The Global Lithium Podcast

This episode features Pavel Galchenko of Halmek Lithium. Most investors and many analysts following the lithium industry can’t name a Russian producer; however, Pavel is well known by major lithium companies because of the many industry partnerships Halmek has had for distribution, toll production and providing an outlet for low quality lithium carbonate that Halmek has learned to convert into hig...

Episode 72 features Dave Buckley one of the few people on the planet to have extensive (more than two decades) experience processing brine and hard rock into carbonate and hydroxide for two major lithium companies followed by half a decade of consulting experience with projects around the world. In addition, Dave also has cathode processing experience. We cover brine and hard rock processing chall...

This is a Q & A episode in two parts. The first part is an abbreviated version of my ‘Ask Me Anything” call with Daniel Graham, a podcast listener from Queenstown, New Zealand. We discuss why I still believe lithium is the best investment among battery raw materials, Tesla, range anxiety, the market for newly designed LFP batteries, lithium metal, ponder if DLE’s potential will be realized or if t...

My guests are Nano One's CEO, Dan Blondal and CTO, Dr. Stephen Campbell .   We discuss Nano One's recent announcement of a potential game changing process for manufacturing 811 NMC.   We cover the resurgence of LFP and developments by BYD and CATL that could enable LFP to compete with high nickel cathodes in EVs.  We do a deep dive into cathode technology and debunk some common...

This is a Q&A episode that is the result of an “Ask Me Anything” Zoom call with a very well prepared and insightful podcast listener. I am asked how meaningful tracking Gigafactories is when projecting demand.  We talk about the continued progress at Tesla and ponder whether “big money” that has recently shown interest in lithium will jump in or “pass”. I am asked if the quality issues at Orocobre...

Mac Whale is back for another discussion of the lithium world, how he looks at markets, the impact of Covid 19 and how that has changed his analysis of future EV/lithium demand.  Mac discusses lack of investment in new lithium projects and how that will likely result in a future run-up in prices that may exceed the price spike of 2015-2016. I close the episode with my thoughts on why there wa...

Recorded as part of Benchmark's #EVFest, this was the first live edition of the podcast that is now being released as three separate podcast episodes. The first installment is with Robert Mintak, the CEO of Standard Lithium and Andy Robinson the COO. We discuss their unique lithium project which leverages the brine output and infrastructure of the bromine operation of their partner Lanxess. A pilo...

Dr. Rene LeBlanc is my guest for Episode 65. Rene is a PhD Chemical Engineer with extensive experience in the lithium/battery space. After a decade with Livent/FMC Lithium, Dr. LeBlanc moved on to Tesla where one of his responsibilities was evaluating potential lithium suppliers on a global basis. After a couple years at Tesla, Rene moved back to the lithium world where he now serves as Chief Tech...

The is a special double episode with one of the best minds in the lithium/cathode/battery arena – Dr Yuan Gao. I have been proud to call Yuan my friend for nearly a quarter of a century. In today’s episode we discuss new safety regulations for the China EV market that will take effect in January. The new rules will likely have an impact on cathode/battery pack choices in China – perhaps for severa...

In today's episode we hear how people from Australia to the US & Canada to Bolivia and the UK are coping with the global "lockdown" or "shelter in place" orders. Some names like Chris Berry aka "the voice of reason" and Alexi Zawadzki aka "the biggest feet in lithium" are well known to Global Lithium Podcast listeners. Other names such as Gene Morgan (Zelandez), Big Ben Ash (Benchmark), Alex Rubin...

This episode features five guests - each gives his unique perspective regarding how the Corona Virus is impacting where they live. We hear from podcast newcomer Alex Cheeseman of Altura Mining and four podcast veterans - Benchmark's Simon Moores, Mac Whale from Cormark, Daniel Jimenez and David Guerrero aka "the Last Samurai of Brine". In addition to the guest's commentary I provide some thou...

Much of the western world is still in the early days of dealing with the "Corona Virus Storm". China and Korea have shown us the storm will pass but it takes proper response and time to effectively deal with global outbreak. It is still too early to accurately predict the impact on the lithium, battery and EV markets but I share some thoughts on possible outcomes. I also give my thoughts on what I...

