To paraphrase, if you are in the lithium brine business, you need a processing solution.

And, to state the obvious, if you haven't got a process for producing the lithium carbonate product required by battery manufacturers, you haven't got a project.

Zuvela's point was that coming up with a processing solution is not easy, with salars (or salt lakes) all having their own unique characteristics and only 3-4 companies over the past few decades having the IP for lithium carbonate production.

One of those with the knowledge is Argosy's partner Pablo Alurralde, formerly of lithium brine producer FMC and "a world renowned expert and patent developer for unique lithium routes".

Voila, Argosy's output of battery grade lithium carbonate from the Rincon project in Argentina unveiled yesterday.

Argosy is now awaiting completion of its preliminary economic assessment, due in the next month or so.

Zuvela suggested the company could bypass the previously planned next stage of initial commercial production and go to a full scale commercial development if an offtake party came up with funding.