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Joe Lowry
Joe Lowry (@globallithium on X aka Twitter & IG) and known as "Mr Lithium" is a 30 plus year industry veteran and founder of the advisory firm Global Lithium LLC. Joe hosts the original lithium podcast featuring high level guests from the lithium chemicals industry, battery, cathode, and related areas. The Global Lithium Podcast remains the 'go to' offering in this space and has been downloaded in 181 countries.
Episode 200: Dale Henderson
Dale Henderson (@henderson_dale on X) is the Managing Director & CEO of Pilbara Minerals. I was honored to have him join me for the 200th episode.
Topics:
Pilbara’s four strategic pillars
The wild ride for lithium (& Pilbara)
Swing supply created by 2022 pricing
The steepening cost curve
Unsustainable pricing in 2024
The coming shortage
Continuing to be nimble
Managing through volatility
The POSCO JV & other world class partners
Where Pilbara sits on the cost curve
Growth and the Latin Resources acquisition
The arrival of big balance sheets to lithium
Brazil as a lithium jurisdiction
Keeping the team motivated
Two questions from Dale
Rapid fire
01:02:0520/11/2024
Episode 199: Dan Blondal (Nano One)
Dan Blondal aka "the man with one tweet" is the CEO of Nano One (TSX: NANO / OTC: NNOMF).
Topics:
A world class suite of partners
The battery challenge
Why ex China cathode capacity matters
China's current LFP dominance
Why the west has to do LFP differently
The importance of ESS as a catalyst
"Design one - build many"
Will Japan make a battery comeback?
The importance of the DOD investment
Staying the course
Rapid fire
01:02:5001/11/2024
Episode 198: Lithium's Bright Future
The majority of this episode is a presentation I made at the Panorama Minero "Lithium South America" event in Jujuy, Argentina on October 9, 2024. The presentation starts at ~ minute 23. The episode begins with a interview with Alejandro Columbo from Panorama Minero. We discuss what Panorama Minero does and how this event has grown over the last decade to global significance.
My presentation "Lithium's Bright Future" also includes a discussion of the history of the industry and how the west's failure to act early in the last decade allowed China to become the current dominant player in lithium ion batteries and EVs. Yet the past isn't necessarily prologue.
01:12:5219/10/2024
Episode 197: Live from Panorama Minero in Jujuy, Argentina
My favorite event on the annual lithium calendar is Panorama Minero's "Lithium South America". My guests on this episode are Daniel Jimenez of iLi Markets, Roland Chavasse of the International Lithium Association and JP Vargas the MD of Galan Lithium.
57:0012/10/2024
Episode 196: Hatch (Sid Subramani)
Sid Subramani has global responsibility for lithium projects at Hatch (@HATCHglobal on X), a professional services and engineering company.
Topics:
The Hatch role in lithium
A typical engagement
Red flags
Projects: majors vs juniors
Big Energy vs Big Mining
DLE – when & how significant?
Common project mistakes
The importance of grade
Why projects are late
QPs
Lepidolite
Lithium jurisdictions
Specifications
Cap-Ex: China vs others
The cost curve
People
Rapid fire
01:07:4813/09/2024
Episode 195: Albemarle (Katie Pyfer)
Katie Pyfer is a Senior Director of Energy Storage responsible for global pricing at Albemarle. She has a PhD in analytical chemistry.
Topics:
Product analysis
Managing market cycles
Price discovery
"Micro" managing
Battery demand
Commodity or specialty chemical?
Tolling
The blending game
Qualification
Competitive tension
The benefit of lithium auctions
Price transparency
Contracts
The future of "futures"
01:07:4905/09/2024
Episode 194: Listener Q&A
I answer listener questions on this episode.
Topics:
The Future of DLE
Argentina production in 2025
Black Swan events
Can the US work with China?
The Pilbara/LRS deal
Is it time for more M&A?
US production in 2030
EU lithium potential
Hard rock vs brine
The Salton Sea
Is LFP the future?
Oversupply - how long?
SQM as a barometer of price
Rapid fire
49:3023/08/2024
Episode 193: Lisa Rebora (Equinor)
Lisa Rebora is the Head of Global Lithium at Equinor, a global energy company (NYSE: EQNR). Equinor recently invested in two of Standard Lithium's projects in Arkansas and Texas but has lithium ambitions beyond the US.
