Albemarle Corporation
ALB
Materials
3
exclusion reasons
3 themes
This page is part of our public exclusion list — a transparency tool that shows which companies we screen out and why. It is not investment advice, and it is not an accusation. But it is subject to change as our understanding of the facts evolves.
Operations in Salar de Atacama (Chile) and Jujuy province (Argentina) implicate FPIC violations against indigenous Atacamas communities. Brine pumping depletes water tables, threatening potable water and traditional agriculture. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre documents 630+ allegations across transition mineral mining globally 2010–2023; Albemarle directly linked to FPIC non-compliance and community harm.
Albemarle Corporation is the world's largest lithium producer, extracting lithium brine from the Salar de Atacama in Chile and processing it at its La Negra chemical plant. The company also operates lithium extraction and processing facilities in the United States and Australia. Lithium mining is the company's primary growth segment, representing its core business activity as a producer of this critical mineral for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage.
The extraction process, particularly in the arid Salar de Atacama, is associated with significant environmental concerns, including high freshwater consumption, potential contamination of fragile ecosystems, and threats to local biodiversity. Community groups have raised concerns regarding water depletion and the social impact of mining operations on nearby residents. While Albemarle has public commitments to environmental protection and community engagement, and in 2023 became the first lithium producer to complete an independent audit under the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), the fundamental business model remains large-scale extraction of non-fuel minerals.
DOJ/SEC FCPA $321M settlement (2023) — bribery and contract manipulation across multiple jurisdictions.
Research Sources
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Companies appear on our exclusion list based on our investment judgment — not because they've done anything illegal. This is a difference of values and opinion, not an accusation of wrongdoing. Exclusion does not constitute a recommendation against investing in any company, and absence from the list does not constitute a recommendation to invest.
This information is provided for educational and transparency purposes only and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Data is drawn from independent watchdogs, NGOs, government registries, and Ethical Capital's ongoing research — see Research Sources for the full list.
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