
Evo Morales inaugurates Bolivia's first lithium battery pilot plant
Bolivian President Evo Morales has inaugurated a lithium battery pilot plant in Potosí department, state news agency ABI reported.
Civil construction of the US$2.9mn plant, located in La Palca district, was completed in January. Supplies for the plant and training courses for local technicians brought the total investment up to US$3.7mn.
The pilot plant has capacity to assemble 1,000 batteries a day for cellular phones or computers, or 40 larger batteries for bicycles or cars, according to ABI.
Ten Chinese technicians and 21 Bolivians worked together on the project.
The next stage in the development of the country's lithium industry is the construction of a large-scale battery plant. "Bolivia's goal is to have the largest lithium industry in the world in La Palca. Our obligation is to add value to our natural resources for future generations," Morales said at the inauguration ceremony.
The government's lithium program involves an investment of some US$900mn that has been split into three phases, with phase I accounting for US$18.8mn, phase II for US$485mn and phase III with US$400mn.
Bolivia's Uyuni salt flat is home to vast lithium reserves which some consider to be the largest in the world. Last year, Morales inaugurated a lithium carbonate pilot plant in the salt flat. The plant, which has a capacity of 40t/m, cost US$19mn, according to ABI.
Subscribe to the most trusted business intelligence platform in Latin America. Let us show you our solutions for Suppliers, Contractors, Operators, Government, Legal, Financial and Insurance.
News in: Mining & Metals (Bolivia)

Are silver miners turning a corner on carbon emissions?
Silver mining companies in Latin America are adopting measures to cut power use and reduce their carbon footprints, but falling grades are pushing ...

Junior exploration roundup: Vizsla, Cerrado, Cordoba, GR, New Pacific
Companies report drilling results from primary silver, gold and copper projects in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia.
Subscribe to Latin America’s most trusted business intelligence platform.
Other projects in: Mining & Metals
Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals projects in Latin America: what stages they're in, capex, related companies, contacts and more.
- Project: Tocantinzinho
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 days ago
- Project: El Picacho (Tocvan Ventures)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 days ago
- Project: Pilar
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 days ago
- Project: Grota do Cirilo (Phase 2&3)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 days ago
- Project: Grota do Cirilo (Phase 3)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
6 days ago
- Project: El Pilar
- Current stage:
- Updated:
6 days ago
- Project: Panuco - Copala
- Current stage:
- Updated:
6 days ago
- Project: Juanicipio
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 days ago
- Project: Cóndor
- Current stage:
- Updated:
7 days ago
- Project: Los Ricos
- Current stage:
- Updated:
1 week ago
Other companies in: Mining & Metals (Bolivia)
Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals companies in Latin America: their projects, contacts, shareholders, related news and more.
- Company: Empresa Metalúrgica Vinto S.A.  (Vinto)
-
Bolivian state tin producer Empresa Metalúrgica Vinto (EMV) is engaged in the production of high grade metallic tin ingots. The company receives and processes concentrates from ...
- Company: Servicio Geológico y Minero  (Sergeomin)
-
Bolivia's geology and mining service Sergeomin is a decentralized body of the government responsible for gathering basic geological data fromx the country. Its tasks include the...
- Company: Autoridad Jurisdiccional Administrativa Minera  (AJAM)
-
Autoridad Jurisdiccional Administrativa Minera (AJAM) is a Bolivian State entity aimed at directing, managing, controlling and inspecting the mining activity in Bolivia. Founded...
- Company: Gobierno Autónomo Departamental de La Paz
-
The Autonomous Department of La Paz Government (GADLP) is a government body that develops and carries out investment projects in the Bolivian department of La Paz. Among its man...
- Company: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (MMAyA)
-
Bolivia's ministry of environment and water MMAyA is responsible for the integrated management of water resources, in order to provide drinking water, sanitation and irrigation ...
- Company: ALS Bolivia Ltda.  (ALS Bolivia)
- Company: Gobierno Autónomo Departamental de Tarija  (Gobierno de Tarija)
-
Bolivia's Tarija department government is an autonomous body chaired by a governor and comprised of 10 departments. Its portfolio of projects includes the Guadalquivir-Cenavit-C...
- Company: Empresa Minera Corocoro
-
Empresa Minera Corocoro (EMC), a subsidiary of Bolivian state mining company Comibol, was founded in 2010. The company operates the country's first hydrometallurgical plant to p...
- Company: Compañía Minera Colquiri S.A.  (Empresa Minera Colquiri)
-
Bolivian miner Empresa Minera Colquiri is a subsidiary of state miner Comibol, and engages in the exploration, production, processing and trading of zinc and tin concentrates in...
- Company: Empresa Minera Huanuni  (EMH)
-
Empresa Minera Huanuni (EMH), created in 1883 as Sociedad Mineralógica Tellez Huanuni, is a Bolivian company based in Oruro, under the Corporación Minera de Bolivia (Comibol) wh...