“The eyes of foreign powers have already turned back to them (strategic resources). The armed forces have a duty and must watch over our natural resources so that the dream of the sovereign industrialization of lithium can become a reality,” assured Arce when he took office in the new military high command.
The dignitary stressed that the highland country is approaching a period in its history in which lithium will play a similarly important role as hydrocarbons do today.
He meant that with the industrialization of this mineral, Bolivia “will be introduced to the world market under new conditions for the benefit of our people”.
In 2008, the Plurinational State started the research and development of the salt flats and moved to the production of high value-added compounds.
According to the authorities, the current goal is to achieve value-added industrialization and produce lithium batteries, for which there is widespread and growing demand worldwide.
Bolivian Lithium Deposits (YLB) is currently negotiating with six international companies to scale up the industrial process and achieve Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE).
The leaders of this sector point out that the best option for Bolivia is the EDL because it “allows to optimize and improve production in various aspects, whether environmental or exploitation levels”.
They add that with this technology and the new industrial plant, the country will boost the production of lithium carbonate and will receive 40,000 tons of this product in 2025.
Department of Hydrocarbons and Energy sources said the government plans to build two EDLs, each with a capacity of 25,000 tons, in addition to the lithium carbonate industrial plant.
In a recent speech at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Arce drew attention to what “the head of the United States Southern Command said a few months ago” on the subject.
On that occasion, General Laura Richardson stated that “the so-called Lithium Triangle in South America, consisting of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, is in the United States’ sights”.
Jorge Richter, a spokesman for the president, said the military chief had “expressed concern about what China is doing on the continent,” evidence of a geopolitical and geoeconomic strife.
In this regard, he noted that a right-wing government in Bolivia will facilitate the privatization logic and steer lithium toward the North American economy.
rgh/jpm