Economic and Social Factors at Playīolivia is home to Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat that spans 4,000 square miles. That is to say, will lithium mining benefit the globe and its inhabitants, or will it entrench societal and environmental harm? Perhaps the Lithium Triangle will provide some answers. While lithium extraction is relatively cheap and effective, it begs the question of sustainability and long-term impact. After between 12 and 18 months, the filtering process is complete and lithium carbonate can be extracted. They then let the water evaporate for months at a time, forming a mixture of potassium, manganese, borax, and lithium salts that is then filtered and left to evaporate once more. The Lithium Triangle is one of the driest places on earth, which complicates the process of lithium extraction: miners have to drill holes in the salt flats to pump salty, mineral-rich brine to the surface. While lithium has been found on each of the six inhabited continents, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia-together referred to as the “Lithium Triangle”-hold more than 75 percent of the world’s supply beneath their salt flats. This demand will only intensify as hybrid and electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and portable electronics become increasingly widespread. The demand for lithium has rapidly increased, as the global market’s annual consumption has risen by 8.9 percent annually. Lithium, which powers our phones, laptops, and electric cars, is essential to our battery-driven world. The lightest of metals may be causing the largest of impacts.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |