TECHNICAL REPORT on the POCITOS WEST PROJECT, Salta Province, Argentina

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

TECHNICAL REPORT on the POCITOS WEST PROJECT, Salta Province, Argentina TECHNICAL REPORT on the POCITOS WEST PROJECT, Salta Province, Argentina Prepared for: Liberty One Lithium Corp. 1920 -1177 W Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 2K3, Canada Prepared by: Nivaldo Rojas Fellow AusIMM 227551 Guayaquil 265 –Barrio Arizu Godoy Cruz (5501)- Mendoza- Argentina EFFECTIVE DATE: June 22nd, 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 6 2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 9 3. RELIANCE ON OTHER EXPERTS ....................................................................................................... 10 4. PROPERTY LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................... 11 4.1 Property Location ..................................................................................................................... 11 4.2 Property Description ................................................................................................................ 12 4.3 Type of Mineral Tenure ............................................................................................................ 14 4.4 Interest in Property .................................................................................................................. 15 4.5 Work Permitting ....................................................................................................................... 16 5. ACCESSIBILITY, CLIMATE, LOCAL RESOURCES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PHYSIOGRAPHY .............. 17 5.1 Accessibility .............................................................................................................................. 17 5.2 Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 17 5.2.1 Meteorological Data Sources ......................................................................................................... 17 5.2.2 San Antonio de los Cobres Weather Station .................................................................................. 18 5.2.3 Hombre Muerto Weather Station .................................................................................................. 18 5.2.4 Pastos Grandes Weather Station .................................................................................................... 19 5.3 Local Resources ........................................................................................................................ 20 5.4 Infrastructure in the Region ..................................................................................................... 21 5.4.1 Road Connections ........................................................................................................................... 21 5.4.2 Electrical Power Connection ........................................................................................................... 21 5.4.3 Natural Gas ..................................................................................................................................... 21 5.4.4 Railway Antofagasta-Salta .............................................................................................................. 22 5.5 Physiography ............................................................................................................................ 22 5.5.1 Topography ..................................................................................................................................... 22 5.5.2 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 24 5.6 Biosphere (Vegetation and Fauna) ........................................................................................... 24 5.6.1 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................... 24 5.6.2 Fauna .............................................................................................................................................. 25 5.7 Hydrosphere ............................................................................................................................. 25 6. HISTORY .......................................................................................................................................... 27 7. GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND MINERALIZATION .............................................................................. 28 2 7.1 Regional Geology ...................................................................................................................... 28 7.2 Local Geology ........................................................................................................................... 29 7.2.1 Geomorphology .............................................................................................................................. 29 7.2.2 Geology ........................................................................................................................................... 31 8. DEPOSIT TYPES ............................................................................................................................... 36 9. EXPLORATION ................................................................................................................................. 37 9.1 Vertical Electrical Sounding Survey (VES) ................................................................................. 37 10. DRILLING & PUMPING TESTS ........................................................................................................ 39 11. SAMPLE PREPARATION, ANALYSES AND SECURITY .................................................................... 41 11.1 Sample preparation ................................................................................................................ 41 11.2 Sample Analyses ..................................................................................................................... 41 11.2.1 Laboratory Analytical Procedures for Drainable Porosity ............................................................ 41 11.2.2 Laboratory Analytical Procedures for Total Porosity .................................................................... 42 11.2.3 Laboratory Analytical Procedures for Brine Chemistry ................................................................ 