Lots of market analysis, details of future plant plans that should settle any nerves and keep the over the horizon radar activated.
Truly staggering the quantity and breadth of their vision with large scale development of lithium chems from all sources - hard rock, brine, clay and recycling.
For spod, they reckon: '...Overall, with the continuous release of downstream demand from the industry of new energy vehicles, the supply of spodumene concentrate is expected to remain tight in 2022.' For brines: 'It is expected that the growth rate of salt-lake lithium resource supply will increase significantly after 2023, but the effective supply will remain limited in the short term.' For lepidolite: '...However, capacity building for lithium extraction from lepidolite also faces challenges such as the low grade of lithium ore, the large amount of waste residues from smelting, and the difficulty in comprehensive utilization of other rare and precious resources contained in lithium ore.'
So, supply remains tight.
EV market analysis: 'With the fading impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the launch of electric models from domestic and foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the world, the growing trend of electric vehicles manufacturing will be robust, and the growth of global electrification is expected to accelerate.' (my emphasis).
Lithium battery business: 'Those products are widely used in power buses, airport equipment, electric ships, photovoltaic energy storage, intelligent household equipment, 5G communications, Bluetooth headphones, medical equipment and other fields.' Its not all about EVs!
So, demand in an electrified world is going to be bonkers.
Finally, future development strategy: '...In terms of spodumene resources, the Company will continue to focus on quality spodumene projects around the world and work actively with its partners to ensure smooth production operations and capacity building at the Mt Marion project in Australia, Pilgangoora project in Australia and Goulamina project in Mali, Africa.'
Supply v demand summation from the biggest in the business reads contrary to GS BS, and reinforces what a great time for our project to come online will be.
No better business to be partnered with IMO. Ganfeng work on mining/extraction projects in China, Argentina, Australia, Mexico and Mali. They think global, and probably laugh at the West's Africa distrust/discount.
(20min delay)