Carlos Galli is a globally recognized expert in lithium brine technology. This is a wide ranging discussion on the lithium market in Argentina including what needs to happen from a policy perspective to fully leverage Argentina’s diverse portfolio of lithium containing salars.

The importance of access to adequate quantities of fresh water for lithium projects and the great debate of how brine use should be considered in the water discussion.

We review the top projects in some detail. LAC/Minera Exar, Orocobre (both Sal de Vida & Cauchari Expansion), Livent's expansion, Neolithium, POSCO, Eramet, Rincon, Lithica, Millennial, etc.

Ganfeng's ambitious plans beyond Cauchari

We also discuss Lake Resources and their recent commentary about their future

Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) is another topic both as it relates to Argentina and other parts of the world.

The discussion strays across the border on occasion as we bring Chile and Bolivia into the discussion.

My guest is Stephen Biggins the Managing Director of Core Lithium. Core is developing the Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory of Australia near the capital city of Darwin. 

We discuss:

Their project: from metallurgy to process details and timing

Relationships with two top level lithium producers – Ganfeng and Yahua

Offtake details

The project DFS

Drilling to grow the reserve base

The benefits of developing a project in the Northern Territory

Lithium “fines” as a by product

The market: entering the “perpetual lithium deficit”

Becoming vertically integrated in the future

Project execution challenges

Building a team

ESG

Rapid fire

My guest is Dale Henderson, Chief Operating Officer, of Pilbara Minerals.

Topics include:

An operations update

Acquiring and restarting Altura’s operations

Increasing production to ~550K MT of spodumene concentrate by mid-2022 and more than a 1,000K MT by mid-decade

The market and price outlook

Financing

Adopting new technology to reduce the operation’s carbon footprint

Potential new products

Company culture

Lessons learned in the lean years

Rapid fire

Dale is on Twitter @henderson_dale 

Pilbara Minerals is on Twitter and Instagram @PilbaraMinerals

Adam Panayi is the Managing Director of UK based EV and Battery consultancy Rho Motion. The key to understanding the future direction of the lithium industry is understanding the growth of EVs and batteries as well understanding the developments in cathode chemistry and solid state. Shout outs to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Simon Moores and Roger Atkins.

In a little less than an hour we cover:

How Rho Motion collects and parses data aka “how the forecast sausage is made”

GWH projections for 2025 and 2030 – the driver of lithium demand

The methodology of predicting Gigafactory utilization

Stated Gigafactory capacity vs effective capacity

EV penetration by region

ESS – taking what batteries it can get (for now)

Gigafactory start-up reject rates (the dirty little secret of battery producers)

Warranties

Why after several EV “false starts” it is different this time

Cathode chemistry projections

Rapid fire

Guests: Standard Lithium’s CEO, Robert Mintak and COO, Dr. Andy Robinson.

Topics include:

Managing a project and building a team remotely during Covid

Getting the process right: scale and quality data matters

The benefits of a building a new plant within a larger, established chemical operation

Seeking attention and support from the Biden administration

Timing of commercialization

Potential of lithium from the Smackover formation beyond El Dorado

The coming lithium supply mismatch with demand

The actions needed from OEMs and policymakers

After "rapid fire" I close the episode with comments/advice for the Biden administration on battery raw material supply chain policy

Alexi Zawadzki is the President of North American Operations for Lithium Americas (LAC).  He is currently leading the effort to bring Thacker Pass into production by mid decade.

In this episode we discuss the resource (type and size), the current status of the project including pilot plant operations, LAC's commitment to sustainable project development, innovative mining and reclamation techniques, planned use of renewable energy and desire to minimize the impact to the environment. 

Thacker Pass will be the first world class lithium resource to be brought online in the US in this century.

Jon Evans is one of the most effective and knowledgeable executives in the lithium world. He is also a great leader.

I have known Jon for well over a decade. First as my boss when I was running FMC Lithium’s Asia operations. When I left FMC and started Global Lithium, Jon was often a source of insightful advice. He remains a mentor to me despite being a Zodiac calendar younger than I am. Yes, you can still use a mentor in your 60s.

Among the topics we cover:

The status LAC’s projects in Argentina (Cauchari) and the US (Thacker Pass)

The positive aspects of Covid project delays

Why a US critical metals supply chain will develop despite many with a “not in my backyard” mindset

The high level of partnership interest in Thacker Pass and why Jon doesn’t want or need an offtake agreement

LAC’s strong balance sheet and the flexibility it brings

Building effective teams and how LAC hires

Risk mitigation

Global supply and demand

The developing “broader audience” for lithium

ESG

Dangerous assumptions

Why the industry will need to produce products beyond carbonate and hydroxide for the battery industry

Rapid fire

Carlos Vicens is the CFO of Neo Lithium. We discuss the 3Qs project in Catamarca Province, Argentina.

Topics include:

Operating in Argentina

Unexpected “benefits” of Covid in moving the project forward

ESG – more than just the “E”

Their partnership with global battery leader CATL

Straight talk on product “cuts”

The top challenges bringing a lithium project into production

Setting the record straight on 3Qs logistics

Price expectations

DLE

Financing path forward

Rapid

The is part 2 of my 100th episode with highlights from some of my favorite episodes and guests. 

Jon Evans - Lithium Americas

Li Liangbin and Wang Xiaoshen - Ganfeng

Eduardo Bitran - CORFO

Ken Brinsden - Pilbara Minerals

Dr Yuan Gao - ex CEO of Pulead

Dan Blondal and Dr Stephen Campbell - Nano One

The Lowry family

Chris Berry, President of House Mountain Partners ( www.discoveryinvesting.com ), is one of the most highly regarded battery metals analysts in the space. He was also the first guest on the Global Lithium Podcast in November of 2017. It seemed natural to bring Chris back for episode 100 especially given the recent resurgence of interest in lithium and other battery metals as the global energy transition unfolds.

Known as "The Voice of Reason" Chris has a unique ability to speak plainly about complex topics. His insights regarding the increasing role of geopolitics in the development of battery supply chains makes this episode worth a listen.

Chris can be found on twitter @cberry1