18 March 2026
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The Power of Refining: Why Lithium Reserves Aren’t the Real Advantage
The global electric vehicle (EV) transition is often framed as a battle for lithium reserves. In reality, the more consequential chokepoint lies downstream: in lithium chemical processing. While Australia, Chile and Argentina dominate raw lithium extraction, China controls an estimated 60-70% of global lithium chemical conversion capacity. This asymmetry creates pricing power, supply-chain leverage and…