Lithium Americas Corp.
Overview
Lithium Americas Corp. is a junior lithium development company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, operating primarily in USA. The company's portfolio consists of 1 development project. Key assets include Thacker Pass. The organization's business model is centered on the development and operation of a large-scale chemical processing facility utilizing a novel, proprietary extraction process for sedimentary-based resources that has not yet been demonstrated at a commercial scale. To mitigate execution risk, the company operates a dedicated technical development center, which has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, to refine process chemistry, produce battery-quality samples for potential customers, and support continuous improvement initiatives. A key operational characteristic is the design of a low-water and low-carbon flowsheet that incorporates advanced recycling technologies to minimize environmental impact. The operational plan includes the development of a transloading terminal to establish direct railroad access for inbound reagents, aiming to reduce transportation costs and Scope 3 emissions. The company has engaged a leading EPCM contractor for construction management and entered into a National Construction Agreement with a major trade union to ensure the availability of skilled labor and minimize construction risks associated with the project's remote location. Long-term offtake agreements with a major automotive manufacturer for 100% of initial planned production provide a foundational commercial advantage.
Strategy
Strategic priorities are focused on the phased development and construction of the company's flagship asset, with a targeted completion for the initial phase in late 2027 and full capacity production anticipated in 2028. A cornerstone of the strategy is a multi-faceted financing plan designed to fully fund the initial construction phase, comprising a $2.26 billion conditional loan commitment from a U.S. government agency, a $625 million joint venture funding commitment from a strategic automotive partner, and a $250 million investment from a resource-focused investment firm. The execution strategy emphasizes de-risking project development by advancing detailed engineering to over 50% completion and securing all major permits before commencing major construction activities. Management's approach involves leveraging a dedicated technical development center to validate and optimize the proprietary processing flowsheet, thereby reducing technical uncertainties associated with scaling up to commercial production. To secure market access and de-risk commercialization, the company has established long-term offtake agreements with its automotive partner for 100% of initial production and a significant portion of the second phase output, positioning the enterprise as a key future contributor to the domestic battery supply chain.
Management
Executive leadership includes a President and CEO with 30 years of experience in operations and general management across various industries, including senior roles at a major chemical corporation. The Executive Chair brings extensive global mining industry experience, having previously served as CEO and President of major public resource corporations and as past Chair of the World Gold Council. The board of directors is composed of 8 members, 5 of whom are independent. Governance is structured through 5 standing committees: Audit and Risk, Compensation and Leadership, Governance and Nomination, Safety and Sustainability, and Technical. The Audit and Risk, Compensation and Leadership, and Governance and Nomination committees consist entirely of independent directors, with 2 members of the Audit and Risk committee qualifying as financial experts. One director is a nominee from a major automotive partner, reflecting a key strategic relationship. The governance framework is supported by an Incentive Compensation Recovery (Clawback) Policy, a formal Code of Conduct, and an Insider Trading Policy that prohibits hedging or pledging of company securities. The Compensation and Leadership Committee retains an independent external consultant to advise on executive pay and incentive plan design.
Sustainability
Environmental stewardship is integrated into the operational design, which targets a low-water and low-carbon footprint through advanced water recycling technologies. The company's reclamation plan includes the progressive stockpiling of all growth media for phased reclamation throughout the mine life. A key social initiative is a formal Community Benefits Agreement with a local Tribe, which includes commitments to construct a new community center with a preschool and cultural facility, provide employment and training opportunities, and fund cultural preservation. The organization is also fully funding the construction of a new K-8 school for a local community. To build a skilled local workforce, the company has partnered with a regional college to create a customized workforce development training program. A Project Labor Agreement with North America’s Building Trades Unions is in place to prioritize the hiring of local and regional skilled labor, including from underrepresented communities. The company's health and safety program, which aims for zero harm, resulted in over 195,500 workhours completed in 2024 without a lost-time incident.
