Is the world's largest lithium mine reserves suitable for the production of lithium batteries?

Chile is the world's largest lithium reserve country and the second largest lithium producer. Therefore, the country hopes to expand the lithium value chain and produce lithium batteries.

However, Sebastian Sichel, director of the Chilean National Economic Development Agency (Corfo), said that this is just a good wish.

Scher believes that although battery production can be achieved in the medium term, lithium is not the only factor that determines battery prices. In fact, only 11% of the battery price is determined by lithium.

Battery production also requires other metals, such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are minerals that are in short supply in Chile.

The best solution is to expand the value chain, but the current possible choice is that Chile still has a competitive advantage and can produce negative electrode materials and battery cells for export, and may be able to produce batteries in the future , But it is only used for domestic consumption.

Emilio Bunel, former vice president of Chilean Chemical and Minerals Company (SQM), believes that the current global anode material market is approximately US$7.2 billion, and One-third of the cost of the battery is used on the negative electrode material. Therefore, Chile can make a difference in negative electrode materials. Another product that Chile can produce is metallic lithium, which can be widely used in battery anode materials and solid battery production in the future. In addition, Chile can build a large-scale energy storage system in the northern region, which is cheaper than buying technology from abroad.

In early April, Corfo held the second round of bidding for lithium projects to attract foreign investors and increase the added value of lithium. Corfo will soon conduct bidding publicity in China, South Korea, Japan and France, and the bidding will end in November.