Argentina’s authorities have prepared a roadmap of lithium projects coming online in the coming months, which would see the production of the battery metal increase substantially and add more lithium to the global supply glut.
According to the timeline document seen by Bloomberg, four new lithium projects will be commissioned in the country in the weeks and months ahead. Thanks to that, the annual capacity of lithium production in Argentina will jump by 79% to the equivalent of 202 000 metric tons.
The four projects listed in the government’s document are Eramet and Tsingshan Holding Group ’s Centenario Ratones; Posco Holdings' Sal de Oro; Zijin Mining Group’s Tres Quebradas; and Ganfeng’s Mariana.
Despite a flurry of prospecting and development, only three operations in Argentina currently export lithium. So far in Argentina, the lithium industry has centered on the provinces of Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca.
Nevertheless, the country is already a major lithium producer behind Australia, Chile and China. Argentina has more than 20% of the world’s reserves of the metal.
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief, Rough&Polished
