The US government is reportedly considering as much as 10% of the Canadian company.
Released on September 24, 2025
President of the United States President Donald Trump is considering a 10% stake in Lithium America, a Canada-based lithium mining company.
Reuters reported Tuesday that the White House is considering placing a bet on the company, citing two people familiar with the issue.
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Possible investments come as part of a $2.2 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy for the largest planned project in the Western Hemisphere, the US Department of Energy’s soccer pass mining project in northern Nevada.
The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company confirmed Wednesday that it was having discussions with the Department of Energy and General Motors over football pass loans.
Government interests
The move highlights an increase in the use of direct government ownership to curb the dependence on the strategic sector and China, which governs the improvements of many important minerals.
China produces over 40,000 tonnes of lithium each year, ranking third after Australia and Chile, but it controls purification and processes more than 75% of the world’s lithium into battery-grade materials.
The project is seen as a lynchpin in building a domestic supply chain that is part of Washington’s long-standing drive that will boost US production of lithium, the metal used to make batteries for electric vehicles and other electronic devices.
The Trump administration recently moved to take stock in chipmaker Intel. It came shortly after a deal that made the Department of Defense into MP Material, the largest shareholder of Rarearths Firm.
Jeffries said the administration’s preference for equity interests, which are considered to be lower political costs than tax increases, can support favorable returns on funding, corporate profits and investment capital.
Lithium Americas’ listed stocks in Canada and the US increased by around 90% at Canadian dollars ($5.78) in Canada and $5.80 in the US. The company had a market value of $744.5 million at the time of the New York Stock Exchange’s final closing.
GM, which invested $625 million in the mine for a 38% stake last year, is entitled to purchase all lithium in the project from phase 2 for 20 years, but Trump officials are now seeking guarantees that GM will buy the metal.
Mohamed Sidibe, research analyst at NBCFM, said the MP Material Dibensing division model shows how government equities, long-term off-takes and price support can exploit risks for strategic projects.
A similar approach from Lithium America could dilute existing shareholders, but could enhance funding and project durability, he added.
The Thacker Pass project is scheduled to begin production in 2028.
Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein said the stock could include off-take price guarantees, which could make TuckerPas profitable even if lithium prices drop for a long time.