Lithium Permit Freeze Limited to New Projects, Argentina Province Says
- Arcadium can keep developing existing projects, official says
- Case nonetheless underscores heightened ESG scrutiny on mining
A worker displays lithium at a processing plant.
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The Argentine province of Catamarca said a court ruling to halt the issuance of lithium permits only affects new projects, leaving companies such as Arcadium Lithium Plc and Posco Holdings Inc. free to continue producing the metal and developing existing projects.
The ruling, which comes amid community concerns over mining’s impact on waterways, requires the Catamarca government to abstain from handing out new authorizations as it prepares a report into the industry’s cumulative environmental impact, a provincial official said. The province’s first step will be to deliver to the court existing environmental reports that have already been approved.