Albemarle has pointed the finger at Gina Rinehart after walking away from its $6.6 billion takeover bid of West Australian lithium hopeful Liontown Resources, which is in a trading halt as it tries to lock in at least $450 million in funding needed to complete its flagship Kathleen Valley project.

New York-listed Albemarle did not mention Australia’s richest woman by name in citing the “growing complexities” which meant pushing ahead with a bid pitched at $3 a share in early September was “not in Albemarle’s best interests”.