SQM vs RGLD Comparison

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile is a Chilean commodities producer with significant operations in lithium (primarily used in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems), specialty and standard potassium fertilizers, iodine (primarily used in X-ray contrast media), and solar salts. The company extracts these materials through its high-quality salt brine deposits and caliche ore. SQM is developing a hard rock lithium project in Australia and expanding its lithium refining assets in China.

Royal Gold Inc enquires and manages precious metal royalties and streams, with a focus on gold. The company operates by purchasing a percentage of the metal produced from a mineral property for an initial payment, without assuming responsibility of mining operations. Similarly, precious metal streams are purchase agreements with mine operators providing the right to purchase all or a portion of one or more metals produced from a mine, in exchange for an upfront deposit payment. Generally Royal Gold does not conduct any work on the properties in which it holds royalty and streaming assets. The company owns a portfolio of producing, development, evaluation, and exploration royalties and streams, and the majority of group revenue is generated from Canada, Mexico, Chile, and the United States.