.... should look at the hard rock supply chain (not brine) from...

.... should look at the hard rock supply chain (not brine) from upstream supplier of spod (an intermediate product) down to its converter into Li bicarbonate and hydroxide that goes into batteries.

News I gathered suggests that there’ll be a shortage of Li bicarbonate in ~4 year as the Chinese converters cannot produce it fast enough from spod; and the brine supply side may not be able to make up the shortage.

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How this shortage / bottleneck would be resolved, or otherwise, will affect development of EV is the mil $$ question. Get the right answer and you’ll will profit mil $$, I think.