China's Ganfeng starts lithium production at Argentina's Mariana project

China's Ganfeng Lithium (1772) mining company has begun producing lithium at its Mariana project in northern Argentina, it said on Wednesday, kicking off one of several of its new lithium projects under way in the South American country.

Ganfeng is one of the world's biggest producers of the white metal that is mainly used to make rechargeable batteries.

The Mariana plant, in the province of Salta, represents a US$790 million (HK$6.2 billion) investment and has the capacity to produce 20,000 metric tons of lithium chloride per year from extraction at the Llullaillaco salt flat.

Ganfeng also spent US$190 million to build a solar park to support the plant's energy needs.