Bolivia's YLB and Chinese consortium sign lithium plant agreement

Bolivian state company YLB and Chinese consortium CBC, comprising CATL, BRUNP and CMOC, signed an agreement to develop a lithium carbonate pilot plant in the Uyuni salt flat, Potosí department.

The plant will have initial production capacity of 2,500t/y and use direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. Apart from DLE, the facility will also test brine treatment processes as part of plans to develop another industrial plant with 25,000t/y capacity and an investment of US$90mn in Colcha municipality, YLB president Karla Calderón told reporters.

Deputy minister of exploration and development of energy resources, Raúl Mayta, said construction of the pilot plant, for which investment was not revealed, will be subject to an exhaustive evaluation of test results and the geological and environmental studies of water reservoirs and brine, among other aspects.

During the signing ceremony with CBC, President Luis Arce said that he instructed the hydrocarbons ministry to launch an international tender this month to advance lithium production and industrialization.

“Bolivia will open the doors to all companies that meet the requirements, accept the conditions and the business model. We as a country want to participate in the entire production chain, not only in mining, we want to participate in the industrialization and in marketing itself,” said Arce.

YLB signed an agreement with CBC last year to build two direct lithium extraction plants in the Uyuni and Coipasa salt flats.

YLB also has an agreement with Russia’s Uranium One related to a plant in the Pastos Grandes salt flat, and another with China’s Citic Guoan for a plant in Uyuni.

Also last year, YLB and India’s Altmin signed an agreement to install an active material pilot plant in La Palca town, Potosí department, to manufacture lithium-ion batteries.

The government wants to turn Bolivia into a key supplier of lithium, which is needed for the global energy transition.