We have great public news to share with you this morning about Mariana Lithium JV under the management of Ganfeng Lithium in Salta, Argentina. TNR Gold holds NSR Royalty on Mariana Lithium Project.
We extend our congratulations to Ganfeng Lithium, Governor of Salta Gustavo Saenz and all proud people of Argentina! Argentina has it all to become the Power House of the Energy rEVolution, all we need is that government policies will be supporting business and people who are ready to work together and build a better future for this great country.
Salar de Llullaillaco is the name of the salt lake in Salta, Argentina, where the Mariana Lithium Project is located. You can find more technical information, including links to NI 43-101 report, and all applicable legal disclaimers in the TNR Gold presentation below and on the TNR Gold Website.
TNR Gold does not have to contribute any capital for the development of Mariana Lithium and our NSR Royalty does not depend on the size of ILC's potentially diluted ownership in the Mariana Project.
"The Rio Times:
According to a press release, this will be "the first project in the world to be supplied with solar energy through the construction of a park next to the project."
Ganfeng Lithium Headquarters
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Chinese mining company Ganfeng Lithium announced on Wednesday, June 16, that it will invest US$600 million in a lithium exploration project in the northern Argentinean province of Salta.
According to official sources, the investment project was presented to the governor of Salta, Gustavo Sáenz, by Jason Luo and Simón Pérez Alsina, president and vice-president, respectively, of Litio Minera Argentina, the local subsidiary of Ganfeng Lithium.
The disbursements will be oriented to the construction of a lithium brine processing plant in Salar de Llullaillaco and another lithium carbonate plant in the industrial park of the city of Güemes, Salta.
The construction project is expected to employ 1,300 people directly and 3,000 indirectly.
According to a press release issued by the government of Salta, this will be “the first project in the world to be supplied with solar energy through the construction of a park next to the project.”
The logistics of the project, whose production will be export-oriented, will be carried out by rail and for this purpose, a freight branch line will be rehabilitated that passes through the entire Puna Salta region until it reaches Chile through the Socompa pass."
Another great news for the proud people of Argentina and TNR Gold shareholders is that Reuters reports that now Ganfeng Lithium is planning 20,000 T of annual LCE production capacity. It will be a 100% increase from the 10,000 T of annual production capacity estimated in the Mariana Lithium PEA which was prepared and released in 2018 before more than 250% increase in measured and indicated Lithium resources from the 2017 resource estimate was reported by Ganfeng Lithium and TNR Gold in 2020.
"Construction of the Salar de Llullaillaco plant will begin this year, followed by work on the Guemes facility that is set to produce 20,000 tonnes a year of lithium carbonate for export, the Salta government said after executives from Ganfeng unit Litio Minera Argentina met provincial governor Gustavo Saenz." Mining.com - Reuters
Mining.com:
Ganfeng has increased its stake in Mariana Lithium JV already closer to 100% with 89.9% ownership according to the latest public information. The Mariana Lithium Project "is expected to reach the feasibility study stage by the end of May 2021". (NRs and JV partner filing May 13, 2021)
I am expecting to see a further increase in Ganfeng Lithium's ownership of Mariana Lithium moving closer to 100%, as their JV partner "... has decided to temporarily cease to make contributions to the Mariana Joint Venture Project in order to concentrate on other strategic projects" (SEDAR May 13, 2021).
With the establishment of the Lithium batteries manufacturing base in Argentina by Ganfeng, we can, maybe, forget about any ideas to ship concentrated Lithium brine from Argentina to China and start thinking about membrane-based Lithium extraction technology. It will be the next major technological breakthrough not only for Ganfeng but for the whole Lithium industry.
Successful implementation of that technology can bring increased output, reduction of cost and control of the chemical purity for the Lithium product. All these operations can be made with a much smaller environmental footprint improving further ESG appeal of the full life cycle for electric cars. Mariana Lithium Project economics can be potentially improved dramatically in that case as well.
Please read my legal disclaimer. There is NO investment advice on any Kirill Klip feeds and blog. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before any investment decisions.
Do Your Own Research.
We have another set of very good public news coming from Argentina for Ganfeng Lithium and TNR Gold. Jujuy, Nacion and Ganfeng signed a memorandum to manufacture Lithium batteries in the Jujuy Province, Argentina. The Chinese giant is increasing its footprint in Argentina and moving up the value chain establishing Lithium batteries production facilities in Argentina this time.
This move finds strong support from the government in Argentina, which do not like to be just a raw material base for the Energy rEVolution. This news will be very positive for the development of all Lithium projects in Argentina under the operation by Ganfeng Lithium. We have another piece of the puzzle placed in place for the beautiful picture of the Mariana Lithium Project moving closer to production.
"China's Ganfeng Lithium considers Argentine battery plant
"We want to support the industrial development of Argentina to make it one of the most important lithium-producing countries in the world," Ganfeng Chairman Li Liangbin said in that statement.
Ganfeng is also pursuing a lithium brine project in Argentina's Salta province, near Jujuy, and expects to this year receive the environmental assessment permit needed to start construction." Mining Weekly.
