07:14 AM EDT, 09/24/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Lithium Americas Corp. ( LAC ) was up 70% and at fresh 52 week highs in US premarket trade Wednesday as it responded to media reports related to the status of its previously announced US$2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.

This comes amid reports said the Trump administration is seeking an equity stake of up to 10% in the miner, a move the U.S. government sees as critical to national security.

LAC in a statement said: "The company is in discussions with the DOE and General Motors Holdings LLC, its joint venture partner in the Thacker Pass lithium project, regarding first draw on the DOE Loan. The topics of these discussions include certain conditions precedent to draw on the DOE Loan and associated loan specifics, as well as incremental requests from the DOE for potential further conditions to first draw and/or potential amendments to the DOE Loan and associated transaction documents, including corresponding consideration. The company continues to work with the DOE and GM regarding proposals for a mutually agreeable resolution.

Shares in LAC fell 7.5% in Canada and 7% in the U.S. yesterday.