The Briefing Room
State Chapters => Texas => Topic started by: Elderberry on September 11, 2022, 11:17:10 am
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Investor's Business Daily by Kit Norton 9/9/2022
Tesla (TSLA) is eyeing the prospect of building a lithium processing facility in Texas, as the company looks to take more control over key manufacturing components amid rising prices. Tesla stock was up on the news.
In documents submitted to the Texas Comptroller's Office, Elon Musk's electric vehicle giant is evaluating the facility — which would refine lithium hydroxide — on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Reuters first reported on the filing of the documents.
Tesla said the facility would develop "battery-grade lithium hydroxide" and process "raw ore material into a usable state for battery production," the company's filing said. The company added in its letter to the Texas Comptroller's Office that the plant would be the first of its kind in North America.
If the project is approved, Tesla says it could start construction by the fourth quarter, with commercial production beginning by the end of 2024.
More: https://www.investors.com/news/tesla-stock-company-considers-texas-lithium-refinery-as-china-controls-global-capacity/ (https://www.investors.com/news/tesla-stock-company-considers-texas-lithium-refinery-as-china-controls-global-capacity/)
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Where would the raw material - the lithium hydroxide - come from?
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Lithium hydroxide would be the refined product.
Likely there could be further processing of the ore for rare earths as well.
Which raise another possibility, considering one of the better rare earth deposits in the US is in Texas https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/media-center/news/20211027-texas-comptroller-visits-usa-rare-earths-round-top-project-for-good-for-texas-tour-supply-chains-edition-1634751039266 (https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/media-center/news/20211027-texas-comptroller-visits-usa-rare-earths-round-top-project-for-good-for-texas-tour-supply-chains-edition-1634751039266)
Currently, the only operating lithium mine in the US is Albemarle’s Silver Peak Mine in Nevada. Most other prospects for opening mines are also in that state.
My concern is that the facility be built so it is safe from Hurricanes.