Eramet’s The Salar de Centenario-Ratones Lithium Project

Eramet Group (France) is in the process of commissioning its direct lithium extraction (DLE) facility in Argentina, with it’s subsidiary Eramine Sudamérica, becoming what is said to be the first European company to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate at commercial scale from a primary resource. The exact timing for the ramp-up of Eramet’s Centenario facility, co-owned with Tsingshan Holding Group (China), is unknown. The first batch of brine will not be ready for the direct extraction phase until August, but initial commercial scale production of lithium carbonate was announced to take place as early as November 2024 with scale up to 24,000 metric tons a year by mid-2025.

The Salar de Centenario-Ratones, where the project is located, is a significant lithium brine deposit in Argentina, known for its potential in lithium extraction. The salar is situated in the Catamarca province of Argentina, within the Andean region. It is part of the extensive salt flat areas (salars) that are known for their high lithium concentrations in brine form. These salars are typically located at high altitudes in the Andes Mountains, where evaporation rates are high, aiding in the concentration of lithium-rich brines.