SANTIAGO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Chile is open to negotiating an additional quota of lithium for local miner SQM SQMa.SN SQM_pb.SN to meet potential additional demand from U.S. electric car-maker Tesla TSLA.O , Eduardo Bitran, head of Chilean development agency Corfo, told Reuters on Monday.
Bitran said Tesla and SQM were "exploring" opportunities after Tesla expressed interest in buying "important volumes" of lithium hydroxide, a key ingredient in the batteries used in electric vehicles, from SQM.