If your job is to promote your company's performance in the most...

If your job is to promote your company's performance in the most favourable possible light, and I ask you for a specific KPI and you've actually achieved or exceeded it, you're going to say that (not the specific grade, just that it was consistent or exceeded). If you haven't quite hit the mark, saying "it was around the same" seems an appropriately vague way of putting it.

JZ's divulgence that the grade was "more beneficial for marketing purposes" indicates that grade disclosure had a marketing effect, whether that was for attracting new shareholders or offtake customers. With this in mind (that reporting a consistent or rising grade is beneficial), it must conversely mean that reporting a dropping grade (even if only by a small amount), would not be beneficial. Therefore, there is a clear motivation for JZ to be vague about a potential drop in grade, which is exactly what he has done.

As you have, you could take the view that it indicates the "final stages of securing a strategic partner", however, I think you'd have to be awfully optimistic. That view would also be at odds with JZ's other disclosure in the quarterly, which was that current challenging lithium market dynamics and pricing were affecting the process.

Draw your own conclusions.

"Assuming what you say is correct"....... You're exhausting mate. Email from JZ is below.