Member Info for jimb2

I hope this has some substance:

https://mexicobusiness.news/mining/news/government-gears-grant-lithium-concessions-february?tag=sonora

While the private sector is looking to participate in lithium exploitation, the federal government reported it will start granting concessions for this activity in February. Nonetheless, the only company allowed to apply will be the state-owned Litio Para México (LitioMx).

During his visit to Bavispe, Sonora, López Obrador reported that the government will start granting concessions for lithium exploitation on Feb. 19, 2023. However, he made it clear that the only company that will be able to compete is LitioMx. “We will go to La Ventana, Sonora, where the to-be-granted mine will be delivered to a company that belongs to the nation,” said López Obrador, referring to LitioMx.

According to López Obrador, the most important lithium deposit in Mexico is in Sonora, where the government is already working with the company holding the rights to produce the white gold: Gangfeng Lithium, which has recently acquired Bacanora Lithium, the company that holds the concession for the Sonora Lithium project in Bacadehuachi. Sonora Lithium is Mexico’s main lithium prospect to date. According to Gangfeng’s estimations, the deposit has around 8.8 million tonnes of lithium carbonate. On Sept. 8, 2022, the Governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, said that Gangfeng was willing to work alongside LitioMx

But as there's been no response from Ganfeng you have to be reasonably confident?

A name mention from A_L.O! at last.

Could that now mean no NDA if there was one?

Following on from the @Zoom56 post

From a Tweet today by Alfonzo Durazo - Governor of Sonora

I met with representatives of the European Investment Bank, who have a mandate world renowned for sustainability. They traveled to our state with the objective of considering investment and development options, aligned with the Sonora Plan.

And further investment interest!

https://mexicodailypost.com/2023/01/19/amlo-met-with-executives-from-la-caisse-de-depot-et-placement-du-quebec/

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO.- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met with Canada’s second-largest pension fund Wednesday, a week after a summit with US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec confirmed a meeting was held, but did not give any other details. The C$392 billion ($290 billion) fund had C$6 billion in assets in Mexico as of the end of 2021 and has partnered with CKD Infraestructura México, a consortium of institutional investors, to invest in infrastructure projects, according to its website.

No arguing Sonora and our lithium JV’s are globally significant – I’m looking forward to the response from Ganfeng as we approach the La Ventana visit.

Stage 2 disruption!

https://expansion.mx/empresas/2023/01/11/dos-fabricantes-asiaticos-de-baterias-de-litio-alistan-inversiones-en-mexico

Nuevo León does not have a lithium deposit, but it does have an advantage that has drawn the attention of Asian lithium battery manufacturers: it borders Texas and Coahuila , two states, one in the United States and the other in Mexico, where lithium batteries are already produced. electric vehicles.

Iván Rivas, the entity's Secretary of Economy, explained in an interview that two companies, one Korean and the other Chinese, have been in negotiations to install plants in the entity. "We are in the process of talking, landing the plan, looking for land."

Maybe CATL are now going into Mexico - seems everything is ramping up substantially globally with battery minerals.

j curves

https://expansion.mx/empresas/2023/01/19/primera-planta-de-baterias-de-litio-sonora

Despite what was previously said by the Mining Chamber of Mexico, about the fact that the exploitation of lithium in the country is not viable, because it is found in clay, both Durazo and De Luna calculate that a ton will have a processing cost of 4,000 dollars , thus becoming , from their perspective, into a business opportunity

Well, no flowsheet or pilot plant I bet they haven't seen a shovel full of clay - lol

Odd?

Looks to be churned news, doesn't contextually fit with recent announcements!

Odd?

https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/011823_mexico_lithium/us-urges-mexico-open-up-lithium-production-private-sector/

Indeed @tomcat-14,

that Texas processing plant need feedstock.

And talks of Tesla going for a mass produced low production cost EV for high market penetration.

Yes @EV_Bull,

that would make sense and perhaps LAC would benefit if they wanted to concentrate supply in NA, I'm not sure how they would stand with the Argentinian sourced lithium under the IRA, they have grown their Argentinian assets and Argentina have no issue with Chinese investment, plus of course current JV's with Ganfeng including Ganfeng's early involvement with Thacker Pass assisting with the flowsheet.

https://www.lithiumamericas.com/news/lithium-americas-to-acquire-arena-minerals-to-consolidate-the-highly-prospective-pastos-grandes-basin

@Zoom,

also positive for Evergreen with the big lithium players picking up Australian juniors in exploration phase, our neighbour CXO mcap circa $1.5bn - it wouldn't surprise me to see great interest in Evergreen from perhaps the USA the likes of Piedmont for instance already having to supply Tesla from Canadian off-take.

posted yesterday:

Outlook Rock Stock Channel

https://youtu.be/hZ0OiIQnyvs?t=259

Yes @tomcat-14

I think the problem is A_L.O does a daily brief and reporters mix information from previous briefs with current and I'm sure he tailors what he says to suit his own agenda on the day, or perhaps he is just plain confused.

