Now, if only Lyten would announce sometime in the "near future" that it has contracted with LAC for 40% of the phase 2 Thacker Pass production....

OK, Cal, I know.  Wishful thinking on my part, but who knows?  Lyten is going to have to purchase their lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide from someone.  Why not from Humboldt County, Nevada LAC?  It could greatly reduce shipping costs.  On the other hand, there are a ton of "wannabee" lithium mining companies in Nevada now, 1 actual producer and then there are the "wannabees" from California.  I haven't mentioned Arkansas, North Carolina or the Canadian ones still on the drawing board.

Let's just see if any of the wannabees are in production in 2027.  Albermarle, of course, will be still in production with its Silver Peak Mine, but it is unlikely that any of the other ones that are the darling of the journalists will actually be in commercial production at a time to coincide with the completion of phase 1 by Lyten.  If by chance they do make it to 2027 production at that time will they be able to supply any significant amount of the needs of Lyten.  Lyten, on the other hand, if it is smart, will be sure to have more than one supplier in order to secure their source of lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide so as not to depend upon only one source.  That seems to almost guarantee that LAC will be one of their sources.  The question remaining is just to what extent will they be supplying Lyten?

Since LAC is so much further along in the development process of Thacker Pass and Lyten "Located near Reno, Nevada, the facility will have the capability to produce up to 10 GWh of batteries annually at full scale. Phase 1 of the facility is scheduled to come online in 2027."

That 2027 schedule seems to fit nicely to LAC's presently proposed schedule for phase 1 completion of Thacker Pass, eh?  Coincidence or is there a reason that these dates coincide?

https://insights.globalspec.com/article/23152/lyten-plans-to-build-the-world-s-first-lithium-sulfur-battery-gigafactory-in-nevada

"Lyten’s lithium-sulfur cells feature high energy density, which will enable up to 40% lighter weight than lithium-ion and 60% lighter weight than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The cells are fully manufactured in the U.S. and utilize abundantly available local materials, eliminating the need for the mined minerals nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. Use of low cost, local materials make Lyten lithium-sulfur a lower cost battery than lithium-ion at scale.

These lithium-sulfur batteries are entering the micromobility, space, drone and defense markets in 2024 and 2025. Lyten already has a pipeline of hundreds of potential customers, and the Nevada gigafactory is part of Lyten’s strategy to meet this growing demand."

I like that "abundantly available local materials" part.  Just 'sayin.

Of course, the 2027 goal for phase 1 of the Lyten Gigabattery Plant in Reno (actually, I wonder if it is really in Stead, Nevada... just adjacent to Reno on the West side) and the goal for phase 1 of Thacker Pass may be entirely coincidental.  Nah, I don't believe in that coincidence, but you can if you want to.

LOCAL materials.  That's the ticket! 

Okiedo