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☆ 'Biggest investment opportunity': Investment manager names stocks to play the copper market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Will McDonough, CEO of merchant bank Corestone Capital, says he has "not seen this level of interest and conversation on copper." "Any population growth or industrial growth leads to growth in copper demand. And with the whole battery and electrification movement, there is going to be so much demand for lithium and copper that the company can benefit from," the investment manager said. Copper futures Aside from stocks, McDonough suggests buying copper futures as a good way to play the opportunities in the copper market and the rising demand for the metal. "I think that the price of copper is way under-appreciated.

Persons: Will McDonough, McDonough, SQM Organizations: CNBC Pro, New York Stock Exchange, Sociedad, Minera de Chile SA, BHP Locations: Minera, Chilean

☆ This Latin American chemicals company is a buy with more than 30% upside, Jefferies says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Despite getting sold off this year, Jefferies sees SQM as an attractively valued play in the commodities space. Analyst Alejandro Demichelis upgraded U.S. shares of the Latin American lithium producer to buy from hold. Demichelis said the market underappreciates SQM's low-cash cost advantage in the lithium space. "But we believe that they should put the company on a much stronger competitive footing over the coming years." SQM shares advanced more than 6% during Monday morning trading.

Persons: Jefferies, SQM, Alejandro Demichelis, Demichelis, Albemarle Locations: American, SQM, SQM ALB

☆ Western lithium, graphite miners boost prices for ESG-friendly supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ernest Scheyder | Thomson Reuters | Ernest Scheyder Is An Award-Winning Senior Correspondent Covering The Green Energy Transition | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Western lithium and graphite miners have started charging the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain higher prices for their material, meeting demand for environmentally-friendly and consistent supply that is not linked to China. Lithium, the lightest metal, is used to make a battery's positively charged cathode and prized for its ability to store energy. Miners say the surcharges make investors more comfortable financing new projects, especially as Chinese rivals have been known to sell metals below prevailing market rates. Brazil's Sigma Lithium (SGML.V) has already begun selling its production at prices it says reflects its sustainability. The surcharge talk comes despite recent plunges in a range of lithium prices.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, Patrice Boulanger, Shaun Verner, Amanda Hall, surcharges, Hugues Jacquemin, Ernest Scheyder, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Washington, China, EV, Panasonic Energy, Miners, Syrah Resources, Department of Energy, Tesla, ESG, Summit, Thomson Locations: Antofagasta region, Chile, China, Los Angeles, Brussels, Beijing, North America, United States, Louisiana, North, South America, Quebec

☆ Morning Bid: Consumers in focus as Walmart reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Vidya Ranganathan. Thursday's corporate calendar features a host of earnings reports that will shine further light on the health of the global consumer, as U.S. retailers Walmart (WMT.N), Bath & Body Works and Macy's (M.N) report earnings. Expectations for Walmart ride high after peer Target (TGT.N) surged by almost a fifth on Wednesday in the wake of its consensus-beating holiday sales forecast and upbeat view of its supply chain. Figures on Wednesday showed U.S. producer prices fell at their fastest pace since April 2020, and UK consumer inflation undershot all forecasts. Reuters GraphicsMeanwhile in Asia, Japan's exports are struggling due to slumping China-bound shipments of chips and steel.

Persons: Vidya Ranganathan, Eddie Wu, Christine Lagarde, Jerome Powell, What's, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, England's Randall Kroszner, ECB's Christine Lagarde, Luis de Guindos, Fed's Loretta Mester, John Williams, Michael Barr, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Vidya, Walmart, Body, Insider Intelligence, U.S, Bank, Events, Applied Materials, Siemens, SQM, Thomson Locations: U.S, Asia, China, San Francisco, Bath, France