I'm sure something definitive will drop with Ganfeng being named - I'll take evens on Mullins58 landing the big one!

Well, it is an emotional roller coaster and at times what appears to be contradictions or misinterpreted articles, so apologies but it's what turns up whether deemed positive or negative:

https://dfsud.com/america/presidente-mexicano-entregara-en-febrero-primeras-concesiones-para-nueva

mining company in February
The largest Mexican deposit of non-metallic mineral is currently under the control of a Chinese company, but the ruler assured that said operation is not regularized.

Chinese owners
Currently, the Aztec country is not a producer of the mineral and Sonora, its only major project, -whose potential value is US$ 600 billion according to estimates by the Ministry of Finance- remains under the control of the Chinese Ganfeng Lithium .

And this is precisely what AMLO wants to reverse, who during the past week, and when consulted by the local press, had said that "we are seeking to reach an agreement with them in this new framework where lithium already belongs to the nation and there is already a company for that”, alluding to the newly created state company.

He added that "the lawyers are analyzing it and they are going to talk to these companies" while slipping that it was " one or two companies that do not have their papers regularized because lithium was not established in their application to exploit minerals . " Since we decided that lithium belongs to the nation. Things change there (...) the concession is not legalized”. This, in the framework of a press conference last Thursday.

The announcement coincides with previous statements by AMLO that the Sonora Plan will not admit the participation of private companies that do not belong to the member countries of the Mexico-United States-Canada Agreement (T-MEC) of free trade.

I also agree it seems reckless to announce the visit in February without a clear indication on Ganfeng's involvement and any comment from Ganfeng - I'm sure there will be something tomorrow contradicting this again.

@Bannor,

maybe Evergreen will land a surprise:

Outlook Rock Stock Channel

https://youtu.be/hZ0OiIQnyvs?t=259

CATL raising just under $9bn for five plants:

CATL said the majority of the proceeds from the offering will be invested in five lithium-ion battery production facilities.

http://ex.chinadaily.com.cn/exchange/partners/45/rss/channel/www/columns/852i2s/stories/WS61163584a310efa1bd668b0a.html

Perhaps now is the right time to pick up on prior plans:

Bloomberg said CATL had earmarked US$5bn to build a plant in Mexico to supply Tesla and Ford with Ciudad Juarez in Chihuahua and Saltillo in Coahuila the main potential locations. A plant in Ciudad Juarez would have easy access to the new Tesla factory in Texas.

Maybe La Ventana will be the namesake for the project amongst the lithium giants - well it's easier to pronounce than Bacadehuachi

It will soon come around the visit in February and what are the chances more investments are announced for Mexican EV's/batteries before then.

panic over?

the article is dated January 16th, but the video with the BCN sale is 10 months old:

https://youtu.be/rp4JmMDAubs

Good to hear @Barksy1,

it would seem the Mexican gov are still pursuing the legality of the BCN sale to Ganfeng, not new of course but who are they going to La Ventana with alongside LitioMX are they implying BCN as the Canadian owner?

Justin Trudeau was all over A_L.O with the offer of Canadian companies assisting with mining.

I haven't listened to much so any additional info is welcome!

Any translator's?

https://www.infortlax.com/post/litiomx-recibir%C3%A1-concesiones-de-explotaci%C3%B3n-en-febrero-esperamos-ayuda-de-biden-por-aduanas-amlo

Hope you're having a good day @Barksy1

@Bannor,

I agree, the HAS transfer would be nice to get over the line at the current SP- the momentum is gaining pace Yangibana is an incredible REM resource and the focus on critical materials a high priority globally:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-rare-earths-plant-justin-trudeau-1.6715261

"This is an exciting time to be forward-looking at what the world needs from Canada… Canada is extraordinarily well-positioned to succeed in the decades to come."

Critical minerals were also among the issues Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador discussed during their summit last week in Mexico.

you know I'm thinking 32p is far too cheap!

I'll be bold and say we could push through the 32p this week if the market gets the gist of the Sonora deal going ahead, we may not get news if Ganfeng are under NDA pending the visit in February but there's enough in the press releases to give anyone knowledgeable reasonable confidence - IMVHO

Well it's all falling into place:

https://proyectopuente.com.mx/2023/01/16/se-creara-instituto-de-servicios-de-seguridad-privada-en-sonora-para-no-distraer-a-elementos-de-la-pesp-informa-gobernador-durazo/

Alfonso Durazo specified that the members of the institution will be trained at the Higher Institute of Public Security of the State (Issspe).
"The function will be to provide private security services, let's say the mining companies require security, they will have an option with this state protection service, that is the objective, in such a way that it is not necessary to distract elements of the State Police that have the responsibility to guarantee public safety, sometimes the companies themselves find it necessary to hire security elements, there will be one more option for those who want or need to hire the services, ”explained the governor of the entity.

https://dossierpolitico.com/vercolumnas.php?artid=276248&relacion=dossierpolitico&categoria=292