The country's antitrust regulator is investigating the effects on the market of Chinese miner Tianqi Lithium acquisition of a 24% stake in SQM, the world's second largest lithium producer,
Lucapa has a 35-year license for Lulo, which early last year bore a 404.2-carat white diamond, considered the largest diamond ever recovered in Angola and the biggest diamond ever found by an Australian company.
Deal would have added two lithium projects – the Big Sandy lithium clay project in Arizona and the Lordsburg lithium brine project in New Mexico – to Hawkstone’s portfolio.
The Swiss firm will make mining royalty payments to Dan Gertler in euros so that it doesn’t fall foul of US sanctions, which were placed on the Israeli billionaire last year.
Country alleges a court decision had slammed the door on certain investment arbitration cases involving European Union members, so Gabriel’s case can’t be solved that way any longer.