Topics:
Who is Equinor?
Capital commitment to low carbon solutions
Why lithium?
The long look at DLE
Why Arkansas & Texas?
The relationship with Standard Lithium
The importance of Koch as a partner
Building a lithium team
Strength in Partnerships
Challenges getting to market
Market volatility
The lithium growth story
M&A
The million dollar question
The British invasion in Arkansas
Rapid fire
01:00:1006/08/2024
Episode 192 Iola Hughes (Rho Motion)
Iola Hughes is the Head of Research at Rho Motion, a battery information services company that is part of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Iola is @RhoMoIola on X
Topics:
Cathode chemistry
GWH growth numbers
China's amazing performance
Pack sizes
The EV slowdown (ex China)
ICE-EV price parity
Does BYD need the US?
Will Tesla get the boot in China?
Revival of the hybrids
India
Sodium ion
OEM strategies
Solid state batteries
The ESS market
Rapid fire
01:05:5801/08/2024
Episode 191: Daniel Jimenez "Live"
My guest is industry veteran Daniel Jimenez. This is my first live podcast recorded in Fastmarket's "Live Lounge" during their recent Lithium and Battery Raw Materials Conference in Las Vegas.
Topics:
Lithium market sentiment
Excess capacity across the lithium ion battery supply chain
Recalibrating unrealistic North American and EU EV
expectations
Africa – opaque on volume and quality?
SQM as a barometer of the industry
Codelco and the Chilean state
Tianqi’s failed dream in Chile
SQM in Australia
ALB – strategy or tactics?
Big Oil’s move into lithium
Can the oil companies use DLE to transform the industry?
Arcadium – synergy?
Chile – outside of the Atacama
Argentina’s lithium future
Bolivia
Brazil’s hard rock boom
Canada as a lithium province
The future of US lithium
Who will be the marginal cost producer?
The incentive price
Lepidolite
Building lithium ion supply chains ex China
Galan’s project
Rapid fire
Auction advice for Albemarle
Eramet - DLE's first full scale plant or another black eye?
01:01:2003/07/2024
Episode 190: Standard Lithium
My guests are Standard Lithium CEO Robert Mintak and Dr Andy Robinson, President and COO.
Topics:
Equinor - another great partner
Focusing on high grade brine
De-risking DLE with Koch
Project timelines
What the OEMs are looking for
Why the Smackover is so significant
3 projects with a consistent flowsheet
The Equinor deal structure
Arkansas & Texas as lithium jurisdictions
Continuing to build the team
Managing 3 projects vs 1
Carbonate or hydroxide?
Standard's place on the cost curve
What's next?
Rapid fire
01:02:2322/06/2024
Episode 189: Ganfeng, ALB & MLC
I take a deep dive into Ganfeng's history and what drove their success. I question why the world's largest lithium company, Albemarle, doesn't have the same vision and ability to get things done as Ganfeng. The episode opens with MLC CEO Paul Hogan briefly explaining why lithium may be a significant part of his company's future.
39:4714/06/2024
Episode 188: SQM
Over the years SQM has declined multiple invitations to be a guest on the podcast. I am devoting this episode to my thoughts on SQM: past, present and future.
56:4629/05/2024
Episode 187: Zelandez
My guests are Gene Morgan and Clint Van Marrewijk, founders of brinefield services provider Zelandez
Gene is @ZelandezGene on Twitter/X
Clint is @Clint_Van on Twitter/X
Topics:
The "Schlumberger" of lithium
Speeding up brine projects
"ErLi" - modular lithium production
The impact of price cycles
Operating in Argentina vs Chile vs Bolivia
Water use
The Zelandez treasure trove of brine data
DLE and brine reinjection
The team and the culture
The "BFT"
Challenges working at altitude
To "BG" or not to "BG"
Competition
Rapid fire
51:2511/05/2024
Episode 186: Listener Questions
In this episode I give my current thoughts on price as well as discussing my past calls both good & bad. I explain how I believe China has taken control of the lithium price narrative and the spodumene market, why I think brine based lithium returns to the lithium pole position in the coming decade and then I answer listener questions on everything from Canada, to what I invest in, to Brazil's lithium future to solid state batteries potential impact on the lithium supply chain.
I likely repeat myself a few times given that tends to happen when I talk for 40 minutes without a script.
