Market
The US National Security Problem: US Currently Controls Only 1% of Lithium Production
10X More Lithium Required:
The rising demand for Electric Vehicles (EV) and grid storage in the United States is leading to a significant increase in the need for lithium, with projections indicating that up to 10 times the current amount will be necessary by 2035. To meet this surge, over 75 new lithium mines would be required within the next twelve years.
Each new mine:
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LAND: Destroys 2500 acres
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WATER: Consumes 10 billion gallons
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CO2: Produces 250,000 tons
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TIME: Takes up to 2 years to evaporate
LITHIUM MARKET DEFICIT
The gap between operating mines and demand in 2030 will be 2 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent.
EV’s and battery storage account for 50% mineral demand growth in clean technologies over the next 2 decades.
The Sustainable Development Scenario (“SDS”), where current Net Zero goals are met necessitates a substantial supply side requirement for lithium.
The demand growth rate for Lithium increases by over 40 times to meet the SDS.
The Water & Environment Problem
“The production of lithium through evaporation ponds uses a lot of water - around 21 million litres per day. Approximately 2.2 million litres of water is needed to produce one ton of lithium.” – Euronews
A typical lithium brine production facility can produce 45,000 tons of lithium per year
The Human Problem
Working Conditions at a Lithium Brine Evaporation Pond
