Benchmark Minerals Week

Hi All,

I have just finished watching a very good video interview with Simon Moores of Benchmark Minerals Intelligence.

He shared his insight on what he calls the lithium-ion battery supply chain double-digit paradox.

“The price is down. It obviously gets people upset,” he said. “Prices in our lithium chemical index are down on average 12 percent,
but demand is up 18 percent. What industries in the world have growth of 18 percent a year and you can walk around the industry and everyone is depressed?” I felt a little better after that!

Further into the Interview at the 14 minute mark he was asked what he thought were the biggest challenges for LiOn battery makers.
A: "Getting good quality material is the biggest challenge."

Q. Which companies are going to be the winners in the next decade?
A. Definitely those companies already tied into the existing industry.Partners, partners, JVs, whatever you need to do to get the experience from the guys who know how to make it (top quality lithium), who know how to make a spec for battery makers, who know how to make long term contracts, who know how to work with their customers to develop their own process.
Those partnerships will also help you grow. Those partnerships are the make or break of any person (company) who truly wants to supply the EV lion battery supply chain.

I don't know about you, but I really felt a ton better after those comments!
So many names sprang to mind and for sure, many more will be added in the months and years to come.

• Strategic Metallurgy
• Desert Lion
• Grupo Mota
• BASF
• Grupo Fluor
• Bacchus Capital
• Sudbury
• Galaxy resources
• 
  

At the end of the Interview Simon was asked:
Q. In one word, how would you describe the 2020s decade?
A. R-E-V-O-L-UT-I-O-N!!
Right now we've had Evolution for the past 3-4 years. We haven't seen anything yet.
It's going to be a completely different world. It's going to be a Revolution!

If you want to watch the whole video, here's the link.
Simon Moores Interview

So, let's just keep on keeping on and let Joe and the Team get on with the job. Patience will be our virtue.