@anatol
You say...
"The African countries where they get lithium from are all landlocked (Zimbabwe, Mali and DRC). The Chinese has to deal with and feed to more than one gov officials for producing and transporting the lithium from there to China."
Mmm... Perhaps you are not aware but this is actually something they do very well.
I have not researched the exact dates but my reading over the years would indicate that Bikita was set up in a similar time span to KV. Was operating successfully and exporting earlier - even though it is an area that you appear to claim such things are impossible.
Costs would have been lower than KV . The satellite images of Manano seem to indicate what can be done there in a very short time.
You do not put money into such things
unless you already have a satisfactory export route. Perhaps you should accept that the rest of the world does things in a different but successful way.
(20min delay)