It is very important for North America to have it's own reliable supply of cobalt and lithium. First Cobalt is very well positioned for future demand, and current spot prices are not necessarily a good indication of the prices producers are actually negotiating for these metals.
This is an interesting perspective. Apparently in Zhejiang already 30% of it's taxis and 50% of buses are electric and the whole country wants to be electric, but that might take all of the available lithium and cobalt.
China is manipulating lithium and cobalt prices, mining magnate says