Member Info for ChameleonMan

I am getting the feeling that quite a significant redesign is taking place and that we will need all the time up to St Patrick’s day to complete and submit. From there we will be looking at the end of May for a decision taking into account Easter and other public holidays.
No doubt some will feel there is plenty of time to let money play elsewhere before returning here to place their bets on red or black, odds or evens?

Seems to be aimed at the local community rather than investors. Up until now I don’t think anyone has mentioned the Iberian wolf which is eco-dynamite in Portugal, yet there he was looking anxious. A bit like showing pictures of ponds full of greater crested newts near a proposed building development in the UK! As you say, just so much window dressing in the big scheme of things but just too many flashing warning signs to make for comfortable viewing.

Well clearly there are already some battery plants in construction in Europe which will supply a degree of EV manufacturing. Take Mercedes - at present the batteries for the EQ range come from its plants in both Germany and China. Would a highly subsidised (by US Gov) battery plant in the US not make sense? Mercedes did have a deal with Rivian on commercial vehicles which Rivian has walked away from. Looks like they will have to go it alone now if they want to address the lucrative US market.
If things weren’t already difficult we have the EU trying to impose ESG hurdles on raw materials for batteries. Great that it favours local miners, bad that there are no local miners yet approved to these standards. No one knows whether the Critical Raw Materials Act will promote and subsidise local mining. Until then expect more EV manufacturers to think that building local for local markets and maybe import for the home market is the best way to go.

I hope the CRM act will deliver something positive because at the moment, if you were planning to build a battery factory, the US is looking a lot more attractive than Europe.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/de-industrializing-europe-lithium-battery-factories-relocati

I’m not sure on reflection that the EU’s emphasis on ESG criteria is doing the EU battery supply chain any favours. It means that project costs may be pushed up . The USgov approach via the Inflation Reduction Act is to offer highly anttractive incentives while the EU offers only burocracy and delay. This may cause the likes of our would-be partners Northvolt to reconsider new European projects in favour of US expansion. Thoughts?

“ Savannah Resources, the European lithium development company, is pleased to announce that it has been approved……”

Had me going for a moment!

I presume you mean GALP IB? Was interested in the comment regarding funding …..” For Tem Tumurbat, managing partner at Nomadic Venture Partners, ESG commitments need to start early. “When we make investments, we really look for alignment and we actually get a good commitment. It's a pledge that you're going to build this company on the premise that all the ESG issues are considered,” he said.
When SAVs environmental aspects are given the stamp of local approval we would become rather investable by Mr Tumurbat‘s yardstick, would we not?

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/electric-car-powers-christmas-lights-170000262.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABWQIYf775UoQvSBPohu7hbBoOjIt74PNiqKPQAaAWCbU3ggnkxW8jLYa5D9P4Tk1MwNaLKgbeGmPk7mC7ZzwU2f3tCzJ71pyE5_0Av_ZpKYKZP0jRdXG_zBTDJpepVlt5yCozjHnRyqyOQORYsCI-VpS8ZAh9b5XCmWxqeRhkHM

According to this ALL possible mining projects could be very busy ……
https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/1001316/what-s-needed-to-fuel-ev-expansion-in-europe-mckinsey-1001316.html?rel=scroll

Wonder then if the unusually heavy trade volume was caused by people mistakingly trying to trade SAVE?

Recommending early stage lithium stocks.
https://investingnews.com/rodney-hooper-lithium-structural-deficit/

I find it difficult to find an example of mining projects anywhere that have been wholly welcomed by local communities or environmental groups anywhere. Rather I’m thinking of lithium in Serbia as an example where a major with enormous clout (RT) gave up and walked away. Closer to home, listening to the news today of coal mining reopening in Cumbria seems to have received mixed reviews and threat of legal Action by FOTE. Do we just have to accept that Portugal and it’s political representatives and pressure groups are no more difficult to win over than anywhere else?

Even the government is facing challenges in moving mining projects forward through the courts.
https://www.portugalresident.com/dgeg-may-appeal-ruling-forcing-disclosure-of-tungsten-mine-documents/

Here you go IB..
https://www.portugalresident.com/why-portugal-is-so-much-poorer-than-other-european-countries/

It was interesting QM and I went on to read some Uni research into corruption in government and public. Seems the politicians have no moral compass, just governed by laws while the disillusioned public expect better but are more inclined to break the law?
https://www.portugalresident.com/portuguese-tolerate-corruption-less-than-politicians-do-says-study/

Good find IB! His key message for me was that if you are an EV maker or battery maker or cathode maker, if you haven’t got ownership of lithium raw material or water-tight supply contracts, then you have no guarantee of being able to produce your product.
Here is SAV, biggest spodumene Li resource in Europe, permitting decision about to drop, with no supply contracts signed, no JVs, no part-ownership deals and company valuation at the bottom.
Surely this must be about to change next year and in a very dramatic way?

The first weblink doesn’t work for me. Could you check please?

I drive about 500 miles a week (electric) and I have yet to see any EVs broken down, blocking the road or otherwise inconveniencing other road users. Have seen plenty of ICE vehicles In trouble though and loads visibly spewing out NOx and SOx in traffic. Are you not bothered about the air you breathe Andy?

Let’s hope “The European Sovereignty Fund” is supporting lithium mining when we want to build the infrastructure of the mine. “Grants, procurements, loans and equity” funding will be welcome here I’m sure.
I wonder when the EU will realise that their own rules for environmental approval probably present more of a hurdle to progress than the availability of funding.

Wake up Andy! EVs don’t use any power in stationary traffic unlike polluting ICE vehicles.

Oh please, do some research before sharing your first post Andy. Burning H2 as an alternative to kerosene is for aircraft, maybe by 2030. Hydrogen powered fuel cells will suit vehicles that only do long distances e.g. haulage. Short distances kill fuel cells quickly. Production of green hydrogen is expensive and there is no infrastructure. I never underestimate the ingenuity of man to overcome technological challenges but I don’t see it making any significant impact in my lifetime.