☆ As Aussie magnates gatecrash lithium deals, bankers get creative
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Melanie Burton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In taking the stakes, Hancock has underscored its expertise in building mining projects, while Mineral Resources has said it wants to be part of projects that will sustain its growth for decades. Hancock and Mineral Resources declined to make additional comments. As well as Liontown, Core Lithium (CXO.AX), Leo Lithium (LLL.AX) Latin Resources (LRS.AX) Patriot Metals , Chalice (CHN.AX), Centaurus (CTM.AX) and Rex Minerals (RXM.AX) have all been cited by brokers as buyout prospects. TWO-PRONGED SOLUTIONTheir deep pockets, risk appetite and Australia's competition laws means mining magnates have a home advantage against listed companies, industry sources say. One example that bankers offered in the case of SQM's bid for Azure was a two-pronged solution to erode any interloper advantage.

Persons: Gina Rinehart, Roy Hill's, Hancock, Chris Ellison, Rinehart's Hancock, Marc Upcroft, you've, Leo Lithium, Richard Lustig, Baker McKenzie, Melanie Burton, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, MELBOURNE, Mineral Resources, Australia's, PwC, Rex Minerals, Thomson Locations: Port Hedland, Australia, Australia's Liontown, Albemarle, Hancock, Melbourne

Livent CEO Paul Graves will take the top job at the newly minted Arcadium Lithium, if Allkem shareholders vote for the deal on Dec. 19. Merging the two companies would create the world's third-largest lithium producer by volume with assets spanning Australia, Canada and Argentina. Graves has said that one of his first priorities would be expanding Arcadium's footprint in Western Australia's world-class lithium districts. Under the deal, Allkem shareholders will get one share in the combined entity for each of their shares and the company will ultimately own 56% of the new firm. Livent shareholders will get 2.406 shares in the new firm, which will be called Arcadium Lithium, for each existing share.

Persons: Arcadium, Paul Graves, Kroll, Chile's, Graves, Albemarle, Livent Corp, Livent, Allkem, Scott Murdoch, Melanie Burton, Robert Birsel Organizations: JV, SYDNEY, Albemarle Corp, Liontown Resources, Hancock, Livent, FMC Corp, Galaxy Resources, Thomson Locations: Australia, U.S, Canada, Argentina, Western Australia, Sydney, Melbourne

☆ What we'd like to see from 3 economic readings and 2 earnings reports next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The major averages advanced again this week as earnings results came in largely better than expected, interest rates stabilized and oil prices dropped below $80 a barrel. Looking ahead, we'll get a couple more earnings results and some key inflationary data to chew on. In this past week, we bought 150 shares of DuPont (DD) and added 75 shares of Wynn Resorts (WYNN). As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Stocks, Wynn Resort's, WYNN, we'll, That's, —, we're, it's, PANW, Tyson, Henry Schein, Spero, Sanara, Sara Lee Corp, JD.com, Woodward, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Mario Anzuoni Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Coterra Energy, Emerson, Disney, PPI, TJX, Palo Alto Networks, DuPont, Wynn Resorts, WYNN, Tyson Foods, TSN, Tower Semiconductor, Partners, Genius Sports, Spero Therapeutics, Star Bulk Carriers Corp, Beauty Health, Asure, Gladstone Capital Corp, TeraWulf Inc, Harrow Health, Afya, Sea, Paysafe Group Holdings, Solar Inc, Aramark Holdings Corp, Lending, Holding, BioXcel Therapeutics, IHS Inc, Rewalk Robotics, Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Energizer Holdings, Power Solutions, Rekor Systems, Wine Estates, Momentus Inc, SIGMA Lithium Corporation, AlTi, QuickLogic Corporation, Arcturus Therapeutics, Dada Nexus, Solutions, Target Corp, Parts, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, Alto Networks, Cisco Systems, Chemical & Mining Co, PennantPark Investment Corp, Copa Holdings S.A, Walmart, Arcos Dorados Holdings, ARCO, NICE, Body, Warner Music Group Corp, Ross Stores, Homes, Dolby Laboratories Inc, American Software, ESCO Technologies, ZTO, International, BJ's Wholesale, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Maxx Locations: Macau, Chile, Cayman, Pasadena , California

☆ Aussie tycoon doubles down as lithium spoiler
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Lithium M&A is becoming a dangerous sport Down Under. On Friday, Hancock Prospecting, owned by Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart, revealed it had snapped up an 18.3% stake in Azure Minerals (AZS.AX). Unlike Albemarle, it has not tied its hands by declaring the Azure bid to be its best and final offer. But SQM boss Ricardo Ramos can switch to an off-market offer and try to buy other investors’ stakes first. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Hancock, Gina Rinehart, Chile’s, Rinehart, Albemarle, SQM, Ricardo Ramos, Antony Currie, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: MELBOURNE, Reuters, Australia’s, Minerals, Australian, Liontown Resources, Canaccord, X, Thomson Locations: Western Australia, Liontown

☆ Codelco says reassessing mine costs, will maintain capex
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Pratima Desai | Julian Luk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - Chile’s Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, is reassessing the cost structure at its mine projects, its chairman said on Friday, given recent overruns. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, is seen at their headquarters in downtown Santiago, Chile March 29, 2018. The company, which has some of the highest input costs for miners in Chile, said in July direct production costs during the first six months of the year jumped 41.3% to hit about $2.12 per pound, from $1.506 the year before. In response, Codelco said it had a solid financial position and broad access to financial markets. The South American country has the world’s largest lithium reserves.

Persons: Codelco, Ivan Alvarado, Maximo Pacheco, Pacheco, ” Pacheco, Alejandro Rivera, Rivera’s, Rodrigues, Blaine J, Maximo Pacheco’s Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, London Metal Exchange, for Copper, Mining Studies, Moody’s Investor Services Locations: Santiago, Chile, London, China

☆ A top realtor got fired after trash-talking tenants on social media, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Aimee Marsh had worked for Ray White Aspley in Brisbane, Daily Mail Australia reported. The Facebook posts have since been deleted, but screenshots were reported by both news.com.au and Daily Mail Australia . "We respect and value each and every one within our community, and we have a big community of people who rent," the Ray White representative said. According to news.com.au, Marsh was once named agent of the month by Ray White Aspley after selling properties worth 3.7 million Australian dollars. Marsh and Ray White Aspley didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Aimee Marsh, Ray White Aspley, Marsh, Ray White, I've, Ray White Aspley didn't Organizations: Facebook, Daily Mail Australia, Service, Daily Mail, Courier Mail, realtors, SQM Research Locations: Australian, Brisbane, Wall, Silicon, Australia, news.com.au

☆ Analysis-Lithium buyers eye cheaper early-stage deals in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Melanie Burton | Scott Murdoch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

So I think there’s going to be some opportunistic acquisitions.”There is already evidence of frenzied deal activity involving pre-producing companies. Develop Global, a base metals explorer backed by diversified miner Mineral Resources, last month proposed to acquire lithium developer Essential Metals for A$152.6 million ($97.98 million). “Even though battery chemistry is evolving and impacting certain metals, lithium is a mainstay and the demand story remains robust. The battery metals landscape, and lithium in particular, looks poised for further M&A activity,” said Gavi Friedland, head of metals and mining at Goldman Sachs in Australia & New Zealand. Mineral Resources is deciding whether to build an Australian lithium battery chemical plant, while Albemarle is expanding production at its Kemerton hydroxide plant and SQM is also building a lithium hydroxide plant.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, acquirers, ”, Kaan, “, Gavi Friedland, Goldman Sachs, Guy Alexander, Buyers, Japan’s Idemitsu, Delta, Tony Chong, Squire Patton Boggs, Jakob Stausholm, Stausholm, ” Dale Henderson Organizations: MELBOURNE, REUTERS, Chile, Albemarle Corp, RBC, Develop, Mineral Resources, Metals, Minerals, Liontown Resources, Climate Capital, Consultancy, EV, Goldman, New Zealand, Resources, ”, Rio Tinto, Patriot Metals, Canada, Reuters Locations: Albemarle Chile, Chile, Australia, Sydney, Andover, Albemarle, Perth, China, U.S, Rio, Canada, Quebec

[1/2] A general view shows the brine pools of Albemarle Chile lithium plant placed on the Atacama salt flat, Chile, May 4, 2023. "It seems like the cheapest way to get lithium units is via the drill bit," said analyst Kaan Peker of RBC in Sydney. "Even though battery chemistry is evolving and impacting certain metals, lithium is a mainstay and the demand story remains robust. The battery metals landscape, and lithium in particular, looks poised for further M&A activity,” said Gavi Friedland, head of metals and mining at Goldman Sachs in Australia & New Zealand. Mineral Resources is deciding whether to build an Australian lithium battery chemical plant, while Albemarle is expanding production at its Kemerton hydroxide plant and SQM is also building a lithium hydroxide plant.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, acquirers, Kaan, ”, Gavi Friedland, Goldman Sachs, Guy Alexander, Buyers, Japan's Idemitsu, Delta, Tony Chong, Squire Patton Boggs, Jakob Stausholm, Stausholm, Dale Henderson, Melanie Burton, Veronica Brown Organizations: REUTERS, Chile, Albemarle Corp, RBC, Develop, Mineral Resources, Metals, Minerals, Liontown Resources, Climate Capital, Consultancy, EV, Goldman, New Zealand, Resources, Tinto, Patriot Metals, Canada, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Albemarle Chile, Chile, MELBOURNE, Australia, Sydney, Andover, Albemarle, Perth, China, U.S, Canada, Quebec

☆ What we want to see from retail sales and 3 Club earnings in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

State of the consumer: Retail sales for July are out on Tuesday. Key retail earnings reports from Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Tapestry (TPR) will also provide clues on the health of the consumer. Earnings : On Wednesday morning, we hear from Club holding TJX Companies (TJX). Prior retail sales data has shown monthly sales growth at clothing and clothing accessory stores accelerate throughout the quarter, rising 0.14% monthly in April, 0.3% in May and 0.6% in June. For those looking to review first-quarter performance ahead of these releases, be sure to keep our first-quarter earnings report card handy.

Persons: We'll, Estee Lauder, we've, Palo, Cardinal Health, JD.com, Brinker, BILL, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Spencer Platt Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Investors, Walmart, TJX Companies, Palo Alto Networks, Embraer, Energy, Getty, Sea Ltd, Cardinal, Nu Holdings, Housing, ZIM, Food, Colgate, Palmolive, Cisco Systems, Chemical & Mining, Keysight Technologies, Ross Stores, Deere & Company, Alto Networks, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC Locations: China, Dole, DOLE, Manhattan, New York City

☆ How Chile's progressive new plan to mine lithium faces Indigenous hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alexander Villegas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

In interviews with Reuters, some community leaders said they would demand more profits be channeled their way, while others said they would resist any new lithium mining at all. Boric's plan envisions expanding mining with public-private partnerships controlled by a new state lithium company. Both Espindola and Mondaca said a majority of community members oppose expanded lithium mining in the region. It said it takes relationships with Indigenous communities seriously and that is why Boric met with them in person. Yermin Basques, president of Toconao, said he was pushing for the community to receive a greater share of the profits and be a "strategic partner" in the state lithium company.

Persons: Alexander Villegas, Ivan Alvarado, Gabriel Boric, Boric, Francisco Mondaca, SQM, it's, Mondaca, Cristian Espindola, Espindola, Toconao, Albemarle, Alonso Barros, Rolando Humire, Humire, Mauricio Lorca, Adam Jourdan, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, National Reserve, REUTERS, Atacama Indigenous Council, BMW, NASA, National, University of Atacama, Thomson Locations: Antofagasta region, Chile, Santiago, Atacama, Albemarle, Los, Chilean, Basques

☆ Tesla's top China rival is exploring a faster method for lithium mining in Latin America — and offering free patents to build the industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla rival BYD is exploring a new method of lithium mining in Chile, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. The Chinese firm aims to use a more direct way to extract lithium from Chilean salt flats. A BYD exec said the company plans to offer local patents and build up the industry in Chile. The goal would be for the company to establish in Chile the same direct lithium extraction, or DLE, method used in China, Li said. "BYD is ready to bring advanced DLE technology to Chile, and also we will develop R&D patents locally and offer free patents to the Chilean government to help Chile build up this industry," Li told Bloomberg.

