Le lithium, le prix en baisse aprés la flambée.

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 14 fev 2026 : http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 4#p2421694

Zijin’s Congo lithium mine set to be among world’s biggest

Bloomberg News | March 24, 2026 |


Aerial view of the Manono lithium project in the DRC. (Image courtesy of AVZ Minerals.)

The lithium mine Zijin Mining Group Co. plans to open this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to be one of the world’s biggest suppliers of the battery metal.

The Chinese company – which has grown at breakneck speed to become a top producer of copper and gold – has been developing the Manono lithium project in southeastern Congo since it secured the prized deposit in 2023.

The mine, which Zijin aims to commission this June, will be able to supply 130,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent a year once it reaches full capacity, according to a report the company released on March 20.

That “would put Manono in the highest echelons” of hard-rock lithium assets, with only a couple of giant mines in Australia having the capacity to produce more, said Martin Jackson, head of battery materials markets at consultancy CRU Group.


While the report didn’t specify how long it will take for the mine to hit full capacity, it will be a significant contributor to global production of the metal used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. At full tilt in 2028, Zijin’s new operation would account for 5% of mined lithium supply, according to Jackson.

The Manono project has a complicated history because another company, Australia’s AVZ Minerals Ltd., still claims the rights to the area Zijin will soon start mining. Congo revoked AVZ’s license three years ago – after the Perth-based firm had found Manono to contain one of the largest hard-rock lithium deposits in the world – before awarding the northern portion of the concession to the Chinese miner.

AVZ has initiated arbitration proceedings against the Congolese state as part of efforts to recover the entire permit. The southern section of Manono has also caught the attention of KoBold Metals Co. – an AI-driven exploration startup whose backers include billionaires Bill Gates and Marc Andreessen – as American investors try to capitalize on a US-Congo minerals partnership signed in December.


During a meeting at the White House earlier this year, Trump administration officials urged an AVZ executive to sell his firm’s interest in Manono to a US company, which could then develop a second mine, Bloomberg reported.

Zijin’s mine – which the report said is costing $1.4 billion to build – will likely produce between 850,000 and 875,000 tons of lithium concentrate a year at full capacity, according to Jackson and Chris Williams, an analyst at industry consultancy Adamas Intelligence. Lithium concentrate is a semi-processed material that is refined into higher-value battery-grade compounds.

A smelter that the company intends to finish by the end of the year will process about 500,000 tons of concentrate a year into an intermediate lithium sulfate product, according to its own report.

The Chinese firm owns almost 55% of the Manono project, with the Congolese state holding the rest of the shares. Zijin has additional interests in two copper mines in the Central African nation, including a 39.6% stake in the massive Kamoa-Kakula complex.

An aggressive acquisition strategy has also transformed Zijin into a top-five gold producer, with mines spread across China, Central Asia, Africa, Australasia and South America.

https://www.mining.com/web/zijins-congo ... s-biggest/

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CleanTech pegs Chile lithium project value at $1.37B

Cecilia Jamasmie | March 31, 2026 |

CleanTech Lithium (AIM: CTL) has delivered a pre-feasibility study for its Laguna Verde project in Chile outlining a $1.37 billion pre-tax net present value and a 25-year mine life.

The study confirms planned production of 15,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate, with a pre-tax internal rate of return of 24.2% and a payback period of about four years. Initial capital costs are estimated at $748 million, while operating costs are projected at $5,768 per tonne, placing the project in the lower cost quartile globally.

“These results demonstrate the strong economic potential of Laguna Verde and position the project as a significant future supplier of battery-grade lithium,” the company said in a presentation, pointing to stable long-term production and competitive costs.

Laguna Verde benefits from established infrastructure and proximity to ports and processing facilities, supporting a streamlined route to export, according to the latest investors’ presentation. The project is also supported by rising lithium demand driven by the global energy transition and the fact that Chile is a known, leading jurisdiction.

CleanTech recently secured a 40-year Special Lithium Operation Contract (CEOL) with the Chilean state, covering the full project lifecycle from exploration to production, a milestone the company says de-risks development and opens the door to strategic partnerships.

The probable reserve stands at 378,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) at an average grade of 186 mg/L, supporting steady-state production over the mine’s life following a short ramp-up period.

Annual cash flow projections indicate strong returns over the life of the project, with cumulative cash flow rising steadily after initial capital investment.

Betting on DLE

Laguna Verde will use direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, producing lithium chloride at Laguna Verde before conversion to lithium carbonate at a downstream plant in Copiapó to reduce the site footprint and leverage existing infrastructure.

CleanTech is now advancing discussions with potential strategic partners across battery manufacturing, automotive and financial sectors, aiming to secure funding and move the project toward production.

The completion of the study and the operating contract also allows CleanTech to advance environmental approvals and move toward a definitive feasibility study as it aims to become the next lithium producer to come online in Chile after more than three decades.

https://www.mining.com/cleantech-pegs-c ... -at-1-37b/

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Atlas Lithium’s Neves project selected for potential funding under US-Japan partnership

Staff Writer | April 2, 2026


In 2024, Atlas Lithium received the operational permit for its main Neves project in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state. Credit: Atlas Lithium

Atlas Lithium’s (NASDAQ: ATLX) flagship Neves project in Brazil has been included as part of the recently signed Japan-US critical minerals cooperation agreement, the company announced on Thursday.

In a statement, the Florida-based company said its project was named in the joint fact sheet submitted by the governments for funding consideration, and is the only Brazil-based lithium asset to be included on the list.

The fact sheet follows the US-Japan Critical Minerals Investment Ministerial held last month in Tokyo, which was attended by various American agencies, and the summit held between Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump.

Shares of Atlas Lithium rose nearly 4% on the update, giving the company a market capitalization of $123.6 million.

Strategic lithium asset
The joint fact sheet lists projects that can potentially contribute towards strengthening the critical minerals supply chain, including the Neves project, Atlas said in its statement.

The company also noted it has an existing strategic partnership with Mitsui & Co. from 2024, when the Japanese group made a $30 million strategic investment and entered into an offtake agreement for future production from the site. Later that year, Atlas received its operating permit in Brazil.

Now in the pre-production stage, the Neves project involves the processing of ore from the Neves deposit in a dense media separation plant to produce lithium concentrates. Once operational, it is expected to produce 300,000 tonnes annually.

According to a definitive feasibility study completed last year, the Neves project could deliver an after-tax internal rate of return of 145% and a net present value of $539 million, with an 11-month payback.

“The inclusion of the Neves project in the Japan-US critical minerals joint fact sheet, with both the US and Japanese governments considering financial support for our project, is a powerful recognition of the strategic value of our assets and the progress that our team has achieved,” Atlas Lithium CEO Marc Fogassa said.

https://www.mining.com/atlas-lithiums-n ... rtnership/