This looks only a temporary hurdle but might make Chile even less attractive following plans to semi nationalise lithium projects, therefore making places like California more attractive. It occurred on the world's largest lithium deposit.
SANTIAGO, Jan 10 (Reuters) - A protest by several hundred people in northern Chile on Wednesday blocked access to the Atacama salt flat, the world's largest lithium deposit, where domestic producer SQM (SQMA.SN) and U.S. firm Albemarle (ALB.N) extract the metal.The demonstration, led by local indigenous groups after an agreement was signed last month between SQM and state-run copper firm Codelco, was affecting SQM operations, said a source with knowledge of the matterSQM did not immediately comment.
Albemarle in a statement said its operations "continue as usual," and that it was focused on employee safety.
The protest underscores a serious challenge to a plan by Chile, the No. 2 lithium producer, to impose more state control over the metal needed for batteries used to power the world's growing electric vehicle fleet.
Yermin Basques, head of the indigenous Toconao community, said local groups were blocking public roads that lead to mining operations in the south of the salt flat, preventing workers, supplies and lithium from entering or leaving.
More on the story;
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/protest-chiles-lithium-salt-flats-snarls-roads-sqm-albemarle-2024-01-10/