43 11.3 Quality Control Results and Analyses..................................................................................... 44 12. DATA VERIFICATION ..................................................................................................................... 45 13. MINERAL PROCESSING AND METALLURGICAL TESTING .............................................................. 46 14. MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES ................................................................................................. 47 15. MINERAL RESERVE ESTIMATES .................................................................................................... 48 16. MINING METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 49 17. RECOVERY METHODS ................................................................................................................... 50 18. PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE .......................................................................................................... 51 19. MARKET STUDIES AND CONTRACTS ............................................................................................. 52 20. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, PERMITTING AND SOCIAL OR COMMUNITES STUDIES .................. 53 21. CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS ................................................................................................ 54 22. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................. 55 23. ADJACENT PROPERTIES ................................................................................................................ 56 24. OTHER RELEVANT DATA AND INFORMATION .............................................................................. 59 25. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................... 60 26. RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................... 61 27. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 63 27.1 References mentioned in the text. ........................................................................................ 63 27.2 General references not cited in text. ..................................................................................... 64 3 28. ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................................................ 66 29. CERTIFICATE OF AUTHOR ............................................................................................................. 68 22. APPENDIXES .................................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Lpzsttz Et Al Final Ms.Pdf
    Lithium and Brine Geochemistry in the Salars of the Southern Puna, Andean Plateau of Argentina Romina Lucrecia Lopez Steinmetz, Stefano Salvi, Carisa Sarchi, Carla Santamans, Lorena Cecilia Lopez Steinmetz To cite this version: Romina Lucrecia Lopez Steinmetz, Stefano Salvi, Carisa Sarchi, Carla Santamans, Lorena Cecilia Lopez Steinmetz. Lithium and Brine Geochemistry in the Salars of the Southern Puna, Andean Plateau of Argentina. Economic Geology, Society of Economic Geologists, 2020, 115, pp.1079 - 1096. 10.5382/econgeo.4754. hal-02989895 HAL Id: hal-02989895 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02989895 Submitted on 5 Nov 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1 Lithium and Brine Geochemistry in the Salars of the Southern Puna, 2 Andean Plateau of Argentina 3 4 Romina Lucrecia López Steinmetz 1 *, Stefano Salvi 2 , Carisa Sarchi 1 , Carla Santamans 1 , 5 Lorena Cecilia López Steinmetz 3 6 7 1 CONICET (INECOA), Instituto de Geología y Minería, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Av. 8 Bolivia 1661, S.S. de Jujuy 4600, Argentina 9 2 Université de Toulouse, CNRS, GET, IRD, OMP, 14 Av. Edouard Belin, Toulouse 31400, 10 France 11 3 Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIPsi-UNC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de 12 Córdoba, Boulevard de la Reforma y Enfermera Gordillo s/n., 2do piso, Córdoba 5000, 13 Argentina 14 * corresponding author: [email protected] 15 16 Abstract 17 The Andean plateau is a small region of South America extending between northwest 18 Argentina, southwest Bolivia and northern Chile.
    [Show full text]
  • Lithium 2 Under the Microscope
    The Trouble with Lithium 2 Under the Microscope Meridian International Research Les Legers 27210 Martainville France Tel: +33 2 32 42 95 49 Fax: +33 2 32 41 39 98 29th May 2008 Copyright Meridian International Research, 2008. All rights reserved. Contents 1 Executive Summary 1 2 Current Production Resources 3 The Lithium Triangle 3 Salar de Atacama 4 Geological Structure 5 Conclusion 10 Salar de Hombre Muerto 11 Salar de Uyuni 11 Geological Structure 13 Production Potential 14 Environmental Factors 15 Conclusion 16 Salar del Rincon 17 Other Brine Resources 20 Clayton Valley 20 China 20 Salar del Olaroz 21 Mineral Resources 21 Western Australia - Greenbushes 21 North Carolina 22 Other Producing Resources 23 Zimbabwe 23 Russian Federation 23 Portugal 24 Canada 24 Brazil 24 Conclusion 24 Meridian International Research 2008 i Contents 3 Future Potential Resources 25 Introduction 25 Mineral Resources 25 Osterbotten, Finland 25 China, Jiajika 26 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) 26 Hectorite Clays 26 Brines 27 Searles Lake 27 Great Salt Lake 28 Salton Sea 28 Smackover Oilfield Brines, Arkansas 32 Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah 33 Dead Sea 34 Other Chilean/ Argentinian/ Bolivian Salars 34 China 35 Seawater 35 4 Production and Market Factors 39 Introduction 39 Lithium Carbonate Production 40 China 41 Other Areas 41 Current Lithium Market Factors 42 Existing Market Demand 42 Market Projection Scenarios 43 Production of Battery Grade (99.95%) Lithium Carbonate 46 Production Factors 46 Battery Recycling 47 Conclusion 48 5 The Wider Environment 49 Geopolitical Environment 49 Nuclear Fusion 51 Environmental and Ecological Factors 52 6 Conclusion 53 ii Meridian International Research 2008 1 Executive Summary This report analyses recently published1 revisions to Lithium Reserves, analyses realistic Lithium Carbonate production potential from existing and future Lithium resources and discusses major factors of increasing importance in the development of future Lithium production for the Automotive Industry.
    [Show full text]
  • Lithium Extraction in Argentina: a Case Study on the Social and Environmental Impacts
    Lithium extraction in Argentina: a case study on the social and environmental impacts Pía Marchegiani, Jasmin Höglund Hellgren and Leandro Gómez. Executive summary The global demand for lithium has grown significantly over recent years and is expected to grow further due to its use in batteries for different products. Lithium is used in smaller electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops but also for larger batteries found in electric vehicles and mobility vehicles. This growing demand has generated a series of policy responses in different countries in the southern cone triangle (Argentina, Bolivia and Chile), which together hold around 80 per cent of the world’s lithium salt brine reserves in their salt flats in the Puna area. Although Argentina has been extracting lithium since 1997, for a long time there was only one lithium-producing project in the country. In recent years, Argentina has experienced increased interest in lithium mining activities. In 2016, it was the most dynamic lithium producing country in the world, increasing production from 11 per cent to 16 per cent of the global market (Telam, 2017). There are now around 46 different projects of lithium extraction at different stages. However, little consideration has been given to the local impacts of lithium extraction considering human rights and the social and environmental sustainability of the projects. With this in mind, the current study seeks to contribute to an increased understanding of the potential and actual impacts of lithium extraction on local communities, providing insights from local perspectives to be considered in the wider discussion of sustainability, green technology and climate change.
    [Show full text]
  • Asx Announcement Galan Acquires Option to Purchase Key Tenement at Hombre Muerto West
    ASX ANNOUNCEMENT 15 July 2021 GALAN ACQUIRES OPTION TO PURCHASE KEY TENEMENT AT HOMBRE MUERTO WEST • Option to purchase strategic new tenement executed • Right to acquisition increases flexibility and more area for pond location and infrastructure such as camp and processing plant for HMW • Potential to increase lithium resource to be assessed with geophysics work to follow Galan Lithium Limited (ASX:GLN) (Galan or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has executed a binding Option Agreement (Agreement) with a private Argentinian individual for the purchase of the right to earn a 100% interest in the Casa Del Inca III lithium brine tenement. The acquisition increases and consolidates our Hombre Muerto West (HMW) project footprint located in the South American Lithium Triangle in Catamarca, Argentina (Figure 1). Galan has agreed to initially acquire 300ha for a total of US$150,000 with the initial deposit of US$80,000 being paid. Figure 1 shows that the project abuts the east side of the Pata Pila tenement and highlights the initial 300ha to be purchased under the Agreement plus the total 900ha, if required. Casa del Inca III is located within the world-class, Salar del Hombre Muerto, where Livent Corporation (NYSE:LTHM) is currently producing lithium carbonate and Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX:GXY) is developing its Sal de Vida project. More importantly, it abuts Galan’s Pata Pila interest, which shares the same geology setting forming part of the suite of tenements that comprise the HMW project. The HMW project currently houses a high-grade, low impurity lithium brine resource of ~2.3Mt LCE @ 946mg/l Li.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACTS ACTAS IAGOD 2019 31Ene.Pmd
    SALTA, ARGENTINA 28-31 AUGUST 2018 15th Quadrennial International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits Symposium SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS SILVER SPONSORS BRONZE SPONSORS COPPER SPONSORS Co-sponsored by SALTA, ARGENTINA 28-31 AUGUST 2018 15th Quadrennial International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits Symposium SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE CHAIR Lira Raúl – (University of Córdoba – CONICET, Argentina) MEMBERS Bineli-Betsi Thierry – (Botswana International University of Science and Technology) Chang Zhaoshan – (Colorado School of Mines, USA) Cherkasov Sergey – (Vernadsky State Geological Museum of Russian Academy of Sciences) Cook Nigel – (University of Adelaide, Australia) Gozalvez Martín – (Geological and Mining Survey of Argentina) Guido Diego – (CONICET/Austral Gold S.A, Argentina) Lentz David – (University of New Brunswick, Economic Geology Chair) López Luis – (National Atomic Energy Commission, Argentina) Mao Jingwen – (Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences/Hebei GEO University, China) Meinert Larry – (Consultant) Pons Josefina – (IIPG – University of Río Negro – University of Comahue – CONICET, Argentina) Rubinstein Nora – (IGEBa–University of Buenos Aires – CONICET) Sanematsu Kenzo – (Geological Survey of Japan, AIST) Schutesky Della Giustina Maria Emilia – (University of Brasília, Brasil) Tornos Fernando – (Spanish National Research Council – CSIC) Watanabe Yasushi – (Faculty of International Resource Sciences, Akita University, Japan) EDITED BY Daniel Rastelli, Dolores Álvarez, Noelia
    [Show full text]
  • Geología De La Puna En La Región Que Media Entre El Cerro Socompa Y El Cerro Tul Tul, Pcia
    Tesis de Posgrado Geología de la Puna en la región que media entre el cerro Socompa y el cerro Tul Tul, Pcia. de Salta Koukharsky, Magdalena María Luisa 1988 Tesis presentada para obtener el grado de Doctor en Ciencias Geológicas de la Universidad de Buenos Aires Este documento forma parte de la colección de tesis doctorales y de maestría de la Biblioteca Central Dr. Luis Federico Leloir, disponible en digital.bl.fcen.uba.ar. Su utilización debe ser acompañada por la cita bibliográfica con reconocimiento de la fuente. This document is part of the doctoral theses collection of the Central Library Dr. Luis Federico Leloir, available in digital.bl.fcen.uba.ar. It should be used accompanied by the corresponding citation acknowledging the source. Cita tipo APA: Koukharsky, Magdalena María Luisa. (1988). Geología de la Puna en la región que media entre el cerro Socompa y el cerro Tul Tul, Pcia. de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. http://digital.bl.fcen.uba.ar/Download/Tesis/Tesis_2166_Koukharsky.pdf Cita tipo Chicago: Koukharsky, Magdalena María Luisa. "Geología de la Puna en la región que media entre el cerro Socompa y el cerro Tul Tul, Pcia. de Salta". Tesis de Doctor. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. 1988. http://digital.bl.fcen.uba.ar/Download/Tesis/Tesis_2166_Koukharsky.pdf Dirección: Biblioteca Central Dr. Luis F. Leloir, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Contacto: [email protected] Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - C1428EGA - Tel. (++54 +11) 4789-9293 Í;.,: 5’ . r- I su.
    [Show full text]
  • Plan Estratégico Territorial TOLAR GRANDE Provincia De Salta
    Plan Estratégico Territorial TOLAR GRANDE Provincia de Salta 1 Secretaría de Planificación Territorial y Coordinación de Obra Pública MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR, OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y VIVIENDA Esta publicación es resultados de los trabajos realizados para el Plan de Fortalecimiento Institucional para Municipios SPTCOP en el marco del Programa de Fortalecimiento Institucional de la Secretaría de Planificación Territorial y Coordinación de la Obra Pública. 2 Plan Estratégico Territorial TOLAR GRANDE Provincia de Salta TOLAR GRANDE 3 Secretaría de Planificación Territorial y Coordinación de Obra Pública MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR, OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y VIVIENDA 4 Plan Estratégico Territorial TOLAR GRANDE Provincia de Salta AUTORIDADES NACIONALES Presidente de la República Argentina Ing. Mauricio MACRI Vicepresidente de la República Argentina Lic. Gabriela MICHETTI Jefe de Gabinete de Ministros Lic. Marcos PEÑA Ministro del Interior, Obras Públicas y Vivienda Lic. Rogelio FRIGERIO Secretario de Planificación Territorial y Coordinación de la Obra Pública Lic. Fernando ÁLVAREZ DE CELIS Director Nacional de Planificación Estratégica Territorial Lic. Julián ÁLVAREZ INSÚA AUTORIDADES PROVINCIALES Gobernador de la Provincia de Salta Dr. Juan Manuel Urtubey Vicegobernador de la Provincia de Salta Sr. Miguel Ángel Isa AUTORIDADES MUNICIPALES Intendente / Presidente Comunal Sergio Villanueva 5 Secretaría de Planificación Territorial y Coordinación de Obra Pública MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR, OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y VIVIENDA EQUIPO TÉCNICO Secretaría de Planificación Territorial Y Coordinación de la Obra Pública Coordinador del Área de Apoyo a la Planificación Arq. Daniel JIMENEZ ALCORTA Equipo Técnico Lic. Mariana CAMPI Lic. Ma. Laura MOSCIARO Ing. Rafael RODRÍGUEZ CASTRO Prof. Micaela RAPISARDI Lucas LENZI Celina LOHEZIC Dra. Arq. Constanza TOMMEI Mgte. Gabriel LOZANO Arq. Samanta CATALDI Arq.
