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Background

Bolivia holds one of the world鈥檚 largest reserves of lithium, concentrated in the Salar de Uyuni salt flats. However, validating the technical quality of its lithium carbonate has been a long-standing challenge for , the Bolivian state-owned company responsible for developing the country鈥檚 lithium resources, limiting its ability to maximise value from this natural asset.

In 2023, WMG鈥檚 Battery Materials and Cells (BMAC) group collaborated with YLB and was funded by the to assess how the lithium extracted from these salt flats performs in lithium-ion cells. It was the FCDO that initially approached WMG, inviting them to join the 2022 Lithium Triangle tour, which helped to pave the way for subsequent visits and collaborations. The project focused on scientific validation, knowledge transfer, and partnership building: key pillars for enabling Bolivia鈥檚 participation in the global clean energy economy.

Challenge

YLB鈥檚 lithium resource is primarily in the form of lithium carbonate from brine, chemically different from the lithium hydroxide typically used in battery production. This posed two major questions:

1. Can lithium carbonate produced by YLB be used directly in battery cells without chemical conversion?
2. Will the material meet commercial-grade performance standards, particularly for electric vehicles?

The project required careful synthesis of test materials and a detailed examination of how impurities, particle structure and material behaviour might influence cell performance. This meant not only producing comparable cathode samples but also analysing purity, structural stability and how the material evolved during cycling, factors that can make or break its suitability for electric鈥憊ehicle applications.

By combining laboratory synthesis with in鈥慸epth characterisation and real鈥憌orld electrochemical testing, the team was able to build a clear picture of how YLB鈥檚 lithium carbonate performs across the full battery鈥慸evelopment process, helping to answer whether the lithium source could meet the demands of modern cell manufacturing.

Solution

To understand how YLB鈥檚 lithium carbonate would perform in real battery applications, the team at WMG first carried out a full programme of material synthesis and characterisation. Drawing on extensive experience in cathode material development and impurity assessment, they produced cathode materials using YLB鈥檚 lithium and compared them with commercial benchmarks, using a range of analytical techniques to verify purity, structure and particle behaviour, as well as specialist methods that track how the material evolves during cycling.

Impact

This project has delivered multiple strategic outcomes for YLB and Bolivia:

• Scientific validation: YLB鈥檚 lithium carbonate has been proven to meet performance requirements for high-quality battery cells.
• Export potential: With technical validation in hand from a UK research institute, YLB is now better positioned to tap into the global lithium supply chain and attract international partners.
• Expertise building: The collaboration enabled Bolivian students to gain hands-on experience in the UK, while in-country workshops shared best practices on lithium utilisation.
• International partnerships: The work has led to wider engagement with Chile and Argentina through the FCDO, including the programme, which WMG is involved in.