The Synergy between Natural Gas and Electric Cars!

Natural gas is too "unstable" to use on our roads and highways where millions of cars and trucks are subject to the millions of traffic accidents. From a safety perspective alone, natural gas vehicles should not and cannot be allowed on our roads. There are simply too many uncontrollable variables.

Natural gas can however, power the transportation of the future as feed stock for electrical power generation. Because natural gas is so abundant, it only makes commons sense that electric power plants will use more and more natural gas as their feed stock over time. As this abundant source of power generation comes on stream, look to invest in the companies that stand to benefit from this game changer.

Duke Energy (DUK), Progress Energy (PREX.PK) and others are all good bets as is laid out by theStreet.com (See their top ten list for 2012) Electric power storage is also a great place to take a long term view. There companies in that space looking for fuel cell solutions (large fuel cell stacks that can burn nat gas) Ballard Power (BLDP), Plug Power (PLUG), and Hydrogenics (HYGS) are all pursuing such a solution. However, it is the feed stock of the future electric car that interests me most, and that is Lithium.

As Lithium becomes more and more the "go to" source for new battery technologies, from your iphone and laptop, to golf carts, electric motor cycles, cars and large storage facilities, look to the miners who produce, or will produce, lithium carbonate from two different sources, hard rock (pegmatite) and lithium brines or clays. Let me explain.

The largest supplier of Lithium today is Sociedad Qumica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) which produces Lithium as a byproduct of its massive Potash operations. As with other large miners, SQM sells it's lithium on a spot market (there is currently no futures market for lithium, however this could change in the coming years)

Now electric battery manufacturers and car makers require a steady stream of lithium carbonate for their manufacturing processes so as not to interrupt production. To date, suppliers such as SQM, FMC et al have refused to sign contracts to supply a continuous, uninterrupted supply of product to manufacturers. This is mainly because, even though brine production is the most economical way to produce lithium, it is more sporadic than spodomen production, due to the natural drying out process supplied by the sun, that makes it more economical in the first place.
Australian producer Talison Lithium (TLTHF.PK) (TLH-T) is the largest, pure lithium producer on the planet, and its spodomen production from its Greenbushes operation in Western Australia, is the richest hard rock deposit on the planet. Talison supplies over 300 customers with product and is the largest supplier to the growing Chinese market, due to its ability for continuous production and its proximity China. Talison also boasts a very large brine deposit in South America due to its purchase of Salares Lithium in 2010. In 2012 Talison reports a 25% increase in the price of lithium this year alone (2012).
(click to enlarge)
FMC Corporation (FMC) is another large producer based in South America, with brine production as a byproduct of other operations such as potash. As with SQM, lithium is only a part of its total operations and as potash becomes more important as agriculture attempts to feed a hungry world, its share price looks attractive as well.

As the lithium market grows, you should not ignore the juniors who have popped up over the past five years to take advantage of large deposits which may at some point, be quite productive or gain the notice of larger producers as consolidation takes place, as it so often does in young, growing markets.

In this space I like both Western Lithium (WLCDF.PK)(WLC-T) for its large, Kings Valley clay deposit in mining friendly Nevada and Rodinia Lithium (RDNAF.PK) (RM-T) as it owns three of the top 20 lithium brine deposits on the planet. If there is a future consolidation in the industry, these two should be tops on the majors lists.

In the "Battery" tech area I like A123 Systems (AONE). At only .50c per share this high tech battery maker has been hammered this year, well below where I think it should trade. At .50c per share, it is one of the best speculative penny stocks out there.

The above chart shows some of the other companies working in this field and as you can see from the chart, Lithium is a common denominator in battery development.

UPDATE: Aug 24th 2012
Rockwood Holdings (ROC) made an offer for Talison Lithium of $724 Million driving Talison shares up by 53% since yesterdayès close. We have cashed out our position in Talison with 110% gain.  Looking for an entry point into ROC now as it strengthens itès already substantial position as a world leader in the production of Lithium!

