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  • Pages
  • Editions
01 Cover
02 Welcome Letter / Sections
03 Article & Interview Directory
04 Section 1: Introduction
05 An Evolving Constitutional Landscape
06 Chile Ministry of Mining Interview
07 Consejo Minero Interview
08 APRIMIN Interview
09 Expert Opinion Article: Francisco Acuña, CRU
10 Expert Insights: Chile’s Evolving Sociopolitical Landscape
11 ESG & Renewable Energy
12 ICMM Interview
13 Aggreko Interview
14 Mining Investment Climate
15 Appian Capital Advisory Interview
16 Expert Insights: Attracting Sustainable Investment
17 Section 2: Production & Development
18 Copper Production & Development
19 BHP Interview
20 Antofagasta PLC Interview
21 Freeport McMoRan Interview
22 Teck Resources Limited Interview
23 Amerigo Resources Interview
24 Precious Metals
25 Kinross Interview
26 Rio2 Limited Interview
27 Lithium
28 SQM Interview
29 Albemarle Interview
30 Section 3: Junior Exploration
31 Study-stage Copper Projects
32 Expert Insights: Chile's Junior Exploration Community
33 World Copper Limited Interview
34 Early-stage Opportunities
35 ATEX Resources Interview
36 Torq Resources Interview
37 Pampa Metals Interview
38 VerAI Discoveries Interview
39 Lithium Exploration and Development
40 Lithium Chile Interview
41 Wealth Minerals Interview
42 Monumental Minerals Interview
43 Section 4: Engineering, Construction & Consultancies
44 Engineering & Consultancies
45 Water and the Environment
46 JRI Interview
47 Wood Interview
48 SRK Consulting Interview
49 Construction & Contractors
50 Sigdo Koppers Interview
51 Züblin Strabag Interview
52 Echeverría Izquierdo Interview
53 Thiess Interview
54 Going Underground
55 Master Drilling Interview
56 Robbins Interview
57 INCIMMET Interview
58 Section 5: Equipment & Technology
59 The Evolution of Mining Equipment
60 Scania Interview
61 Expert Insights: OEMs on Sustainability and Innovation
62 Comminution & Material Handling
63 Metso Outotec Interview
64 ME Elecmetal Interview
65 TAKRAF Interview
66 Haver & Boecker Interview
67 Innovation & Technology
68 Hexagon Interview
69 DSI Underground Interview
70 Dingo Interview
71 Pipes, Valves, Components & Wear Protection
72 Hofmann Engineering Interview
73 Expert Insights: The Benefits of AI and Automation
74 Section 6: Services
75 Drilling & Blasting
76 Geotec Boyles Bros Interview
77 Enaex Interview
78 Services
79 SGS Interview
80 Section 7: Sponsored Company Profiles
81 FreePort-McMoRan Profile
82 Rio2 Company Profile
83 Lithium Chile Profile
84 Metso Outotec Company Profile
85 SGS Company Profile
86 Credits

Ignacio Mehech, VP External Affairs & Country Manager Chile,

ALBEMARLE

"Albemarle is excited about the creation of a national lithium company to build policy regarding lithium, create opportunities to add value in Chile, develop the value chain within the country, and also to invest more in R&D in the lithium space."

Can you provide an overview of Albemarle’s Chilean operations and production profile?

Albemarle is a pioneer in the Chilean lithium industry, having been present in the country for over 40 years. The company started lithium exploitation in the 1980s in a joint venture with the State through CORFO (Chile's Economic Development Agency). We recently finalized the expansion of our chemical commercial plant in La Negra, which will increase Albemarle’s Chilean production capacity to over 85,000 t/y of lithium carbonate. Our operation is divided into plants; at the Salar de Atacama plant we extract and concentrate lithium brine, which is then transported to our La Negra plant close to Antofagasta where we produce the final product – battery grade lithium carbonate, created specifically for electronic devices, electric cars, and safety equipment markets.

Can you elaborate on Albemarle’s investment in La Negra into thermal evaporator recycling technology?

The evaporator recycling technology allows us to reduce the consumption of fresh water at La Negra by approximately 30% per kilo of product. The plant was commissioned in 2021 and its final product is currently in the process of qualification with customers. We expect it to be fully qualified by Q3 2022. This US$100 million investment forms part of Albemarle’s commitment to a greener future and our effort to increase the sustainability of our operations.

What are your thoughts on the current discussions surrounding lithium mining in Chile?

As Chileans, we are very excited about the finalization of the draft of the new constitution to be voted on in September. Having a new constitution drafted by people elected by our countrymen is an important change. The result of the Constitutional Assembly vote on Sunday 15th May was promising, as it appears to be moderate and balanced. We hope this enables a new era of prosperity in the country.

Albemarle is also excited about the creation of a national lithium company to build policy regarding lithium, create opportunities to add value in Chile, develop the value chain within the country, and also to invest more in R&D in the lithium space. The government is open to partnerships between the public and private sectors to further develop the lithium industry in Chile.

Regarding how to add downstream capabilities to Chile’s lithium sector, It is beyond the reach of one specific company to develop the value chain and is therefore a debate that has to be taken by all actors, including the government, private sector, academia and society.

What is the latest regarding the charges levelled by Chile's environmental regulator (SMA) related to the alleged over extraction of brine in the Atacama?

Albemarle has always been committed to operate sustainably and with full transparency. We thus provided information and posed a question to the SMA to clarify some aspects that were not clear about our permits. We are convinced that we acted with full transparency and there are no infringements. The SMA did, however, press charges against us, but we are collaborating with them and have already filed our response providing additional information to the authority for better understanding.

What role will the company’s Chilean operations play in supporting the company’s growth?

We recently finalized the construction of our commercial plant in La Negra, which will allow us to double our capacity. We have a contract with CORFO that lasts until 2043 and will thus be in the country for the long term. There are several important conditions that we agreed with CORFO in 2016, one of which is that we pay the highest royalty or commission for lithium production in the world, which goes up to 40% of the final sale price of the product. We will contribute approximately US$300 million in R&D funding to CORFO between 2016 and 2043, which have already contributed to CORFO funding a center of E-mobility and a circular economy center in northern Chile. We also contribute 3.5% of our sales to indigenous communities.

Production growth must be achieved in a sustainable way, and Albemarle is committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. We have started a journey with IRMA (the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance); we are actually the first mining site in Chile and the first lithium site in the world to start the self-evaluation process, and in April 2022 we finalized the third party audit at our Salar plant.

Next:

Section 3: Junior Exploration