The Challenge to Develop the Lithium Industry in the World's Biggest Lithium Deposit - A Roadmap for the Triangle Countries
Embargo until
Date
2020-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This paper addresses the challenge that the lithium triangle countries have to add value to the lithium chain. Despite having the largest global lithium reserves and medium levels of development, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia are only exporters of raw materials. The work focused on two approaches: to consolidate the triangle countries as lead producers of raw material, and to develop strategies to add value to lithium production. For this, a vast array of material from different sources was collated and analyzed approaching different angles of the lithium industry and its Global Value Chain. With regards to the challenge to consolidate the triangle countries as leading raw material producers, these countries must improve water use in the brines' fragile ecosystems and include the affected populations in the generation of wealth from lithium mining. The challenge to add value to the lithium chain is more complex. In this context, the triangle countries should create synergies to define policies and strategies and pursue partnerships with other countries in the region to advance lithium's industrialization to produce LIB and even EVs in South America.
Description
Keywords
lithium, energy, battery, triangle countries