GCICleanTech Lithium receives support from indigenous community local to Laguna Verde
CleanTech Lithium PLC () has received public support from the indigenous community local to its Laguna Verde project in Chile.
The support came at the Centre for Copper and Mining Studies (CESCO) seminar in Santiago, a prominent annual seminar for the mining sector in Chile.
Executive chairman Steve Kesler presented and reiterated that CleanTech is ready to begin project construction by 2026 upon the granting of a Special Lithium Operating Contract (CEOL) by the Chilean government.
The CESCO seminar brought together key industry stakeholders including government and local community representatives to discuss the development of the lithium sector in Chile.
Ercilia Araya, President of the Colla Pai-Ote indigenous community expressed support for lithium project development, depending on companies building solid community relationships and agreements, as achieved by CTL.
Industry experts discussed the main challenges facing the sector and how to advance projects faster, in line with the National Lithium Strategy.
"We are very well placed to be one of the projects that the Government aims to have operational by 2026,” said Steve Kesler.
“We believe the Laguna Verde project is the best-positioned new lithium project to commence operations in Chile within the earliest timeframe. We highly value the support of the indigenous community which we think provides a rare and valuable partnership in facilitating mutually beneficial project development."
Ercilia Araya, President of the Colla Pai-Ote indigenous community, said:
"We want the State to respect us in our territories and recognise our right to determine to whom the CEOLs are granted through proper indigenous consultations. It is a matter of dignity. I have a dream for the Atacama region. When CleanTech arrived, they explained how they would carry out the process, building together with us the information collection for submission of the EIA. That is our dream. The dream of being able to participate, to be consulted."
View from VOX
CleanTech has always put a high premium on its relationships with local indigenous communities, and the efforts the company has made in this direction continue to pay off. The company is still waiting on a licence, but the barriers to that licence being granted are dropping away, especially given the cleaner environmental footprint of the proposed method of extraction.
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