The decision, confirmed by Carlos Diaz, SQM’s lithium division head, at Fastmarkets’ Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Conference, held in Las Vegas from June 24 to 27, comes as part of a broader effort to expand production of lithium, a crucial metal for electric vehicle batteries, in the Salar de Atacama region.
Diaz further revealed that the Chilean lithium company has evaluated over 70 DLE technologies and selected 12 for pilot testing, with two of the shortlisted technologies currently being tested. SQM’s goal is to increase its annual lithium production to between 280,000 and 300,000 metric tons by 2060, up from an estimated 200,000 tons in 2024.
SQM is weighing several factors in its decision-making process, such as the higher electricity consumption of DLE technologies compared to traditional evaporation ponds, and the freshwater requirements of some DLE variants.
The company is also considering how reinjecting brine post-lithium extraction could impact local aquifers.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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