Elon Musk With Tesla Gigafactory Starts The Race To Secure Supply Of Lithium Batteries And Lithium.

Kirill Klip.:

Elon Musk With Tesla Gigafactory Starts The Race To Secure Supply Of Lithium Batteries And Lithium.

  

  I would like to share with you the very interesting summary from  Seeking Apha on this subject. It confirms my personal observations of the investment and M&A trends in our Lithium industry today. I will share with you few quotes and links which will help you to understand International Lithium strategy and, what is very important, how our strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium sees this megatrends from the ground of the world's biggest auto market in the world in China.

International Lithium Corp. Completes Payments on Mariana Lithium Brine Project, Argentina.

"Mr. Kirill Klip, President, International Lithium Corp. comments, "The recent acquisition of the Taca Taca copper deposit by First Quantum Minerals confirms our strategic view that mining investment in Argentina will increase. Both Taca Taca and Mariana are located in Salta, Argentina, a mining friendly province and heart of the South American Lithium Triangle. Both Taca Taca and Mariana have rail and road access, in addition infrastructure development work at nearby Taca Taca will also benefit the Mariana project.

Now that we have secured 100% of the mineral rights to the project for our J/V with Ganfeng Lithium, an accelerated program to develop a pilot plant can commence. Subsequent feasibility studies will allow us to use Ganfeng Lithium's technological expertise and research facilities that we anticipate will reduce costs and improve efficiencies. The recently signed trade agreement between China and Argentina provides state-level support for our joint venture. Together we strive to become a primary source of lithium to meet the increasing demand of our strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium."

Mr. Wang Xiaoshen, Vice Chairman/VP, Ganfeng Lithium Corp. notes," The Mariana project has a high Potasium-Lithium ratio that gives the project a potentially high credit from the Potasium. This will make the cost of the Lithium resource very competitive. We believe this project will have a bright future considering the fast growing lithium demand for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles ."

International Lithium and Ganfeng Lithium Move to Advance the Blackstairs Lithium Project, Ireland.

"Mr. Kirill Klip, President, International Lithium Corp. comments, "We are excited to spearhead this international collaboration and program that sets a precedent for sourcing metals that are imperative to the advancement of mobile devices, electric vehicles and alternative energy. The demand for Lithium is continually on the rise and there are shortage concerns which could impede on the growth of the green technology sector worldwide. The Irish government has taken this risk very seriously and pledged to facilitate the advancement of lithium production as part of an initiative to improve strategic metal supply chains. Together with Ganfeng Lithium, ILC has the opportunity to be part of this development and we are optimistic that we have a new potential source for the lithium battery supply chain".

Mr. Wang Xiaoshen, Vice Chairman/ VP, Ganfeng Lithium Corp. notes, "Recent news that corporations such as Tesla and Panasonic are making significant commitments to build gigafactory battery plants will significantly impact the demand for Lithium. Similarly the Chinese market will become increasingly more important to companies like Tesla in the near future. These two reasons make BLL an ideal prospect for the lithium industry."

International Lithium Corp. A Potential Source For Green Technology Minerals.

International Lithium Presentation May 2014 from Kirill Klip

Elon Musk To Occupy Mars, But First He Opens The Doors For Tesla To The World's Biggest Auto market.

  

  Elon Musk moves very fast and now the doors to the world's biggest auto market are wild open. Superchargers will make Tesla Model S capable to compete with ICE cars and Chinese government will do the rest. Air pollution is the nation wide issue and now government in China has announced the war on pollution. Electric cars are the very big part of this battle plan. Now one thousand fast chargers are being built in Beijing along and all new residential development must be wired for the electric cars. The new mandate is in place calling for 30% of all state owned cars to be electric. 

  China has escalated electric cars to the status of strategic industry and is building the supply chain of Strategic Commodities for the electric cars, mobile devices and alternative energy. LG Chem has announced its own Megafactory in China to produce 100,000 lithium batteries for electric cars per year. 

