Jun 9 2015
Nemaska Lithium Inc. («Nemaska» or the «Corporation») is pleased to announce that its President and CEO, Guy Bourassa, will be speaking at the upcoming The New York Society of Security Analysts' 16th Annual Metals and Mining Investment Conference at the NYSSA New York City headquarters on June 9, 2015. In addition, Mr. Bourassa will be speaking at the 7th Lithium Supply & Markets Conference at the Andaz Xintiandi in Shanghai, China from June 16 to 18, 2015.
Mr. Bourassa will be speaking about Nemaska's proprietary process to produce a high purity lithium hydroxide suitable for battery applications directly from spodumene concentrate. Nemaska Lithium is currently the only company with a process to go directly to lithium hydroxide from concentrate. All other manufacturers of lithium hydroxide currently produce lithium carbonate first and then transform it to lithium hydroxide. This extra transformation adds costs to the final product. Mr. Bourassa will explain Nemaska Lithium's proprietary process and how the company is projecting to make the highest quality lithium hydroxide product at the lowest cost.
Lithium hydroxide is currently the battery chemistry of choice for many battery manufacturers, including Tesla Motors. Unlike many other commodities, lithium hydroxide has increased in price from US$8000/t in 2014 to US$9,500/t in the first half of 2015. Future demand for lithium products remains strong into the foreseeable future. Five new lithium battery megafactories are scheduled to be on line in 2021. Simon Moore, of Benchmark Intelligence, estimates these megafactories will represent total new capacity of 87 GWh requiring an additional 70,000t - 100,000t of lithium carbonate equivalent by 2021.
Nemaska Lithium is planning to build a Phase 1 Plant using commercial size equipment, to produce continuous commercial samples for customers with a goal of shortening the time to qualify as a supplier and sign off take agreements in advance of starting operations at its Whabouchi mine and Hydromet plant. Mr. Bourassa will discuss the prudent strategy of securing off takes through the Phase 1 Plant at the upcoming conferences. Nemaska intends to be a major supplier of lithium hydroxide to battery markets as the demand strengthens.
About Nemaska Lithium
Nemaska Lithium intends to become a major lithium hydroxide and carbonate producer, mainly for the growing lithium battery markets. The Corporation is developing in Quebec one of the most important spodumene lithium hard rock deposit in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at Nemaska Lithium's Whabouchi mine will be shipped to the Corporation's lithium compounds processing plant to be built in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. This plant will transform spodumene concentrate into high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate using the proprietary methods developed by the Corporation, and for which patent applications have been filed.