I'm in the middle, UK based. Australian mine owner is a friend...

I'm in the middle, UK based. Australian mine owner is a friend of mine so that helps .

The 'French' are an extreme national breed. I did not have time yesterday to have a look at influential French individuals or Canadian French. I'd put them 100% in the stroke my back, cross my palm with gold and give me a bunch of Red roses or the Unions will kick off and I'd rather eat my own **** than do a deal with you. They often are over demanding and need to feel the love before you get anywhere. Just look at how they rolled out the Military parade for Mr Trump ( who they hate , Macron bristled with discomfort ) but in their eyes they wanted something from Trump. Now the boot is on the other foot.

Having said all that, most mining projects have a negative media ie there are rare newts or even take Nevada brines suffering due to a rare flower slowing things down to court level. These things do happen.

My sole belief is the Biden / US factor. Canada wants to be seen as i dependant of the US ( again partly a French thing but I would to after 4 years of Trump lol ). However, the US will without question push on. PLL are in a PRIME location pretty much the only historical rock spodumene in the US, with Livent HQ and Albemarle HQ and lithium processing facilities for both in the same valley.

The North Carolina Tin Belt has been estimated back in 2000 to contain 750 million tons of LCE. Tech has also improved so I would think the figure to be true and probably possible to find tune extraction processing by now to retrieve more, but I will stick with the old figure of 750 million tons of LCE. That is quite the region.

Sayona are in a region with at least 3-4 x that amount and probably much more - more remote locations and no infrastructure though - BUT the potential to compete head to head with Australia. The Canadian and US Governments both back the NEED for lithium , jobs, infrastructure and profits.

To my European eyes , so no bias, Quebec Canada is like the Pilbara region of Northern Australia. Remote, some infrastructure but over a huge area but ways and means to create new industries and export hubs based on different substances. The potential for both regions is huge, testing levels increase by the day and so does the value of the land and location. Environment and new CO2 Footprint requirements are probably as important now as actually attaining the land in the first place.

Both Sayona and PLL know this , PLL have given Mr Musk an insight to how they intend to fit his new criteria for a more sustainable method of supplying Tesla and this 'should' help the international view of how the Quebec region is seen as a green hub for materials.

I think KEY to ensuring SYA & PLL get NAL is improvements to plant and upgrades. It would not surprise me if Mr Musk insisted on the footprint of La Como and the older equipment & Authier to be created with top end environmental credits.

Mr Musk is building a lithium hydroxide plant in Austin Texas within his semi truck / car plant.... could the plant at NAL also be refitted to his specifics of CO2 reduced production or counter balanced to zero offset ? The Canadians would love that and the promise of Tesla factory zero CO2 No1 plant ?

I have always felt his vision is unstoppable. The US now have Biden = the US Gov backing anything half decent so back in 2010 North Arrow had a written later for North Carolina lithium plant construction to be supported by the US Gov to the tune of 48% funding. The Canadian Gov will need to be seen as being as generous imho.

Many will look at the project and scream blue murder through jealousy of missing out on millions of dollars BUT these types of project AND with a backer like Musk who NEEDS lithium NOW will again imho be pushed through. The global pressure to move forward on climate change is so so much more important and being in 'Western' countries its not likely to be a brown bag under the counter or African nations leader skimming off the top of the deal or taking it over as Government property.

We should all be wishing them the best and as Mr Obama stated " just do it" for the bettering of humanity and the sake of mother earth. We need to be better and these guys are getting it but adapting to these new rules just takes a bit more crossing of t's and dotting of i's to make sure it is right for the next 30 to 60 years.

Good luck all.