A group of five companies associated with a Canadian firm is investing around USD 30 million in lithium exploration in the Paraguayan Chaco, reported the Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Mauricio Bejarano, under the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. The lithium triangle also includes Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile.
In an interview with state media, Bejarano explained that the state does not invest in lithium exploration and only grants permits since the Paraguayan subsoil is owned by the state.
He pointed out that the Paraguayan state receives a fee for each hectare taken, and in the future, the exploitation yields royalties.
All those involved in the exploration are Canadian, and the investment is private, he confirmed. The entrepreneurs requested permits for exploration from the Deputy Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Ministry of Public Works, as well as to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES).
