Le lithium, le prix en baisse aprés la flambée.

[energy_isere]

Chile’s Enami targets start of lithium project construction by 2027
Enami expects to eventually produce approximately 60,000 metric tonnes of lithium annually.

May 31, 2024

Chile’s state-owned minerals company Enami is set to commence construction on its inaugural lithium project as early as 2027, aligning with the government’s strategy to amplify its presence in the global battery metal sector, Reuters reported.

Enami is primarily involved in copper processing and is now venturing into lithium production, a critical component for batteries.

The company’s chief, Ivan Mlynarz, told the news agency that Enami is at the forefront of the government’s lithium initiatives, working in tandem with mining heavyweight Codelco.

Enami has initiated the process of finding a private collaborator to provide either financial or operational support for the lithium project.

Prospective partners have until 7 June 2024 to register their interest, with Enami aiming to finalise the selection by March 2025.

The project will be situated within the Salares Altoandinos in the Atacama region, encompassing three salt flats – Aguilar, La Isla, and Grande, which together span nearly 30,000ha.

Enami will evaluate the available lithium reserves and the required investment to decide its ownership percentage in the project.

Mlynarz was quoted by the news agency as saying: “Right now we are developing the engineering basically so the project can start construction around 2027 or 2028.

“We have in mind partners that will see this through to the end … partners with the financial backing to guarantee that resources are available, and that have the experience to develop a project like this.”

He also noted that the finance ministry aims to have new lithium production in Chile by 2030.

Enami expects to eventually produce approximately 60,000 metric tonnes of lithium annually at Altoandinos.

Last month, Rio Tinto, Eramet and LG Energy submitted proposals to develop lithium extraction technology for a Chilean salt flat in the early stages of exploration.

Enami is asking for detailed plans from bidding companies to test the brine deposits within the salt flats.

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... t/?cf-view

[energy_isere]

Un projet important au Brésil : le lithium de Bandeira

Lithium Ionic feasibility gives Bandeira project in Brazil $1.3 billion NPV

Blair McBride | May 31, 2024


Lithium Ionic’s Bandeira project in Minas Gerais state. Credit: Lithium Ionic

A new feasibility study for Lithium Ionic’s (TSXV: LTH) Bandeira project in eastern Brazil outlines an operation with a post-tax net present value (NPV) more than four times higher than its initial capital costs.


Bandeira has an after-tax NPV (at an 8% discount rate) of $1.3 billion, a post-tax internal rate of return of 40% and initial capex of $266 million, including a 15% contingency, according to the study released on Wednesday. The after-tax payback period is pegged at 3.4 years.


The underground mine would produce about 17.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) grading 5.5 lithium oxide (Li2O) over a 14-year life, starting in 2026, at spodumene prices of $2,277 per tonne. Bandeira is in northeast Minas Gerais state, about 1,000 km north of Rio de Janeiro.

In a research note, Canaccord Genuity analyst Katie Lachapelle wrote that the feasibility study’s demonstration of a low-cost operation posits outcomes that are “far more realistic and conservative” than in the preliminary economic assessment from last year.

‘Trigger for strategic partner’
Noting that the mine life is six years shorter than in the PEA, and capital and operating costs are higher, Lachapelle believes the plan has meaningful upside.

“If Lithium Ionic is to maintain project development timelines, near-term funding will need to be secured,” she said. ” The release of the feasibility study could be a trigger to finalize a strategic partner given increased certainty around key project parameters. This agreement is likely to come with incremental funds to fund construction (potentially in exchange for offtake).”

The study also estimates the project’s life-of-mine (LOM) operating costs at $444 per tonne of spodumene, and LOM sustaining costs at $81 million.

“This study marks an important developmental milestone, confirming the strong results from our preliminary economic assessment in late 2023 and solidifying our path to becoming a near-term lithium producer,” Lithium Ionic CEO Blake Hylands said.

