This is a waiting game. The recent changes in the global...

This is a waiting game. The recent changes in the global geopolitical situation has put a lot of pressure from higher up the food chain on the local government to stop stalling this project. This includes,

1) Deteriorating relations with the Russia+China bloc since the EU is in lock step with US foreign policy. Since almost all battery material processing occurs in China (as highlight above by retire50) , this presents a existential threat to the Western auto industry (amongst others) to be highly reliant on China. One only has to look at the gas reliance on Russia to see the potential damage.

2) Due to Russia, the EU is now desperate to move away from fossil based fuels including oil for autos.

3) Macquarie and others have recently upgraded their lithium supply shortage forecast, stating that supply will remain in deficit a lot longer than previously thought and prices will remain high. Watch Golden Sachs do a U-turn soon.