Ann: Mining Licence Update, page-483

After the mining company AVZ Minéralz, it is the turn of the company COMINIERE SA to also come out of its hiding. During a press briefing held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 in Kinshasa, COMINIÈRE also gave its version of the facts on the Manono lithium project. According to his counsel, Popol Mwamba, "COMINIERE was never involved in the feasibility study of the Manono lithium project when it had to participate to make its amendments".

Unlike AVZ, which has stated that it has acted in accordance with the terms of the Joint Venture Agreement (CJV), COMINIERE SA regrets the lack of consideration on the part of its partner. "Until the compilation of the feasibility study, COMINIERE SA was never informed of my level of investments made by AVZ in DATHCOM MINING SA for the realization of research work on the first (25%) this, in violation of the provisions of Article 6 (e) of the CJV," noted lawyer Popol Mwamba.

In addition to this complaint against the feasibility study carried out by AVZ Minéralz, COMINIÈRE SA accuses its partner of having integrated into this study the Mpyana Mwanga power plant when it was an exclusive heritage of COMINIERE because no agreement has been signed, says Mwamba, between COMINIÈRE SA and AVZ Power.

Cominiere also opposes the assertion that AVZ owns 75% of the shares fully crystallized by the fact that Jin Chen, Zijin's subsidiary, is not a shareholder of DATHCOM Mining SA. According to her, "the vaunted sale of the 750 shares between AVZ International PTY Limited and Green Holding Lithium PTY LTD is far from having complied with the legal and statutory provisions applicable in the present case. Let it follow that all resolutions relating thereto shall be null and void."

Moreover, the lawyer Popol Mwamba stressed that in the context of Manono's tin and lithium, COMINIÈRE SA and the State retain their prerogatives to assess the performance of their performance in the project in relation to the initial commitments. "And in the event of a malformation, a strategic reframing may be necessary provided that the general interest of all Congolese is safeguarded," he said.Djodjo Mulamba