Chilean authorities are looking to impose "major new restrictions" on the extraction of water from the Atacama salt flats, which could affect lithium mining companies Albemarle and SQM. SQM, head of the country’s water authority, said BHP Billiton and Antofagasta had been granted permission to pump six times more water than an Atacama aquifer could tolerate, prompting the agency to stop issuing new permits. In response to the possible restriction, SQM has said that it has enough water rights for current and future operations.
Chilean authorities are looking to impose "major new restrictions" on the extraction of water from the Atacama salt flats, which could affect lithium mining companies Albemarle and SQM. Oscar Cristi, head of the country’s water authority, said BHP Billiton and Antofagasta had been granted permission to pump six times more water than an Atacama aquifer could tolerate, prompting the agency to stop issuing new permits. In response to the possible restriction, SQM has said that it has enough water rights for current and future operations.