Bolivia's state miner: 10t of lithium sold in H1

Bolivia's state mining company Comibol sold 10t lithium carbonate at its pilot lithium project in the first half of the year, a senior official said.

Comibol, which was forced to shut down both its Karachipampa silver-lead smelter and the El Mutún iron ore mine last year, also sold 2,000t of potassium chloride and 1,300t of magnesium chloride, said Luis Alberto Echazú, head of Comibol's lithium unit. The company also called for bids for another 1,200t of potassium last week, Echazú said.

German industrial salts firm K-Utec plans to complete a 50,000t/y lithium carbonate plant at Uyuni by 2018, part of Bolivia's US$900mn lithium program, while China's CAMC Engineering signed a contract in July 2015 to build a US$178mn, 350,000t/y potassium chloride plant at the 10,000km2 Salar de Uyuni saltflats.

"This first stage is finished and is fully operational. It's functioning as a pilot project," Echazú told state news agency ABI.

Lithium is used to make batteries, while potassium chloride is used in the fertilizer and pharmaceutical industries and magnesium chloride is used in animal feed, textiles and cement.

Bolivia, a major zinc and tin producer, plans to invest US$1.97bn in its metallurgical and mining industries by 2020 after mining exports dropped 14.7% to US$1.74bn last year. Bolivia invested US$204mn in its mining industry last year, mostly in lithium projects.

Comibol also signed an agreement with the state agency in charge of quality standards (Ibnorca) to provide specialized technical training for local officials to secure international certification for potassium-based fertilizers, according to a statement posted on the company's website

Private investment has dwindled in Bolivia since President Evo Morales, who was sworn in for a third consecutive term last year, seized mining operations from companies including Glencore, South American Silver and Jindal Steel since first taking office in 2006.

Bolivia, which is also home to mines operated by Pan American Silver, Coeur Mining, Sumitomo, Orvana Minerals and Franklin Mining, produced 19,287t tin, 407,332t zinc, 82,131t lead, 7,549t copper and 41.2Moz silver in 2013, the most recent available figure, according to the mining ministry