from Today's $tockhead! Lithium growth plans still in train...

from Today's $tockhead!
Lithium growth plans still in train

Meanwhile, Ellison indicated its strategy in the Goldfields would be to create a fourth processing plant for the company in the region where it can haul and co-develop deposits with juniors it has amassed stakes in as part of a massive land banking exercise.
“We expect that we’ll be able to go and talk to some of the junior companies and we’ll be able to haul to our plant and be able to come up with some sort of arrangement whether it be a JV or a mine gate sale,” Ellison said today.
“If you have a look over history, whether it be with copper or with gold or iron ore, most of the larger companies that were successful were able to accumulate substantial high quality land into their portfolio and then they could progressively unfold that and grow mining operations.
“Early days at the moment, but give me another 12 months and I think it’ll be very clear what we’re putting together.”
MinRes is a big shareholder in Delta Lithium (ASXLI), owner of the Mt Ida deposit, Global Lithium (ASX:GL1), owner of Manna, Develop (ASXVP), which owns the Pioneer Dome project and is constructing a $46m underground decline for MinRes at Mt Marion, newly listed Kali Metals (ASX:KM1), and lithium rights deals at nearby gold mines.
There is also no suggestion of a pullback in spending on a fourth processing train at Wodgina, with Ellison saying it is expected to start building in the middle of the year and take 18-20 months to construct.
RBC’s Kaan Peker said it appeared that MinRes’s lithium assets had turned a corner operationally, with low unit costs a standout.
“A better than expected 2Q result, with another strong operational performance from the lithium assets (Wodgina, Mt Marion and Bald Hill), higher than forecast Mining services volumes and Iron ore sales and pricing,” he said in a note.
“Specifically for lithium, the continued improvement in production and sales volumes, and unit-cost performance was a standout, and reinforces our view that operationally both Mt Marion and Wodgina have turned the corner, which should drive EBITDA margin expansion and growth.”
READ: MinRes wants control of the rock as it launches lithium expansion plans