Indigenous community groups from Atacama desert in Chile have filed a court appeal to suspend a deal between Codelco and SQM for a lithium partnership, pending additional review.
Community members explained they will need more information and time to be able to provide informed consent on the plan, under which Chilean state copper miner Codelco will take a majority stake in SQM's lithium mining operations in the Atacama salt flat.
Indigenous groups have also accused the Chilean economic development agency Corfo of not properly carrying out a consultation process to seek their input on the partnership, Reuters reported.
The Antofagasta court accepted the appeal, ordered Corfo to respond to the allegations within 15 days, and asked Codelco and SQM to provide comments. The Indigenous consultation, which was led by Corfo and included a few dozen community groups located around the Atacama salt flat, was due to conclude around late July.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
