Analyzed advances of the lithium production project in Salar del...

Analyzed advances of the lithium production project in Salar del Hombre Muerto



The governor Urtubey and executives of the mining company POSCO Argentina S.A.U dealt with aspects related to the project that expects to produce about 25,000 tons / year between hydroxide and lithium carbonate.



Analyzed advances of the lithium production project in Salar del Hombre Muerto

Date: 11/13/2018

News from: Gobernación

Governor Urtubey and executives of the mining company POSCO Argentina SAU discussed aspects related to the venture that expects to produce some 25,000 tons per year between hydroxide and lithium carbonate.

Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey met with executives of the mining company Posco Argentina SAU to analyze the progress of the investment plan for the production of lithium in the province that has the South Korean steelmaker, after the acquisition of mining properties in the Salar del Hombre Dead.

From this project, Posco will invest in the provinces of Salta and Catamarca to produce 25,000Tn / year of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) between hydroxide and lithium carbonate. The initiative was announced in June 2018, an opportunity in which the president of Salta met with members of the aforementioned mining company.

Posco is the largest steelmaker in South Korea. The president of Posco, Kahn Kim, participated in the meeting that took place this afternoon at Government House; the operation manager the director, Sungkook Chung and the operations manager Lizardo González.

During the meeting Urtubey reiterated the support and accompaniment of the Government of Salta to the mining project, which among other benefits will generate, in the construction phase, more than 500 direct jobs and for the operation of the plants, a campus of 200 will be demanded workers.

The project

According to the company, the construction of plants is scheduled for 2019 and by 2021 the start of production. The company expects that in the construction phase it will generate some 500 direct jobs and for the operation of both plants, a staff of 200 workers will be required.

For the processing and obtaining of the final product, Posco plans to build two plants. One in the northern area of the Salar del Hombre Muerto for the extraction and purification of lithium from the brine, to produce lithium phosphate, which serves as input for the next process.

The other plant will be in the Industrial Park of General Güemes and there will be production of 25,000Tn / year LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) between Hydroxide and Lithium Carbonate, which will use as input the phosphate produced in the Salar del Hombre Muerto.

The Lithium Hydroxide plant will be the first of its kind in Argentina and will supply the growing demand for this product by the battery industry for electric vehicles.

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