Posted on 05/13/2021 7:01:07 PM PDT by nickcarraway
In just one year, the world’s largest lithium producers turned from cautiously optimistic about prices and very careful about expansion projects to decisively bullish on near, medium, and long-term demand for the key battery metal.
The pandemic prompted many governments to commit to greener recovery and to raising significantly the share of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs), stoking demand for critical minerals this year. Lithium, alongside copper, has seen prices rising since automakers started pledging all-EV lineups and exponential growth in their electric car offerings.
Rising immediate demand for lithium and expectations of surging demand in the longer term have increased sales of the top lithium producers, which are now much more bullish on lithium prices and demand, both for the short term and the long run.
Amid the most bullish expectations about the lithium market in years, analysts warn that even the increased project pipeline may not be sufficient to meet the booming demand for lithium—a critical battery metal—in the energy transition. Experts and forecasters also warn that rising raw material prices in the current commodity bull run could actually slow down the energy transition because it could slow the decline in battery costs. Lower battery costs would be critical to EVs reaching price parity with conventional vehicles and allowing for more energy storage deployment to support the rising share of renewables in the electricity generation mix.
Top Lithium Producers Expect Boom In Demand
“Companies across the lithium-ion supply chain are in the best position they’ve been in for the last 5 years,” Pedro Palandrani of the Global X Lithium & Battery Technology ETF, told Reuters.
Case in point: the biggest lithium producer in the world, Albemarle Corporation, said last week that its first-quarter lithium sales rose as some customers accelerated orders under long-term agreements
(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...
Of course. Lithium, rare earth metals. Can we purge the government yet? Where are the Maccabees?
Hey Jennifer Granholm. If you drive an ICE car, then lithium shortages "would not be affecting you, clearly."
*ugly smirk*
Nobody, and I mean NO BODY saw that one coming!
Chile and Australia have the largest reserves but can they supply the whole world, especially if EV’s were to replace gasoline cars ?
A very cunning plan. Deplete the world lithium supply with “green vehicles” depriving schizos of their meds, causing them to vote Democrat to produce even more “green vehicles.”
That’s nothing compared to the environment and cash costs of mining bitcoins. 😲 WTH?
Lithium is far from being rare earth. It’s very abundant. It wasn’t used for much until now, but there are vast reserves in many countries including here.
There will be plenty of Lithium, when the world’s population is half a billion and the economy is primitive agriculture.
I can testify that the mining of a bitcoin is a total waste of energy. Big time.
Used to do it when it provided much more income that the electric bill was. Now, I would earn about $1 for every $10 I spend in electric. Not $10 into $11. It’s spend $10 and get back $1.
Lithium is also 80% recyclable.
Thanks, I never knew, always thought it was considered rare earth. Again thanks.
I hear the country of Nirvana has plenty of it.
What publicly traded companies are lithium producers. If you know their symbols please list them
“Lithium is also 80% recyclable”
Yeah, if you can divert it from the waste sream, and keep it from going to landfills one deed battery at a time.
But but my utopia of renewable energy!
There’s a lot of identified mines that can come online fairly quickly if they get the right price signal. Chile comes to mind.
So, some states will ban new ICE vehicles in 2030, and there will be only very expensive electric cars for sale then.
Sounds like a plan.
Because it is, in fact, a plan.
“Used to do it when it provided much more income that the electric bill was. Now, I would earn about $1 for every $10 I spend in electric. Not $10 into $11. It’s spend $10 and get back $1.”
Not sure if it’s feasible even if you own a hydroelectric plant.
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