AVZ Discussion 2022

[Sangster]

Interesting take from the lobby group and adds even more complexity.

I've lost almost all respect for Von Batten. If they were intelligent they'd know it takes time to build case and if they'd been paying attention they'd have seen France and Belgium working with various Congolese social justice groups for the past few years to do just that.

They're either ignorant fools or just a bunch of muppets working for the Trump administration. Perhaps both.

 

[Sangster]

In what order would you think it should be done?

First one, then the other. Then repeat for about two and a half minutes.

 

[Xerof]

I rarely ever look at X, but this morning this post caught my attention. For those that are familiar with AugustV, does this statement sound plausible?

View attachment 93230

If you want my opinion……big assumption……but anyway, you’re getting it

IMO, the sequence is broadly correct except for one item, the formal of offer needs to land on AVZ's table and be acceptable, before any permit is issued.

Augie's earlier exclusivity statement is rubbish, see AVZ update on that issue

I’d be quite happy if they fuck the sequence up, as that would allow AVZ to take a much better counterparty/country to ISCID for breaching the current unfulfilled ISCID orders

I realise that Felix is ‘holding out’ for troop withdrawal, but the pressure is really mounting on him, from all directions, not least the growing corruption publicity, from Belgium

 

[Xerof]

I've lost almost all respect for Von Batten. If they were intelligent they'd know it takes time to build case and if they'd been paying attention they'd have seen France and Belgium working with various Congolese social justice groups for the past few years to do just that.

They're either ignorant fools or just a bunch of muppets working for the Trump administration. Perhaps both.

I thought Lord Von was a lobbyist for the DRC (which qualifies them as ignorant fools btw)

 

[Dave Evans]

I rarely ever look at X, but this morning this post caught my attention. For those that are familiar with AugustV, does this statement sound plausible?

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I suspect you are August Cohen and you posted that because of the backlash from these sus X posts

August V
@AugustCohen4

$AVZ: Hello @lotiongang1
Hope you've been well. At this time,
@KoBold_Metals has *not* made a formal offer to @AvzMinerals to drop it's claims over Roche Dure. That said, per Australian securities law, once Kobold does make an offer AVZ is legally obligated to both inform shareholders an offer has been made, accept or reject it, and inform shareholders of its decision. That means when an offer is made you and all of us will know and also know the offer price.

2:53 AM · Nov 22, 2025
1,088 Views

https://x.com/AugustCohen4/status/1991897716386103439

August V
@AugustCohen4

Given the (quite serious) @asicmedia
lawsuit and current DRC gov't policy that compels AVZ to make a deal with Kobold (and only Kobold), it is in everyone's interests this dispute is resolved within in the next few months that adequately compensates shareholders for AVZ's development, litigation, and opportunity costs.

asic.gov.au
25-271MR ASIC sues suspended WA mineral exploration company AVZ Minerals and directors for disclo...

4:41 AM · Nov 22, 2025
302 Views

https://x.com/AugustCohen4/status/1991924918301200754

August V
@AugustCohen4

My "tune" has not changed - I want an amicable resolution to the dispute that is fair to all parties. The only thing that seems to have changed is your extremism on this issue and unwillingness to accept reality. And here's the cold reality: the policy of the DRC government is for AVZ to resolve the dispute with KoBold, the Australian security regulator is suing AVZ for misleading the public, and AVZ is running low on funds. If in the next few months, Kobold offers AVZ between $500-$1.1B, AVZ is legally obligated to accept it in the best interest of shareholders and then proceed to drop all legal and contractual claims- or it will run afoul of exasperated US investors.

