The Chilean government has selected six priority areas, Reuters reported, for new lithium extraction projects to be led by private companies.
The country’s mining minister said on 26 September that, this month, it will begin talks with Indigenous communities near those areas. Those forms’ proposals will be due 31 December, according to Mining Minister Aurora Williams.
The agency told the news service it has already received about 20 statements of interest for the six areas, which is made up of five salt flats and one lagoon. All have been identified for their high extraction potential. It also continues to boost production via state-run copper producer Codelco and encouraging private investments.
“We believe there will be effective competition, given that these are the areas of greatest interest,” Williams said at a recent press conference.
To win government approval for lithium extraction, private firms must have experience in the lithium value chain, adequate financial resources, and hold at least 80% of the mining concessions in the proposed project area.
Chile is the world’s second-biggest producer of lithium; only two companies in the Atacama salt flat currently have producing output.
Source: Reuters