White Gold: Spain Strikes Lithium Deposit and the Chinese Want It
Euroweekly News ^ | 09 Mar 2025 | Adam Woodward
Posted on 03/10/2025 4:16:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A major lithium deposit discovered near the Portuguese border in Castilla Leon could power Spain’s energy future.
Found within the Conchas Project by Berkeley Energy, the 31 square kilometre site has been hailed financially as a highly significant resource that, if mined efficiently, could meet Spain’s lithium needs, reducing the country’s reliance on imports. Currently, most of the lithium Spanish battery manufacturers use comes from South America.
The project, which is still in feasibility studies, promises significant economic growth for the region but faces hurdles. Environmental groups warn that extraction could harm water resources and biodiversity, and they are calling for strict regulations to mitigate damage. Mining has not begun yet while studies continue.
Chinese firms take interest Spanish lithium mines
Meanwhile, the discovery has sparked the interest of China. Lithium, vital for batteries in electric cars and devices, is a cornerstone of Beijing’s industry today. Chinese companies have already invested heavily in Latin America, buying up stakes in Chile’s SQM, Argentina’s Salar Centenario-Ratones (producing 24,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate), and Bolivia’s Uyuni plant. In 2023, Chinese company Yahua bought 15,000 tonnes of processed lithium from Brazil’s Sigma Lithium, tapping into a reserve of more than one million tonnes.
Now, China has taken a fancy to Spain’s lithium deposits. But is selling to China what the locals want? The Chinese owners of a mine in Chile’s Atacama are said to have been putting a strain on environmental concerns after doubling output. As Spain weighs economic gains against environmental costs, the question remains whether the lithium will become a national manufacturing resource or another Chinese one.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; China; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: argentina; batteries; bolivia; brazil; centenarioratones; chile; china; electriccars; electronics; industry; lithium; lithiumdeposit; mining; naturalresources; sigmalithium; spain; sqm; uyuni
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1 posted on 03/10/2025 4:16:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
To: nickcarraway
article: "Environmental groups warn that extraction could harm water resources and biodiversity"
Same old tune. I wish a psycho would slice their vocal chords so that they can only croak like buzzard.
2 posted on 03/10/2025 4:23:14 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
To: nickcarraway
(inscrutableness intensifies)
3 posted on 03/10/2025 4:28:08 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
To: nickcarraway
There’s lithium in the US. It just takes too much effort to make it worthwhile. Both Georgia and Texas that I can think of. It gets in the water.
4 posted on 03/10/2025 4:28:16 PM PDT by PAR35
To: nickcarraway
They’ll have to fight the muzzy invaders for it though.
5 posted on 03/10/2025 4:28:35 PM PDT by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same. )
To: nickcarraway
6 posted on 03/10/2025 4:30:00 PM PDT by linMcHlp
To: nickcarraway
Modestly priced lithium for batteries is essential to maintain the political delusion of human caused Global Warming.
By the way - refining lithium requires hundreds of acres of out door "lithium leaching ponds," which are a hideous bright yellow and green color.
7 posted on 03/10/2025 4:31:11 PM PDT by zeestephen (Trump Landslide? Kamala lost the election by 230,000 votes, in WI, MI, and PA.)
To: PAR35
“It gets in the water.“
A little lithium in the water might mellow out individuals with Trump Derangement Mania.
8 posted on 03/10/2025 4:49:47 PM PDT by doc maverick ( )
To: nickcarraway
Lithium is by no means rare.
But China tries to corner the market to make killings.
9 posted on 03/10/2025 4:55:48 PM PDT by AZJeep (sane )
To: nickcarraway
>>”A major lithium deposit discovered near the Portuguese border in Castilla Leon could power Spain’s energy future.”
Who writes these articles? Power storage is not the same thing as power generation.
10 posted on 03/10/2025 5:22:46 PM PDT by mbrfl
To: Governor Dinwiddie
There are some nice lepidolite deposits which are ore for Lithium in New Mexico. They occur in heavily folded metamorphic rock just east of Taos. I saw mines covered in pink and purple, which is beautiful. That was in the early 1970’s, and then the main use for Lithium was for psycktropic drugs.
11 posted on 03/10/2025 5:40:15 PM PDT by silent majority rising (When it is dark enough, men see the stars. Ralph Waldo Emerson)
To: PAR35
There is a huge lithium deposit on the Nevada Oregon border, known as Thacker Pass, which has been held up for environmental reasons. I believe Trump has taken steps to get Interior to facilitate its development. A hard rock spodumene deposit, with a bed of associated clay, it may be among the largest deposits in the world. There is also a large deposit in New England, but they will never allow it to be developed because that’s the way they are.
12 posted on 03/10/2025 5:46:04 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
To: Governor Dinwiddie
article: "Environmental groups warn that extraction could harm water resources and biodiversity"
If the alternative is China gets them, I say let the enviro-wackos win this one.
13 posted on 03/10/2025 6:02:23 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie ("We want no Gestapo or Secret Police. F. B. I. is tending in that direction." - Harry S Truman)
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