Lithium a ‘critical’ metal?, page-6

Yes, they have shown the way: demand, and to a lesser extent, prices, are going North.

By the way: costs are what is reported by the press and I'm not sure how reliable they are. Rockwood hasn't said anything about costs, so please regarded as an uncertain journos' report. We should know in a few days.

The same journalistic reports disregarded recent China price increases as a 'domestic bubble.'


Whichever way, demand is going up: in the same reports, the Chileans are saying "demand will increase from the current 95,000 t/y to 259,000 t/y by 2020" (literal translation)

And other big boys also seem to be moving in: FMC has or is completing a 30% expansion in Hombre Muerto and it has been talks that they are considering doubling capacity, while Rincon has mentioned the development of a 40,000 t/y - although Rincon must be taken with a grain of salt.

I just hope that Abermale/Rockwood will not try what SQM tried to do to FMC some years ago.

Cassandra, qui non crediderunt