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PLU Lithium Industry Primer FINAL - Compressed PDF
PLU Lithium Industry Primer FINAL - Compressed PDF
PLU Lithium Industry Primer FINAL - Compressed PDF
• Potential for strong risk-return profile given macro backdrop and committed capital
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
2
Executive Summary
Battery Supply Chain
• $400 billion in capital requires supply chain certainty
• Lithium-ion is the dominant battery technology
• Lithium is one of the lightest elements and has the best energy density, key
characteristics for mass market adoption
• Growth in demand driven by electric transport, energy storage, consumer electronics
and technological advances increasing lithium content
Upstream Downstream
Core Raw Materials Semi Processed Products Batteries Battery Packs Mobile / EV / Utility
• Lithium • Cobalt • Anode • Cells • 4-7Wh • Smartphone
• Graphite • Nickel • Cathode • Various form • 7-10 kWh • Home
• Separators factors (18650) • 40-85 kWh • EVs
• >500 kWh • Commercial
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
3
LITHIUM
DEMAND
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
Lithium Demand
• Lithium has a vast array of uses, including:
• Batteries. Best known application, and strongest growth prospect for lithium
• Lubricant Grease. Lithium-based greases make up 75% of the market. Lithium has good
stability, high temperature characteristics and water-resistance properties
• Glass. Provides energy savings for glass manufacturers due to increased melting efficiencies
• Ceramics. Used to produce glazes to improve ceramic’s shock absorption and stain resistance
• Health Products. Prescribed in small amounts for medical purposes
TSX-V:PLU Source: Mining.com article from January 2017 (http://www.mining.com/web/lithium-supply-demand-story/). Article sources Deutsche Bank
OTCQB: PLUUF Markets Research - Lithium 101
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Lithium Content
Current Technology
• Lithium is a key component in current and future technology
• Lithium content is determined by battery capacity in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
• It is estimated that 0.7 - 0.9 kg of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) is required per kWh
• The larger the kWh battery pack, the greater the range, the more lithium is required
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Visualcapitalist.com article from February 2017 (https://www.visualcapitalist.com/lithium-fuel-green-revolution/)
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Green Technology Growth
• Global shift towards green, environmentally friendly energy sources
• Lithium-ion batteries most widely used choice for energy storage
• Lithium is a key driver in the shift towards green power due to its extremely high electrochemical
potential and its weight (the lightest metal on the periodic table)
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Visualcapitalist.com article from February 2017 (https://www.visualcapitalist.com/lithium-fuel-green-revolution/)
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All Automakers Developing EVs
Over $300 billion committed from major carmakers to developing electric vehicles
Chinese OEMs expected to VW Group plans to invest +$50Bn in zero-
comply with 20% EV emission vehicles by 2023; Will develop 80
penetration rate ruling by EV models by 2025, want to offer an electric
10-12M 2025 version of each of its 300 models by 2030
5-9M
EV Strategy Timeline
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, February 2019 publication (Financing 2030: How Much Money & Material is Needed to Make the EV Supply
Chain Happen?) and CNN article from November 16, 2018 (Volskwagen to spend $50 billion on electric car ‘offensive’)
(www.cnn.com/2018/11/16/business/volkswagen-electric-cars/index.html) 8
EV Adoption Supported Globally
Several governments have come out in support of EV adoption
Israel
Proposal to end ICE sales by 2030
India
Canada Proposal to end ICE sales by 2030
Target of 30% penetration of EV
sales by 2030 (Quebec targeting UK & France China
100% zero emissions by 2050) Proposal to end ICE (internal combustion engines) Target of 5% penetration of EV sales
by 2040 by 2020, 20% by 2025
BC recently tabled Zero Emissions
Vehicles Act – 100% zero emission Norway & Netherlands Japan & South Korea
new vehicle sales by 2040, targets Proposal to end ICE sales by 2035 Target of 30% penetration of EV sales
starting 2025 at 10% by 2030
Germany
USA Proposal to end ICE sales by 2030
No federal target set, 10 states
have set targets for 100% zero Italy
emissions vehicles by 2050 Target of 30% penetration of EV sales by 2030
+222% +590%
2015 Megafactory
Capacity Additions
Current
Megafactory
Capacity Build out
to 2028
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, January 2019 publication (Challenge Cobalt: The Major Supply Chain Issues Faced in 2019)
11
Raw Material Demand Evolution
• Raw material required for batteries focused on lithium, graphite, cobalt & nickel
• Forecasts show 7.2x anticipated growth in lithium demand as a key component
• Raw material demand evolution (100% utilisation rate) shows strong lithium growth
2,027.1 GWh
2,500,000
Anticipated Growth:
2,000,000
✓ Lithium 7.2x
✓ Graphite 6.9x
1,234.8 GWh
1,500,000
✓ Cobalt 3.7x
Tonnes
✓ Nickel 11.3x
1,000,000
500,000
293.7 GWh
-
2018 2023 2028
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, January 2019 publication (Challenge Cobalt: The Major Supply Chain Issues Faced in 2019)
12
Supply Attribute Checklist
• OEMs and megafactories require supply with strong attributes
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
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LITHIUM
