The recent Spodumene discoveries have garnered significant speculative interest. However, Albemarle is facing profitability challenges with Spodumene projects so there is a risk of fade out in the recent run up of stock prices.
It would be best for us if either Controlled Thermal Resource, EnergySource, or Berkshire Hathaway announce their definitive plant of extracting lithium at Salton Sea, with full-scale commercial production anticipated to commence in 2025 - 2027. So far we're seing delays with no concrete publicly available information. If one of them declares a victory, I see interest in acquiring brine projects surpassing the interest for Spodumene.
Recently I came across some interesting facts about existing Salton Sea based projects:
[1] Berkshire Hathaway's resources could potentially produce 300,000 metric tons per annum of high-quality LCE. [2] Their full commercialization targets is 60,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide. [3] Operating plant potential: 90 ktpa Li2CO3 production. [4] Greenfield plant potential: 210 ktpa Li2CO production. [5] The Salton Sea geothermal field produces 50,000 gallons of brine per minute. [6] The plant will convert 5 gpm of 8% lithium chloride solution into 25kg/hour of 99.5%-pure lithium hydroxide monohydrate via electrolysis. [7] Usually the 330ppm brine would be solid [Phoenix has higher grade which is an advantage while handling geo brine]. [8] EnergySource using commercially proven technologies to extracts lithium under 300mg/L in Salton Sea brines. [Phoenix has higher grade]. [9] Possibility of environmental hurdle at Salton Sea is minimal as Thermal plants are already functioning in that area.
