Aug 11 (Reuters) - Albemarle, the world's

largest producer of lithium for rechargeable batteries, said on

Monday that Chief Operating Officer Netha Johnson will leave the

company.

Albemarle did not provide a timeline for Johnson's exit. A

company spokesperson declined to comment on the reason for his

departure.

Johnson first joined the Charlotte, North Carolina-based

company in 2018. He sits on the board of electric utility Xcel

Energy ( XEL ) and previously worked at 3M ( MMM ).

He will be replaced as operating chief by Mark Mummert,

who has been at the company since 2019, and most recently

oversaw supply chain logistics.

Albemarle earlier this month posted a

surprise second-quarter profit

helped by sustained demand for the battery metal.