Banking giants JPMorgan JPM.N, Goldman Sachs GS.N, and BMO Capital Markets BMO.TO and others also attended, their interest fueled by an expected wave of lithium takeover deals and rising demand for hedging and other financial instruments. Once a niche event attended by industry die-hards, the Fastmarkets conference has grown rapidly alongside breakneck lithium demand. By Ernest Scheyder LAS VEGAS, June 22 (Reuters) - Lithium producers are growing anxious that delays in mine permitting, staffing shortages and inflation may hinder their ability to supply enough of the battery metal to meet the world's aggressive electrification timelines.