Bolivia looks to start operations of lithium carbonate plant in December

Bolivia’s state lithium company YLB plans to put into operation in December the first module of a water treatment plant to be built in Uyuni, in the Andean department of Potosí.

The plant is essential for the start-up of a lithium carbonate industrial plant, construction of which is about 84% complete.

The 344mn boliviano (US$49mn) water plant will have three modules and construction is expected to be completed in 10 months.

“We have a strategy of making an accelerated start-up of the water plant. With one module we can start of operations [of the lithium carbonate plant]. The other two modules can be completed a little later,” YLB president Carlos Ramos said in a video.

The lithium carbonate plant is also expected to start operations in December.

The industrial plant is projected to produce some 15,000t/y of lithium carbonate.

Bolivia has some of the world's largest lithium resources at around 21Mt, most of which is located in the Uyuni salt flat in the west of the country.

The country expects to receive income of 500mn bolivianos this year from the sale abroad of potassium chloride and lithium carbonate.