43:5330/04/2024
Episode 185: Cauchari
This episode includes three guests: Mac Whale of Cormark, Cole McGill of Stifel and Daniel Jimenez of iLi Markets.
I joined the group on a site visit to Minera Exar's Cauchari operation. Minera Exar is a JV between Lithium Argentina and Ganfeng located in Jujuy Province, Argentina.
We discuss what we saw and how each guest evaluates a project that is ramping up:
1) What were they key questions they wanted answered?
2) What was their overall impression of the project?
This episode is brought to you by Zelandez and Mississippi Lime.
56:1812/04/2024
Episode 184: Michael Dunne
Michael Dunne (@dunne_insights) on X/Twitter is the CEO of Dunne Insights a global intelligence & advisory service that provides insights on EVs, batteries, and charging with a particular emphasis on Asia.
Topics:
Son of a "car spy"
China's lead in EVs
The demise of Detroit in China
Can the west catch-up?
BYD - the early days
China's other EV suppliers
CATL's significance
Can the US be a meaningful battery supplier?
Toyota's hybrid strategy
Should China be allowed in the US market?
Advice for POTUS
BYD in Brazil
The Art (of EV) War
How China out negotiates competitors
Vin Fast in the US
Rapid fire
01:03:1207/04/2024
Episode 183: Singapore Sling
This episode is brought to you by Zelandez and Mississippi Lime. It is the audio of a presentation I gave in late March at the Future Facing Commodities Event in Singapore with some additional commentary. The presentation slides can be found at: www.globallithium.net/articles
Topics:
In the beginning there was North Carolina hard rock
Questions you should be asking about the lithium market
Where did 2023 "oversupply" come from?
China battery players influence on lithium price
Increasing capital intensity
The cost curve
Negative sentiment
Demand: all about batteries in 2024
Lithium price: a many splendored thing
Bottom "price" fishing
Supply
"Swing supply"
This cycle vs the last one
Do the work!
43:0904/04/2024
Episode 182: Jon Evans
Jon Evans (@jdevans4005 on X) is the CEO of Lithium Americas and one of the most influential leaders in the lithium industry.
Topics:
Building Thacker Pass – the largest lithium resource in
North America
The team
The project timeline
Lessons from Cauchari
Lithium through a national security lens
GM as a partner
LFP in the US
Lessons from the DOE loan process
The importance of LAC’s Tech Center
Partnering with local stakeholders
The lithium market
Dealing with the anti mining crowd
Improving price discovery
Why Jon didn’t take the easier career path
Motivating the team in hard times
Rapid fire
01:00:0921/03/2024
Episode 181: Seth Goldstein
Seth Goldstein (@SethGMStar1 on X) is an Equity Strategist and Chair of the Electric Vehicle Committee at Morningstar. This is his third appearance on the podcast.
Topics:
Defining a top pick at Morningstar
Why Seth believes the lithium stocks he follows are
undervalued
Bullish on LAC and Thacker Pass
LAC’s DOE loan
Incentivizing a North America battery supply chain
Lithium Argentina’s impressive start-up at Cauchari
Seth’s candid thoughts on Albemarle & their price
strategy
SQM & Arcadium
Arcadium’s long struggle with expansions
The global EV growth story
The politics of EVs in the US
BYD & Tesla
Lithium prices
CATL’s inventory “tells” & the impact on lithium demand
Lepidolite costs
ESS
Rapid fire
59:1616/03/2024
Episode 180: Andy Leyland
Andy Leyland (@andyleyland1 on X) is the founder of Supply Chain Insights (@insights_SC on X). Andy has deep experience in all aspects of the lithium ion battery supply chain.
Topics:
What Supply Chain Insights does
2023: the "rebalancing" year
The lepidolite spectrum
Lithium demand - still robust
The turnaround in ESS
Sodium ion batteries
Oversupply
Inventory levels
The future of conversion in China
Brine: "Argentina's race to lose"
Two ways of looking at price
Why is lithium forecasting so bad?
Getting info from China
Incentive prices
China's domestic lithium potential
ESG hypocrisy
Who actually paid $80/kg for lithium?
Do fixed price contracts make a comeback?
Recycling
The SCI price forecast
Rapid fire
01:00:4720/02/2024
Episode 179: Lithium 2024
A solo episode. What I see in 2024 off the top of my head. I recorded it but haven't listened to it yet.
