I am warming to the Manono to Kolwezi to Liboto (Angola) path. It seems to be being actively supported by copper and cobalt producers and major logistics and offtake providers like Trafigura.
250-ishkm south by new road then on the train.
This is particularly since that takes the product to the Atlantic side and potentially on to the new battery plants in Europe, particularly considering CATL's new factory in Germany in Thuringia, which is an 8 hour road trip from Rotterdam and the overall trip from source to factory would be much quicker than to China.
China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) rebuilt the Angola line and also rebuilt their highway 120. Now, who is doing that road to Manono again? China Civil Engineering Construction Coporation (CCECC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of CRCC.
Given Trafigura do offtakes with transport and logistics included in the deal this could be a good way of going forward as well . I am not aware of them doing lithium but the carrot here is big, the customers for their anodes etc the same so the logistics are nothing hard for them to solve.
AVZ Price at posting:
3.9¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
