My post was about a possible lithium supply disruption if a substantial damaged occurred on the brine ponds at Atacama Projects. I can't understand how that could be OFF-TOPIC.
Isn't it very much related to the whole lithium stocks here?
That'd be a huge thing for all lithium stocks IMO.
First of all we know that no one was injured. No need for drama. That area is not populated. But the flat laid brine ponds can get a huge damage by the earthquake waves. That is completely a commercial thing which we should be enlightened about.
Like all other risks in commercial activities, earthquake is a certain risk if the area has that kind of geology. Therefore I was analysing the earthquake risk at Atacama desert where SQM's and ALB's huge brine production is done.
Those two companies supply around 30% of world lithium carbonate. If a substantial damage occurred on their plants, isn't it OFF-TOPIC for the lithium supply chain?
I can't see which idiot shorters talked about me -because they are all on ignore- but they are scared. Anyway, FTA.
I also couldn't find any announcement both from SQM and ALB saying no damage happened to their process plants at Atacama due to the 7.4 earthquake (70k close) while we heard from Escondido mine (BHP-RIO JV) which is 180km far from the epicentre. They remain silent.
ERTQUAKE RISK IN ATACAMA DESERT WHERE WORLD'S LARGEST LITHIUM SUPLLY AREA.
That northern of Chile is a very active fault zone. There is a huge fault system there and it's called AFS - Atacama Fault Zone which goes for 1100km from north to south. As you can see on the map below the Atacama Desert and SQM-ALB projects are just located in between those active faults.
That fault system tells me that if nothing happened by this earthquake, there is still a high risk of earthquake damage to these projects at that area.
So never forget about the nature's role in your life. It can happen any time dear shorters!
This is the close-up map of the large one above.
Can you see the danger there?
Also, both SQM and ALB was and still sucking billions of brine water from the underground of Atacama desert. They won't put it back because they get it evaporated to the atmosphere. That water is millions of year old. SQM and ALB create huge cavities under the ground. One they will start to collapse as well.
The 7.4 Earthquake happened yesterday is very close to SQM and ALB Brine project in Atacama.
I'm very suspicious that it has made a huge damage at the brine ponds of both SQM and Albemarle in Atacama because there is only 70km distance between those projects and the epicentre of the earthquake.
The important thing is that the land distance between the two points is a flat surface where the earthquake waves can travel easily. And more important thing is that the earthquake waves can travel and make a big damage when the land is water saturated which is the case in Atacama desert.
They are talking about checking the damage at BHP-RIO JV's Escondido Copper mine but it is 180km far from the epicentre of earthquake. SQM-ALB project are much closer.
7.4 is quite a big one.
You can see SQM and ALB's projects at the south-west corner of this map.
Here is a detailed map from Google Earth.
And a 3D map from Google Earth which shows the flat land.
And BHP-RIO JV's Escondido Copper mine's distance from the epicentrre of earthquake.
(20min delay)