How an Australian mine could make EVs cheaper in the US

Dozens of lithium mines are in various stages of development in Canada and the United States. Canada has made it a mission to become a major source of raw materials and components for electric vehicles. But most of these projects are years away from production. Even if they are able to raise the billions of dollars needed to get going, there is no guarantee they will yield enough lithium to meet the continent's needs. Risky, volatile business Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in July that being a lithium supplier was a "license to print money." But it is also a…