The Fisker Karma - one of the many new exciting Electric+Hybrid - lithium-ion powered sports cars that change the perception of oddly-shaped hybrid cars that majority of us has been used to from Prius Taxis, etc.
In other news - resources are coming back, US dollar is falling, when will the world wake up fully to the never-ending bad news from the US! Stick to commodities, it is the only true measure of value - especially when US has debt that is half of their annual GDP. Can you imagine saying no to inflation at that ridiculous level...
One of our favorite mining juniors here, TNR Gold Corp and its subsidiary, International Lithium Corp, has been continuously aquiring land all over the world. This time - they went to Ireland!
| Vancouver B.C.: TNR Gold Corp. ("TNR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the recent application for licences to explore the Leinster Pegmatite Belt in southeast Ireland. TNR has applied for eight licences in counties Carlow and Wicklow which cover the belt, totaling 292 km2. TNR anticipates that the application process will take 4 to 6 months to complete and upon receipt of the licences, fieldwork will commence.
The areas can be seen on the following map -- http://www.tnrgoldcorp.com/i/pdf/TNR-Ireland.pdf The application for these licences initiates the Blackstairs Lithium-Tantalum Project which will focus on evaluation of the approximately nineteen pegmatites that make up the Leinster Pegmatite Belt for lithium, tantalum and related rare elements. Lithium was first located in this area during base metal exploration in the 1970s. At least three of the pegmatites were drilled in the 1970s. In 1970, a total of 885m of drilling on the Aclare pegmatite was completed. Although tantalum minerals were identified, there is no record of any analysis for elements other than lithium. To the north at Stranakelly, two holes were drilled in 1974 and returned intervals intersecting 1.4m of 2.34% Li and 5.5m of 1.6% Li. In 1976 five holes drilled at Moylisha included an intersection of 9.5m of 1.66% Li. Lithium occurs as both spodumene and lepidotlite with the latter mineral found more in the northern part of the belt. Since the lithium exploration in the 1970s attention of subsequent explorers has focused on tantalum, particularly in the southern half of the belt. In addition, anomalous values in niobium, tin and cesium have been reported. Ireland has a well established mining history and has attracted a number of major mining companies. Access to the licence area is by a network of good roads across a rural, farming area. Once the licenses are granted, TNR plans an exploration programme to confirm earlier drilling results, quantify additional rare elements in those areas and follow-up results and recommendations from earlier reconnaissance programmes. An experienced geological team source from Ireland and Canada will be ready to apply pegmatite exploration methods proven in Canada to re-evaluate the Leinster Pegmatite Belt in Ireland. Mr. John Harrop is the Company's qualified person on the project as required under NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information contained in this press release. ABOUT TNR TNR is a diversified metals exploration company focused on identifying new prospective projects globally and upon approval of the above licences has a total portfolio of 30 properties, of which 13 will be subject to the proposed spin-off of International Lithium Corp.. The recent acquisition of Lithium projects in Canada, USA and Ireland confirms the company's commitment to project generation, market diversity, and building shareholder value. TNR proposes to spin-out its lithium and rare metals projects into its wholly owned British Columbia subsidiary International Lithium Corp. ("Int. Lithium Corp" http://www.internationallithium.com). Upon completion of the transfer of the lithium and rare metals projects to Int. Lithium Corp., TNR intends to distribute up to 75% of the securities of Int. Lithium Corp. to TNR shareholders (the "Spin-Out Transaction"). Application will also be made to list the shares of Int. Lithium Corp. on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). Please see TNR's news release dated April 27, 2009 for complete details of the proposed spin-out. On behalf of the board, Gary Schellenberg President | |||
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It may sound crazy how a junior company can acquire so many projects so fast, but I suppose it makes sense when you look at the various staffs background in geological and past successful public companies and ventures. Gary Schellenberg is also the CEO of a successful geo consulting firm - CMG. Talk about leveraging your abilities!
Few days ago I also received an email indicating TNR has made it to CBC News! Their acquisition of a past producing mine in Northwest Territories has sparked interest in the area. Keep in mind this is around Thor Lake of the famous Avalon Rare Metals (AVL:TSX)
This area is familiar to in-house expert Dr. Fred Breaks, who also discovered Avalons flagship property.
CBC Article Link: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/05/05/nwt-tnr-rare-metal.html
2nd company shows interest in mining rare metals near Yellowknife
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 | 3:33 PM CT
A Canadian mining exploration company has bought an old mine near Yellowknife, with plans to explore for rare, sought-after metals used in electronics and electric cars.
TNR Gold Corp. of Vancouver recently purchased the Moose 2 property 115 kilometres east-southeast of the N.W.T. capital that is known to have deposits of lithium and tantalum, among other minerals.
