October 22Nd CONTENT
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Issue 21, October 9th – October 22nd CONTENT Introduction It seems that electric vehicles are becoming a closer reality. 1Nissan annouced that it has started the production of its pure electric vehicle the LEAF, and the company expects to start Batteries selling 6,000 units in Japan during the first year. It is interesting to and Vehicles note that the LEAF has a 24 KWh lithium battery, which means that it would contain almost 19 kilos of lithium carbonate equivalent. FMitsubishi Motors and Yamato Nissan, Mitsubishi, Ford, GM, and many other automakers plan Transport will work together in to launch within the next two years pure electric vehicles. We the testing of a light commercial estimate that the automotive industry would demand around electric vehicle 100,000 metric tones of lithium carbonate equivalent by 2025. Today total lithium demand reaches around 99,000 metric tones. Sanyo launched a solar street light with lithium-ion batteries We have recently released the second issue of our signum Analysis “Lithium, Batteries and Vehicles: Perspectives & Trends”. In this report you will find: • A complete analysis of the future of the lithium´s demand, with a special focus on the use of lithium in batteries for hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV’s & EV’s). Based on our assumptions and analysis, we established three scenarios for lithium consumption for the period 2010 – 2025. • A deep analysis of the current lithium supply and the upcomming Lithium Industry projects. We evaluated and ranked 74 publicly announced projects as of August 30th, 2010, based on their general and First Liberty Power announced geological characteristics, and also based on the company´s second phase of exploration financial situation. program • Following the same demand analysis criteria, we established Daijin announced the beginning three scenarios for the production capacity utilization for the next of drilling operations at Salinas 15 years. Grandes/Guayatayoc • An analysis of future trend in lithium prices for the period 2010 - Lithium Americas released Q2 FY 2025. 2011 results Talison Lithium reported Q3 2010 production results Orocobre presented an update of its Olaroz lithium potash project LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES Batteries and Vehicles2 BRIEF NEWS In the automotive industry is interesting to mention the announcement made by Nissan regarding the starting production of its pure electric vehicle the LEAF. Lithium ion batteries also have Hitachi and Johnson Controls others applications. That is the case of Sanyo that announced will jointly collaborate on the launching of a solar street light that combines solar cells with advanced energy storage lithium ion batteries. Date: October 17th Source: Johnson Controls Johnson Controls announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hitachi in order to collaborate in HIGHLIGHTS the development of advanced energy storage including Mitsubishi Motors and Yamato Transport will work lithium-ion batteries, exploring together in the testing of a light commercial electric potential cooperation across vehicle a wide span of initiatives Date: October 14th Source: Mitsubishi Motors including R&D, procurement, production, marketing, sales and Mitsubishi Motors and Yamato Transport announced that they have standardization. started field-testing for parcel collection and delivery operations with the use of a prototype light commercial electric vehicle built by Mitsubishi. According to the press release, both companies would employ a prototype light commercial electric vehicle based on the Minicab market model but powered by the same electric vehicle powertrain and components that the i-MiEV uses. LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES Sanyo launched a solar street light with lithium-ion BRIEF NEWS batteries Date: October 14th Source: Sanyo Nissan started production of The Japanese company announced the launching of the “EVERLEDS the LEAF Lithium-ion Solar Street Light”, a solar street light that combines solar Date: October 22nd cells with lithium ion batteries. The electricity is generated from solar Source: Nissan energy and stored in the lithium-ion batteries attached to the back Nissan announced that it has of the panel. According to the press release, this can then be used started the production of its 100% to power the high efficiency LED lights for approximately 15 hours electric vehicle the LEAF at its during the night. Oppama facility. The company Previous models required separately installed large lead batteries; expects to start selling the LEAF in and according to the Company the lithium ion solar street light is December in Japan and in the small and refined, and the lead-free design reduces its impact on United States, and from early 2011, the environment. in select markets