Albemarle To Build Chilean Lithium Plant

Albemarle will build a lithium carbonate plant in Chile, where it already operates two lithium chemical plants. The plan follows an agreement with the Chilean government that the company can increase production to 70,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate and 6,000 metric tons of lithium chloride annually over 27 years. Additionally, Albemarle has an option to produce lithium hydroxide directly from brine. Last year the firm opened a $200 million lithium carbonate facility in La Negra, Chile, and disclosed plans to build lithium carbonate and hydroxide plants either in the U.S. or Asia.