Bolivian politics could stymie future of global lithium supply
Bolivia's government may be the key to the future of global lithium supply, particularly since politics plays a major role.
Author: Michael Taylor
Posted: Wednesday , 15 Apr 2009
LONDON (Reuters) -
Minor metal lithium is set to charge ahead to become the top material for batteries and vital for electric transport, but supplying any spike in demand could be fraught with difficulties.
Bolivia, a poor but resource-rich country governed for the past three years by leftist Evo Morales, has about 50 percent of the world's lithium deposits at about 5.4 million tonnes.
mineweb.co.za
CRITICAL TO ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES
Morales government invests $5.7m in Bolivian lithium pilot plant
The future of the electric car could depend on the lithium production generated from what is said to be the world’s largest lithium reserve in Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni. The government is to fund a state-owned pilot project.
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Wednesday , 19 Nov 2008
RENO, NV -
Bolivian President Evo Morales is backing the construction of a state-owned pilot plant in the world's largest lithium reserve in the world's largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in the southern Andes.
Official Bolivian state news agency ABI said both Mitsubishi and French battery manufacturer Bolloré have shown an interest in the lithium, and have proposed to Morales an industrial and technical collaboration.
Mitsubishi, which plans to manufacture its own electric car model, estimates that the demand for lithium will surpass supply in less than 10 years unless new supplies are found. In a recent interview with the BBC, Mitsubishi's General Manager for La Paz, Eichi Maeyama said 50% of the world's lithium reserves exist in Bolivia.
However, the BBC reports that small, independent miners and local activists are encouraging Morales to keep foreign companies away from the lithium reserve. On November 9, Morales proposed a state-owned pilot plant in which his government has invested US$5.7 million.
mineweb.co.za
RACE TO TAP LITHIUM RICHES
Bolivian lithium mining project contract talks opened
France's Bollore Group has commenced negotiations with the Bolivian Government for possible development of one of the world's largest and richest lithium reserves.
Posted: Wednesday , 22 Apr 2009
LA PAZ (Reuters) -
Bolivian mining officials have opened talks with French conglomerate the Bollore Group, which is vying for a contract to mine lithium at the Uyuni salt flat, President Evo Morales said on Tuesday.
Half of the world's lithium reserves lie in the Andean country and the largest deposit in the Andean country is in Uyuni, the biggest salt lake on earth and a major tourist attraction.
"We met with representatives of Bollore. The company and the mining minister are going to start negotiating, but we don't have an agreement yet," Morales told reporters.
South Korea's LG Group (066570.KS: Quote) and Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T: Quote) are also in a race to tap Uyuni's riches.
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