A Chilean congressional committee has recommended annulling the Codelco–SQM lithium partnership, citing lack of transparency, disproportionate profit distribution, and fiscal risks that could cost the state over US$11 billion. The decision intensifies scrutiny of Chile’s flagship lithium policy.
Despite high-level optimism, the SQM-Codelco lithium partnership faces major hurdles, including regulatory scrutiny over potassium offtake and potential legal actions from Chilean stakeholders.
Two major Chinese companies, BYD and Tsingshan, have pulled out of lithium industrialization projects in northern Chile, citing market shifts and bureaucratic delays.
Chile’s Codelco and SQM launch a landmark lithium joint venture in the Salar de Atacama, combining state control with private expertise. The deal boosts Chile’s global lithium leadership while prioritizing sustainability, indigenous rights, and long-term revenue.
Chile’s competition authority (FNE) has approved the strategic joint venture between Codelco and SQM for lithium extraction in the Salar de Atacama. This milestone clears a key regulatory hurdle and brings the alliance one step closer to becoming a major force in the global lithium supply chain.