Lithium Deposits In Bolivia: Where Is The White Gold?

Bolivia is home to the world's largest known reserves of lithium, with an estimated 21-23 million tonnes. The majority of these reserves are found in the country's salt flats, particularly in the Salar de Uyuni in the southwestern region of the country. Bolivia's lithium resources are highly sought-after due to their critical role in the global energy transition, as lithium is a key component in batteries used for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. Despite Bolivia's vast reserves, the country has faced challenges in ramping up production and developing commercially viable reserves. However, recent deals with foreign companies, including Chinese and Russian firms, aim to unlock these lithium riches and establish Bolivia as a significant player in the global lithium market.

Salar de Uyuni

The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes that existed around forty thousand years ago but eventually evaporated. Today, it is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinarily flat surface with average elevation variations of within one meter over the entire area. Beneath the crust is a pool of brine that is exceptionally rich in lithium. The large area, clear skies, and flatness of the surface make the Salar ideal for calibrating the altimeters of Earth observation satellites.

The Salar is part of the Altiplano of Bolivia, a high plateau formed during the uplift of the Andes mountains. The plateau includes freshwater and saltwater lakes, as well as salt flats, and is surrounded by mountains with no drainage outlets. The geological history of the Salar is associated with the sequential transformation of several vast lakes, including Lake Minchin, Paleo Lake Tauca, and Coipasa. When the last of these lakes dried up, it left behind two modern lakes, Poopó and Uru Uru, and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Salar de Uyuni.

The brine beneath the Salar's surface is a saturated solution of sodium chloride, lithium chloride, and magnesium chloride in water. It is covered by a solid salt crust that varies in thickness from tens of centimetres to a few meters. The centre of the Salar contains a few islands, which are the remains of the tops of ancient volcanoes submerged during the era of Lake Minchin. These islands feature unusual and fragile coral-like structures and deposits that consist of fossils and algae.

Bolivia has the world's largest recoverable reserves of lithium, and Salar de Uyuni is estimated to contain a large portion of these reserves. However, the country has faced challenges in developing its lithium industry due to technological difficulties, citizen resistance, and a lack of legal framework for lithium mining.

Coipasa salt flat

The Coipasa Salt Flat is located around 280 kilometres (175 miles) south of La Paz, Bolivia's capital. It is one of the largest deposits of lithium in the world, with an estimated 39 million tonnes of lithium reserves.

The Coipasa Salt Flat is the subject of ongoing disputes between local Aymara communities and mining companies. Exploration works carried out by Canadian Lithium Chile were rejected by local communities due to concerns about potential damage to the wetlands that sustain wildlife and cattle, including alpacas. This conflict has led to legal action taken by the company against the Indigenous Community of Ancovinto. Local authorities have also denounced a lack of support from the State of Chile and expressed concern about divisions among communities arising from agreements with Lithium Chile.

In an effort to develop its lithium reserves, Bolivia has been seeking international partners. In June 2023, the country signed an agreement with China's Citic Guoan and Russia's Uranium One Group to exploit its lithium deposits, with a promised investment of $1.4 billion for the construction of two plants. These plants are expected to produce and export 50,000 tons of lithium annually starting in 2025 in the Pastos Grandes salt flats.

The Coipasa Salt Flat is also the site of scientific research aimed at improving lithium quantification methods. A study published in March 2023 applied remote sensing methodologies and multi-resolution images to locate lithium and map its alterations in the salt flat. The results demonstrated the high reliability of the predictive models used, with values between 0.90 and 0.92 for the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC).

Pasto Grandes salt flat

Bolivia's Pasto Grandes salt flat is located in the country's Andean region, approximately 280 kilometres south of the capital city of La Paz. This salt flat is known for its vast lithium deposits, which are highly sought after for their use in batteries, particularly for electric vehicles.

In July 2023, the Bolivian government announced a significant increase in its estimated lithium resources, solidifying its position as the country with the largest known lithium reserves globally. This new estimate resulted from further geological studies in the Pasto Grandes and Coipasa salt flats.