“While we are very pleased with the results of the study, the company intends to move project engineering forward to the basic engineering phase where a value-add process will take place to further optimize and streamline capital and operating costs.”

Prices still low

The economics of the study stand in contrast to low lithium spodumene spot prices, which have been in a slump since they fell from $4,525 per tonne last May to $1,100 last December, according to FastMarkets. They’re currently at $975 per tonne.

Spodumene prices might make a modest recovery into next year and are forecast to reach about $1,360 by 2026, before falling to around $1,090 by 2029, according to the Australian government’s Office of the Chief Economist Resources and Energy Quarterly, published in March.

On Wednesday, Lithium Ionic announced a binding term sheet with London-based private equity firm Appian Capital Advisory to sell a 2.25% gross revenue royalty on Bandeira for $20 million in cash up front. The company plans to use the proceeds of the royalty to advance development and construction at Bandeira.

The feasibility study comes about seven weeks after the company released an updated resource estimate for Bandeira, which gave the project 23.7 million measured and indicated tonnes grading 1.34% Li2O, for 783,000 tonnes of LCE. Inferred resources come to 18.2 million tonnes at 1.37% Li2O, for 617,000 tonnes of LCE. The updated estimate was based on 50,760 metres of drilling across 233 holes between April 2022 and March 2024.

Bandeira is just northeast of the city of Araçuaí, placing it in a well-connected region for logistics and infrastructure.

The project claims sit across 1.6 sq. km, representing only about 1% of Lithium Ionic’s 141.8-sq.-km land package in the ‘Lithium Valley’, where it also holds its Salinas project, about 120 km north of Bandeira.

https://www.mining.com/lithium-ionic-fe ... llion-npv/

[energy_isere]

Lithium in Marcellus shale gas wells could potentially meet part of US demand

Staff Writer | May 29, 2024

A new analysis using compliance data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection suggests that if it could be extracted with complete efficiency, lithium from the wastewater of Marcellus shale gas wells in Pennsylvania could supply up to 40% of the United States demand.

Finding lithium in the wastewater in the Marcellus shale wasn’t a surprise: Researchers had analyzed the water recycled in hydraulic fracking and knew that it picked up minerals and elements from the shale. “But there hadn’t been enough measurements to quantify the resource,” Justin Mackey, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, said in a media statement. “We just didn’t know how much was in there.”

Thanks to Pennsylvania regulatory requirements, his team was able to figure it out.

Companies are mandated to submit analyses of wastewater used in each well pad and lithium is one of the substances they must report. “And that’s how we were able to conduct this regional analysis,” Mackie said.

Meeting 30% to 40% of the country’s lithium needs would bring the country much closer to the US Geological Survey’s requirements, which demand all lithium to be produced domestically by 2030.

There’s also lithium-rich wastewater outside of the state’s boundaries. “Pennsylvania has the most robust data source for Marcellus shale,” Mackey said. “But there’s lots of activity in West Virginia, too.”

The next step toward making use of this lithium is to understand the environmental impact of extracting it and to implement a pilot facility to develop extraction techniques.

“Wastewater from oil and gas is a burgeoning issue,” the scientist pointed out. “Right now, it’s just minimally treated and reinjected.”

However, in his view, wastewater has the potential to provide a lot of value. After all, “it’s been dissolving rocks for hundreds of millions of years — essentially, the water has been mining the subsurface.”

https://www.mining.com/lithium-in-marce ... us-demand/

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 2 juin 2024 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 7#p2392027

Le Chili accélère sa course au lithium et explore de nouveaux sites

AFP •06/06/2024


Vue aérienne du camp de prospection dans les salines d'Aguilar, situé dans la chaîne de montagnes andines de la région d'Atacama, au Chili, le 17 mai 2024 ( AFP / RODRIGO ARANGUA )

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lire https://www.boursorama.com/actualite-ec ... a7feffb49d

[energy_isere]

Le Nigérian Benedict Peters veut produire du lithium dès 2025 au Zimbabwe

Agence Ecofin 5 juin 2024

Le Zimbabwe est le premier producteur africain de lithium. Avec la hausse de la demande mondiale ces dernières années, le pays bénéficie d’un intérêt croissant des investisseurs pour ses réserves inexploitées.

