The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that a wave of takeovers is poised to reshape the lithium mining industry, with global giant Rio Tinto projected to become the dominant producer of an essential metal in a decarbonized economy. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that with analysts predicting acquisitions on the way, the question is how will the Canadian government react when foreign buyers begin circling? Ottawa seems okay to sign off on any acquisition that does not involve a China-based buyer. Pure-play lithium producers have become takeover targets because short-term issues in the sector outweigh its long-term potential. Lithium stocks are in a slump after the price of the metal tanked over the past year, in part because of slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles and their lithium batteries. At the same time, lithium miners spent significant sums developing properties and many are now scrambling to pay down debt. The downturn represents an opportunity for deep-pocketed Rio Tinto, already dominant in critical minerals such as copper and aluminum. Demand for lithium is expected to more than double by 2030, even with the slowdown in EV sales, according to Scotiabank analyst Ben Isaacson.