Ann: Orocobre Limited - Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant Approved, page-22

The other thing is the cost. I am pretty sure that has increased significantly.Wonder if the new guy had a hand in that?

A long way back, the first mentions of hydroxide in Japan mentioned 30m USD capex. Coming out of the blue as an alternative to investment in a purification circuit, the number never felt a bit rubbery at that early stage.
It had moved to 60 to 70m USD by January of last year.
And now it is 77.6 m USD including cost of a calciner to recycle lime.
The cost is now probably close to the cost of a carbonate purification circuit.

Presumably someone has done the numbers and considers that
1. the diversification of product mix,
2. the diversification of sovereign risk,
3. the subsidies and super low interest finance, and
4. the increased percentage of ownership
makes it a better option than another carbonate purification circuit.

It is hard to argue against that logic given the minimal capital outlay.

It is probably also fair to say that most of that budget increase was in place well before the new CEO