Zimbabwe holds some of the world's biggest hard-rock lithium deposits and has recently attracted about $700 million in investment.

ERS charge moving vehicles with either loops in or next to the road, or with wires suspended above vehicles, similar to trams and trains.

The new HPAL projects, and the surge of inexpensive metal from a country whose deposits have long been unloved by major producers, could push the market into oversupply.

The investment in the Pilgan plant will help increase spodumene concentrate production by 47% to 1 million dry metric tonnes per annum.

MINING.COM’s EV Metal Index surged to just under $27 billion in 2022 thanks to surging lithium and nickel prices, but January saw a 50% month-on-month drop.

Clayton Valley holdings adjoin and surround on three sides the Silver Peak lithium brine mine operated by Albemarle.

Samples from the Smackover Formation all returned grades exceeding the average reported lithium analyses from other North American brine projects.

Prices jumped on Friday as inventories in warehouses linked to the Shanghai Futures Exchange slid to the lowest since July last year.