5:59 AM · Nov 22, 2025
212 Views

https://x.com/AugustCohen4/status/1991944519546437895

 

[Dave Evans]

Here’s some of your previous comments jongo

19/07/2025
#61,108

By asking Copilot a series of questions it has presented a detailed AVZ compensation mechanism and timeline. Whether Copilot is correct or not is another matter, but the essence of the 'compensation mechanism' is:

1. Independent Valuation.
2. Cash Componet.
3. Equity Component.
4. Escrow and Guarantees.
5. Milestone Bonuses.

I have not posted the detail regarding the AVZ compensation mechanism and timeline because I don't know how accurate it is. However, does anybody want to read the Copilot detail fwiw? Of course you could just interrogate Copliot, Grok, etc. and see what answers you get, but the answers depend on the questions that you present.


19/07/2025
#61,128

From Copilot ...

Key Timeline

Date	Milestone	Responsible Party
17 Jul 2025	Agreement in Principle signed	DRC / KoBold
31 Jul 2025	KoBold submits final permit applications Valuation panel appointed	KoBold / AVZ
15 Aug 2025	Valuation panel delivers fair-market report	Independent Panel
31 Aug 2025	Payment of first cash tranche (40 %)	KoBold (via escrow)
15 Sep 2025	Issuance of equity tranche (60 % in KoBold shares)	KoBold
?	Permit-Issuance Bonus paid (5 % of valuation)	Kobold
?	First-Discovery Bonus paid (10 % of valuation), Upon first resource announcement	Kobold

#61,129

And more ...

Compensation Mechanism

• Independent Valuation
  • Within two weeks of signing (by 31 July 2025), the parties appoint a three-member independent valuation panel (one each by AVZ, KoBold, and a mutually agreed–upon expert).
  • The panel issues a fair-market valuation report on AVZ’s existing exploration license and sunk costs.
• Payment Structure
  • Cash Component: 40 % of the final valuation payable in USD.
  • Equity Component: 60 % of the valuation paid in newly issued KoBold shares, subject to a lock-up period of 12 months.
  • Escrow & Guarantees: Cash portion held in escrow and released upon DRC permit issuance; share issuance contingent on DRC’s ministerial endorsement.
• Milestone Bonuses
  • Permit-Issuance Bonus: 5 % of valuation if KoBold secures the Manono exploration license by 31 July 2025.
  • First-Discovery Bonus: 10 % of valuation upon public announcement of a ≥1 Mt Li₂O equivalent resource.

Then you posted this

21/07/2025

#61,232​

I am expecting that the Kobold payments to AVZ will come in stages as described in my post from Saturday. However, after the AVZ fair value terms are finalised, perhaps AVZ will relist on the ASX before AVZ returns funds to shareholders. This approach will mean that market forces can put a value on AVZ based on the expected future cash flow from Kobold to AVZ. In the case where the AVZ payment includes an equity tranche in Kobold shares, and with the possibility that Kobold becomes publicly listed in the future, I imagine that future AVZ investors will place a high value on this because the future for Kobold is bright.

If AVZ does relist on the ASX, then existing shareholders can choose to sell via the ASX and hence, be eligible for the CGT discount where applicable. Another advantage of this approach is that if the Kobold payments are subject to escrow terms, the existing AVZ shareholders will be able to realise part or all of their profit much sooner and take that long overdue holiday.

Then there’s all your AI generated comments about independent valuations, valuation panels and payment structures.

I’ll leave you with this comment you made two weeks ago

Jongo​

Regular​

• Nov 8, 2025
• #62,839

Regarding this point that you made, copied below, that is exactly my thinking. Noting that AVZ needs to move quick and secure an irreversible deal, and get the funds pronto. This will not be the time for AVZ to stuff around trying to squeeze a few extra cents out of the buyer.

"Here's hoping the US pressure to sign these agreements pays off and we can sneak in and quickly agree a sale that highlights America's investment in DRC and portrays Trump as a peacemaker, before the DRC-Rwandan house of cards falls down again..."

