Toyota Tsusho Corp to start lithium production in Argentina

TOKYO (Scrap Monster): Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a Toyota Group company will start lithium production at the Salar de Olaroz Lithium-Potash Project in Argentina in a joint venture with Orocobre Ltd, an Australian mining concern.

According to a feasibility study, a salt lake in north western Argentina showed that there are estimated deposits of 6.4 million tonnes well in excess of the initial projection of 1.5 million tonnes.

The plan now is to start building on site facilities this year with mining expected to begin in 2013. It could produce 16,400 tonnes of lithium per year with the site to be used for Toyota Motor Corporation products.