SUPPLY
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
Lithium Supply
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
Source: USGS 2019 and publicly listed company resource statements
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Lithium Supply
• Lithium is abundant globally but tends to be deposited in low concentrations
• Lithium supply currently produced from brine deposits or traditional hard rock deposits
• Key challenge is finding high enough concentrations to make it cost efficient to produce
• Most of known supply comes from Latin America, Australia and China
• Supply currently oligopolistic in structure: three countries (Chile, Australia, China) account for
~85%, and four companies (Talison, SQM, Albemarle, Livent) control most output
• Brine assets are in Latin America, hard rock predominantly Australia while China has both
• Battery grade produced in two forms – lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide
• Brines first produce a lithium carbonate, with further processing required for lithium hydroxide
• Hard rock spodumene deposits produce a concentrate followed by a conversion to hydroxide
TSX-V:PLU Source: August 2018 article What is Lithium Carbonate by A. Kay and Benchmark Minerals January 2019 article
OTCQB: PLUUF (https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/lithium-supply-revisited/)
17
Brine Deposit Overview
• Lithium brine deposits currently represent ~66% of global lithium resources
• Form in salars (salt lakes), basins where water has leached lithium from the volcanic rocks
• Lithium is extracted by pumping the brines into a series of evaporation ponds, crystallizing the
other salts out of the brine, leaving a lithium-rich liquor (~18-month process)
• Further processing is required to remove impurities prior to conversion into a lithium carbonate
(Li2CO3) which contains ~19% lithium. Further conversion to a higher-grade hydroxide is possible,
although the process can be expensive
• Brine deposits have been the dominant source of production due to lower costs
• Typically easier to explore, shorter timeline to production, and require less upfront capital
(although longer working capital cycles)
Source: McKinsey publication from June 2018 (Lithium and Cobalt – a tale of two commodities) and July 2018 article Not All Lithium Mining is
TSX-V:PLU
Equal: Hard Rock (Pegmatites) vs. Lithium Brine by N. LePan
OTCQB: PLUUF
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Hard Rock Deposit Overview
• Australia is the largest global producer of spodumene concentrate
• Hard rock deposits are less dependent on a changing climate/environmental factors for production
when compared to brine assets
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF For illustrative purposes only
1. See news release date July 18, 2019
23
Trends & Observations
• Spodumene Vertical Integration:
Spodumene projects are realizing the need to become fully integrated to capture 100% of the value
chain. However, capital costs may be a limiting factor.
TSX-V:PLU
OTCQB: PLUUF
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Summary
• The key attributes for lithium project success
• Long life Asset. 20+ years desirable
• Scalable. Ability to grow alongside demand
• Battery Grade Product. high quality lithium chemical product with product flexibility
• Economic Resilience. Lower half of the cost curve supports supply security
• Responsible Mining Jurisdictions. Responsible mining practices mandated by governments
with a history of stable local and foreign investment
✓ Longevity. 6th largest hard rock lithium project today with room to grow2
✓ Supply Security. Peru is a mining nation ranked 14th (out of 83) by Fraser Institute3
TSX-V:PLU 1. Source: McKinsey publication from June 2018 (Lithium and Cobalt – a tale of two commodities)
OTCQB: PLUUF 2. Based on the Company’s review of publicly available data, as at March 4, 2019
3. Fraser Institute – 2018 Annual Survey of Mining Companies
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Contact Information
Disclaimer: The research in this presentation is provided for general informational purposes only and the opinions expressed are based upon Plateau Energy Metals Inc.’s (“Plateau” or the “Company”) analysis and
interpretation and are not to be construed as a solicitation or offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned herein. The particulars contained herein were obtained from sources which Plateau believes to be reliable
and current as of October 2019 but are not guaranteed by Plateau and may be incomplete. This presentation may include forward-looking information or forward-looking statements concerning the future
performance of Plateau’s business and operations, as well as management’s current objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the current opinions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements
are reasonable based on information available at the time, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since the Company can provide no assurance that such opinions and expectations
will prove to be correct. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and Plateau cautions against placing undue reliance thereon. Neither Plateau nor its
directors or management assume any obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as required by securities laws. This presentation summarizes information about the Company and
readers are encouraged to review Plateau’s complete public disclosure including Risks and Uncertainties, as described in more detail in the Company’s MD&A filed on August 22, 2019 and recent securities filings
available at www.sedar.com. All dollars noted in this presentation are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.