Freshwater Crisis Threatens World’s Lithium Supply as Demand Set to Skyrocket 40x
Freshwater, critical for lithium mining, is becoming increasingly scarce in the "Lithium Triangle," a resource-rich region in the Andean Plateau spanning parts of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile that contains over half of global lithium reserves. A recent study published in Communications Earth and Environment revealed that freshwater availability for lithium extraction in the region is approximately 10 times lower than previously estimated. With global lithium demand projected to increase 40-fold by 2040, the limited annual rainfall supplying freshwater to the arid Lithium Triangle may not be sufficient. The study's authors advise the lithium industry to reduce freshwater consumption to prevent disruption to mining operations, which currently use up to 500,000 gallons of water to extract one ton of lithium. In the Triangle, freshwater supports agricultural activities for Indigenous communities and sustains wetlands housing unique wildlife, including short-tailed chinchillas, wild camelids, […]
