Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB), under the leadership of Executive President Karla Calderón, has officially confirmed the production of 3,000 tons of lithium carbonate for this year from its Industrial Plant situated in the Salar de Uyuni’s southern Industrial Complex, Potosí department. This announcement not only underscores Bolivia’s burgeoning role in the lithium market but also sets the stage for a gradual increase in production capacity in the years to come.
The successful stabilization of the industrial plant, crucial for ramping up the production of lithium carbonate, has been highlighted by Calderón as a key factor in this achievement. This progress comes despite initial challenges, including technical issues with the evaporation pools used in lithium extraction, which had been neglected and suffered from maintenance lapses.
These setbacks, described as “inherited problems” from past planning and construction phases, are now being actively addressed through a series of corrective actions and parallel projects aimed at enhancing the facility’s output capabilities.
The Lithium Carbonate Industrial Plant, which officially began operations in mid-December 2023 after a comprehensive re-engineering process by YLB’s technical team, represents a significant step forward in Bolivia’s ambition to become a major player in the global lithium market. This initiative not only promises to boost Bolivia’s economic prospects but also contributes to meeting the growing international demand for lithium, a critical component in the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors. 
