The company, which operates a mine and processing plant in the province, will use the protection to finish refinancing. (The Logic)

Talking point: Though it operates what it calls “one of the richest lithium spodumene deposits in the world” in northern Quebec, Nemaska’s hardships are further evidence of the alkali metal’s market volatility. Though it’s a key component in smartphones and electric-car batteries, demand for lithium hasn’t lived up to expectations, with prices hovering at a two-year low. Part of the reason may be the hype around the metal; the electrification of the world’s rolling stock has yet to fully materialize, and global supply is five per cent higher than demand, according to Canaccord Genuity. Lithium’s price collapse recently caused North Carolina-based Albemarle, the world’s largest producer of the stuff, to cut its expansion plans, along with its sales and profit forecasts.