Chile is home to the world’s largest lithium reserves, estimated to be 8 million tons. Some 6 million tons of this is located in the Salar de Atacama, a vast salt basin covering an area of 3,000 square kilometers in northern Chile that contains some of the richest lithium brine deposits known to man.

The salt nucleus of the southern area of the Salar de Atacama is 1,400 square kilometers with a thickness of just over 360 meters in the middle of the basin area.

In the top 30-40 meters, there is a substantial amount of pores located between the crystals and they contain brine with lithium concentrations of up to 7,000ppm (parts per million), the highest known concentrations in the world.

Brine located outside of this particular area in the basin has lower concentrations but is still noteworthy at up to 1,000ppm.

Lithium Extraction Work’s geographic location in Chile is a significant advantage over global competitors; we can deliver sustainable and steady supplies of lithium to the market and our clients, making us an attractive option for many of the most important companies and industries around the world.