Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, said Wednesday that it will begin exploration work this week to determine the concentration of lithium in the northern Salar de Maricunga.
In November 2020, the company received environmental permission to advance the development of the salt flat, within the commitment with the government to evaluate the feasibility of entering the key metal business for electric car batteries.
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Codelco said in a statement that the drilling will begin at the end of March and will last about 10 months.
“Depending on the results of the campaign, specifically the concentrations of lithium dissolved in the brines of such mining properties, the company will define whether it is environmentally and economically viable to continue development,” it said in a statement.
Maricunga’s 145 square kilometers represent less than 5% of the size of the vast lithium-rich Salar de Atacama, but the ultralight metal’s high-grade reserves in some parts of its expanse make it potentially attractive.
However, the atomization in the salar property has hindered any development.
For years Codelco has signaled its willingness to enter the lithium business, but has repeatedly delayed plans to concentrate on copper, its core business.
