Article worth reading: Even in lithium mining, grade is king
LCT pegmatites are by their nature small deposits — which makes large finds like Greenbushes (thought to contain almost 1 million tonnes of lithium) very valuable. According to Graham, most pegmatites need grades like Greenbushes — 1 percent lithium or better — to justify development.
“Grade is still king,” said Graham. “You want coarse, well-defined and well-mineralized pegmatite with reasonable strike lengths. If the pegmatite is developed over a wider expression, that’s even better because it means more tonnes in situ and easier mining.” He noted that deposits that are farther from infrastructure — such as all-weather roads and grid power — will need to be higher grade and larger in size to be economically viable.
...
Increasing demand for lithium is in turn increasing the search for LCT pegmatite deposits, especially in North America, where the burgeoning lithium-ion battery industry is in dire need of reliable and secure lines of supply, and the only active lithium mine is the Silver Peak brine lithium mine in Nevada. Easily accessible, highly mineralized deposits rich in lithium give exploration companies a chance to cash in on rising lithium demand spurred by accelerating electric car battery production, said Graham.
When it comes to the consideration of promising lithium exploration plays in the region, Graham noted that each lithium project — brine or hard rock — needs to be assessed on its own merits. As with any other mining project, investors need to look at grade, infrastructure and jurisdiction.
A personalised tool to help users track selected stocks. Delivering real-time notifications on price updates, announcements, and performance stats on each to help make informed investment decisions.
(20min delay)