  International Lithium becomes the part of the vertically integrated lithium business in the huge market in China with its strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium.

   

International Lithium: Presentation Of Our Strategic Partner - Ganfeng Lithium May 2014 from Kirill Klip

Lithium Race: China Requires 30% of State Cars Use Alternative Energy.

 Beijing.

   As we have discussed here numerous times, China moves electric cars with its state-level plan into the strategic industry status. While West is still looking what is wrong with Tesla Motors and Tesla Model S Chinese companies are searching the globe and buying the best deposits of Lithium, Copper and REE. These will be the materials driving the next industrial rEvolution - electrification of our transportation systems.  High-speed railway network will solve the problem of mass transit in the future when Oil will be gone. China is building this network by thousands of miles per year and it is going to reach .... Singapore. Electric cars will solve the problem of mobility in the highly populated megalopolises.
  Elon Musk goes Open Source with electric cars now and Tesla Motors patents are available for all. It is not just charity, but rather carefully calculated move. And it is not the attempt to diminish our leader-in-chief altruistic incentives behind this move. Reality is that Elon Musk targets the Chinese market now with Tesla Model S and what is more important - with the new mass market model of electric car from Tesla Motors. It would be re-engineered in any case in China, but now if you can make that car cheap and in mass numbers, your strong partners in Asia will help Tesla Motors to fight counterfeit and people will not by the sub par quality.
  Can I put the name Foxconn again here?

Seeking Alpha:

As Tesla Races Ahead, Big Auto Is Running Out Of Time To Secure Its Own Battery Supplies

Summary

• The Tesla gigafactory is underway and will be ready by 2017.

• With the gigafactory, Tesla will have access to batteries at a cost close to $100 per kWh (at least three times cheaper than anyone else).

• If big auto does not start work on its own gigafactories, they will have gifted the EV market to Tesla.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has broken ground on its gigafactory site in Nevada and a deal with Panasonic has been reached.

Thanks to Tesla's previous capital raising efforts and an immediate commitment of roughly $300-500 million from Panasonic, it is clear that close to $2 billion is available for the gigafactory construction over the next year.

By this time next year, Tesla will be producing close to 100,000 vehicles per year (Model S+X) and obtaining further financing to finish the gigafactory will not be difficult (if required at all).

In the most recent Tesla conference call, Elon Musk suggested that "in light of the technical and logistical advances the factory would bring, he would be 'disappointed' if it took Tesla 10 years to make a $100-per-kWh pack, suggesting it could happen before the end of the decade."

"It's heading to a place of no contest with gasoline," Musk said. "In the absence of the Gigafactory, this progress would be much slower."

Since the gigafactory is not expected to reach full production before 2020, one can only conclude from Mr.Musk's words that he expects the gigafactory to be able to get battery costs down to $100 per kWh or below.

The best estimates place Tesla's current per kWh battery cost somewhere between $250-$300, while the rest of the auto industry is believed to be paying well over $400 per kWh for their EV batteries.

If the gigafactory is capable of reducing battery costs to $100 per kWh or below, Tesla will hold all the cards when it comes to the Electric Vehicle market.

One must remember that the gigafactory will only produce enough batteries for 500,000 vehicles and that to do this it must produce more lithium ion batteries under one roof than the entire world produced in 2013.

As I have written in my previous articles, nobody in the auto industry will be close to being able to produce as many Electric Vehicles as Tesla unless they embark on building their own battery gigafactories in the very near future.

For example, Nissan (by far the leader in terms of pure EV production within the mainstream auto business) has only enough battery capacity to produce 200,000 Leaf's per year -- and that's when its battery plant is eventually running at full production.

Of course we must remember that a Leaf has less than half the range of the base 60 kWh Tesla Model S, which means that currently, Nissan only really has the ability to produce less than 100,000 long range EV's per year. That's assuming they plan on challenging Tesla's 200+ mile range, $35k Model III (expected in 2017) and halting production of the current Leaf.

The rest of big auto has virtually no battery supply on which to draw. GM, with the Chevy Volt, is in a distant second place behind Nissan with its battery plant able to produce enough for just 60,000 Volt's per year at max capacity (or maybe less than 15,000 long range EV's).

These battery capacity figures are taken from my own research which can be found here (with original sources). Seeking Alpha."

 Please Note our Legal Disclaimer on the Blog, including, but Not limited to:

There are NO Qualified Persons among the authors of this blog as it is defined by NI 43-101, we were NOT able to verify and check any provided information in the articles, news releases or on the links embedded on this blog; you must NOT rely in any sense on any of this information in order to make any resource or value calculation, or attribute any particular value or Price Target to any discussed securities.

We Do Not own any content in the third parties' articles, news releases, videos or on the links embedded on this blog; any opinions - including, but not limited to the resource estimations, valuations, target prices and particular recommendations on any securities expressed there - are subject to the disclosure provided by those third parties and are NOT verified, approved or endorsed by the authors of this blog in any way.

Please, do not forget, that we own stocks we are writing about and have position in these companies. We are not providing any investment advice on this blog and there is no solicitation to buy or sell any particular company. 

Elon Musk To Occupy Mars, But First He Opens The Doors For Tesla To The World's Biggest Auto market.

Kirill Klip:

Elon Musk To Occupy Mars, But First He Opens The Doors For Tesla To The World's Biggest Auto market.

  

  Elon Musk moves very fast and now the doors to the world's biggest auto market are wild open. Superchargers will make Tesla Model S capable to compete with ICE cars and Chinese government will do the rest. Air pollution is the nation wide issue and now government in China has announced the war on pollution. Electric cars are the very big part of this battle plan. Now one thousand fast chargers are being built in Beijing along and all new residential development must be wired for the electric cars. The new mandate is in place calling for 30% of all state owned cars to be electric. 

  China has escalated electric cars to the status of strategic industry and is building the supply chain of Strategic Commodities for the electric cars, mobile devices and alternative energy. LG Chem has announced its own Megafactory in China to produce 100,000 lithium batteries for electric cars per year. 

  International Lithium becomes the part of the vertically integrated lithium business in the huge market in China with its strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium.

Lithium Race: China Requires 30% of State Cars Use Alternative Energy.

 Beijing.

   As we have discussed here numerous times, China moves electric cars with its state-level plan into the strategic industry status. While West is still looking what is wrong with Tesla Motors and Tesla Model S Chinese companies are searching the globe and buying the best deposits of Lithium, Copper and REE. These will be the materials driving the next industrial rEvolution - electrification of our transportation systems.  High-speed railway network will solve the problem of mass transit in the future when Oil will be gone. China is building this network by thousands of miles per year and it is going to reach .... Singapore. Electric cars will solve the problem of mobility in the highly populated megalopolises.
  Elon Musk goes Open Source with electric cars now and Tesla Motors patents are available for all. It is not just charity, but rather carefully calculated move. And it is not the attempt to diminish our leader-in-chief altruistic incentives behind this move. Reality is that Elon Musk targets the Chinese market now with Tesla Model S and what is more important - with the new mass market model of electric car from Tesla Motors. It would be re-engineered in any case in China, but now if you can make that car cheap and in mass numbers, your strong partners in Asia will help Tesla Motors to fight counterfeit and people will not by the sub par quality.
  Can I put the name Foxconn again here?

International Lithium Corp. Completes Payments on Mariana Lithium Brine Project, Argentina.

International Lithium Corp. A Potential Source For Green Technology Minerals.

