Bolivian standard lithium battery pack reference price

How much does lithium carbonate cost in Bolivia?

Omar Alarcon, president of Bolivian state-owned lithium company YLB, says that a minimum price point of $10,000 is necessary to keep the plants economically viable. Under the stipulations of the agreements, Bolivia will repay the approximately $2 billion in Chinese and Russian investments in kind, with lithium carbonate.

Why are Lithium prices so low in Bolivia?

In addition to the lack of national capacities and the relatively impure form of lithium that exists in abundance in Bolivia, there are also unfavorable international market trends to contend with. Lithium demand growth saw a major slowdown in 2024 as EV demand slumped on a global level. As a result, lithium prices have tanked in recent months.

Could Bolivia finally untap its lithium resources?

Credit: Courtesy of psyberartist. Bolivia finalised a major deal this week with China’s largest battery producer CATL and largest cobalt miner CMOC in a move that could finally see the South American country untap the full potential of its huge lithium resources.

Does Bolivia produce lithium?

Bolivia is home to the biggest proven lithium deposits on the globe but, to date, does not produce any meaningful share of the world’s commercial lithium. The form in which the nation’s lithium naturally occurs – a magnesium-rich brine under the country’s Uyuni Salt Flats – is costly to process due to its low levels of purity.

Will Bolivia repay Chinese and Russian investments with lithium carbonate?

Under the stipulations of the agreements, Bolivia will repay the approximately $2 billion in Chinese and Russian investments in kind, with lithium carbonate. In addition to the potentially sticky economics of these contracts, the arrangement will likely harm more than help Bolivian locals.

Is Bolivia a 'Lithium Triangle'?

Competition with Latin American neighbours is set to heat up. Along with Chile and Argentina, Bolivia is the third point in what is generally referred to as the ‘lithium triangle’. Credit: Courtesy of psyberartist.