The Chilean government currently has contracts for lithium extraction with SQM and Albemarle, which would benefit from the proposed law, but which would discourage new entrants, according to Fitch Ratings
Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia combined have 17 projects looking to attract capital as experts highlight the need to add value to the supply chain
The Australian mining company is building a plant to produce 3000 tons of lithium carbonate annually in the Argentine province of Salta, but is also reviewing the costs
The Canadian mining company is set to make its first shipment of the mineral crucial for electric car batteries, and aims to be among the top 5 global producers, its CEO Ana Cabral-Gardner tells Bloomberg Línea
Chile and Argentina are among the world’s four biggest producers of the mineral, which is key to electric-vehicle battery production, but production in other countries is also expected to increase
Pan American Energy’s other foray into lithium, on the Salinas Grandes salt lake straddling Salta and Jujuy, is struggling to progress because of a broader conflict in that region with local communities
Chile is looking for a bigger share of the mining windfall to fund schools and hospitals; in Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared lithium too strategic for private investors
Gold is the biggest generator of US dollars within the country’s mining industry, and while big investments have been made, the sector falls short of its potential due to the weak peso and the economic crisis
The country’s federal mining council has expressed its opposition to a plan announced by lawmakers of the ruling Frente de Todos coalition that would make Argentina’s lithium resources property of the state
The soon-to-be chief executive of what will become the world’s third-biggest lithium producer says the new company will focus on building a supply chain in the Americas, as US automakers look for non-Chinese sources of the battery metal
Allkem and Livent, which operate in Argentina’s Catamarca and Jujuy provinces, will merge to create the world’s third-largest producer, with a valuation of $10.6 billion
Brazil, Chile and Argentina were the most promising countries for both deals and exploration for lithium, copper and rare earths, Fortescue CEO Fiona Hick says
