A Tale Of Two Lithiums
Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide are types of lithium used in batteries that come from a chemical extraction process from lithium deposits.
But not all lithium is created equal.
Lithium deposits come mainly in two forms, brines which are found under dry lakebeds, or "salars," and hard-rock pegmatite deposits.
Lithium generally produced from brines are more expensive to produce, so hard rock lithium which comes from lithium hosted from spodumene pegmatite dikes is becoming the more common source of lithium production because:
Cost: Unlike lithium sourced from brines which can initially only be processed into lithium carbonate, the Company’s lithium hosted in spodumene pegmatite sources can be cost-effectively processed directly into either lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.
Speed: Lithium production sourced from brine recovery is typically a very lengthy process that can take anywhere from several months to a few years to complete. Lithium hosted in spodumene pegmatite resources can be processed daily into several tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide.
Flexibility: Foremost’s Lithium hosted from spodumene pegmatites can be initially processed into lithium hydroxide or carbonite, while brines can only initially be processed in carbonate.
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Here's the gist of it...
Lithium is an essential part of lithium-ion batteries that are used in electric vehicles (EV's).
The need for a consistent supply for lithium should not be underscored by the importance it plays in our everyday lives.
We use lithium batteries in our mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, power tools, medical treatment to treat bipolar disorder and battery storage of energy generated from wind and solar power.
The electric vehicle market by far has been the biggest catalyst driving the surge in demand.
The great news for a hard-rock lithium miner such as Foremost Lithium, is the trend towards lithium hydroxide derived from spodumene pegmatite dykes continues to increase as it’s proving to be the most cost effective and efficient choice for this battery metal.
FMST Website. FMST Presentation.
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The most pressing potential catalysts...
#1. FMST Has A Low Float Which Could Create A Volatile Scenario.
First off, FMST needs to be recognized for its float size.
With Yahoo Finance reporting a float of approx. 4.36Mn shares, FMST could become a volatile situation in a blink of an eye.
A float this size could be why this Nasdaq profile was able to make a 2X move from October's lows to November's highs.
Could positive company news towards the end of 2023 provide a new breakout spark for FMST near term?
Only time will tell, but it's also important to focus on this...
#2. Foremost Lithium Issues Shareholder Letter and Provides Corporate Update.
FMST President and Chief Executive Officer, Jason Barnard:
"2023 was a transformational year for Foremost Lithium, building the foundation for success in our 2024 drilling programs as we advance project timelines at our asset rich, strategically located hard-rock lithium properties in North America. Throughout the year, we have extended our land claims into eastern Canada, continued our exploration and growth on our Lithium Lane projects in Manitoba, executed on the drills, with lithium and gold discovery and completed property acquisitions.
On the capital markets front, we achieved a monumental milestone with our uplisting to the Nasdaq and the completion of a concurrent USD $4.0Mn public offering – laying the foundation for long-term shareholder value creation on a globally recognized exchange. Taken together, we believe we have the team, properties and strategy in place to execute on our Company’s objectives to achieve overwhelming success."
Or, how about this recent news...
#3. “Rock Solid” Results: Foremost Lithium Reports Promising Exploration Results With Potential Implications For North American Lithium Mining And Resource Independence.
Recently, the company divulged the latest results from its rock sampling efforts on several properties.
In particular, the Zoro and Jean Lake properties stood out, boasting high-grade lithium values and spodumene mineralization.