To repeat my thoughts:To be frank, CATL IMO has been a noose...

To repeat my thoughts:

To be frank, CATL IMO has been a noose around AVZ's neck. It is a Chinese company and IMO is not acting in the interests of AVZ shareholders. I do wonder if we didn't have CATL onboard whether in this fiasco we could have targeted a European/USA backer that would then have provided us more clout in dealing with the corrupt DRC government. CATL has been very silent throughout this fiasco.

Don't bother replying to me tolate as you still haven't answered this post because your masters at Zijin won't allow you to - Post #: 72392001

My view on this whole fiasco remains as per - Post #: 72061714

Ultimately, unless AVZ gets a ML the DRC can kiss goodbye to any further western investment in that country. Exploration is often undertaken by small companies seeking to be miners - often then been gobbled up by the bigger players if they find something of significance. Explorers won't touch the DRC with a barge pole. Also I feel sorry for Europe - this type of corruption is what leads to the mass exodus of individuals from Africa to Europe by any means to start a better life. The World Bank/European governments should freeze all the assets hidden in offshore accounts by these corrupt DRC players and stuff them up - hit them where it really hurts.

The DRC is now a province of China. Felix and co are allowing corruption to take hold and no wonder the World Bank has frozen/lessened its own monies going there and DRC ben listed as (one of) the most corrupt regime going around. If I had my way I would place pressure on South Africa/Tanzania/Angola from allowing lithium exports going through those ports thus steralising the deposit permanantly (until AVZ is given its mining lease). AVZ explored, found lithium and did what it was meant to do - then greed and corruption took over. Now reflecting, FIRB's decision back in 2020/21 in Oz was probably the catalyst for this given AVZ is effectively not allowed to be taken over, so stealing was then the next best (and only) option for the Chinese.

So if AVZ doesn't get the deposit then I hope the World Bank/other governments stop all funds going into the DRC, and for the ITCID to enact actions enforcing that no lithium from Manono be exported through Angola/South Africa and Tanzania. Last thing anyone investing in lithium, wants is China (like they do in other commodities) use a resource they have (and in this case stolen) to play around with world prices of commodities (i.e. think graphite/rare earths etc). I see Manono as simply a move by China to get access to a resource that they can play world markets with - yes if they get access force them to build a 2000 plus km railway line to the only open sea area that the DRC has.

All IMO