The ongoing battle to secure resources for electric vehicle supply chains continues, with Tianqi Lithium moving closer to acquiring 23% of Chile’s lithium miner SQM for $2.3 billion. Growth in Chile’s lithium exports has slowed, with exports in the first quarter of 2018 unchanged vs. the prior quarter. South Korea has emerged as the largest buyer with a 79% surge in imports from Chile in the first quarter vs. a year earlier. That came at the expense of Chinese buyers who received 33% fewer shipments. The decline may add to China-based Tianqi’s urgency to complete the deal, as does a 2...