Awakening the Monster--Manono Project Development, page-70

I wonder how this lends itself to the hydroxide production on site we hear about from time to time. You'd assume if it's a battery factory they'll want the already refined product.

Eliminates any shipping problems of the hydroxide.
With newer technology for lithium extraction being developed around the globe you could forsee a future with a very efficient (green) direct from the source production pipeline. Perhaps extracted from the midlings with sc6 & pls still shipping around the clock.
With shortages looming, it makes sense that extracting the most lithium our of the material with minimal waste will become increasingly important regardless of resource size.