Lithium Production in Chile and Argentina: Inverted Roles
Date of Publication
1-1-2023 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Economic Stability
Keywords
South America, Chile, Argentina, Lithium, economic stability
Description
In a new paper, Patricia I. Vásquez, a global fellow in the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, explores the distinct approaches in Chile and Argentina to the development of their lithium industries. The region holds some of the world’s largest lithium deposits, and Chile and Argentina are the world’s second- and fourth-largest producers, respectively. Vásquez recently visited the salt flats in Chile and Argentina. In Argentina, she found unexpected dynamism in the lithium industry, despite economic and political conditions that have discouraged investment in other sectors. By contrast, Vásquez writes, neighboring Chile, famed for its investor-friendly policies, has kept its lithium industry under strict government control, limiting the role of the private sector.
Lithium Production in Chile and Argentina: Inverted Roles
In a new paper, Patricia I. Vásquez, a global fellow in the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, explores the distinct approaches in Chile and Argentina to the development of their lithium industries. The region holds some of the world’s largest lithium deposits, and Chile and Argentina are the world’s second- and fourth-largest producers, respectively. Vásquez recently visited the salt flats in Chile and Argentina. In Argentina, she found unexpected dynamism in the lithium industry, despite economic and political conditions that have discouraged investment in other sectors. By contrast, Vásquez writes, neighboring Chile, famed for its investor-friendly policies, has kept its lithium industry under strict government control, limiting the role of the private sector.
