"If producing lithium in commercial amounts at battery quality...

"If producing lithium in commercial amounts at battery quality grades from clay was feasible, why isn't it already being done?" said Berry.Any lithium project from Tesla would require an intensive application process for necessary permits that could stretch on for years."Mining lithium is very challenging," said Pedro Palandrani of the Global X Lithium & Battery Technology ETF, which holds shares in Tesla and lithium producers. "If Tesla really wants to fly solo, we're talking about four to five years to really see any kind of lithium production."Tesla's plan also would likely require substantial amounts of water, forcing the company to battle with cattle ranchers for access to underground reservoirs in the arid state.Albemarle Corp ( ALB Loading...) operated the only existing U.S. lithium mine at a site roughly 200 miles (322 km) north of Las Vegas until it shut it down last month.Operational since the late 1960s, the site produced less than 5,000 tonnes of lithium per year, a relatively small amount and far less than Tesla would need. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)