Battery production, and more specifically lithium, is the “fundamental limiting factor” for electric-vehicle adoption worldwide, Musk said on an earnings call.

Bolivia has 9 million tonnes of identified lithium resources buried beneath its salt flats, yet the country has had barely any production of lithium chemicals.

The auto giant already has supply contracts for nickel, lithium and a range of other EV metals from suppliers across the globe.

Plant was closed for about three weeks due to a covid-19 outbreak.

As the world transitions away from fossil fuels to electrified transportation systems and energy networks, new deposits of the minerals required for a low-carbon future will need to be discovered and developed.