Latest news with #LithiumUniverse
West Australian
4 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Lithium Universe on spodumene hunt to feed Canadian lithium refinery
Lithium Universe is on the hunt for a minimum 10 years' worth of spodumene supply from local producers to feed its future Bécancour Canadian lithium refinery. The company expects to kick-start the conversion of the battery mineral into battery-grade lithium carbonate at the refinery in 2028. The company is targeting a non-binding agreement to source the large supply to appease financiers and help lock in its required project finance, having reached a final investment decision earlier this year for the project to begin kicking into gear. Initially it plans to source 56,000 tonnes of SC6-grade spodumene material, comprising 6 per cent lithium oxide, to fire up its conversion facility in 2028. That will increase to 98,000t in 2029 and reach the refinery's full capacity of 140,000t from 2030 onwards. Lithium Universe will seek the feedstock material preferably from local Canadian producers or near-term developers, otherwise it may look to procure its required supply from a producer within the North Atlantic region, including Brazil and Africa. Sourcing local material presents obvious logistical advantages, particularly significant savings in transport costs and potential tariffs imposed by the Canadian government on export material from countries including China. Lithium Universe says many producers see the benefits in dealing with a local converter. Savings of US$100 (A$155) per dry metric tonne of spodumene could equate to a reduction of about US$800/t in converted lithium carbonate product costs. Canada charges a 25 per cent import tariff on all Chinese lithium chemicals brought into the country, so local conversion of the battery mineral could represent significant savings to end-users. Under the company's recently revealed definitive feasibility study, it proposes pumping out an impressive 18,270t of battery-grade lithium carbonate when its processing operations have fully hit their stride by 2030. Production will support the expansion of Canada's electric vehicle and energy storage industries. Lithium Universe plans to purchase the spodumene feedstock from the market at benchmark prices and retain full ownership of lithium carbonate converted product. It intends to sell on the open market or directly to an original equipment manufacturer, which ideally it hopes to source as an investor into the project in exchange for an offtake supply of the battery ingredient. It is not looking to toll treat any spodumene material. Management says its mission is to close what it terms the 'lithium conversion gap', where an expected 20-plus major manufacturers plan to deploy 1000 gigawatts of battery capacity by 2028, with demand for 850,000t of converted lithium product. It anticipates only a potential 100,000t of lithium carbonate hard rock converters will be constructed by that timeframe. The Bécancour refinery will implement a smaller, off-the-shelf model refinery in preference to larger, more difficult-to-operate plants. Its initial focus will be on producing lithium carbonate to feed the lithium-iron-phosphate batteries used in electric vehicles. Lithium Universe's board approved a final investment decision on the Bécancour lithium refinery after its completed definitive feasibility study delivered a net present value of US$718M (A$1.109 billion). Based on the study results, it will aim to secure US$549M (A$848M) in funding to construct the facility. Lithium Universe expects to generate an EBITDA of US$148M (A$228.5M) from an annual revenue of US$383M (A$592M) over a 3.9-year payback based on the study's price assumptions. The assumptions are higher than current lithium spot prices. The company says the refinery will generate a 21 per cent internal rate of return, based on forecast prices of US$1170 (A$1807) per tonne of spodumene concentrate consisting of 6 per cent lithium content and US$20,970/t of lithium carbonate. Actual spot prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate hover near US$7500/t. The break-even cost is estimated at US$14,000/t for lithium carbonate on the expectation it will produce 18,270 tonnes per annum of battery-grade lithium carbonate. With expectations that lithium pricing will improve in the coming 12-18 months as the supply and demand balance improves, management believes its financial modelling shows the company has a compelling and economically viable project on its hands. If the management team can lock in the bucketload of spodumene it requires to convince project financiers to back it and jump on board, the project could be on its path to playing an important part in the Canadian electric vehicle battery market's future. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lithium Universe Full Year 2024 Earnings: AU$0.015 loss per share (vs AU$0.016 loss in FY 2023)
Net loss: AU$11.2m (loss widened by 106% from FY 2023). AU$0.015 loss per share. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Lithium Universe shares are down 13% from a week ago. You should learn about the 6 warning signs we've spotted with Lithium Universe . Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lithium Universe signs aluminosilicate supply deal with Lafarge
Lithium Universe has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Lafarge Canada, a cement producer, for the exclusive supply of Aluminosilicate Secondary Product (ASCR) from its Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery in Quebec, Canada. The refinery is designed to produce up to 18,270 tonnes per annum (tpa) of lithium carbonate, utilising a 'globally benchmarked' technology from the Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate Plant. It will produce approximately 130,000tpa of ASCR by-product, which will be marketed to the cement industry as an additive. The ASCR product, rich in silica, aluminium oxide and ferric oxide, is known for improving the 'compressive strength' of cement and reducing costs. Lafarge will collaborate with Lithium Universe to finalise a definitive supply and purchase agreement. The positive pre-feasibility study of the Bécancour Refinery underlines its economic viability, even in a low pricing environment, and positions the company to capitalise on the growing demand for lithium. Lithium Universe chairman Iggy Tan said: "This is great news for Lithium Universe as we partner with Lafarge Canada to enhance the North American battery materials supply chain and promote sustainable innovation in Canada's cement industry. 'This collaboration will not only advance our focus on building Bécancour Lithium refinery's secondary product supply chain but also strengthening local supply chains, fostering a more circular economy in Québec, and contributing to greener construction materials.' The Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery is part of Lithium Universe's mission to address the "lithium conversion gap" in North America. The company aims to support the supply chain for original equipment manufacturers, particularly in the automotive sector, by converting spodumene supply into lithium chemicals for electric vehicle battery plants. With more than 20 major manufacturers planning to deploy an estimated 1,000GW of battery capacity by 2028, the demand for lithium is expected to soar to around 850,000tpa of lithium carbonate equivalent, according to the company. This strategic move by Lithium Universe also supports national security goals by reducing reliance on foreign lithium converters. "Lithium Universe signs aluminosilicate supply deal with Lafarge" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
