To my informed knowledge on this topic, I see it has not...

To my informed knowledge on this topic, I see it has not relevance to the permit. These are issues not relevant to the approval. These can be access issues and other formalities to ensure harmony into the future.

To place the permit with the DMP, all relevant issues need to be finalised. To have a request for more information is often expected and shows the DMP are doing their DD. So nothing here really. The time line is completions within 30 days and I gather that to be working days. At about the 26th day the clock stopped ticking as they do when further information is required. Last Thursday, after I gather the DMP has formulated their requirements for further DD, the request was sent to the applicants. A response with detail and quality is not just a memo response but can be quite detailed and I feel this may take another week to complete. We note KB has been away only just returned also.
Lets assume the response is made by next Wednesday the 29th, then the DMP has 4 more working days to approve. There is no guarantee that further requirements will not be raised but I'm very confident the time and attention to detail will be admirably performed by a competent team that is very experienced. My thoughts are too turn away for 10 to 15 days and be patient. Also, I don't see that a BOA or finance are necessarily related or dependant on each other. Knowing Chinese have increased restrictions, companies with say, HK based offices would be most likely to be involved if an agreement with funding was to eventuate as significant funds or access too funds, could be held there. It would hardly be prudent to release a announcement of a BOA and finance and have it dependant on Chinese administration and approval. It requires certainty.
With regard to the news on ALB expansion plans and MIN's race to market, there are two ways we could see this. Like glass half full or half empty? I see it as half full, it shows great interest from these companies confirming the demand side and they will be underplaying it for sure; and overstating their capacity to meet such supply.
Pilgangoora is a far superior mine site than say GB. Pilgangoora is a mining area predominately and very favoured, and GB may have a few benefits of labour force and procurement only but will have much tougher environmental hurdles. Their costs to establish will be far greater and likely slower, given conversations I've had. they have a tired and deep mine site already and will have to contend with the increased water needs and the issues that bought attention too; and has been discussed well on HC also. Didn't GB say they were to increased their output by 50,000 TPA quite some time ago, and was that achieved? What has restricted them? Why are they looking for more acquisitions? I don't have the answers to all these questions with certainty, I'm just watching the game of chess play out.

I am confident we are in very good hands and may well see some chanting of all great things in the not to distant future.

One thing is for sure, this journey has educated me quite a lot.
You are all in the game of patients and using a platform to trade in your patience levels with others. Let the impatient transfer their wealth to you is my solid recommendation for the betterment of each investors beneficial results.