Member Info for ChameleonMan

It is extremely likely that those conversations are taking place right now. DA has said they are in discussions with automotive companies. It’s surely only a matter of time until a partnership funding deal is announced?

Another interesting read. Will billionaires Branson, Gates and Bezos let Musk have all the fun with EVs? Virgin electric cars running on Windows OS and sold on Amazon? I can’t believe mining would be the main interest of consumer-focused companies?

Interesting watch. Not enough lithium being mined worldwide currently to feed just one Tesla “Terafactory”. Will lithium prices spike? Will Tesla buy a lithium miner, securing supply, saving 50% on material costs and developing their own battery chemistries to suit the ore. ? Will VW and GM follow? Comparison with H.Ford buying rubber plantations to secure supply of tyres for Model T was interesting (resulting tyre company became Firestone).
For us, VW is the one to watch. In a year or two they may own a substantial share of a lithium miner or two?

Hardly recognised the tanned, relaxed Mr Archer sporting a lock-down set of whiskers! Good to hear that work has resumed in Portugal and the EIA is about to be published. Today’s announcement confirms our membership of an important EU investment and support organisation and while this in itself is not big news, the next announcement on partnership funding will be. I can’t see that retail equity funding will play a significant part, more likely a European industrial partner interested in securing production output.

Great find IB! I noted the following:
“ Europe has also seen the most rapid growth of any region in planned lithium-ion battery production capacity, with its global share set to reach 14.7 percent by 2024, overtaking the United States and Asia (excluding China)..... a European battery ecosystem worth € 210 billion by 2022”
“ Prospects of self-sufficiency in the lithium industry: four sustainable lithium mining projects totalling € 2 billion have been launched in Europe (ES, PT, DE/CZ, DE/FR) and should be in operation by 2022-2024. Their impact will be significant as they are set to meet up to 80 percent of Europe's lithium needs by 2025, thus contributing directly to our strategic autonomy.”
Conclusion: A big growing European battery supply chain market accessible to SAV with funding available from the EU banks. A great business model!

....maybe jam tomorrow? No need to dream Jonners! All moving in the right direction as bigger fish begin to bite. Get ready for a reel-screaming run as more realise we are way undervalued for our lithium assets alone. We are in discussion with interested parties who want to secure a European supply to support the next generation of European electric vehicles. When that is announced everyone will want a piece of this. There are very few shares on offer since Muldoon offloaded his 15 million earlier in the year. A little buying goes a long way....

Ah Johnners, you’re still here and still rising to the bait!

Indeed IB and the conclusion “ there is no such a thing as a “post Li-ion” era in sight” underlines that battery technologies life cycles are measured in decades. The costly safety certification procedures in the auto industry may also create a significant barrier to entry to all but mainstream technologies?

https://www.euractiv.com/section/electric-cars/news/electric-car-sales-in-europe-jumped-57-in-q1-2020/
“ Electric car sales in the EU, UK and EFTA countries reached 130,297 in January-March, ACEA said. Germany extended its lead over Norway in terms of new electric car registrations, with a 63.3% rise. Sales in France jumped 145.6%, while Norway’s declined 12.4%.”

Only 2 months since some of us were berated as the ultimate jam boys for defending the fundamentals while the SP in the meantime has risen from 0.8p to 2.1p. Those ignoring the doubters and buying in will have seen their money has been more than doubled. This will no doubt be doubled again as investors realise what a bargain this is. Just small fish nibbling at the bait over the last few days and look at the rise! When news lands on car industry partnership deals and the big fish arrive, we may see a feeding frenzy!

