• At the InvestChile webinar, the largest lithium industry promotion event to date, Chile’s Economy Minister emphasized that «building trust» with international companies is crucial to the strategy. 

This morning, over 400 representatives from international companies and consulting firms in 30 countries participated in InvestChile’s ‘Chile’s Lithium Strategy & Business Opportunities’ webinar. The event focused on providing relevant information to representatives from the global lithium industry chain. It featured a presentation by Economy Minister Nicolás Grau on the opportunities and time frames associated with the National Lithium Strategy. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and China were the most widely represented countries at the webinar. 

Minister Grau stressed the importance of dialogue with companies, stating, «When you understand the leading role of public-private collaboration, you also understand that building trust is crucial to this strategy.» He also reiterated the administration’s interest in sustainably expanding Chile’s lithium production while respecting the environment and communities in a way that adds value in order to ensure greater benefits for the Chilean people. 

«We still have a very important space to increase production, but it is fundamental for our government that this increase is not detrimental to the environment. And that is why the strategy proposes two main paths, so that both points are compatible. The first has to do with promoting certain technological changes in the way lithium is extracted, and the second is about ensuring a network of protected salt flats,» he explained.

He also reviewed the strategy time frames, particularly the salt flat survey and exploration scheduled for this year, which will determine which salt flats will be protected and which may be mined by State-associated companies, opening up new investment opportunities. The administration has announced that it will protect 30% of the salt flat surface area to preserve environmental balance.    

Promotion in Asia and the United States 

The webinar is part of the InvestChile Talks series and ongoing efforts by the agency and the Economy Ministry to publicize the business opportunities Chile’s new lithium mining strategy offers international companies. Last July, InvestChile held over 45 business meetings in Italy, Spain, Germany and France, where the lithium sector was a central theme.  

The InvestChile has announced an October roadshow in Asia, with activities in Korea, Japan and China, to expand the number of companies interested in participating in Chile’s lithium industry. In December, the destination will be the United States, with activities in at least two cities.