Minister Jobet and controversy with Jackson over lithium tender: “Every time we talk about the issue, it becomes a controversy and we do not move forward”

During this day, the Minister of Mining and Energy, Juan Carlos Jobet, referred to the request of the command of the President-elect, Gabriel Boric, to postpone the lithium tender.
“Chile competes against other producing countries and against climate change. While they advance, in Chile we are dedicated to fighting each other every time we talk about lithium. And that’s a pattern for years,” the biminister said.
It should be noted that in October 2021, the Government of Sebastián Piñera, announced that they seek to produce 400 thousand tons of metallic lithium, divided into five individual quotas. Bids were received until December 17, and the results will be revealed on January 14.
Faced with this scenario, the head of Gabriel Boric’s political team and RD deputy, Giorgio Jackson, said: “It would be prudent that the entire lithium award process could be postponed for a proper analysis.”
In conversation with La Tercera, the secretary of state commented: “We have been unable to increase production and, while we do that, the other countries move forward and we lose that opportunity.”  Every time we talk about lithium, the issue becomes a controversy and we don’t move forward.”
“How could I put it at risk if we are granting quotas that represent 4% of the total known reserves? 400 thousand tons of lithium and known reserves reach 9.1 million tons. (…) This is not mortgaging anything, we are opening space for new sectors to develop projects,” Jobet said of the comments of Gabriel Boric’s command that the current government seeks to sabotage the next with this idea.
The top energy and mining authority said the bidding process has been successful and transparent.
 

Original source in Spanish