MINING.COM EV Metal Index surges to over $500m of lithium, graphite, cobalt and nickel in newly-sold electric cars worldwide in one month as prices continue to climb and deployment smashes previous records.

Trade flows from Myanmar to China, the world's top metals consumer, likely to be affected say analysts.

Heavy equipment will start the bulk site earthworks at the Sonora lithium project later in the year.

Tesla’s large deployment of battery metals is explained by the rolling out of its made-in-China Model 3s.