L’homme d’affaires nigérian Benedict Peters (photo) devrait se lancer dans la production de lithium au Zimbabwe début 2025. C’est l’annonce faite mardi 4 juin par Gbenga Ojo, DG de Bravura Holdings, société appartenant à M. Peters.

Selon les détails relayés par plusieurs médias dont Bloomberg, l’usine que compte mettre en place Bravura pour son projet Kamativi peut livrer annuellement 30 000 tonnes de concentré de spodumène. Pour y arriver, la société devrait traiter les résidus d’une ancienne mine d’étain, fermée il y a 30 ans environ.

Il faut souligner que l’entrée en production du projet Kamativi intervient dans un contexte de baisse des prix du lithium. Les prix du carbonate de lithium sont par exemple passés de 81 360 dollars par tonne en novembre 2022 à 20 782 dollars par tonne en février 2024. Cependant, Bravura ne compte pas laisser cette situation affecter le développement du projet.

« Nous sommes très confiants […]. Même si la situation reste inchangée, nous poursuivrons notre projet », explique M. Ojo, dont la détermination peut sans doute s’expliquer par des perspectives plus positives à long terme pour le lithium, surtout en ce qui concerne la demande.

Pour rappel, le Zimbabwe est le premier producteur africain de lithium. Le gouvernement détient une participation de 40 % dans le projet Kamativi.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/metaux/050 ... u-zimbabwe

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 20 aout 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 8#p2375418

Vulcan secures €40m for German zero-carbon lithium project
The funds will support pre-execution activities and ensure the project remains on schedule.

June 3, 2024

Vulcan Energy Resources has secured a total of €40m ($43m) through private placement to support the construction work for its phase one integrated Zero Carbon Lithium Project in Germany.

Under the terms of the private placement, Vulcan issued ten million shares to CIMIC Group for €25m, five million shares to Hancock Prospecting for €12.5m and one million shares to Victor Smorgon Group for €2.5m.

The new shares, priced at €2.50 each, were offered at a 9% discount to Vulcan’s 30-day volume-weighted average price and will rank equally with existing ordinary shares.

.........................
The raised funds will facilitate early validation works for the engineering procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract for Vulcan’s phase one lithium plant.

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... t/?cf-view

[energy_isere]

Argentine lithium output up by almost half in first four months of 2024

Reuters | June 7, 2024

Lithium extraction in Argentina, the world’s fourth largest producer of the metal, surged by 49.7% from January through April compared with the same four-month period last year, data from national statistics agency Indec showed on Friday.

Lithium, the ultra-light metal coveted by rechargeable battery makers, is experiencing a boom in Argentina, fueled by new project and investment announcements.

The South American country, part of the so-called “lithium triangle” along with Chile and Bolivia, has attracted investments from foreign companies in Canada and China, among others, as the nearly six-month-old government of libertarian President Javier Milei seeks to reverse a prolonged economic slump driven by triple-digit inflation.

Context
Last month, Eramine Sudamerica – of French group Eramet – and Chinese steel company Tsingsham announced the inauguration, set for July, of their first lithium carbonate plant in northern Salta province.

Lithium, which is needed for future fleets of electric vehicles, saw its price skyrocket in recent years before plunging last year largely due to slowing EV sales in China.

https://www.mining.com/web/argentine-li ... s-of-2024/

[energy_isere]

Occidental Petroleum, Berkshire Hathaway form JV to extract lithium

By Reuters June 4, 20246

Occidental Petroleum (OXY.N), opens new tab said on Tuesday it had entered into a joint venture with Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKa.N), opens new tab energy unit to extract lithium.

The energy producer said it would use its technology to extract and commercially produce high-purity lithium compounds at Berkshire's geothermal facility in California.

