Monday, January 27, 2020

Following the Totally Not-the-CIA Coup In Lithium Rich Bolivia, Germany Would Like To Reinstate Their Lithium Deal

Lithium, it's as easy as ABC (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile).
And maybe Australia.
From Reuters:

Germany to urge next Bolivian leaders to revive lithium deal
Germany will seek talks with Bolivia’s next government to revive a deal to exploit jointly huge lithium reserves in the Andean country, as it works to secure supplies for production of electric cars in Europe’s largest economy, officials said.

Bolivia and Germany signed a lithium joint venture in 2018 following three years of intense lobbying from Berlin, which said a small family-run company from Germany was a better bet than its Chinese rivals.

But the partnership between Bolivia’s state-owned lithium company YLB and Germany’s privately-owned ACI Systems hit a snag when a governor annulled the decree in November amid political turmoil.

The new head of YLB, Juan Carlos Zuleta, told Reuters last week the joint venture, struck under former socialist leader Evo Morales, would not be revived.
But the final word will go to the winner of Bolivia’s next presidential elections due in May, German government officials and ACI Systems CEO Wolfgang Schmutz told Reuters....MORE