At $12K LCE/ton most companies will SHUT DOWN.....The price of lithium is $ 12,600 USD per ton. At this price 95% of the lithium companies are going to shut down. Breakeven for most companies is $ 25,000 USD per ton.
The other 5% will only provide what lithium is necessary as margins are thin or, at a loss.
What this means is that unless we all agree to use gasoline cars as the future and agree to destroy the planet, the continue use of ev will result in a huge lithium shortage sometime in the future.
Many lithium companies will not jump back in until they can be sure of pricing power. This means for 2 or 3 years you can expect to see lithium trading at $ 150,000 USD per ton LCE.
Good Luck,