CleanTech Lithium - Highlights of the Laguna Verde PFS

Why It Matters

The project’s sub‑$6/kg cost and four‑year payback make it a compelling, low‑risk source of lithium, strengthening CleanTech’s market position amid soaring EV demand.

Key Takeaways

• Sale de-risks project, enabling detailed PFS disclosure for investors.
• PFS projects 25‑year mine life producing 15,000 t/year lithium carbonate.
• Post‑tax NPV8 approaches $950 million, indicating strong valuation for stakeholders.
• CAPEX under $50k per ton and OPEX below $6/k, cost‑competitive.
• Payback period estimated at four years, highlighting rapid cash recovery.

Summary

CleanTech Lithium presented highlights from the pre‑feasibility study (PFS) for its Laguna Verde lithium project after securing a sale that removes a major risk and allows the company to showcase detailed economics.

The PFS forecasts a 25‑year mine life delivering 15,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually. The post‑tax NPV8 is close to $950 million, with capital expenditures below $50,000 per ton of capacity and operating costs in the first quartile at under $6 per kilogram.

Management emphasized that the low‑cost DLE (direct lithium extraction) technology enables the project to achieve a payback period of roughly four years, underscoring rapid cash flow generation.

These economics position Laguna Verde as one of the most cost‑effective new lithium supplies, likely attracting strategic investors and supporting the broader supply‑demand dynamics as electric‑vehicle production accelerates.

Original Description

It's been around a year since Ignacio Mehech took over as chief executive at CleanTech Lithium, and in that period several significant milestones have been passed. First off, the company was awarded its operating licence, known as CEOL, for the Laguna Verde project. In addition, a pre-feasibility study was completed, which showed the net present value of Laguna Verde to be well over a billion dollars. Ignacio is currently visiting Europe to meet and update investors in person, and he joins Vox to tell us what's likely to happen next.