Clean Energy in the USA Corporate Presentation – May 2020
1
Why Piedmont Lithium? 2 2 Lithium Hydroxide for the EV Market Premier USA Location Positive ESG Profile Low Costs Drive Exceptional Economics Leverage to Rising Lithium Prices
2
ELECTRIC vEHICLE Sales driven by ECONOMICS 3 Source: Green Car Reports Source: EV Reports.com 3 60% Compound Annual Growth Rate 18% Annual Cost Reduction
3
It’s Not Just Tesla 4 Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance Major auto companies are all-in on electric vehicles400+ new EV models coming to market by 2025EU CO2 emission requirements spurring strong EV developmentMass market vehicles coming for the first timeFord to produce electric F-150 “before 2022”VW ID.3 launching in 2020Renault producing $9,000 EV for Indian market Mustang MachE(2021) VW ID.3(2020) Rivian Trucks (2022) Porsche Taycan(2020)
4
Hydroxide Taking Share in Fast-Growing Lithium Market 5 Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence LiOH required in the high-nickel batteries used in longer-range vehicles 80% of the world’s hydroxide is currently produced in China Hydroxide shortages expected by 2023 North Carolina is the leading ex-China LiOH producer LiOH Demand Growing 31% Per Year Thru 2030
5
Spodumene The Preferred Feedstock 6 “Lithium extracted from mining … is commercially more attractive … more stable to extract, easier to scale and generally more sustainable.” VW – April 2019“BMW signs contract with Ganfeng for sustainable lithium from mines in Australia.” BMW – November 2019 Source: McKinsey & Co., costs represent indicative 2025 costs for typical South American brine operations and typical Western Australian spodumene operations. Spodumene is the low-cost source for Lithium Hydroxide MAJOR AUTO COMPANIES PREFER SPODUMENE-SOURCED HYDROXIDE
6
Piedmont Is Located in the USA’S Auto ALLEY 7
7
US EV MARKET Accelerating as Supply Chain Localization Takes Hold 8 “Bessemer City…brings a lot more flexibility to our cost structure. It removes a lot of the requirement that we have today to export out of China and incur that VAT cost, etc. It's actually a lower cost production, actually, than in China.” Livent CEO Paul Graves told the FT. American Government takes Disruptive Steps through the ORE Act to end Chinese Control of Rare Earths, Cobalt, Graphite, Lithium and Manganese
8
Project USA #1 State for Business 0%State Mining Royalties 23%Corporate Tax Rate ~100%Past Lithium Production Piedmont Lithium is Ideally Located in North Carolina 9
9
NORTH CAROLINA LOCATION PROVIDES COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Low-cost operating environmentUnparalleled infrastructureLow-cost power and gasDeep lithium processing talent poolNorth Carolina has 50+ years of lithium processing experienceSoutheast USA among world’s premier chemical processing regionsLow tax ratesUS has lowest corporate tax rate among major Western countriesUS does not have a Value-Added Tax (China 16%)Proximity to major automotive marketsUSA + EU represent over 30% of world automotive salesWestern battery supply chains are growing 10
10
Merchant Project Integrated Project Two development scenarios… Chemical Plant Spodumene Supply from the Market Spodumene from Piedmont Mine / Concentrator 22,700 t/y Lithium Hydroxide25 Year Mine & Chemical Plant LifeWorld’s Lower Cost ProducerUS$1.1B (A$1.6B) NPV – 26% IRRUS$218M (A$335M) EBITDA 22,700 t/y Lithium Hydroxide25 Year Chemical Plant LifeWorld’s Lower Cost Merchant ProducerUS$714M (A$1.1B) NPV – 26% IRRUS$149M (A$229M) EBITDA Project USA 11
11
…using the SAME FLOW SHEET… 12 MINOR SOURCE PERMITTING PROCESS US$2,371/tCONVERSION COST 24 monthRamp-up period 22,720 tpyBG LIOH PRODUCTION Low-risk Conventional Conversion Technology
12
…DELIVERING exceptionaL EconomiCS 13 Source: Prefeasibility and Updated Scoping Study. Refer to the announcement dated May 20, 2020 $3,712/t LiOHLowest cash cost INTEGRATED PRODUCER Lowest costMerchant producer 22,720 t/yBATTERY QUALITY LIOH PRODUCTION $12,910/tConservative long-term price assumption Strong economics WITH CONSERVATIVE PRICE DECK Outcomes Unit Merchant Project Integrated Project Project Life years 25 25 Steady State LiOH Production t/y 22,720 22,720 Steady State Spodumene Production t/y N/A 160,000 LiOH Cash Costs US$/t $6,689 $3,712 Long-Term Spodumene Costs US$/t $651 $201 Mine/Concentrator Initial Capital US$M N/A $168 Chemical Plant Initial Capital US$M $377 $377 Annual average EBITDA (steady-state) US$M/y $149 $218 After Tax NPV @ 8% discount rate US$M $714 $1,071 After Tax IRR % 26% 26% Payback from start of operations y 3.34 3.23 Assumed long term LiOH price (real) US$/t $12,910 $12,910
13
