(Boursier.com) — Eramet betting on lithium in South America. The mining group plans to start its first lithium production in early 2024 from a plant it is currently building in Argentina with the Chinese steel group Tsingshan. Beyond the potential of the Argentinian site of Centenario-Ratones, Eramet considers its technology of direct extraction from brines as a sustainable mode of exploitation for Chile and Bolivia. “We are keen to work with the Chilean and Bolivian governments to identify opportunities to deploy our technology there,” the mining group’s new chief strategy officer, Geoff Streeton, told Reuters.
New President Gabriel Boric’s Chile is currently reviewing its regulatory framework and the emergence of any project could be delayed, but Eramet will continue to look at new mining opportunities in view of the long-term potential that the rise of electric vehicles will represent for lithium and nickel, he told the agency.
Parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile form what is known as the “lithium triangle”. A year of rising metal prices and the need to secure components in a more uncertain international context have led car manufacturers to take an increasing interest in the upstream part of the supply chain, sometimes going as far as the mine itself. “The best way to respond to the concerns of the automotive industry, or any other industry, is to focus on developing projects that can ensure that our supply increases as much as demand,” said the leader.
Committed to a refocusing strategy in order to become a “pure player” in metals and mining, Eramet expects to conclude the first sales of its Argentinian lithium at the end of 2023, still in the form of short-term contracts.
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