General Discussion, page-2114

Financial Times 30.4.23 G. Chazan said

"...as Germany seeks to reduce its dependence on imported critical minerals by extracting more of them itself.

The dream is of greater self-sufficiency, not only in fluorspar — often nicknamed “lithium’s little brother” — but other commodities the country needs for its green transition...
“We should use the potential we have and prove that green and sustainable mining is possible,” said Franziska Brantner, state secretary at the economy ministry, who is spearheading Berlin’s efforts to make its supply chains more resilient. “Historically speaking, Germany has always been a country that produces raw materials.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, western governments have been rushing to safeguard their economies from disruptions to trade, through everything from “friend-shoring” — moving supply chains to trusted countries — to outright decoupling from China.Fears of an east-west conflict over Taiwan have only intensified the desire of the US and Europe to reduce their reliance on China for a host of critical materials. The EU, for example, depends on China for 72 per cent of its rare earth metals, a crucial component of computers, mobile phones and electric cars, according to Germany’s raw materials agency Dera.

Scarred by the turmoil caused by Russia’s suspension of gas exports to Europe after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, business leaders say Germany must move quickly to avoid falling into the same trap with China.“We are already more reliant on China for certain metals than we were on Russia for gas,” said Matthias Wachter of the BDI, Germany’s main business lobby".

https://www.ft.com/content/9674a847-0c77-420a-a133-3c0eb855326c

The EU's increasing desire/"desperation" to reduce dependence on China & Russia for critical minerals would likely cause many to covet Li supplies from a safe Tier 1 country as Australia- & ESS would be highly regarded.