Chile Lithium Exports Nearly Triple in Q1 2026 — Approaching $1.1B as Sector Surges

Data released on May 8, 2026 showed Chile's lithium exports reached record levels in early 2026, with April lithium carbonate exports hitting $498 million and Q1 2026 lithium revenue reaching $1.108 billion — up 147.7% year-on-year. Total trade for January–April 2026 reached $69.963 billion, an 8.2% increase versus the same period in 2025. The surge was driven by the SQM–CODELCO partnership ramping production at Salar de Atacama and new output from NovaAndino Litio coming online. The boom reinforces Chile's position as the world's largest lithium reserve holder with 36% of global reserves and positions lithium as a structural second pillar of Chilean export revenue alongside copper. The Kast administration was credited with maintaining investor confidence in the sector while the prior Boric government's national lithium strategy (ENAMI majority stake in new contracts) provided the framework for the production ramp-up.