International Lithium Presentation May 2014 from Kirill Klip

Business Insider:

Tesla Just Removed A Huge Obstacle To Dominating The World's Biggest Auto Market

U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc. said it had "completely and amicably" resolved a trademark dispute in China, removing a hurdle that had threatened CEO Elon Musk's ambition to expand rapidly in the world's biggest auto market.It is the second time Tesla has announced an end to the dispute with Chinese businessman Zhan Baosheng, who registered the "Tesla" trademark before the Palo Alto, California-based carmaker came to China. 

Tesla said in January that the issue had been resolved, but last month, Zhan moved to bring Tesla to court. 

A complete solution to the long-standing trademark dispute would remove an obstacle to Tesla's growth plan in China, which billionaire cofounder Musk expects to become the company's biggest global market next year.

Beijing has unveiled a slew of incentives, including purchase subsidies and tax cuts, to accelerate sales of electric cars, a market also targeted by Volkswagen <VOWG_p.DE> and BMW <BMWG.DE>. 

"Mr. Zhan has agreed to have the Chinese authorities complete the process of canceling the Tesla trademarks that he had registered or applied for, at no cost to Tesla," Tesla said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. 

Separately, Tesla and Zhan have also reached commercial terms for the transfer to Tesla of certain domain names, including tesla.cn and teslamotors.cn, the company said, declining to give financial details. 

"Tesla looks forward to continuing to grow its business in China and to expanding the impact of electric vehicles in this very important market," Tesla said in the statement.

Tesla's trademark dispute underscores a thorny issue faced by foreign companies doing business in China. Global companies like Apple Inc. , Koninklijke Philips NV <PHG.AS> and Unilever NV <UNc.AS>, have all been embroiled in trademark disputes in the country in the past. 

Based in China's southern province of Guangdong, Zhan registered the trademarks to the Tesla name in both English and Chinese in 2006. He had in the past sought to sell the label to the U.S. company, but negotiations collapsed. 

"Tesla has successfully concluded an agreement with Mr. Zhan Baosheng to completely and amicably resolve the dispute between the parties," Tesla said in Wednesday's statement. "These actions remove any doubt with respect to Tesla's undisputed rights to its trademarks in China. Business Insider."

Please Note our Legal Disclaimer on the Blog, including, but Not limited to:

There are NO Qualified Persons among the authors of this blog as it is defined by NI 43-101, we were NOT able to verify and check any provided information in the articles, news releases or on the links embedded on this blog; you must NOT rely in any sense on any of this information in order to make any resource or value calculation, or attribute any particular value or Price Target to any discussed securities.

We Do Not own any content in the third parties' articles, news releases, videos or on the links embedded on this blog; any opinions - including, but not limited to the resource estimations, valuations, target prices and particular recommendations on any securities expressed there - are subject to the disclosure provided by those third parties and are NOT verified, approved or endorsed by the authors of this blog in any way.

Please, do not forget, that we own stocks we are writing about and have position in these companies. We are not providing any investment advice on this blog and there is no solicitation to buy or sell any particular company. 

International Lithium Corp. Completes Payments on Mariana Lithium Brine Project, Argentina.

International Lithium Corp. A Potential Source For Green Technology Minerals.

International Lithium Presentation May 2014 from Kirill Klip

  Rare Earth elements or metals (REEs) are essential elements in clean-energy technologies. In recent years REEs have received plenty of coverage concurrent to growing environmental concerns. The rare-earth topic is no longer obscure and discussions regarding future REE shortages are beginning to emerge in mainstream media. Today international governments and organizations are pushing efforts to develop solutions to the rising scarcity threat, one of the biggest being that only 1 percent of critical materials are currently being recycled (they are difficult to recover economically), and so the race to find viable sources for REEs is on.

  The Green Technology Industry is the largest end-user of REEs and is continually growing with the development of electric vehicles and green energy electrical generators; wind turbines and solar panels. According to the American Chemistry Society, Lithium is among these endangered metals. China, which controls 97% of global rare earth production, has made significant investments in securing their supply. One excellent example of this is the recent news from China based Ganfeng Lithium Corp. regarding their 15million yuan (US $2.4 million) investment into International Lithium’s Blackstairs Pegmatite project in Ireland and the Mariana Brine project in Argentina for the 2014 budget year. Ganfeng Lithium Corp. is one of the largest lithium product suppliers in the world supplying ILC with both capital and expertise and providing the global green technology industry with a new potential source of lithium supply. Read more."

