Mine / resource · Chile

Salar de Maricunga (Codelco JV)

ExplorationNot yet verifiedAs of 25 Oct 2026

Owner: Salar de Maricunga SpA: Codelco 50.01% (state-owned, unlisted); Rio Tinto 49.99% on closing (binding agreement; closing pending)
Listed via: RIO (RIO: pending JV partner (49.99% on closing))
Product: Brine
Deposit type: Brine
Capacity: Studies stage (DLE); no capacity disclosed by Rio; JV targets first lithium by end-2030
Location: -26.91°, -69.04°

Salar de Maricunga, Atacama region, Chile. Location = representative point of Codelco's 'Exploración Salar de Maricunga' project in Chile's SEIA (environmental assessment) register; salar-level estimate, no plant site yet. Rio Q3 2026 Ops Review (p.16): agreement closure now expected late 2026 / ear

Ownership structure

Effective economic interest of listed owners · As of 25 Oct 2026

Structure: Salar de Maricunga SpA: Codelco 50.01% (state-owned, unlisted); Rio Tinto 49.99% on closing (binding agreement; closing pending). 50.01% is held by unlisted or untracked owners.

Value chain

Owners, buyers and the refineries on Li3atlas they feed · As of 25 Oct 2026

Listed ownersRio TintoRIO · 49.99%

Mine / resourceSalar de Maricunga (Codelco JV)Studies stage (DLE); no capacity disclosed by Rio; JV targets first lithium by end-2030

Country risk · Chile

Policy risk: Medium As of 24 Oct 2026

State-led model: Codelco holds 50% plus one share of NovaAndino Litio, which runs SQM's Salar de Atacama operations until 2060 (deal closed Dec 2025). source

Change history

Approved changes with their source · As of 25 Oct 2026

Date	Field	Change	Source
25 Oct 2026	Notes	new: Added to Li3atlas: Salar de Maricunga (Codelco JV)	Rio Tinto media release: Rio Tinto partners with Codelco to develop lithium project in Chile's Salar de Maricunga (19 May 2025)

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