Chile is set to receive roughly $6 billion each year from rising copper and lithium prices, bolstered by the national lithium strategy.
President Gabriel Boric hailed the development as "good news for Chile," while Economy Minister Álvaro García pointed out that the project could be the largest initiative in Chilean history. The partnership will combine the world‑leading copper producer Codelco with state‑led participation in lithium.
Mining Minister Aurora Williams highlighted the growing global demand for electric‑infrastructure, underscoring the importance of copper and lithium. She noted institutional progress: the creation of the National Institute of Lithium and Salts, ten‑year funding, and the launch of a Protected Salt Saltern Network protecting about 30 % of the high‑land ecosystems.
Chile’s largest lithium reserves lie in the Salar de Atacama, where the government aims to build a sustainable, environmentally responsible industry through public‑private partnerships with a majority‑state stake in strategic deposits.
The strategy, launched in 2023, saw Boric convene ministers and mining officials to assess the plan after the agreement between state‑owned Codelco and private SQM, which holds the exploitation rights in the Atacama Salt.
"The deal will allow the Chilean state to directly participate in lithium extraction and guarantee operational continuity at the country’s sole salar where productive operations already exist," the president said.
