Thread regarding ExxonMobil Corp. layoffs

The tariff wars are impacting our ability to extract lithium from brine in Arkansas Smackover.

(Reuters) - A Chinese company has stopped exporting a piece of equipment used to process the electric vehicle battery metal lithium, in the clearest sign yet manufacturers are already implementing export controls proposed by Beijing.

Jiangsu Jiuwu Hi-Tech told customers last month it would stop exporting a piece of filtration equipment known as a sorbent from February 1, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters.

China is the world's largest producer of sorbents, used to extract lithium from brines or other solutions containing the battery metal, although its market size can be difficult to ascertain given Beijing's reticence to share data, analysts say.

The decision by Jiangsu shows Beijing's threat, made public in January, to restrict the export of some battery and lithium technology, including sorbents, is changing behaviour even though the change is for now only a proposal. If approved, companies would need government licenses for overseas sales.

An executive at another lithium extraction technology company, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Jiangsu and Sunresin New Materials, another major sorbent producer, are negotiating with the government over the proposal.

Representatives for Jiangsu and Sunresin did not respond to questions from Reuters. Sunresin's chairman said a month ago the company's overseas expansion plans included transferring technology to customers.

Beijing has not publicly discussed the proposal since it was released last month.

Some in the industry consider it is already a deterrent to exporting listed items to unfriendly countries. A China-based international lawyer with clients in the clean energy industry said it was having a "chilling effect".

Officials with China's Ministry of Commerce have visited several companies to discuss the proposal and in one case, warned against proceeding with a $1 billion export deal that is being negotiated, the lawyer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Banks are also asking for extra approvals before signing off on export finance for items on the list, the person added.

China's Ministry of Commerce did not respond to questions from Reuters.

While it is unclear how restrictive the curbs would be if implemented, the proposal alone underscores Beijing's willingness to use its dominance of the mining and processing of lithium and many other critical minerals as leverage in its escalating trade war with Washington.

China's antimony export ban, announced last December, has already affected the Western auto market, Reuters has reported.

A spokesperson for Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia, the joint venture between China's Tianqi and Australia's IGO that controls the world's largest lithium mine and a major lithium refinery, said it was taking advice on Beijing's export proposal and considering its options.

Looks like we will need to turn to German Vulcan technology in the near term.

BUILDING AN ALTERNATIVE SUPPLY CHAIN

In the near term, any disruption of Chinese sorbent exports may affect plans by Western oil producers to extract lithium from their operations by limiting their technological options.

Among them, Exxon Mobil has studied the potential use of Chinese processing equipment at its planned lithium operations, in the U.S. state of Arkansas, two sources familiar with the plans said. Exxon declined to comment.

Koch Industries, the largest investor in Arkansas lithium developer Standard Lithium, agreed in 2023 to use sorbents from China's Xi'an Lanshen New Material Technology in its North American operations.

A representative for Koch declined to comment.

Several Western sorbent producers say they may be able to take market share, although none of them has the market experience of Chinese rivals and their equipment has yet to reach commercial production.

"We have to completely change the technologies and innovate in production and processing, and we have to do it without being beholden to China, which has a 20-year head start and controls the game," said Brian Menell, CEO of TechMet, which invests in Western mining companies and lithium equipment producers.

***Francis Wedin, chairman of Vulcan Energy Resources, which has developed its own sorbent technology that it plans to use in Germany, said would-be lithium producers were lining up for help.

"Over the past few weeks we've gotten inundated by companies wanting to approach us and buy our sorbent and license the technology," he said declining to name the companies but saying they included large lithium companies from North and South America.***

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder in Houston and Lewis Jackson in Beijing; additional reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne and Amy Lv in Beijing; editing by Veronica Brown and Barbara Lewis)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/exclusive-chinese-lithium-company-halts-tech-exports-as-trade-tensions-build/ar-AA1zhyCM?ocid=socialshare

Looks like President Trump's tariff war with the People's Republic of China is impacting our licensing of lithium extraction technology and adsorbents from the Peoples Republic of China.

A Chinese lithium company has stopped exporting a key piece of equipment used to filter the electric vehicle battery metal, in the clearest sign yet that manufacturers are already implementing export controls proposed by Beijing. The move has major implications for ExxonMobil and Koch-backed Standard Lithium's plans for lithium development in Arkansas.

Exclusive: Chinese lithium company halts tech exports as trade tensions build
By Ernest Scheyder and Lewis Jackson
February 18, 20257:14 AM CSTUpdated 5 hours ago

(1) Jiangsu told customers it would halt exports of lithium processing tech from February 1
(2) China announced a proposal for export controls last month
(3) Proposal is having a "chilling effect" across industry, lawyer says

Companies Impacted by export controls
Jiangsu Jiuwu Hi-Tech Co Ltd
Exxon Mobil Corp
IGO Ltd
Standard Lithium Ltd
Sunresin New Materials Co Ltd

Feb 17 (Reuters) - A Chinese company has stopped exporting a piece of equipment used to process the electric vehicle battery metal lithium, in the clearest sign yet manufacturers are already implementing export controls proposed by Beijing.
Jiangsu Jiuwu Hi-Tech (300631.SZ), told customers last month it would stop exporting a piece of filtration equipment known as a sorbent from February 1, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters.

