La Negra (industrial complex)

La Negra
Industrial settlement
La Negra
Coordinates: 23°46′31″S 70°19′0″W
Country	Chile
Region	Antofagasta
Province	Antofagasta
Municipality	Antofagasta
Elevation	420 m (1,380 ft)
Time zone	UTC−4 (CLT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−3 (CLST)

La Negra is a small industrial complex 22 km (14 mi) east of Antofagasta, Chile after crossing the coastal mountain range, in the Atacama Desert.^[1] The complex includes a lithium battery production facility.^[2][3][4]

Overview

Among La Negra industries, the two major ones are Altonorte, a copper smelter refinery, and Inacesa, a cement plant. It offers basic services for truckers and travelers in general.

La Negra is also the intersection of the Pan-American Highway and the road from Antofagasta to Escondida Mine. It counts a station on the Salta–Antofagasta railway.

Industry

There is a lithium production and battery conversion plant in the area, operated by Albemarle.^[2][3][4] In 2024, the facility was visited by United States Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.^[1]

Austin Engineering operate a mining machinery manufacturing facility in La Negra.^[5]

References

1. Shalal, Andrea (2024-03-02). "Yellen sees big jump in US imports from Chile, eyes progress on green transition". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
2. "Chile to analyze 81 private lithium proposals, eyeing four projects by 2026". Reuters. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
3. "La Negra, Chile". Albemarle. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
4. "Albemarle opens La Negra". Speciality Chemicals Magazine. 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
5. "Austin LA Negra, Chile". Austin Engineering. 2024-03-18. Retrieved 2024-12-23.