Wednesday, October 08, 2014 10:08:59 PM
Bill O'Driscoll, RGJ 3:31 p.m. PDT October 8, 2014
(Photo: Marilyn Newton/RGJ )
CONNECT
4
TWEET
COMMENT
MORE
A Canadian firm took a major step Wednesday toward production of lithium in Nevada that could be timed with the planned 2017 opening of Tesla Motors' $5 billion lithium ion battery gigafactory east of Sparks.
Officials of Western Lithium Corp., unveiled a new hectorite clay processing plant off Interstate 80 in Fernley using ore from the company's Kings River lithium mine north of Winnemucca. The plant will employ 12 to 15 people when it begins operations in the next few weeks.
The hectorite clay will be sold as a lubricant in the fast-growing oil and natural gas drilling industry, officials said.
But that same ore also contains lithium, and the company's mine in northern Humboldt County is estimated to be the fifth-largest lithium deposit in the world and the largest in the U.S.
Western Lithium officials, speaking at a ceremonial opening of the hectorite clay processing plant, said the company last month began a demonstration lithium extraction project in Germany and is seeking $250 million in investment to develop a lithium processing plant at the Nevada mine site with a goal of opening by 2017.
"There is a tremendous opportunity to capture some business synergies in Nevada with all the interest coming in now," said Jay Chmelauskas, CEO of Vancouver, B.C.-based Western Lithium Corp, which has offices in Reno.
"We're very active now with potential customers," he said, but declined to identify electric car maker Tesla among them. "Our lithium plant has current estimates of 26,000 tons of lithium carbonate a year for 20 years. That production matches the amount of lithium carbonate that would be needed by a company like Tesla Motors."
Speaking to two dozen business and political leaders and with a mountain of 3,000 tons of hectorite clay behind him, Chmelauskas said Nevada is blessed to have an abundance of lithium-loaded ore.
"There is a potential market for Tesla 10 miles from where I'm standing," he said of Tesla's site for its mammoth gigafactory, which will employ up to 6,500 people in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center midway between Reno and Fernley.
"We see a tremendous collaboration, opportunities, with lithium. Now we're ready for some bold action," Chmelauskas said. "With the technology we're bringing to Nevada, that will spur innovation. You'll see more jobs come out of the lithium industry."
CONNECT
4
TWEET
COMMENT
MORE
Recent LAAC News
- Lithium Argentina to Release Second Quarter 2024 Results on August 13, 2024 • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 07/17/2024 09:00:00 PM
- Lithium Argentina Reports 2024 Annual General and Special Meeting Results • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 06/20/2024 09:52:12 PM
- Lithium Argentina Publishes 2023 Sustainability Report • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 06/20/2024 01:16:44 AM
- Form 6-K - Report of foreign issuer [Rules 13a-16 and 15d-16] • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 05/14/2024 10:08:51 AM
- Lithium Argentina Reports First Quarter 2024 Results • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 05/13/2024 09:27:54 PM
- Lithium Argentina to Release First Quarter 2024 Results on May 13, 2024 • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/22/2024 08:43:00 PM
- Lithium Argentina Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/21/2024 12:01:08 AM
- U.S. Index Futures Trade Sideways Amid Anticipation of Fed’s Policy Update; Oil Prices Dip • IH Market News • 03/20/2024 11:17:32 AM
- Lithium Argentina Announces Appointment of Two New Board Members • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/19/2024 09:42:58 PM
- Lithium Argentina Announces Ganfeng Lithium Agrees to Acquire Interest in Pastos Grandes for $70M • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/05/2024 02:26:41 PM
- Lithium Argentina Announces Appointment of new President and CEO • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 02/26/2024 09:15:00 PM
- Lithium Argentina Announces 2023 Production Results for Caucharí-Olaroz • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 01/10/2024 09:02:47 PM
- Lithium Americas Provides Thacker Pass Update with Q3 2023 Carve-Out Financials and MD&A • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 11/09/2023 09:58:16 PM
- Lithium Argentina Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 11/07/2023 10:24:10 PM
- Lithium Americas Closes Separation to Create Two Leading Lithium Companies • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 10/03/2023 08:00:59 PM
Glidelogic Corp. Announces Revolutionary AI-Generated Content Copyright Protection Solution • GDLG • Jul 26, 2024 12:30 PM
Southern Silver Files NI43-101 Technical Report for its Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Cerro Las Minitas Project • SSV • Jul 25, 2024 8:00 AM
Greenlite Ventures Completes Agreement with No Limit Technology • GRNL • Jul 19, 2024 10:00 AM
VAYK Expects Revenue from First Airbnb Property Starting from August • VAYK • Jul 18, 2024 9:00 AM
North Bay Resources Acquires Mt. Vernon Gold Mine, Sierra County, California, with Assays up to 4.8 oz. Au per Ton • NBRI • Jul 18, 2024 9:00 AM
Nightfood Holdings Signs Letter of Intent for All-Stock Acquisition of CarryOutSupplies.com • NGTF • Jul 17, 2024 1:00 PM