bjd

Lithium Unicorns and Alternative Energy Storage

John,

If you're looking for reliable and "in-the-know" information, I suggest you go to the "Lithium Supply and Markets 2009" Seminar going on in Santiago, Chile at the end of this month.

Here's a few web links:

www.sqm.com/PDF%5CNews...

www.indmin.com/events/...

Hey, I noticed yer man Keith Evans will be there and he's a head speaker. Will Tahil be there as well?

Seems like this seminar is the "meeting of the minds" given that most lithium deposits (resources and reserves alike) are in South America.

I really like your articles, and would love to see you or a colleague of yours give an in-depth review of the Santiago seminar. We may get some answers to our questions about lithium supply.

-BJD
(long SQM, WLC.v, ALTI, VLNC, ABAT, HEV, MXWL, CBAK, SAFT, GS Yuasa, SANYO.)

China's Greatest Trade Ever

Brian K.

One more thing, I thought your article is well within the line of thinking of a good article I read earlier this year on the Kitco website. Here's a link...

www.kitco.com/ind/Dill...

In the article, he makes some predictions about gold prices under various scenarios, one of which is a move by China to diversify just 5% of its dollar reserves. That scenario alone was estimated to drive gold prices up to around $1,400.

FYI- I"m long DGP/GLD/gold coins/and Toqueville Gold Fund.

China's Greatest Trade Ever

Good read. Something I've been pondering for a while now. Keep in mind that China is rapidly growing its domestic gold mining production with little to show for net exports. My guess is that China will gradually gobble up all of its domestic gold production using its dollar reserves. Combine that with a gradual shift in diversifying some its reserves from US$ into Euros or other strong currencies.

Also keep in mind, if China is worried about the dollar and wants to do something about it, all they need to do to "break even" (i.e. not lose the net value of its reserves) is to shift only 50% of its reserves out of the US$.

Battery Technology: A Different Set of Rules

John,

Thanks for the article. I enjoyed it.

You forgot one of my favorite pure plays. GS Yuasa. You should add that to your list even though it's traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Anyone with a Schwab account can buy it through the international desk.

Also, what about Compact Power, LG Chem, Continental AG, Enova, Electrovaya, Quantum Fuel System Technologies, and Bollore? Do they not meet the "pure play" criteria or is it because perhaps they're private, foreign companies? I think these are worth watching too.