Lithium history

More than 30 years driving lithium production from the heart of the desert.

Our history in the lithium industry

Our history in lithium is built on the experience of SQM at the Atacama Salt FlatFor more than three decades, its operations have driven increasingly efficient and sustainable technologies and processes. Today, together with CodelcoWe project that path into the future through Novandino Litio.

Key milestones in this story

1986

The subsidiary is created SQM Salar SA with the goal of developing lithium, potassium, and other mineral projects in the Atacama Salt Flat. This milestone marked the beginning of the path toward a strategic industry for the country.

1997

Production begins lithium carbonate in the facilities built in the Salar del Carmen.

2005

Production begins lithium hydroxidea key step in responding to the growing demand for high-performance batteries, especially in the automotive industry.

2023

April 2023

Official announcement of the National Strategy for Lithium and Salt Flats by President Gabriel Boric.

May 2023th

Codelco's board of directors approves the creation of subsidiaries Salares de Chile SpA y Tarar Mining Spa.

May 2023th

Codelco-SQM NDA Signature

December 2023

Signature of Memorandum of understanding between Codelco and SQM.

2024

SQM Lithium reached a capacity of 210.000 tons of LCE, converting its Lithium Chemical Plant into a lithium refinery biggest in the world.

2024

The agreement is signed partnership between Codelco and SQM, marking the birth of Novandino Litio, a new public-private partnership that continues this story with a more sustainable and participatory vision for the future.

2025

September 2025

concludes indigenous consultation implemented by Corfo. This process was a key condition for our training, culminating in collaborative work sessions that detailed the commitments to the Atacama communities.

January 2026

It is constituted Novandino Litioconsolidating the alliance between Codelco and SQM to explore and produce lithium in the Salar de Atacama until 2060, starting together a new way of projecting Chile's energy into the future.

The future of lithium starts here

Decades ago, a story began in the Atacama Salt Flat that transformed lithium into a key energy source for the future. It's a journey marked by innovation, learning, and the conviction that this resource could unlock new opportunities for the world.

Today we continue on that path with our sights set on what lies ahead. We are proud of what we have built and confident that the lithium produced in this region will continue to fuel the energy that drives the world into the future.