Stardust Power has signed a Letter of Intent to source up to 15,000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent as lithium chloride from a California brine project, feeding its planned Muskogee, Oklahoma refinery from Q1 2028 with options for additional volumes. The Muskogee plant has completed Front-End Loading 3 engineering and secured its air quality construction permit, clearing key pre-construction hurdles. Located near the Port of Muskogee Free Trade Zone with road, rail and water access, the refinery is being configured for scalable production of battery-grade lithium carbonate from multiple US brine streams.

Copper price assumptions used in mining studies have climbed about 60% since 2020, with Plusmining’s review of 300+ reports showing base-case long-term prices rising from roughly US$3.00/lb in 2015–2020 to around US$4.80/lb by early 2026, still below spot levels above US$6.00/lb on the LME. Plusmining’s Andrés González notes assumptions remain tied to trailing averages rather than short-term spikes, as EVs, grid expansion and data centres reshape demand and declining grades and 17-year discovery-to-production lead times constrain supply. The stronger outlook is reviving previously uneconomic projects and driving portfolio reshaping, consolidation and renewed capital into copper resources.

Lithium Ionic has reaffirmed it holds “valid and registered title” to Brazilian mineral claims, including its Bandeira project in Minas Gerais’ Lithium Valley, citing independent legal opinions and National Mining Agency records that show no prior ownership by Emerita Resources. The clarification follows Ontario Securities Commission allegations that Emerita executives diverted Brazil’s Falcon claims into Lithium Ionic, with a hearing set for 8 May, though Lithium Ionic is not a respondent. Bandeira, near CBL and Sigma Lithium operations, has a feasibility study outlining an 18.5‑year mine life and 177,000 t/y of spodumene concentrate, positioning it as a near‑term producer.