TNR president Gary Schellenberg told CBC News that the former mine, which was in use during the 1940s and 1950s, looks promising for lithium and tantalum — two metals, he said, that have seen their prices skyrocket recently.
"Tantalum is used in the electronics industry, and again, it's fairly rare. And of course, everybody's cellphones have a bit of tantalum in it," he said Monday.
"Lithium, of course, is getting a lot of press lately, due to the increased demand and all the talk of lithium batteries in electric cars."
Schellenberg said the company will conduct some exploration and sampling this summer in order to determine whether reopening the mine would be viable.
The Moose 2 site is not on the N.W.T.'s road system, but Schellenberg said it is accessible by boat and float plane.
TNR is the second company that has expressed interest in exploring for rare metals in the Yellowknife area.
Judging by Stockhouse comments and feedback - alot of people are waiting for the International Lithium spinoff latter part of 2009.
If you havent seen it yet, ILC website is here. Interesting investor information section for people new to lithium - I like the layout and color - very much feels like a Green Tech play! I can see this doing quite well, what does everyone else think??
On a slightly less enthuthiastic note, Miner Andes production at San Jose runs into problem and halts. I suppose this could be good for TNR - must mean MAI would need to focus on developing the massive Los Azules deposit -- when is Xstrata supposed to decide if they back in or not?
I recall 90 days from a Prelimenary Assessment, which was already filed on SEDAR late March. Does that mean we will have an answer late June 2009?
So many questions, yet so many positive signs for the tiny microcap group!!
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Onto the bigger picture, President Obama declares yesterday an official mandate for car makers to lower emissions!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Obama-proposes-first-rb-15292746.html?sec=topStories&pos=3&asset=&ccode=
It`s a step in the right direction - but is there a technology out there that people have trusted for years - a balance of lower emissions and reasonable costs!
If you asked someone to test a new technology, did you want someone who used their cars alot or someone who barely drives!
SURELY, millions of Prius Taxis around major cities for the last 5-7 years it`s been in production says something about reliability and true cost savings, no
?
Keep in mind each Electric Vehicle (EV) and Hybrid Vehicle like Prius demands a fair bit of Lithium Carbonate - a commodity that has no spot price but rather private quotes from the handful of producers around the world.
Obama takes aim at climate-warming car emissions
- On Tuesday May 19, 2009, 2:17 pm ED
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama took aim at climate-warming greenhouse gases on Tuesday and obliged the struggling auto industry to make more efficient cars by imposing tough national standards to cut emissions and increase gas mileage.
Obama said the new standards, announced at a White House ceremony attended by auto industry and union leaders, would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and give five years of cost certainty to an auto industry battling to survive.
"The status quo is no longer acceptable," Obama said in an announcement that raised pressure on carmakers to transform and modernize the industry to produce more efficient vehicles.
"We have done little to increase fuel efficiency of America's cars and trucks for decades," he said, calling the standards the start of a transition to a clean energy economy.
Obama has made fighting climate change a priority for his administration, and lawmakers from his Democratic party are this week wrangling over a historic bill many hope will provide much broader guidelines for controlling greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the new vehicle standards, U.S. passenger vehicles and light trucks must average 35.5 miles per gallon (6.62 litres/100km) by 2016, which Obama said would save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the program.
The Environmental Protection Agency would regulate tailpipe emissions for the first time under the standards.
The U.S. Congress does not have to approve the standards, which will be implemented through federal rules.
HIGHER PRICETAGS FOR CONSUMERS
The plan was praised by automakers and environmentalists but means higher price tags for consumers. Officials said they would recoup the money with lower fuel costs.
The new program, the administration said, will add about $600 to the price of producing a vehicle compared to current law. This requires automakers to achieve a fleet average of 35 mpg by 2020, a 40 percent increase over today's performance.
The plan could cut deeply into voracious U.S. gasoline demand, dealing another blow to a refining sector hard hit by recession and bracing for more climate legislation.
The White House announcement came as U.S. gasoline prices soared for the second week in a row, with the latest pump cost up 7 cents over the previous week to $2.31 a gallon amid signs of an easing of the recession.
Obama was flanked at the ceremony by executives from 10 automakers, labor leaders and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who embraced the plan for giving the struggling industry cost certainty by setting a uniform national standard.
"At a time of historic crisis in our auto industry, this rule provides the clear certainty that will allow these companies to plan for a future in which they are building the cars of the 21st century," Obama said.
The compromise also resolves a long-running dispute between the government and California, which had been seeking a waiver from federal law to impose its own tough standards on emissions.
Obama said a series of lawsuits tied to California's efforts would be dropped. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attended the White House announcement in a show of support.
The proposal is aimed at cutting climate-warming carbon emissions, which would fall by 900 million metric tons or more than 30 percent over the life of the program, officials said.
(Additional reporting by John Crawley, writing by John Whitesides; Editing by David Storey)
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