Posted on: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:33:23 EST
PARIS, Feb 16, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) —
French investment company Bollore SA (BOL.FR) and French metals and mining firm Eramet SA (ERA.FR) Tuesday said they have signed an exploration contract with a call option for lithium deposits with Argentina-based company Minera Santa Rita.
The two French companies will have access to concessions on several lithium-rich salt lakes in northern Argentina.
The deal will enable Bollore and Eramet to start exploration in order to estimate the resource and launch studies on a project for a lithium carbonate production unit. Lithium carbonate is the raw material from which the lithium salts and lithium metal used in rechargeable batteries are produced.
The call option gives the Bollore-Eramet consortium the right to acquire those concessions following the studies, within 24 months.
-By Elena Berton, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40 17 17 65; [email protected]
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-10 0233ET
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