Running discussion on SP, page-63730

Zijin already has a foothold in the DRC - for example they are the partner of Ivanhoe in the KK copper mine. They are also no stranger to AVZ, having been a shareholder of the company through one of their Australian subsidiaries. It was widely speculated at the time that this was part of a Zijin play into AVZ, and came after Zijins chairman was talking about investing in or buying out lithium operations in Africa and elsewhere. There is also uncorroborated information in the media that Zijin tried to buy a 15% stake in our Manono project vehicle Dathcom from the DRC government but was stymied by AVZ due to their first right of refusal. Notably, Zijin sold out its stake in AVZ after AVZ secured its partnership with CATL/CATH.

could this latest form part of a later Zijin play for our project? Sure. But they would be targeting CATL if so, and it could more simply just be Zijin securing some promising territory for exploration as part of its new lithium strategy.

DRC might also be promoting further lithium investment in Manono as part of its battery metals supply chain plans, refrenced by FT this week, and which will all later fall hopefully under a regional SEZ