Editor

Related articles

• A Commodity that Packs a Charge.
• Lithium in high demand for tablet, car batteries
• Talison Lithium Announces Record Sales Volume and Price for Fiscal 2012 Year
• Galaxy notes lithium carbonate prices in China rose 17% over last 12 months
• Boston-Power Signs Deal with Beijing Electric Vehicle
• Rodinia Lithium Completes Production Well and Drill Program at Diablillos

Talison Lithium to Present at the Merriman Capital Investor Summit 2012

Perth, Western Australia, January 25, 2012 – Talison Lithium Limited (“Talison” or the “Company”) (TSX: TLH | US: TLTHF ) announced todaythat, Frank Wheatley, Executive Director Corporate Affairs and Strategy will be presenting at the Merriman Capital Investor Summit 2012. The conference will be held in New York City on February 1, 2012.

The Merriman Capital Investor Summit 2012 is dedicated to fast-growing companies in industry sectors such as clean-tech and clean energy, biotechnology, and resources including critical metals and rare earths. The conference features corporate presentations and individual meetings.

The presentation will be webcast, and a link to the webcast will be available on Talison’s website at www.talisonlithium.com.

For more information about the conference or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Wheatley, please contact Talison’s investor relations representative listed below.

About Talison

Talison is a leading global producer of lithium. Talison mines and processes the lithium bearing mineral spodumene at the Greenbushes Lithium Operations in Western Australia. In addition, Talison explores for lithium at the Salares 7 lithium project made up of seven salars (brine lakes and surrounding concessions) located in Region III, Chile. Talison has an extensive, well established global customer network and a leading position in the growing Chinese market.

To view the entire press release please visit:
Talison Lithium Ltd. Press Release


Editors note:
Talison Lithium is the largest pure lithium producer in the worlde today, supplying over 300 customers, mostly in China, with Lithium.  This year (2012) Talison negotiated a price increase for it's lithium production of 15%.

Related articles

• Talison Lithium Sales up 53% as company experiences strong demand, tightening supply for Lithium (retirefunds.blogspot.com)
• Talison Lithium and Sojitz Sign Memorandum of Understanding to market lithium carbonate in Japan. (retirefunds.blogspot.com)
• Top producer Talison Lithium Concludes First Sales Contracts for 2012 with 15% Price Increase (retirefunds.blogspot.com)

Update: Talison Lithium reports positive outlook for lithium price increases, and production.

Talison Lithium - TSX-TLH

Earlier this week, I contacted Talison Lithium to ask about any recent events that might move the stock price. I wanted to know if their were any price increases in the offing for their product, any new customers over and above the 300 current customers (mostly in China) which have sustained their operations at Greenbushes Australia and how they were developing their Salares 7 brine project in South America.

Here is the reply from Talison investor relations:

Talison continues to produce and sell lithium concentrate at its maximum capacity. For the 2011 financial year (results of which were announced about 2 weeks ago) production and sales volumes increased 30% and 32% respectively year over year, and Talison generated revenue of A$109 million and EBITDA of A$24 million, increases of 29% and 35% compared to the previous year.

Talison has continued strong demand for all its lithium concentrates from customers around the world. And until completion of the expansion of the Greenbushes Lithium Operations (expected in second calendar quarter 2012) the Company expects production and sales volumes to be capacity constrained.  Construction of the expansion is continuing on schedule and remains on time and on budget.

In the current quarter, Talison has secured price increases for two shipments and believes this, together with recent price increases from other lithium producers, are reflective of a tightening in global lithium supply. The tightening in global supply is expected to enhance Talison’s sales prices in the 2012 calendar year.

  Talison acquired the Salares 7 Project about a year ago, and the first drilling program was completed earlier in 2011 with highly encouraging results. Since then (during the winter in Chile) Talison has been planning the next stage of exploration which will commence in the next Chilean summer. Talison will invest approximately A$5 million in the programme including further drilling, process test work and collection of environmental data. Drilling will be focused on Salar de la Isla to define a potential lithium mineral resource estimate, as well as initial drilling at Salar de Aguilar and Salar Grande.

