WMG in partnership with Bolivia to develop potential of lithium

Funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the partnership will help develop lithium’s application as a power source in numerous applications including electric cars and mobile phones. 

Bolivia’s salt flats harbour an estimated 39 million tonnes of lithium reserve, positioning the country to be one of the world’s most important suppliers in the coming decades. The projects supports Bolivia’s ambition to provide 40 per cent of the world’s supply of lithium by 2030.  According to Warwick, it will see Bolivia be at the forefront of lithium value chain, lead to higher paying employment and industry and a transition away from simple extraction and exploitation of raw materials.   

Several master’s degree scholarships will also be offered to Bolivian students and the University’s Warwick Manufacturing Group will link up with Yacimentos de Lito Bolivianos, Bolivia’s lithium mining institution, in a multi-year research project to improve the understanding and possibilities for lithium battery technology.