Lithium is the key metal used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles, consumer electronics and energy grid storage.

Oil majors are investing in the electrification sector as governments in the United States and Europe establish programs to promote the wider use of EVs and reduce fossil-fuel consumption.
Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), plans to start producing lithium from sub-surface wells by 2027, while European oil rivals BP (BP.L), and Shell (SHEL.L) have invested in EV charging stations as part of their energy transition strategies.

Occidental said the project would demonstrate the feasibility of using its unit's direct lithium extraction technology to produce lithium in an environmentally safe manner.

BHE Renewables, Berkshire's energy unit, operates 10 geothermal power plants in California's Imperial Valley that can process 50,000 gallons of lithium-rich brine per minute to produce 345 megawatts of clean energy.
Upon successful demonstration, BHE Renewables plans to build, own and operate commercial lithium production facilities in California's Imperial Valley.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodi ... 024-06-04/

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 25 mai 2024 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 6#p2391576

Mali : l’australien Leo finalise son retrait du lithium au profit de la Chine

Agence Ecofin 14 juin 2024

En mai 2024, Leo Lithium a annoncé la vente au chinois Ganfeng de sa participation restante dans le projet malien Goulamina. Le montant de la transaction est de 342,7 millions de dollars.

Au Mali, le gouvernement a approuvé la vente par Leo Lithium de sa participation restante dans la première mine de lithium du pays, Goulamina, au chinois Ganfeng Lithium. C’est l’annonce faite le 14 juin par la compagnie australienne qui précise que cette autorisation du ministère des Mines est soumise au paiement de l’impôt sur les plus-values.

« Il s’agit d’une étape positive dans le processus de retrait éventuel de Leo Lithium du projet. Bien qu’il eût été préférable que Leo reste impliqué dans Goulamina, nous pensons qu’en l’absence d’un accord viable avec le gouvernement malien, ce plan d’action est dans le meilleur intérêt de toutes les parties prenantes », a déclaré Simon Hay, DG de Leo Lithium.

Notons que l’impôt sur les plus-values s’applique aux investisseurs qui réalisent des cessions de biens mobiliers ou immobiliers. Leo Lithium indique par exemple avoir payé 7,6 millions de dollars, lorsqu’elle a finalisé en mai la vente pour 65 millions de dollars d’une participation de 5 % dans Goulamina à Ganfeng. Pour le reste de la participation de Leo, la compagnie australienne a convenu d’un prix de 342,7 millions de dollars avec son partenaire chinois, montant dont une part reviendra au Mali.

Rappelons que la compagnie chinoise détiendra 65 % d’intérêts dans la première mine du Mali, une fois la transaction avec Leo Lithium finalisé. Conformément au nouveau code minier malien, Bamako a obtenu une participation de 30 % dans Goulamina, et 5 % des parts de la mine sont réservés aux investisseurs locaux.

Selon le gouvernement, Goulamina devrait lui rapporter annuellement plus de 100 milliards FCFA (environ 163 millions $ aux taux de change actuels), après son entrée en production prévue en août prochain. Jusqu’à 250 milliards FCFA (407,8 millions $) de chiffre d’affaires sont aussi prévus pour les entreprises maliennes qui fourniront des services de sous-traitance à la mine.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/mines/1406 ... e-la-chine

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 17 mars 2024 : http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 8#p2388208

Arizona Lithium gets permit for drilling at Big Sandy project
US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval allows the company to commence a drilling and bulk sampling programme at the project.

June 12, 2024

Arizona Lithium has obtained permit of exploration (POE) from the US BLM for its Big Sandy Lithium Project in Arizona.

The BLM’s approval allows the company to commence a drilling and bulk sampling programme at the project, scheduled for July 2024.

The planned drilling programme will be managed by Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) under the mining services agreement signed earlier this year.

This programme will include 131 drill holes and a bulk sample, targeting the expansion of the current lithium resource.

