Saudi Arabia eyes Chile in quest for lithium to supply EV industry
Almar Water Solutions is looking to form a partnership with Chile's state mining giant Codelco in its planned Maricunga lithium mining project
An EV made by Lucid Motors, which is majority owned by the PIF, is displayed during the Geneva Motor Show. (Photo: Getty Images)
Saudi Arabia’s quest for lithium to power its nascent electric vehicle industry is leading to stronger links with South America, as evidenced by the Future Investment Initiative’s conference in Brazil earlier this month.
Saudi-owned Almar Water Solutions is now looking to form a partnership with Chile’s state mining giant Codelco in its planned Maricunga lithium mining project, Reuters reports.
Almar’s CEO Carlos Cosin told the news agency that the Spain-based firm, which focuses on water solutions for renewable energy production, wants to leverage its technology in the extraction of battery-metal lithium, a water-intensive process.
As part of a Saudi conglomerate, Cousin said Almar would be able to bring in another strong financial partner if included in a consortium to develop the Maricunga salt flat.
The company’s technology can be used in metal separation in the microelectronics industry, direct lithium extraction and battery recycling, he said.