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Argentina expects lithium exports to reach $5.6 mArgentina expects lithium exports to reach $5.6 m by 2025. The figure is based on the production of 200,000 tonnes per year of the battery metal through the development of six new projects in addition to production from two existing lithium mines.

The projections are based on the increase in sales recorded by the two active projects, one located in the Olaroz salt flat in the north-western province of Jujuy and operated by Sales de Jujuy, a subsidiary of Australia’s Allkem, and the other located in the Hombre Muerto salt flat in the north-western province of Catamarca and operated by US-based Livent.

Data from the Secretariat show that inter-annual lithium exports grew by 235% in 2022, or almost USD 700 million. Argentina currently has an installed production capacity of 37,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate and actually produces 33,000 tonnes.

Sales de Jujuy plans to add 25,000 tonnes to its production over the next two years, while Livent plans to add 20,000 tonnes.

To these quantities will be added, by the middle of the decade, the production of the Cauchari Olaroz and Mariana projects, operated by China’s Ganfeng Lithium; Centenario-Ratones, being advanced by France’s Eramet; the Sal de Oro project, owned by South Korea’s Posco; the Sal de Vida project of Australia’s Allkem Lda; and the Tres Quebradas project of China’s Zijin Mining.

By 2030, official projections expect annual exports to reach USD 8.7 billion, thanks to the operation of a total of 11 lithium mines.

The South American country is the world’s fourth largest supplier of lithium after Australia, Chile and China and is part of the so-called Lithium Triangle, where more than half of the world’s identified resources of this mineral are located. The Triangle is a unique strip of high-altitude land covered with lakes and white salt flats that straddles Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.

Argentina expects lithium exports to reach $5.6m

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