Ann: Maiden Lithium Shipment Departs Port Hedland, page-55

We all know this decision in Chile against Albermarle, however I found the bolded information interesting, especially as it mentions AJM ... Information posted by @slashme on PLS ... so a thank you to them

Lithium prices could be headed up after Chile refused to allow the world’s biggest producer of the sought-after metal to increase sales from a giant deposit in the South American nation.

The decision could be a major set-back for US-based Albemarle — and an opportunity for ASX-listed lithium producers.

Albemarle and fellow Chilean lithium major SQM had been expanding their operations in the Salar de Atacama region of Chile, which is regarded as the world’s richest deposit of the metal.

But Chile’s nuclear regulator rejected Albemarle’s request to increase the amount of lithium it sells from the environmentally sensitive Salar salt flats.

The planned expansions have been one of the factors in analysts’ predictions that a flood of lithium supply was about to the enter the market.

Australia’s newest lithium producer Altura Mining (ASX:AJM) — which has just sent its first shipload of lithium to China — could be among ASX stocks to benefit.

“It was on September 15, when Albemarle Corp asked Chile to increase the US miner’s lithium production limit, amid high global prices,” Niv Dagan, executive director at Peak Asset Management, said.

“The company asked a State development agency to raise its lithium production quota to 125,000 tonnes annually from the current 80,000-tonne per year limit.

“However, Chile has now come out refusing to allow Albemarle to do so and this could have a positive bearing on lithium prices going forward.”