Australian Firms Exit Ghana's Ewoyaa Lithium Mine, Chinese Huayou Cobalt Seizes Opportunity

Australian lithium producers Atlantic Lithium and Elevra Lithium announced the sale of their stakes in Ghana's Ewoyaa lithium mine to China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt. This move is analyzed as part of Chinese companies' strategy to secure control over critical mineral supply chains.
提携NQ 0/100出典:PR Times

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  • 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 18:37
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Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Chiu Te-chen, Sydney, 11th) Atlantic Lithium Limited, a lithium producer headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, and Elevra Lithium Limited announced that they will sell their stakes in the Ewoyaa lithium mine business in Ghana, Africa, to China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt. Analysts point out that this reflects the pattern of Chinese enterprises seizing control of critical mineral supply chains.

According to GlobeNewswire, Elevra Lithium Limited (ASX: ELV; NASDAQ: ELVR) announced today that Elevra has agreed to sell all its interests in the Ewoyaa lithium mine business, including Elevra's long-term offtake rights for the Ewoyaa lithium mine, to Huayou Cobalt.

The transaction between Elevra and Huayou Cobalt is expected to be completed in the first quarter of the 2027 fiscal year. Huayou Cobalt will pay Elevra approximately US$71 million in cash (approximately NT$2.2303 billion, excluding transaction fees and taxes).

The report also mentioned that Elevra currently holds shares in Atlantic Lithium Limited (ASX: A11). Atlantic had earlier signed a "Scheme Implementation Deed" with Huayou Cobalt, where Huayou Cobalt will acquire 100% of Atlantic's interest in the Ewoyaa lithium mine business for US$210 million in cash (approximately NT$6.6 billion).

The report pointed out that the agreements between Huayou Cobalt and Atlantic and Elevra are two independent events; in other words, regardless of the final outcome of the transaction between Huayou and Atlantic, the transaction between Huayou and Elevra will proceed as agreed.

The report quoted Lucas Dow, CEO and Managing Director of Elevra, as saying: "The sale of our interest in the Ewoyaa business enhances our financial flexibility, allowing us to focus more on the strategic development of our North American assets." Dow mentioned that the sale of the Ewoyaa business will reduce Elevra's financial burden.

In addition, an analytical report published on May 7th by the Australian mining news website discoveryalert.com.au indicated that Huayou Cobalt's move is not a simple corporate transaction, but reflects the pattern of Chinese enterprises seizing upstream control of critical mineral supply chains.

The analysis pointed out that Chinese enterprises are looking for mines still in the development stage around the world. Even if they cannot profit in the short-term commodity market, for long-term economic and geopolitical strategic considerations, such as the long-term demand for lithium batteries in the future, Chinese capital often steps in to acquire when Western capital is still hesitant to continue investing. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150511

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