    [Show full text]
  • The Argentine Lithium Connection,#CTMS2017
    The Argentine Lithium Connection A junior stock can begin a decent bull run for any number of reasons, but one thing’s for sure, it’s rarely because a drilling program started. Results? Sure! But explorers exploring is surely no news at all; unless, of course, you’re a Grosso Group company. Joseph Grosso and his team have been so long established in Argentina that confidence in their projects is automatically fairly extreme, and the group’s past successes coupled with their current asset acquisition plans may just be enough to create lift-off. The company in question, Argentina Lithium and Energy Corp. (TSXV: LIT | OTCQB: PNXLF), has the option to earn a 100% interest in the Arizaro Lithium Brine Project, including 20,500 hectares in the central core of the Arizaro Salar, the largest in Argentina and third largest in the “Lithium Triangle”. Upon announcing that exploration had commenced, LIT shares climbed by over 40%; presumably in confident anticipation of a positive outcome resulting from two things: the aforementioned belief in management, and an announcement citing the company’s intention to acquire an additional deposit in the coming weeks. All of this amounts to a sort of confidence positive feedback loop, especially as successful dealings in Argentina are currently reserved for the experienced only. Recent regime change is often enough to scare away most investors, but the Grosso lot have been cluttering up the place for decades already. In short, and with certainty, the group are sufficiently connected to move at an intensely competitive pace compared to, say, a newcomer to the region.
    [Show full text]
  • DESCARGAR Revista En
    ISSN 0717-0580 I Año / Year 15 2do semestre / 2nd semester 2010 www.latinomineria.com 69 69 Bilingual Edition 2010 2nd semester 2nd / / 2do semestre Latinominería - EscenarioEscenario minerominero ArgentinaArgentina aspiraaspira aa estarestar entreentre loslos grandesgrandes Minería del carbón Atractiva cartera de inversiones Cerrejón, Minera Buenaventura el gigante atenta a nuevas colombiano oportunidades contenidos Argentina aspira América Latina a estar entre los grandes de la minería Con una atractiva cartera de proyectos y gran abundancia de recursos geológicos, y la minería la minería en Argentina presenta un atractivo potencial de crecimiento. Sin embargo, también enfrenta importantes trabas. América Latina tiene un rol preponderante en la actividad minera mundial, protagonis- 08 mo que se sustenta –en primer lugar– en la gran riqueza geológica de sus países, en Peruana Buenaventura: calidad, cantidad y diversidad de recursos mineros. Es así como Chile es el principal “Estamos mirando productor mundial de cobre y nitratos; Perú ocupa el primer puesto en plata y se ha oportunidades” consolidado como el segundo en cobre y zinc, además es el sexto productor de oro; Una importante cartera de inversiones México es el otro gran protagonista en plata; en tanto que Brasil es uno de los gigantes está desarrollando la peruana Compañía de Minas Buenaventura; la exploración y mundiales en hierro. obtención de nuevos recursos mineros Esta variedad de recursos ha hecho que la región concentre buena parte de la inversión tiene un rol clave. 39 internacional en exploración minera. De los US$7.320 millones que se destinaron a este ítem en 2009, América Latina acaparó el 26% de dicho monto; Perú, México, Chile y Cerrejón, el gigante Brasil se ubicaron entre los diez principales destinos.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Lithium Sources—Industrial Use and Future in the Electric Vehicle Industry: a Review
    resources Review Global Lithium Sources—Industrial Use and Future in the Electric Vehicle Industry: A Review Laurence Kavanagh * , Jerome Keohane, Guiomar Garcia Cabellos, Andrew Lloyd and John Cleary EnviroCORE, Department of Science and Health, Institute of Technology Carlow, Kilkenny, Road, Co., R93-V960 Carlow, Ireland; [email protected] (J.K.); [email protected] (G.G.C.); [email protected] (A.L.); [email protected] (J.C.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 28 July 2018; Accepted: 11 September 2018; Published: 17 September 2018 Abstract: Lithium is a key component in green energy storage technologies and is rapidly becoming a metal of crucial importance to the European Union. The different industrial uses of lithium are discussed in this review along with a compilation of the locations of the main geological sources of lithium. An emphasis is placed on lithium’s use in lithium ion batteries and their use in the electric vehicle industry. The electric vehicle market is driving new demand for lithium resources. The expected scale-up in this sector will put pressure on current lithium supplies. The European Union has a burgeoning demand for lithium and is the second largest consumer of lithium resources. Currently, only 1–2% of worldwide lithium is produced in the European Union (Portugal). There are several lithium mineralisations scattered across Europe, the majority of which are currently undergoing mining feasibility studies. The increasing cost of lithium is driving a new global mining boom and should see many of Europe’s mineralisation’s becoming economic. The information given in this paper is a source of contextual information that can be used to support the European Union’s drive towards a low carbon economy and to develop the field of research.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Quality Control of Mining Activities in the Province of Catamarca
