Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said his government is looking to facilitate lithium mining as it is a strategic raw material for the recovery of the Czech economy. The Cínovec area, located 100km northwest of Prague, holds the largest lithium deposit in Europe. Geomet, a Czech company that is part of the energy giant ČEZ, is running the deep mining operation, which is expected to start between 2026 and 2028.
EMH near term news flow
- April announcement stage
Geomet and DRA Global were reviewing the findings, with an announcement expected before the end of April outlining significant improvements and developments
The EU should announce there 17 strategic projects next week if not the week after - As Europe's largest hard-rock lithium mining and processing project, the Cinovec project is applying for and is expected to receive strategic project designation under the CRMA.
The project has already been granted strategic process status under the EU's Just Transition Fund.
Or connection to the new Czech Gigafactory
https://centraleuropeantimes.com/2024/03/mystery-ev-firm-to-build-eur-8bn-plant-in-czechia/
Sikela also revealed in November that Czechia is in discussion with five other potential EV plant investors “from other continents”. Fiala said, “the gigafactory project is a strategic government priority, and it is in our interest to have the entire chain from lithium mining through the gigafactory, i.e. battery production, to the final products in Czechia.”
The 49mil Grant in May - still worth more than the whole mcap currently - the grant brings them into first stage production faster in 2026 circa 30,000tpa.
https://youtu.be/3Tl6Q4-5EOo?si=YW91Dtx6qAlOvPuU
2 interviews where he actually says I think by accident that they have received the 49mil grant - this one and this one - https://youtu.be/QeLlbp1vzI8?si=CBcLhkYE9bJvGHP7 3.33 in the first 4.54 in the second
"They are very much aligned with green energy, they have been moving away from coal for many years now and have an acting winding down programme. They have many green assets themselves, wind power, solar farms ect and they have commited, to provide green energy to this project, and they would very much like the see the project move ahead as quickly as we would like to see it move ahead."
"They have been very helpful in country, they obviously have significant in country resources, and significant in country experience, which is proving to be invaluable for us, and i think more will come of that as we come to this announcement stage at the end of April"
All of the above and are major catalyst that should see us back to the 42.3 price the bank paid
Upgrades to increase production to 60,000tpa at some point - Major Numbers + inclusion of the Tin
DFS\Offtake may/june
Government and Major backed - fully funded to FID - funded and partners with the European investment bank who Paid more than double the current SP.
This makes Cinovec the largest hard rock lithium deposit in Europe, the fifth largest non-brine deposit in the world and a globally significant tin resource.
36mil mcap - IMHO based on the above will short medium and long term. Still less than the value of the Grant alone - less than half the price the Bank paid
(20min delay)