PIEDMONT NEWS
Location. Location. Location.
As a U.S.-based, growing lithium supplier, Piedmont Lithium is uniquely positioned to benefit from America’s pro-EV and
-manufacturing policies as we advance our operating and developing projects. Our hard rock portfolio includes a significant spodumene base, with projects in Quebec, Ghana, and North Carolina in advantageous regions with access to important infrastructure. Downstream production is planned in the heart of America’s Battery Belt, strategically located near customers and
by-product markets.
Why U.S. Lithium?
The United States is approximately four times more reliant on China for critical minerals and their processing than it was on the Middle East at the peak of the nation’s oil dependence.1
Today, China produces approximately 72%2 of the world’s lithium hydroxide, while the United States produces only 5%.2 Meanwhile, more than $80 billion2 in commitments have been announced to build or expand U.S. battery manufacturing facilities to support the growing electrification requirements. Once completed, these projects are expected to require more than 35 times3 the current domestic production capacity of lithium hydroxide of approximately 20,000 metric tons per year.2
1 Forbes. August 2024
2 Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
3 Based on published company announcements as of June 2024
NAL: North America’s Largest Producing Lithium Mine
North American Lithium (NAL) is our jointly owned operation near Val-d’Or, Quebec, a major mining service center. It is North America’s largest active lithium mine and now produces spodumene concentrate at steady-state production. Our offtake agreement allows us to purchase the greater of 113,000 metric tons or 50% of NAL’s production, subject to ceiling and floor prices, on a life-of-mine basis.
Our joint venture Ewoyaa Lithium Project (Ewoyaa) is a relatively low-cost project1 that is expected to be a large operation, targeted to produce 365,000 metric tons1 of spodumene concentrate annually. Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has granted a mining lease to conduct mining and commercial production activities at Ewoyaa, subject to parliamentary ratification and the necessary approvals and permits.
Carolina Lithium: One of Only Two Significant U.S. Spodumene Projects
Carolina Lithium is a highly strategic project located in the heart of America’s Battery Belt in the renowned Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt. The 2024 receipt of the Carolina Lithium mining permit allows us to accelerate the funding strategy and consolidate our planned Tennessee Lithium capacity into our foundational North Carolina project. At steady-state production, we expect the fully integrated, multi-phase campus to produce 30,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide per conversion train for a total of 60,000 metric tons annually.
Hard Rock Production.
Global Scale.
We believe production from spodumene ore represents the lowest-risk and most commercially scalable raw material source for lithium hydroxide production. Our integrated global portfolio has been strategically assembled to include spodumene assets in Quebec, Ghana, and North Carolina, with planned downstream manufacturing capacity to refine lithium hydroxide in the heart of America’s Battery Belt, in close proximity to customers.
