The National Institute for Lithium and Salars (INLiSa), one of the most anticipated institutions following the implementation of the 2023 National Lithium Strategy, officially announced that it now has its full professional team in place. With this, the institution completes its installation phase and prepares to undertake technical, scientific, and territorial work aimed at transforming how Chile manages its strategic resources.
INLiSa began operations on January 17, 2025, with the first session of its Board of Directors and an official launch event in Antofagasta. Since then, it has positioned itself as a central actor in discussions on saline systems and their resources, aiming to generate and apply knowledge, technology, and information that promote the sustainable development of lithium and comprehensive salar management, considering economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
INLiSa began operations on January 17, 2025, with the first session of its Board of Directors and an official launch event in Antofagasta. Since then, it has positioned itself as a central actor in discussions on saline systems and their resources, aiming to generate and apply knowledge, technology, and information that promote the sustainable development of lithium and comprehensive salar management, considering economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
With offices in Antofagasta and Copiapó, the Institute is advancing the development of technical capacities and strategic alliances with universities, public agencies, and research centers, both in Chile and abroad. These collaborations will strengthen applied research and foster innovation related to the saline systems of northern Chile, from Arica to Atacama.
- Hernán Cáceres, Executive Director
- Catalina Romero, Head of Operational Management
- Diego Villegas, Legal Counsel
- Linsay Herbas, Head of Administration and Finance
- Andrés Bercovich, CTCI Manager – Antofagasta
- Tomás Araya, CTCI Manager – Atacama
- Montserrat Ayala, Head of Community Engagement
- José Cifuentes, Hydrogeology Advisor
With this team, INLiSa begins a key stage in implementing its strategy, which includes strengthening territorial presence, building collaboration networks, and deepening relationships with communities and local stakeholders connected to the salars. The Institute also aims to integrate the ancestral knowledge of Indigenous peoples into research and decision-making processes, recognizing their expertise in managing these unique ecosystems.
In the words of Hernán Cáceres, Executive Director of INLiSa, this new stage marks a turning point for the Institution: “We are very pleased to have our full team in place. Bringing together professionals from diverse fields will allow different perspectives to converge as we design and implement the wide portfolio of initiatives ahead.”
During its first year, the Institute has focused its efforts on institutional setup, the development of a technology roadmap centered on sustainability, and the launch of a participatory process with Indigenous peoples. In the medium term, the goal is to position INLiSa as a national and international reference in lithium governance, combining science, innovation, and respect for saline ecosystems and the communities that inhabit them.
The beginning of INLiSa’s work marks a decisive step in transforming Chile’s model for managing strategic resources, consolidating a vision of development that integrates economic, environmental, and social dimensions, with lithium as a driver of sustainability and knowledge rooted in the territories.