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INDUSTRY BULLETIN: The world watches Paris and Provincial Governments unveil clean technology plans – but where will the critical raw materials come from?

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:55 PM on Thursday, December 3rd, 2015

  • Recent policy initiatives in Canada will likely result in increased funding for clean technology innovation, which will lead to increased demand for critical materials needed in clean technology such as lithium.
  • The world is closely watching the United Nations Conference on Climate Change ongoing until December 11, 2015 in Paris. The expected outcome of this conference is a new international agreement to control carbon emissions.

December 3, 2015

Avalon Rare Metals Inc. is pleased to provide an update on a few recent national and international initiatives related to the ongoing “Clean Technology Revolution.” Recent policy initiatives in Canada will likely result in increased funding for clean technology innovation, which will lead to increased demand for critical materials needed in clean technology such as lithium. Developing supply chains will need companies such as Avalon to provide the necessary critical raw materials to achieve governments’ ambitious policy goals.

The world is closely watching the United Nations Conference on Climate Change ongoing until December 11, 2015 in Paris. The expected outcome of this conference is a new international agreement to control carbon emissions. It is anticipated that there will be agreement around the urgent need for more efficient and cleaner energy generation and reduced reliance on the burning of fossil fuels. Prior to the conference, two Canadian provinces, Alberta and Ontario, unveiled their strategies to combat greenhouse gas emission and to develop a low-carbon economy.

In Alberta, Premier Rachel Notley outlined the province’s Climate Leadership Plan and in Ontario, Premier Kathleen Wynne presented a somewhat similar Climate Change Strategy. While there are some differences, one can note that both of these strategies focus on expanding renewable energy initiatives such as wind power and solar power, as well as increased use of hybrid and electric vehicles and other energy efficient technologies. All of these technologies rely on energy storage, which is being enabled by advances in lithium ion battery technology.

Battery expert Jay Whitacre, an investor at Carnegie Mellon, states, “If you are serious about eliminating combustion of fossil fuels to power anything, you can’t do it without [energy] storage.” There remains an impending supply crisis surrounding the availability of critical elements such as lithium, as outlined by David Abraham, author of “The Elements of Power,” who calls on world leaders to address the pending shortage of critical elements needed for clean technologies in his recent Op-Ed in the New York Times: “The Next Resource Shortage?.” Limited investment in new production in recent years and long timelines to bring new production to market signal looming supply shortages and higher prices as demand outstrips supply.

This is good news for aspiring producers like Avalon positioned with advanced lithium projects in favourable political jurisdictions such as Ontario.

Rapid development of electric car technology, enabled by lower cost and more efficient lithium ion batteries, is being led in North America by Tesla Motors, Inc. Tesla is building a lithium ion battery “Gigafactory” in Nevada to produce rechargeable batteries for its future electric cars and the “Powerwall” battery for home energy storage. It has also committed to sourcing the critical materials for the Gigafactory in North America. New supply sources will need to be developed to serve their needs as well as other battery makers around the world. Avalon’s Separation Rapids Lithium Project could become part of the solution.

Policymakers around the world keen on implementing the Clean Technology Revolution would be wise to consider: Where will all the critical raw materials come from?

For questions or feedback, please email Avalon at [email protected].

About Avalon Rare Metals Inc.
Avalon Rare Metals Inc. (TSX & NYSE MKT: AVL) is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in niche market metals and minerals with growing demand in new technology. The Company has three advanced stage projects, all 100%-owned, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, niobium, and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on its Separation Rapids Lithium Project, Kenora, ON and its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project, Yarmouth, NS. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

130 Adelaide St. W, Suite 1901
Toronto, ON M5H 3P5
Tel: (416) 364-4938
Email: [email protected]

Durango Evaluating Additional Ground Adjacent to Nemaska Lithium

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:11 AM on Tuesday, December 1st, 2015

  • Reviewing additional ground adjacent to Nemaska Lithium’s (TSX.V-NMX) proposed open pit Lithium Mine in Quebec
  • Durango currently has ground adjacent to Nemaska Lithium to the east, northeast, west and northwest

Vancouver, BC / December 1, 2015 – Durango Resources Inc. (the “Company” or “Durango”) is reviewing additional ground adjacent to Nemaska Lithium’s (TSX.V-NMX) proposed open pit Lithium Mine in Quebec. Durango currently has ground adjacent to Nemaska Lithium to the east, northeast, west and northwest.

The 2015 Paris Climate Change conference begins this week, and ahead of the conference it was announced in Huffington Post Canada, “Bill Gates $1 Billion Donation Leads Global Clean Tech Energy Campaign”. Within the article it is stated, “Storing electricity is especially crucial for wind and solar power, which can be intermittent because of the weather. Improving batteries is key, and there have been breakthroughs both in technology and production announced this year, including by space and electric car tycoon Elon Musk, whose Gigafactory has begun producing large batteries for home power storage to make solar and wind power more viable.”

A www.fortune.com article dated November 3, 2015, titled “Tesla is Already Making Grid Batteries at the Gigafactory” stated “earlier this year Musk said the company had $1 billion-worth or 100,000 in orders, for the grid batteries. Musk has also said that there’s been so much demand for Tesla’s grid batteries that they “went viral”. Previously Musk has estimated that just the grid battery orders could deliver between $40 million to $45 million in sales for the fourth quarter of this year. Sales for the battery business could be “ten times that number next year” — or presumably $400 million to $450 million in a quarter — after that. Beyond next year, the business could reach “a few billion dollars in 2017”, Musk said earlier this year. “It’s sort of growing by a half order of magnitude to an order of magnitude per year.””

Marcy Kiesman stated “The recent announcement by Billionaires such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and by the push of the Canadian and United States governments to convert to green non carbon based energy is encouraging. Durango is well poised to focus on elements that provide clean green energy such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, which are all used in electric vehicles and power storage systems solutions.”

About Durango

Durango is a natural resources company engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties. The Company has a 100% interest in the Mayner’s Fortune and Smith Island limestone properties in northwest British Columbia, the Decouverte and Trove gold properties in the Abitibi Region of Quebec, and the NMX East lithium property near the Whabouchi mine in Quebec, as well as three sets of claims in the Labrador nickel corridor.

For further information on Durango, please refer to its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Marcy Kiesman, Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: 604.428.2900 or 604.339.2243

Facsimile: 888.266.3983

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.durangoresourcesinc.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain or refer to forward-looking information based on current expectations, including, but not limited to timing of mineral resource estimates, future exploration or project development programs, execution of a definitive agreement, raising of funds, obtaining regulatory approvals and the impact on the Company of these events. Forward-looking information is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, as actual results may differ materially from forecasted results. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. For a detailed list of risks and uncertainties relating to Durango, please refer to the Company’s prospectus filed on its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.