In 10 days, companies must deliver their financial statements.

In the international call process for “Expressions of interest on the development of projects and technology for the use of evaporite resources”, YLB qualified 21 companies of the 26 companies that were in the race.

Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB) published on Tuesday the list of the 21 companies and the 22 proposals from these companies that are still in the evaluation process so that, once contracted, they develop their technology to obtain evaporite resources, among them lithium, existing in seven salt flats in the departments of Oruro and Potosí.

The companies moved to Phase III in which they must prove their financial capacity to execute the proposed projects. To present this accreditation, you have 10 business days from the date of notification.

Development

The documents that must be presented are “the audited financial statements for the last five years and the risk rating issued by entities of recognized international prestige that have a minimum rating of Level A3 (on the scale of the Financial System Supervision Authority-Asfi). ) or its equivalent level in the case of any national or international risk rating agency,” says the YLB statement.

The documentation will be verified by personnel from the state YLB under the meets/fails methodology and the results will be notified via email, up to five business days, according to the call, the statement reads.

Among the 21 companies qualified for Phase III are companies from Argentina, Hong Kong (autonomous territory of China), Chile, the United States, Australia, Bolivia, China, Ireland, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and Switzerland.

The company China Machinery Corporation Sucursal Bolivia presented two proposals, one for the Direct Lithium Extraction (EDL)-Brine well process in the salt flats of Coipasa (Oruro), Uyuni, Pastos Grandes, Empexa, Cañapa, Chiguana and Capina (all in Potosí), and the second to carry out Maintenance Operations in the Uyuni salt flat.

Announcement

On January 26 of this year, YLB launched the international call to implement pilot projects for the development of evaporite resources in seven Bolivian salt flats with the objective of demonstrating the technological, economic and financial viability of industrial complexes.

Until March 6, the date on which the proposal submission stage concluded, 38 companies were qualified for the process.

A week and a half later, YLB announced the list of 26 companies that were qualified for Phase II for the development of lithium and other evaporite resources in seven salt flats.

In July 2023, it was reported that quantification studies carried out in the Pastos Grandes and Coipasa salt flats determined 2 million tons of additional lithium reserves. With that figure, Bolivia adds a total of 23 million tons of “white gold.”