Sigma intends to double its lithium production from 220 to 440 tons at its plant in Minas Gerais, generating several jobs

Bearing in mind that electric cars currently need a greater battery manufacturing process, and some automakers are having some difficulties finding sellers, Sigma, which produces lithium for the manufacture of the product in the region of Minas Gerais, is wanting to gain space in the electric car business and generate new jobs.

Read also

• 600 jobs should be generated by a mining company that will invest BRL 859,4 million in the production of high purity lithium in Minas Gerais
• In Rio de Janeiro, engineering interns are invited by a multinational
• China discovers new way to extract lithium from batteries for electric cars
• Newly discovered lithium reserves in Minas Gerais cause a “Boom” in the international market
• Mining company signs contract for the sale of 200 tons of lithium for a project in Minas Gerais

The race of electric cars and the generation of jobs in Minas Gerais

The company is using the green race for electric cars, which is happening mainly in Europe, to its advantage. According to Ana Gardner, co-president and director of strategy at Sigma, the European consumer is much more aware, because, by paying more for electric cars, he wants to know if the vehicle will not remove the gases from a street and put “in another”.

According to Ana, this demand for less impact on the environment in the electric car production chain favors Sigma, which always seeks to meet ESG (corporate, social and environmental governance) criteria throughout its lithium production process.

Sigma doubles lithium production at its plant in Minas Gerais

All this care with sustainability is bringing good results to the company that produces lithium, and added to a demand for electric cars in Europe that is growing, meant that Sigma was “forced” to double the production of lithium in its factory in Vale do Jequitinhonha, in Minas Gerais, generating several new jobs.

According to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, from April last year to May this year, lithium prices rose by about 59%. According to Ana, the company's biggest challenge today is to meet the demand for sustainable lithium.

The expansion of the company in Minas Gerais

Ana claims that Sigma has already pre-sold around 220 tons of lithium in long-term contracts, which is equivalent to the entire capacity of the factory in Minas Gerais, but due to the demand for material for electric car batteries, it was necessary to with phase 2 of the mining unit going from 220 thousand to 440 thousand tons. On the 10th of that month, Sigma announced that it intends to invest BRL 859,4 million to expand production and generate several jobs in Minas Gerais.

Therefore, earthworks have already begun at Grota de Cirilo, in the municipality of Itinga. The estimate is that in 2022 large-scale production will begin and, in the following year, production will already be doubled, generating even more jobs and income for the local population.

According to Ana, the logistics in Brazil are not of concern to the company, she says that the state of Minas Gerais is highly viable for mining, as its road is entirely paved, connecting the mine directly to the port of Ilhéus.