SiFT plant at Lanxess Project site

Introduction

At a time where lithium product pricing has fully recovered, beating all-time highs again, Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLI) (NYSE: SLI) (FRA: S5L) is working diligently on their flagship Lanxess project, and its second South-West Arkansas (SWA) lithium project, both in Arkansas, US.

Salar de Incahuasi; Catamarca province, Argentina

There seems to be no end in sight for current battery metals sentiment, and lithium product prices are the largest beneficiaries in this regard, which is obviously of interest for Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp.

1. Introduction

As lithium sentiment has been improving dramatically since Q4, 2020 for various reasons, Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. (TSX-V: LIT, FSE: OAY1, OTC: PNXLF) is looking to restart their activities again, after a long period of inactivity due to low lithium product prices.

1. Introduction

Despite COVID-19 gearing up for a second wave, Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLL) (OTCQX: STLHF) (FRA: S5L) continues to raise money in very significant quantities for a typical lithium developer. I continue to be impressed by CEO Robert Mintak, who raised C$34.5M in December of last year, after completing a heavily oversubscribed C$12.1M round in February of that same year.

After Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLL) (OTCQX: STLHF) (FRA: S5L) managed to close an almost two times oversubscribed C$12.1M capital raise on February 21, 2020, the company is financed at least into the “Proof of Concept” completion of the demonstration plant, and the subsequent consummation of the formal Joint Venture with LANXESS.

After Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLL) (OTCQX: STLHF) (FRA: S5L) managed to arrange a C$5M (US$3.75M) convertible loan and guarantee agreement with Lanxess on October 30, 2019, management hasn’t been sitting on its hands. On February 26, 2020, the company announced that an ongoing capital raise, intended to raise C$6M, was closed at no less then C$12.1M.

It seems more and more likely that Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLL) (OTCQX: STLHF) (FRA: S5L) is displaying a serious commitment of giant JV partner Lanxess these days, with construction of the demonstration plant advancing rapidly along the way. Standard managed to arrange a C$5M (US$3.75M) convertible loan and guarantee agreement with Lanxess on October 30, 2019, and has already been paid out to Standard.

1. Introduction

Usually, when I hear about companies pursuing new recovery methods necessary to make uneconomic specialty metals projects economic, I’m very sceptic about their chances of success. The simple reason for this is that developing such methods are very capital intensive, and very difficult to scale up from bench scale (laboratorium scale) to commercial scale pilot plants.

1. Introduction

After closing an oversubscribed private placement of C$2.01M @C$0.22, Cypress Development (TSXV: CYP; OTC: CYDVF; FRA: C1Z1) is sufficiently cashed up to proceed towards a Pre Feasibility Study (PFS) on their Clayton Valley Lithium project in Nevada, which is scheduled for Q1 2019.

Wastewater treatment facility, Alberta (Source: Proactive Investors)

1. Introduction

The last time I wrote about MGX Minerals (XMG.CSE) I described it as a rare breed of junior, and this company definitely seems to do everything to increasingly set itself apart from usual paradigms.