Ann: Operational Update, page-49

I hate to spoil the David Dickson is evil narrative but lets have a look. When David was appointed the price of lithium was $US68 per kilo and he did a number of reasonable things. People who were under performing were moved on and he put a team together who had the experience at running a multi national company. He initiated a rigorous review of the company to develop a realistic plan to production. He oversaw the development of a DFS and finally proved up reinjection.
LKE's problem is not that Kachi is pie in the sky. The problem is that the price of lithium has fallen from $80 to sub $13.
How has David responded to this catastrophe? Well he has done prudent things such as raise capital, reduced staffing to the minimum and considers selling assets.
He has done what a decent CEO should do including postponing some of his salary entitlement.
LKE may fail just as everyone one at the cutting edge of a new technology may fail but it isn't because Ion exchange doesn't work and it isn't because of CEO malfeasance it will be because the price of lithium crashed and didn't recover.