By Reuters Staff
2 Min Read
(Reuters) - Australian lithium miner Orocobre Ltd said on Monday it would buy rival Galaxy Resources to form the world’s fifth-largest lithium chemicals company valued at A$4 billion ($3.09 billion).
The deal comes at a time of increasing industry consolidation in the wake of soaring prices for the raw material used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
“The merged entity’s growth opportunities in both brine and hard rock position it uniquely to take advantage of expected rising EV demand for lithium,” Galaxy Chairman Martin Rowley said.
Orocobre and Galaxy, which operate the Olaroz and Sal de Vida lithium projects in Argentina respectively, are also eyeing a consolidation of their assets in the country.