(Reuters) – China’s Zijin Mining said on Friday it was in talks with Zangge Mining’s two main shareholders to buy a possible controlling stake in the company.

Zijin is in talks with Tibet Zangge Venture Capital and Ningbo Meishan Bonded Port Area Xinsha Hongyun Investment Management, which collectively own about a 40 percent stake in the 46.63 billion yuan ($6.36 billion) miner, according to data from LSEG.

The potential deal would allow Zijin to consolidate its ownership of the Julong copper project in Tibet, its joint venture with Zangge.

Last year, Zijin had won government approval to expand production at the Julong mine to about 350,000 metric tons per day, making it China’s largest copper mine.

The talks further underscore Zijin’s attempts to tap into growing demand for battery metals as it prepares to start production at its first lithium exploration project in the Democratic Republic of Congo next year.

($1 = 7.3319 Chinese Yuan)

(Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao in Bangalore; Editing by Savio D’Souza and Subhranshu Sahu)