A change of tact from May agreement with Chinese C&D as...

A change of tact from May agreement with Chinese C&D as @SpiderMonkeyZ suggests, or second off-take deal on same project as @Alexandria07 suggests?

The questions are: is C&D still in and was that May deal binding (I read it as not yet binding based on future tense in word "will" enter into binding annual contract); did negotiations fall over with C&D or was C&D pushing too hard on terms favourable to themselves, has the Guinea government leant on LIN to deal them in and the Chinese out, or has LIN changed their mind on doing a C&D supply off-take deal looking instead for a cash-payment JV buy-in?

After some consideration. I'm thinking this is a second off-take deal in the making, where pre-payments from two off-takers spreads each off-taker risk while at the same time allowing sufficient pre-payments for LIN to build the infrastructure to get Gaoual Bauxite to market (win-win for all three parties... thus the run up in share price last week before today's release). On the downside, today's CBG agreement 2 years out after feasibility study is complete, doesn't suit my desired time frame or outcome, and it looks like it the market doesn't like it either.

If LIN want some cash towards funding Stage 1 Kanga (which is what I want) then it makes sense to negotiate with the Chinese for a JV or outright sale deal under some competitive tension. The US is unlikely to risk an early buy-in, but obviously willing to consider an offtake once all the permits and studies are complete. A coincidence appointing a Chinese non-technical guy to the board on the same day they announce ducks and drakes might be going on with previously announced Chinese C&D off-take deal?

All very intriguing.... GLTAH