[R-G] Bolivia is to Lithium as Saudi Arabia is to Oil

[Anthony Fenton]

Quoting BoRev:

"Underneath Bolivia's otherworldly Salar de Uyuni lies the world's  
largest lithium reserves. They're comparing it to Saudi Arabia, which  
is a nice way of saying "Iraq." Countdown to Operation Andean Freedom  
begins now."

http://www.borev.net/2009/04/watch_your_back_evo.html

...

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/28/bolivia-is-to-lithiu.html

Bolivia is to Lithium as Saudi Arabia is to Oil.
Posted by Xeni Jardin, April 28, 2009 8:34 AM | permalink

Photographer/tumblogger Clayton Cubitt says, "Bolivia is the Saudi  
Arabia of lithium, the metal needed for the batteries that will power  
our electric car future. I saw this ITN report on News Hour the other  
night, and was stunned by the visuals and the story."

Above, the video report from ITN which ran on CNN. [Video: here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJmXJdp5iHE

  Below, snip from transcript for the related PBS NewsHour discussion:

     Half a world away, Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, is going for  
a drive in an electric car. The French auto magnate, Vincent Bollore,  
whose company has developed the vehicle is showing him the prototypes.

     Morales is a socialist determined to uphold the rights of  
Bolivia's indigenous people. He says the Americans are all  
imperialists, so the Frenchman sees an opportunity to win favor and  
get the lithium.

     VINCENT BOLLORE, French businessman (through translator): It's  
you who controls the raw materials for the 21st and 22nd centuries.  
You're like Saudi Arabia. It's you.

     LINDSEY HILSUM: In the Bolivian capital La Paz, they're dreaming  
about that pot of gold. A new socialist constitution says foreign  
companies exploiting the country's natural resources must reinvest all  
profits in Bolivia.

     LUIS ALBERTO ECHAZU, Bolivian minister of mining (through  
translator): Any company which would like to work with us will have to  
develop industries here, otherwise there's nothing. It's very simple:  
We will not continue exporting raw materials for another 500 years.  
That is over.

'Bolivia's Lithium Resources May Prove Hot Commodity (PBS NewsHour)':

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/jan-june09/bolivia_04-17.html