Russia risks losing access to Bolivian lithium due to a change in La Paz's course. As reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service, for the Russian side, this means losing access to one of the key global lithium resources, while Bolivia gains room to adjust terms and potentially attract Western partners, UNN reports.
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According to intelligence data, the administration of the new Bolivian president, R. Paz, will review the terms of the agreement between the state corporation Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB) and the Russian Uranium One Group, which is part of the Rosatom structure. The contract, signed on September 11, 2024, provides for the construction of a lithium carbonate production plant at the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in the Potosí department – one of the world's largest deposits with reserves of about 11.2 million tons, or almost 38% of global reserves.
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The agreement has not yet been ratified by the Bolivian parliament, and political, environmental, and legal factors complicate its further implementation. The contract was concluded under the previous president, L. Arce, while the new government declares its intention to increase the transparency of cooperation with foreign companies and expand interaction with the United States, without formally breaking relations with Moscow.
According to intelligence data, additional pressure is created by the position of the local authorities of Potosí and communities that criticize the economic terms of agreements with Russian companies and point to environmental risks. They demand a separate law on lithium mining, an increase in deductions to local budgets, and a full assessment of the environmental impact. The key parameters of the project – profit distribution, mining technologies, and environmental safety guarantees – also remain undefined, and Bolivian lawyers warn of possible financial and legal risks in case of disputes with Russia.
The delay or revision of the agreement's ratification signals a change in La Paz's priorities and increases risks for Rosatom. For the Russian side, this means losing access to one of the key global lithium resources, while Bolivia gains room to adjust terms and potentially attract Western partners.