Fondo asiatico y grupo Errázuriz invertirán US$ 600 million en Salar de Maricunga y adelantan cambios en la propiedad |
A total of US$600 million is intended with Simco, a joint venture between Asian funds Simbalik and the Errázuriz Group, to reverse production of 22,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide at the Maricunga Salt Flat in 2025. Ministerio de Minería le da la razón a Codelco y permite que sea la cuprera estatal la única que exploree la zone.
Sebastián Yang, director of Simco and head of the Oriental Group, said Simbalik had been investigating the area since 2009 and was initially interested in potassium and lithium. And in 2011 he obtained a permit for extraction and commercialization from the Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear (Chen). Y and el 2016 se asociaron con el grupo Errázuriz, creando la empresa Simco.
“Es improcedente la Intervention de Codelco, que está putiendo desconocer los multiples permisos que se nos han otrado. Yes, obviously afecta a la confianza legítima de los Investmentistas extranjeros”
A la fecha, Simco tieene, entre el Salar de Maricunga y las area aledañas, unas 11 mil ha, de las cuales 3 mil ha están dentro del Salar. It claims to produce 22 million tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide,” Yang said. Ya han invertido tens de millones de dolares en la planta piloto, que ya está produciendo, agregó. .
At an average price of $60 million per tonne, this lithium yields $1,452 million annually.
Simco launched las pruebas techniques para dar con la mejor tecnología para extracter litio in 2018. Extracting his 99% of the lithium contained by the development of the first lithium battery with the most suitable process from an economic and environmental point of view, advised by the Japanese organization of world technology transfer Jogmec-pionera can do. , reinyectar el agua utilizado en el proceso y así no afectar el acuífero del Salar, detalló Sebastián Yang.
“Conventional technology, where we use SQM, can only extract 40% of the lithium, leaving the rest in Botado and Descartes de Sal leftovers, which has a serious impact on the environment,” stressed the executive.
Simbalik Group is a Singapore-based investment fund managed by Kevin and Nico Peng from Taiwan. Jan adelantó que cuando se inicie la fase productioniva, el fundo asiatico aumentará la Participation accionaria en Simco. Currently 55% belong to the fund, the rest to Grupo Errázuriz.
Conflict with Codelco
Last year, Codelco sent a petition to the Minister of Mineria to consolidate it as the sole producer of the Marikunga salt flats. On Tuesday, the chief executive of the province of Máximo Pacheco assured him that he was “very optimistic about the position of Codelco and Maricunga”, saying that the total investment this year will be US$23 million.
In that regard, Sebastian Yang pointed out, “It claims to be Codelco’s interference and multiple permisos que se han otorgado.” Knows everything to influence the confidence of and restore the confidence of Chilean investors.
El ejecutivo believes there are “political reasons” and Codelco’s petition states: “Empresa Nacional del Litio or Sea with Codelco”.
He is a member of the International Center for Dispute Resolution (CIADI).
Sebastian Yang emphasized, “Looking to 2025, we are working hard to ensure that investors do not disappoint investors, and we are promoting new projects for 2025.”
On embargo charges, he admitted: The truth is, if Chile continues like this, it will lose its lead in lithium production before Argentina,” he asserted.
“We are not against either the Empresa Nacional del Riccio or the Codelco Produsca Riccio, so it doesn’t matter to us as long as we respect our rights, concessions and permits,” he said. Enfatizó que “estamos abiertos a una association con el Estado”.
Atacama Shiobara
The interest of Simbalik no se will be transferred to Maricunga. “Nuestros Investmentistas están listos e interestes para participar en otras futures licitaciones, como por ejemplo la update del contrato en Corfo en el Salar de Atacama (que vence el 2030 y hoy tieene SQM)”.
A representative of the Asian group expressed concern over “negotiations with Puerta Cerrada to extend the contract”. Aseguró que “creemos que Chile no está destinado a negociar solamente con una empresa. pueden ser US$ 9.000 millionos.
