A Lithium Americas worker processes lithium at the company’s Reno, Nevada R&D lab.
Lithium Americas stock soared Wednesday as the Trump administration is seeking an equity stake in the mining company, which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The White House is seeking an equity stake as Lithium Americas renegotiates the terms of a $2.2 billion loan from the Department of Energy for its Thacker Pass mine, a Trump administration official told CNBC. Reuters first reported the equity stake proposal.
Lithium Americas’ shares surged nearly 80% in morning trading.
It is the latest move by the White House to take direct ownership in the mineral supply chain critical to U.S. interests, however the first such stake proposed for a Canadian company. Lithium Americas trades on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE but is incorporated and domiciled in Canada.
The Department of Defense took a 15% equity stake in rare earth miner MP Materials in July. Shares of Las Vegas-based MP Materials have more than doubled since the deal.
Thacker Pass in northern Nevada is expected to become one of the largest sources of lithium in North America when it is operational. The project is a joint venture between Lithium Americas and General Motors.
Lithium Americas has a 62% stake and operates the mine. GM has 38% stake and has agreed to buy offtake from the mine when it is operational. Lithium is a critical material for electric vehicle batteries.
Lithium Americas had to renegotiate the terms of the loan for Thacker Pass because it did not meet the conditions for the first disbursement, the Trump administration official said. During negotiations with the Department of Energy, the miner requested to push out part of the loan repayment into later years, the official said.
“If we’re going to push out part of the repayment into later years, then the administration would like a very small stake of equity to create essentially a cash buffer and eliminate some risk on behalf of taxpayers,” the official said.
A deal has not been finalized but the Trump administration supports the project and the discussions are positive, the official said. The investment could need Canadian approval as well given the company’s jurisdiction.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed in April that the Trump administration was considering taking equity stakes in miners to back them against state-sponsored competition in China.