  Responding to growing global demand for an additional secure supply of lithium carbonate, particularly from electric vehicle battery manufacturers, Talison is also aggressively pursuing its proposed plant to convert lithium minerals into lithium carbonate. Preliminary engineering studies for the proposed plant have commenced with a target of commissioning in financial year 2015.

Happy Investing.
HP

Related articles

• Talison Lithium - Production up 32% - Price up 25% - reserves increased 157% - Sales up 32% - Operating costs down 12% and mine Life extended to 22 years ! (retirefunds.blogspot.com)
• Western Lithium shares rise on battery plan (retirefunds.blogspot.com)
• Rodinia Lithium Confirms Brine Grade and Quality at Diabillos lithium property (retirefunds.blogspot.com)

UPDATE!!!  OCTOBER 11TH
SINCE THIS POST, TALISON IS UP 88% IN 5 DAYS!!!

Peak Oil was reached in 2006 according to the IEA

Image via WikipediaPeak oil! We've debated that term since the 1970's oil shocks. Back then some experts were predicting peak oil by the turn of the 21st century. Some said 2010, others as far out as 2030.  However, according to the IEA, we passed the date for peak oil almost 5 years ago, in 2006. According to other distinguished scientists, who peer reviewed the IEA data, in Stockhold Sweden, even the IEA data is somewhat skewed toward the positive, indicating a dirth of oil is already upon us, and forshadowing prices that will make 2011 look like the good old days of cheap oil.

Review the video for yourself and make your own conclusions!


Then, invest accordingly.

Solid oil plays in the medium to long term.( We like Suncor SU and Cenovus CVE)

Alternatives like wind, solar, nuclear, fuel cells (we like Ballard BLD)

And lithium, (we like Talison TLH, Rodinia RM and TNRGold TNR)  in the long term!

Here's the video.

Related articles

• From Protesting Chinese Truckers to Cash-Strapped US Voters, Not Mentioning Peak Oil Helps No One (treehugger.com)
• Record gas prices blamed on peak oil (cbc.ca)
• Capitalist Dis/Orders: Erik Lindberg on Peak Oil (english820.wordpress.com)
• Lawrence Berkeley National Labs forecasts peak energy use in China within 20 years because of saturation (nextbigfuture.com)
• IEA reports that world oil supply rose to an alltime high of 89 million barrels per day in February 2011 (nextbigfuture.com)

Learn more about green stocks at GreenChipStocks.com

6 reasons why you should consider Rodinia Lithium for your value portfolio.

In November I discussed Rodinia Lithium and my belief that it is the next prize in the second leg of the lithium boom. Today I was re-checking the stats on this dynamic penny stock and something jumped out at me that I had not seen in some time. That is, in the insider trading reports supplied by TD Ameritrade, every single inside trade since June 2010 is a "buy"!  There are "NO" sell trades.

In other words, the people who actually know what is occuring in the company, on a day to day basis, and those overseeing the company's development, are all so poositive about their prospects, that they have only bought more of the stock, and not sold "any" of their holdings. This information alone, tells us something valuable is going on at Rodinia.

It is the commodity of the 21st century - Lithium!

Image via Wikipedia

All indications are that, by 2020, the production of electric cars and hybrids will outpace the production of gasoline powered cars.  Certainly, that is the case in China and India who are expected to "double" their auto production in the next year or two.  Europe is also a leader in this race.

America will trail this world changing development.  It will eventually be brought into the lithium economy kicking and screaming, but resigned to what the rest of the world is already doing.

Rather than placing bets on which of the hundreds of labs around the world will develop the best battery, best technology or the most stable catalyst in its uses, I have been placing my money on the producers of lithium, specifically, the small and mid tier group that for the past two years have staked the best lithium properties around the world.

Lithium investors will prosper in 2011 as EV and energy storage market heats up!

Lithium is one of the most dynamic, useful, and least understood metals. "Metal" as most people know the word, may be a bit of a misconception to investors as this metal, the lightest in the periodic table, can literally be cut with a knife!

