The identification of mineable deposits of lithium in brines; hard rock; or clay is just the beginning of a process to complete a supply chain for storage battery components that is  strictly controlled by two comprehensive factors: 1, The economics of the best available technologies; and 2, The geopolitics of the regions and nations in which the deposits are located. The  broad spread of the use of EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs may well depend on the fact that the best manufacturing technologies for them are located in East Asia while the largest deposits of the necessary lithium and other elements  are located in South America; Africa; and Australia.

Lithium itself is a relatively cheap commodity today. What will be the effect of a global demand exceeding supply in the near term and in the long term. Can mining and refining keep up with government subsidized demand?