Chile moves ahead with public-private lithium model via Codelco

Chilean state-owned copper companies Codelco and Enami are holding talks with private-sector firms to develop lithium deposits in a country that holds the world’s biggest reserves of the battery metal.

Top copper supplier Codelco and Enami, which provides services to small- and mid-sized producers, will represent the state in new lithium projects given it will take “some years” to set up a separate national lithium company, Mining Minister Marcela Hernando said in an interview.