The U.S. government is reportedly seeking an equity stake of up to 10 per cent in the Vancouver-based company, which has a lithium mine in Nevada. (Reuters)

Talking point: A deal would be further evidence of the U.S. government’s willingness to intervene in critical mineral supply chains, after it announced a stake in MP Materials, another mining company, in July. It’s a strategy that more countries are considering after a discussion at the G7 meeting in Alberta this summer about counteracting China’s near-monopoly on some critical minerals. The company did not disclose the value or terms of the potential deal but did confirm it is in talks with the U.S. Department of Energy about placing conditions on its US$2.26 billion loan. General Motors currently has rights to use up to 100 per cent of the lithium produced in the first stage of Lithium Americas’ project for electric-vehicle batteries.