"Outside this, the real value for lithium explorers is the...

"Outside this, the real value for lithium explorers is the ability to gain access to unusually high pricing which won’t be around forever (due to deposits eventually coming online and adding to supply)."

As there'll be no ASX explorer producing properly before 2026, you're banking on 2.5-3 years of high prices. If you believe that, then all current hard rock explorers will have years to tick boxes in a high price environment.

And speed to production is not "the real value". It is 'a benefit', alongside other benefits like size of resource, location, ability of OEMs to qualify for tax credits, etc.
Otherwise, PMET wouldn't be miles ahead of everyone else.