Precious metals/tellurium resource at First Tellurium's Deer Horn Project is the right mix for a strong green metals market.
Vancouver, BC, March 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL, OTC: FSTTF) (the "Company" or "First Tellurium"), reports that recent forecasts by the International Energy Agency (IEA) point to rapid growth in solar photovoltaic (solar PV) deployment worldwide. The agency claims solar PV will generate more power by 2027 than any other source, including coal, natural gas and hydro power. To meet this growth, consumption for both silver and tellurium, key components of solar panels, is expected to surge in coming years.
"This growth scenario aligns perfectly with our strategy for developing First Tellurium's Deer Horn project," said First Tellurium President and CEO Tyrone Docherty. "While Deer Horn is known best for its high-grade tellurium resource, the property's current indicated silver grade, as per our latest Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), is estimated at 157 grams per tonne.* Factoring in the indicated gold grade of 5.12 grams per tonne,* we have a very attractive mix of precious and green metals, including copper porphyry mineralization, in a time of strong metals markets. Keep in mind that our PEA was based on a silver price of $17 per ounce, gold at $1,300 and copper at $3 per pound—all well below current prices."
The PEA resource was calculated on 450 meters of a 2.4-kilometer (1.5 miles) gold-silver-tellurium vein system. Sampling on outcropping quartz veins in 2022 identified a possible 1.1-kilometer (.7 miles) extension of the system, potentially extending it for total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles).
"Drilling planned for 2023 will focus on confirming and enlarging the zone extension," said Docherty. "We also plan to conduct infill drilling to expand the current indicated and inferred resources.
"Solar PV is now the biggest industrial usage of silver," said investment newsletter writer Chen Lin, who recently featured First Tellurium in presentations for the Metals Investor Forum. "In 2022, solar PV used about 12% of total silver demand, or about 120 million oz of silver. This number will rise dramatically in the coming years, and that should lead to silver deficits for decades to come."
Chen added, "Solar is now the cheapest source of energy in many parts of the world. There are ample bullish predictions for solar PV deployment by the Silver Institute, the IEA, industry publications and investment houses. While the numbers differ, they all point to dramatic expansion of solar PV in the coming ten-to-twenty years. Even by conservative estimates, we will be at 300 gigawatts of solar PV output by 2027, up from the current level of about 200 gigawatts. PV Magazine predicts we will be at a massive output of 3,000 gigawatts by 2040."
Nearly every silver forecast points to supply deficits, Chen noted. "The most conservative demand estimate I'm aware of, from Bloomberg and Changjiang Securities, puts solar PV deployment at about 1300 gigawatts by 2040. That's still an uptake of 910,000,000 ounces of silver, or close to all the world's current silver production."
Chen added, "The gold-silver old price ratio is currently around ninety-to-one, where historically it has been much, much lower, even ten or twelve-to-one. The market will realign itself. And when it does, I believe silver prices will increase dramatically, especially when driven by surging demand."
To manufacture today's solar PV panels, Chen noted that every 100 gigawatts (GW) of PV power requires roughly 50 million ounces of silver. While manufacturers are slowly reducing the amount of silver used per panel, new and more efficient technologies will require higher silver content. Development of the 500GW expected by 2025 would require 200 million ounces of silver, or about 20% of current world production. PV Magazine's 3,000 GW forecast for 2040 would require a billion ounces of silver—more than 100 percent of the world's current total silver production.
"Solar panel innovation has reached an inflection point," said Chen. "The ever-increasing efficiency of new technologies such as TOPCON and HJT will require a lot more silver, by some estimates as much as 150%."
"Pretty much any scenario you believe in requires enormous increases in silver production," said Docherty. "All that silver must come from new sources. And that equates to higher silver prices for decades to come."
"There's a lot of pressure now to source solar panel production from domestic suppliers," said Docherty. "North America's largest manufacturer by far is First Solar, and they build only thin-film, cadmium-telluride (CdTe) panels. We know from First Solar's production forecasts that they expect to consume more tellurium than the world now produces. Our goal is to help meet that demand, both from our Deer Horn project in BC and our Klondike project in Colorado."
A recent article by S&P Global Intelligence noted that First Solar's plan to spend $1.36 billion to increase module capacity to 16 GW by 2024 seems certain to strain the tellurium market. If First Solar achieves its goals, its annual demand for the mineral will exceed last year's estimated global tellurium production by up to 70%, according to researchers at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Docherty noted that the Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaics Accelerator Consortium, a $20 million initiative designed to make CdTe solar cells less expensive and more efficient, was launched in August 2022 by the U.S. Department of Energy. By 2030, the program aims to increase domestic CdTe PV material and module production, achieve cell efficiencies above 26%, and decrease module costs to below $0.15/watt.