in Europe. LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES Lithium Industry3 BRIEF NEWS Regarding the lithium industry, it is interesting to comment that Talison, the third largest lithium producer reported an important increase in production and sales during Q3 2010. Talison produces lithium concentrates that mainly exports to China. On the other Rock Tech would acquire side, Lithium Americas and Orocobre presented updates of their additional lithium claims operations. Both companies have properties in Argentina, in the Date: October 21st Cauchari-Olaroz areas. Source: Rock Tech Lithium The Company signed a binding letter of intent to acquire all of the issued shares of Brandon Exploration Inc, which holds minerals exploration claims in HIGHLIGHTS Quebec. According to the press release, First Liberty Power announced second phase of the mineral exploration property is exploration program comprised of 376 claims covering Date: October 10th an approximate area of 19,552 Source: First Liberty Power hectares and is located in James Bay area in Quebec and 630 First Liberty Power announced that it has commenced the second claims covering an approximate phase of the exploration program at its Lida Valley lithium project in area of 30,992 hectares and is Nevada. The property covers an area of 5,180 hectares. According located in the Val d’Or region, to the Company, this second phase would consist of a controlled Quebec. source audio magnetotellurics magentotellurics survey. These surveys would aid to determine if conductive zones, possibly indicative of lithium-bearing brines, are present and continuous within the basin. LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES BRIEF NEWS Daijin announced the beginning of drilling operations at Salinas Grandes/Guayatayoc Date: October 19th Source: Daijin Lomiko closed CAD $ 150,000 private placement The Canadian Company Daijin announced that it has began drilling operations at its boron-lithium-potash project in Salinas Grandes / Date: October 22nd Source: Lomiko Metals Guayatayoc salars in Argentina. Lomiko announced that it has According to the press release, the six-hole program of rotary closed a private placement of drilling is designed to determine the characteristics of the aquifers CAD $ 150,000 through the sale of and their contained fluids. 3 million units at a price of CAD $ 0.05 per unit. According to the press release, each unit consists of one common Lithium Americas released Q2 FY 2011 results share of the Company and Date: October 15th one half of one common share Source: Lithium Americas purchase warrant, each full The Company that owns the Cauchari-Olaroz properties in Argentina warrant being exercisable at a price of CAD $ 0.10 for a period reported a net loss for the three months ended August 31st of CAD of twelve months after the closing $ 1.3 million and CAD $ 37 million in cash and cash equivalents and date. CAD $ 34.7 in working capital. The Company also reported some operation highlights for the period: • Completition of the exploration program • Opening of on-site pilot evaporation and analytical laboratory facilities • Upgraded NI 43-101 technical report and resource estimate in Q4 2010 • Completion of the production drilling program in Q4 2010 • Preliminary economic assessment by Q1 2011, and the final feasibility by Q4 2011. LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES Talison Lithium reported Q3 2010 production results Date: October 18th Source: Talison Lithium The Australian producer of lithium concentrates reported that lithium concentrate production reached 80,729 metric tones for the three months ended in September 30, 2010, 24% increase over Q1 2010. On the other hand, lithium concentrates sales were 52,524 tones, 6% more than Q1 2010. Lithium concentrate production exceeds sales because of the time differences between product shipment scheduls and production schedule. Talison is producing at a capacity and sell 100% of its production. We estimate that in 2010 Talion would supply around 28,000 MT as LCE, 54% more than 2009, reaching a market share of 23%. In July 2010, Talison announced a merger with Salares Lithium in order to combine their respective lithium assets. Orocobre presented an update of its Olaroz lithium potash project Date: October 19th Source: Orocobre Orocobre presented an update of the situation at its Olaroz lithium potash project in Argentina. Some highlights: • Lithium carbonate production commenced at the company´s test work facilty. The next stage is to optimise the process route. • Sampling results returned lithium concentration in a range of 466 to 1051 mg/l. Potassium ranged between 3,991 and 8,786 mg/l. These results are in line with previous drilling results. LITHIUM, BATTERIES AND VEHICLES Fidel Oteiza 1921 Of. 1001 Providencia - Santiago - Chile Office: 562-9538517 Fax: 562-2441742 [email protected] www.signumbox.com.