According to the document consulted by Expansion, of the 20 prospected locations, 13 are in Sonora, three in Jalisco, one in Chihuahua, another in Durango, one more in Nayarit and another in Puebla. However, the document does not specify what the four targets that are intended to be analyzed in detail.
The objective of the study is to have information that allows determining the “technical feasibility” of future projects, which could generate significant income. Although no further details are provided in this regard, the document mentions that this situation will contribute to the capitalization of LitioMx, the state company created in August last year to manage all matters related to this valuable mineral in the country.
“It will contribute so that the entity designated by the Mexican state, LitioMx, capitalizes on the use of geological information related to lithium deposits,” the document says.
The areas will be investigated for their geological-structural and sedimentological contexts of said localities. These investigations will be carried out using techniques such as geological cartography, interpretation of satellite images, sampling results, surveying of sections and stratigraphic correlation, in addition to taking advantage of previous work carried out.
The challenge of technical feasibility
Despite the fact that in 2019, the Canadian publication Mining Technology cataloged the lithium deposit in Bacahueáchi, Sonora, as the largest in the world, the private sector expressed skepticism about the feasibility of establishing a new industry in the country due to its location in clays.
The development of a productive process in this type of deposits would be an unprecedented event worldwide, since approximately 85% of lithium deposits are found in salt flats, such as in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, while the rest are in salt flats. pegmatites, as in China.
The Mexican Geological Service (SGM) indicates in relation to this project that it is necessary to generate more data on lithium, which is why it is necessary to continue with the investigation and expand geological exploration. But the uncertainty about whether it is possible to exploit, process and then add lithium from the national territory to value chains still persists.
“We have discussed it with the authorities in Sonora, we have discussed it with the authorities of the Mexican Geological Service, and we still do not have no knowledge of economically viable deposits”, mentioned Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, president of the Mining Chamber of Mexico, at the request of Expansionduring the presentation of the agency’s annual report this week.