 

[Sangster]

I thought Lord Von was a lobbyist for the DRC (which qualifies them as ignorant fools btw)

Interesting, I'd not thought of it from that perspective. I don't use Twitter (the name hasn't changed for me on account of all the twits) and judge them only by what people share here. From my rather ignorant point of view they seem to be trying to prevent interruption to Trump's Minerals for Security thing. But it also fits they could be apologists for Tshisekedi's crimes and the general culture of short sighted greed that permeates Congolese society. I trust your judgement on this as you're level headed and undoubtedly better researched than me.

Whatever the case I believe the best thing for the Congolese people is for them to take the heads of their corrupt leaders as the French did in the 18th century. But the proceedings in Belgium are a good start and so Von Batten's comments on the matter irritate me.

 

[Dave Evans]

Interesting, I'd not thought of it from that perspective. I don't use Twitter (the name hasn't changed for me on account of all the twits) and judge them only by what people share here. From my rather ignorant point of view they seem to be trying to prevent interruption to Trump's Minerals for Security thing. But it also fits they could be apologists for Tshisekedi's crimes and the general culture of short sighted greed that permeates Congolese society. I trust your judgement on this as you're level headed and undoubtedly better researched than me.

Whatever the case I believe the best thing for the Congolese people is for them to take the heads of their corrupt leaders as the French did in the 18th century. But the proceedings in Belgium are a good start and so Von Batten's comments on the matter irritate me.

Von Batten is also an elite and blocks X members from replying to his tweets with reports on the corruption

 

[Sangster]

I rarely ever look at X, but this morning this post caught my attention. For those that are familiar with AugustV, does this statement sound plausible?

View attachment 93230

It may well be that he's promised to deliver the mining permit after certain conditions are met but Felix can't be trusted. Today he wants America to deal with his problem in the East. If they succeed then tomorrow Felix will want something else, like help with his legal situation.

So to answer your question; I think it's plausible that Felix has said something in line with August's comment, and that August believes it to be true, and that August also believes KoBold are the only option for AVZ.

But I think it's not plausible that Felix will keep his word, or that AVZ only has one option. If another party is happy to buy our interests and continue the fight to hold these pricks accountable, or fund us to do this in exchange for some future benefit, then the Fat Bastard can't prevent this.

Should KoBold fail to respect our legal rights, they will run afoul of 21,000 exasperated Australian investors.

 

[yaseenmeoncebefore]

It may well be that he's promised to deliver the mining permit after certain conditions are met but Felix can't be trusted. Today he wants America to deal with his problem in the East. If they succeed then tomorrow Felix will want something else, like help with his legal situation.

So to answer your question; I think it's plausible that Felix has said something in line with August's comment, and that August believes it to be true, and that August also believes KoBold are the only option for AVZ.

But I think it's not plausible that Felix will keep his word, or that AVZ only has one option. If another party is happy to buy our interests and continue the fight to hold these pricks accountable, or fund us to do this in exchange for some future benefit, then the Fat Bastard can't prevent this.

Should KoBold fail to respect our legal rights, they will run afoul of 21,000 exasperated Australian investors.

I am not trying to be argumentative, but in practice he absolutely can prevent another party from buying our interests. My understanding is that he ALREADY HAS blocked other interested parties. If he doesn't want someone to have Manono, he will simply block them the same way he is blocking AVZ. No one will spend billions to buy our interest in the project if they are told by the DRC Government that they will 100% never obtain a mining license. I get what you are saying, but a buyer would only pay a reasonable price to purchase the project to go mining. No one is looking to pay billions to then take up the fight for years with the DRC Gov.

Otherwise AVZ would just mine Manono ourselves. The whole reason for the sale is that Felix wants to benefit from the deal and will keep on blocking until he gets what he wants.

 

[Dazmac66]

I am not trying to be argumentative, but in practice he absolutely can prevent another party from buying our interests. My understanding is that he ALREADY HAS blocked other interested parties. If he doesn't want someone to have Manono, he will simply block them the same way he is blocking AVZ. No one will spend billions to buy our interest in the project if they are told by the DRC Government that they will 100% never obtain a mining license. I get what you are saying, but a buyer would only pay a reasonable price to purchase the project to go mining. No one is looking to pay billions to then take up the fight for years with the DRC Gov.

