According to the Argentine Chamber of Mining Entrepreneurs (CAEM), this is the result of the launch of new projects, raising the installed capacity to 136,500 tons nationwide.

Argentina tripled its lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) production capacity in the last two years, thanks to the start-up of new projects, raising the installed capacity to 136,500 tons nationwide, the Argentine Chamber of Mining Entrepreneurs reported on Tuesday ( CAEM).

Argentina, the world's fourth largest producer of lithium, has four projects in production, including the inauguration in early July of the Centenario Ratones plant, by the French firm Eramet in association with the Chinese steel company Tsingshan in the northern province of Salta, which plans to produce 24,000 tons per year of LCE by 2025.

"The recent inauguration of Centenario Ratones, the fourth lithium production plant in our country and the first in Salta, adds to a series of new projects and expansions

which tripled the installed capacity in just two years," CAEM said in a statement.

According to the chamber, Argentina went from having a productive potential of 37,500 tons of LCE in 2022 to 136,500 tons "once the processes that allow the plants to operate at their maximum capacity have been overcome, which will translate into greater export volumes and, with it, , greater income of foreign currency to our country".

The Centenario Ratones project was added to Salar de Olaroz, led by Sales de Jujuy and Allkem; Cauchari Olaroz, from the Exar firm, owned by the Chinese Gangfeng and the Canadian Lithium Americas, both in the province of Jujuy, and Salar del Hombre Muerto, from the giant Arcadium Lithium Plc, in Catamarca.

Argentina, located in the so-called "lithium triangle" along with Bolivia and Chile, seeks to continue increasing production with new projects that will begin operating later in the year.