PLS expertise is in hard rock, imho they would only have looked at hard rock projects. To develop lithium brines you need oil and gas industry expertise, that's why Exxon's lithium production will only ever come from lithium brine sedimentary basins such as the Smackover formation in Arkansas. You use the same drill rigs, employ the same exploration tools (eg. seismic, well logging downhole tools). Completely different skill sets.
