Hey Thesi, and I think @M92 might have mentioned this, but VW makes the most sense.
1) The car manufacture only wants to work with 10 lithium companies, and we are mentioned, and VW management seems to be very selective with their supply chain (negotiations with CATL-Glencore to secure cobalt...from newly producing areas---Katanga and Mutanda project supply--I know this deal (as per insiders...reuters) was negotiated for months prior to the price of cobalt taking off, so negotiations are often times a result of months and months of meetings and paperwork.
2) 2025 deadline mentioned specifically, and the only known (correct me if im wrong), player that has mentioned this is VW.
3) Negotiations aren't finalised because VW needs to get its entire corporate structure on board with EVs and away from diesel. Matthias and Co. have had difficulty convincing older executives to shift from diesel, and I know recently that VW, Daimler, and others, met to discuss with the German gov't the impacts of the diesel ban, and whether the rules can be loosened up or not. So I figure, they could be delays in finalising the deal, maybe not.
4) As you mentioned Thesi, FMC presents as an interesting part of the puzzle, given their "house of cards" strategy to deliver LiOH, maybe a multi-partner deal, amongst SDV, FMC-Lithium spin off, VW, and its battery manufacturer (CATL, although CATL produces for multiple companies)
4) Macri government and elections, making sure that these mining deals are finalised and conducted with the Arg. officials, and everyone gets PR from making this deal, as well the government showing that we are helping our citizens by providing them up with mining jobs. I really hope that GXY can help develop infrastructure in the Puna region, and play an integral role in vitalising the economy, showing that we can ethically source minerals.
I do however, wonder, if manufacturers are waiting for the FMC lithium spin off, in order to take it over and supply their manufacturing chain as well. But wouldn't you think that FMC already has off-takes signed for whatever supply that it is producing currently?
Thesi, I do think that Mitsubishi, is a very likely customer as well. Maybe a bidding war for 10 year off take agreement, leading to a very large prepayment, and giving up little to no equity. That would be interesting, but I don't think we would ever know.
GXY Price at posting:
$2.00 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held