"Remember that four members of First Tellurium's Advisory Board came from First Solar's attempt years ago to mine its own tellurium," said Docherty. "Two of the advisors bought Klondike, First Solar's top tellurium prospect, and then brought it to us to develop. They know the market dynamics, and they know how valuable this high-grade tellurium will be."
* Source: TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE DEER HORN GOLD-SILVER-TELLURIUM PROPERTY by Tracey Meintjes P.Eng., Bob Lane P.Geo., Gary Giroux P.Eng., Marc Schulte P.Eng, dated May 31, 2018. The resource estimate was completed using industry standard methods that conform with Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves referred to in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
About First Tellurium Corp.
First Tellurium's unique business model is to generate revenue and value through mineral discovery, project development, project generation and cooperative access to untapped mineral regions in Indigenous territory with sustainable exploration.
Our Klondike tellurium-gold property in Colorado and polymetallic Deer Horn Project in British Columbia anchor a diversified search for metals, working in alliance with Indigenous peoples, NGOs, governments and leading metals buyers. This is the future of mineral exploration—generating revenue by exploring responsibly and leveraging diverse partnerships.
First Tellurium proudly adheres to, and supports, the principles and rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in particular the fundamental proposition of free, prior and informed consent. First Tellurium is listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol "FTEL" and on the OTC under the symbol "FSTTF". Further information about FTEL and its projects can be found on .
On behalf of the board of directors of First Tellurium Corp. "Tyrone Docherty" Tyrone Docherty President and CEO
| For further information please contact: Tyrone Docherty 604.789.5653 tyrone@firsttellurium.com
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Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking information
All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated event.
First Tellurium的Deer Horn Project的貴金屬/碲資源是強勁的綠色金屬市場的正確組合。
不列顛哥倫比亞省溫哥華,2023年3月15日(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)— First Tellurium Corp.(CSE: FTEL,場外: FSTTF)(“公司” 或 “First Tellurium”)報告說,國際能源署(IEA)最近的預測表明,全球太陽能光伏(Solar PV)的部署將迅速增長。該機構聲稱,到2027年,太陽能光伏發電的發電量將超過任何其他來源,包括煤炭、天然氣和水力。爲了滿足這一增長,太陽能電池板的關鍵組件銀和碲的消費量預計將在未來幾年激增。
