Tres Quebradas Salar
Tres Quebradas Salar
3Q Lithium Project
Tres Quebradas Salar

The project is located in South America’s renowned “lithium triangle” and is one of the largest and highest-grade lithium brine projects globally. The concession covers the entire salar surface and the brine lake, with abundant resources. With its good resource endowment, the project enjoys promising exploration prospects, with significant potential for further discoveries and production expansion.

Tres Quebradas Salar
  • 2025 production
    LCE: 5,800 tonnes
  • Location
    Catamarca, Argentina
  • Ownership
    100%
  • Status
    Under construction
  • Deposit type
    Brine
  • Resource
    Lithium (LCE): 8.42Mt, Concentration: 768 mg/L
  • Lithium extraction method
    Evaporation and Precipitation
  • Project Overview

    Tres Quebradas is located in South America’s renowned “Lithium Triangle” and is one of the largest and highest-grade lithium brine operations globally. The concession covers the entire salar surface and the brine lake, with abundant resources. With its strong overall resource endowment, the operation has promising exploration prospects and significant potential for production expansion.

  • Construction Plan

    Phase 1 of the 3Q project has been commissioned, and, following approval and completion of its technical upgrade, output is expected to increase to 30,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per annum. Phase 2, with a planned production capacity of 40,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per annum, is progressing in an orderly manner. Once both phases reach full capacity, the operation is expected to have a total lithium carbonate production capacity of 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes per annum.

  • M&A

    In early 2022, Zijin Mining acquired Canada-based Neo Lithium, gaining full ownership of Liex SA, whose core asset is the Tres Quebradas lithium salar.

ESG

Tres Quebradas supports community development by implementing a local employment strategy, providing community training, and creating a large number of local jobs. It also promotes local industrial development through local procurement and by signing contracts with local suppliers for equipment, materials and logistics services.


In addition, the operation has developed an environmental management framework that reflects Zijin’s approach and is aligned with local cultural practices. It has expanded the use of clean energy such as solar power, and continually advances reforestation, sand stabilization and greening efforts.