Like many competing technologies out there at the moment, each company is going to come up with a different way of doing things to get the customer in the door. This has been the case since the technological revolution.
e.g beta, vhs. DVD, blu ray
Even competing companies with similar technologies e.g nokia, apple i.phone.
There are also current competing technologies regarding the motor vehicle. e.g petrol, diesel, gas.
The linked story that MARC10 posted is predominantly leaning towards the air-zinc or even the nimh battery with lithium ruuning last due to supply concerns. But there is no reason why all products cant be utilised running against each other but providing the same outcome.
Irrespective as to whether lithium becomes the product for electric vehicles, there is still a number of uses for it which will inevitably increase resource usage and invariably increase the price of the raw product.
Lithium batteries in the commercial sector in the form of tools, cameras, laptops are not just going to disappear overnight, and in fact the use of lithium batteries for drills etc is actually increasing as the preferred type for professional tradies.
I would expect that due to supply concerns, the companies currently tendering for the 50% lithium supplies will be prepared to pay a premium to ensure supplies. Lithium concentrate is currently fetching $10 000-$12000 per tonne.
Reading the article, there appears to be issues with quality of the lithium with ADY and the other producers & localities. This has been addressed with the new procedures at the pilot plant resulting in a trademarked process which can be sold to the likes or SQM, bolivia and the chinese salt lake operators. This is a great coup for ADY and will go towards the bottom dollar. Especially if Bolivia wants ADY (RLL) to go in partnership with them Bolivia holds the largest known resource of Lithium in the world and wants to produce it themselves. (good on them).
As for potash, well thats another winning story.
ADY Price at posting:
0.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
