Chilean watchdog Comision Nacional de Energia Nuclear ( CCHEN ) is reportedly conducting an investigation into potential fraud of lithium exports by miners Albemarle and SQM , following a two - year internal review that uncovered " significant errors " , as well as inconsistencies and omissions in sales accounts between 1984 and 2009 . The internal review suggests that the agency had at times inaccurately tracked the amount and location of lithium exported . The investigation would enable the agency to figure out if the omissions were deliberate . Reporting by Dave Sherwood, editing by Ross Colvin and Susan Thomas Albemarle declined to comment on the investigation and SQM said it had not detected any irregularities in its records .
Chilean watchdog Comision Nacional de Energia Nuclear ( CCHEN ) is reportedly conducting an investigation into potential fraud of lithium exports by miners Albemarle and SQM , following a two - year internal review that uncovered " significant errors " , as well as inconsistencies and omissions in sales accounts between 1984 and 2009 . The internal review suggests that the agency had at times inaccurately tracked the amount and location of lithium exported . The investigation would enable the agency to figure out if the omissions were deliberate . Albemarle declined to comment on the investigation and SQM said it had not detected any irregularities in its records .