Global miner Rio Tinto , will tackle one of the biggest technological challenges in the lithium industry as it takes the lead in Chile's first major project involving the battery metal in years, alongside state-run copper producer Codelco.

Diversified global miner Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) has made the next significant step into battery metals, committing $900 million for a 49.99% stake in Chile's Salar de Maricunga, a world-class lithium project controlled by the Chilean state-owned miner Codelco.

Anglo-Australian miner doubles down on critical mineral buying almost 50 per cent stake in partnership with Codelco