Investing.com -- Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO ) Group, the multinational mining corporation, has recently held discussions with the Democratic Republic of Congo about the possibility of developing one of the world’s largest hard rock lithium deposits, according to a Bloomberg report on Friday. This is the latest indication of the mining giant’s interest in the battery metal.
The talks with Congolese authorities in recent weeks have centered around Rio Tinto’s potential involvement in converting the Roche Dure resource into a lithium mine.
However, these discussions are still in the early stages and may not necessarily lead to a formal agreement, the report said. The development of the Roche Dure resource could significantly increase the global supply of lithium, a key component in electric vehicle batteries.
This move by Rio Tinto is indicative of the growing interest in lithium as the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise. The Roche Dure resource represents a significant opportunity for the mining company to expand its operations in the battery metal sector.
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