Persons: —, BYD, Stella Li, Li, Elon Musk's Tesla, Tesla Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Elon, Wall Locations: Chile, China

☆ Chile's Codelco must kick-start lithium industry while reviving copper output
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Fabian Cambero | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

At the same time, Codelco wants to boost its output of copper which has slumped to its lowest in a quarter-century. Some analysts have questioned whether the copper company with no experience as a lithium miner can tackle both challenges at once. But industry insiders told Reuters Codelco will probably focus its own resources on copper while negotiating contracts for lithium operations and letting other miners do the work. The sources said the lithium strategy was being led by executives including Jaime San Martin, manager of new business development, known by some within Codelco as "lithium man". "But I think lithium is an excellent opportunity for Codelco to help them navigate their very difficult copper situation."

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, SANTIAGO, Gabriel Boric, Codelco, Reuters Codelco, Albemarle, Jaime San Martin, Alejandro Rivera, Maximo Pacheco, Minera, SQM, Pacheco, Juan Carlos Guajardo, Plusmining, Guajardo, Andre Sougarret, Fabian Andrés Cambero, Alexander Villegas, Adam Jourdan, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Tesla, BMW, Finance, Salares, Thomson Locations: Chile, Australia, Albemarle, Indonesia, Freeport, McMoRan, Chile's, Berlin, Beijing, Codelco, Santiago

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailInside the world's largest lithium producerAlbemarle, the world's top producer of lithium and the operator of mines in Australia, Chile and the U.S., says it plans to bring its Kings Mountain, North Carolina mine online by 2027. The company, along with its main competitors SQM and Pilbara, control about 40% of the world's lithium supply, according to KeyBanc Capital Markets. Lithium is a critical mineral in electric vehicle batteries. CNBC got an inside look at Albemarle's operations in the U.S. and Chile.

Persons: Albemarle Organizations: KeyBanc, CNBC Locations: Australia, Chile, U.S, , North Carolina

☆ Factbox: Ford strikes multiple lithium deals to ramp up EV production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COMPASS MINERALS (CMP.N):Ford signed a five-year supply agreement to obtain battery-grade lithium carbonate from Compass' lithium brine development project in Ogden, Utah. Under the agreement, Compass Minerals will deliver up to 40% of its planned, phase-one battery-grade lithium carbonate to Ford once production begins. NEMASKA LITHIUM:Nemaska Lithium, owned by Investissement Québec and Livent (LTHM.N), will supply lithium products, including lithium hydroxide, to Ford over an 11-year period. ENERGYSOURCE MINERALS:EnergySource Minerals will supply lithium hydroxide produced at its Imperial Valley, California site which is expected to be operational in 2025. SOCIEDAD QUIMICA Y MINERA DE CHILE S.A. (SQM):Chile's SQM (SQMA.SN) and Ford have agreed to a long-term lithium supply agreement, the Chilean lithium miner said in a statement Monday.

A super-charged two-year rally, which saw Chinese spot lithium carbonate prices rise by tenfold, went into brutal reverse over the first part of this year. The slump in China's spot price dragged down the whole lithium pricing chain from spodumene concentrate to hydroxide, albeit to highly varying degrees. But lithium's roller-coaster ride highlights the important role China's spot market and the Wuxi futures exchange play in the fast-growing industry's price discovery process. Many lithium buyers, in other words, will be paying higher prices this year whatever happens in the Chinese spot market. The collapse in China's spot price has far exceeded the decline in the price of Australian spodumene, another closely tracked market indicator.