Topics:
Woodmac and the damage done.
A couple WA ASX updates
Price - where to from here?
Why the press doesn't get lithium
DLE
The comeback of brine
A lot of shout outs
30:0525/01/2024
Episode 178: Blair Way
Blair Way is the CEO of Patriot Battery Metals (@Patriot_Battery on X aka Twitter) PMET on the TSXV, PMT on the ASX and PMETF on the OTC
Topics:
Humble beginnings in Quebec
The maiden resource
Drill program
The team
How big a resource?
The lake
Production timing
Realistic goals
Why scale matters
The “Brinsden” effect
Albemarle
Top 3 challenges
Will Patriot own Corvette at start-up?
Rapid fire
01:12:1511/01/2024
Episode 177: Year End Wrap
My guests are Chris Berry (@cberry1 on X) and Daniel Jimenez (@D_Jimenez_Sch on X). Both gentlemen are multi episode guests that bring a wealth of expertise to any lithium conversation.
We discuss the highlights and lowlights of a dramatic year in lithium and also look to the year ahead.
01:25:1920/12/2023
Episode 176: Patrick Howarth (Exxon)
Patrick Howarth leads the lithium effort within ExxonMobil’s Low Carbon Solutions Group. Exxon is currently drilling lithium brine wells in Arkansas with a plan to be in commercial production by 2027 using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE). The company intends to become a major lithium producer by 2030. Exxon also developed the first lithium ion battery prototype in the 1970s.
Topics:
Exxon’s Low Carbon Solutions Group
Leveraging Exxon’s technology capabilities to decarbonize
Drilling for lithium vs oil & gas
The Smackover
DLE
Lithium “surprises”
Arkansas as a lithium province
Hard rock ambitions?
Supply & Demand
Price
The Team
“Lithium years”
Beyond Arkansas
A tribute to Dr Stanley Whittingham
Rapid fire
59:5612/12/2023
Episode 175: Ernie Ortiz
Ernie Ortiz is the CEO of Lithium Royalty Corp (@Lithium_Royalty on X).
Topics:
Ernie's backstory
The LRC business model
Primary vs secondary royalties
Building the portfolio
Why the focus on hard rock assets?
The team
The brand
Does market negativity create opportunity?
Price
Competition
ESG
The IRA
Improving lithium industry performance
Rapid fire
54:0803/12/2023
Episode 174: Update from Asia & Beyond
A solo episode where I discuss my recent trip to Korea & Japan, price & index worries, and offer a lithium history less.
Topics:
Korean worries about the IRA
Japan: the land of the "setting sun"?
How many legacy OEMs survive?
Price - what's next?
Concern about the usefulness of indexes
SQM
ALB
#ChrisGina
Argentina elections
26:2227/11/2023
Episode 173: Team Money of Mine (Part 2)
Part 2 with the Money of Mine podcast team: Matt Michael,
Travis Ricciardo, and Jonas “JD” Dorling. The Money of Mine Podcast began in April of this year when
Matt, Travis and JD quit their day jobs to begin
building a “media empire.”
I met them on a trip to Australia in September
and was invited to be a guest on their show. I am now a regular listener.
You can access their daily content via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. On X (aka Twitter) @moneyofminepod
Topics:
Piedmont Lithium
Albemarle
Ioneer
The “Donald Trump” of Oz
North & South America “field trip”
Lithium or “midstream” chemicals?
Price bifurcation
Investing $5 million in ASX lithium stocks
Common mistakes made by retail investors
Podcast – lessons learned
Interacting with the fan base
Canaccord’s “Mr. October”
Rapid fire
51:3401/11/2023
Episode 172: Team Money of Mine (part 1)
My guests are the Money of Mine podcast team: Matt Michael, Travis Ricciardo and Jonas "JD" Dorling.
The Money of Mine Podcast began in April of this year
when Matt, Travis and JD quit their day jobs to begin building their "media empire".
I met them on a trip to Australia in September when
they invited me to be a guest on their show – a link to that episode on YouTube is
here.
You can get their daily content via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. On X, they are @moneyofminepod
Topics:
The Money of Mine origin story
The endgame
Liontown drama
Announcing: “Chrisgina”
Australia’s lithium future
SQM’s next moves
Wesfarmer’s future
Mineral Resources – where to from here?
