https://www.miningweekly.com
Power|Environmental|Operations
Power|Environmental|Operations
power|environmental|operations

Chilean regulators scrap lithium miner SQM's environmental plan

3rd August 2020

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

SANTIAGO – Chilean regulators have rejected lithium producer SQM's $25-million environmental compliance plan for the Atacama salt flat, requesting the miner to start again from scratch, a filing showed.

Chile's Environmental Superintendent (SMA) approved SQM's compliance plan early in 2019 after a multi-year investigation found the miner had overdrawn lithium-rich brine from the salt flat.

But the regulator said in a filing dated Thursday that it would begin the process anew to comply with a decision of a regional environmental court in December which invalidated SQM´s plan, calling it "insufficient."

Both SQM and the regulator have since appealed that decision to Chile's Supreme Court, but the lower tribunal said environmental regulators must comply with its order even as the Supreme Court ponders a potential reversal.

SQM confirmed to Reuters that SMA had re-opened the process. The company added that it had voluntarily agreed to continue with some protection measures in the now rejected plan while it awaits a decision from the higher court.

The process does not immediately effect SQM´s ability to operate on the flat but is likely to prove yet another headache for the miner, which is seeking to expand its operations at Atacama.

The region supplies about one-quarter of the global supply of lithium, a key ingredient in the batteries that power cellphones and electric vehicles.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

Showroom

WearCheck
WearCheck

Leading condition monitoring specialists, WearCheck, help boost machinery lifespan and reduce catastrophic component failure through the scientific...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Multotec
Multotec

Multotec, recognised industry leaders in metallurgy and process engineering help mining houses across the world process minerals more efficiently,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.154 0.185s - 93pq - 2rq
1:
1: United States
Subscribe Now
2: United States
2: