North Carolina
Piedmont Lithium looks abroad amid North Carolina uncertainty
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/IZUNT735O5LKXAPV4PHFYXHEHY.jpg "Piedmont Lithium looks abroad amid North Carolina uncertainty")
June 22 (Reuters) – Piedmont Lithium Inc’s (PLL.O) first steps towards securing lithium provides will probably be in Quebec or Ghana, not america, as an intensifying North Carolina regulatory assessment delays the miner’s aim of anchoring America’s electrical automobile battery renaissance.
The delay has compelled Piedmont to develop its technique past its proposed North Carolina mine – a mission it has touted as one of the simplest ways to assist safe American power independence, however one which now faces a regulatory quagmire – and fund mines overseas.
“We predict two of our initiatives will occur sooner than our Carolina Lithium mission: Quebec and Ghana,” stated Chief Govt Keith Phillips. “The (North Carolina) regulators are doing an excellent job. It is a rigorous course of. It will occur when it occurs.”
Piedmont was based in 2016 in Australia however moved its headquarters final yr to North Carolina, the place it hopes to dig a 500-foot-deep (150 m-deep) open-pit mine in a $988 million mission that will be one of many largest U.S. lithium mines.
The relocation was designed to be nearer to EV manufacturing crops being constructed throughout the U.S. South by Toyota (7203.T), SK Innovation (096770.KS) and others.
Piedmont signed a deal in 2020 to start supplying Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) with lithium someday between July 2022 and July 2023 from the North Carolina mine, however final yr delayed the primary shipments with no definitive date for when deliveries may start.
Reuters reported final summer season that Piedmont’s chaotic roll out of that plan – by which it wooed Wall Avenue and Tesla earlier than native residents – had fueled considerations about ranges of mud, noise and vibrations within the space simply exterior Charlotte.
These points at the moment are the main target of the state mining assessment course of that officers and the corporate itself acknowledge has no clear finish date. Piedmont doesn’t have an expectation for when its North Carolina facility will open.
As opposition to the North Carolina mine grew, Piedmont invested final yr in Quebec-focused Sayona Mining Ltd (SYA.AX) and Ghana-focused Atlantic Lithium Ltd (ALLA.L).
In the meantime, Albemarle Corp (ALB.N), the world’s greatest lithium miner, is hiring employees and shopping for land in a neighboring North Carolina county because it mulls re-opening a mothballed spodumene lithium mine that will compete immediately with Piedmont.
REGULATORY QUESTIONS
North Carolina regulators requested Piedmont in January for extra element on 12 factors they felt weren’t adequately defined within the firm’s mining allow utility, based on regulatory filings.
Regulators requested Piedmont to elucidate how the proposed mine may have an effect on water desk ranges, in addition to the way to modify mine web site blasting on cloudy days to restrict mud that would have an effect on a close-by airport’s operations.
The state moreover has “many considerations” about Piedmont’s plans to discharge chemical compounds into the general public sewer system, based on the filings, and archaeologists have really useful that Piedmont erect a 25-foot buffer round 4 cemeteries on the mine web site, a step that would pressure the corporate to vary its improvement plans.
Piedmont has till July 13 to reply.
Whereas investor urge for food for lithium shares has been excessive lately, Piedmont has outperformed even amongst friends, hitting a document excessive close to $80 this previous spring earlier than softening. In March, it booked $130.8 million in a secondary inventory providing.
Seven analysts price Piedmont inventory a “purchase” with all anticipating it to commerce greater, based on Refinitiv Eikon.
Piedmont stated it has utilized for U.S. Division of Vitality loans, though the corporate would want to have its North Carolina permits earlier than it could obtain authorities assist. The funds couldn’t be used to dig mines in Quebec or Ghana.
In January 2021, Piedmont purchased a roughly 20% stake in Sayona and its Quebec lithium initiatives. First manufacturing is predicted subsequent yr.
Piedmont additionally took a 9% stake in Ghana-focused Atlantic Lithium, and dedicated to spending $17 million on a feasibility research and $70 million on constructing Atlantic’s Ewoyaa lithium mission.
The market worth of each investments has surged up to now yr due partly to rising lithium costs. Piedmont won’t function the mines in Quebec or Ghana however has agreed to purchase at the least half of every firm’s manufacturing of a flippantly processed sort of lithium often called spodumene focus.
“The potential for Piedmont to generate money circulation as early as 2023 is being neglected by the market,” stated Canaccord Genuity analyst Reg Spencer, referring to Quebec.
ALBEMARLE LOOMS
Pushback from residents and regulators will not be Piedmont’s solely downside in North Carolina.
Albemarle, which provides Tesla, seems set to reopen its Kings Mountain, North Carolina, mine in a mining-friendly county close to Piedmont’s proposed web site.
In March, it purchased 60 acres (25 hectares) that abut that mine web site, hinting on the firm’s future enlargement plans. Albemarle has additionally not too long ago posted job openings to assist run the power.
Albemarle is conducting preliminary geological exams and the mission may open by 2027, spokesperson Kim Ronkin Casey stated.
Lithium produced from spodumene rock can be utilized to make lithium hydroxide, which is prized by EV battery producers partly as a result of it holds a cost longer than the more-common lithium carbonate.
