https://www.mining.com/web/china-drives-african-lithium-surge-to-...

https://www.mining.com/web/china-drives-african-lithium-surge-to-lock-in-key-battery-metal/
China imports 25% of Li metal from Africa most of it coming from Zimbabwe.
A couple of things not mentioned
The spod is more the raw rock not spondumene of SC5%.
They have started to refine but not to a high grade.
The Zimbabwe Government now want the Chinese to  refine to Lithium Carbonate by 2026 in Zimbabwe which the Chinese are not happy about, no power, infrastructure or technical expertise.
Just recently 2 Chinese mining officials were sent home for torturing 2 boys for stealing diesel.
Locals are upset that they were not put through the judicial process.
Lithium from Zimbabwe = corruption and close to slave labour.
Politics is at a volatile high, anything could happen