The Aussie lithium diaspora
Albemarle
You will have to wait for part 2 for rapid fire
Other social media links
Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/2p9p4xpd - LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/kvszkse3 - Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yck4vx9p Personal Twitter accounts you
can follow too: - Matty: https://twitter.com/mattymikals - JD: https://twitter.com/JDmoneyofmine - Travis: https://twitter.com/TRAVmoneyofmine
01:00:5326/10/2023
Episode 171: Tu Le - Vol II
Tu Le is the Founder and Managing Director of Sino Auto Insights. He is also co-host of the China EVs & More Podcast. @SinoAutoInsight on X
Topics:
The UAW Strike
The future of the "Big 3" US automakers
Tesla's huge EV lead in the US
Modifying IRA rules
The long road to NA/EU battery competitiveness
The German auto retreat in China
EV = battery & software
The China EV market
The India EV market
China market misinformation
LFP in North America
Rapid fire
59:5122/10/2023
Episode 170: Iggy Tan
Iggy Tan is the Non-Executive Chairman of Lithium Universe (ASX: LU7) and the Managing Director of Altech Chemicals. He was formerly the CEO of Galaxy Lithium.
Topics:
The Backstory
At Greenbushes in the 1990s
Trying to make carbonate in Oz in the 1990s
Iggy’s time at Galaxy
Mt Cattlin and Zhangjiagang
China’s first “western” lithium plant
Building Galaxy’s lithium portfolio
Time away from lithium
Creating a “Lithium Universe”
The team
The business model for Canada
The industry’s biggest mistake
Design considerations
Iggy the author
Rapid fire
53:3722/09/2023
Episode 169: "Down Under"
A summary of my recent 12 day trip to Australia.
26:5018/09/2023
Episode 168: Tony Ottaviano
Tony Ottaviano is the CEO of Liontown resources. This episode was recorded at Liontown's offices in Perth, Australia the day after I visited their Kathleen Valley project.
Topics:
Building a culture
Alignment
The onboarding experience
Relationship with the Tjiwarl
The Dragonfly camp design
Using renewable energy
Empowerment
Documentation & control
Operational readiness
Supply contracts / customer visits
The Albemarle deal
Going downstream?
Price
Where to next?
Peak Australia LCE production
Rapid fire
58:3912/09/2023
Episode 167: Lithium Argentina
Lithium Americas will separate into two entities in the
fourth quarter of 2023. LAC’s South American assets will become Lithium Argentina (@Lithium_ARG on X aka Twitter). I spent a few days with the team last week in Buenos Aires and Salta, Argentina.
Recording a podcast seemed like a natural thing to do. John
Kanellitsas, Franco Mignacco, Ignacio Celorrio, Carlos Galli and Tom Benson joined me with a cameo appearance by Kelly O’Brien.
Topics:
The journey to becoming Argentina’s third lithium chemical producer
The importance of finding and retaining the right people
Combining cultures in the Minera Exar JV
The Lithium Americas separation
Politics in Argentina
The growing significance of lithium to Argentina
Why it is too soon for Argentina should focus on making
batteries
Doing lithium “differently”
The 500,000 ton goal for Argentina
Leveraging talent from other industries
Bringing new technology to exploration
Pastos Grandes
Talent wars
“The Signal and the Noise”
The five year vision for Lithium Argentina
01:04:0113/08/2023
Episode 166: Listener Q&A
On this episode I enlist the help of Rene LeBlanc & Tara Berrie to help me answer listener questions that cover a broad cross section of interests from how to evaluate lithium projects to the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act to where price may be heading. Shout outs to Daniel Jimenez and Chris Berry.
53:2013/07/2023
Episode 165: Denis Geoffroy
Denis Geoffroy is the Chief Commercialization Officer at
Nano One. Denis has spent a quarter of a century in the lithium ion battery space and was responsible for the only commercial North American LFP operation in Candiac, Quebec.
We discuss his journey in LFP and how Nano One’s “One Pot” technology will enable a resurgence of LFP production in North America.
