The CPC Report showed only the first line of the tale below. I thought I would add the values for the range of contract prices and spot prices as well. NOTE: I don’t know the criteria for obtaining spot prices.
I then tried to get an idea of the equivalent table when the source material is spodumene not mica since a lot more material has to be refined in the mica case.
LSPP for Micas.
Costs from the CPC report and sales prices from the Ref below.
Material costs
$3960/t Li2CO3
Hydro plant operation costs
$5600 to $6400/t
So LSPP operating costs are
$9560 to $10360/t
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
Column 5 |
| 1 |
Prodn cost/t
|
selling cost/t
contract pr
|
selling cost/t
spot price
|
profit/t
|
profit on 2500 t
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
9560
|
10000
|
|
440
|
1,100,000
|
| 4 |
9560
|
16000
|
|
4440
|
11,100,000
|
| 5 |
9560
|
|
18000
|
8440
|
21,100,000
|
| 6 |
9560
|
|
21000
|
11440
|
26,600,000
|
| 7 |
10360
|
10000
|
|
-360
|
-900,000
|
| 8 |
10360
|
16000
|
|
3640
|
9,100,000
|
| 9 |
10360
|
|
18000
|
7640
|
19,100,000
|
| 10 |
10360
|
|
21000
|
10640
|
26,600,000
|
Note: Sale of byproducts would increase profits significantly.
How could this translate to production of Li2CO3 from Spodumene using SiLeach?
Assume that ANSTO’s solution for removing the precipitated gypsum (calcium sulphate dihydrate) will work and will not introduce significant extra Hydro processing cost. i.e., Hydro plant operating cost is 5600 to 6400 per tonne.
To get some idea of the profits prior to inclusion of transport costs of the source material, suppose the source material is 6% spodumene concentrate, which can be bought for $905/t (current GXY sale price.) So you can make calcium carbonate from spodumene using SiLeach for
US$6505 to US$7305/t including material cost but
not including transport to the Hydro factory.
Note the difference in the cost of source materials, $905 for spodumene and $3960 from mica (4.37 times as much.)
For ease of reference I have added the spodumene table below- note: no transport costs included here.
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
Column 5 |
| 1 |
Prodn cost/t
|
selling cost/t contr pr
|
selling cost/t spot pr
|
profit/t
|
profit on 2500t
|
| 2 |
6505
|
10000
|
|
3495
|
8,737,500
|
| 3 |
6505
|
16000
|
|
9495
|
23,757,500
|
| 4 |
6505
|
|
18000
|
11495
|
28,737,500
|
| 5 |
6505
|
|
21000
|
14495
|
36,237,500
|
| 6 |
7305
|
10000
|
|
2695
|
6,737,500
|
| 7 |
7305
|
16000
|
|
8695
|
21,737,500
|
| 8 |
7305
|
|
18000
|
10695
|
26,737,000
|
| 9 |
7305
|
|
21000
|
13695
|
34,237,500
|
I see lots of potential upside here and look forward to LIT clarifying the SiLeach spodumene processing costs.
I also recall that the PCT announcement on the international patent is due to be released mid August.
(20min delay)