Posted this elsewhere - embedded posts below - but the point is...

Posted this elsewhere - embedded posts below - but the point is unless you are vertically intergrated and can make up for costs elsewhere lepidolite is only a short term fix. My view is China has been destocking and using lepidolite as a strategy to get lower prices for spodumene under probably entering medium to long term contracts with suppliers where they can (or getting more stakes in mines particularly outside Australia - i.e. short term pain for long term gain. They tried this with iron ore in the early 2010s but ultimately people wake up. Lithium market stability and meeting goals around renewables means Western countries actually need to move away from China and do their own chemical conversions and manufacturing outside China.

My views on lepidolite and state of play is in these two posts -Post #:71667622andPost #:71669290(please read in that order if interested).

My only concern at the moment is Gina circling and taking LTR on the cheap. Gina didn't come here for daily price movements - it is a long term play for her, or one where she will in time IMO lob a bid (probably around production time but that is a guess). For anyone who recalls Atlas Iron, daily retail holders felt it was a basket case, Gina scooped in as she has a long term view, and maybe check out what the previous AGO has now contributed to profits (hint way way way more than what she ultimately got it for in the takeover). A history lesson for other below:

Gina Rinehart’s Atlas Iron posts near $1bn profit in big year for the billionaire’s iron ore assets - Atlas Iron

Gina Rinehart eyes magnetite opportunity for Atlas Iron - Atlas Iron

From one of the articles is this quote: """"Atlas Iron has delivered billionaire Gina Rinehart almost $1.5bn in profits in only three years, since she beat fellow mining magnates Andrew Forrest and Chris Ellison to acquire the junior miner for $427m."""""

Unless one sees the bottom falling out of lithium markets, which is not my view, then I expect there will be mergers and acquisitions in lithium markets. Gina is here for the long term, as are others.

All IMO IMO IMO