Aug 30 (Reuters) - Lithium Americas ( LAC ) said on

Friday automaker General Motors ( GM ) has delayed the second

tranche of investment, worth $330 million, in the miner until

the end of the year.

GM had announced an investment of $650 million, in two

tranches, in Lithium Americas ( LAC ) last year to help it develop the

Thacker Pass lithium mining project in Nevada, which holds

enough of the battery metal to build 1 million electric vehicles

annually.

The lithium miner said it is exploring alternative

structures for the investment and extended the date for deal

closure to Dec. 20. In case, the deal is not closed on their end

by that date, Lithium Americas ( LAC ) will have to grant additional

rights to the automaker.

GM did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for

comment.

The investment conditions for the second tranche included

the successful execution of a $2.26 billion loan agreement with

the U.S. Energy Department, which the company is rushing to

finish by the end of the year amid uncertainties regarding the

results of the U.S. presidential election.

Given Donald Trump's pledge to "end the electric vehicle

mandate" and plans laid out by former Trump administration

officials in the Project 2025 document to shutter the Loans

Program Office, mining companies and others are rushing to close

loan agreements before Joe Biden leaves office in five months.