[SMM News] Albemarle Averts Chile Lithium Strike as Union Reaches Preliminary Wage Deal

Published: Sep 10, 2026 17:53

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On September 9th, Albemarle Corporation has reached a preliminary wage agreement with union leaders at its Chilean lithium operations, averting a strike that had been due to begin at the close of mediated talks, according to the union. Voting on the accord by union members is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. local time Wednesday, with the two sides agreeing to extend mediation by two days to allow the vote to take place. Union leader Elias Torres said in an audio message that the company's new offer meets the union's demands. Albemarle had not immediately responded to a request for comment made after business hours.

Albemarle's Chilean operations extract lithium from brines at the Atacama salt flat, one of the world's major lithium resources, and process the material at the company's La Negra plant in the Antofagasta region. Averting a strike removes the risk of a prolonged stoppage that could have tightened supply from a major source of the battery metal， The last strike at the operations, in 2021, lasted 35 days.

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