You're correct that lithium mining is digging holes in the dirt, much like iron ore.
That is not the problem.
The issue is concentrate processing, to get useful elements from the "dirt of interest".
That concentrate processing involves large quantities of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and other fun agents and also requires long term storage of waste waters (with aforementioned acids) and storage of low-level radioactive waste.
This is the reason that Lynas was asked to leave Malaysia and why they are seeking other locations.
> Lithium mining is a drop in the bucked compared to iron and friends.
Apples, oranges, and a clear sign you're not familiar with the details of both.
FWiW I worked decades as an exploration geophysical surveyor, contributed to the seeting up, running, and sale of the world's largest commercial mineral intelligence database, visited many mining and processing operations aboout the globe.
An Australian mining company has been told to "get lost" and "go back to Australia" amid an ongoing row over hundreds of thousands of tonnes of radioactive waste piling up in Malaysia.
That is not the problem.
The issue is concentrate processing, to get useful elements from the "dirt of interest".
That concentrate processing involves large quantities of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and other fun agents and also requires long term storage of waste waters (with aforementioned acids) and storage of low-level radioactive waste.
This is the reason that Lynas was asked to leave Malaysia and why they are seeking other locations.
> Lithium mining is a drop in the bucked compared to iron and friends.
Apples, oranges, and a clear sign you're not familiar with the details of both.
FWiW I worked decades as an exploration geophysical surveyor, contributed to the seeting up, running, and sale of the world's largest commercial mineral intelligence database, visited many mining and processing operations aboout the globe.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-22/malaysians-divided-on...
https://www.australianmining.com.au/a-big-win-for-lynas-in-m...https://www.australianresourcesandinvestment.com.au/2023/02/...