Wealth Minerals said it has agreed to begin a collaboration with chemical giant BASF to begin a collaboration for the development of extraction, processing and refining operations for lithium and other substances in the Atacama and Ollagüe Salt Flats in northern Chile.
“We are very pleased to partner with BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, in order to develop an economically viable and attractive lithium business for all stakeholders, including indigenous communities and the state of Chile, from the important mining resources owned by Wealth Minerals,” said CEO Henk van Alphen.
The partnership aims to promote and enable the implementation of best-in-class social and environmental standards in the upstream part of the battery value chain, aligning with Chile’s National Lithium Strategy and global objectives of sustainable mineral supply into the battery materials supply chain and end-customers’ expectations in this field.
Wealth Minerals holds mining property for over 60,000 hectares in an area with one of the highest potentials in the world for lithium production. Wealth Minerals’ preliminary estimates suggest that combining the projects at the Atacama and Ollagüe Salt Flats could produce more than 200,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent per year.
Source: Wealth Minerals