Chile Lithium Brine (Salar de Atacama)

Structural · monitor radius 100km · ~25% of global lithium output, lowest-cost brine

The Salar de Atacama produces roughly 25% of global lithium supply at the world's lowest extraction costs, making it the backbone of the battery supply chain for electric vehicles and energy storage. China, South Korea, and European automakers depend heavily on this concentrated source, with limited ability to quickly substitute higher-cost alternatives from Australia or Argentina. Alternative lithium sources face significant cost and timeline penalties—Australian hard rock mining costs 40-60% more to process, while other South American brines require 2-3 years to scale production. Any disruption here forces buyers into spot markets where lithium carbonate prices can spike 300-400% within months, directly impacting EV affordability globally.