Exporting unprocessed Australian lithium will prove to be a short-lived trend according to Pilbara Minerals managing director Ken Brinsden, who played down the chances of his company making a rival bid for takeover target Atlas Iron.

Most Australian lithium is exported in concentrate form, but strong demand for the commodity over recent years has prompted some miners to export lithium-rich spodumene ore in unprocessed form under the moniker of "direct shipping ore" or "DSO".