VII. National Lithium Strategy Implementation Schedule

This section provides an implementation schedule for the National Lithium Strategy and its various actions, in particular the roles that will be played by each ministry and some suggestions on the
next steps to follow.

Creation of the Strategic Committee for Lithium and Salt Flats

This committee, which will be created in May 2023, will be responsible for implementing the strategy and will hold the status of a Corfo committee.

Negotiation for a public-private partnership in the Atacama Salt Flat

To be initiated in the first half of 2023.

Initiation of stakeholder engagement and participation processes

This engagement process will be implemented during 2023, and will include four stages:

• Preparation and calls to attend
• Participation process
• Integration and systematization
• Dissemination of the results of the process

Creation of a Public Technology and Research Institute for Lithium and Salt Flats

A technical committee will be established for the creationof the Public Technology and Research Institute for Lithium and Salt Flats, made up by the aforementioned ministries and institutions, in addition to other public bodies, regional governments, universities, and R&D&I ecosystem players. 

It is expected to be launched in the first half of 2024.

Prospecting in other salt flats

The resources available in other salt flats must be identified, and the necessary conditions for their sustainable extraction must be generated. To achieve this, public-private partnerships will be established with the State controlling production decisions. This will be implemented as follows:

1. Starting in 2023, special lithium exploration and operation contracts will be granted to subsidiaries of state-owned companies Codelco and Enami in salt flats where projects are currently ongoing in different phases of development. These companies may decide whether to partner with a private-sector player.
2. Tendering of exploration contracts to private-sector players starting in the first half of 2024 for those salt flats registered by Sernageomin that are eligible for lithium extraction.

Creation of a Network of Protected Salt Flats

During 2023, the criteria and procedures for defining protected areas and their status will be defined.

Introduction of a bill to create the National Lithium Company

The bill will be introduced at the end of 2023, having received inputs during the dialogue process.

Modernization of the institutional and regulatory framework for optimal development of the lithium industry

This initiative aims to modify and adapt the regulations that govern the industry and its institutions (including CCHEN, DGA, Sernageomin, the Ministry of Mining, and environmental oversight bodies), and will be introduced during the first half of 2024.