Piedmont Lithium Inc. (PLL)

Lithium is not the only material world #2 lithium producer SQM produces. It is also a world class producer of specialty fertilizers and iodine, each of which is also in a bull market. Here is what SQM's CEO, Ricardo Ramos, had to say about the company's performance in those markets:

"In the iodine market, the rapid post-Covid recovery is being reflected in a 25% increase in our sales volumes in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to the same period last year. This strong demand growth should have a positive impact on prices going forward since supply is not keeping up."

The CEO continued by saying, "Given the existing shortage of potash and potassium-based fertilizers, we have seen a significant increase of global potassium prices, letting us report an over 65% increase of our average price in potassium business line during the third quarter of 2021 when compared to the same period last year. This positive trend should continue during the fourth quarter, with prices of potassium-based fertilizers growing at a rate higher than earlier anticipated".

$MOS $CF $ALB $LAC $LIT $SLI $LTHM $PLL

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sqm-reports-earnings-for-the-third-quarter-of-2021-301427482.html

Some investors who may have initially been somewhat ambivalent on world #2 lithium producer SQM's reported Q3 earnings last week are surely coming to the realization that it's all about the future with this company. Indeed, the forward outlook for this company in the lithium market is nothing short of phenomenal. Yes, Q3 revenues and earnings were strong, but if there was anything at all that held them back from being much, much stronger, it was SQM's legacy contracts with longstanding customers that are not at anything close to today's skyrocketing lithium prices. After all, spot lithium carbonate has doubled in just three months! Well, surely those investors, who might have initially been disappointed that Q3 numbers were not even higher, are beginning to see the bigger picture. The great news is that the bulk of those legacy contracts are expiring this quarter (Q4) and will be renewed at much higher rates that are reflective of today's sky-high prices. Not only that, SQM is ramping up its lithium production at a very impressive rate. It is currently producing at a 120,000 metric ton/year rate (which is dramatically higher than last year at this time), and is projecting a 180,000 metric ton/year rate being reached at some point next year.

Here is CEO Ricardo Ramos on his SQM's ramping lithium production and the all-important expiry of those legacy contracts (second paragraph):

"The expansion of our lithium operations is yielding positive results, letting us increase our sales volumes more than 80% when compared to last year. We are already producing at rate higher than 120,000 metric tons per year, while we continue working to reach 180,000 metric tons capacity next year. We are confident that our sales volumes could reach close to 100,000 metric tons this year, on a market that we estimate will grow close to 50%. This market growth is putting pressure on prices, as a result, we forecast average prices to be close to 50% higher in the fourth quarter this year when compared to prices reported in the third quarter 2021."

"The positive trends we are seeing in each of the markets in which we participate, along with the expiration of the legacy lithium contracts, are leading us to reach record-level results in the fourth quarter of this year."

$LIT $LTHM $SLI $LAC $PLL $ALB

https://ir.sqm.com/English/news/news-details/2021/SQM-Reports-Earnings-for-the-Third-Quarter-of-2021/default.aspx

Piedmont Lithium plans to build an open pit lithium mine in the northwestern part of Gaston County, North Carolina. They will mine 24/7 on up to 2,000 acres of land. Not only will it impact my family's home of almost three centuries, it would create severe water quality issues for the various streams that run through the proposed area and contaminate/dry up well water. Repeated blasting will threaten the structural integrity of homes and businesses, cracking foundations and walls. The blasting will create immense amounts of dust, high decibel noise, and light pollution. Property values will be decimated, it will force the closure of state maintained roads, damage property, threaten a variety of historically unique and significant sites, and would decimate forestland, crop land, and wildlife. In addition to threatening well water, the mine would also threaten the drinking water of thousands of people living in towns like Dallas and Belmont. Because of this, we petition the Gaston County Commissioners, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the other governmental agencies involved to deny permits for this mine and natural disaster.