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The new parastatal seeks to lay the foundations for Mexico to be one of the main countries in the exploitation of lithium.
The mining potential in the country is involved in the nationalization of ‘white gold’ through the company Litio para México.
This mineral is essential for countless production chains in the technology and automotive sectors.
Industry representatives do not expect immediate results from the state company Litio para México (LithiumMX), because the uncertainty is great and, although the announcements made by the federal government estimate results in a month, the companies in the automotive sector that could benefit from the national production of lithium have not reached talks or negotiations of any kind.
And it is that, LithiumMX It has very little to be established, so businessmen see it as normal for its takeoff to arise slowly.
So far, the only thing that has been announced is that Lithium for Mexico will seek the manufacture of electric batteries in the country, thanks to the exploration, exploitation and commercialization of lithium as a “national gold”, a mineral of great importance for electric cars.
In fact, a study carried out by GlobalWebindex details that 6 out of 10 millennials would be willing to pay more for organic productsas well as more and more Gen Z consumers and baby boomers add to sustainability, fact where electric mobility is considerably benefited.
In 2021 alone, according to what the United States Geological Survey, it is estimated that around 100 thousand tons of lithium were produced, this being the peak of its production. Thus, taking into account that the demand for electric cars will continue to increase, what will consequently happen is that the peak that lithium has already reached will have to be overcome.
The report “The lithium market. Recent development and projections to 2030”, indicates that the demand for lithium carbonate equivalent in 2021 amounted to 465 thousand tons, a figure that is expected to increase by 2030 to 2.1 million tons, when the production of gasoline and diesel vehicles will be a priority.
LitioMX and the automotive industry in Mexico
The general director of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA) stated that the automotive industry in Mexico is still waiting for the formal presentation of LitioMX to learn about the commercial scope of the state-owned company.
“The intention is for the Government to give us a presentation on the scope, points and what this company consists of. What is the objective of the Government towards a conversion that it intends to carry out in terms of lithium and its exploitation, as well as those investments that derive from the exploitation of this mineral, ”he explained.
However, it is expected that in the first weeks of October the INA Original Equipment Committee will meet with authorities to discuss the commercial process of Lithium for Mexicoalthough they do not consider that the results are express.
“The Lithium company for Mexico has just been established, it has not started operations yet, it is in process. So, we don’t expect an immediate result.”
“Not only the supply chain but also the manufacturers are participating in the different working groups towards electromobility because our interest is common. From the manufacture of parts and components to the manufacture of vehicles,” said Fausto Cuevas, general director of the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA).
The leader of this industry explained that there is a lot of interest in the exploitation of lithium, as well as in the manufacture of semiconductors, but don’t expect these to arrive soon, even when Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced the start of batteries for electric cars in our country for next month.
“It would be surprising if such a relevant decision is resolved in a month. The decision to manufacture batteries or participate in the production of lithium, as in the case of any other component, investments take time, one thing is when it is announced and another when it can actually be a reality in terms of production”, he pointed out. on behalf of the AMIA.
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