12:55 ET - Chile's plans to nationalize the lithium industry could be bad for the country, but good for up-and-coming countries in the space like Canada. Ben Isaacson of Scotiabank says in a note that the move could hurt Chile in the long-run as foreign capital will face lower project returns. Already, capital has been finding new lithium spaces to settle into, "moving more toward hard rock resources in Australia, Canada, and the US, as Chile's brine resources do not offer a direct route to lithium hydroxide." The law will be presented to congress in 2H, but Isaacson notes that a similar proposal to give the state exclusive mining rights, including lithium, was rejected by Chile's Constitutional Assembly last May. (adriano.marchese@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires