The chairman of the Chilean National Copper Corporation is about to step down, and at the same time has resigned from his position in the lithium joint venture company.

Maximo Pacheco, chairman of the Chilean state-owned company Codelco, announced his resignation, and at the same time will also step down from the board of directors of Nova Andino Litio company. The company is a joint venture in the lithium industry established by Codelco and the Chilean chemical and mining company. In a letter to the newly appointed chairman of Codelco, Bernardo Fontaine, Pacheco admitted that his resignation was due to pressure from certain departments and levels that had been trying to force him out of the company. As Pacheco's departure is final, Codelco is facing intense scrutiny from the public. Last week, the company announced that after an internal audit, a senior executive had been dismissed and other related personnel had been disciplined for inaccurately reporting the copper production for 2025.