The research, development and innovation deal will allow the sustainable commercial production of 30% lithium chloride, without using water from the lithium-containing salars and with a reinjection of up to 90% of the brines in their natural state.

USACH will validate the lithium chloride extraction and production processes developed in a plant built by Sorcia and Canada's International Battery Metals Ltd. (IBAT), and will then implement them in the university-affiliated salars.

The partners claim the technology will enable the extraction of lithium in all salars, even those with low concentration.