NewsRamp™’s Post

Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology is moving faster towards full commercialization than is generally appreciated. An excellent 29 page pdf explainer and economics from Goldman Sachs: https://lnkd.in/gYs58Jba TL;DR - Eliminates evaporation ponds, extraction down from months to days - Successful commercialization expands the lithium supply curve - Supportive policy from Chile, and pilot projects underway in Li Triangle - Underappreciated project economics and pace of development The Smackover Trend in Arkansas has the highest concentration Li brines in the US, & multiple companies have converged there including ExxonMobil: https://lnkd.in/gWeMqGnJ Final thought, all the Li brines discovered to date in the US are accidents, by-products of oil & gas exploration and production. What could be found when some bright and enterprising geoscientists figure out how to chase Li brine concentration itself? https://lnkd.in/gCk7C6_c #energy #lithium #DLE #transition #storage

The discovery of sources for transition metals as a by-product of oil & gas extraction...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) has released a new $33M funding opportunity to advance #smartmanufacturing technologies for #cleanenergy! I want to call attention to Topic 4 on "Smart Technologies for Sustainable and Competitive U.S. Mining" for all those #criticalmaterials #innovators out there. We have two areas of interest: (1) Sustainable and Competitive Domestic Mining and (2) Sensing, Analytics, and Data-Driven Decision Making in #Mining. #advancedmaterials #advancedmanufacturing Concept papers are due on 8/21.

Critical to the global energy transition, lithium is facing a large, long-term deficit in the coming years ahead amid supply challenges. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global battery and mineral supply chains need to expand 10-fold to meet projected critical minerals needs by 2030. Having recognised lithium as the most in-demand energy transition metal, Premier1 Lithium has focused its efforts on lithium and critical minerals exploration.  Previously known as #SensOre Ltd with the ASX code #S3N, the company has split its technology and exploration assets. It privatised its minerals software and AI technology business, while Premier1 sharpened its focus on the exploration of critical minerals, including hard rock lithium, in line with growing global demand. More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors #ASX #PLC http://ow.ly/9JF9105fvlw

[Powering the clean #energy transition] We officially close 2023 with a positive progress report in advancing what is projected to be North America’s first integrated source of natural #graphite active anode material for #EV and #batteries. Team Nouveau Monde is executing our phased business model: producing battery materials at our Phase-1 plants, preparing the construction of our Phase-2 commercial facilities and planning our Phase-3 expansion. “After months and years of relentless commercial engagement and product qualification efforts, we reached a transformational milestone: multiyear offtake agreements with global leaders Panasonic Energy and General Motors, accompanied by equity participation and further committed investments. Our trajectory towards becoming North America’s leading, fully-integrated natural graphite producer is not just timely; it complements the collective goals of greater energy autonomy, national security, and #sustainability.” – Arne Højriis Frandsen, Chair of NMG. #Earnings #ESG #mining #battery #CriticalMinerals https://lnkd.in/e4HZJcbi

Record-breaking global spending on the clean energy transition – US$1.8 trillion investment – speaks volumes about the imperative necessity Western economies face in securing the minerals and advanced materials required to power new technologies. Our team is now updating our production parameters in light of Panasonic Energy and GM’s specifications, and mapping our transition to commercial operations. As we advance forward, I am confident that our integrated and ESG-driven business model is attuned to the dynamics of today’s global market. We are responsibly producing a key enabler to the clean energy transition. We are strengthening resilience, local capacity, and technological capital. We are empowering workers, communities, First Nations and businesses to participate in this novel economy.

Recognizing #oilandgas industries with transformative potential is crucial, particularly in the context of large economies like the #unitedstates, where this sector currently satisfies approximately 80% of the nation's #energy demand. Beyond its energy contribution, the industry holds the capacity to generate up to 12 million #jobs and is projected to contribute an estimated $1.6 trillion to the nation's #tax #revenue by 2025. Given its sheer magnitude and #economic significance, the oil and gas industry stands as a frontier for #technologicalinnovation and #investments, providing a unique opportunity to champion policies that facilitate a #justtransition from #fossilfuels. This transition could encompass targeted programs for the retraining or #upskilling of the workforce, initiatives promoting economic #diversification, and the establishment of robust social safety nets in the realm of job losses as consequences of the transition. By leveraging the industry's #politicaleconomy influence, strategic policies can be introduced to not only address environmental concerns but also to navigate a path that ensures a fair and sustainable transition. For instance, to meet the rising lithium demand is expected to be doubled over the next two decades, oil and gas companies are exploring innovation in lithium extraction from brine water. Investment at scale in such innovation offers higher margins compared to conventional hard rock mineral extraction. Occidental Petroleum Oxy, via its joint venture TerraLithium, and ExxonMobil are securing US land for #brinelithium extraction. This may offer significant investment potential for technologies such as Direct Lithium Extraction (#DLE) which has recovery rates of up to 90%. Studies suggest that around 13% of the world’s lithium could be produced using DLE by 2030. I am optimistic that industries of such scale, by positively influencing the sector cloud introduce scalable solutions.  Goldman Sachs Hugo Nicolaci #energysector #sustainablebusiness

Mapping US Lithium Mines: U.S. lithium projects mainly exist in western states, with comparatively minor opportunities in central or eastern states. Currently, the U.S. is sitting on a wealth of lithium that it is underutilizing. For context, in 2022, the U.S. only produced about 5,000 metric tons of LCE and imported a projected 19,000 metric tons of LCE, showing that the demand for the mineral is healthy.    The Next Gold Rush? U.S. lithium companies have the opportunity to become global leaders in lithium production and accelerate the transition to sustainable energy sources. This is particularly important as the demand for lithium is increasing every year. EnergyX is on a mission to meet U.S. lithium demands using groundbreaking technology that can extract 300% more lithium from a source than traditional methods. https://lnkd.in/gGszdAQF

https://lnkd.in/d4dWT6uh CEO Interview Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSX: LTH | OTCQX: LTHCF), "(...)Non-Chinese groups large enough to acquire Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSX: LTH | OTCQX: LTHCF) outright, or make a substantial investment into it, include; Rio Tinto, SQM, Albemarle, Mineral Resources (“MinRes”), Glencore, POSCO, Arcadium, IGO Limited, Fortescue Ltd. & Pilbara Minerals. I exclude Chinese players for geopolitical reasons, but Sigma has reportedly been in talks with multiple Chinese parties including Ganfeng & Tianqi. Given that Lithium Ionic’s assets are in Brazil, I would not rule out giant Vale S.A. (invested in battery metal nickel). Three Japanese trading houses — Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Corp. & Sumitomo — are making direct investments into Li projects, Mitsui into a Brazilian Li play. Lithium Ionic’s flagship Bandeira project is next to rapidly growing producer Sigma Lithium."

The demand for battery minerals is expected to surge as the world transitions to clean energy and decarbonizes transportation. Sprott examines this growth in demand and potential supply constraints. By 2040, under a Net Zero Emissions Scenario (NZE), demand for minerals such as copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and manganese is projected to increase significantly compared to 2022 levels. However, concerns arise regarding a supply gap by 2030, with shortages predicted for key minerals like copper, nickel, lithium, and cobalt. This presents an investment opportunity in mineral exploration and mining companies to meet the growing demand for battery minerals.