Lithium plays: What to look out for, what are the safer ones?

Yes, it's a zoo out there. Virtually all of them are little animals many years away from being productive adults. Indeed, very few are youthful adults capable of thriving on their own resources.

As Mr Shaw, the UBS guy, was quoted saying: "The number of producing businesses, that is businesses that are producing lithium today and making cash, would be probably less than 10.

"And then, of the next cohort, that are businesses with a project that has been appropriately explored, defined, put through a feasibility study and is shovel ready, (there) may be half-a-dozen.” 

Half a dozen only -- in the whole wide world!

Mr Shaw didn't name names but, to be sure, the Bald Hill project of JV partners Alliance Mineral Assets (Singapore listed) and Tawana Resources (Australia listed) is among the "half a dozen".

The project has secured an offtake agreement, has all the funds necessary to build infrastructure and start production, and in fact is just weeks away from producing and shipping lithium concentrate.

At this juncture, you may want to watch a 27 Dec 2017 drone footage of the works at Bald Hill --->

In the Sydney Morning Herald article, Mr Shaw was asked if it’s too late for investors to get into the electric vehicle theme.

He replied: “In many ways, some of the easy money on punting hopefuls, that may have been done. But I think the real money, in terms of actually investing in businesses that have assets in production, and that have options to grow production either at their existing asset, or with new assets, I think there are still good options out there.”