International Battery Metals (CNSX:IBAT, OTCMKTS:IBATF) CEO Dr John Burba

International Battery Metals Ltd (CNSX:IBAT, OTCMKTS:IBATF) is creating a lithium extraction technology defined by: environmentalism, resource protection, rapid implementation & production, and low capital & operating costs.
The demand for lithium is predicted to double in the next five years. Then double again in the following five years – helped by the shift to electric vehicles (EVs). With that rising demand for the materials used to make batteries, innovative processes are needed to supply the required materials to shape the lithium market.
Why Direct Lithium Extraction?
Direct Lithium Extraction is a solution that can satisfy economic and environmental concerns while providing the commercial-grade lithium needed to power the future of clean energy.
“This whole process is designed to use minimal chemicals and conserve water to the max” – International Battery Metals CEO Dr. John Burba
The key advantage to $IBAT’s technology is it can reach more salar’s than the conventional processes.
The economics of building a lithium extraction plant on smaller salar’s is not feasible if those salar’s could only be used for less than a decade. Instead, $IBAT can use its modular system on multiple salar’s and run extraction at the rate they choose. Then, when the life of the salar is complete, the equipment can be moved like it was never there.
“The big distinction between what we are doing and what other people are trying is this whole mobile concept and the time to market. It’s a much lower capital cost to go with this modular approach than it is for a conventional plant.” – International Battery Metals CEO Dr. John Burba
$IBAT has completed the build of its first commercial-scale Mobile Lithium Extraction Plant. The company is now entering the factory acceptance test and demonstrating performance.
“Shortly, probably in May, we will be literally extracting lithium from brines we are going to be getting from a number of resources.” – International Battery Metals CEO Dr. John Burba
$IBAT has licence agreements in Chile and Argentina. The company receives royalties on the sale of final products. It operates on a cost-plus basis while owning 10% of the project.
But, the company’s goal outside of Chile and Argentina is to become a lithium producer.
“We want to own our own resources. I’ll do joint-ventures with people but the main thing is we want to be a producer. We’ll go from the brine to high-purity final products to the battery manufacturers or whoever wants them things. That’s the direction we want to go.” – International Battery Metals CEO Dr. John Burba
Transcript
00:00 – International Battery Metals $IBAT $IBATF CEO Dr. John Burba
00:37 – Driver of share price appreciation?
02:00 – Mobile Lithium Extraction plant throughput
03:12 – Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) science & technology
06:17 – Economics of DLE technology
07:53 – Target cost of lithium production per tonne
08:18 – Supplying battery manufacturers
09:25 – Clean/Low environmental footprint
12:12 – Business model, ownership, licences & royalties
13:38 – Clay vs brine extraction
14:32 – Hard rock vs lithium brine sources
16:02 – Competitive landscape