Compañía Regional Aguas Marítimas S.A.

CRAMSA-ALBEMARLE Agreement: Desalinated Seawater for the Atacama Salt Flat Basin

The initiative opens up the possibility of delivering desalinated seawater to the Atacama Salt Flat basin, contributing to promoting sustainable development in the mining industry in the area.

• The initiative opens up the possibility of delivering desalinated seawater to the Atacama Salt Flat basin, contributing to promoting sustainable development in the mining industry in the area.

  CRAMSA has signed an agreement with the American company Albemarle to supply desalinated seawater to the operations of one of the world’s largest lithium producers. The company will reduce its consumption of freshwater and relinquish its water rights in Tilopozo, Tucúcaro, and Peine in the Atacama Salt Flat, preserving them for environmental conservation. The agreement arises from the need to safeguard and protect sustainability in the Atacama Salt Flat basin, leading the lithium company to explore new extraction methods and seek alternative water sources for its operations.

  In this way, CRAMSA will supply Albemarle with up to 500 liters per second of desalinated water from the sea, starting in 2027, through its desalination project “Aguas Marítimas.” This supply will also enable the implementation of new direct lithium extraction methods using innovative technologies.

  “This agreement demonstrates the confidence that the ‘Aguas Marítimas’ project generates in the Antofagasta Region as a real and effective initiative for promoting long-term sustainable development in the mining industry,” said Peter Hatton, CEO of CRAMSA.

  Hatton further emphasized that “these types of agreements, with the support and involvement of more stakeholders, open up the possibility of delivering desalinated water to small and medium-sized users in the Atacama Salt Flat basin who need access to this vital resource.”

  The project “Aguas Marítimas” by CRAMSA consists of 18 strategically located pumping stations along the entire route. Each station will also serve as a delivery and distribution point, providing a concrete and practical solution for users of all sizes who need water for their activities. The Atacama Desert is the driest in the world and requires increased water availability, making desalination a crucial factor.

  The “Aguas Marítimas” desalination project by CRAMSA is a different initiative from what already exists because it will operate as shared and multipurpose infrastructure, simultaneously supplying various mining and industrial projects in the Antofagasta Region. The company also hopes to do the same in the sanitation concession sectors they have applied for, which are currently being processed.

  It is estimated that by the year 2024, all permits associated with the “Aguas Marítimas” project should be processed. As a result, the first 350,000 cubic meters of water should be available in 2027, with an equal amount in 2029, totaling a production of 700,000 cubic meters of desalinated seawater.