New boss for lithium firm

LITHIUM producer Orocobre has appointed Martin Perez de Solay as its new managing director.

The Brisbane-based company – which produces lithium carbonate at its Olaroz project in northern Argentina – has also appointed Mr de Solay as chief executive officer.

Orocobre’s chairman Rob- ert Hubbard says Mr de Solay will focus on the Olaroz joint venture and its $394 million stage two expansion, increasing production to 45,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year. Mr de Solay will also push on with Orocobre’s planned 10,000 tonnes per annum lithium hydroxide plant in Japan.

He replaces current chief Richard Seville, who has been with the company for 11 years.

Shares in the dual-listed miner took a dive last month after the Argentinian government announced temporary export tariffs to help reduce the country’s fiscal deficit.

Orocobre will be slugged an 8 per cent duty tax on export sales revenue through its subsidiaries Sales de Jujuy, in which it holds a 66.5 per cent stake, and Borax Argentina.