By: Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, July 7, 2022
Bolivia now has a railroad and roadway for the export of lithium derivatives to ports on the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, said the president of Ferroviaria Andina, Carlos Gill.
The executive pointed out that, although the country is not a major exporter of these products, it has the most important potential with reserves of 21 million tons in the Uyuni salt flats, in addition to having practically complete logistics.
He said that from that region to the facilities of Yacimiento de Litio Boliviano, the state-owned company in charge of industrializing the metal, there is a distance of 20 kilometers that is covered by a conveyor belt, after which the cargo is shipped by train to ports in Chile and Peru.
Gill pointed out that the railroad in the Andean region of the country has 1,834 kilometers connecting Bolivian cities with Pacific ports and another line, in the eastern region of 1,244 kilometers, connecting with Atlantic ports via Brazil.
The other advantage for lithium, offered by the Bolivian railway, is the bioceanic corridor with several exits to ports through bimodal transport by train and trucks, he pointed out.
Gill pointed out that the railway network can be expanded and connected to Argentina and Chile, which are part of the Lithium Triangle as they have the largest reserves of this metal in the world.
The executive also pointed out that lithium is an element that is gaining considerable relevance at this time, as it is a key mineral for the most efficient energy storage systems, while reversible lithium ion batteries are the ones that make electromobility possible, in connection with renewable energies. Asia is currently one of the most important markets for lithium carbonate and lithium chloride exports.
This material from Prensa Latina was edited for clarity, style and length.
Source Prensa Latina: https://www.prensa-latina.cu/2022/07/03/bolivia-declaro-tener-lista-logistica-para-exportacion-del-litio
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