Rock Tech Lithium Guben refinery secures spodumene feedstock from C&D Logistics
180 ktpa spodumene
Rock Tech Lithium has signed a feedstock supply agreement with C&D Logistics (Qingdao) to fulfill the supply of spodumene concentrate to its Guben converter in Germany.
The agreement covers the first five years of operation, which is set to commence in 2025. Specific sources are unknown, however the Qingdao based outfit has “relationships with existing spodumene producers in Australia, Africa and Brazil”.
Guben will be Europe’s first merchant lithium refinery. The converter’s nameplate capacity is 24 ktpa LiOH.H2O which will require up to 180 ktpa of spodumene concentrate.
アダマスの見解：
The agreement highlights how underserved Europe is for lithium concentrates at present, despite known spodumene pegmatite deposits in Ireland, Sweden and Finland. Given this context, the outsourcing of supply to a Chinese logistics and trading firm is understandable.
The specific sources of spodumene that will feed Guben’s first five years of operation is unknown, but if guided by C&D Logistics existing relationships in Brazil, Africa and Australia, the sources will be quite distant from Germany, adding to the cost & ESG profile of the hydroxide product.
Despite Australia’s reliable output of marketable spodumene concentrate, it is 18,000 km away via Suez Canal, twice as far as Brazil’s Vitoria port. Much of Africa’s SC mines are captive into Chinese converters which leaves a few small scale and often land-locked Brazilian/African producers to make up the 180 ktpa SC.
As an aside, Europe’s quandary for spodumene concentrate supply builds the case for Australian miners to process and ship Li2SO4/Li3PO4 intermediates. This increases lithium content in transport by 4.5-6x when compared to SC6, improving the marketability of this supply base to Europe.
On this front, Tees Valley Lithium is assessing a merchant facility in Western Australia to upgrade SC and ship it to their UK refineries, while Pilbara Minerals is developing an electric calciner with technology partner CALIX, beginning with a 27 ktpa SC throughput demonstration plant.
[『EV Battery Lithium Monthly』5月号より抜粋 『EV Battery Lithium Monthly』 サービスより抜粋。]
Image from Rock Tech Lithium
アダマス・インテリジェンスのアナリスト、クリス・ウィリアムズ
クリスは、アダマス・インテリジェンスのアナリストとして、世界のリチウム産業を専門に担当しています。彼はリチウムのバリューチェーンを調査・分析し、クライアントにとって実践的なビジネスチャンスを見出しています。
クリス氏は、鉱業および石油・ガス事業の業務最適化において11年の経験を持ち、データを活用した深い洞察を通じて価値を創出しています。クイーンズランド大学で機械工学を専攻し、工学の学士号および修士号を取得しており、現在はブリティッシュコロンビア大学で経営学修士（MBA）の課程を履修中です。
