why didn't anybody notice

the fact that while the press releases tell us everything was "on track" and "continued to schedule", this is just not true! When the massive delay was first acknowledged and a remedy plan was presented in July, it provided clear deadlines for the front and back half of the plant as follows:

* Back half of Jiangsu plant to complete with commissioning to commence during Q3 2011
* Front half of the plant to complete with commissioning to commence during Q4 2011

Further it said "Hatch’s revised schedule and budget plan indicates that the back half of the Jiangsu plant will be completed with commissioning to commence during Q3 2011. Once operational, the back half of the plant (including purification) will produce some battery-grade and higher-grade lithium carbonate product for the market."

Now in the latest October update we read "Some units at the back end of the plant - such as the packaging plant and microniser - were already mechanically complete and handed over to Galaxy for commissioning. Installation of electrical and control cables is underway and the lithium carbonate production building and purification unit is due to be handed over in coming weeks”, said Mr Tan.

SOME units, not all. The purification unit will take "weeks" and production of battery-grade lithium carbonate is not taking place as was promised.

So quite obviously things are NOT proceeding according to the schedule that was presented to us in July.