Peru Mining

[USA11]

Liquid metal batteries new use for Sb Pb Li


Advances in molten metal mass storage battery chemistry has led to a practical technology that should create significant demand for Lead, Lithium and Antimony.

This new market may exceed the automotive demand for lead and Lithium. Antimony, primarily used for fireproofing has been under pressure for alternatives making it the most important driver for Antimony future prices which already trades at a 10 - 20% premium to copper.

Peruvian production of antimony is minor compared to Bolivia and Mexico but is prospective here. Its worth noting that most Bolivian antimony ships through Peru ports as ore creating a likely opportunity for processors.

The majority of Sb production is by-produced with base metals but environmental controls on smelter emmisions have led to steep penalties comparable to Arsenic. Increased Sb prices and advances in hydrothermal refining processes could reduce these penalties and acceptance limits would make contaminated mineral feasible to mine.

These affected vein deposits are largely found in the north of the country and typically have high precious metal grades. In fact, a number of important gold mines in Cajamarca have been abandoned after depletion of clean ore leaving a valuable potential resource of copper/ gold if the Antimony situation should improve.


http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13700.html
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