Neometals Ltd (ASX:NMT) is building an integrated lithium business which began with its 13.8% interest in the operating Mt Marion Lithium Mine in Western Australia.
Mt Marion is a tier one lithium production asset providing Neometals with cash flow and an option to off-take lithium product.
This off-take option provides Neometals with secure access to lithium concentrate which has been the basis for developing downstream processing by building a lithium refinery in Kalgoorlie.
The company is also developing lithium-ion battery recycling technology to recover lithium and other critical metals.
Developing titanium vanadium business
Neometals also owns 100% of the Barrambie Titanium Vanadium Project in Western Australia, one of the highest grade hard-rock titanium resource globally.
Like Mt Marion, it forms the basis for the company’s developing titanium and vanadium business.
READ: Neometals to demerge titanium-vanadium assets, focus on lithium
During August 2018, Neometals’ board approved plans to demerge its Barrambie Titanium‐Vanadium Project and associated technology assets into a new ASX‐listed company.
The spin-out will allow Neometals and the new company to separately focus on the development of their respective integrated lithium and titanium-vanadium strategies.
Neometals’s managing director Christopher Reed said: “The company has reached an inflection point where both business arms need dedicated management, independent corporate structures and financial resources to realise optimal value.
“Neometals has an enviable lithium portfolio and a disciplined strategy to minimise risk and maximise returns from its lithium feedstocks.
Barrambie has potential to be a globally significant operation
“We understand the incredible potential of Barrambie, and with the application of the same staged development strategy we have used in the lithium business, we have every confidence it will become a globally significant operation.
“The demerger creates an opportunity for shareholders to retain exposure to both businesses and capital markets will gain clarity, courtesy of simplified commodity focus and corporate structure.”
Demerger to create two individually focused companies
The proposed transaction will see Neometals continue to aggressively pursue development of multiple positions in the lithium supply chain.
Neometals’ integrated lithium strategy is based on:
1) Mining and producing spodumene concentrate;
2) Refining spodumene to lithium compounds; and
3) Recycling lithium batteries to recover battery metals.
READ: Neometals’ lithium strategy gets a thumbs-up from Hallgarten & Company
Neometals has interests in three Western Australian lithium projects which are in various stages of development.