Thousands of labs all over the world are working with and studying the properties of lithium at this writing, and the discoveries are lifting this element into a category all its own.  On Jan 11th the folks at Argone National Labratory released parts of their study into this wonderous element, and their findings will most likely increase the value of lithium for a number of uses, not the least of which is in the electric vehicle market. See: Lithium surprises!

Here is a brief description of lithium, from Webelements.com 

Talison Lithium has a big ace in the hole, in the race for Lithium supremacy!

Talison Lithium (TSE-TLH) has been in the business for 25 years.  It supplies about 75% of the Chinese import market in lithium from its Greenbushes mining operation in Western Australia, and has 300 customers worldwide. Talison plans a 100% expansion of those resources in 2011, and the recent 110% run-up in its share price reflects these facts.

However it is Talisons resource in Chile which will propel it to the top of the lithium world, and solidify its position as the largest, pure lithium player on the planet.

TNR Gold Corp, has many irons in the fire, and many reasons for us to like its stock in 2011!

While Sarah Palin busies herself with TV shows about Alaska, Junior gold miners are staking claims from Alaska to the Yukon as Gold prices head toward $1500 per oz and beyond.

Here we highlight one such stock, TNR Gold Corp.

Rodinia Lithium looks like the next prize in this second leg of the lithium boom!

(Rodinias Clayton Valley Property)

 For the past two months Ive been telling you about Rodnina Lithium and its premium properties in Clayton Valley Nevada and Salta, Argentina. Just like Salares Lithium before, we made Rodinia our conviction stock pick in this (the second leg of the lithium bull)  market.

Rodinia has excellent properties and is one of the largest holdings in the lithium space which was (up until today) untouched by any big players.  Now,Hong Kongs Shanshan Resources Co., one of the leading, lithium-ion battery material providers in China, has bought in.

Lithium Production and Resources-Possible Short Term Oversupply

Editors note: This article is re printed with the kind permission of the author, one of the foremost experts on Lithium production in the world today!


By R. Keith Evans
 
The lithium market has two major segments - one for mineral concentrates with a low enough iron content to be suitable for direct use in glasses, glass ceramics, ceramics, enamels and glazes.  The second is for chemicals, metals and metal derivatives.

Lithium producers prospering as price, and demand, increases globally.

General Electric is buying 25,000 electric vehicles, from a number of providers, including approx 12,000  Chevrolet Volts from GM.

General Electric wants to own a large chunk of the battery charging market, which is expected to grow expotentially, as the EV and the hybrid electric vehicle, becomes more ubiquitous over the next few years.

How and where to invest in this "second leg" of the Lithium boom!

“One of my top priorities next year is to have an energy policy that begins to address all facets of our over-reliance on fossil fuels,”

Barrack Obama

October 2010:
Goldman Sachs discloses 12.78% ownership of Talison Lithium

Update: Oct 18th:
Our Lithium investments are up 167% in the past 6 weeks!!!


There are four lithium companies currently producing lithium on the world market that can be labelled, essentially, the BIG FOUR.  They are:

Lithium demand will increase four fold by 2017

In these pages, I have written a number of articles about the coming lithium boom, the electric vehicle battery market, and the companies who are either mining lithium at present, or are rushing to become new producers of what has become known as the Èlectric Metal.  In point of fact, lithium is becoming one of the few truly bull markets for savvy investors today.

Talison Lithium Ltd, the largest, pure lithium company in the world, will go public Sept 23rd, on the Toronto Stock Exchange!

Right: One of the two operational lithium plants in Greenbushes Australia belonging to Talison Lithium Ltd.  which have been operating for 25 years and currently supply 300 companies with lithium and lithium carbonate. Talison, up to this month a privately owned company, supplies approx 66% of Chinas imports of lithium.
 

Talison Lithium, the largest pure lithium producer in the world, is going public!

 In June I wrote about how the market for the electric metal (Lithium) was heating up and I highlighted five  junior lithium miners that stand to benefit from the coming "second leg" of the lithium Bull Market (Fall 2010)

Then in early July I told you about Salares Lithium and its Salares 7 project in the Atacama Desert of Chile, how vast their new holdings were, and how they might be a takeover target as this bull begins its second leg. It was my thought at the time that, because of an overstake of the Salares property by SQM (the largest brine producer in Chile) I believed that SQM might make some sort of offer for Salares.