The US doesn’t have an lively lithium spodumene mine, so the primary one to open will garner large curiosity from the nation’s nascent battery sector.
Albemarle stated it has been sharing its plans broadly with the area people, taking the other tack from Piedmont, which purposefully didn’t strategy native residents with its plans for years.
“There’s loads of work we’re doing additionally with the group,” stated Eric Norris, head of Albemarle’s lithium division. “We have engaged them very early on.”
Register now for FREE limitless entry to Reuters.com
Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Enhancing by Amran Abocar and Marguerita Choy
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.
A North Carolina man is still recovering after a fight with a wild animal almost cost him his life. Now, James Pulliam is telling the unbelievable true story of how he survived the brutal attack.
It all started on Friday (May 16) when Pulliam was smoking outside of his home in Roxboro, N.C. According to him, everything was normal until he started to feel like something was watching him. “I just felt like he was hunting me or something,” Pulliam told The News and Observer.
Neighbors in the area said they heard and even seen coyotes occasionally but never up close. That is until Pulliam came face to face with one on that faithful Friday evening. The coyote soon launched its attack on the man, and chaos ensued.
“He jumped on me and I caught him in the air, he was biting me, and so when I threw him down and I’m trying to slide out of the way, he just kept coming,” Pulliam said. That’s when he tried to kick the coyote away, but then he tripped and fell. He tried yelling, but no one came to his rescue. It was at that moment that Pulliam said he realized he was in a fight for his life.
With adrenaline kicking in and survival instincts coming forth, Pulliam made a decision. “I had to rip my left hand out of his mouth, and when I got my left hand out, I just choked him all the way till the police got there,” he recalled.
That’s right…Pulliam had the wild animal in a head lock until the cops came, which took approximately 10 minutes. “I just grabbed [him] by the throat,” he said. “I was on top of him and put my knee in his throat. And I ain’t let go. I had my hand on his throat and my knee on his throat.”
Eventually, the victor was taken to the hospital to treat his injuries. “They took X-rays and then gave me rabies shots that hurt worse than the attack,” Pulliam said. Now, he’s a legend in his town. “People aren’t going to believe it, though, they’re going to think I’m lying,” he joked.
Pulliam, who is now wearing a cast on his arm with cuts, scratches and bites on the rest of his body, has the battle scars to prove his victory. The coyote, which died as a result to Pulliam’s head lock, is being tested for diseases by the Person County Animal Services, according to the New York Post.
Wildlife experts advise people to make loud noises and wave their arms to scare away a coyote if ever faced with a situation like Pulliam’s.
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, May 18, 2025 results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 18 drawing
01-03-04-18-30, Lucky Ball: 08
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 18 drawing
Day: 3-7-9, Fireball: 2
Evening: 2-9-5, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 18 drawing
Day: 7-5-8-9, Fireball: 8
Evening: 2-8-4-0, Fireball: 0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from May 18 drawing
03-13-32-39-42
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from May 18 drawing
03-11-12-22-33
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
North Carolina is an explorer’s dream, with a landscape that stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic coast. Whether you’re into hiking through pine forests, relaxing on the beach, exploring historic towns or sampling classic Southern food, there’s something here for everyone.
It’s no surprise that places like the Biltmore Estate, the Outer Banks and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are featured in most North Carolina travel lists. With so many postcard-worthy spots across the state, it’s easy to miss the quieter, obscure destinations that make North Carolina unique.
That’s where you come in.
The Fayetteville Observer wants to know: What are the lesser-known treasures everyone should visit in North Carolina? Maybe it’s a small town with big charm, a trail you’ve hiked a dozen times, a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint or a swimming hole that only locals know about. Survey responses will be collected for a follow-up look at the most worthwhile places to visit across the state, according to readers.
What’s on your list?
Take the survey below or linked here to help us shine a spotlight on places that might not be famous but are absolutely worth the trip.
Survey closes May 25.
Reporter Lizmary Evans covers dining, retail, entertainment and culture for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com.
Culture4 minutes ago
Do You Know the English Novels That Inspired These Movies and TV Shows?
Lifestyle13 minutes ago
'Murderbot' envisions a caustically funny future : Pop Culture Happy Hour
Education20 minutes ago
How Usher Writes a Commencement Speech
Technology28 minutes ago
Nearly half of streaming subscriptions are for plans with ads
World36 minutes ago
Trump hostage envoy dismisses report of Israel abandonment threat as 'fake news'
-
Austin, TX1 week agoBest Austin Salads – 15 Food Places For Good Greens!
-
Technology1 week agoMexico is suing Google over how it’s labeling the Gulf of Mexico
-
Politics1 week agoDHS says Massachusetts city council member 'incited chaos' as ICE arrested 'violent criminal alien'
-
Politics1 week agoPresident Trump takes on 'Big Pharma' by signing executive order to lower drug prices
-
News6 days agoAs Harvard Battles Trump, Its President Will Take a 25% Pay Cut
-
Education1 week agoA Professor’s Final Gift to Her Students: Her Life Savings
-
News1 week agoWhy Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Tufts Student Speaks Publicly After Release From Immigration Detention