Bolivia’s government could name more than one company to help its state-run company mine lithium after stalling on a decision to name a firm until December, according to news outlet Reuters.
The government had shortlisted six, unnamed companies— four from China, one from Russia and one from the US— to partner with state-owned Yacimientos de Litios Bolivianos (YLB) to mine its lithium riches.
The government narrowed down the shortlist from eight earlier this month, after disqualifying American startup EnergyX and Argentine energy firm Tecpetrol, according to Reuters.
Reuters named the remaining firms as: US start-up Lilac Solutions (which is backed by German carmaker BMW); Chines companies CATL, Fusion Enertech, TBEA and CITIC Guoan Group Co.; Argentina’s Tecpetrol; and Russia’s Uranium One.
Alvaro Arnez, vice minister of high energy technologies, is reported to have told the state broadcaster the government aims to have proposals ready for companies to consider by the end of October, with a final decision being made by the end of December.
Bolivia has an estimated 21 million tonnes out of the 89 million tonnes that make up the world’s known lithium resources, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with its largest salt flat resource being the Salar de Uyuni— but has so far failed to produce the battery material at a commercial scale.
Of the identified lithium reserves globally, the largest reserves are said to be in: Bolivia (25%), Chile (23%), Argentina (11%), the US (9%), Australia (7%) and China (6%).
Mexico’s lithium ambitions
In April, Mexican lawmakers approved plans to nationalise the country’s lithium industry in plans tabled by its president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The plans included an amendment to existing mining law that included:
- lithium exploration, exploitation and use will be reserved exclusively for the Mexican state
- all lithium exploration and development will be done by a decentralized state company to be established within 90 business days
- the Mexican Geological Service will be in charge of identifying potentially lithium-rich areas in Mexico
- all private lithium exploration and mining will be banned
