JB.....I think you're absolutely correct... His story doesn't add up IMO... If the world has enough potash and doesn't need Allana then why take a position in it and do an offtake with a 80% take or pay. They could have just as easily supplied Africa from the dead sea.... Sure they got a good buy in price at a time when the market was depressed due to the cartel issues... But why bother... Unless they wanted to control an emerging competitor... Quite possible...

But as you mentioned they are having trouble at home and IMO Allana is a possible solution to produce a couple of million tons of MOP at a very good cost... No union issues... In a generally less regulated environment.... Combine this with a commitment from the Ethiopian govt to purchase 300-500k of potash from you... Kind of makes sense...

I have no doubt the cartel is looking to control the Danakil basin. The potash as we have seen based on the BFS is a very low cost potash basin. It represents real risk to the current cartel to let others control it.

IMO I firmly believe ICL will control the Allana deposit eventually buying them out at a mutually agreed price. It will be enough to satisfy the IFC and Liberty IMO

The question then remains who will control the SOP that Allana will develop, assuming the SOP PEA is acceptable ? I believe one of the current major SOP producers will want to partner with Allana... The potential of a significant cost advantage due to the ability to simply dissolve the potash and pump it into evaporation ponds is far more economical than the current process of reacting MOP with sulfuric acid...

Thus for the same reason ICL came in to take a stake in Allana, IMO a major SOP producer may very well do the same... The question is will ICL want to take it all??

Just some of my opinions here...

Have a great Saturday longs!