Global Market For Lithium Mining Is Poised For Huge Expansion As Demand Jumps

PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FinancialNewsMedia.com News Commentary -  As the uses of lithium are expanding it is also creating more demand for the mining sector. Increasing consumption of Li-ion batteries by automotive and consumer electronics industries alone is expected to create a measurable boost in need for lithium mining activities in the near future. A report from MarketsAndMarkets projected that the global market for lithium mining is poised for stupendous expansion at more than 26% CAGR over the period of 2021-2025. As suggested by a recent market intelligence report, global valuation of lithium mining market will reach past US$1 Bn towards the end of forecast period.  The report said: "Lithium mining activities are gaining strong ground on the back of an accelerating demand for electric vehicles (EVs) as they are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Frontrunners such as the UK, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, and Norway have already announced a phase-out for conventional internal combustion engine-powered cars.   In addition, lithium continues to witness sustained traction in other application areas such as glass and ceramics to aluminum products, lubricants, and polymers. Application of this white metal in sectors like air treatment is crucial, which warrants decent demand through the forecast period."  Active mining stocks in the markets this week include:  ACME Lithium Inc. (OTCQB: ACLHF) (CSE: ACME), Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Standard Lithium Ltd. (NYSE: SLI) (TSXV: SLI), Sigma Lithium (NASDAQ: SGML) (TSXV: SGML), Piedmont Lithium Inc., (NASDAQ: PLL).

The MarketsAndMarkets report concluded: "Lithium will remain the area of interest for top automotive companies, battery technology giants, chemicals manufacturing companies, and governments. Investments are thus flooding the lithium mining market. Some significant strategic alliances are expected to be seen between companies and miners in the near future.   Presenting an ideal material for use in dehumidification and cooling applications, lithium is witnessing heightening demand prospects. Escalating demand for lithium from air conditioning equipment manufacturers is slated to unlock multiple doors of opportunities for market participants."

ACME Lithium Inc. (OTCQB: ACLHF) (CSE: ACME) BREAKING NEWS:  ACME Lithium Adds Two Strategic Lithium Projects Located in Canada's Winnipeg River Pegmatite Region - ACME Lithium Inc. (the "Company", or "ACME") is pleased to report that it has acquired by staking 27 claims totaling approximately 11,803 acres strategically situated in the pegmatite fields of the Bird River Greenstone Belt (BRGB) in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. The mineral claims are 100% owned by ACME Lithium Inc.

The northern and southern limbs of the Bird River Greenstone Belt contain at least 10 pegmatite fields and host hundreds of individual pegmatite bodies, of which many are classified as complex rare-element Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites. In both limbs of the BRGB, pegmatites are associated with granitic intrusion into structurally dilatant zones adjacent to major east-west shear zones.

Worldwide, LCT pegmatite deposits account for about one-fourth of the world's lithium production, most of the tantalum production, and all the cesium production. The world-class Tanco Mine, a lithium, cesium, and tantalum producer since 1968, is in the southern limb of the BRGB.

Shatford Lake Pegmatite Field - The Company has staked 21 claims totaling approximately 8,883 acres in the southern limb of the Bird River Greenstone Belt. These claims straddle a 15 kilometers long structural trend of the Greer-Shatford Shear Zone with numerous pegmatite dykes and favorable host rocks. The northeast corner of the Company's ground abuts the Mineral Lease of the Tanco Mine, and the south shore of Bernic Lake with the Buck, Pelgi, and Dibs pegmatites nearby.

Cat-Euclid Lake Pegmatite Field - The Company has staked 6 claims totaling approximately 2,920 acres in the northern limb of the Bird River Greenstone Belt. The new claims straddle the prospective Cat-Euclid Lake shear zone and extend along the southeasterly trend of known pegmatite occurrences. Australia's Mineral Resources Limited (MRL), one of the world's leading lithium producers with a market capitalization of over AUD$8 billion recently signed a joint venture agreement with Lithium Canada Development (New Age Metals Inc.) to the west of ACME's Cat-Euclid Lake Lithium project.

ACME Lithium's exploration strategy in the Bird River Greenstone Belt is to employ remote sensing, structural geology, ground-based geological mapping, and geochemical sampling to localize targets for drilling. Our exploration focus is on spodumene-bearing LCT pegmatites that can be a source for lithium carbonate deposits.

North American lithium demand is accelerating at a rapid rate and there is a growing need to secure domestic supply in the United States and Canada. Bloomberg estimates that the U.S. will have 3.2 million passenger EV sales by 2028. Industry experts suggest that 20 times the current supply of lithium globally will be required over the next ten years.