I note an April issue was published, when I’m not sure. http://www.savannahresources.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/April-Newsletter_EN.pdf
“ .........we continue our work on the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Mine Plan and we hope to be able to file this shortly with Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA). Once APA has completed a preliminary review the EIA will be made available and the opportunity for public comment will open up.
The program of involvement with landowners has been maintained, with some limitations in face of the current restrictions, having continued contacts with landowners through our local real estate consultant. At the beginning of March, field work was carried out to clean the boundaries of the land under negotiation, at the request of the owners. A topographic survey of these lands was also carried out, in order to ensure that all legal procedures are complied with for the acquisition of the plots in question.
Savannah continues to develop a benefit sharing program so that we can present and discuss with the Mayor of Boticas, Community, Baldios CdB, CdB Parish Council and all neighboring areas the benefits that we intend to share.
In addition to this sharing of benefits, we are taking into account all necessary mitigation/elimination measures for possible impacts, such as compensatory measures.”
Would be useful to know how long the public consultation phase will take but it’s good to know we are able to work through this part of the programme during lock-down.

Seems clear the EU recovery plan will focus on funding the Green Deal https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/green-deal-will-be-our-motor-for-the-recovery-von-der-leyen-says/

The European car industry will not be funded to produce more polluting cars, only zero carbon i.e. electric. “Out with the old ( engines), in with the new” https://www.euractiv.com/section/electric-cars/opinion/out-with-the-old-engines-in-with-the-new/

Join the dots to the Green Deal funding of less able countries mentioned below and Portugal as European-funded centre of lithium production is surely a no- brainer?

Good spot IB! I liked the European Green Deal Investment Plan to “mobilise at least €100 billion of investments to provide additional targeted support to the regions most impacted by the transition towards a climate-neutral economy and with less capacity to deal with the challenge.” A piece of that would do very nicely at MdB!

....... what have we here? Irrational exuberance or the whiff of good news?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN22C1T2
Government statement on a hydrogen plant but an update on lithium mining also given:
“ Fernandes said the government will also launch its delayed international licensing tender for lithium exploration as soon as it approves "within some months" a new mining law to tighten environmental rules.
Without giving further details, he said the tender would cover seven lithium-rich locations dotted across the country, which is already Europe's biggest lithium producer.
Portugal's miners sell almost exclusively to the ceramics industry and are only now preparing to produce higher-grade lithium used in electric cars and electronic appliances.
Anti-lithium protest movements have emerged across the country, expressing concern about irreversible environmental damage such as soil pollution to destruction of the natural habitat of various endangered species.
"Whenever the local negative impacts are greater than the global gain from decarbonisation, there will be no exploitation of lithium", Fernandes said.

Or in other words...when the global gain from decarbonisation is greater than the local negative impacts, there will be exploitation of lithium!

Check out the latest political furore here https://www.portugalresident.com/petition-demands-resignation-of-super-sneaky-director-general-for-energy-and-geology/
Can’t blame the man for trying. The Portuguese economy will need a boost now that the tourist trade has been destroyed.

Why do I get the feeling you hope I am, but I’m not. Most of my portfolio is currently in cash and gold and silver bullion. I was in gold mining funds but sold out well before this reset at a good profit. Have kept my investment in ARCM which I would encourage anyone to take a look at. Actually I checked my average in SAV which turns out to be 3.5 p so I will be even happier when news of signposted offtake deals breaks and sends this back up. You don’t seem to get the concept of long term investing - you can’t start wobbling when the price drops - rather it’s a chance to increase your stake on the cheap. This is not a liquid share so when in demand it will be difficult and expensive to build a meaningful holding. I don’t think you will have long to wait before selling out ( cheaply no doubt!).

There you go killing the vibe again! FYI my average is around 4p but don’t expect me to sell before 25p.

Me too and cursing that I’m only up ~£20k today instead of £21k if I’d topped up! ;)

Aside from the current market meltdown it’s encouraging to note that we are “involved in advanced negotiations with several counterparties regarding offtake agreements, services and strategic partnerships for its Mina do Barroso project. Investors should be assured that in the board's opinion the groups we are negotiating with represent ideal counterparties for the project and we are confident of formalising commercial terms with them in a timely manner,” said David Archer, chief executive.
I am confident that this will drive our recovery once we are over this global reset.