Lithium Exploration Auctions: An auction for five-year exploration rights to the Jiada Lithium Mine in Maerkang city that started last Thursday received 11,307 bids and concluded at 4.2 billion yuan (USD 579 million) on Sunday, 1,317 times higher than the starting price of 3.19 million yuan, according to auction data from the Sichuan Public Resources Trading Center.