Albemarle Corp, the world's largest producer of lithium, posted a quarterly profit on Wednesday that easily beat Wall Street's expectations on rising demand from the electric vehicle industry.
Officials at the Department for Business are discussing options to protect the United Kingdom's access to vital materials including lithium and cobalt.
The administration is "trying to find the balance between preserving a pristine area, and at the same time looking for ways in which job growth," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says.