Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador ordered energy ministry to step up nationalisation of lithium mining, according to reports.
Reuters reported that during an event in the state of Sonora, López Obrador signed the decree that orders the energy ministry “to take the actions necessary to carry out” the nationalisation process.
It also declares 234,855 hectares (907 square miles) in Sonora as a mining zone known as Li-MX 1.
Last year, the Mexican government formed Litio para México, a state-owned company for the extraction and marketing of the metal. Litio para México is to operate independently of the energy ministry.
“What we are doing now … is to nationalise lithium so that it cannot be exploited by foreigners from Russia, China or the United States,” said President Obrador at the event where he signed the decree that orders the energy ministry to begin the nationalisation process.
The Mexican government’s approach is to ensure that it has a majority stake in any future joint venture. Pablio Taddei, the chief executive of the state-run company for lithium production told Reuters that while Mexico was amenable to partnerships, the government would ensure it retained a majority stake in any future joint venture.
The president’s statement is here (in Spanish).