International Lithium:

International Lithium Corp. Completes Payments on Mariana Lithium Brine Project, Argentina

Vancouver, B.C. / ACCESSWIRE / August 05, 2014 / International Lithium Corp. (the "Company" or "ILC") (TSX VENTURE: ILC.V) is pleased to announce that pursuant to Company news releases issued on May 10, 2013 and March 19, 2014 the final payments required to secure 100% interest in the mineral rights that comprise the Mariana property have been received by the vendors and title to the mineral rights is successfully transferred to Litio Minera Argentina S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of ILC.

ILC and strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium International Co., Ltd. ("Ganfeng Lithium" or "GFL") are finalizing a joint venture agreement to govern the advancement of the Mariana lithium brine project in Salta, Argentina. The Company has begun a detailed budget and plan to advance the project to pilot scale testing.

Under the terms of the Loan Conversion and Investment Agreement announced on March 19, 2014 (the "Agreement"), GFL now holds an 80% interest in the Mariana project (see March 19, 2014 news release). Further to the Agreement, GFL will make available to ILC a loan of up to US$2,000,000 to cover a portion of, or the entirety of, ILC's required contribution to the joint venture. The loan will carry 10% annual interest. ILC may repay the loan and accrued interest from ILC's proportionate share of the proceeds of the joint venture or the NSR, if such are payable to ILC at the relevant time. ILC will not receive proceeds or the NSR until the loan and accrued interest are repaid to GFL.

In addition ILC will have the right to elect to "buy back" a 10% Participating Interest in the Mariana Property by paying to GFL 10% of the total exploration costs incurred by GFL from the date of the Loan Conversion and Investment Agreement to the time of ILC's election to exercise the Back-in Right.

Mr. Kirill Klip, President, International Lithium Corp. comments, "The recent acquisition of the Taca Taca copper deposit by First Quantum Minerals confirms our strategic view that mining investment in Argentina will increase. Both Taca Taca and Mariana are located in Salta, Argentina, a mining friendly province and heart of the South American Lithium Triangle. Both Taca Taca and Mariana have rail and road access, in addition infrastructure development work at nearby Taca Taca will also benefit the Mariana project.

Now that we have secured 100% of the mineral rights to the project for our J/V with Ganfeng Lithium, an accelerated program to develop a pilot plant can commence. Subsequent feasibility studies will allow us to use Ganfeng Lithium's technological expertise and research facilities that we anticipate will reduce costs and improve efficiencies. The recently signed trade agreement between China and Argentina provides state-level support for our joint venture. Together we strive to become a primary source of lithium to meet the increasing demand of our strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium."

   

International Lithium: Presentation Of Our Strategic Partner - Ganfeng Lithium May 2014 from Kirill Klip

Mr. Wang Xiaoshen, Vice Chairman/VP, Ganfeng Lithium Corp. notes," The Mariana project has a high Potasium-Lithium ratio that gives the project a potentially high credit from the Potasium. This will make the cost of the Lithium resource very competitive. We believe this project will have a bright future considering the fast growing lithium demand for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles ."

About the Mariana Project

The Mariana potash-lithium brine project at Salar de Llullaillaco in Salta, Argentina, consists of several contiguous mining claims that cover an expansive 160 square kilometres. The claims strategically encompass the entire salar and a significant portion of the surrounding area (to provide site facilities for a processing plant if the project proves to be economically viable). The claims are 100% wholly owned by the Mariana Joint Venture.

Salars, or salt lakes, host some of the largest known lithium resources in the world and the Mariana basin is one of the more prominent salars in the renowned lithium belt of South America, currently accounting for more than 70% of global lithium production.

