Lic. Matías Chandia
Bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences from the National University of San Juan, with more than 10 years of experience in the lithium, oil, and gas industries. He has participated in the interpretation of more than 500 wells in diverse geological settings at the international level. He is currently with Zelandez, contributing to projects in the Lithium Triangle, where he specializes in the characterization of evaporitic systems and lithium brines.
His expertise integrates petrophysical interpretation, nuclear magnetic resonance, well imaging, and production analysis to characterize aquifers and brines, providing technical and strategic decision-making support for lithium projects in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. In parallel, he analyzes and communicates the global dynamics of lithium and rare earth elements, and develops a platform focused on critical minerals that integrates databases, technical training, and artificial intelligence-based analytical tools for the energy transition.
Abstract
Lithium has become one of the most strategic critical minerals of the 21st century. From a chemical perspective, lithium is the lightest metal and possesses a high electrochemical potential. These properties make it a key material for rechargeable batteries used in electric mobility, energy storage, and numerous digital technologies, positioning it as a central element in the global energy transition.
This lecture first addresses the chemical principles that explain why lithium has transformed electrochemical energy storage, and then contextualizes its current uses and emerging applications, which project sustained demand growth over the coming decades.
Within this framework, a general overview of the global distribution of lithium resources and the principal types of deposits is presented, with particular emphasis on brine systems. Finally, Argentina’s position in the global context is analyzed, considering the development of projects in the Puna salars and the strategies currently underway to transition from raw material production to greater technological and industrial development associated with lithium.
Profile
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/matiaschandia/overlay/about-this-profile