Chile & Bolivia To Hold International Congress On Lithium

At the virtual forum "Lithium Perspectives from Latin America" held on April 13-14, Bolivia and Chile agreed to continue the dialogue on this mineral usage at an international congress this year.

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Sponsored by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the congress will convene world academic and professional referents to the topic and environmental organization leaders.

"Our countries are aware of the challenges posed by the energy transition towards renewable energies and electromobility," Bolivia's Hydrocarbons Minister Franklin Molina stated.

He argued that more sustainable extraction processes of lithium are necessary because the energy transition plans demand much more quantities of this metal.

“Regional exchanges and conferences will help design a sustainable extraction and production scheme that fulfills these goals,” the ECLAC Natural Resources Division Director Jeannette Sanchez pointed out.

Chile’s Mining Minister Marcela Hernando said that President Gabriel Boric intends to create a national lithium company that powers this industry with community participation and a research and development institute in lithium and salt flats.

"With these initiatives, respect for the oil reserves of our countries is strengthened, and new possibilities for the exchange of experiences and acquired knowledge are opened," Molina highlighted.