The Global Lithium Podcast

A double episode for Super Bowl weekend.  Part One is with Standard Lithium's Dr Andy Robinson and Will Smith. Andy is COO. Will is Engineering Manager. We discuss the Standard Lithium project with partner Lanxess in El Dorado, Arkansas. Part Two features Andrew Miller the COO of Benchmark Mineral intelligence. We discuss lithium price, supply and demand and several other topics.

Simon Hay is the CEO of Leo Lithium and the former CEO of Galaxy Resources. Leo Lithium has a 50/50 JV with Ganfeng Lithium to develop the Goulamina Project in Mali.  Topics include: Africa's history in lithium Project details: resource/reserves, grade, flowsheet, utilities, etc Timing of stage 1 and stage 2 The Team Challenges Benefits of having Ganfeng as a partner Offtake Price formula The lithium market - what is "different this time"

My guests are Co-CEOs Ana Cabral-Gardner and Calvyn Gardner A lively discussion that was originally 72 minutes edited down to 47 minutes. Topics: Construction update and challenges Ramping up Covid and other obstacles  Sustainability BlackRock’s Investment ESG Investing Social License Battery Quality spodumene – reality or myth? Partners that matter Lifting up the local community Lithium: “The Limiting Factor” to EV Growth? How long is the “short term”? Twitter @SigmaLithium

My guest is Henrique Ribeiro of S&P Global Platts, a leader in providing price information, industry market insights and analytics. In addition to his work in lithium/battery metals price information and analysis, Henrique is also a host on the Platts Future Energy Podcast. In this episode, we discuss Platts role in providing information about lithium and other battery metals. We cover their methodology for making price assessments and how they factor in lithium product specifications. We discuss the significance of the “spot” price and why it can vary so significantly from contract price and information found in import/export statistics. I ask about quality control in the Platts process and how they deal with contacts that may try to “massage” the information they provide. I ask Henrique for his thoughts on the lithium supply and demand imbalance and when price may “soften”. We discuss the questions Henrique is most often asked by various industry stakeholders. Platts does not forecast lithium prices. We will discuss the logic behind that practice. In a world of many different prices for the same lithium grade, you will learn the value of the spot price as an indicator. We close with a slow rapid fire. Find out more at: spglobal.com

My guest is Daniel Jimenez ex SQM and currently running his own advisory firm, iLi Markets (ilimarkets.com). Recorded less than two weeks before the Chilean Presidential election runoff - described as the most divisive in the country's history. We discuss potential impacts of the election on the lithium industry depending on whether the winner is from the right or the left. At minute 14, we begin a discussion of the Atacama & the current & future production of both SQM & Albemarle from the world's premier brine asset. We we also review the reasons for SQM lagging the pricing results of most competitors. Spoiler alert – we both expect that situation to change. We also ponder Albemarle’s long & winding road in ramping up production from expansions in Chile. We move on to a discussion of global supply & demand. Daniel’s 2021 & 2022 total demand numbers are higher than mine but not drastically so. Daniel provides his thoughts on the potential for new lithium projects in Chile as well as DLE before moving on to the potential & challenges for the EU & North America to supply a significant percentage of their future lithium demand. We cover the recent rise of Chinese investment in South American lithium projects. Will recycling contribute significantly to lithium supply before 2030? Solid state batteries & the potential impact on what lithium raw material requirements. Rapid fire. Daniel can be found on Twitter @D_Jimenez_Sch

Dr. Yuan Gao has been a significant player in the lithium ion battery space for a quarter of a century. From his early days at FMC Lithium working in battery R&D to his time with Molycorp in rare earth materials followed by a five-year tenure as CEO of Chinese cathode producer Pulead and most recently as a member of Lithium Americas Board of Directors and as a sought after advisor. Few have the breadth of experience Yuan has. Dr. Gao holds twenty-one patents. In this episode we discuss the cathode market in detail from LFP to High Nickel products. We also review the challenges in producing LMFP and “Cobalt Free” High Nickel. We discuss the regionalization of battery supply chains and why it will be difficult for North America and Europe to play “catch up” with Asia. We move on to the future of solid state batteries and the challenges faced by the recycling industry. We ponder when recycling industry will transition from processing the scrap of new gigafactories to being part of a truly circular lithium ion battery ecosystem. As always, we close with rapid fire.

