Latin America’s Lithium Sands Are Shifting

As the world’s second-largest producer of battery-grade lithium carbonate (LCE), a crucial part of electric car batteries, Chile has long outpaced Argentina and Bolivia in attracting investment to mine it. But a series of events is changing Latin America’s so-called “lithium triangle.” With the world’s largest deposits, Bolivia has secured new multimillion-dollar investments, and Argentina’s lightly regulated lithium sector is roaring full speed ahead. In contrast, Chile has no new projects underway, and a planned overhaul of the industry under President Gabriel Boric, intended to expand state involvement, has yet to be finalized. And a rapid-moving global competition is hanging over these three players. Production increases in Australia and Brazil, as well as discoveries in the U.S., have heightened pressure to secure new investments in a fast-expanding market. With alternative battery technologies already being developed, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile have a limited window of opportun

Reading Time: 4 minutes As the world’s second-largest producer of battery-grade lithium carbonate (LCE), a crucial part of electric car batteries, Chile has long outpaced Argentina and Bolivia in attracting investment to mine it. But a series of events is changing Latin America’s so-called “lithium triangle.” With the world’s largest deposits, Bolivia has secured new multimillion-dollar investments, and Argentina’s lightly regulated lithium sector is roaring full speed ahead. In contrast, Chile has no new projects underway, and a planned overhaul of the industry under President Gabriel Boric,

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