SANTIAGO, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The head of Chile's Corfo

development agency said on Thursday he will launch a call for

bids for projects making lithium products while accessing a

preferential price "as soon as possible," following a previous

delay.

Chile is a major producer of the key battery metal.

Corfo had previously said it would launch the process in

August but it was delayed due to a legal issue, according to

Corfo chief Jose Miguel Benavente.

The chosen companies will have access to lithium at a

preferential price produced by Albemarle, the world's

largest miner of the ultra-light metal. The firms would produce

products including lithium derivatives used in electric vehicle

batteries.