(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Berkshire Hathaway-backed BYD has been awarded a contract to extract up to 80,000 tons of metallic lithium in Chile.
Chile’s Ministry of Mining awarded BYD the contract to extract up to 80,000 tons of metallic lithium after the company won the contract with an offer of $61 million.
BYD is the second largest EV battery manufacturer in China.
“BYD always had a global and sustainable view of technological development, aiming to expand our business worldwide,” said Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD and President of BYD North America. “Chile has become the best example of adaptation and vision for the future, demonstrating that its stability and commitment to innovation have positioned it as a leader in Latin America. BYD has been part of these processes, focusing on innovation and bringing to Chile the technology that will help build a sustainable ecosystem in the country. We started with electromobility, and today we will add value to lithium extraction and production.”
Tamara Berríos, Country Manager of BYD Chile, said Chile, one of the countries with the largest lithium resources globally, plans to meet the increased global demand for lithium. Chile’s lithium production will help future growth of clean transportation technology and fight climate change.
“We have promoted clean public transportation with electromobility for years and have introduced the first pure electric bus fleet with lithium batteries in Chile to achieve its zero-emission goals,” Berrios said. “We hope to contribute to the local lithium market with 27 years of experience in battery technology. Our R&D in the battery industry will strengthen Chile’s sustainable and innovative development, both for its national mining industry and the different communities in the country.”
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares for $232 million. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $232 million had grown in value to $5.897 billion as of December 31, 2020.
© 2022 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.