Agree with you whole heartedly for 99%,
.
Me thinks downstream processing more like 4-5 years away. The existing 4 year offtake deals will largely influence, ie when finished where will spod go?
Re Tesla (again a great partnership).
Short term I think their 110kt will go to Yahua. Yahua are building/built/commissioning a 25kt hydroxide expansion for Tesla. Core is supplying 75ktpa, but where is the remaining 120ktpa of spod coming from? In current market aint much spare supply capacity around and SB was saying in negotiation with Yahua re existing and possible futre. If there was some argy bargy with Yahua, in steps Telsa and says we will take it @ X price. Done deal.
Re long term, yes Core has cash to build hydroxide plant but say a 10% buy in from Tesla (refinery only) may be beneficial, have some ownership aka Yahua and Gangfeng with Core, builds longer term partnership. So let Tesla drive R&D in battery, quicker recharge, longer range, accelaration, coffee making facility in car, etc AND Core refine LiOH, or LiCarb, or LiSalt, or Li?? @ X grade, etc. If the customer wants liquid cow manure injected into the refining process for a better coffee drinking experience, so be it, Core CAN DO @ extra $X million. The way of the new 'supply chain model'.
Definitely agree exciting and profitable times ahead.
(PS: Forgot who was asking re Core shipping sizes, etc. Yahua refinery is in Yaan, Sichuan province. Nearest port is Chongqing, some X hundred miles up the Yangtse River. Maximum shipping tonnage is 10,000, and the 10kt vessel is the Asian workhorse (like the Holden Commodore), so providing shed at Darwin port can handle, then my guess is 10,000t ship leaving about every 20 days, but more importantly a $15M+, or $20M+, or $XM US 'cheque in the mail' every 20 days.)
