thought i,d share this if nobody has seen it.apologies if...

thought i,d share this if nobody has seen it.apologies if already posted.
But boosting supplies may not be easy. By 2020, it’s possible that only a third of planned new capacity will be available at the processing plants needed to convert mined raw materials into battery chemicals, Orocobre says. Lithium demand is also being underestimated, according to Pilbara Minerals Ltd., a producer starting a mine in Australia.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd.’s Pilgangoora mine site, Western Australia in June 2018.
Photographer: Reid Smith/Pilbara Minerals Ltd.
Some alternative funding sources for lithium have emerged, including hedge funds offering higher-yield debt or credit funds formed to lend to projects. They’re more expensive, but “you build your project and you are in business now when the market is very strong,” Price said. The sector’s biggest players are readying an IPO blitz, in part to fund expansions.
Lithium users also are stepping in with funding. Posco, the South Korean steelmaker that’s ramping up its battery-making business, and Great Wall Motor Co., China’s top SUV producer, have both invested in Pilbara Minerals to speed up project development. Tesla Inc. in May signed a supply deal with Kidman, a boon for the Australian developer as it seeks to finance a mine and plant.
Supply deals and investments with end customers mean lithium projects are being financed differently from traditional commodities, according to Westpac Institutional Bank, a unit of Australia’s second-biggest lender.