The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that Zijin Gold International's planned $5.5-billion acquisition of Allied Gold is in jeopardy, with China dragging its feet on approving the transaction, Allied chief executive officer Peter Marrone said. The Globe's Niall Mcgee writes that in January, Zijin Gold offered $44 a share in cash for Toronto-based Allied, which at the time represented an all-time high for the stock. The deal promptly won approval from Canada and other international jurisdictions, but it has yet to get the nod from authorities in China. Other matters crucial for closing the deal, including security and streaming arrangements, capital investments and lending agreements, have also been tricky to nail down, Mr. Marrone told The Globe. "We need the concurrence of lenders, and in jurisdictions such as Canada, where you've got a very understandable process relating to registration of security, that's comparatively easy," he said. "But in some jurisdictions that don't have that experience, don't have those laws, it requires considerably more effort." The company had hoped to close the transaction by July 29, but it's now clear that timeline will not be met. Terminating the deal is a possibility.