Just so much ignorance on the topic. 'One would have to wait...

Just so much ignorance on the topic.

'One would have to wait until every other sources are depleted or until the demand side is simply so massive that there is no other options.'

If that was the case, they wouldn't be mining copper, tin and other resource that a plentiful in the world in the DRC. You simply do not understand that to the Chinese, the DRC is a perfectly acceptable source of materials. In fact, to the Chinese, the DRC is at the centre of its geopolitical push to control Africa. Over a dozen Chinese mines there operating perfectly well. Most importantly, almost all of the world lithium concentrate goes to China for processing, not Tesla, USA or the EU.

'Unfortunately for AVZ there are now many lithium miners very close to production with scalable operation'

Firstly, the lithium supply growth is in the teens while the EV sales growth its above 60% globally. So its not unreasonable to think that supply might struggle to keep up. The issue was never about the abundance of lithium globally (there is plenty about), it was always about the 5+ years it takes a typical mine to go from explorer to production.

Secondly, with the US playing tariff wars with China (and with Australia being a major US ally), I get the feeling the Chinese are even more interested in having secure supplies of strategic minerals from their own sphere of influence.

'A shortage that can be met by current operational and soon to be operational miners.'

So many assumptions there. Assumption about the supply/demand situation (which currently has far larger growth for demand compared to supply). Lack of understand of the Chinese operating history in the DRC, the billions they pour into that country, the many operating mines. Finally your ignorant Western centric bias which is silly when almost all conversion capacity is in China. There is a reason why Chinese firms flew in and visited Manono numerous times.