Chile’s State-owned Codelco , the world’s top copper miner, will decide by early 2020 whether to pursue a joint lithium project with foreign-backed miner Salar Blanco, a company executive told Reuters on Friday.
Codelco announced earlier this month a non-binding agreement with Salar Blanco to explore a joint venture in the Maricunga salt flat, the country’s second largest in terms of reserves. Salar Blanco is 50% owned by Australia’s Lithium Power International, with smaller stakes held by Canada’s Bearing Lithium and local capital.