Lithium Reserves Studied in Bolivia
La Paz - The Bolivian
Ministry of Mining affirmed today that the
new lithium reserves study in Salar de Uyuni
(Potosi), will allow to exploit and export
this mineral of the century.
According to the Ministry, next week,
technicians of the National Direction of
Evaporitic Resources will start drilling
wells in the over 3861 square miles of
saline crust.
The Project also expects to define
geological data allowing to better evaluate
the lithium, potassium, boron and magnessium
reserves.
According to mining specialist Jaime
Peñaranda, Potosi is one of the planetÂ�s
regions with the most reserves of silver,
lead, tin, zinc, bismuth among the most
important, besides the vast Salar de Uyuni
deposit with its lithium resources.
The Uyuni lithium proven reserves are over
nine million tons and raise the interest of
foreign companies, among them, Bollore of
France, Japanese Sumitomo and Mitsubishi, US
General Motors and others from Russia, India
and South Korea.
All those companies expressed their plans of
making big investments, mainly aimed to
extracting inputs for the surging industry
of electric-powered vehicles.
To that option is also added the metal which
can be used as essential element in the
manufacturing of batteries, widely used in
cellphones, digital cameras and portable
computers.
The greatest inconvenience, however, to
operate is the application to the Executive
submitting the industrialization of lithium
with majority Bolivian stockholding.
The Salar de Uyuni, located 12040 feet over
sea level, is also one of the most important
tourist resorts in South America.
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