RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Very interesting lithium process techNeo, excellemt summary.
My comments are:
We will need ALL SORTS of lithiums, either rock, clay, and brine.
DLE is the future way to prodcue lithium quickly and efficiently, however, the technoly is not plug and play, and need a lot of tunning. Currently it is more of laboratory scale, it may not be easily scaled up. Also, the Capex and Opex may not be low.
I know the following facts:
1. Livent is using the DLE at their Argetina project, their project is a combination of DLE and convential ponds. If DLE is working as promoted, why not LITH fully uses the DLE?
2. Livent droped E3 one year ago.
2. I know LAC tried the DLE many years back at their Argetina project with a Korean company prioe to SQM's involvement, and later they droped it, and NO reason was given.
DLE will work and we will need it However, the technology may need another few years, say 5 years from now.
NLC has NO water issue, NO environmental issue. With the conventient pond system, there is NO technological risk. After they become a producer, they can still adop the DLE if the technology become more mature. NLC's priority is to become a producer ASAP.
tiger
neosceptic wrote: Greektome wrote: Tiger? Neo? Rudy? Anyone???
There are several promising tech that developing to improve Li extraction process to lower cost, allow low grades to be cost effectgife, to imporve recoverability.
Rincon Lithium for example trying to use heat tech instead of ponds:
https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/australias-rincon-revamps-argentina-lithium-project
Filtering tech is in ongoing stage.
I am sure, something will work and why not one you posted. The fact that they raised 150M might be a good indicator.
NLC has huge deposit for decades to develop and on the way, it will, probably adopt one of the new inventions.
It had to be proven first, considering that conventional technology is so effective. Evaporation pond uses sun energy in the most efficient way. Adoption of new technology, now, will slow down NLC's entrance and ther is no guaranty that it will work as promised (let some one more desperate become a guiney pig).
Also, new tech, will increase CAPEX. Rincon needs 300M more than NLC to reach same producton level. That would mean more dilutions.
NLC can afford to be prudent and become produciton company as soon as possible, we do not need distractions for now. If Li prices will not drop deeper than 30% (never mind keep going) NLC wil get a very large profit. Enough for dividends, expansion, and for experiments.
Management should be tuned into new info, but lets dig some ponds now, water is not an issue for us.