Initial surface brine sampling revealed highly compelling geochemistry reporting average grades of 440 milligrams per litre ("mg/L") lithium and 12,700 mg/L potassium. The potassium levels were unexpected and represent some of the highest grades comparative to any of the neighbouring salars outside of the world-class operation on the Atacama salar in Chile.

International Lithium Corp. previously drilled four widely spaced reverse circulation drill holes (totalling 444 metres and positioned approximately 5 kilometers apart) to characterize the subsurface strata and brine within the 10 x 15 kilometer salar (salt lake). Results indicate homogeneous geochemical concentrations to the maximum depth of the holes (approximately 100 metres).

The upper stratigraphic interval is primarily halite varying in depth from 18 to 32 metres in the peripheral areas and 66 metres deep proximal to the center of the salar. Below this predominantly halite layer an extensive mixed evaporite layer approximately 32-52 metres thick, consisting of greater than 60% fine to coarse sand, was encountered in the three peripheral holes. Below the evaporite sequences in all holes, an extensive medium to coarse grained, dark coloured, basaltic sand interval was encountered. Brine flow measurements recorded during drilling increased markedly below the halite sequence throughout the sand rich layers.

Unconsolidated stratigraphic units with a significant granular or sand component possess physical characteristics that allow them to maintain a higher degree of permeability and porosity at greater depths than halite (salt) units. Consequently, they represent a potential aquifer for hosting brine at depth and are an important target in the lithium-potash brine exploration model. The measured brine densities, ranging from 1,190 to 1,298 grams per litre ("g/L"), reflect a considerable quantity of dissolved salts, approximately 10 times the salinity of seawater.

John Harrop, P.Geo, FGS, is the Company's Qualified Person on the project as defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information contained in this press release.

About International Lithium Corp.

International Lithium Corp. is an exploration company with an outstanding portfolio of projects, strong management ownership, robust financial support and a strategic partner and keystone investor Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd., a leading China based lithium product manufacturer.

The Company's primary focus is the Mariana lithium-potash brine project, within the renowned South American "Lithium Belt" that is the host to the vast majority of global lithium resources, reserves and production. The 160 square kilometre Mariana project strategically encompasses an entire mineral rich evaporate basin that ranks as one of the more prospective salars or 'salt lakes" in the region.

Complementing the Company's lithium brine project are rare metals pegmatite properties in Canada and Ireland. These projects reported highly encouraging lithium mineralization in drill holes targeting pegmatites that are unexposed at surface (news releases dated April 3,2013 and June 25, 2013).

With the increasing demand for high tech rechargeable batteries used in vehicle propulsion technologies and portable electronics, lithium is paramount to tomorrow's "green-tech" economy. By positioning itself with solid development partners and acquiring high quality grass roots projects at an early stage of exploration, ILC aims to be the green tech resource explorer of choice for investors and build value for its shareholders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Kirill Klip

President, International Lithium Corp.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release other than purely historical information, historical estimates should not be relied upon, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, are forward-looking statements. News release contains certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business, including risks inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

Please Note our Legal Disclaimer on the Blog, including, but Not limited to:

There are NO Qualified Persons among the authors of this blog as it is defined by NI 43-101, we were NOT able to verify and check any provided information in the articles, news releases or on the links embedded on this blog; you must NOT rely in any sense on any of this information in order to make any resource or value calculation, or attribute any particular value or Price Target to any discussed securities.

We Do Not own any content in the third parties' articles, news releases, videos or on the links embedded on this blog; any opinions - including, but not limited to the resource estimations, valuations, target prices and particular recommendations on any securities expressed there - are subject to the disclosure provided by those third parties and are NOT verified, approved or endorsed by the authors of this blog in any way.

Please, do not forget, that we own stocks we are writing about and have position in these companies. We are not providing any investment advice on this blog and there is no solicitation to buy or sell any particular company.