September 17, 2026

 

Speaking at the Lithium Forum 2026, Eduardo Bitran, an academic at Adolfo Ibáñez University, highlighted the mining industry’s remarkable progress and future challenges in the country, noting that national production grew exponentially, rising from 84,000 tons in 2016 to 221,000 tons in 2025. The expert emphasized that adopting direct extraction technologies would optimize yields and reduce water usage in the Atacama Salt Flat, thereby cementing a path of sustainable growth amidst extreme resource scarcity.

Bitran also commended the pragmatism shown by the Ministry of Mining in continuing the development of high-potential salt flats—such as Pedernales and Maricunga—thereby paving the way for private investment to drive chemical processing complexes in the Atacama region. According to the academic, Chile possesses the necessary know-how and a robust chemical industrial base; this strategically positions the country to process resources from neighboring nations—leveraging its lower country risk—and opens up new opportunities for exporting services and advanced manufactured goods.

Finally, the former Executive Vice President of Corfo projected a highly promising future for the sector, pointing to an ambitious target of 600,000 tons by 2035—a volume that, combined with current royalty schemes, would generate a significant fiscal contribution. Regarding social and community aspects, Bitran called for moving beyond the historically transactional relationship with local communities toward long-term co-investment models, making sustainability and regional well-being fundamental pillars of mining development.

Courtesy of Minería Chilena