China consortium to develop lithium deposits in Bolivia

Expected to start commercial operation, export in Q1 of 2025.

A salt flat in Uyuni, Bolivia: Bolivia has the world's largest known reserves of lithium, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey at 21 million tonnes. (IC Photo)

WARD ZHOU, AN LIMIN, LUO GUOPING, and LU YUTONG, Caixin

January 27, 2023 10:21 JST

The Bolivian government has chosen a Chinese consortium led by battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology to invest upward of $1 billion to develop untapped lithium deposits, with the ambitious goal of producing lithium batteries in the country by 2025.