MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

State-run companies sign deal to seek lithium in Argentine province of Catamarca

For us the deal “is very important,” Governor Jalil said

An agreement between YPF and CAMYEN for lithium exploration in the province of Catamarca was signed Wednesday. The joint undertaking has been described as the first of its kind.

 

Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF) and Catamarca Minera y Energética Sociedad Del Estado (CAMYEN) will develop all the stages of the search for the mineral in 20 thousand hectares in 20,000 hectares in Fiambalá, in the department of Tinogasta.

The oil company described the agreement as “a milestone for both companies as it is the first development of this type to be carried out”.

Initially, through shallow wells, the potential and content of lithium will be identified to determine the richest areas, it was explained. The pilot exploration phase will require the drilling of deeper wells, in addition to the construction of pools and other storage facilities and processing structures. Depending on the results, progress could be made in the development of the area on a commercial scale.

Catamarca Governor Raúl Jalil underlined the importance of such an agreement within the mining company: “For us, it is very important that YPF is another operator together with other companies of different nationalities that come to invest” in the province.

“It is a historic day for us, we are very happy, very grateful to YPF that they have chosen us as the first province where they are going to start exploratory tasks to find lithium and start with the exploitation afterwards,” CAMYEN's Susana Peralta said.