However, within days of that article in which I made Salares my conviction stock pick, Talison Lithium, a private company from Australia, swooped in on Salares and a merger was announced combining the raw holdings of the Salares 7 project in Chile with the Two producing plants that Talison operates in Australia to mostly supply the burgeoning Chinese market with Lithium. Talison is the largest supplier of the commodity to China at this writing, supplying 66% of Chinese demand.

On Sept 17th, that merger should be completed and the stock of a new company (TalisonLithium Ltd is going public) will launch on the TSE. This will be the largest, pure lithium company in the world and thus the new lithium ETFs will have no choice but to place it near the top of their basket of stocks in the lithium sector.

Salares shareholders (as of the merger announcement) will benefit to the tune of approx 98.2% as their shares will increase from the .62 at time trading was stopped, to approx $1.25 when the new company begins trading on the TSE in Sept. (2.81 shares of Salares for each share of the new entity, striking price between $3.50 and $4 returns over 1.25 to Salares Share holders).
However, this writer will be holding on to his shares of the public version of Talison Lithium, as it will have to be listed in the new Global X ETF recently announced on the NYSE and Lithium indexes which are popping up on the radar screens this year.  Lets face it, in any market, indexes and ETFs cannot afford to ignore the world leader, and in this case, it will be the worlds largest pure lithium play.
Talison operates two producing lithium plants at their Greenbushes operation in Australia. It  has 25 years of production under its belt, supplies 300 companies with lithium and lithium carbonate, including many in China where it is the largest offshore supplier into that market. In its latest announcement of the merger with Salares, Talison management advise they are on track to ramp up production by 100% by 2011 and have many more potential customers knocking on the door at this writing.
That 100% increase does not even include the Salares 7 project in Chile which it acquires from Salares Lithium but it appears there are big plans for that area as well.

Yes, I doubled my money on this trade, but I believe it will double again well before Christmas, and double again before spring.  Maybe sometime in 2012 I might think about selling this stock, then again, when you are on a rocket ship, it is a bit hard to jump off.
Here's to your retirefund.
HP
Electric Metals Market heating up 
Boon Pickens Believes in Batteries
Obama biggest battery booster!

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Salares and Talison Lithium finalize merger arrangement!

NEWS RELEASE
VANCOUVER, August 13, 2010 – Salares Lithium Inc. (TSXV: LIT) (“Salares”) and Talison Lithium Limited (“Talison”) are pleased to announce the completion of due diligence and execution of a definitive Arrangement Agreement (“Agreement”) for the merger of their respective lithium assets. For details of the proposed merger please see the joint news releases dated August 9, 2010 and July 15, 2010 which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The execution of the Agreement clears the way for Salares shareholders to vote on and
approve the merger at a special meeting of shareholders to be held on September 16, 2010.
The completion of the proposed merger is anticipated to be implemented by the end of
September, 2010, subject to the parties obtaining all necessary approvals and satisfaction of
other conditions.
A presentation of the transaction highlights can be accessed at the Salares and Talison
websites.

For further information please contact:
Investors
Todd Hilditch
President and CEO
Salares Lithium Inc.
Tel: (604) 443-3831
www.salareslithium.com
Peter Oliver
CEO
Talison Lithium Limited
Tel: +61 8 9263 5555
www.talisonlithium.com
Media
Kim O’Halloran
Vice President, Corporation Communication
FD
kim.ohalloran@fd.com
Tel: (312) 553-6733
Recent articles:  Salares shares will double on merger with Talison 
                         Conviction stock pick - Salares Lithium
                         Electric metals heat up - 5 stocks to consider.
                         

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Salares Lithium Corp - Conviction Stock pick!

The future is Lithium, and Salares is sitting on huge deposits! 