Tom Benson is the lead geologist at Lithium Americas Topics: What makes a viable lithium resource? Project time lines The world's top resources - #1 may surprise you Thacker Pass Projects, protests, and politics Being a good neighbor Sustainability Tom Benson’s version of the “Golden Rule” Great resources vs great projects Straight talk about sulfur Developing talent The “Lithium Lab” Environmental “imperialism” The battle for hearts and minds Rapid fire Tom can be found on Twitter @thomasrbenson

Dan Blondal, CEO & Alex Holmes, COO Topics: · M2CAM (metal to cathode active material) technology benefits · Latest developments in LFP cathode · Nano One’s LFP strategy outside China · Avoiding the “precursor problem” · The evolution of EV battery technology · Working with OEMs and mining companies · The future of battery supply chains in North America & Europe · Nano One’s differentiating technology · The cathode industry’s waste problem · Recycling and the “dirty little secret” of gigafactories · Partnerships with governments and industry · Nickel and manganese plays for Nano · Building the team · Battery geopolitics · Making improvements on the Asia battery model · New school supply chains · Rapid Fire Nano One on Twitter: @NanoOne_NANO

My brief remarks on the status of the lithium market followed by Q&A at the Panorama Minero "Lithium South America" event in Buenos Aires on September 29th, 2021. The Q&A begins at 12 minutes. The questions come from a variety of influential people in the world of lithium in South America. Below of is a list of the questions and the people asking them: 1- Daniel Jiménez, iLi Markets Your opinion on projects that plan to use DLE, not just in Argentina but also the US & Europe. 2- Miguel Soler: Secretaria de Minería e Hydrocarbons’ de Jujuy Based on your knowledge and the history of technology evolution during the 20th and present centuryy. How long you believe technologies demanding Lithium will stay with us? before they are replaced by others like Hydrogen and/or new developments ? 3- Flavia Royón, Secretaria de Minería y Energía de Salta What are the biggest threats you see, associated to the lithium industry development in LatAm in light of: the market dynamics, geopolitics, process technologies and the availability of other critical energy metals? 4- Teresita Regalado, Secretaria de Desarrollo Minero de Catamarca Thoughts on how to optimize Argentina's opportunity regarding the Lithium supply, taking into account its geographical location with respect to other sources of raw material located close(r) to where the highest industrial consumption is ? 5- José de Castro, COO de Integra Lithium Why, despite the fact CAPEX, OPEX, Water Footprint and Carbon Footprint are usually higher in most DLE processes than those in conventional evaporation, so many companies have been generating promises on “green and sustainable” processes, contrary to current productions and generating a bad feeling effect in public opinion? 6- Carlos Galli, Consultor/Especialista We discussed last year about the involvement of OEM (auto makers) in lithium production. Do you see any changes in their approach to try to secure lithium supply? What are your thoughts about this? 7- Alejandra Cardona, de la Cámara Minera de Salta y Mint Intelligence In the global context, the generation of clean energies is promoted as strategies to fight clámate change. Talingo care of the environment means more mining is needed. How did this impact lithium & other E-mobility related minerals supply projections on a global scale and how does Argentina position itself in this scenario? 8- Alejandro Colombo, Director Periodístico de Panorama Minero Are you expecting a bigger move from overseas Chinese companies through M&As? What response is expected from the United States and Europe to ensure a sustainable supply chain in the coming years? 9- Ignacio Celorrio, Presidente para Latinoamerica - Lithium Americas En: Which sources of financing for Li Projects will emerge, in addition to the current ones ? Also, which countries you believe have the biggest potential to take new projects into production ? 10- Asistente al seminario - Event attendee There is not much talk about Lithium Chloride and solid state batteries use lithium metal. What is the projection of possible Lithium Chloride producers?

The live portion of this 20 minute episode was recorded in the iconic London pub "The Dove" with Benchmark's Simon Moores, his buddy Shay, Standard Lithium CEO Robert Mintak and Standard's Chairman Robert Cross. Initially the meeting was just supposed to be lunch with Simon. When the party grew to five, it seemed like a great opportunity to pull out my IPhone and record an impromptu podcast. The "live" portion is more about people coming out of lockdown and returning to international travel than lithium. I also talk about others I met on my first international trip since March 2020. I was also fortunate to catch up with the management of Livista Energy and the CEO of Fastmarkets and some other companies I am not a liberty to discuss - yet. Shout-outs to Panorama Minero who host a favorite event of mine in Argentina, the good citizens of El Dorado, Arkansas and two locals specifically - you have to listen to find out the reason. Finally, you will hear about plans to get Simon a bit of "southern cultural training" when he travels to Arkansas.