Carlos Danger
Top 20
Von Batten is a right wing gringo advisory firm hired by the DRC to lobby the gringo king on its behalf
AVZ Discussion 2022
- Thread starter GazDix
- Start date
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
Emerged
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.
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.)
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cruiser51
Top 20
I hope that lobbying costs are not seen as bribes/brown paper bags.
Such a fine line...
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
Flushed the Toilet
@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
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
Regular
@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’m more interested in supporting AVZ than worrying about who’s who, so rather than worrying about Jongo’s posts pushing us to accept KoBold’s low-ball offer 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
Bezos-Backed Firm Signs Deal to Advance Congo Lithium Mine
Michael J. Kavanagh, James Attwood and William Clowes May 8, 2025
(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.
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
I also highlighted a couple of quotes from this Bloomberg article which I think investors will find interesting
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
I’m more interested in supporting AVZ than worrying about who’s who, so rather than worrying about Jongo’s posts pushing us to accept KoBold’s low-ball offer 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.
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.
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
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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.
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