December 28 (SeeNews) - Turkish state-owned mining and chemicals company Eti Maden inaugurated the country's first lithium production plant, located in the Eskisehir province, local media reported, quoting natural resources minister Fatih Donmez.
The plant, which will produce lithium out of liquid waste generated during boron production, is expected to lower Turkey's lithium imports by $20 million (16.4 million euro) per year, Daily Sabah quoted Donmez as saying on Saturday.
Initially, the facility will produce 10 tonnes of lithium per year but its annual production capacity is expected to reach nearly 600 tonnes in the coming years, the official added.
The lithium will be used for the manufacturing of components for an electric car developed by Turkiye’nin Otomobili Girisim Grubu (TOGG). TOGG was established in June 2018 by local companies Anadolu Group, BMC, Kok Group, Turkcell and Zorlu Group, under the initiative of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).
($ = 0.8184 euro)