual production; use of technology; experience in mining projects; level of project progress; among other criteria. The Government will then announce by the end of August the mechanisms for allocation over the prioritised deposits.
Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer, CleanTech Lithium PLC, said:
"The Chilean Government has confirmed the RFI procedure is ongoing and that all applications made by interested parties are being reviewed, with a further update expected by the end of August. We remain very confident that our flagship project, Laguna Verde, which is the most advanced DLE project in Chile, will be prioritised by a Government that has said it wishes to see new lithium projects in production by 2026. We will continue to liaise with Government and the communities to seek the earliest award of a CEOL.
The Company has demonstrated that it is developing lithium projects in line with the objectives of the National Lithium Strategy, evidenced by the extensive groundwork we have completed over the past few years. We have an operational DLE pilot plant to sustainably extract lithium and have been pursuing early engagement with local communities with a co-signed agreement. Meanwhile, we continue our proactive work programme with further results from the DLE process work to be reported shortly."
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.
About Reach announcements
This is a Reach announcement. Reach is an investor communication service aimed at assisting listed and unlisted (including AIM quoted) companies to distribute media only / non-regulatory news releases into the public domain. Information required to be notified under the AIM Rules for Companies, Market Abuse Regulation or other regulation would be disseminated as an RNS regulatory announcement and not on Reach.
Notes
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material quantities of sustainable battery grade lithium products using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy. The Company plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and hold licences in Llamara and Salar de Atacama, located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two major 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 direct access to existing infrastructure and renewable power.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine, with higher recoveries than conventional extraction processes. The method offers short development lead times with no extensive site construction or evaporation pond development so there is minimal water depletion from the aquifer. www.ctlithium.com
IOCG and Epithermal Mineralisation Discovered in Maiden Field Program at Great Bear Lake
Canadian Government grants received to further exploration
White Cliff Minerals Limited (“WCN” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that widespread, IOCG-U polymetallic, mineralisation has been visually observed1 during the first week of its maiden fieldwork program at its Great Bear Lake U-Cu-Au-Ag Project in northern Canada.
- Ongoing heli-supported field observations confirm the presence of widespread high-grade IOCG and epithermal mineralisation, some with potentially significant strike lengths
- New discoveries at Great Bear Lake include the Glacier prospect (“the Glacier”), a large outcropping IOCG mineralised system identified over more than 1,100m of strike to date, 1km northeast of the historic Echo Bay Mine
- Newly identified targets include:
- Mile Lake, where intense primary copper mineralisation has been identified along ~55m of outcropping rock before disappearing undercover.
- Rust, where 3 parallel structures have been identified, 3.5km east of the historic Eldorado Mine site, which returned several “off scale” (>65,000) counts per second (“CPS”) on the Company’s handheld RS-125 Super-SPEC scintillometer evidencing potential extensional high-grade uranium.
- Newly discovered crystalline herringbone-wire native silver occurrence along strike from main historical Bonanza Silver Mine
- Confirmation of the historic Thompson outcrop with visible uranium and cobalt mineralisation observed with semi- massive bornite-chalcopyrite
- Confirmation of historic Spud Bay, a bonanza Cu location located with trend extended and resampled over ±700m of outcropping strike length before disappearing under cover
- Confirmation of Sparkplug, a Cu location, with the definition of a 430 x 160m zone of copper epithermal mineralisation at the periphery of an IOCG prospective collapse structure
- Assay results to follow with the first batch of 95 samples already dispatched to ALS Laboratories in Yellowknife
- Works associated with MobileMT, the heli-mounted latest aerial technology for the collection of magnetic and conductivity data have commenced and continue
- Further updates to follow as exploration activities continue at Great Bear Lake. All pre mobilisation activities completed for Nunavut Project with field works to commence in coming weeks
- CAD$168,000 grant has been received from the Canadian Government to be applied towards further exploration activities at Great Bear Lake U-Cu-Au-Ag and Nunavut Cu-Ag-Au Projects
“Finally, we are on the ground! We could not be any more impressed with what we have seen in such a short period of time. This Project is clearly under-explored with new potential discoveries having been made continuously and immediately. This, coupled with confirmation of the historic mineralised trends at Spud Bay and Thompson really impresses the potential for district scale opportunity across a polymetallic suite of minerals. The first batch of samples have already been dispatched to the labs and we are looking forward to those results in the next month or so; those results we hope will validate our expectations and also provide us with further potential upside for precious metal contents not visible in the field. We look forward to update further with relation to Great Bear Lake exploration activities along with our highly anticipated program at Nunavut.
