According to Senator Rafael Prohens, the almost US$800 million that both companies add up in debts and losses can generate uncertainty among private parties regarding their investments in the sector.

Faced with million-dollar losses and debts of both Codelco and the National Mining Company (Enami), which together add up to more than US$800 million, according to the political world, the viability of a successful national lithium strategy would be at risk.

Although with the closure of the Hernán Rivera Lira Smelter, also known as Paipote, certain costs for Enami were reduced, according to experts this only managed to “attenuate” the crisis.

The socialist senator and president of the Mining Commission, Juan Luis Castro, maintained that the current bad situation of the copper company and Enami are not comparable.

To this, he added that these factors in Codelco are not enough to call into question the viability of the national lithium strategy.

The former Minister of Mining under the administration of the first government of Sebastián Piñera, Laurence Golborne, indicated that these crises are due, among other factors, to the old model of state administration of mining companies.

In that sense, he believes it would be convenient for there to be private participation to apply the sector's standards.

A critical view of this situation comes from the senator of National Renewal and member of the Mining Commission, Rafael Prohens, who pointed out that these almost US$ 800 million that both companies add up in debts and losses, can generate uncertainty in private companies regarding to their investments in the sector.

It was last Friday, February 23, when the Hernán Rivera Lira Smelter ceased its operation with the aim of reducing Enami's financial burden and to make way for a new, more modern smelter facility.

The latter, in accordance with the respective environmental and technological demands.