Resource pool of news related on Lithium centric products, page-34

Hey Split, my view is that if NAL bid is successful, then it comes with the supposition that Authier will get the green light also. I think Authier should get the green light regardless of NAL for what it's worth, now that the BAPE due process is being followed. The lead indicator is the Agreement with First Nations and issuing of $27.5mill shares to them. Also worth remembering that updated DFS included Environmental Impact Statement adjusted to reflect community feedback.

Back to your question - the significant change is that original plans for the production plant at Authier would be reduced substantially as they'd be essentially mining the ore, crushing it and then trucking over to NAL 60kms away for processing. Not a mining plant expert so this explanation quite high level based on my read and happy for someone with more expertise in the field to elaborate. There is a twofold benefit to Authier project with this approach; lower CAPEX to setup production plant as the actual lithium "processing" will happen at NAL, and since the scope of the plant is smaller it should be quicker to implement The second benefit is the lower environmental footprint this approach will have at the Authier and surrounding site which would please everyone. Whether they choose to run NAL operational prior to Authier mining commencement or wait for parallel will depend on many of the usual factors taken into consideration when mobilising a project including permits/approvals, financing, resources, schedules, ROI, dependencies, risks etc. And whether they could make a profit on NAL without Authier whilst it is being commissioned is unknown to us (though might be in their business plan/bid proposal). I think the focus is on the bigger picture of what this synergy would mean, i.e "very quickly we go from being a junior explorer to having one of the largest lithium operations in the world", rather than the medium term ROI. If any one of CATL, Tesla, MinMetals or another of Chinese battery producers (linked to Altura) is behind them then they'd be less concerned about a few months of getting the project established and more concerned about their long term supply right.

GLTAH