SQM Lithium Ventures will invest up to $2 million in Movener, a Chilean startup founded in 2016 that has developed a conversion technology to transform combustion-engine trucks into hybrid-electrics.  Movener becomes the first Chilean company in SQM’s venture portfolio, and its goal to reduce the carbon footprint of transport is in line with SQM’s target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040, the lithium giant’s venture arm said. The company is SQM Lithium Ventures’ fourth investment, joining the UK-based companies Altilium Clean Technology and Salinity Solutions, as well as Electric Era ..read more

Against the arid, red dirt of the Australian Outback, the Mount Holland lithium mine emerges to approaching visitors as a colossal grey-tinged crater, with trucks the size of houses edging along its steep inclines. An expanding site at the heart of the world’s top lithium-producing region, the A$2.6 billion ($1.7 billion) operation is emblematic of the plentiful additional supply of the battery material currently weighing on global prices, much of it from this neighborhood. Despite bullish long term forecasts, the metal has been langu ..read more

Electric car sales could reach around 17 million in 2024, accounting for more than one in five cars sold worldwide, according to IEA. However, despite several years of significant cash flows driven by high prices and increasing volumes, many producers of the minerals essential for EVs are now encountering difficulties in financing both existing and new projects solely with their own revenues. In its recent Global EV Outlook 2024, IEA highlights the necessity of external sources to support large-scale capital expenditure in mining projects. Albemarle, Core Lithium, Liontown Resources and Pilbar ..read more

China’s Tianqi Lithium on Thursday said it has formally requested that a proposed joint venture between lithium company SQM, in which it is a major shareholder, and state-run copper miner Codelco be put to a shareholder’s vote. Tianqi also said not enough financial information has been given to determine the impact on SQM operations from the deal, which was mandated by Chile’s government to boost the state role in the lithium industry. (By Daina Beth Solomon) Read More: Codelco defends lithium deal ahead of SQM shareholder meeting ..read more

India is in talks with several countries seeking partnerships for technical help on lithium processing, said four sources familiar with the matter, to bolster its nascent lithium mining and electric vehicle industries and avoid relying on China. India’s Ministry of Mines began discussions with Australia and the United States last year, said the four sources, two from India’s government and two industry participants. The Indian government and some private companies have also sought help from Bolivia, Britain, Japan and South Korea, said the sources, who did not wish to be identified as the disc ..read more

American Battery Technology (NASDAQ: ABAT) has updated the initial assessment for its Tonopah Flats lithium project near the town of Tonopah, Nev., midway between Las Vegas and Reno. The company has been exploring the property since 2021. The initial assessment was done in December 2023, and the current study is an update. However, American Battery does not say the studies conform to National Instrument 43-101 definitions. Rather the figures comply with the U.S. S-K 1300, which the company says is “similar to a preliminary economic assessment”. Site visit: Unearthing the lithium ‘gold rush’ i ..read more

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is hoping to attract mining companies and investors from across the world by highlighting opportunities to tap into the sector at a virtual conference next week. The show, which will focus on precious and critical minerals, is organized by The Mining Association of Nova Scotia (MANS) and will run on the mornings of April 29 and 30 via Zoom. “Nova Scotia has many exciting exploration projects in the precious and critical minerals space, including many that are essential to achieving climate goals,” said Sean Kirby, MANS executive director. “We have exci ..read more

Making a battery for an electric vehicle typically requires mining hundreds of pounds of hard-to-extract minerals. That’s put a spotlight on batteries’ heavy environmental toll, at least upfront. But the latest advances in battery recycling, including by leading US battery recycler Redwood Materials, are shrinking EVs’ footprint. Traditional methods of ripping materials out of the ground and refining them for battery backs requires enormous amounts of energy. As a result, the initial carbon footprint of an EV is higher than a comparable internal combustion engine vehicle. Those upfront emissio ..read more

Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLI) announced on Wednesday it has successfully commissioned and validated the performance of the largest continuously operating direct lithium Extraction (DLE) equipment in North America. The lithium developer recently installed a commercial-scale DLE column at its demonstration plant near El Dorado, Arkansas. The column is a Li-Pro lithium selective sorption (LSS) unit, supplied by partner and shareholder Koch Technology. The column, now integrated into the Standard Lithium’s existing DLE demonstration plant, is currently extracting lithium from the Smackover Formatio ..read more

Atlantic Lithium (ASX: A11) said on Wednesday it has focused all efforts and resources this year moving forward with its flagship Ewoyaa project, which will be the Ghana’s first lithium operation. The Africa-focused lithium explorer and developer, which secured in October a 15-year permit for the project, said the goal is to break ground later this year. “Key to achieving this milestone is the success of the ongoing permitting process, which is advancing as anticipated,” said executive chairman Neil Herbert in the quarterly update. He noted the current license has yet to be approved ..read more