So the question is what is "appropriate compensation" to AVZ, if there is someone with enough clout, to get all parties to align, with the right guarantees and AVZ waive all rights, disputes and transfer all ownership claims?
Last I heard, the size of the resource was 842Mt (with a lot of room for expansion), with a current price of around $900/t and a historical high of ~$5000/t (we are at the bottom of the lithium cycle but it wont stay there long, especially when self driving cars take off. For me, thats the real demand tipping point for petrol to electric shift, with ESS backup for unreliable power generation from renewables for countries like Aus - where somehow paying more for power locally but sending coal overseas for cheap power for them makes sense).
The infrastructure and security of the asset is also not in place, nor is the funding (given it relies on the ML for investment but we are/were literally past all hurdles to obtaining one). So potential buyers willing to take on that risk are limited (or can muscle in, in other ways like Zijin have - their time will come in court).
So factoring all that in, depending on how a deal can be structured, is it royalties and free carry 1-5%, could it be a $ sale price proportional to size of the asset and expected profits or a proportional value conversion of stock into the new owner for shareholders?
They have already mentioned Zinjin would get the north, kobold the south and AVZ would have to relinquish legal disputes, i.e AVZ would need to be adequately compensated for both north and south as part of resolution.
I am intrigued by the possibilities but not getting my hopes up on a "mega payday", but maybe I might be something back other than invested capital and a lesson (which was my previous target in all this mess).