Bolivia mining watch: lithium carbonate production, gold miner mobilizations

Bolivian state company YLB signed an agreement Chinese consortium CBC, selected via a tender last year, to help develop direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to increase lithium carbonate production, given growing global battery demand.

With the agreement, Bolivia wants to increase the production of battery grade lithium carbonate to at least 50,000t/y, installing two industrial complexes with DLE technology adapted to the characteristics of the Potosí and Oruro salt flats.

Pilots will be carried out with brines from the Uyuni and Pastos Grandes (Potosí) and Coipasa (Oruro) salt flats.

The country wants to produce battery grade lithium with a purity of 99.5%, President Luis Arce said in a recent statement.

DLE involves lithium extraction from brine, without the need for evaporation ponds.

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La Paz's gold mining cooperative Fecoman threatens to mobilize if the government does not invite its members to shape a gold production bill.

Fecoman and regional gold mining federation Ferreco represent 90% of gold miners, Fecoman president Ramiro Balmaceda said in a video on social media.

The bill passed the lower house’s planning, economic policy and finance committee last week, but several actors, including politicians and gold miners, want a bigger say in its content.