China is the world's largest producer of sorbents, used to extract lithium from brines or other solutions containing the battery metal, although its market size can be difficult to ascertain given Beijing's reticence to share data, analysts say.

The decision by Jiangsu shows Beijing's threat, made public in January, to restrict the export of some battery and lithium technology, including sorbents, is changing behaviour even though the change is for now only a proposal. If approved, companies would need government licenses for overseas sales.

An executive at another lithium extraction technology company, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Jiangsu and Sunresin New Materials (300487.SZ), opens new tab, another major sorbent producer, are negotiating with the government over the proposal.

Representatives for Jiangsu and Sunresin did not respond to questions from Reuters. Sunresin's chairman said a month ago the company's overseas expansion plans included transferring technology to customers.

Beijing has not publicly discussed the proposal since it was released last month.
Some in the industry consider it is already a deterrent to exporting listed items to unfriendly countries. A China-based international lawyer with clients in the clean energy industry said it was having a "chilling effect".

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinese-lithium-company-halts-tech-exports-trade-tensions-build-2025-02-18/

@ds+1jkxrgpdf

Is China going to allow us to license the Chinese direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology? President Trump has issued an executive order for additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/comparing-new-and-current-u-s-tariffs-on-chinese-imports/

Sounds like lithium extraction technology has the same footprint as our former crude from algae process technology program.

@ds+1jkxrgpdf

If you search google patents, you realize that we do not have intellectual property on direct lithium extraction (DLE) process and catalyst technology. It makes sense that we are just licensing and evaluating technology(s) and adsorbents from other company(s).

The key question is, "Is it Chinese DLE technology, India DLE technology, or a USA startup technology DLE company?

Salt flat extraction in south America doesn't use much power. It does produce lots of soil contamination from the waste. It is a very slow process. DLE uses lots of ion free wash water to clean the resin regenerate. There are pros and cons to all processes. Ion exchange,membrane separation, electrical separation all have their problems.

Yes all chinese technology. They are just screening technology. The ROI is low and if lithium prices fall it is not very profitable. There are also problems with different ion chemistries at each site. It is not as easy as it seems. More hype than actual substance.

Exxon Mobil pivots to direct lithium extraction from brine in Arkansas, aiming for production by 2027
Posted on 14 Nov 2023

Exxon Mobil pivots to direct lithium extraction from brine in Arkansas, aiming for production by 2027
Posted on 14 Nov 2023

Exxon Mobil has announced plans to become a leading producer of lithium, a key component of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Work has begun for the company’s first phase of North America lithium production in southwest Arkansas, an area known to hold significant lithium deposits. The product offer will be branded as Mobil Lithium, building on the rich history of deep technical partnership between Mobil and the automotive industry.

“This landmark project applies decades of ExxonMobil expertise to unlock vast supplies of North American lithium with far fewer environmental impacts than traditional mining operations. Lithium is essential to the energy transition, and ExxonMobil has a leading role to play in paving the way for electrification,” said Dan Ammann, President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. “This landmark project applies decades of ExxonMobil expertise to unlock vast supplies of North American lithium with far fewer environmental impacts than traditional mining operations.”

In early 2023, ExxonMobil acquired the rights to 120,000 gross acres of the Smackover formation in southern Arkansas – considered one of the most prolific lithium resources of its type in North America. “South Arkansas is our state’s all-around energy capital, producing oil, natural gas, and now thanks to investments like ExxonMobil’s and their combination of skills and scale, lithium,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “My administration supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy that guarantees good, high-paying jobs for Arkansans – and we’ll continue to cut taxes and slash red tape to make that happen.”

Southwest Arkansas has a history as an oil and natural gas producer, and the region’s geology is well understood. ExxonMobil is working with local and state officials to enable the successful scale-up of Arkansas’ emerging lithium industry.

After using conventional oil and gas drilling methods to access lithium-rich saltwater (brine) from reservoirs about 10,000 feet underground, ExxonMobil will utilise direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to separate lithium from the saltwater. The lithium will then be converted onsite to battery-grade material. The remaining saltwater will be re-injected into the underground reservoirs. The DLE process produces fewer carbon emissions than hard rock mining and requires significantly less land.

“This project is a win-win-win,” Ammann added. “It’s a perfect example of how ExxonMobil can enhance North American energy security, expand supplies of a critical industrial material, and enable the continued reduction of emissions associated with transportation, which is essential to meeting society’s net-zero goals.”

Lithium is essential to the production of lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, energy storage systems and other clean energy technologies. Demand for lithium is expected to quadruple by 2030, and virtually all lithium today is produced outside of North America.

The company is targeting its first lithium production for 2027 and is evaluating growth opportunities globally. By 2030, ExxonMobil aims to be producing enough lithium to supply the manufacturing needs of well over a million EVs per year. Discussions with potential customers, including EV and battery manufacturers, are ongoing.

https://im-mining.com/2023/11/14/exxon-mobil-pivots-to-direct-lithium-extraction-from-brine-in-arkansas-aiming-for-production-by-2027/

Stop lying. After Darren Woods ExxonMobil doesn't have any tech of its own. All tech is licensed from other companies. ExxonMobil doesn't have any more research or engineering capabilities. It's all a collaboration or joint venture with the one that has the tech. Darren's ki-led research and engineering. There's just nothing left except the lies they post on LinkedIn.