Bolivia charges up for lithium demand 
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Bolivia, among the poorest countries in South America, sits on one of the
world’s largest lithium reserves, beneath the vast Salar de Uyuni salt flat 
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LITHIUM: Can be mined from rock or, in this case, processed from brine
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Wells: Lithium, dissolved in underground saline aquifers called “brines”, pumped to surface
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Pools: Brine moved to vast, shallow surface ponds to evaporate – leaving dry impurities behind
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JAMAICA
SOUTH AMERICA
BOLIVIA
CHILE
ARGENTINA

1,000km 600 miles
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Whole process can take 18  months
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Lithium carbonate: $10 per kg (approx.)
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Chemical plant:
Sodium chloride, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride
separated from mix to leave 99.5% pure lithium oxide – industry standard for batteries
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Lithium Triangle: Intersection of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina – known for high quality salt flats, including Salar de Uyuni, Chile’s Salar de Atacama and Argentina’s Salar de Arizaro. Contains over 75% of known global lithium reserves
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Salar de Uyuni
10,300km2 (size of Jamaica)

Llipi lithium plant eventual capacity: 15,000 tonnes per year

Uyuni

30km 20 miles
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Issues: Salar receives more rain than counterparts in Argentina and Chile, which slows evaporation. Brine has four times magnesium content of Chile
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USES: Electric cars raising need for li-on batteries

Polymer production 5% 
Air treatment 2%
Lubricating greases 7%
Rechargeable batteries 46%
Ceramics/glass 27%
Casting mould flux powders 4%
Other 9%
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TOP PRODUCERS
(tonnes, 2018)
Australia  51,000 
Chile 16,000 
China 8,000 
Argentina 6,200 
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Picture: Apple Maps
Sources: Arab News, Reuters, National Geographic, Diálogo Chino, Investing News           © GRAPHIC NEWS