Nemaska Lithium Inc NMKEF

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Stephen Monus 

 

Long only, gold & precious metals, oil & gas, mid-cap

 

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Summary

Nemaska was granted three critical process patents in Australia, Canada, and the United States. (More than 30 additional patent applications are pending in these and other countries).

Negotiated two off-take agreements with Johnson Matthey and FMC Corp. for payments of US$12 million and US$10 million respectively. Most of these funds will be paid before final product delivery.

Successfully commissioned electrolysis membrane cells and associated processing equipment in Phase 1 Plant located in Shawinigan in February.

Successfully produced minimum 6.0% spodumene concentrate from Whabouchi mine using portable dense media separation (DMS) and flotation.

Started mining a 60,000 t bulk spodumene sample (as feedstock to the Phase 1 Plant to produce a 500 t lithium hydroxide sample for battery manufacturers for product certification).

Nemaska Lithium Inc. ('NMX'), OTCQX:NMKEF continues to make steady progress towards its goal of becoming a reliable and competitive supplier of battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide to the battery-manufacturing industry. Nemaska plans, by the end of the decade, to attain 'low teens' market share of the global battery-grade lithium hydroxide market.

This report provides an update of the company's key milestones and accomplishments since fall 2016.

Process Patents Issued

Nemaska was issued three patents pertaining to its proprietary lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate processes. These patents were issued in Australia, Canada and the United States. In addition, NMX has more than 30 additional process patent applications pending review in these three countries and in Chile, China, Europe, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Perhaps the most noteworthy granted patent so far is the Australian application. Australia is the primary supplier of spodumene concentrate to the Chinese battery manufacturing industry, and it is therefore very important that NMX secures its intellectual properties there should any of its competitors decide to invest in lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate production facilities in Australia. [For example, on March 16th, 2017, Albemarle Corporation (ALB) and Tianqi Lithium (Shenzhen: SZ.002466) announced the decision to expand their lithium mining and processing facility joint venture (Talison) from 80,000 t/year lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) to 160,000 t/year LCE.]