Arizona Lithium’s Big Sandy Project, which has seen only 4% of its area drilled to date, presents a substantial opportunity for resource expansion.
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https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... lling-big/

[energy_isere]

Rio Tinto continue de croire au Lithium de Serbie :

Environmental studies show Serbian lithium project is safe, Rio Tinto says

Reuters | June 13, 2024


Core samples at Jadar. (Image courtesy of Rio Tinto Serbia.)

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto said on Thursday newly published environmental studies showed that its Serbia lithium project, which was stopped in 2022 after massive protests, would be safe for the environment.

If implemented, the $2.4 billion Jadar lithium project in Western Serbia could cover 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs and help to make the company a leading lithium producer.

Lithium, largely used in batteries for electric vehicles (EV) and mobile devices, is regarded as a critical material by many major economies.

On Thursday, Rio’s Serbian unit made public several environmental studies conducted over the past six and a half years.

“Results of scientific research show that the Jadar project can be realized safely by respecting highest domestic and international environmental standards,” the company said in a statement.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in January authorities wanted to hold further talks with Rio about the project and welcomed public discussion on whether it should go ahead.

Just ahead of the country’s 2022 general elections, Serbian leaders revoked Rio’s licence for the project, bowing to a 30,000-signature-petition from environmental groups and local communities.

Green activists say the mine will pollute water supply, causing more environmental damage in Serbia, already one of Europe’s most polluted countries.

Rio’s representative in Serbia, Marijanti Babic, said in Thursday’s statement that the company had published studies in order to “renew a public dialogue” about the project.

“These studies give an opportunity to local community and all interested parties to see for themselves what had been done so far.”

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who took over last month after December’s parliamentary election, told state RTS TV that he was open to talks about resuming the project.

“I am expecting the answer from experts – if experts say no, then it is no, but they have to be aware of their responsibility,” Vucevic said.

“I believe it is possible to exploit natural resources and preserve nature’s wealth and people above all. I think this (lithium project) is a historical chance.”

https://www.mining.com/web/environmenta ... into-says/

[energy_isere]

La Serbie pourrait exploiter son lithium dès 2028 (président)

AFP le 16 juin 2024

La Serbie pourrait exploiter son important gisement de lithium dès 2028, a dit son président dans une interview au Financial Times dimanche, ce qui pourrait selon lui être "une véritable révolution" pour le pays et la région.

"Si nous tenons toutes nos promesses, la mine pourrait ouvrir en 2028", a dit Aleksandar Vucic, ajoutant que le gisement de Jadar, exploité par Rio Tinto, pourrait produire jusqu'à 58.000 tonnes de lithium par an, "assez pour 17 % de la production de véhicules électriques en Europe, soit environ 1,1 million de voitures".

Les réserves de lithium de Jadar, dans l'ouest de la Serbie, ont été découvertes en 2004, et seraient parmi les plus importantes du continent. Mais le gouvernement serbe avait mis un terme au projet d'exploitation à l'hiver 2022 après des semaines de manifestations.

Les opposants accusaient Rio Tinto et Aleksandar Vucic d'agir dans le plus grand secret et de refuser de publier les rapports d'impact environnemental, et craignaient que la région soit dévastée par l'extraction du métal.

Mais le géant minier a publié cette semaine de premières études d'impact environnemental, assurant que tout serait fait pour limiter au maximum l'impact de la mine - souterraine, et du traitement des déchets sur l'environnement.

M. Vucic a aussi évoqué dans son entretien au Financial Times de "nouvelles garanties" de Rio Tinto, ainsi que de l'Union Européennes, sur le respect des normes environnementales.

La Serbie a signé en septembre 2023 avec la Commission européenne une lettre d'intention relative au partenariat stratégique dans le domaine des batteries et des matières premières, dont le lithium, matériau essentiel notamment pour la fabrication des batteries des voitures électriques.

https://www.connaissancedesenergies.org ... ent-240616

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 15 aout 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 3#p2375173

Pilbara Minerals eyes $800 million road to double lithium output

Reuters | June 20, 2024


Credit: Pilbara Minerals

Pilbara Minerals, Australia’s biggest independent lithium producer, on Friday laid out a A$1.2 billion ($799.2 million) plan to double production capacity for lithium spodumene at its Pilgangoora operation in Western Australia.