The Bolivian government, led by President Luis Arce, has actively sought international partnerships to develop these lithium reserves. In June 2023, agreements were signed with China's Citic Guoan Group and Russia's Uranium One Group, a subsidiary of Rosatom. These deals are expected to bring about a $1.4 billion investment for the construction of two plants in the Pasto Grandes salt flats. The plants aim to produce and export 50,000 tons of lithium annually starting in 2025.

The Pasto Grandes salt flat is part of the Lithium Triangle, which also includes neighbouring Chile and Argentina. This region is known for its vast lithium reserves, with Bolivia's salt flats alone containing an estimated 21 million tonnes of lithium. However, Bolivia has faced challenges in ramping up industrial production and developing commercially viable reserves.

The lithium extraction process in Bolivia differs from that of its neighbouring countries. The typical method of extraction involves pumping brine into ponds and processing lithium salts that crystallise after water evaporation. However, this method has not been as effective in Bolivia due to high levels of impurities in the brine and the presence of a rainy season lasting several months.

Despite these challenges, the Bolivian government remains committed to developing its lithium industry and establishing the country as a significant supplier in the global market. The partnerships formed with international companies are expected to bring new technologies and expertise to enhance lithium extraction and production processes in the Pasto Grandes salt flat.

Bolivia's lithium extraction methods

Bolivia is home to the world's largest deposits of lithium, which are found in the salt flats of Salar de Uyuni in the department of Potosí in the country's southwest. The Bolivian government has been attempting to develop its lithium industry and bring it to the world market, but this has proven challenging due to technological constraints, community resistance, and a lack of foreign investment.

In the past, Bolivia has relied on traditional evaporation ponds for lithium extraction, but this method has produced little lithium due to high concentrations of magnesium in the brine. Now, the country is turning to a new and untested technology called "direct lithium extraction" (DLE), which is expected to produce lithium faster and with lower environmental costs. However, this method requires different infrastructure that is yet to be built.

The Bolivian government has solicited bids from foreign companies that use DLE technology, with eight competitors from China, Russia, Argentina, and the United States in the running. The government's requirements for foreign investment include majority state ownership and local lithium battery production, which has slowed down the process and reduced interest from some firms.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Bolivia's vast lithium reserves present a significant opportunity for the country's economic growth and industrialization. The successful development and extraction of lithium resources could position Bolivia as a global leader in lithium production and related industries, catering to the increasing demand for clean energy and electric vehicles.

Bolivia's lithium partnerships

Bolivia has the world's largest resources of lithium, a metal that is critical to making batteries for electric vehicles. However, the country has faced challenges in commercialising its lithium industry and has fallen behind its neighbours, Argentina and Chile, in terms of lithium production. Recognising the need for foreign expertise and investment, Bolivia has sought partnerships with international companies to develop its lithium reserves.

In June 2022, the Bolivian government, under President Luis Arce, shortlisted eight companies from the United States, China, Russia, and Argentina as potential partners for lithium extraction projects. These companies included U.S. startups Lilac Solutions and EnergyX, China's CATL, Argentina's Tecpetrol, Russia's Uranium One, and Chinese ventures Fusion Enertech, TBEA Co Ltd, and CITIC Guoan Group Co. The selected companies would utilise an untested technology called Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) for the extraction process.

By July 2023, Bolivia had signed agreements with China's Citic Guoan and Russia's Uranium One Group to exploit its lithium deposits. The two countries promised to invest $1.4 billion for the construction of two plants in the Pastos Grandes salt flats, with the goal of producing and exporting 50,000 tons of lithium annually starting in 2025. Additionally, a similar investment agreement was reached with Contemporary Amperex Technology of China in January of the same year.

The partnerships with China and Russia have sparked concerns in the United States, with U.S. officials worried about the aggressive negotiation tactics of Chinese companies and the potential reinforcement of an extractive model with limited local development. However, the Bolivian government has dismissed these concerns, labelling them as "American imperialism".

Despite the challenges and competing interests, Bolivia's lithium partnerships have the potential to transform the country's economy and position it as a significant player in the global lithium market.

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