Germany's ACISA, which employs just 20 people, was created solely to focus on building the now botched lithium mine in the Salar de Uyuni.

While its four local mines are back in operation, the company has doubled it expected production loss for 2019 to about 10,000 tonnes.

Investment approval comes four years after a deadly dam collapse that killed 19 people and became the worst environmental disaster in the country’s history.

Yanacocha began commercial production in 1993 and has since produced more than 38 million ounces of gold.