CleanTech Powering Ahead with Billion-Dollar Lithium Project in Chile

Why It Matters

The project’s low‑cost economics and secured Chilean contract could make CleanTech a fast‑growing lithium supplier, attracting capital as the market shifts from a ‘lithium winter’ to a prolonged demand surge.

Key Takeaways

• CleanTech secured Chilean SE contract for Laguna Verde project.
• PFS forecasts 15,000 t/yr lithium carbonate with 25‑year mine life.
• Post‑tax NPV ~US$950 million; capex under $50k/ton for project.
• Operating costs in first quartile: below $6,000 per ton.
• CEO plans strategic partner selection, US production, and Australian listing.

Summary

CleanTech Lithium’s chief executive Ignashio Mck gave a one‑year update, highlighting the award of a special lithium operation (SE) contract for the Laguna Verde project in Chile and the release of a preliminary feasibility study (PFS). The company now positions itself as a potential new lithium producer in a jurisdiction that hosts the world’s second‑largest lithium reserves.

The PFS projects a 25‑year mine life delivering 15,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually, with a post‑tax net present value of roughly US$950 million. Capital expenditures are estimated below $50,000 per ton of output, while operating costs sit in the first cost quartile at under $6,000 per ton, enabling a pay‑back period of about four years.

Mck emphasized a bullish outlook, noting lithium prices have tripled from $8 to $24 per kilogram and that analysts forecast a decade‑long deficit through 2035. He dismissed recent legal allegations as immaterial to operations and praised Chile’s pro‑mining government, which is streamlining permits and cutting taxes.

Looking ahead, CleanTech plans to select a strategic partner for Laguna Verde, advance processing work in the U.S., pursue an Australian Stock Exchange listing, and prepare an environmental impact study that could trigger a final investment decision later this year. An independent analyst note is expected soon, which Mck believes will reveal the company’s current undervaluation.

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.