    IMWA Proceedings 1999 | © International Mine Water Association 2012 | www.IMWA.info MINE, WATER & ENVIRONMENT. 1999 IMWA Congress. Sevilla, Spain ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CONTROL OF MINING ACTIVITIES IN THE PROVINCE OF CATAMARCA. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC Hector 0. Nieva, Dante R. Vilte, Augusto C. Acuna, Gustavo A. Baez Secretarfa de Estado del Ambiente Republica 838 4700 Capital. Catamarca. Argentina Phone:+ 54 3833 437585. Fax:+ 54 3833 437584 e-mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION 2 Section 41 of the Constitution of the Argentine Repu­ The Province of Catamarca (1 01,660 km ) is located in blic states: "All citizens have the right to a safe and balanced the Northwest of Argentina. The Capital City, San Fernando del environment ... Environmental damage shall primarily involve Valle de Catamarca, is 520 m above sea level and 1,145 km the obligation to restore as established by law''. National Law from Buenos Aires. Its large area together with its geographic No. 24196 of Mining Development for the Argentine Republic characteristics (70% mountain) allow this province to have a encouraged large mining investments in our country, and Arti­ wide range of microclimates and landscapes. According to the cle 7 thereof states "In order to avoid and remedy any altera­ 1991 national census, it had 300,636 inhabitants. tions caused by mining activities to the environment, compa­ We can divide the province in: east, central and west nies shall provide a special allowance for such purpose". Sec­ regions. The latter (where major mining projects are located) inclu­ tion 1 of National Law No. 24585 of Environmental Protection des the departments of Tinogasta, Antofagasta de Ia Sierra, Belen, for Mining Activities, states: "Environment protection and pre­ Santa Marfa, Poman and Andalgala, with climates ranging from arid servation of natural and cultural resources which may be to desert and cold and a low bio-diversity environmental system.
    [Show full text]
  • “Mineral Extraction in a Plurinational State: Commodification and Resource Governance in the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia”
    “Mineral Extraction in a Plurinational State: Commodification and Resource Governance in the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia” Maria Daniela Sánchez-López 2017 A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the University of East Anglia School of International Development This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived there from must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition, any quotation or extract must include full attribution ABSTRACT The Uyuni salt flat (Salar de Uyuni) is located in the Bolivian high Andean plateau, is considered to be the largest salt flat on earth and a natural wonder. Concentrated in its brines, is the largest lithium deposit in the world, along with important reserves of potassium, magnesium and ulexite, collectively known as ‘evaporite resources’. Over the past 40 years, this landscape has been commodified and radically transformed in a continuous process of mining capitalist expansion. What is unfolding in the case of the Uyuni salt flat, however, is not just an economically- driven process of capitalist expansion, but also a transformation of the landscape linked to the value and symbolic meanings attached to the salt flat in an ongoing process of the neoliberalisation of nature. This thesis seeks to examine how social relations in terms of the material, discursive and cultural dynamics of evaporite mining shape and are shaped by governance frameworks. Based on a qualitative exploration, the research has three main objectives: i) to examine how and under what conditions the Uyuni salt flat has been commodified over the past 40 years (both under a neoliberal and post-neoliberal regime); ii) to analyse how lithium has exacerbated the territorial disputes and resource conflicts at local, departmental and national levels; and iii) to evaluate how and why territory and territoriality emerge as key elements within the process of commodification.
    [Show full text]