Pantera sets sight on lithium brine production with leadership shakeup

Barnaby Egerton-Warburton appointed executive chairman and CEO of Pantera Minerals
Strategic advisor Tim Goldsmith is now a non-executive director of the US-focused lithium explorer
Pantera continues to attract significant US interest, as it joins the race in SW Arkansas to become the first zero-carbon producer of lithium

Special Report: Pantera Minerals is seeking to unlock vast resources of North American lithium and has implemented key leadership changes to better position itself for future growth.

These management changes – including the appointment of non-executive chairman Barnaby Egerton-Warburton to the dual role of executive chairman and CEO, as well as strategic advisor Tim Goldsmith to non-executive director – align with Pantera’s (ASX:PFE) maiden well re-entry expected to begin in the second half of 2024.

PFE will use direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to separate lithium from saltwater, using conventional oil and gas drilling methods to access lithium-rich saltwater from its lithium brine project in the renowned Smackover Formation in SW Arkansas.

This area is home to various lithium brine explorers and producers, including industry leaders such as Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Standard Lithium (NYSE:SLI), Tetra Technologies’ (NYSE: TTI) and Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB).

DLE promises to produce cheaper, higher quality and more environmentally-friendly lithium than incumbent processes where more than 98% of brine water used is recycled back.

‘Best region globally for lithium brine production’

Egerton-Warburton is also non-executive chairman of Arizona Lithium (ASX: AZL) and was part of the team that led the acquisition of the AU$70 million Prairie lithium brine project which has 6.3Mt of LCE in resources and could be in production by mid-2025.

Goldsmith was the CEO of Rincon Mining (11.77Mt LCE) and drove the sale to Rio Tinto for US$825 million.

“These management changes reflect mine and Tim’s deeply held belief that the Arkansas Smackover is one of the best regions globally for lithium brine production,” Egerton-Warburton says.

“In the near-term we look forward to kicking off the exploration side of our project with the imminent aim of generating a JORC resource.

“I would also like to draw attention to outgoing CEO Matt Hansen who has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to see the Daytona transaction through to completion and welcome him to the board as non-executive director.”