Yes they have all the main permits and EIA approvals relating to stage 1,
apart from the rerouting of the highway where some of the ponds will be. The ponds of which are normally the first things to be built.
LPI were years ahead, a long time ago. LPI is scheduled to have revenues by 2026, Galan will be by 2025. Different products however, but LPI will also suffer the long qualification process entailed with carbonate
producers which could delay a lot more than the permitting required in Argentina, where approvals are forth coming. Brine producers can dump brine on top of the salar compared to Chile who have to reinject it to give you an example of the strigency.
Mitsui have pulled investments and holdings from numerous companies. MOUs however, you wont find as usually if they fall through, it is just never get spoken of again. Especially if they were non binding to start with, much like this one.
LPI signed this MOU in May 2021. I think over 1 and a half years, a previous DFS, plus a further DFS in 2022 would have given Mitsui enough to work with by now.
Especially when this month Mitsui had no trouble signing a non binding MOU with Atlas lithium, a company that doesn't have a resource. They specified $65m in funding as well as a price that follows market pricing and off take arrangement for 120,000t.
The only terms LPI has is the amount of offtake. No pricing, no level of Capex but with a unspecified 'likelyhood' of DLE and capex but we are yet to see.
Phase 2 may likely be under control with Codelco. But LPI's relationship has been nothing short of dysfunctional over the last years.
"What I heard from the shareholder update from Christobal was that DLE was not in scope for phase 1, but they are looking into it for phase 2. I think this is a bit different to how you have interpreted it. That's the whole point of courting Mitsui - to utilise their DLE tech in the future but not at the expense of getting the project started."
@mho25LPI have no expertise in DLE so it is dependent on - One, if Codelco partner with LPI, and Two - on Mitsui.
If the MOU falls through with Codelco there is no other way to bring stage 2 online without DLE and extensive permitting.
Daniel Jimenez makes this quite clear DLE will be used for any new lithium mining project not under the old code.
And please note here is what is required. It mentions CCHEN. For stage two. (2022)
If Codelco help with stage 2 knowing we have basically no chance without them, what slice of the pie do you think LPI would have to offer them?
I wonder how financing is going, note Maricunga's position at the top above hydroxide producers.
Best of luck
