"(Lithium's) long-term fundamentals are very strong," said Frontier Lithium's Trevor Walker. In his view, the move toward electric vehicles has always been an evolution, not a revolution. With a definitive agreement to establish a joint venture partnership in hand, Frontier will be working on progressing Phase 1 and Phase 2 definitive feasibility studies for its PAK lithium project in Northern Ontario.
Phase 1 will focus on a mine and mill, while Phase 2 will look at a downstream refinery.
"We see strong potential for 100 million tonnes through two open pits outcropped right at surface," Walker explained on the sidelines of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention.
"The grade is 1.5 percent roughly — it's North America's highest-grade lithium asset, and the highest-quality spodumene. These are key — this is a key anchor resource in the Great Lakes region of North America," he added.
Sharing details on the Mitsubishi agreement, Walker noted that Frontier will have a 92.5 percent interest in the joint venture, while Mitsubishi will acquire a 7.5 percent stake through a C$25 million investment. Once a definitive feasibility study is complete, Mitsubishi will be able to increase its ownership to 25 percent by buying additional shares.
He also shared his long-term outlook for the lithium market, saying he expects demand for lithium carbonate equivalent to increase by three to four times by the mid-2030s. "(Lithium's) long-term fundamentals are very strong," he said. "The movement of internal combustion to electric vehicles is — I've always referenced it as an evolution, not a revolution."
Watch the interview above for more from Walker on the lithium market and Frontier's next steps with Mitsubishi. You can also click here for INN's full PDAC playlist on YouTube.
ref. : https://investingnews.com/frontier-lithium-update/