I am repeating one of the top episodes from season one of the Global Lithium Podcast. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's Simon Moores and Andy Miller are the guests. We cover the "Rise of Benchmark" discussing their place in the industry providing price insights and commentary critical to various battery industry stakeholders. You will learn about various types of lithium contracts, offtake agreemen...

Dean Frankel from Solid State Battery developer Solid Power is back for a longer complement to the short part I we recorded a few weeks ago. We review what makes a battery solid state, discuss Solid Power's plans to bring a much higher energy density battery to market. We get into the battery components and the lithium intensity of various cell designs. Along with lithium intensity we discuss the...

Recorded on 2/29 in Tokyo. I discuss the recent LFP buzz after people learned that both BYD and Tesla plan to use a newly designed LFP battery which will have much higher energy density.  I also discuss the impact of the Coronavirus on the lithium world, supply chains, etc. My early 2020 demand forecast will have to be redone based on the impact of the virus. I am celebrating the 20th anniversary...

Episode 11 was recorded in Salta, Argentina in June 2018 as one of two "Father's Day" episodes. One of my all time favorite episodes, my guests are lithium experts: Dr Daniel Galli, his son Carlos Galli and the "Last Samurai of Brine" David Guerrero. They do a great job of simplifying some of the complexities of producing lithium chemicals from brine. I do a short intro discussing what I feel are...

In preparation for a planned March podcast recording with Solid Power's Dean Frankel,  we decided to test the quality of recording on Zoom's video conferencing platform. What was planned as a combination "sound check" and the recording of a trailer (another first for this podcast) morphed into Part One of a two part discussion.  We find out how Dean came to work at Solid Power.  We...

In this episode we discuss the recent announcement by Lithium Americas regarding a transaction with their partner Ganfeng Lithium. The agreement  will result in benefits to both parties. Guests Mac Whale of Cormark and LAC CEO Jon Evans will give their perspective on the deal.  Note: Mac misspeaks on the project valuation implied by the 1% of the project Ganfeng is purchasing. (1% at $16...

One of my objectives in starting the Global Lithium Podcast was to use it as a tool to learn from the best minds in the industry. After recording over 50 episodes, a great deal of valuable knowledge has been disseminated by my guests. Beginning this week I will, on a bi-weekly basis, repost some of the best episodes and provide  commentary on what I feel the major "take aways" are. Although the li...

On this episode we cover everything from the twitter hype over the recent rains in the Argentina Pune and what impact it may have on production to the steadily dropping spodumene prices impacting WA producers to the EV limiting battery shortage claimed by Daimler. I am asked what a new constitution would do to lithium production in Chile and what impact the new virus in China may have on a recover...

This episode is a result of a chance meeting in Buenos Aires after seeing a tweet by James Ellsmoor aka the Digital Nomad. James has been on my list of potential podcast guests for several months so it seemed fate intervened to make this episode happen. James is an advocate for sustainability and renewables projects in rural areas and remote islands around the world. A millennial that has sta...

The Global Lithium Podcast adapts the format for the "Lithium Decade".  One host, with co-hosts from time to time, same focus on high quality  guests on the long version and answering your questions on Q&A episodes. For now, Anchor will be the podcast home but we will remain available on Apple, Spotify and other major platforms. This episode was recorded in Reno, Nevada. My guests are Dr. Rene LeB...

On this episode of the podcast I have two great guests- Daniel Jimenez, Managing Director of iLi Markets and former VP at SQM plus Jingwen Sun of Minmetals Securities who give their thoughts on the market in 2020. I say 2020 a couple of times when I meant to say 2019 towards the end of the podcast but likely context will bail me out... This episode goes a little long (30 min) as I also give my tho...

Mac Whale is my guest. He gives his thoughts on stocks in 2020. I talk about why I believe there is one more step down in price before the bottom, Nemaska seeks protection from creditors, why I sold Livent, 2020 contract prices and SQM's recent behavior in China.

This has been a tough year for the lithium market. I would love to tell you 2020 is going to be much better but I think we will have to wait for 2021 for a significant positive change. Why? You have to listen to find out.