More spodumene from the miner’s flagship operations could result in a decade of output averaging 1.9 million tonnes per year if it decides to press go on the project, following a feasibility study expected to be completed in late 2025.

The expansion would require Pilbara Minerals to build a new flotation plant for extracting lithium from the spodumene that would be adjacent to an existing flotation plant to constrain costs. The plan is being laid out as Pilbara keeps its options open for future production amid low prices for the battery material.

“We expect the full suite of funding options to be available for us, which could include cash flow from our operations, and government support. We could look at offtake and finance as well as debt and equity,” CEO Dale Henderson told Reuters.

Pilbara had A$1.8 billion in cash on its books as of March 31, 2024.

The output plan is separate to Pilbara’s study to process its spodumene into a more lithium-rich product that could be sold at higher margins, for which it is building a demonstration plant with Calix Ltd, he said.

The demonstration plant will trial electric calciner technology to make a lithium phosphate product containing 18% lithium, up from 5% to 6% contained lithium in spodumene.

The trial may yield learnings that could apply to other projects around the world, and offer Pilbara another revenue stream through licensing, Henderson said.

Pilbara earlier this year agreed to a study with China’s Ganfeng Lithium on options to build a 32,000 metric-ton-per-year lithium conversion facility.

The site for the plant has not been decided but a number of countries are being considered, including Australia.

Pilbara’s shares fell 3.8% to A$3.08, amid weakness in lithium miners, while the broader mining sub-index dropped 0.3%.

($1 = 1.5015 Australian dollars)

https://www.mining.com/web/pilbara-mine ... lgangoora/

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 12 mai 2024 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 0#p2390990

Savannah Resources raises US$20M for Barroso lithium project

Savannah Resources PLC (AIM: SAV) secures £16M investment from Dutch miner AMG, making AMG the largest shareholder with a 15.77% stake in the British company's Barroso lithium project in Portugal.

Savannah CEO Emanuel Proença said the cash injection and partnership was a “huge de-risking step” for the Barroso project.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-nort ... 44064-zMp0

[energy_isere]

suite de 3 posts au dessus.

En Serbie, les opposants au lithium relancent les manifestations

AFP •28/06/2024

Plus d'un millier d'opposants à l'ouverture d'une mine de lithium dans l'Ouest de la Serbie ont manifesté vendredi, lançant un ultimatum au gouvernement et espérant une nouvelle vague de contestation deux ans après la première qui avait mis fin au projet.

Sur une scène face aux manifestants, les organisations à l'appel du rassemblement ont lu leur demande : l'interdiction - inscrite dans la loi - de l'exploration et l'exploitation du lithium en Serbie.

"Nous vous donnons 40 jours. Et si au 41e jour la loi n'est pas adoptée, nous bloquerons le pays, nous harcèlerons le gouvernement", a lancé Marijana Petkovic, militante du mouvement "Ne damo Jadar".

Rio Tinto, le géant minier australien qui espère pouvoir exploiter les milliers de tonnes de lithium dont regorge cette région de Serbie, a beau expliquer depuis des mois que l'impact écologique sera minime, les manifestants n'en croient rien.

"Je crois que les nappes phréatiques seront contaminées. Je n'ai pas besoin d'écouter qui que ce soit, je n'ai pas besoin de scientifique : aucune mine ici n'est écologique, alors celle-là non plus", explique dans le cortège Petar Cergic, un mécanicien de 44 ans.

Drapeaux en main et chants patriotiques sur les lèvres, toutes celles et ceux venus à Loznica espèrent faire plier une fois encore le gouvernement.
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https://www.boursorama.com/actualite-ec ... 8094cc41e6