Codelco in early talks with prospective partners for northern Chile lithium venture

Bloomberg News| April 20, 2023 | 1:53 pmBattery MetalsTop CompaniesLatin AmericaLithium

The Maricunga lithium project sits on its namesake salt flat, Chile’s second-largest in terms of reserves. (Image courtesy ofLithium Power International.)

Codelco is in early-stage talks with prospective partners for a lithium project in northern Chile as the country with the biggest reserves of the battery metal strives to boost output.

As it wraps up an exploration program this year at the Maricunga salt flat, Codelco has been contacted by several companies, Chairman Maximo Pacheco said in an interview from the state-owned copper giant’s Santiago offices.

Hmmm I wonder who that could be…We are in the front row seats to be the first company to be signed up as a joint venture with Codelco. Let them fund 30% for equity in the project and then watch the financiers come flocking in for the other 70%. Once the government via Codelco secures a stake in our project then it is all systems go towards production. Exciting times to be a LPI holder. Cheers, CP.