Location Drives Low OPERATING Costs 14 Source: Roskill INTEGRATED merchant
14
Spodumene Project Operating Spodumene Conversion Plant Proposed Spodumene Conversion Plant ~100% of world Spodumene production is currently converted in china China produces 80% of world’s lithium hydroxide As supply chains localize us and European oems will seek alternative sources North Carolina is an ideal location for such conversion MERCHANT HYDROXIDE OPPORTUNITY 15
15
Project USA PURE SPODUMENE MINERALOGY SHALLOW OPEN PIT QUARRYING 16 INTEGRATED BUSINESS BENEFITS FROM HIGH-GRADE RESOURCE WITH VAST UPSIDE OPEN ALONG STRIKE AND AT DEPTH ABUNDANT CLEAN PROCESS WATER 85% RECOVERIES BASED ON TESTWORK & 50 YEARS OF TSB PRECEDENT 27.9 Mt @ 1.11% Li2O764,000 tonnes of contained LCE100% of the lithium is attributable to spodumene mineralizationShallow open pits – 74% of resource within 100m of surface and 97% within 150mOpen along strike and at depth
16
By-ProductS SERVE IMPORTANT MARKETS WHILE Providing IMPORTANT CREDITS TO OPERATING COSTS 17 quartz Composites Solar PanelGlass TechnicalGlass FEldspar Mica IndustrialCeramics ArchitecturalGlass Coatings AutomotivePaints Cosmetics WeldingRods 17
17
Clean Energy Product Portfolio Lithium fuels EVs, reducing emissions 67% vs. ICEsQuartz by-product targeted at growing solar glass market OEMs Prefer Hard Rock for Sustainability Preference for spodumene vs. brine from a sustainability perspectiveBrine projects under pressure due to impact on water supply Short Transport Distances 20-mile SC6 transport for integrated business vs. ~5,000 from Australia to ChinaPotential 98% reduction in ‘mine-to-EV’ supply chain GreenMining 100% of electricity will come from low-carbon sourcesNo toxic chemicals or tailings impoundment; electric mining fleet being evaluated Social First-world labor and environmental practicesUSA safety standards Positive ESG Profile 18
18
CATALYSTS TO DRIVE SHAREHOLDER VALUE 19 Market Cap – US$mm Hydroxide testworkPermit Kings Mountain siteBuild project execution teamSecure LiOH offtake agreementsExplore strategic partnershipsDefinitive feasibility studiesFinancing and construction
19
Shares / ADRs (1 ADR = 100 Shares) 826.3 mm 8.26 mm Price (@ 5/22/20) A$0.115 US$7.85 Market Cap (@ 5/22/20) A$95 mm US$65 mm Cash (@ 3/31/20) A$14.5 mm US$9.0 mm Australian Super 13% Fidelity 9% Officers and Directors 11% Corporate Snapshot 20 Ian Middlemas Australia Chairman Keith D. Phillips USA CEO Anastasios Arima USA Director Jeff Armstrong USA Director Jorge Beristain USA Director Levi Mochkin Australia Director Piedmont Lithium Limited Research Coverage Share Price Performance – Last 3 Months Key Shareholders Board of Directors
20
Highly-Experienced Leadership Team 21 LEADERSHIP Team Keith Phillips, Managing Director & CEO30+ Years Wall Street experience with JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and Goldman SachsTaso Arima, Founder and Director12+ years natural resource visionary executive; founder of multiple natural resource companiesPatrick Brindle, VP – Project Management20+ years US and global engineering, procurement and construction experience Lamont Leatherman, VP – Chief Geologist25+ years as an exploration geologist, senior positions in BHP & Noranda in the CarolinasDavid Buckley, VP – Process Engineering25+ years lithium extraction and conversion expert, ex-FMC and AlbemarleTim McKenna, Government & Investor Relations30+ years government & investor relations, including with Rockwood Lithium and Lithium X CSAcsaglobal.com HDRhdrinc.com Marshall Millermma1.com SGSsgs.com Hatchhatch.com Primeroprimero.com.au Technical Consultants
21
Disclaimers Cautionary Statements and Important InformationThis presentation does not constitute or form part of any offer to sell, or solicitation of any offer to buy, any securities in the United States or any other country. This presentation may not form the basis of any contract or commitment whatsoever with any person. Distribution of this presentation may be restricted by applicable law. This presentation has been prepared by Piedmont Lithium Limited (“Piedmont”) as a summary only, and does not contain all information about Piedmont’s assets and liabilities, financial position and performance, profits and losses, prospects, and the rights and liabilities attaching to Piedmont’s securities. Any investment in Piedmont should be considered speculative and there is no guarantee that they will make a return on capital invested, that dividends would be paid, or that there will be an increase in the value of the investment in the future. Piedmont does not purport to give financial or investment advice. No account has been