As the pandemic has killed nearly 20,000 across the globe, U.S. junior miners have slowed engineering work, environmental reviews and loan applications. "We can just hit pause," said Keith Phillips, chief executive of North Carolina's Piedmont Lithium Ltd. Piedmont, Lithium Americas Corp and ioneer Ltd, both of which have Nevada projects, have said they now face engineering or regulatory setbacks that could push back mine construction.

Auto retail sales through the week of March 22 declined 22% nationwide on a yearly basis and as much as 40% in some cities on the U.S. West Coast, according to an analysis by research firm J.D. Power based on data from dealership stores around the country. Last week's data did not yet fully account for various U.S. states passing so-called shelter-in-place orders at the end of last week.