Private equity groups and other investors have grown emboldened by the lithium industry's malaise, forging plans to invest billions of dollars in mining projects to develop the electric vehicle battery metal.
South African miners face a conundrum: increasing palladium and rhodium output to take advantage of soaring prices risks depressing the already fragile market for sister metal platinum.
Under Indonesian mining rules, foreign controlled miners are required to reduce their ownership to 49% or below within 10 years of starting operations.