RE:Tesla May Start Mining Lithium; Battery Metal Cost It's been more than 18 months since Musk first floated the idea of Tesla mining its own lithium. Eighteen months later, Musk just tweeted that "Tesla might actually have to get into the mining & refining."
I repeat: Tesla might "have to get" -- future tense -- into mining.
To me, this sounds like a confirmation that, for the past 18 months, despite suggesting that it would mine its own lithium, Tesla has in fact not taken any steps toward actually doing so. Contrary to what Musk's tweet has investors worrying about today, therefore, I suspect that the real upshot of this announcement is that Lithium Americas and other lithium companies probably don't have to worry about Tesla "getting into the mining & refining" business at all.