Throughout the strike, the miner maintained the extended walk-off had not hit its output of lithium from Chile.

The company's final contract offer was approved by 61% of the union workers who voted.

Chile’s copper commission Cochilco has revised down its average copper price forecast for the year.

Already the fourth top producer of lithium worldwide, Argentina's national and local governments are now looking to speed up development.

CEO Mark Bristow said the company will strike a deal should an appealing one present itself, which he described as a mine that can produce 500,000 ounces of gold annually "for a long time".

Chile's SMA environmental regulator in 2016 charged SQM with overdrawing lithium-rich brine from the Salar de Atacama salt flat, prompting the company to develop a $25 million plan to bring its operations back into compliance.

Global mined zinc production will grow at the fastest pace since 2012 in 2021.

The union said in a statement that the latest deal offered nothing beyond two prior proposals that were also rejected.