☆ Sell this lithium stock with high exposure to the chemical's price, Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile , or SQM, is worth dropping given its direct exposure to lithium prices, Goldman Sachs warned. Analyst Marcio Farid initiated coverage of the lithium producer's stock with a sell rating. "We also think consensus is too bullish on their forecasted lithium prices, potentially leading to earnings downgrades in the short-to-medium term." Farid noted his sell rating is out of the norm on Wall Street. Lithium prices have taken dramatic swings in recent months.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Netflix, Planet Fitness, Bloom, Wendy's, Dell & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Goldman Sachs initiates SQM as sell Goldman said the Chilean chemical company is exposed to ongoing lithium price weakness. Cantor Fitzgerald initiates Intuitive Machines as buy Cantor said the space exploration company has a "first-mover" advantage. Credit Suisse upgrades TE Connectivity to outperform from neutral Credit Suisse said the consumer electronics company is an Inflation Reduction Act beneficiary. JPMorgan upgrades Bloom Energy to overweight from neutral JPMorgan said the selloff in the the energy company is "overdone." RBC initiates Planet Fitness as outperform RBC said it sees an attractive entry point for the gym stock.

☆ Chile's state miner launches subsidiaries to manage lithium takeover plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SANTIAGO, May 19 (Reuters) - Chilean state miner Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, said on Friday it had created two subsidiaries to run a newly mandated lithium business amid a government plan to increase state control over the industry. The government instructed Codelco in April to begin talks with companies running lithium mining operations in Chile's Atacama salt flats as part of a new lithium strategy that will see the state take majority stakes in all "strategic" projects. As well as talks with the world's two largest lithium miners, Albemarle (ALB.N) and SQM (SQMA.SN), Codelco has also been tasked by President Gabriel Boric's government with developing new alliances. On Thursday, SQM said it expected to begin talks with Codelco in the coming weeks. Reporting by Fabian Andres Cambero; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chile's SQM to start lithium talks with state miner Codelco in coming weeks, says CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] An aerial view shows the brine pools of SQM lithium mine on the Atacama salt flat in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, January 10, 2013. REUTERS/Ivan AlvaradoMEXICO CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Chile's lithium miner SQM is set to start talks about lithium projects with state miner Codelco in the coming weeks, the firm's Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Ramos told analysts in a quarterly earnings call on Thursday. It did not specify quarterly prices in its latest report. "We are positive about volumes for the second quarter and semester," Ramos said when asked about the company's outlook, citing a ramp up of activity in China. "The second quarter is showing a more stable pattern," he said.

☆ What Chile's state-led lithium policy means for the future of the electric vehicle industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The only two lithium companies currently operating in Chile are North Carolina-based Albemarle , the largest lithium producer in the world, and SQM , the No. Chile's lithium is of particular strategic importance to the U.S., which has a free trade agreement with the country but not with neighboring Argentina. The plan calls for the creation of a national lithium company to partner with all private businesses looking to enter the sector. Bags of battery-grade lithium carbonate at La Negra, Albemarle's lithium processing plant near Antofagasta, Chile. Lenny-Pessagno told CNBC in January that Albemarle supports the creation of a state-owned lithium company.

May 4 (Reuters) - Albemarle Corp (ALB.N) is open to renegotiating its Chile lithium contract before 2043 and would seek access to even more of the country's vast reserves of the metal used to make electric vehicle batteries, CEO Kent Masters told Reuters on Thursday. Albemarle and SQM's contracts only grant access to the Atacama salt flats, or salars, but Boric hopes to open up many other salars across his country for lithium production, a step that will require DLE technologies. Many DLE technologies use lots of potable water and electricity, a limitation that Albemarle has acknowledged and one it is working to limit. Chile and Albemarle could cement their dominant role in the global lithium and EV industries if they can get one or more DLE technology to succeed. Masters declined to comment on Australian lithium developer's Liontown Resources Ltd (LTR.AX) rejection in March of Albemarle's $3.7 billion takeover bid.

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