Partner hunt and timeline
CEO Ignacio Mehech said Tuesday the shortlist starts wide: miners, cathode makers, automakers, traders and investment funds are all in the mix. More than 20 companies have signed agreements to access Laguna Verde's confidential materials, and the goal is to lock in a partner either before year-end or in early 2027. He added that interest is stronger than a year ago, crediting progress at the project and a limited pipeline of advanced prospects globally.
Project details and approvals
The design capacity for Laguna Verde is 15,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate each year. If everything stays on track, it could be the first new lithium producer in Chile in over three decades. The operating contract is currently with Chile's Comptroller General for a final review. Any outside funding would be injected at the project level and could come with a future offtake arrangement.
Listing plans, market pulse and pricing view
CleanTech is already on London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market, valued at £25.6 million ($33.8 million), with the shares up 27% this year. The company aims to complete a dual listing through an Australian public offering by year-end, and Mehech said he will be in Sydney next week to advance the work. The size of the raise is still to be decided.
The backdrop is choppy. Chinese lithium-carbonate futures sank in September, giving back nearly all of this year's gains as traders fretted about battery demand and stockpiles. Mehech argued the slump is about sentiment rather than supply and demand on the ground, adding, "There's no market fundamental behind it, and it should reverse in the short term because analysts continue to see a deficit in the coming years."
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What it means and what to watch
CleanTech also wants to seed a lithium-processing hub in Chile's Atacama region. A planned conversion plant in Copiapo is slated to handle material from the company's own assets and could later take in third-party feed as well. For everyday investors, the near-term watchlist is simple: partner announcement timing, progress on the Comptroller General's review, pricing volatility in China, and whether the Australian offering crosses the finish line by year-end. If those pieces click, a long-dormant Chile supply story could finally add fresh barrels to the global lithium pool.
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