Chinese consortium advances two Bolivian lithium plants for US$1.4bn

Chinese consortium Catl Brunp & Cmoc (CBC) is in the final stage of engineering and design of two plants that will operate in the Bolivian salt flats of Coipasa and Uyuni, using direct lithium extraction technology.

Under an agreement with the Luis Arce administration signed in January, CBC promised to invest US$1.4bn in the plants.

Once the current phase is completed, the government will sign the contracts for construction and maintenance and for the commercialization of lithium from the salt flats and later for the production of cathodes and batteries, hydrocarbons and energies minister Franklin Molina told a webinar hosted by the ministry.

In June, state company YLB signed two agreements for developing industrial complexes to produce lithium carbonate in the Pastos Grandes and Uyuni salt flats.

The Pastos Grandes agreement was signed with Russia’s Uranium One Group and the Uyuni one with China’s Citic Guoan.

Molina highlighted that Coipasa, Uyuni and Pastos Grandes are expected to produce 100,000t/y of lithium carbonate, starting in 2025.

He also said YLB will start quantifying lithium resources in October. It is possible that the salt flats host much more than the 23Mt that have been mentioned, he said. The US Geological Survey estimates Bolivia hosts 21Mt, the largest in the world, but production is still low.

Bolivia is part of the lithium triangle, along with Chile and Argentina, and has attracted the interest of great powers.

Molina also said the government plans reforms to the hydrocarbons, electricity and lithium laws to get rid of obsolete regulations and improve energy efficiency.