re:Lithium demand surge, page-785

There are a lot of lithium projects out there in the world. But you can never assume all these will become working mines.

This is a very important point you make bdell. If you look at the mining sector in general, only 10% of projects become working mines, regardless of what they are mining. In relation to Li projects, IMO the % of projects becoming working mines could be as low as 2%, given the lack of finance available from the major instos and banks. The major banks will lend to gold, iron ore, gas projects but not Li. Therefore and as you say, exposure to producing Li mines seems to be the way to go.