Lithium Guild requests to remove strategic character to the mineral
Accuses that feature make impossible to the concession owners to exploit it. Criticizes that the commission formed by the government does not have technical character.
Changes to the Constitution for lithium to be a concessionable resource. That’s what the Chilean Chamber of Lithium Mining is asking, facing the newly established by the government- by the commission that will define the future of the mineral.
Along with calling on the authorities to be invited to the debate and provide knowledgeable, the union president, Luis Gallardo, charges that Chile is stuck in the matter.
He adds that it has not been able to formulate a policy that gives facilities for their development. Which, in his view, should consider the contribution of value added. According to Cochilco, Chile has one of the largest reserves and has comparative advantages, which result in lower costs of production than its competitors.
Until 2012, the country ranked as the largest producer, displaced by Australia. Currently, Bolivia is home to most of the resources, with 24%, followed by Chile with 22%. Despite this, lithium only represents exports of about $ 305 million FOB, this is only 0.4% of domestic shipments and 0.6% of total mineral exports.
According to Gallardo, one of the reasons that explain for the underdevelopment of the appeal has to do with the strategic nature that still remains in the Constitution. This condition explains, makes the mineral cannot be exploited by means of a mining concession, leaving owners of these with no opportunity to develop their rights.
“We pay to state for patents to exploit anything. Lithium cannot be handled, because there is a constitutional provision that declares it strategic. Piñera’s government was to change this, but did not, giving effect to the tender process which failed, “he said.
We must recall that during the previous administration, gave way to a bidding process that topped with the annulment process, after it was determined that the contractor, SQM, did not comply with the rules. Against this. Gallardo charges that the process was SQM tailored and the results had been warned to Piñera.
Criticisms to the committee “We noticed who the members are,” said Gallardo, for instance members. “None of them has knowledge of the subject of lithium. There are people with political character, but to address this issue technical knowledge is required”, he added.
Source: La Tercera