Otherwise AVZ would just mine Manono ourselves. The whole reason for the sale is that Felix wants to benefit from the deal and will keep on blocking until he gets what he wants.

Politicians come and go. Soon he will go!

 

[Carlos Danger]

I've lost almost all respect for Von Batten. If they were intelligent they'd know it takes time to build case and if they'd been paying attention they'd have seen France and Belgium working with various Congolese social justice groups for the past few years to do just that.

They're either ignorant fools or just a bunch of muppets working for the Trump administration. Perhaps both.

I thought Lord Von was a lobbyist for the DRC (which qualifies them as ignorant fools btw)

Von Batten is a right wing gringo advisory firm hired by the DRC to lobby the gringo king on its behalf

https://efile.fara.gov/docs/7130-Exhibit-AB-20250312-16.pdf

 

[Sangster]

... in practice he absolutely can prevent another party from buying our interests. My understanding is that he ALREADY HAS blocked other interested parties.

My understanding is that AVZ blocked Felix's attemp to sell Manono to KoBold for an amount not worth putting to we the shareholders for consideration.

Felix can discourage other parties but it's our choice to sell if we can find a buyer. International courts will rule in our favour so we can prevent Felix from dealing with any law abiding nation and we can sue Zijin for their actions too. We're really only limited by finance and shareholder resolve.

I for one am resolved to vote no on anything less than fair value for what was stolen from us, plus penalties for what we've been put through. But if the next few months result in an offer the board recommends we accept, I'll consider it regardless. They know more than I do about our options.

On the other hand if it's a shit offer and we can fund further legal action, I'm prepared for a long fight.

 

[yaseenmeoncebefore]

My understanding is that AVZ blocked Felix's attemp to sell Manono to KoBold for an amount not worth putting to we the shareholders for consideration.

Felix can discourage other parties but it's our choice to sell if we can find a buyer. International courts will rule in our favour so we can prevent Felix from dealing with any law abiding nation and we can sue Zijin for their actions too. We're really only limited by finance and shareholder resolve.

I for one am resolved to vote no on anything less than fair value for what was stolen from us, plus penalties for what we've been put through. But if the next few months result in an offer the board recommends we accept, I'll consider it regardless. They know more than I do about our options.

On the other hand if it's a shit offer and we can fund further legal action, I'm prepared for a long fight.

I broadly agree with you on this.

Kobold's offer/s are likely to be what the majority of retail investors consider to be absolute dog shit.

My understanding is that Kobold initially came in below the lower end of the range August is referring to here. Before people fly off the handle, this is not the amount or range which I think is fair, but it is where Kobold are at from what I know.

 

[Sangster]

Von Batten is a right wing gringo advisory firm hired by the DRC to lobby the gringo king on its behalf

https://efile.fara.gov/docs/7130-Exhibit-AB-20250312-16.pdf

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So Von Batten are quite literally registered foreign agents working for Fat Bastard himself. I wonder how much lobbying a $20,000,000 tranfer from Rawbank may cover?

The part that stands out to me is perception management:

Makes it very clear why they're framing Belgium and France in a negative light for their attempts to bring Fat Bastard's criminal family to justice.

(Edited to correct Fat Bastard's name. He's definitely not fast.)

 

[cruiser51]

Von Batten is a right wing gringo advisory firm hired by the DRC to lobby the gringo king on its behalf

https://efile.fara.gov/docs/7130-Exhibit-AB-20250312-16.pdf

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View attachment 93237
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I hope that lobbying costs are not seen as bribes/brown paper bags.

Such a fine line...

 

[Strongman]

I've lost almost all respect for Von Batten. If they were intelligent they'd know it takes time to build case and if they'd been paying attention they'd have seen France and Belgium working with various Congolese social justice groups for the past few years to do just that.

