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We have a deposit here in Portugal too. Didn't know Lithium production had all those complications. But wouldn't mine it and move it away to processing be an al

We have a deposit here in Portugal too. Didn't know Lithium production had all those complications. But wouldn't mine it and move it away to processing be an alternative? I don't know, the US has a lot territory and probably lithium, wouldn't mine it and move it be profitable?

goblinux 5y ago
Lithium mining isn't like gold/iron/other metal mining. It's more like salt harvesting. So trucking away loads of dirt/salt/rock/ore to a processing plant isn't viable. You have to process it on site which means huge ponds for evaporation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY Interesting video on the Lithium extraction
- panick21_ 5y ago
  This is not correct. Lithium Spodumene Ore is often transported from West Australia to China for processing.
  - ineedasername 5y ago
    Do processing facilities like this exist closer to Maine than China? If not, a new one would need to be built, so I think the GP is still generally correct about the local impacts.
  - rmm 5y ago
    Tianqi built a converter in Kwinana for hydroxide (I was part of the build). But yeah you are correct for all the other small mines all sell to converters in China often through offtake agreements.
    - panick21_ 5y ago
      I knew there were projects going on didn't know any of them were done yet.
      - sanxiyn 5y ago
        As I understand, Kwinana plant is done but closed for now. I found a Reuters article dated 2020-03-23, China's Tianqi postpones commissioning of Australia lithium plant amid liquidity problems. https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUSL4N2BF0DE https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUS...
- rmm 5y ago
  Your thinking of salars not hard rock deposits
panick21_ 5y ago
Yes. This is what happens in Western Australia. Hard rock mining and selling is possible. Even then however the processor has to basically make the process specifically for the deposit. So its not as easy as just selling it to the lithium ore market. You need a project partner that develops the project with you. The only group currently processing spodumene to lithium are in China. Others want to make such project but I don't think they are online. I'm not saying this deposit is worthless, I'm just saying 'this much lithium is there' is really not a good way to evaluate the actual value of a deposit like this. Generally the location of mines like this is quite relevant, and a place that have bad regulation to begin with are very unattractive. The traditional lithium belt in the US is in North Carolina, lithium was mined there for decades. Starting a new mine there, is already incredibly difficult. Doing it in a place with no such history will be far more difficult.
ashtonkem 5y ago
The issue is that the further away from the mine you do your refining, the higher your transport costs are. All else being equal you’d rather transport a refined product a long way, rather than a product that’s 90% useless other rock.

goblinux 5y ago

Lithium mining isn't like gold/iron/other metal mining. It's more like salt harvesting. So trucking away loads of dirt/salt/rock/ore to a processing plant isn't viable. You have to process it on site which means huge ponds for evaporation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY Interesting video on the Lithium extraction

panick21_ 5y ago
This is not correct. Lithium Spodumene Ore is often transported from West Australia to China for processing.
- ineedasername 5y ago
  Do processing facilities like this exist closer to Maine than China? If not, a new one would need to be built, so I think the GP is still generally correct about the local impacts.
- rmm 5y ago
  Tianqi built a converter in Kwinana for hydroxide (I was part of the build). But yeah you are correct for all the other small mines all sell to converters in China often through offtake agreements.
  - panick21_ 5y ago
    I knew there were projects going on didn't know any of them were done yet.
    - sanxiyn 5y ago
      As I understand, Kwinana plant is done but closed for now. I found a Reuters article dated 2020-03-23, China's Tianqi postpones commissioning of Australia lithium plant amid liquidity problems. https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUSL4N2BF0DE https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUS...
rmm 5y ago
Your thinking of salars not hard rock deposits

panick21_ 5y ago

Yes. This is what happens in Western Australia. Hard rock mining and selling is possible. Even then however the processor has to basically make the process specifically for the deposit. So its not as easy as just selling it to the lithium ore market. You need a project partner that develops the project with you. The only group currently processing spodumene to lithium are in China. Others want to make such project but I don't think they are online. I'm not saying this deposit is worthless, I'm just saying 'this much lithium is there' is really not a good way to evaluate the actual value of a deposit like this. Generally the location of mines like this is quite relevant, and a place that have bad regulation to begin with are very unattractive. The traditional lithium belt in the US is in North Carolina, lithium was mined there for decades. Starting a new mine there, is already incredibly difficult. Doing it in a place with no such history will be far more difficult.

ashtonkem 5y ago

The issue is that the further away from the mine you do your refining, the higher your transport costs are. All else being equal you’d rather transport a refined product a long way, rather than a product that’s 90% useless other rock.