"Lithium, the new cold war between Westerners and Easterners in the DRC? »
NEWSECONOMY
In difficulty of the local lithium, China wants to have the monopoly of the ore in DR Congo
March 11, 2023
Kiki Kienge
By
Kiki Kienge
Lithium, the new cold war between Westerners and Easterners to the detriment of African populations who are sinking more and more into misery despite their wealth?
The national production of lithium in China for batteries and others remains much lower than the lithium imported and processed in China.
China is the world's largest producer of batteries, notably holding more than half of the world's lithium refining, but at least 70% of its supplies depend on foreign countries.
With the spectacular rise in the price of lithium which reached record figures (+/- 80,000 $US) and the shortage on a global scale, China is trying everything to control the production of global lithium.
The extraction of the rock containing lithium of lower Chinese quality, the lepidolite of Yichun which contains less than 1% of lithium, in particular the high cost for production, causes many problems of environmental pollution and cannot compete with lithium countries like DR Congo, Argentina or Zimbabwe for example. For one ton of lithium carbonate processed from Yichun lepidolite, generates at least 200 kilos of polluting waste depending on the quality of the ore. Which must often be treated in basins which represent great risks of water pollution.
For its part, the Chinese battery giant, CATL, which bought 24% at US$240 million of the shares in the Manono Lithium project in the province of Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In its project in Yichun, declared to be in compliance with Chinese environmental laws and regulations.
The country of
Mao Zedong , would control most of the lithium produced from Argentina to Zimbabwe, via Bolivia and now seeks to get its hands on the largest deposits of hard rock lithium in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A high quality lithium, which does not require a lot of investment for its refining and has less impact on the environment.
China does not want to lose its leading position as a producer of batteries for electric vehicles, a particularly geopolitical war against its rival, the United States and Europe for control of the future energy of global mobility.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we are witnessing a merciless war where all shots are allowed, of the Chinese group ZIJIN against the Australians of AVZ Minerals for the management of lithium in Manono.
After having invested more than 100 million $US for the feasibility study which led to the discovery of the lithium deposit in Manono, notably owning in Dathcom (joint venture between the Congolese state company COMINIERE and AVZ) 60%, plus 15 % still in conflict bought in Dathomir from the Chinese
Simon Cong , the Australians of AVZ Minerals saw their exploitation license canceled by the Ministry of Mines of Congo, “following the conflicts” between partners in Dathcom.
The Chinese group ZIJIN, to be part of the Manono Lithium project had tried to buy 15% of the shares of COMINIERE, something which was deemed illegal by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF body under the supervision of the presidency of the Congolese Republic ) at US$33 million than 150 million of its real value. Not giving up, ZIJIN would try political and communication tricks to achieve his ends at all costs, to have the monopoly of Congolese lithium.
We are witnessing in particular in the Democratic Republic of Congo visits from high Western authorities, the United States, France, Belgium... so as not to shift too much from the control of the strategic minerals that Lumumba 's country abounds in favor of the People's Republic of China , which already controls more than 70% of copper, 80% of cobalt and more or less the same on coltan, gold and other mining resources of the DR Congo.
Par Kiki Kienge Le lithium, la nouvelle guerre froide entre Occidentaux et Orientaux au détriment des populations Africaines qui plongent de plus en plus dans la misère malgré leurs richesses…
kongopress.com
…Sorry could be a bit harsh ,he might be taking the heat from security whilst that stranger sneaks in through the back 
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