Video: Tesla lithium refinery work starts

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk arrived in a Cybertruck at a breaking ground ceremony for Tesla’s in-house lithium refinery outside of Corpus Christi, Texas.

He says it will be one of the largest lithium refineries in the world, expected to produce lithium for about a million EVs.

Musk reckons the new refinery will produce enough battery grade lithium to equal all the rest of North America’s combined capacity.

Tesla reportedly intends investing US$375 million to build the lithium hydroxide producing plant for EV, storage and large-scale utility batteries.

Key by-products like sand and limestone are expected to be recycled.