CHILE'S CODELCO-SQM LITHIUM DEAL CLEARS LAST MAJOR HURDLE AFTER CHINA GREENLIGHT

A planned tie-up between Chilean state copper giant Codelco and local producer SQM to produce lithium has won approval from China's antitrust regulator, paving the way for the joint venture to go into effect.

China's green light was the last major remaining condition for the companies to close a deal, first announced nearly two years ago, to produce lithium in Chile's Atacama salt flat as a part of the government push to widen state control of the industry and expand output.

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