Mining Brief: Lithium Prices Continue to Soar - Up 88% in 2021

PALM BEACH, Fla., March 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Without lithium, our world would look more different indeed! Lithium-ion batteries are not only in our phones — they are actually at the center of our clean energy transition. Other materials like graphite which is also used in batteries; and tellurium, used in next-generation solar cells are important, but lithium is definitely driving the battery storage market. Pretty much everything — from your phone, to electric vehicles, to utility-scale storage solutions — is finding applications for lithium. So it's no surprise that governments and companies are looking to make sure they can meet the supply chain's demand for lithium while at the same time develop new technologies to extend the usefulness of products/batteries being manufactured. A recent article from mining.com on March 15, addressed the first item supply. It said that sufficient lithium will be mined because prices have soared up 88% in 2021 and that: "Lithium prices continue to rise exponentially in China on the back of heavy demand for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, the first ever mid-month assessment by battery supply chain research and price reporting agency Benchmark Mineral Intelligence shows." Active mining stocks in the markets this week include:  Lithium South Development Corporation (OTCQB: LISMF) (TSX-V: LIS), American Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LIACF) (TSXV: LI), Standard Lithium Ltd. (OTCQX: STLHF) (TSXV: SLL), Neo Lithium Corp. (OTCQX: NTTHF) (TSXV: NLC), Nickel Rock Resources Inc. (OTCQB: NIKLF) (TSXV: NICL).

As to technological breakthrough, a recent article in PCMag spoke off substantially increasing the life span of lithium-ion batteries. It focused on a breakthrough that would allow Lithium-Ion batteries to maintain full capacity for 5 years. It said: "One of the major limiting factors of rechargeable batteries today is how quickly their capacity can degrade. After just a year of regularly recharging a lithium-ion battery, it can't get close to its full capacity anymore. However, a new material holds the promise of changing the situation and allowing full capacity charges for five or more years.  EurekaAlert reports, a team of scientists working at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) has been looking specifically at the negative terminals inside lithium-ion batteries. They use graphite anodes, but also require a binder material; otherwise the graphite would simply fall apart inside the battery. 

Lithium South Development Corporation (OTCQB: LISMF) (TSX-V: LIS), BREAKING NEWS:  Lithium South Development Corporation Announces Property Payment Completed on 3287 Hectare Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project - Lithium South Development Corporation (the "Company") announces that it has completed the second to last property payment for the acquisition of the 3,287-hectare Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project located in Salata Province, Argentina. The company issued 2,250,000 common shares and made a payment of US$1,000,000 to Jorge E. Moreno and Alba Silvia Sala (the "Vendors") pursuant to a mining exploration agreement with option to purchase dated May 17, 2017, as amended on October 31, 2017 and April 22, 2018, entered into with the Vendors regarding the Hombre Muerto North Lithium project.

Company President Adrian F.C. Hobkirk is quoted, "we are pleased to have completed this important milestone for the acquisition of this advanced lithium asset. We look forward to working with the vendor and the mining jurisdiction of Salta Province to further develop Direct Lithium Extraction at the project."

The Hombre Muerto salar has three lithium projects under development including the companies, and projects by POSCO and Galaxy Resources. 

The Company also announces it has changed its US ticker symbol to "LISMF" on the OTCQB, effective March 18, 2021. CONTINUED….  Read this release for the Lithium South news at:  https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-lis/   

Other recent mining developments in the markets include:

Standard Lithium Ltd. (OTCQX: STLHF) (TSXV: SLL), an innovative technology and lithium project development company, recently announced that it has successfully completed the conversion of its Arkansas-produced lithium chloride into 99.985% pure lithium carbonate using OEM technology. The work was completed by Veolia Water Technologies (Veolia) at their facility in Plainfield, Illinois, and demonstrates that the lithium chloride intermediate product produced by Standard Lithium's industrial scale LiSTR Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") plant in Arkansas can be converted into better-than battery quality lithium carbonate using established OEM carbonation technology.

As part of a continuous process of derisking the Arkansas Lithium Project, Standard Lithium opted to evaluate two different processes to convert the LiCl solution made by the Arkansas DLE plant into a battery-quality material. The first was using the Company's own patent-pending SiFT technology as previously reported. The second, as reported here, was via conventional technology, widely used within the industry and performed by Veolia. Concentrated lithium chloride solution produced by Standard Lithium was sent to Veolia and was then converted to lithium carbonate using a conventional flowsheet.

Neo Lithium Corp. (OTCQX: NTTHF) (TSXV: NLC) recently announced the closing of the previously announced increased equity investment by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (SZSE: 300750) ("CATL"), whereby CATL, through a subsidiary controlled by CATL, subscribed for 860,870 common shares (the "Common Shares") of Neo Lithium at a price of C$3.05 per Common Share (the "Issue Price") for gross proceeds to Neo Lithium of C$2,625,652.

Pursuant to an Investor Rights Agreement (as explained below) between CATL and the Company, CATL through the closing of this investment will continue to maintain its pro rata equity interest of 8% in the Company.

American Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LIACF) (TSXV: LI), a leader in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium projects, recently reported the results of the latest independent laboratory testing to beneficiate samples from its Tonopah Lithium Claims ("TLC") project which achieved a 49% mass reduction while increasing lithium grade by 66%. Subsequent leach testing extracted 96% of the lithium from upgraded samples.

As previously announced on May 7, 2020, American Lithium has successfully shown the ability, under laboratory conditions, to extract lithium utilizing sulfuric acid leaching on samples of the Company's TLC claystones at extraction rates of 90% in as little as 10 minutes.

Nickel Rock Resources Inc. (OTCQB: NIKLF) (TSXV: NICL) recently announced that reverse circulation drilling is commencing on the Company's recently expanded claim block at Silver Peak, Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada. This strategic land package, covering approximately 2,300 acres (930 ha), directly adjoins a western portion of lithium producer Albemarle's (NYSE: ALB) evaporation ponds and is nearby Cyprus Development Corp.'s (TSXV: CYP) 5,430-acre Clayton Valley Lithium Clay Project.

Mr. Robert Setter, Company President and CEO comments "The Clayton Valley area is booming again for lithium clay exploration. On the neighboring property of Cypress Development, they have recently oversubscribed its bought deal offering for gross proceeds of C$19,550,000 from PI Financial Corp. as sole underwriter and bookrunner. This is fantastic news, and it complements news from our other neighbour Albemarle who announced earlier this year that it is planning to double its lithium production in Nevada at its Silver Peak mine by 2025 and is committing between US$30 million - US$50 million in additional investment on the property. With our current exploration program in place, we will be able to lay the groundwork for a more significant exploration program budget and program in the future. We are excited about this opportunity in Nevada for our lithium clay project."

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