"We identified the south east region of Manitoba as a global area of focus and opportunity for emerging and developing lithium projects," stated Steve Hanson President and CEO. "It is critical that we invest and ultimately boost domestic lithium supplies sustainably to ensure our needs are met for the long term."  CONTINUED….  Read this release for the ACME Lithium news at:  https://acmelithium.com/news/     

Other recent mining developments in the markets include:

Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) recently announced its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021.  Third-Quarter 2021 Highlights Were: Net sales of $830.6 million, an increase of 11%; Net sales increased 19% excluding FCS; Net loss of ($392.8) million, or ($3.36) per diluted share; Adjusted diluted EPS of $1.05, a decrease of 4%, excludes a $4.29 per share charge for a recent arbitration decision; Adjusted EBITDA of $217.6 million, an increase of 1%; Adjusted EBITDA increased 14% excluding FCS; Increased FY 2021 guidance based on strong third-quarter performance; Announced agreement to acquire Guangxi Tianyuan New Energy Materials (Tianyuan), which includes a lithium conversion plant (Qinzhou) designed to produce 25,000 mtpa with the potential to expand to 50,000 mtpa; Announced agreements for strategic investments in Chinawith plans to build two lithium hydroxide conversion plants, each initially targeting 50,000 mtpa; MARBL Lithium Joint Venture (MARBL) to restart operations at the Wodgina Lithium Mine in Australia; and Advanced deployment of Albemarle Way of Excellence (AWE) operating model and submitted sustainability disclosure report to CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)

"Despite supply chain challenges and increased raw material costs last quarter, we continued to deliver solid revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth," said Albemarle CEO Kent Masters. "In October, we achieved first lithium carbonate production at our new La Negra III/IV conversion facility. We are making investments to add significant conversion capacity in China, initially targeting up to 150,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide per year which will provide high-return growth opportunities aligned with the increasing demand from our customers."

Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSXV: SLI) (NYSE: SLI) recently announced it has filed a Preliminary Economic Assessment Report (Technical Report) for the Company's South-West Arkansas Lithium Project, further to its previous news release dated October 12, 2021. 

Key Points Were: Pre-tax US$2.83 Billion NPV at 8% discount rate and IRR of 40.5%; After-tax US$1.97 Billion NPV at 8% discount rate and IRR of 32.1%; 20-year mine-life producing an average of 30,000 tonnes per year of battery-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM); Operating costs of US$2,599 per tonne of battery quality lithium hydroxide; AACE Class 5 Total CAPEX estimate of US$870 Million including conservative 25% contingency of direct capital costs; and, SW Arkansas Lithium Project PEA lithium brine resource is updated to consider the potential unitized area of production, leading to an increased total (global) in-situ resource of 1,195,000 tonnes Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at the Inferred Category.

Sigma Lithium (NASDAQ: SGML) (TSXV: SGML), dedicated to powering the next generation of electric vehicle batteries with environmentally sustainable and high-purity lithium, recently joined the October 8 "FT LIVE Commodities Summit: Enabling the Energy Transition" for the panel, Lithium: Supercharged. During the session, CEO Cabral-Gardner emphasized the role that will be played by technology to drive greener and less costly lithium production, paving the way for mass EV adoption.

At the summit, she highlighted the four major challenges of the lithium mining industry at the current juncture of supply tightness: Scaling rapidly and significantly; Achieving environmental and social sustainability; Producing the highest quality offtake; and Delivering at the lowest cost.  Ana Cabral-Gardner, Sigma Co-CEO said: "Technology is driving electric vehicle innovation and will drive the future of the lithium industry. It will be key [in the lithium industry], it will help us make [lithium] greener and cheaper. [Sigma] uses quite a lot of [green] technology: we perfected a dense media separation plant, digitally controlled it, avoiding a flotation plant altogether and all the issues that would come with it around wet tailing dams and chemicals. Technology can be the vector to the spectacular success of the [lithium industry] helping us lower costs and stay greener or it can also undo [the lithium industry] if it is not disciplined enough to work with downstream to enable less costly EVs."

Piedmont Lithium Inc., (NASDAQ: PLL), a leading developer of lithium hydroxide production to enable the North American electric vehicle supply chain, recently released a new Corporate Overview Presentation. The updated presentation includes information addressing overall market conditions, lithium supply and demand projections from industry analysts, pricing trends, as well as a status update on Piedmont's multiple resources in North Carolina, Quebec, and Ghana.

"The tremendous momentum in the EV industry continues to accelerate, especially in North America with near daily expansion announcements from battery makers and electric vehicle makers alike. One thing that remains a constant in this electric environment is the need for lithium to power the industry's projected growth," said Piedmont President and CEO, Keith Phillips. "A company that controls a critical mass of spodumene with the ability to cost-effectively produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide, is well positioned to serve the fast-growing EV market, while returning increasing value to shareholders. And that is exactly how we are building our company," added Phillips.

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