The pact to explore business opportunities, under which both will invest about $5 billion, covers industries such as renewable energy, hydrogen, and logistics.
Indigenous communities living around Chile’s Atacama salt flat last year asked authorities to suspend SQM’s operating permits or reduce its operations until it submits an environmental compliance plan acceptable to regulators.
The country awarded two of five contracts on offer -- one to Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD and another to local firm Servicios y Operaciones Mineras del Norte.
Reaching the target of 8 million tons in the next two years, up from 3.9 million in 2021, would raise production to levels Tunisia hasn’t experienced since before its Arab Spring uprising.
