SQM eyes output boost despite environment fears
2020-08-18 11:33:50 [Print]
Chile's largest lithium producer SQM is looking to ramp up its output to meet demand for electric cars, despite growing concerns about the environmental impact on one of the world's driest deserts.
The company, which has faced opposition from indigenous communities over its water use, said Chile could more than triple its lithium production by boosting the efficiency of extraction beneath the vast salt flats of the Atacama Desert.
"No additional water or brine will be used for future expansions of lithium," said Alejandro Bucher, vice-president of environment, technology and community at SQM.
SQM produces lithium by pumping brine from beneath the Atacama and concentrating it through evaporation in pools under the desert sun.
In 2016 Chile's environmental regulator found that SQM had extracted more brine from the Atacama than was permitted. A $25m compliance plan presented by SQM was dismissed by the court in Antofagasta last December. The company said it is being re-evaluated by the regulator.
Mr Bucher said SQM would extract more lithium from the same amount of pumped brine by using brine earmarked to make potash fertilizer and using lower-grade wells. Chile can increase its total lithium production through such methods to 300,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent from its current capacity of just over 100,000 tonnes, he said.
The company, which has faced opposition from indigenous communities over its water use, said Chile could more than triple its lithium production by boosting the efficiency of extraction beneath the vast salt flats of the Atacama Desert.
"No additional water or brine will be used for future expansions of lithium," said Alejandro Bucher, vice-president of environment, technology and community at SQM.
SQM produces lithium by pumping brine from beneath the Atacama and concentrating it through evaporation in pools under the desert sun.
In 2016 Chile's environmental regulator found that SQM had extracted more brine from the Atacama than was permitted. A $25m compliance plan presented by SQM was dismissed by the court in Antofagasta last December. The company said it is being re-evaluated by the regulator.
Mr Bucher said SQM would extract more lithium from the same amount of pumped brine by using brine earmarked to make potash fertilizer and using lower-grade wells. Chile can increase its total lithium production through such methods to 300,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent from its current capacity of just over 100,000 tonnes, he said.
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