Does Bolivia have a lithium plant?

This follows a deal between Bolivia’s state-run lithium company, Yacimientos del Litio Bolivianos (YLB), and a Chinese consortium. CATL agreed to invest over $1 billion in the project’s first stage for rights to develop the two lithium plants. Despite being a global leader in electric vehicle batteries, CATL does not currently produce any lithium.

How much will Bolivia invest in lithium?

The total investment in the Bolivian lithium industry is expected to reach around $9.9 billion. This follows a deal between Bolivia’s state-run lithium company, Yacimientos del Litio Bolivianos (YLB), and a Chinese consortium. CATL agreed to invest over $1 billion in the project’s first stage for rights to develop the two lithium plants.

Will Bolivia build a lithium plant in the salt flats?

The agreement focuses on Bolivia’s salt flats, known for their vast lithium resources. Bolivian President Luis Arce confirmed the plan to build two lithium plants in the country’s Uyuni and Oruro salt flats after meeting with CATL executives. He announced a $1.4 billion investment and hinted at possible future investments up to 2028.

Does Bolivia have the world's largest lithium resources?

The government says Bolivia has the world's largest lithium resources but has never stated how much of it can actually be extracted. "If the government of Bolivia has succeeded in anything it was in propaganda. It has kept people's hopes up for more than 15 years," said Mondaca of the Bolivian research group.

Does Bolivia have a metal industry?

But Bolivia has undertaken only four pilot projects and is running just one plant to produce the metal -- and at 20 percent of its capacity. "The next step was going to be taking this up to an industrial level. And this has not been achieved so far," said Gonzalo Mondaca, a researcher at the Bolivian Center for Documentation and Information.