this may be for commercial reasons as well. Lake does not own...

this may be for commercial reasons as well. Lake does not own the technology for lithium extraction, lilac does even though lake as been there helping in the development process. Normally lake would be buying equipment from a manufacture that has already in place commercial arrangements for the licencing of the technology for manufacturing purposes
I have asked a few times but Steve has been very tight lid over the years on any discussions at meeting relating the commercial arrangement with lilac, so maybe lake is sprucing the market for a better deal from lilac as long as the technology will meet lakes needs with the volumes and operating costs involved
in ASX announcement the companies are very cautious about what is announced to the market, so you have to ask the question why is lake doing this extra work for at all