Processing for lithium is a multi act process. Handling materials such as bedrock, gravel and assorted soils for the construction industry is just a matter of using large earthmoving equipment, trucks, and crushing and screening equipment. There is a need for water as most all of the processed materials are washed to remove the smaller particles and dust. But when one wants to separate one or more elements from the materials that are being handled that would be a process beyond my experience. However, handling a hard rock material is a cleaner more direct process than trying to process softer rock, which tends to disintegrate into ever more smaller particles. If that woud be the intended outcome, then all the better. But in some instances, handling a clay like soil can have it's own special issues. Clay is a very fine silt, and when damp or wet it is of a plastic nature. A dry clay or soft rock is not a problem, but dampness or other moisture can make clay awkward to handle. Since I have no experience trying to extract one or more elements from a material processed for construction I can only imagine the processes required. Lithium is everywhere that there is soil, but I can only imagine that if the material at Thacker Pass trends closer to a clay material rather than a harder rock-like material there might be a greater need for water. Washing dust off of crushed rock is one thing, but if LAC's process to handle a clay-like material is by using water to create a more easily handled substance like a slurry, then that might be a lot of water. Most materials handling operations that use water have settling ponds to enable water re-use. As for what happens after they modify the material for easier handling, I am not familiar. Extracting the lithium element must require various chemicals, assorted processes and other activities that I am unfamiliar with. I live on the East Coast but I would love to see the TP site.  Of course, this is just my 2 cent take on the whole thing..... electric is the future in any event.