Government wants industry associated with the exploitation of lithium
SEPTEMBER 13, 201713:53
The government is preparing a plan for the extraction of lithium, a mineral used in the batteries of electric cars, which provides for the creation of an industry associated with its exploration, the Economy Minister announced today.
Speaking at a hearing of the Committee on Economy, Innovation and Public Works, in the Assembly of the Republic, the official indicated that the Executive is "working on a plan for lithium", which includes "greater accountability, ... so that concessions are integrated into projects where there is not only extraction of the ore, but which create added value in the industrial chain that follows its extraction. "
"What we are doing is looking at this resource as an important resource and we want to change the way concessions are given in this area," said the minister, who spoke in response to a question raised by Representative Jorge Costa.
Also present, the Secretary of State for Energy, Jorge Seguro Sanches, added that the Government's objective is "to create wealth, ... but to do it with the best interest for the State".
The statements come months after the lithium working group set up in December to assess the possibility of production in Portugal has proposed to the government a mining program that tests technology and demonstrates the industrial potential of this metal, financed by financial programs.
In a report dated last March, which Lusa had access to, the working group defended - in addition to the evaluation of the country's mineral litiniferous resources - the implementation of an experimental mining-metallurgical unit with the objective of developing knowledge and testing technologies for the entire value chain of these resources, which should have an "exponential" increase with the growth of electric mobility.
The group also suggested setting up a pilot industrial demonstration unit, ie to realize the economic viability of the value chain and not to limit it to the exploration and exploitation of lithium, but to its use, which, if economic results are promising, "will evolve into an industrial investment phase."
Given "the lack of specific financial programs", the Government was invited to host applications to create the two co-financing units available - COMPETE (or other under Program 2020) or other programs.
The document also highlighted that in the last two years lithium prices in the international market have risen, and there are forecasts that "there will be an exponential increase in the number of electric cars in the near future, which means a high demand for lithium in the world ".
In 2016, 30 applications for exploration rights and lithium research, as the main mineral substance, corresponding to an overall proposed investment of around 3.8 million euros, were submitted to the Directorate General of Energy and Geology (DGEG), it needs to certify the growing interest of foreign companies for this metal.
Currently, the lithium minerals extracted in Portugal are exclusively destined to the ceramic industry, limiting its use as flux, aiming at the valorization of this mineral resource.
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