Highlights:

  • 45,000 tpa Lithium Carbonate Equivalent ("LCE") Expansion: Stage 2 is designed to produce 45,000 tpa of LCE, increasing total Cauchari-Olaroz production capacity to approximately 85,000 tpa, with an expected 40-year operating life.
  • Compelling Economics: At $18,000/t lithium carbonate, after-tax NPV8% of $3.1 billion and IRR of 28.5%.
  • Competitive Cost Profile: Estimated operating costs of US$5,006/t of lithium carbonate, supported by higher process recoveries and brownfield synergies.
  • Flexible Hybrid DLE Processing: The characteristics of the Cauchari-Olaroz brine and existing infrastructure provide flexibility to optimize the processing approach based on cost, technical performance and environmental considerations.
  • Phased Development Approach:  Accelerated initial 10,000 tpa of the planned 45,000 tpa Stage 2 expansion using adsorption-based DLE technology, expected online during 2028, subject to permitting and regulatory approvals, including the required approvals in Argentina and China related to the deployment and transfer of the adsorption-based processing technology. The accelerated timing of this initial capacity is not reflected in the Scoping Study or its economic analysis.
  • Capital-Efficient Expansion: Initial capital cost of approximately US$1.0 billion, reflecting the advantages of expanding an established operating asset.
  • RIGI Approved: The project has received approval under Argentina's Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones ("RIGI"), providing long-term fiscal stability and investment incentives that enhance long-term project economics.
  • Financially Supported by Stage 1: The Company expects to fund Stage 2 through internally generated cash flow and project-level debt, leveraging the cash flow generation of the existing operation.