The subsidiary of Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom may buy up to a 51% interest in Atacama lithium project, located in an area that hosts more than 15% of the world’s known reserves of the battery metal.
The Ventanas smelter has been the target of criticism from social and environmental groups that accuse it of contributing to heavy pollution in the Quintero area.
RWE AG, which owns six facilities using the dirtiest fossil fuel, has obligations to workers and municipal shareholders that will prevent quicker efforts to close coal capacity.