Topics:
LFP – born in Texas and the early days in Quebec
LFP’s recent resurgence in the market
How China came to dominate the market
The current state of LFP supply
Nano One: “Changing How the World Makes Battery Materials”
LFP – the “mass market” EV cathode
The original “million mile” battery
Bringing LFP production back to North America
Nano One partnerships
Recycling LFP
Learning from cathode “OG” Dr Yuan Gao
Rapid fire
55:3304/07/2023
Episode 164: Chris Gale
Chris Gale is the founder and MD of Latin Resources.
www.latinresources.com.au / @LatinRes on Twitter
Topics:
Backstory – the long, winding road to lithium
Raising capital
Going to South America
How a lithium explorer survives
Why Brazil?
The long odds against explorers becoming producers
Upgrading the resource
Learning from Sigma’s experience
What is a tier 1 lithium deposit?
First steps in developing a project
The Team
The importance of getting a lithium legend on the BOD
Potential off-takers
Rapid fire
Rest in peace Dr John Goodenough
53:4926/06/2023
Episode 163: Tu Le
Tu Le is the founder & Managing Director of Sino Auto Insights (@SinoAutoInsight on Twitter) and a Co-Host of the China EVs & More Podcast.
Tu had significant experience with at Ford, GM and Apple before making his way to China and the EV world.
Topics:
China's current & future position in the global EV market
Average battery sizes
The return of EV incentives in China ?
EV price cuts
Tu Le: "BYD is what Tesla wants to be"
Why is GM's CEO saying they can't build a profitable EV in the $30-40K price range in this decade
China EV plans for North America
The coming consolidation of EV producers in China
Why legacy OEMs are on the decline in China
E-Mobility "smartification" & ACES
Why software leads the way in EV development
North American & EU decoupling from China - easier said than done
Changing the US driving mindset
E- Mobility growth in India
The critical metals angst of OEMs
Sodium Ion battery impact on EVs
ONE - Our Next Energy
The top five global EV/Mobility companies in 2030
Rapid Fire
01:05:5415/06/2023
Episode 162: Ron Mitchell
Ron Mitchell is the Managing Director of Global Lithium Resources (ASX GL1) and a veteran of the lithium industry with more than a decade of prior experience at Talison and Tianqi.
Topics:
Ron’s backstory
Early days doing business in China
Building relationships
Negotiating in China
How does the industry 10X supply?
Ron’s spodumene price “crystal ball”
Global Lithium Resources' two projects
Building the team at GL1
Partners
Offtake
Going downstream?
Doing mining differently
Geopolitics
A question for Ron from Tara Berrie
Rapid fire from me as well as Alex Cheeseman
Closing comments on China's "interesting" price narrative
01:10:4103/06/2023
Episode 161: John Worth
John Worth is the CEO and MD of geo40 a technology company based in New Zealand engaged in low carbon recovery of minerals from geothermal fluids. They currently produce colloidal silica at commercial scale from geothermal streams in New Zealand and are leveraging that technology to provide direct lithium extraction (DLE) to a variety of asset types containing low levels of lithium (50 ppm & up). After successfully piloting DLE technology they now plan to move to the demo level with a target of commercialization in North America by 2025 and later in other jurisdictions.
Topics:
The need to add DLE to the lithium supply portfolio
What makes a great DLE project
Why it makes sense to pursue low ppm level lithium streams in North America
Where DLE fits in on the cost curve
Tailwinds from the "new normal" of lithium prices
The need for multiple DLE players
Why geo40 is leaving the Salton Sea to others
My comments on what is happening in price
43:3518/05/2023
E160: 3 Listeners / Livent & Allkem
I speak with three podcast listeners who are also keen lithium investors - Nathan Wolyniec from Brisbane Australia; John McElroy, a Green Beret with more than 1,000 parachute jumps originally from Syracuse, NY and David Cebalo a retired investor from Indiana. We discuss what drew them to investing in lithium stocks, how they research companies and make decisions. I end the episode with some thoughts on the Livent - Allkem merger announced earlier this week.
59:0913/05/2023
Episode 159: Chile/Argentina/Price
There are two guests on this episode: Daniel Jimenez & David Guerrero. Both have been on the podcast multiple times.
You will get perspective on Chile's new lithium strategy/policy from both sides of the Andes. We also discuss the lithium price and lithium development in Argentina. We probe the possibility of changes to Argentina's royalty structure and ponder Argentina's ultimate lithium production potential with and without DLE. We also briefly discuss lithium activity in Bolivia.
