PLS is seeing deepening and broadening demand for lithium, partly driven by energy security concerns, CEO Dale Henderson said on Friday as the Australian miner nearly doubled its lithium production and beat analyst estimates. The country's largest independent lithium producer said that talks with customers and industries during a recent visit to China backed up data showing a recovery in electric vehicle demand. "In aggregate, what we're seeing in the sector is deepening and broadening demand and strong tailwinds for lithium operators," Henderson told Reuters.