Australia lithium miner said that lithium concentrate spodumene was in "relatively short supply" as enquiries for the raw material used in EV batteries rise.
The copper market appears to be reaching a defining moment when it decides whether we're in a new supercycle or the same old China cycle which has defined pricing for over a decade.
Farmers have opposed the mine since it would be on prime agricultural land that could impact the region's water table and local Aboriginal people are against the development because it would disturb important cultural sites.
It's possible the present rush for the exit from coal will be matched by major oil and gas producers making a similar dash to get out of LNG in a few years time.
"While the persistence of the COVID crisis, especially in Europe, calls for careful forecasts for our business ahead, we see the rare earth market recovering very quickly," the world's largest rare earths producer outside China said.
Tropical cyclone Seroja impacted operations in April while labour resource availability and above average wet weather in the mines disrupted maintenance.