Thank you AXP (and WB DT) for your quick response, which makes good sense. It’s great to have such knowledgeable members on this forum. I have a very limited understanding of chemistry (high school level only), but I am trying to build my knowledge of how/when carbon is released into the atmosphere.

It’s clearly important LAC does all it can to minimise both carbon emissions and operating costs. That is both from a short term “partnering” and a longer-term competitive positioning perspective. The Technical Centre will no doubt play a part in that process. Good to see that Scope 1 & 2 emissions are “expected to be competitive” with brine and “lower than” spodumene. Though I expect there is much more to be done on Scope 3 emissions. As I recall, the production of Quicklime (another reagent used in the leaching process, alongside soda ash and limestone) releases significant carbon.

We also need to remember that once lithium carbonate/hydroxide is produced and enters the supply chain, it can be infinitely recycled. So the carbon emissions from mining and refining should be amortised over a long period. In time, I guess it will be the emissions from recycling that are more significant.