Bowery - Agree with you on manipulation.But the demand supply...

Bowery - Agree with you on manipulation.

But the demand supply gap is close enough at the moment that it can be. The gap will grow over time.

That manipulation is China being China, because it is in its strategic interests to starve Western companies while it builds out its own supply.

Limited Western supply will choke a Western supply chain. China will remain a monopoly on processing for longer, with technology and cost advantages for its EV industry that cannot be matched by the West.

That will leave the West with a decimated motor industry; or let China in to work with OEMs on Western soil; or leave the West behind on this strategic technological advancement. Any of which is a great outcome for China and will advance their influence across the globe and build out their defence.

I don't know what you are talking about re: Li exploration. Exploration is practically dead. The lifestyle Li dreams of many companies are well and truly over. Only a handful of companies are still drilling and those programmes are small.

And everything else is near a standstill as capital to keep going is hard to come by.

Only the best producers are holding up.

Only the best developers or those well advanced (aside those that China will facilitate) are progressing.

WR1, LRS, LTR and PMET. The rest is dead in the water or rubbish.

This will lead to a massive undersupply but only for the West as China is busy shoring up its supply everywhere it can.