TheTechno Optimist.

Salar de Atacama Lithium OperationNovaAndino Litio—Codelco and SQM joint venture NovaAndino Litio approved by Chilean regulators, securing world's second-largest lithium operation through 2060Salar de Atacama Lithium OperationNovaAndino Litio—NovaAndino Litio files for environmental approval of $3 billion project to expand to 300,000 tonnes per year and extend production to 2060

Salar de Atacama Lithium Operation

by NovaAndino LitioCL

Secure and sustain Chile's lithium production at scale through 2060.

ScalingStage 5 of 5

Operating at 210,000 t/yr; expanding to 300,000 t/yr by 2030; production secured through 2060.

Updated Jul 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Current production at 210,000 tonnes/year
  1. SQM acquires Salar de Atacama lithium project and begins operations1993Complete.
  2. Codelco-SQM joint venture agreement signed31 May 2024Complete.
  3. NovaAndino Litio joint venture approved by regulatorsJan 2026Complete.
  4. Current production at 210,000 tonnes/yearTarget 2026Current milestone.
  5. Environmental approval filed for $3B technology deploymentTarget Jul 2026Not yet reached.
  6. Expansion to 300,000 tonnes per yearTarget 2030Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

  1. 2026Current production at 210,000 tonnes/year (next)
  2. Jul 2026Environmental approval filed for $3B technology deployment
  3. 2029Environmental approval for $3B technology deployment project
  4. 2030Expansion to 300,000 tonnes per year
  5. 2031Operational control transition from SQM to Codelco
Primer