This maiden campaign is the culmination of the team in Canada’s brilliant work, led by our Executive Director Eric Sondergaard. Their ability to ensure permitting was facilitated and granted in a timely manner, that aligned with our schedule and to successfully gain the grant from the Canadian Government to allow us to further our exploration activities was world class.”
Troy Whittaker - Managing Director
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This article includes content from White Cliff Minerals Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Entitlement Offer Prospectus
This Prospectus is primarily being issued for a non-renounceable pro-rata offer to Eligible Shareholders of one new Share for every six Shares held on the Record Date, at an issue price of $0.30 per new Share, together with two free Attaching Options for every two new Shares subscribed for (Entitlement Offer).
This Prospectus is also being issued for the Top-Up Offer, Shortfall Offer and Placement Options Offer.
The Entitlement Offer and Top-Up Offer close at 5.00pm (AWST) on 29 July 2024.*
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Jindalee Lithium Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
5 Themes from Fastmarkets' 2024 Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Event
Demand for lithium is expected to grow in the next 10 years as electric vehicle proliferation continues and the energy storage sector expands.
While experts are optimistic about the market’s medium- and long-term fundamentals, the current market oversupply and weak EV sales have weighed on prices over the last year.
Although prices have remained subdued through 2023 into 2024, investor interest in the battery metal market has grown, which was evident at Fastmarkets’ 2024 Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials conference.
The four-day event saw record attendance, with more than 1,100 attendants and 150 speakers gathering in Las Vegas to learn more about the trajectory of the lithium industry and other key battery raw materials.
Here the Investing News Network looks at five key themes discussed at the show that investors should keep an eye on in 2024.
1. Black mass recycling sector growth
Global demand for lithium-ion batteries is projected by McKinsey & Company to surge from 700 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2022 to 4.7 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2030, driven primarily by the increasing use of batteries in electric vehicles, which will make up 4.3 TWh of the demand on their own.
This growth is propelled by regulatory shifts toward sustainability, such as the EU's "Fit for 55" program and the US Inflation Reduction Act, higher consumer demand for greener technologies, and commitments from major automakers to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles and meet new emission-reduction targets.
During a presentation titled "Black Mass and Battery Recycling Technologies," Lee Allen, the strategic markets editor for scrap at Fastmarkets, discussed battery demand and the battery recycling segment.
Lee explained that, by 2034, Fastmarkets projects 25 million metric tons of new battery demand, mostly rising from the EV sector. Black mass recycling is becoming a viable option for the recovery of battery raw materials to help respond to the incoming demand.
“By 2034 ... 18 percent of metal supply will come from recycling in the global market. That is compared with a much smaller amount in 2023, which was just 8 percent.”
Much of that growth will come from North America, Lee added.
“US scrap battery volumes are set to soar over the next 10 years as well,” he said. “It was estimated by the (Fastmarkets) research team that around 7 percent of global scrap batteries were in the US market in 2023, whereas that will increase to 17 percent by 2034.”
2. Unconventional extraction options still face roadblocks
With demand poised to soar over the next 10 years, extracting lithium efficiently, expeditiously and in environmentally friendly ways is becoming increasingly important.
However, as McKinsey’s Ken Hoffman pointed out, while there are many “promising and interesting advancements” in the extraction space, “none of them are commercial.”
As the industry mulls over which extraction method is most viable, Hoffman noted that there are other factors to consider while making the decision, including water availability.
“Freshwater is something we see in a lot of technologies becoming a huge bottleneck or concern for communities,” Hoffman said. “So, this is something that always needs to be thought about.”
Though solar evaporation and hard rock mining are the most conventional methods of lithium extraction currently, direct lithium extraction (DLE) from brines, adsorption and ion exchange are also gaining traction in the industry.
However, as Hoffman outlined, none of these technologies have been scaled to the commercial level, and doing so for a DLE facility would be very capital intensive. Obtaining financing to do so is difficult, despite significant capital being available in the battery industry, in part because of the limited proven successes.
Additionally, doubts about DLE's commercial viability persist, with many experts favoring traditional lithium production methods. Obtaining permits, especially in Europe, is difficult, and while DLE uses less water overall, it still requires more fresh water than traditional methods.
Lastly, the industry is struggling with limited access to skilled labor and materials, complicating the development and scaling of DLE technologies.
3. Geopolitics and global regulations
2024 is a major year for elections around the world, with more than 64 countries heading to the polls throughout the calendar year, including the US election that will be held in November.
During her presentation "Unravelling Global Regulations and the Inflation Reduction Act," Grace Asenov, base and energy metals editor at Fastmarkets, discussed the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, which the Biden Administration passed in late 2022.
Asenov highlighted how the IRA has supported the US battery supply chain and battery metals sectors, including through tax credits such as the US$7,500 consumer tax credit for US-based electric vehicles and the battery credit.
Additionally, she said that restrictions on materials sourced from countries such as China, Russia and Iran have also added some tailwinds for the North American market. However, because most lithium processing still occurs in China, US battery makers are poised to see continued challenges in sourcing material.
Asenov also discussed the recent regulatory history between the US and China, explaining that some of the restrictions the Biden administration has levied against Foreign Entities of Concern began under the previous Trump presidency, such as Trump's Section 301 tariffs on goods from China, specifically.
“(In May), Biden doubled down on some parts of section 301 targeting these markets, including EV batteries, permanent magnets, natural graphite and more,” Asenov said. “I think the real takeaway here is that this is a bipartisan story. So, kind of surprising, maybe that Biden followed through on some of Trump's initial anti-China policies.”
4. Supply chain restructuring
Concern about supply chain robustness and resilience continues to be a chief concern in the battery raw materials space and was a featured topic during the four-day conference.
During the presentation "Battery Supply Chains and Trade Flows," Andy Leyland, founder of Supply Chain Insights, spoke about the challenges the lithium and battery raw materials sectors are dealing with.
He explained that the EV battery supply chain is grappling with oversupply, investment demands and range anxiety. These issues are further compounded by geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns as well as the need for investment outside China.
While lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth deposits were formed thousands of years ago, leaving countries no say in what lies beneath their nation’s bedrock, the processing and manufacturing of these materials is largely dominated by China.
“Seventy percent, 80 percent, 90 percent of the (processing and manufacturing) market is being dominated by China,” said Leyland. “That is politically unacceptable in Europe, it's unacceptable in the US and other countries.”
Leyland added that political mandates around employment, environment, sourcing and energy security have driven the West to build and fortify new and existing supply chains.
5. EV adoption inertia
As the largest end-use segment for many battery raw materials, the EV industry and its performance is closely tied to the trajectory of many of the battery metals supply and demand models.
At "The Future of Demand: Are We in EV Winter?" discussion, panelists from across the battery metals supply chain offered insight into the current EV market and where it may go in the years ahead.
Citing factors like range anxiety, sparse charging infrastructure and high price points, the panelists noted that EV proliferation may be at a plateau.
To combat this stagnation, the panelists agreed that the US and Europe need to focus on affordability and making EVs more accessible to low and middle-income consumers, by developing more affordable models and leveraging government incentives.
Additionally, the panelists also mentioned investment in building out domestic supply chains and manufacturing capabilities to reduce reliance on imports.
The group also called on carmakers to develop more exciting and desirable EV models that appeal to consumers, rather than relying solely on regulations and subsidies.
Lastly, they cautioned against viewing market growth as a sprint instead of a marathon, telling the conference-goers that the sector needs to take a long-term strategic approach to developing the EV industry and recognize that it may take 10 years or longer to fully build out the necessary supply chains and infrastructure, independent from China.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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