Lithium Americas Corp 's LAC.TO $425-million first-phase Argentina project is substantially funded by a partnership with producer SQM SQMa.SN, and investments by Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co 002460.SZ and Bangchak Petroleum BCP.BK. It aims to start construction by June. Technical expertise is hard to find, said Lithium Americas President John Kanellitsas. After new entrants' exuberance, the complexity of lithium production sets in. "It's niche and it wasn't strategically important until recently," he said. "So there's a lack of experienced talent." Nemaska Lithium Inc NMX.TO, armed with off-takes with FMC Corp (NYSE: FMC ) FMC.N and Johnson Matthey (LON: JMAT ) Battery Materials, looks to raise C$500 million in debt and equity over 18 months to build its mine and plant. Nemaska's advantage is that operations are vertically integrated, its CEO Guy Bourassa said.