If you want to hear more of my thoughts on the new policy in Chile, here is a link to an interview I did with a group in Chile is below:
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1eaKbrOoQDYKX
47:0229/04/2023
Episode 158: The Lithium Decade
I presented "The Lithium Decade" in Singapore last week at the Future Facing Commodities conference. Select slides from the presentation will be available on the Global Lithium website.
41:3010/04/2023
Episode 157: Peter Hannah
Peter Hannah (@PHmetals on Twitter) is a senior manager at Fastmarkets. This is Peter's second appearance. His first appearance in June, 2022 was in the top ten of all episodes to date.
We discuss the current pricing situation: the volatility in China with spot price dropping vs rising contract prices elsewhere, supply and demand, the future of lepidolite, the perceived threat of sodium ion batteries and much more.
59:3225/03/2023
Episode 156: Daniel Jimenez
Daniel Jimenez is the MD of iLi Markets and a director of Galan Lithium. He has deep experience in lithium after spending almost three decades at SQM before starting his own firm. This is Daniel's fourth appearance on the podcast.
In this episode we have a detailed discussion on current and future supply by region in the face of unprecedented demand growth.
We discuss the currently volatile price situation in China, examine the reasons for it and try to put it in context with pricing in the markets outside of China.
Daniel can be found on twitter at @D_Jimenez_Sch
The iLi Markets website is ilimarkets.com
01:02:2417/03/2023
Episode 155: Jigar Shah
Jigar Shah (@JigarShahDC on Twitter) is the director of the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy. Mr. Shah was formerly the co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Jigar also has the best laugh of any prior guest on the podcast and celebrated his two year anniversary at the DOE on March 3rd – the day we recorded.
Topics:
The mandate of the Loan Programs Office
The calculus of leaving the private sector for the DOE
The “alphabet soup” of government programs focused on the Energy Transition
The laziness of big companies
LPO loans – by invitation only
Inspiring action where action wouldn’t otherwise happen
Why Jigar can’t comment on a loan application to LAC for Thacker Pass
Downstream battery investment vs upstream
The contribution of recyclers
Jigar Shah – the “long term lithium bull”
“Friend-shoring” challenges
Tesla
What defines a “friend” of the US
Supply chain risk management
Rapid fire
Closing comments on the BMO conference and lithium price
53:1504/03/2023
Episode 154: Emilie Bodoin
Emilie Bodoin is the CEO of Pure Lithium.
Pure Lithium is on a mission to change the way batteries are made.
Topics:
The current state of lithium metal technology
Brine direct to lithium metal - the ultimate DLE?
Lithium ion batteries: a successful compromise
Making lithium metal batteries a reality
Mentors: Dr Donald Sadoway & Robert Friedland
The first big win
Building a team
Learning from mistakes
Scale and cost
Reality check
A "not so loaded' question
The DOE "disconnect"
Lithium Metal Iron Phosphate
Rapid Fire
My thoughts on recent happenings in the industry
01:06:4925/02/2023
Episode 153: LAC - GM, The Thacker Pass Decision, & "Patriot Games"
This is a solo episode where I discuss:
The recent General Motors investment in Lithium Americas
The Thacker Pass decision
Rumors regarding Mineral Resources interest in Patriot Battery Metals
Another round of bad lithium analysis from a large bank.
And a shout out to Seth Goldstein at Morningstar
15:5108/02/2023
Episode 152: Sigma Lithium - Ana Cabral
My guest is Ana Cabral the Co-CEO of Sigma Lithium
Sigma is in the process of starting up the most significant hard rock project in South America
Topics:
Commissioning and start-up
Sigma’s value proposition for the battery industry
Spodumene to lithium chemicals conversion ratios
Sustainability
The market for tailings
The team
Becoming a 100K MT LCE producer
Upstream disruption
Boarder adjustments
The “next guardian” of Sigma
Ana’s view on the past failures of miners
ESG
The upward moving cost curve
Price
The Inflation Reduction Act
Ana's respect for Pilbara & WA spodumene producers
My comments on the upcoming Thacker Pass decision
Thoughts (not advice) on lithium investments
Rapid fire
01:13:2908/01/2023
Episode 151: Lithium 2023 - "Great Expectations"
This short solo episode takes a look at the lithium year that just ended but more importantly what to expect in 2023.
Brought to you by brinefield services company Zelandez.
DYOR - the Global Lithium Podcast does not present ANY investment advice.
31:4602/01/2023