An aerial picture shows part of the route of the Arica-La Paz railway during its centennial commemoration, in Chile on May 13, 2013.

A conductor waits for passengers in Arica on May 13, 2013. Passenger services stopped running on the line in 1996, according to the BBC, but a special train ran to mark the railway's centenary.

Passengers ride on the Arica-La Paz railway during its centennial commemoration on May 13, 2013.

Passengers wait to board a train in Arica on May 13, 2013.

An aerial view of the brine pools and processing areas of the Soquimich lithium mine on the Atacama salt flat, the largest lithium deposit currently in production, in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, on Jan. 10, 2013.

A worker protects his face from the sun as he inspects machinery at the Rockwood Lithium plant on the Atacama salt flat, the largest lithium deposit currently in production, in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, on Jan. 8, 2013.

A view of samples of lithium carbonate processed from the Rockwood Lithium mine on the Atacama salt flat, the largest lithium deposit currently in production, in Antofagasta, northern Chile, on Jan. 14, 2013.

An aerial view of the brine pools and processing areas of the Soquimich lithium mine on the Atacama salt flat, the largest lithium deposit currently in production, in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, on Jan. 10, 2013.

Overview of a mining camp on the Salar del Hombre Muerto, or Dead Man's Salt Flat, an important source of lithium at around 13,123 feet above sea level on the border of the northern Argentine provinces of Catamarca and Salta, on Oct. 28, 2012.

Braulio Lopez of Galaxy Resources lithium mining division carts halite concentrate at the Salar del Hombre Muerto, or Dead Man's Salt Flat, an important source of lithium at around 13,123 feet above sea level on the border of the northern Argentine provinces of Catamarca and Salta, on Oct. 28, 2012.

A llama stands next to a cactus growing on Incahuasi Island above the Uyuni salt lake, which holds the world's largest reserve of lithium, located at 11,995 ft above sea level in southwestern Bolivia, on Nov. 7, 2012.

A worker from Galaxy Resources lithium mining division puts on a mask before going to work at the Salar del Hombre Muerto, or Dead Man's Salt Flat, an important source of lithium at around 13,123 feet above sea level on the border of the northern Argentine provinces of Catamarca and Salta, on Oct. 28, 2012.

Laboratory technicians Gabriela Torrez and Bernabe Apaza analyze brine samples at the lithium pilot plant on the southern edge of the Uyuni salt lake, which holds the world's largest reserve of lithium, located at 11,995 ft above sea level in southwestern Bolivia, on Nov. 5, 2012.

Tourists prepare for a picnic on the Uyuni salt lake, which holds the world's largest reserve of lithium, located at 11,995 ft above sea level in southwestern Bolivia, on Nov. 7, 2012.

Coca leaf producers toss coca leaves being given away for free during an event commemorating the tradition of coca leaf chewing in La Paz, Bolivia, on Jan. 14. Coca growers held street demonstrations in La Paz and Cochabamba to celebrate that their centuries-old Andean practice of chewing or otherwise ingesting coca leaves, a mild stimulant in its natural form, will now be universally recognized as legal within Bolivia.

A man chews coca leaves in La Paz, on Jan. 14, as indigenous people from Quecha and Aymara celebrate Bolivia's re-admittance to the U.N. anti-narcotics convention.

A man looks at a bottle of an energy drink made with coca leaves during a celebration in La Paz on Jan. 14.

Bolivian President Evo Morales delivers a speech during a celebration for Bolivia's re-admittance to the U.N. anti-narcotics convention in Cochabamba on Jan. 14.

An independent mine worker participates in a protest rally in La Paz, Sept. 18, 2012.

An independent mine worker throws a dynamite stick during clashes with unionized mine workers in La Paz, Sept. 18.

Independent miners attend a protest rally in La Paz September 18, 2012. Thousands of independent mine workers of Bolivia's recently nationalized Colquiri tin mine protested against unionized mine workers and the government of Bolivian President Evo Morales.

A riot police officer helps state-employed miners carry a co-worker after he was wounded in a dynamite explosion during clashes with miners from private cooperatives, as the latter marched through the streets of La Paz, Sept. 18.

Firefighters and policemen help a wounded person during a miners' protest in front of Federacion Nacional de Mineros' headquarters in La Paz, Bolivia, Sept. 18.

The salt flats, or Salar de Uyuni, which covers 4,000 square miles of Bolivia.

Workers at the experimental evaporation plant where the lithium is extracted bring tubes from the well to the basins. Workers are from different parts of Bolivia.

Bolivian President Evo Morales celebrates the inauguration of the experimental lithium plant.

Due to heavy rainfall, much of the Salar de Uyuni is still covered with water. A tractor brings the workers to the experimental evaporation plant.

An Aymara indigenous witch doctor sprays wine over offerings to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, in La Cumbre, 19 miles outside of La Paz, Bolivia on Aug. 1, 2012.

An Aymara indigenous witch doctor sprays beer over a man while making offerings to Pachamama, or Mother Earth in La Cumbre, Bolivia on Aug. 1.

People prepare to give offerings to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, in La Cumbre, Bolivia on Aug, 1.

Police officers on strike vandalize the police intelligence headquarters and burn documents in La Paz, on June 22, during a police strike demanding a 70 percent salary increase. At least three people were injured when striking Bolivian police officers clashed with an anti-riot brigade in downtown La Paz Thursday, local media reported.

Police officers on strike stand a protest in front of the Palacio Quemado presidential house in La Paz, on June 22, during a police strike demanding a 70 percent salary increase. At least three people were injured when striking Bolivian police officers clashed with an anti-riot brigade in downtown La Paz Thursday, local media reported.

Police officers on strike vandalize the police intelligence headquarters and burn documents in La Paz, on June 22, during a police strike demanding a 70 percent salary increase. At least three people were injured when striking Bolivian police officers clashed with an anti-riot brigade in downtown La Paz Thursday, local media reported.

Police officers on strike vandalize the police intelligence headquarters and burn documents in La Paz, on June 22, during a police strike demanding a 70 percent salary increase. At least three people were injured when striking Bolivian police officers clashed with an anti-riot brigade in downtown La Paz Thursday, local media reported.

Police demanding salary increases shout slogans on the roof of a police internal affairs building that was sacked and its content burned, in La Paz, Bolivia, on June 22. Protesters were demanding salaries on par with soldiers and a pension equal to 100 percent of their salaries. Bolivian police earn about $144 a month and were not appeased by a 7 percent government-decreed wage increase this year.

An official police photo burns atop a bonfire of burning documents and computers outside a police internal affairs building, in La Paz, Bolivia, on June 22. Protesting police officers sacked the offices, setting its contents on fire, demanding salaries on par with soldiers and a pension equal to 100 percent of their salaries. Bolivian police earn about $144 a month and were not appeased by a 7 percent government-decreed wage increase this year.