Argentina to begin lithium battery production in September this year

Argentina’s first plant for lithium batteries will start operations in September, utilizing metallic extracted regionally by US firm Livent Corp, mining officers stated on Saturday.

Livent had agreed earlier this yr to produce lithium to the brand new plant, which was developed by Y-TEC, a unit of Argentine state oil agency YPF.

“We will start to produce the first lithium-ion battery cells in the country,” stated Roberto Salvarezza, president of Y-TEC, in a authorities assertion, noting that the batteries will use lithium carbonate extracted by Livent in northern Argentina.

Argentina is the world’s fourth-largest producer of lithium and has been attracting funding. Along with Chile and Bolivia, the nation is in South America’s so-called ‘lithium triangle’, which holds the world’s largest trove of the ultra-light metallic, extremely coveted for its use in batteries.

Argentina’s Mining Minister Fernanda Avila stated she hoped it might be an instance for future initiatives.

“The development of the supply around mining activity is a priority for our government,” she stated.

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