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The board of directors for both Sigma Mineração (its Brazilian entity) and Canadian parent company Sigma Lithium received “multiple strategic proposals” for the companies and for the Grota do Cirilo project, which shipped its first batch of 5.5% grade lithium concentrate in late July.
Those proposals were currently being analyzed, the company said.
The third-parties involved in these offers have not been disclosed.
“The companies and the project have attracted interest from potential strategic partners, including global industry leaders in the energy, automotive, batteries and lithium refining industries,” the announcement said.
A decision will be taken at a shareholder meeting with “the majority of minority shareholders,” Sigma said, although no specific timeframe was given. It could involve bringing in a strategic partner or agreeing another type of transaction, the company added.
“Now as a fully-fledged global producer, Sigma Lithium’s board of directors is conscious of its fiduciary duty and the responsibility involved in selecting our strategic partner, enabling Sigma Brazil to continue to take our country to the next level in securing its vital position within the global lithium supply chain,” chief executive officer and co-chair of the board Ana Cabral said in a written statement.
Sigma came to the seaborne market at a time when lithium prices were under pressure due to weak demand and an overall poor market sentiment in China, with minimal spot activity being reported.
For example, Fastmarkets’ latest price assessment for spodumene, min 6% Li2O, spot price, cif China was $3,000-3,500 per tonne on August 31, widening downward by 2.99% from $3,200-3,500 per tonne a fortnight earlier and 5.80% lower than $3,300-3,600 per tonne at the start of that month.
The price has tumbled by 60.12% in 2023 so far, compared with $8,000-8,299 per tonne on December 22, 2022.
And Fastmarkets most recently assessed the lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot prices, cif China, Japan & Korea at $27.00-29.00 per kg on Wednesday. This was stable from the day before but down by 5.08% from $28.00-31.00 the previous week and down by 15.15% from $32.00-34.00 per kg on August 16.
In 2023 to date, the price has come down by 65% compared with $79-81 per kg on December 30, 2022.
Sigma currently has capacity for 36,700 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) at Grota do Cirilo, in what it has called phase 1 of that project. Phases 2 and 3 could increase production to 104,200 tpy.
In July, it shipped 30,000 tonnes in a 50:50 ratio between spodumene concentrate and lithium oxide hypofine byproducts, with a second 45,000-tonne cargo (33:66 ratio) shipped in September. During an earnings conference call on September 5, Cabral said that another shipment was expected by the end of September.
“We see potential for a fourth line to be installed, and should be announcing steps for phase 4 soon,” she said at the time. She also mentioned that phases 2 and 3 could be ready in 2024.
Despite tougher market conditions putting pressure on prices, Fastmarkets research forecasts that the market will be in deficit this year and in 2024.
According to its latest research report, published on September 12, Fastmarkets expects LCE production to reach 897,300 tonnes in 2023 and 1.13 million tonnes in 2024, while apparent demand is projected at 969,700 tonnes and 1.21 million tonnes respectively.
The deficit would, then, be 72,400 tonnes in 2023 and 82,690 tonnes the next year.
Fastmarkets research also forecasts lithium carbonate prices to average $33.99 per kg on a CIF China, Japan & Korea basis during the third quarter, down from $36.00 per kg in April-June this year. The price would then fall to $29.83 per kg in the last quarter of 2023.
In July, Sigma’s CEO had already told news agency Reuters that the company was working alongside Bank of America to negotiate a potential merger, acquisition or partnership. In February, Bloomberg reported that US electric car maker Tesla had considered making an offer.
Keep up to date with all the lithium price changes and data on our dedicated lithium price page.