taken of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any recipient of this presentation. Recipients of this presentation should carefully consider whether the securities issued by Piedmont are an appropriate investment for them in light of their personal circumstances, including their financial and taxation position. Forward Looking StatementsThis presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in Australia and the United States, including statements regarding exploration and development activities; plans for Piedmont’s mineral projects; projections of market demand and lithium prices; statements about the timing and amount of resource declarations; and statements about the timing and ability to complete scoping studies and feasibility studies. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from events, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the risk that we will be unable to commercially extract mineral deposits, that our properties may not contain expected reserves, risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), uncertainty about our ability to obtain required capital to execute our business plan, our ability to hire and retain required personnel, changes in the market prices of lithium, changes in technology or the development of substitute products, the uncertainties inherent in exploratory, developmental and production activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of lithium resources, risks related to competition, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with the Australian Stock Exchange and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Form 20-F. Actual events, results, performance and achievements could vary significantly from the estimates presented in this presentation. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, we undertake no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of Piedmont, its financial or operating results or its securities.Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred ResourcesThe Project’s Core Property Mineral Resource of 25.1Mt @ 1.09% Li2O comprises Indicated Mineral Resources of 12.5Mt @ 1.13% Li2O and Inferred Mineral Resources of 12.6Mt @ 1.04% Li2O. The Central Property Mineral Resource of 2.80Mt @ 1.34% Li2O comprises Indicated Mineral Resources of 1.41Mt @ 1.38% Li2O and 1.39Mt @ 1.29% Li2O.The information contained in this presentation has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Australia, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. The terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are Australian terms defined in accordance with the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the “JORC Code”). However, these terms are not defined in Industry Guide 7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7") under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, information contained herein that describes Piedmont’s mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to reporting and disclosure requirements under the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in Piedmont’s Form 20-F, a copy of which may be obtained from Piedmont or from the EDGAR system on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.Competent Persons StatementsThe information in this presentation that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources, Metallurgical Testwork Results, Concentrator Process Design, Concentrator Capital Costs, Concentrator Operating Costs, Mining Engineering and Mining Schedule was extracted from our ASX announcement dated May 26, 2020 which is available to view on the Company’s website at www.piedmontlithium.com.Piedmont confirms that: a) it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original ASX announcement; b) all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning Mineral Resources, Production Targets, and related forecast financial information derived from Production Targets included in the original ASX announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed; and c) the form and context in which the relevant Competent Persons’ findings are presented in this report have not been materially modified from the original ASX announcement. 22
22
Clean Energy in the USA – May 2020 Piedmont Lithium Limited Keith D. Phillips – President and CEO +1 973 809 0505 kphillips@piedmontlithium.com Head Office | 32 N Main Street | Suite 100 | Belmont, NC 28012 | USAExploration Office | 5706 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy. 279 | Bessemer City | NC 28016 | USARegistered Office | 28 The Esplanade | 9th Floor | Perth | WA 6000 | Australia www.piedmontlithium.com
23