Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry; excavating it poses a challenge

The Maine Monitor ^

[ameribbean expat]

NEWRY — The richest known hard rock lithium deposit in the world lies a few miles northeast of the ski slopes of Sunday River and not far from Step Falls, where swimmers can wade in shallow pools formed by hundreds of feet of cascading granite ledge.

Smaller deposits have been known in Maine for decades, but this recent discovery, just north of Plumbago Mountain in Newry, is the first to have a major resource potential.

[PIF]

Lithium ore is worth only ~ $135 a ton?
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$28.557 kg as of 10/24

[butlerweave]

The Democrats can’t allow their Chinese Communist Party Buddies to lose money

[PIF]

If “$1.5 billion” is “staggering”, then what is $3.5 trillion?

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Free

[Lazamataz]

A little quick research shows that rare earth elements are not rare at all. They are abundant everywhere. While China presently is the producer of 97% of the worlds rare earth elements, it would be trivial for any other country to ramp up their production.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

A different list puts China 6th, behind all the countries mentioned in your link, but with Bolivia as No.1, which I had always understood, and the US No. 5.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/six-largest-lithium-reserves-world/

[pjoseph]

Yes this will provide endless entertainment as the same people pushing electric cars, are the same eco wacos who will try to stop this. Im sure they would prefer us to get all our batteries from china.

[shotgun]

I see an endangered snail or other such creature in their future.

[ifinnegan]

Thanks.

Why is the number of $1.5B for 11M tons of ore so different?

[dirtboy]

Once China gets their grubby mitts on Afghani lithium ore deposits, that will change.

[AZJeep]

Nope,
Some lawyer will find some native tribe burial ground or some endangered slug. Fifty years of lawsuits will follow.

[DannyTN]

While that may be true, there are non-trivial environmental issues with rare earth mining.

I still believe we can mine our own in an environmentally friendly way. But developing that and proving it and combating the envirowhackos is a challenge in the US.

[Noumenon]

They may have to buy more Hunter paintings, though.

Not to mention more coke and underage Chinese hookers.

[Gay State Conservative]

Great....I’ve been feeling kinda low recently.

[PIF]

Why is the number of $1.5B for 11M tons of ore so different?

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Not a clue ... maybe the author of the piece had none either and pulled it out of his rump.

[wny]

In 20 years the mine may open….

[Vermont Lt]

I doubt that the people of Maine are going to let this be mined.

[LegendHasIt]

There is a huge difference between lithium ore, lithium carbonate and lithium metal.

Lithium ‘ore’ could contain only 0.005% of actual lithium metal per ton, and all the rest useless gangue rock, or perhaps some useful industrial minerals, or even gemstones (Aquamarine, other gem beryls and gem tourmaline have been found around Newry, in the pegmatite deposits that also have lithium minerals.)

And then it takes over five pounds of lithium carbonate concentrate to make a pound of lithium.

[DennisR]

Or, as Congress says, “Chump change.” /s

[DoughtyOne]

Oh I’m sure the environmentalists will tie it up in red tape
for thirty years.

[Eagles6]

"where swimmers can wade in shallow pools formed by hundreds of feet of cascading granite ledge."

Huh?🤪🤔