How the blossoming markets for lithium, nickel and uranium are coping with new technology, politics and societal concerns led the debate at a panel discussion in Zurich this month.
The relatively new process of direct lithium extraction is sweeping across the industry, Gianni Kovacevic, lead director of LithiumBank Resources (TSXV: LBNK; US-OTC: LBNKF), told the Precious Metals Summit Zurich + Energy Transition Day held Nov. 13-15.
“The carbon footprint is lower and typically this happens in a place that has oil well infrastructure so you’re not changing anything and you get the lithium every day, you don’t wait 12 or 18 months,” Kovacevic told the panel on Positioning for Global Energy Transition. “It’s becoming almost conclusive that that’s going to be the way the industry goes.”
The Philippines, Russia and Indonesia, which holds elections in February to replace President Joko Widodo, produce more than half of the world’s nickel.
“I don’t think any of those jurisdictions are necessarily wonderful,” said John Feneck, president of Feneck Consulting. “Indonesia is by far the leading producer of nickel. There may be some disruptions there.”
The green energy transition is propelling nuclear power and the 300% rise in the spot price of uranium since a low in 2016, Scott Melbye, CEO of Uranium Royalty (TSXV: URC; NASDAQ: UROY), told the panel.
Environmental, social and governmental issues have become a central part of due diligence by mining investors, Jamie Strauss, founder and CEO of panel sponsor Digbee, an ESG-focused data company, told the gathering.
Watch the entire conversation, moderated by Northern Miner Group President Anthony Vaccaro:
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