Argentina and Chile will seek cooperation formulas to exploit lithium, in an attempt to sustainably expand this key business to produce batteries in the face of growing global demand for the mineral, said the Chilean Minister of Mining on Friday (17.8.2018).
Neighboring countries will work on how to produce this mineral, without causing environmental damage, especially in the fragile salt flats from which it is extracted.
Following a meeting with his Argentine counterpart, Carolina Sánchez, Minister Baldo Prokurica expressed interest in learning about “the new formulas they have (in Argentina) for the exploitation of lithium.”
"We believe that they are interesting to know, because many of them constitute a basic element of exploiting lithium while producing the least possible effect on the salt flats," he added.
Lithium triangle
Argentina and Chile They are part of the so-called "lithium triangle", an area they share with Bolivia, which concentrates a large part of the global reserves of the mineral.
Companies in the sector are seeking to secure supplies in the face of rising mineral prices and a booming electric car industry, which has pushed for increased investment and production in the sector.
In June, Chile announced the creation of a special committee to oversee contracts that the state has with SQM and Albemarle, which will be key to consolidating the country as one of the world's largest producers of the mineral.
The agency will oversee compliance with the operating agreements that the state agency Corfo, which manages lithium deposits, maintains with the companies.
Source: Reuters
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