First Tellurium總裁兼首席執行官泰隆·多切蒂表示:“這種增長情景完全符合我們開發First Tellurium的Deer Horn項目的戰略。”“雖然鹿角以其高品位的碲資源而聞名,但根據我們最新的初步經濟評估(PEA),該物業目前顯示的白銀等級估計爲每噸157克。* 考慮到每噸5.12克的指定金級,*在強金屬市場時期,我們的貴金屬和綠色金屬混合物非常有吸引力,包括銅斑岩礦化。請記住,我們的PEA基於白銀價格爲每盎司17美元,黃金爲1300美元,銅價爲每磅3美元,均遠低於當前價格。”
PEA資源是在2.4千米(1.5英里)的金銀-碲靜脈系統450米處計算得出的。2022 年對露出的石英礦脈進行採樣發現,該系統可能延長 1.1 千米(.7 英里),有可能將其總延長 3.5 千米(2.2 英里)。
多切蒂說:“計劃在2023年進行的鑽探將側重於確認和擴大區域擴展。”“我們還計劃進行填充鑽探,以擴大當前指示和推斷的資源。
投資通訊作者陳琳說:“太陽能光伏現在是白銀的最大工業用途,” 他最近在金屬投資者論壇的演講中對First Tellurium進行了報道。“2022年,太陽能光伏消耗了白銀總需求的12%左右,約合1.2億盎司白銀。這個數字將在未來幾年急劇上升,這將導致未來幾十年的白銀赤字。”
陳補充說:“太陽能現在是世界上許多地方最便宜的能源。Silver Institute、IEA、行業出版物和投資機構對太陽能光伏部署做出了大量看漲預測。儘管數字不同,但它們都表明太陽能光伏在未來十到二十年內將急劇擴張。即使根據保守的估計,到2027年,我們的太陽能光伏發電產量也將達到300千兆瓦,高於目前的約200千兆瓦的水平。《光伏雜誌》預測,到2040年,我們將達到3,000千兆瓦的巨大產量。”
陳指出,幾乎所有的白銀預測都指向供應短缺。“據我所知,彭博社和長江證券最保守的需求估計是,到2040年,太陽能光伏的部署量約爲1300千兆瓦。這仍然是9.1億盎司白銀的吸收量,或接近全球當前的白銀產量。”
陳補充說:“金銀的舊價格比率目前約爲九十比一,從歷史上看,這個比率要低得多,甚至十比一或十二比一。市場將自行調整。當它出現時,我相信白銀價格將大幅上漲,尤其是在需求激增的推動下。”
陳指出,要製造當今的太陽能光伏電池板,每100千兆瓦(GW)的光伏發電大約需要5000萬盎司的白銀。雖然製造商正在慢慢減少每塊面板的銀用量,但新的、更高效的技術將需要更高的銀含量。預計到2025年開發500吉瓦的白銀將需要2億盎司的白銀,約佔當前世界產量的20%。《光伏雜誌》對2040年的3,000吉瓦的預測將需要十億盎司的白銀,佔目前世界白銀總產量的100%以上。
陳說:“太陽能電池板的創新已經到了一個轉折點。”“TOPCON和HJT等新技術的效率不斷提高,將需要更多的白銀,據估計高達150%。”
多切蒂說:“你認爲的幾乎任何情況都需要大幅增加白銀產量。”“所有的白銀都必須來自新的來源。這等同於未來幾十年白銀價格的上漲。”
多切蒂說:“現在從國內供應商那裏採購太陽能電池板生產的壓力很大。”“迄今爲止,北美最大的製造商是First Solar,他們只生產薄膜碲化鎘(CdTe)面板。我們從First Solar的產量預測中得知,他們預計消耗的碲將超過世界現在的產量。我們的目標是幫助滿足不列顛哥倫比亞省的Deer Horn項目和科羅拉多州的克朗代克項目的需求。”
S&P Global Intelligence最近發表的一篇文章指出,First Solar計劃在2024年之前花費13.6億美元將組件容量提高到16吉瓦,這似乎肯定會給碲市場帶來壓力。巴塞羅那自治大學環境科學與技術研究所的研究人員表示,如果First Solar實現其目標,其對這種礦物的年需求將比去年估計的全球碲產量高出多達70%。
多切蒂指出,美國能源部於2022年8月啓動了一項耗資2000萬美元的碲化鎘光伏加速器聯盟,旨在降低CdTe太陽能電池的成本和效率。到2030年,該計劃的目標是增加國產CdTe光伏材料和組件的產量,使電池效率達到26%以上,並將組件成本降低到0.15美元/瓦特以下。
多切蒂說:“請記住,First Tellurium顧問委員會的四名成員來自First Solar幾年前試圖開採自己的碲。”“其中兩位顧問收購了First Solar最大的碲勘探公司克朗代克,然後將其交給我們開發。他們知道市場動態,也知道這種高品位的碲將有多有價值。”
* 資料來源:特蕾西關於鹿角金-銀-碲財產初步經濟評估的技術報告 Meintjes P.Eng.,Bob Lane P.Geo.,Gary Giroux P.Eng.,Marc Schulte P.Eng,日期爲 2018 年 5 月 31 日。資源估算是使用符合加拿大礦業、冶金和石油學會(“CIM”)礦產資源和礦產儲量定義標準的行業標準方法完成的,該標準載於國家儀器43-101——礦產項目披露標準。 不是礦產儲量的礦產資源沒有表現出經濟可行性。
Ab出 第一碲公司
First Tellurium的獨特商業模式是通過礦產發現、項目開發、項目生成以及通過可持續勘探合作進入土著領地未開發的礦產地區來創造收入和價值。
我們在科羅拉多州的克朗代克碲金礦產和不列顛哥倫比亞省的多金屬鹿角項目與土著人民、非政府組織、政府和主要金屬買家合作,爲金屬的多元化尋找奠定了基礎。這是礦物勘探的未來——通過負責任的勘探和利用多元化的合作伙伴關係來創收。
First Tellurium 自豪地堅持並支持《聯合國土著人民權利宣言》規定的原則和權利,特別是自由、事先和知情同意的基本主張。First Tellurium在加拿大證券交易所上市,股票代碼爲 “FTEL”,在場外交易中以 “FSTTF” 的代碼上市。有關 FTEL 及其項目的更多信息,請訪問。
代表董事會 第一碲公司 “泰隆·多切蒂” 泰隆·多切蒂 總裁兼首席執行官
| 欲瞭解更多信息,請聯繫: 泰隆·多切蒂 604.789.5653 tyrone@firsttellurium.com
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