According to a report by the Spanish daily newspaper Público’s website on February 20, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced a decree in the state of Sonora nationalizing Mexico’s lithium resources and incorporating this valuable raw material as “state property” for responsible exploration and extraction.
　　According to reports, lithium is a fundamental material for electric vehicle batteries, and thus its importance will only grow in the future—both from an economic perspective and from a geopolitical strategic one. Therefore, López Obrador announced the aforementioned decision while attending the opening ceremony of a highway in the state of Sonora.
　　López Obrador emphasized that nationalizing lithium means it cannot be exploited by foreigners: “Oil and lithium belong to the nation, they belong to the Mexican people.”
　　He also stated that the production of electric vehicles is one of the most important issues in Mexico’s trade with the United States and Canada. López Obrador said, “We will promote the exploration and production of these strategic minerals used in electric vehicles—this is a goal shared by the people and governments across North America. Automotive plants will be completely revamped, which is precisely why lithium is indispensable.”
　　According to reports, Mexico’s state-owned National Lithium Company will be responsible for conducting exploration, refining, and production studies on Mexico’s lithium deposits. Mexican Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro announced the designation of a lithium reserve area covering seven cities with a total area exceeding 234,800 hectares. In 2023, Sonora state’s lithium carbonate production is expected to reach 17,500 tons. By 2026, production is projected to double to 35,000 tons.
　　According to reports, the state of Sonora holds nearly all of the country's lithium resources. According to estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey, Mexico ranks tenth globally in terms of lithium reserves, with reserves totaling 1.7 million tons.