Chile: "The country’s salars are estimated to contain the largest reserves of lithium in the world" ....The United States Geological Survey

Salares Lithium Corp (LIT-TSX)

Location Atacama Desert, Region III, Chile

Highest producing lithium country in the world

Project Size 39,404 Hectares (Largest pure lithium package in peer group)

Mineralization Sample grades up to 1,080 parts per million (non NI43-101)

Lithium - Potassium sampled in all 7 Salares

Proximity - 5 Salares clustered within 155 km. (see location map) 100% owned by the company.

Deposit Type Continental brines. (Lithium is most easily and cheaply recovered from Continental brines than from any other source) Chilean brines account for 50% of the world's lithium production according to the United States Geological Survey

Area Success- Major mining companies in the area include Kinross, Barrick, BHP Billiton and Freeport McMoRan.as well as SQM, the largest lithium producer in the world.

Infrastructure Project location is easily accessible by road.

All services required for a major exploration and mining program are available in Copiapó which is a major mining centre.

Progress NI 43-101 Technical report (Complete) and exploration program initiated.

Advantages

• Located in the highest lithium producing country in the world
• Largest land package of any company in peer group
• 5 Salares clustered within 155 km
• Grades up to 1,080 ppm lithium
• Chile is one of the most mining friendly countries in the world
• Rising demand for lithium is expected from the increased use of laptops, mobile phones and hybrid/electric vehicles

"Salares Lithium (LIT-TSX) may be a takeover target of SQM, the largest lithium producer in the world, as SQM recently expressed a working interest in the Salars held by Salares Lithium".

LIT trading at .65 today. Three month Target price of $1.40 

UPDATE JULY 15TH!!!  SALARES OFFICIALS HAVE REQUESTED A TRADING HALT TO
LIT STOCK AS IT PREPARES AN IMPORTANT PRESS RELEASE!
We are awaiting the results of this information which we think will be very bullish for the stock!



Photos
Location

Update, July 15th 2010 - Salares Lithium swallowed by Talison of Australia, the largest supplier of lithium to China!!

Due to the above noted merger, if you took our advice on July 8th, you will book at least 98% profit!!  Your welcome!!

More Lithium Stocks to consider.

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Electric Metals market heating up as Electric Cars hit the road in 2010.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Mitsubishi contracts with Toshiba to supply Lithium Batteries and Toyota contracts Panasonic to supply lithium batteries as competitors jump into EV market!

As the Tesla, ForTwo, Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt launch this year, investors are quickly realizing that,  each one of these new vehicles runs on Lithium batteries. Each one uses approximately 8 pounds of lithium, now coming to be known as the "electric metal"!

The Lithium market is heating up as the tide goes out on oil, and 2010 is the year everyone will remember as the real start of the lithium boom. With the advent of the electric vehicle market, China believes lithium will be the oil of the 21st century. They are not alone in that assumption. The worlds largest supplier of lithium, SQM of Chile, has already seen it's stock price sky rocket over the past two years and is, at this writing, looking to expand it's already large holdings in the lithium salars of Chile. There is, however, a growing segment of this market that has a huge upside for savvy investors. The Junior miners.


Our Top five Junior Lithium Miners in order:


1 .Salares Lithium (LIT-TSX)  -Conviction stock pick

Owns over 117,000 hectares (288,990 acres in the Atacama region of Chile, encompassing 7 Salars (brine lakes) nearby SQM operations. The project is called Salares 7.  50% of the worlds current lithium production comes from this area of Chile with the largest producer being SQM.

This is one of the best, pure play Lithium ventures anywhere today with a depth of resource now measured at over 300 meters in a region that already produces 50% of the worlds current lithium supply and is nearby the largest lithium producer in the world.

Salares Lithium wholly owns 100% of 5 of those Salars, which is unique in the industry and very important in South American mining. Many others "share" deposits on the same properties (that would be the equivalent of two people placing two separate straws in the same soft drink).

Salares now has a giant Lithium footprint, as large as anyone on the planet (read the article: Size matters ) They also have a very focused management team and institutional investors are in on this play. At this writing Sociedad Quimica y Minera S.A. (NYSE-SQM), the worlds largest producer of lithium carbonate (the main ingredient in any lithium battery) has shown specific interest in the properties of Salares Lithium prompting Salares to upgrade their property to the development stage this month. We think this company is a likely takeover target.

