Learn about our projects and the Corfo contract that establishes rental rates and preferential prices for local producers, contributions to R&D and development of communities surrounding the operation.
Our projects
CORFO ECO SMART PROJECT SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
We are happy to share great news! We have awarded the project «ECO SMART SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA – IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR GASTRONOMIC AND TOURIST COMPANIES IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA» bar code 24PATI-272019. With the support of CORFO, driving innovation in the tourism and gastronomy sectors.
This project seeks to integrate sustainable technologies to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of local businesses, promoting more sustainable development in the region.
Download the project documents here:
CONTRACT BETWEEN CORFO AND SQM SALAR
The conditions of the contract are the same established since 1986. However, it was in 2018 when both parties modified the lease, whose new clauses began to be implemented immediately, including a significant increase in the lease rates for the products sold.
The objective of the applied modification was to add greater value to the Salar de Atacama area and to the region in general. This is how SQM works together with the Regional Government of Antofagasta, the municipalities of San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta and María Elena, contributing important annual sums to community development plans that are translated into contributions made by the company.
SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES
During 2019, the total value of SQM's investment in the artists was MUS$5.256. This amount does not include the contributions provided through an agreement signed with CORFO, which will range between MUS$10.000 and MUS$15.000 annually. Additionally, administrative expenses for community service amounted to MUS$1.373.
Likewise, and in order to prioritize transparency in compliance with the agreement, there are two audits. One of them is led by an environmental auditor, who ensures compliance with the environmental commitments of the Salar de Atacama project, and the other is led by a contractual auditor, who ensures the correct payment of the rental income and other financial obligations.
Likewise, the agreement with Corfo includes the delivery of information that covers the entire production process, from production information, communications with the different environmental entities, information on the invoices of our subsidiaries for our products and other export information. SQM, along with complying with the provisions of the modification of the contract signed with CORFO in 2018, deepens the creation of shared social value, care and respect for people, the environment and communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM
As of August 31, 2020, the website was made available to the community SQM OnlineWhose environmental monitoring system It will allow access to parameters and variables from approximately 300 measurement points that we have available from the core to the surrounding areas of the Salar de Atacama, including historical information that in some variables can reach up to 20 years of information, all of which is available to the general public and free of charge, seeking to improve the understanding of this unique ecosystem.
R&D
Along the same lines, the modification of the contract also contemplated a contribution of a total of US $ 200 million for research and development in the Antofagasta region, which seeks to strengthen the region as the center of technological development of the country in terms of energy clean (Institute of Clean Technologies). The application process has already concluded this year and we are waiting for Corfo to announce the beneficiaries of these funds.
GREATER PRODUCTION CAPACITY
It is also important to highlight that in the modification to the contract, in 2018, Corfo and the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CChen) granted SQM Salar a larger lithium production quota, which will allow the company to produce and supply the global market by 2030, maintaining Chile's position as a relevant player. However, this increase in production quota is not related to increased brine extraction, but rather to increased production capacity, which requires an increase in the company's capacity, improving yields and processes associated with lithium production.
With this modification, SQM It became a true commercial partner of the State of Chile, contributing 50% of the profit generated by the marketing of its products to the country through the development of this project, something unprecedented for companies worldwide.
AUSTRALIA: MT HOLLAND PROJECT
SQM, as a way to generate different supply points for global demand, has been associated with the Mt Holland project located in Western Australia. SQM owns a 50% stake jointly with the Wesfarmers company.
This project is a very attractive opportunity to participate in the development of a large-scale, long-term, high-grade lithium hydroxide project in Western Australia. The project seeks to empower Australia as a global lithium processing center, making this project an excellent option for SQM to diversify its sources of lithium supply to respond to global demand, and which will have an initial capacity of 45.000 tons. of lithium per year.
Currently the project is in an evaluation stage, which consists of evaluating the project's capital, operating costs and working with clients to define product specifications.