All really valuable information, though Albemarle are confusing...

All really valuable information, though Albemarle are confusing the situation by referring more to conversion plants, mostly hydroxide.

CXO is a better example for WIN.

15 Aug 2016: CXO acquires Finniss
23 Sep 2016: first assays (Widgie here in December 2022)
8 May 2017: maiden resource (Widgie need this)
19 Oct 2017: CXO applied for mining lease (Widgie have this)
25 Jun 2018: pre feasibility study released (Widgie need a quicker DSO study, see RDT)
21 Jan 2019: mineral lease granted (Widgie have this)
9 Aug 2021: funding secured (Widgie need a fraction of this $ for DSO)
26 Oct 2021: construction begins
3 Oct 2022: DSO sold
30 Dec 2022: DSO shipped

Important differences:
CXO didn't have a DSO strategy until 6 mths into their spodumene plant construction, so it wasn't optimised.
CXO spent 1.5 years waiting for a mining lease which WIN already have.
CXO designed their study in more detail and at a much higher cost, because it was a full concentrator. See other RDT for timeframes on their DSO study.
CXO constructed an underground mine, while WIN is open pit.

Once you take everything into account, WIN may need:
Up to 8mths to get a maiden resource (from Dec 2022)
Up to 6mths to do a DSO study concurrently with drilling
Up to 12mths to construct depending on where they can cut corners compared to CXO.

It's tight, but doable. Spodumene never went above $1000 per tonne before July 2022. CXO also endured a bust cycle & covid, which reduced their urgency.

Someone can chime in if I've missed something.