Structure
The company was established as an independent public entity on October 3, 2023, following a separation transaction from its former parent, now named Lithium Argentina AG. In December 2024, the enterprise formed a joint venture with General Motors Holdings LLC to fund, develop, and operate its primary asset, with the company retaining a 62% interest and management role while its partner holds a 38% interest. This joint venture superseded a previous equity investment agreement with the same partner. The corporate structure includes strategic equity investments in Green Technology Metals Limited, a publicly listed exploration company, and Ascend Elements, Inc., a private battery recycling and materials company. As of March 2025, major shareholders include General Motors Holdings LLC with approximately 6.87% of outstanding shares and Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. with approximately 6.86%. In March 2025, the company secured a strategic investment commitment of $250 million from Orion Resource Partners through convertible notes and a Production Payment Agreement to support construction and development activities.
Source
Lithium Americas Corp - Form 10-k - 2024
- Project should be interpreted as a single, group or complex of mines, deposits or other mineral assets. Name of the project should be identical to the official company naming convention.
- The ranges of values provided are indicative and should not be regarded as exact figures.
- Figures for exploration and development projects are based on available data and are indicative only; actual values may vary substantially.
- Royalties frequently apply to specific mineralized areas that may not coincide exactly with the boundaries of the overall project. As a result, even if a mine is currently in operation, the portion subject to the royalty may not be included in extraction activities until future years.
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- Exploration projects are partially represented in the table. Only projects with mineralization or strategic importance are shown.
- Companies might own processing facilities that are not included in the table. Those facilities play important role especially for companies operating in uranium, nickel and lithium sectors.
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- koz au: Thousand ounces of gold (production volume)
- moz au: Million ounces of gold (resource base or production volume)
- g/t: Grams per tonne (grade of gold or silver in ore)
- usd/oz au: US dollars per ounce of gold (cost metric)
- moz ag: Million ounces of silver (resource base or production volume)
- g/t ag: Grams per tonne of silver in ore (grade)
- usd/oz ag: US dollars per ounce of silver (cost metric)
- kt cu: Thousand tonnes of copper (production volume)
- mt ore: Million tonnes of ore (resource base for copper)
- %: Percent copper or uranium in ore (grade)
- usd/lb cu: US dollars per pound of copper (cost metric)
- mlb U3O8: Million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) (production or resource base)
- % eU3O8: Percent equivalent uranium oxide in ore (grade)
- usd/lb u3o8: US dollars per pound of uranium oxide (cost metric)
- Open Pit: Surface mining method using large excavated terraces to extract ore
- Underground: Subsurface mining through shafts, tunnels, and chambers
- ISR (In-Situ Recovery): Solution mining method using chemical leaching without excavation
- Exploration: Early-stage project searching for and defining mineral deposits
- Development: Mine under construction or preparation for production
- Operating: Active mine currently extracting and processing ore
- Expansion: Mine temporarily suspended or with limited production, in progress to increase production in the future
- Reclamation: Mine permanently closed or no longer producing, but the site is being rehabilitated
- P&P (Proven and Probable Reserves): Highest confidence mineral resources with detailed mine plans, it's a subset of M&I
- M&I (Measured and Indicated Resources): Well-defined resources with good geological confidence
- Inf (Inferred Resources): Estimated resources with limited geological confidence
- Scoping Study: High-level assessment to determine if a project warrants further investigation
- PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment): Initial economic evaluation of a mineral project
- Pre-Feasibility (Preliminary Feasibility Study): Intermediate-level technical and economic assessment
- Feasibility (Definitive Feasibility Study): Comprehensive technical and economic evaluation for investment decisions
- BFS (Bankable Feasibility Study): Detailed study meeting lender requirements for project financing
- NPV (Net Present Value): Discounted value of future cash flows minus initial investment
- IRR (Internal Rate of Return): Discount rate that makes NPV equal to zero
- Payback Period: Time required to recover initial capital investment from project cash flows
- AISC (All-In Sustaining Cost): Total cost per ounce including sustaining capital and corporate costs
- Royalty: Payment to landowner/government based on percentage of production value or revenue
- Stream: Agreement to purchase future production at predetermined price, often below market rate
- NSR (Net Smelter Return): Royalty based on net revenue after smelting and refining costs
- GRR (Gross Revenue Royalty): Royalty based on total gross revenue before any deductions
- NPI (Net Profits Interest): Royalty based on net profits after operating costs and capital recovery