They're either ignorant fools or just a bunch of muppets working for the Trump administration. Perhaps both.

I think the post from @Carlos gives you your answer mate. Von Batten are simply a paid lobbyist for DRC Govt aka Fat Boy. As far as August goes i think he is just a know it all who is full of shit. Claiming among other things that Kobold had exclusive rights re the framework agreement. This from the recent "official" announcement from AVZ

The Company is currently in discussions with several parties with respect to funding, who also share the Company’s optimism with respect to the Manono Project and the important role the DRC has to play in balancing global critical mineral supply chains. Whilst AVZ is not bound by any exclusivity obligations with Kobold or any other party, it will continue to pursue a competitive process to select a preferred counterparty in respect of a sale of AVZ's interest in the Manono Project, in co-operation with its obligations to its cornerstone investor.

 

[Xerof]

@Jongo

Mate, I can see from the crapper you have been around AVZ and various other topics for years, contributing in a genuine way.

IMO, I think dave’s off-piste with his accusation of you being AugustV

I can’t see August asking a spammer to show her tits etc etc either, so lets all keep calm and carry on

 

[Dave Evans]

@Xerof Augie’s been around for years to but if I’m wrong and Jongo isn’t Augie, I apologise and I’ll move on

I’ll just get back to Augie Cohen trying to pressure AVZ shareholders and trying to influence us to support KoBold’s low-ball bid.

My view remains that it’s KoBold who is under pressure and here’s why….

KoBold came on the scene in early 2025 making all kinds of claims, promises and assumptions about buying AVZ Minerals share in Dathcom’s lithium project at Manono.

08/05/2025

Yahoo Finance​

Bezos-Backed Firm Signs Deal to Advance Congo Lithium Mine

Michael J. Kavanagh, James Attwood and William Clowes May 8, 2025

In This Article​

https://trc.taboola.com/yahoo-finances/log/3/click?pi=/news/bezos-backed-firm-signs-deal-

(Bloomberg) -- KoBold Metals Co. has reached a preliminary agreement to move forward with the development of one of the world’s biggest hard rock lithium deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The firm, backed by billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, reached a framework agreement with Australia’s AVZ Minerals Ltd. to buy the latter’s stake in project on the Manono deposit, according to a letter signed by KoBold Chief Executive Officer Kurt House and his AVZ counterpart Nigel Ferguson.

…. Any final deal for the lithium around the southeastern town of Manono will require the resolution of multiple arbitration cases surrounding the deposits. AVZ was close to breaking ground on mine construction when Congo canceled its rights in 2023 and split the permit, handing part to China’s Zijin Mining Group Co.

AVZ is willing to suspend the arbitration proceedings to “facilitate discussions” between the parties, the two CEOs said in the letter.

Congo will need to return the license containing the southern section of the Manono project to KoBold for the development to proceed.

KoBold has proposed a plan that would see AVZ receive compensation, while Zijin continues developing a mine in the northern portion of the Manono deposit, according to another letter addressed to Tshisekedi’s office in January and seen by Bloomberg. Rio Tinto Group has also held talks with Congo and KoBold about investing in the project.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-07/bezos-backed-firm-signs-deal-to-advance-congo-lithium-mine?embedded-checkout=true

AVZ suspended legal proceedings against the DRC in good faith

Then on 18/07/2025 KoBold and the DRC had discussions and were signing deals without including AVZ in the discussions

The DRC President released this

https://x.com/Presidence_RDC/status/1945969033670504661

https://x.com/Presidence_RDC/status/1945969033670504661


Followed by KoBold releasing this


KoBold Metals
@KoBold_Metals

KoBold Metals and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a comprehensive agreement allowing the company to lead a wave of American investments in the country, as part of the investment and security agreement supported by @Presidence_RDC and @POTUS





Jul 19, 2025
39.5K Views

https://x.com/KoBold_Metals/status/1946208341484580896

Remember KoBold committed themselves to….

