Ann: Hastings Strategic Direction and Financing Update, page-29

The Australian (This Press release is a copy) 25.11.22 Federal Treasurer J. Chalmers said

"We have exactly what the world needs, exactly when the world needs it. So from that, I draw this conclusion: critical minerals could be the opportunity of the century. And this is a generational opportunity that we cannot miss or mishandle.

By 2040, global demand for lithium is expected to be 40 times bigger than 2020 levels. Demand for graphite will be 25 times bigger. 21 times bigger for cobalt.

But while we supply about 55 per cent of the world’s lithium, we only have a very small share of the processing industry, no share of the battery precursor industry, none of the battery cell production industry, or any of the battery pack assembly industries.

So we can see that the further we move along the supply chain, and up the value chain, our contribution to it, and our dividend from it, fades away and disappears.

And this is where our great opportunity lies– not just in extracting and then exporting the rare earth metals that we have and that the world needs, but in moving our way up and along the value chain".

https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/articles/opinion-piece-critical-minerals-chance-secure-future

The Fed. Govt. regards the Critical Minerals industry as part of our "geo-economic" (new word) future!

I am confident that HAS may, eventually, obtain considerable Federal Govt. funding ( & encouragement/"massaging" of further private sector investment)- such is the importance of the Critical Minerals' industry, & downstream value- adding