Click here for analyst opinions on Salares Lithium!

(UPDATE--- July 15 2010 - Salares swallowed by Talison of Australia, the #1 supplier of lithium to China)

2. TNR Gold Corp (TNR-TSX)

We think TNR is the "sleeper" in this space and is currently flying under the radar of most investors.  TNR Owns 16 gold, copper, Lithium, and REE properties in Nevada, Canada, Argentina and Ireland.

More importantly, TNR "owns 100% of International Lithium Corp"which it will spin off next month in an IPO.

ILC owns 9 Lithium brine properties in Argentina, Nevada, and Canada, while TNR will retain it's gold, copper and rare earth deposits in Canada and Ireland as well as one Lithium play in Argentina. TNR may actually be the best "short term" play in the sector as it prepares the IPO for International Lithium Corp. as owners of TNR stock will automatically own stock and warrants in International Lithium when it is spun out next month. (one share and one warrant for every 4 shares of TNR) Thereby owning "both" companies after the IPO next month.

Institutional Holders of TNR stock include some serious players:   Barrick Gold, Pinetree Capital, Tocqueville Fund, Solitario, and NovaGold.

Research notes on TNR gold Corp. 

3. Western Lithium USA (WLC-TSX)

WLC owns over 50,000 acres of proven, lithium reserves in Nevada. One of the only pure lithium plays in the USA with proven reserves. This is one of the worlds largest, proven Lithium deposits at 47 million tons, mine ready, located in mining friendly Nevada with quick access to buyers in North America.

On May 31st Western Lithium changed it's name to Western Lithium USA to more reflect it's intention to supply Lithium to that market.WLC should be part of every investors lithium portfolio.


4. Rodina Lithium (RM-TSX)  (formerly Rodina Minerals)

Besides it's recent acquisitions of Diablillos, Centenario and Ratones in the Salars of Argentina on the Puna Plateau, RM owns a substantial lithium property in Clayton Valley Nevada  Rodinia has 100% mineral rights to 50,440 acres in Nevada’s lithium-rich Clayton Valley in Esmeralda County approx 80 mi. from where Western Lithium is working, and is currently in the process of assessing the size, quality and processing alternatives of its Lithium Brine Project. Early estimates put the valley’s lithium deposits as high as 700 million kg, ranking it second only in size to the deposits found in Chile.

Rodina Lithium-RM is one of the top Lithium picks of Byron Capital Markets analyst, Dr. Jon Hykawy who is, arguably, one of the foremost Lithium experts in the market today! RM is also a favorite of the gold report.(theaureport.com)

5. Latin American Minerals Inc. (LAT-TSX)  

Besides gold, copper and silver, LAT owns a 17.4% stake in Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC) which has a big stake in the Salars on the Argentina side. LAT also owns rare earth properties (REE's). Lithium Americas properties include over 100,000 Hectares encompassing 5 salars (salt lakes) on the Argentina side of the Puna Plateau.You can buy LAT now (currently .15 cents) to own 17.4% of Lithium Americas,  (which we have done), or you can buy Lithium Americas (LAC) at the IPO price of $1.80

Strategic Investors in Lithium Americas already include:

• Magna International Inc.
• Mitsubishi Corporation
• PineTree Capital corp.

Tesla (seen on the left) has already launched it's North American IPO.Nissan has "pre-sold" 20,000 of it's new, lithium-ion powered Nissan "leaf" which launches in December, at a unit cost of $25,000. GM is ramping up for the launch of the Chevrolet "Volt" (right) in early 2011.

Tidbits:

The journal, MIT Technology Review published advancement in lithium air
batteries (also called lithium-metal-air batteries) for large scale applications.
Lithium-metal batteries approach the energy density of fuel cells without the plumbing
needed for these devices; in theory, the maximum energy density is more than 5,000 watt hours
per kilogram, or more than 10 times that of today's lithium-ion batteries. Lithium
metal-air batteries are also very lightweight because it's not necessary to carry a second
reactant.  
Lithium metal is "the holy-grail battery material," says Steven Visco, chief
technical officer and founder of PolyPlus

 

Energy research company Frost and Sullivan, says the battery market is set to grow massively.
The lithium-ion battery market for electric and hybrid vehicles is, he says, conservatively-estimated to be set to grow from 2,400 units in 2008 to 1.53 million units by 2015. "The world's dependence on oil will decline and will be replaced by other fuels, such as lithium batteries."


