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Report: Chile blocks Albemarle's expansion plans at Salar de Atacama

Chilean regulators blocked Albemarle Corp.'s plans to build new infrastructure that will increase lithium output from its Salar de Atacama operations in Chile, Reuters reported Nov. 13.

According to filings with Chile's Environmental Assessment Service obtained by the newswire, Albemarle failed to rule out the adverse impacts the project would bring in an environmental impact statement it submitted to the agency in September.

The world's top lithium producer proposes a new plant that will produce 42,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate near the northern Chilean coastal port of Mejillones, and six new solar evaporation pools at Salar de Atacama.

Albemarle was given five days to file an appeal, the report said.

Chile has closely scrutinized Albemarle's operations. In September, Albemarle's request to lift its lithium production quota was denied by the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission due to the company's failure to justify the increase.

Albemarle, which recently faced pressure over its claims to have uncovered a unique extraction process, recently postponed two expansion projects in Chile, citing the battery producers' preference for lithium hydroxide, which is commonly found in Australia.