Jujuy and its importance in Lithium production worldwide

Within the framework of the 19th meeting of the Council of Americas held in Argentine capital; the Governor of Jujuy Gerardo Morales made reference to the growing importance of lithium worldwide and called for “making the most of these potentialities”. He also urged the national authorities to define and execute a master investment plan focused on productive infrastructure as soon as possible.
As for the growing importance of lithium worldwide, he pointed out that it is not by chance that the price of lithium has risen as it has in recent times and estimated that by the end of 2022, the province of Jujuy will reach a production of 82,500 tons of this mineral.
As regards renewable energy, Gerardo Morales explained that “In Jujuy we are developing distributed generation projects with a group of private companies; with INVAP we have developed a solar thermal plant project that will also be very useful for mining. Besides, we have 11 months in high season with a 75% of full occupation in tourism apart from the income that the medical cannabis industry will bring to the province”
He also made reference to the mining sector, highlighting that “Chile exported 63 billion dollars in minerals, unlike Argentina that exported 3 billion dollars,a lower figure than what we export in knowledge economy with 7 billion dollars”.
“We have the critical materials that the world demands, that is, energy, knowledge economy, food and biotechnology, among others. “The Governor said, and then he specified that “we produce lithium, copper, and zinc, which are the minerals that the world needs in the energy transition”. It implies that Argentina “has a great potential”. In this line, he declared himself in favour of “second phase measures of fiscal invariability, with respect to export and import tariffs and customs”, since those who invest” demand that the rules do not change “In this way, we will receive a flow of investments we have never dreamed of”, he pointed out.
In terms of energy infrastructure, he called for Nestor Kirchner pipeline and the gas pipeline to connect with the north of the country and Brazil, which will avoid the gas import from Bolivia “There is a structural problem to be solved so as to be able to take advantage of what Vaca Muerta offers, modifying the account in dollars”, he stressed and warned that “If these structural problems are not solved, we will continue being a country with a deficit, jumping from inflation to inflation”.
He stressed that this process should be accompanied by a new educational model to meet the demands of the labour world with trades and professional opportunities” Secondary school must be rediscussed”, he emphasized
He also noted that the SMEs “must also be reached by a reform, with a new labour regime and a lightened tax burden.”
In Jujuy we have an agenda of hope, based on lithium, renewable energies, cannabis cultivation for medical purposes, the project to manufacture lithium batteries for electric mobility, growing tourism, the constrution of 258 new school buildings and the production of Green Hydrogen,”, concluded Morales.