Op-ed: Aurora Williams Baussa, Chilean Minister of Mining

Lithium, An Opportunity for Chile

By: Aurora Williams Baussa, Chilean Minister of Mining

We recently took an important step for the development of our economy, and therefore of all the country. President Michelle Bachelet’s announcement about the lithium policy and governance of the salt lake offers a proactive look towards innovation and the diversification of our natural resources and control over a non-metallic mineral that is part of the state of Chile.
As a mining country, we understand that lithium, like molybdenum and potassium, is a mineral that has invaluable potential in the technology industry, in new applications and uses. That’s how we are promoting the added value that it grants our mining industry, and in the medium and long term it means keeping the consolidation of Chile as a world leader in this economic sector.
A central conclusion from the National Commission of Lithium was that to develop a policy for this strategic resource, we should look at the salt lake as a whole, including both environmental and social aspects. This concept is chained to our culture of developing mines with increasing consistency — clearly, as a nation we aspire to go beyond mere extraction and export of resources. So, the project promotes the creation and strengthening of a sector cluster that will allow us to implement research and innovation in universities and industry. It is a global and inclusive concept.
Our experience in the last years indicates that we have the capacity to improve toward productive diversification — namely, to transform the capital derived from non-renewable resources into human capital, education and training, physical and social infrastructure, innovation and technological development, all that helps harmonize economic growth with environmental protection.
The responsibility we have taken is a statement facing future generations, a heritage that reflects the excellence of the mining industry and the collective spirit that strengthens a country. That’s why the state and the private sector must work together so that industry results are extended to the whole Chilean society. Undoubtedly, we are marking a milestone where we open a new opportunity for Chile and its people.