La Jornada: Report: lithium, axis of the energy transition

Planning for the use of lithium was strengthened during the last year, in order to convert this mineral into a strategic resource for the transition and energy security of the country, indicates the second Government Report of the current administration.

The document describes environmental, technical, administrative and legal procedures to prepare exploration in priority areas and support the evaluation of the potential of this sector.

Since April 2022, the exploration and exploitation of lithium was reserved exclusively for the Mexican State, after a reform to the Mining Law that declared the mineral heritage of the nation and prohibited the granting of concessions to individuals.

The reform also ordered the creation of a decentralized public body in charge of managing the lithium value chain, which months later was established as Litio para México (Litio Mx).

According to the United States Geological Survey, it is estimated that Mexico has 1.7 million tons of lithium, a figure that places it among the 10 countries with the largest potential reserves, below Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, which make up the so-called lithium triangle and concentrate deposits of several million tons in the form of brine.

Mexican lithium is housed in clays and its extraction requires more complex and expensive processes than those used to obtain the mineral dissolved in brines, as occurs in the Atacama salt flats, in Chile, or in the salt flats of Bolivia.

No country has managed to produce lithium on a commercial scale from clay, which places Mexico at a different stage compared to the main global producers.

Despite the identified potential, Mexico still does not produce lithium. The report recognizes that the country continues in the infrastructure study and preparation phase, without a commercial extraction operation yet.

The Report also reports the approval of a project for 175 million pesos by 2026, with resources from the Mexican Petroleum Fund, destined to build a battery assembly plant linked to the Electric Car Project Oliniawhich seeks to add value to the lithium production chain.

In parallel, the adaptation of the Experimental Cell Center and Battery Factory was completed and the installation of specialized equipment began before its start-up.