President Barack Obama has said he wants a million hybrid electric cars on America's roads by 2015.  At a groundbreaking ceremony for a new lithium-ion battery plant on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden said such factories could reduce US dependence on foreign oil and prevent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
"This is the beginning of a revolution in the production of energy in the country,"said Biden.



Happy Retirefund!

HAP

Disclosure:  Accumulating Junior lithium stocks summer 2010.

• Demand for Lithium Is Poised to Take Off (nytimes.com)
• Our Journey Toward Public EV Quick-Charging Begins (wired.com)
• "Boston-Power Raises $60 Million, Seeks Stimulus Money In China" and related posts (techpulse360.com)
• Carbon Nanotube Electrodes Boost Power in Lithium Batteries, Study Says (cleantechies.com)
• Tesla Unveils Roadster 2.5 - a New Body and a Sexier Look (inhabitat.com)
• Tesla electric cars do 0-£1.3bn in a day with Elon Musk at the wheel (guardian.co.uk)
• Tesla Roadster - an Amazing Electric Sports Car! (athingforcars.com)
• Rodinia Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: RM) (OTCQX: RDNAF) Sets New Work Program to Further Test High-Grade Lithium-Potash Horizons at Salar de Diablillos (your-story.org)
• Running On Air (forbes.com)
• Lithium Battery Market 2010-2015 by Rick Mills -Aheadofthecurve

Will SQM swallow nearby junior to increase it's Lithium reserves?

Image by Argonne National Laboratory via Flickr

"The future of American motoring will be--at least in part--battery-powered. It's becoming increasingly clear that the lithium-ion pack is what will get us there. Almost every top-tier car maker has announced plans to use the technology"                Popular Mechanics

Sociedad Quimica y Minera S.A. (NYSE-SQM)

SQM is the largest producer of Lithium carbonate in the world today. It's operations are in the country of Chile and it's HQ is in Santiago, Chile.

The Lithium that SQM produces is really a by product of it's Potassium (Potash) production. However, as lithium gains more and more investor interest, and more to the point, more interest from auto manufacturers and wireless providers, SQM may be looking to expand this part of it's business.

Recently SQM over staked a claim on one of the Salars owned by Canadian Junior, Salares Lithium (LIT-V)

Salares responded by changing it's status from Exploration to Exploitation of the Salar (salt lake) in question.  Salares owns 7 Salars in the Atacama region of Chile not far from where SQM (and other majors) operate.

They own 5 of those Salars outright (they bought them instead of staking the claim, (thereby owning 100% of the resource). Their "Salares 7 project"  is arguably, one of the largest Lithium deposits in country, and although they are a junior (still trading under $1) their lithium foot print is very large.

Institutional investors have taken note (and positions) because of the tremendous interest in Lithium based battery technology for the wireless market, wind and solar markets, and in particular, for the Hybrid electric (PHEV) and pure Electric (EV) vehicle markets which are now the hot topic at every major auto manufacturer including Chev (volt) to Nissan (leaf) and BYD, Honda, Ford, Chrysler, Tesla, and others.

It is hard to tell exactly what SQM is up to. It may be that they did not know they were staking property belonging to LIT or, more likely, they did, and this is the first move by SQM to corner much of the future lithium market by soaking up a junior with a large lithium footprint of it's own.

No matter how you cut it, if SQM is that interested in property controlled by Salares Lithium, it may well be interested in acquiring LIT or some portion of it. Because of this new information, we bought more LIT today.

Disclosure: own Salares Lithium (LIT-V) currently trading at .60 per share.


 Happy investing!

See also:
Juniors sitting on huge lithium deposits.
Expert opinions

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