News: INR U.S. offers $700 million loan to EV battery material project, page-14

This loan offer guarantees the mine's construction- both financially and politically!
Could you imagine the political angst if the USA's second only potential lithium mine was blocked after a government department approved it's funding? Imagine the embarrassment for the Biden administration?
DOE would not have offered it unless it is certain that the permits will be granted nor would Mr Shah (DOE) make comments like:

The Energy Department said the loan is contingent on ioneer completing the environmental review process.

"I was made aware of the buckwheat situation the first day I heard about the project," Shah said. "It was part of our diligence, and we wouldn't have moved forward if we didn't think (ioneer) had a path to building the facility."

The department also noted that ioneer changed its mine plan to avoid the buckwheat and has spent more than $1 million on botanists, greenhouses and related studies.