RIO withdrew USD$5b potentail bid for a 32% stake at SQM.
I don't think RIO would be interested in AVZ.
Rio has Jadar Project is an unconventional type of lithium deposit (deposit size might be around 1/5 of Manono's), more details see the Haytley report and RIO's website.
There's no comparison to AVZ's Manono, size, high grade, shallow and tin & tantalum by products, imo.