Bolivia boasts of world's largest lithium reserve

[Judi Lynn]

Online News Editor
July 20, 2023

La Paz, Jul 20 (EFE).- Bolivia has 23 million tons of lithium, the world’s largest reserve of the white metal that is central to plans for a transition to clean energy, President Luis Arce said Thursday.

During an event in the southwestern town of Coipasa, he presented the latest figures on how much lithium lies in the Coipasa and Pastos Grandes salt flats.

Before the study carried out by state-owned lithium company YLB, Bolivia’s reserves were quantified at 21 million tons, the president said.

“The good news, which will certainly resonate internationally because it will consolidate the country as the planet’s largest global reserve of lithium, is that today we have not 21 million, we have 23 million tons of lithium in Bolivian territory,” Arce said.

Bolivia must “intelligently” manage its position as the world’s leading source of “this so valuable element,” he said.

Work will begin soon on the construction of a highway and high-voltage electric line to accommodate the Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) plant to be built in Coipasa by Chinese consortium CBC, the president said.

More:
https://www.laprensalatina.com/bolivia-boasts-of-worlds-largest-lithium-reserve/

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Maine may have significant deposits, but not open to mining.

We ain't gonna be another West Virginnia.

[captain queeg]

2. Wonder how many tons of ore will have to be mined to extract that much metal?

I’ve been to the copper mines in Chile and at one place I worked they were running 6,000 tons/hr, 24/7. That over 52 million tons per year. I suspect lithium will require a lot more ore per ton of metal.