One step forward, two steps back? Shifting accumulation strategies in the lithium production network in Chile

Abstract

The global race for critical minerals for the energy transition is triggering manifold discourses and initiatives in resource-rich countries regarding how to take advantage of the moment. From conventional accumulation strategies based on the capture of resource rents to more ambitious strategies seeking to move forward in the value chain, resource peripheries are in a decisive conjuncture. While the literature discussing the development and embeddedness of battery production networks in mineral-rich countries is a solid starting point, this article seeks to examine how the contingent position of mineral-rich states in the production network is the outcome of internal and external struggles that define its accumulation strategy. For such purpose, this contribution examines the making and unmaking of accumulation strategies based on lithium extraction in Chile, the country with the world´s largest reserves. The results show that a pendular movement between the strategy of exporting lithium brine at a large scale to appropriate resource rents and the development of value-added products in the country has undermined the development of the lithium value chain in Chile. Conclusions indicate that it is crucial to define a transversal and sustainable strategy that allows the country to take advantage of the energy transition.