1) Spending US$1 billion

2) Exploration licenses covering more than 1,600 square km (618 square miles) before July 31

3) Initiating a large-scale mineral exploration program in the DRC using their technology to find deposits of critical minerals

4) Digitising national geological data, in partnership with the National Geological Service and the Mining Cadastre.

5) Digitising geological records at the Royal Museum of Central Africa and providing free public access to historic geoscientific data through Congo's National Geological Service

6) Resolving the AVZ dispute

I particularly like this bit from the article below….

“There were 1700 squares that were assigned to the Kobold company. For the digitization of data, we signed and now we are in the enforceable phase, "says Popol Mabolia.


11/08/2026

Actualité | Accord Minier RDC-USA : le CAMI annonce l’octroie de 1700 carrés miniers à la société américaine Kobold | mediacongo.net

www.mediacongo.net


And these bits from this article

The Australian company AVZ Minerals has indicated that it is ready to conclude an agreement with the American KoBold Metals, supported by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, for the development of Manono's vast lithium deposit, provided that it receives a "commercially acceptable" offer. Such an offer has not yet been presented to us, "said CEO Nigel Ferguson.

KoBold's conditions indicated to the Congolese authorities that legal disputes must be settled and that AVZ must receive "appropriate" compensation before any progress on the project.

12/08/2025

Lithium : AVZ Minerals ouvert à un « deal » avec KoBold Metals sur le gisement de Manono - Magazine d’actualité économique en Afrique | Mining and Business​

I also highlighted a couple of quotes from this Bloomberg article which I think investors will find interesting

• KoBold needs to resolve a dispute with AVZ Minerals Ltd. before advancing its plans for the Manono lithium site, which hosts one of the world's biggest hard-rock lithium deposits.

KoBold has informed Congo’s government that it would need to resolve a dispute with Australia’s AVZ Minerals Ltd. before the US firm could advance its plans for Manono

Read more: AVZ Wants Acceptable Offer From KoBold for Congo Lithium Project

The push by KoBold — whose shareholders also include BHP Group, Andreesen Horowitz and Equinor ASA — comes as the US and Congolese governments work toward a strategic partnership to spur more mining investment by American companies.

27/08/2025

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...hare&utm_campaign=copy&embedded-checkout=true


Conclusion
KoBold committed to…. spending US$1 billion in the DRC; using their technology to find deposits of critical minerals in the DRC; digitising the DRC’s national geological records at the Royal Museum of Central Africa; providing free public access to historic geoscientific data; and a large-scale mineral exploration program covering more than 1,600 square km (618 square miles)…. and after all that they didn’t even get Roche Dure,

KoBold arr so desperate that they even hosted Cominiere in California in October and good old Kurt House (KoBold CEO). had his photo right up there next to Celestin Kibeya

La RDC à la conquête de la Silicon Valley : M. Célestin Kibeya en mission pour une transition énergétique durab - COMINIERE SA

À l’occasion du Forum DRC Californie 2025, placé sous le thème « La RDC rencontre la Silicon Valley : énergie verte, climat et minerais stratégiques », le Directeur général M. Célestin Kibeya a pris part à plusieurs activités majeures dédiées à la transition énergétique. Accompagné de...

cominiere.com

 

[Jongo]

@Jongo

Mate, I can see from the crapper you have been around AVZ and various other topics for years, contributing in a genuine way.

IMO, I think dave’s off-piste with his accusation of you being AugustV

I can’t see August asking a spammer to show her tits etc etc either, so lets all keep calm and carry on

Thanks for your review of my history, and you are correct. I bought my first AVZ shares on 23-May-2017 and I have averaged up several times. Plus I have been posting on HC since early 2006, and while I am a relative newbie to TSE, I find the content here mostly very well researched and better than presented on HC.

Also fwiw, earlier this year I started experimenting with Copilot and due to my inexperience with AI tools, some of my posts based on Copilot were very inaccurate, but I have learnt my lesson wrt Copilot.