Lithium brines belts in the Central Andes of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

Abstract

The Central Andes are characterized by a succession of north–south trending ranges and closed basins occupied by numerous saline lakes and salt crusts, collectively called salars. Lithium was discovered in the Salar de Atacama in northern Chile during a geological study conducted in 1969, which initiated the identification of one of the world's major continental regions of lithium brines. Today, the Central Andes offer a significant portion of the world's Li production. In 2024, Chile and Argentina produced almost 28% of the world’s total of 240,000 tons of lithium. The region became a major producer due to the large size of their deposits and the high quality of lithium brines.
Lithium rich brines are known over a large area of the Central, with about 75 occurrences reported to date. This study focuses on 42 deposits that include evaluation results.
Recent developments are promising, given the information about lithium-bearing brines found in other salt flats and several identified prospective areas that remain to be studied. The identified levels of lithium reserves and resources, along with optimistic expectations for exploration, position this region as a significant contributor to the global lithium industry.
Reports, evaluations, and exploration surveys conducted over the past decade offer an updated perspective on the current state of lithium brines in the Central Andes. This revision analyses numerous studies in order to better understand the actual and future situation of this region related to lithium brine reserves and resources.