Ann: Orocobre Ltd - Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant Groundbreaking, page-13

Why should oversupply of spodumene affect the price of lithium carbonate (or hydroxide)? It's an input, not an output. If spodumene converters were not running at capacity due to a shortage of spodumene then sure, increased supply of spodumene would also increase the supply of carbonate or hydroxide and lower prices, but otherwise, all it should do is increase the profit of converters due to lower input costs. The market is for the chemical, not the raw material.