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General Market Commentary
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General Energy
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General Market Commentary
China’s New Strategic Metal Domination, Part 2
China’s New Strategic Metal Domination, Part 2
Written by Adam English
In October, we covered how China has aggressively moved to dominate any resource it can.
We've seen it in massive land and crop deals in South America. Large tracts of farmland have been leased or purchased, alongside massive purchases of soybeans and other staple crops.
We’ve seen it in business deals in Africa and South America, from exploiting impoverished and poisoned cobalt miners in Congo to taking loan payments in oil from Venezuela.
The headlines may focus on the TPP, or the aggressive moves in the South China Sea, from massive armadas of patrol and fishing boats operating in contested, and even foreign national waters. All while reefs and remote rocks are turned into islands with ports and airfields.
But what we discussed in October was how Tianqi Group is aggressively moving to dominate the lithium ore market.
Today, we’re going to talk about how China may dominate the application of this resource, which has been designated as a critical metal by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, and was added to the U.S. National Defense Stockpile in 2014.
A Quick Recap
If you didn’t catch the article in early October, here is what is going on with Tianqi and lithium mining companies.
Lithium has traditionally been dominated by three big companies. Rockwood, which was acquired by Albemarle (NYSE: ALB), FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), and the Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile (NYSE: SQM).
Tianqi Lithium is already producing lithium from the only big project outside of South America. Through a joint venture with Albemarle, it has a major stake in the Greenbushes mine in Australia.
To continue reading please click link http://www.outsiderclub.com/chinas-new-strategic-metal-domination-part-2/2144