There is a slew of mind-boggling events entailing global lithium industry lately. There is an apparent trend, so it’s worth making a closer look there.

Lithium is a lightweight, highly reactive metal widely used in the manufacture of batteries. Especially those used in electric vehicles (EV) and renewable energy systems. Growth in the electric vehicle market is driving demand for lithium. This demand is expected to continue to increase with the shift to clean energy. Therefore, investing in lithium stocks has become increasingly popular among stock market investors. Especially suitable for investors interested in getting involved in the fast-growing clean energy industry.

After decades of subdued interest in lithium, rapidly rising demand and prices have made “white gold” one of the hottest sectors in the mining world. Batteries are foundations of the contemporary power supply technology. And in order for automakers to electrify their growing fleet of vehicles, the world will have to make a lot more of them. At least for now, lithium is in almost every EV battery, and that means demand for the metal likely isn’t going to slow any time soon. So, just how big is the appetite for lithium, and how much of this mineral is available to make the journey from extraction to a battery cell?

Among the most prominent recent events, Bloomberg reported late Friday, that Tesla (TSLA) is mulling a bid for Sigma Lithium (SGML). Sigma has not generated any revenue yet, but is poised to start commercial production. SGML stock soared Friday night, with ALB stock and other lithium plays also rising after hours.

Later on, news channels reported that Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has nationalized lithium, handing responsibility for lithium reserves over to the energy ministry. The President nationalized Mexico’s lithium deposits last April, and created a state-controlled LitioMX (Litio Para Mexico) to exclusively mine lithium.

Earlier, Mexican Presidential decree also established 234,855 hectares (907 square miles) in Sonora as a mining zone known as Li-MX-1. Sonora hosts virtually all Mexico’s lithium resources — 8.82Mt lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) or 1.66 Mt lithium metal.

In terms of lithium global demand numbers, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, last year marked a potential inflection point for the industry: EVs accounted for more than 5% of all U.S. auto sales, and global EV sales are expected to more than triple by 2025.

Electric vehicles could account for more than 40% of global car sales by 2030 and more than half of U.S. sales, driven by the Lower Inflation Act in California, New York and the European Union and a 2035 ban on gasoline-powered car sales.