Green Tech's Hidden Cost: How Lithium Mining Dries Up Chile's Salt Flats

Raquel Celina Rodriguez carefully steps across the Vega de Tilopozo in Chile's Atacama salt flats, remembering when the land was green and full of life. Now, the ground is dry and cracked, and the pools that once dotted the plain have disappeared. Her family has raised sheep here for generations, but with less rain and less grass, it has become much harder. Raquel says things got even worse when lithium companies started extracting water from the area. Beneath the salt flats lies one of the world's largest reserves of lithium, a metal crucial for making batteries used in electric cars, laptops, and solar energy storage. As the world shifts toward renewable energy, the demand for lithium has skyrocketed. In just three years, global lithium consumption more than doubled, and experts predict it will keep rising, mostly because of electric vehicles.

Chile is the world's second-largest lithium producer, after Australia. The government has launched a National Lithium Strategy to increase production, partly by nationalizing the industry and encouraging private investment. A new joint venture between SQM and the state mining company Codelco has been approved to extract millions of tonnes of lithium over the next few decades. Mining lithium in the Atacama region involves pumping brine from underground to evaporation pools, a process that uses huge amounts of water in an area already suffering from drought. Faviola Gonzalez, a biologist from the local indigenous community, monitors the changes in the Los Flamencos National Reserve. She has seen lagoons shrink and flamingo populations decline because the birds rely on microorganisms in the water for food. The underground water that feeds the salt flats is ancient and replenishes very slowly, so heavy extraction threatens the entire ecosystem.

Studies have shown that brine extraction is causing the salt flats to sink and that water shortages are becoming more severe. Damage to native plants, like the carob trees, has also been reported, though mining companies claim their own data shows improvement. The problem extends beyond Chile, as lithium mining can reduce freshwater availability for plants, animals, and people. Mining always has some environmental impact, but experts say companies should involve local communities and conduct social impact assessments before starting new projects. Some companies are now testing new technologies to reduce water use, such as extracting lithium directly from brine without evaporation pools and capturing evaporated water to re-inject into the land. SQM says it is working with communities and piloting these new methods, hoping to cut brine extraction by half.

Despite these efforts, many locals remain skeptical. Faviola worries that the salt flats are being used as a natural laboratory for unproven technologies. Sara Plaza, another resident, is anxious about the future, fearing that once the lithium is gone, the community will be left without water or agriculture. She says the money offered by mining companies is not enough to make up for the loss of nature and water. The community has had to overhaul its water and electrical systems because of shortages, and leaders like Sergio Cubillos believe mining is the main cause, not just climate change. He wants the government to involve indigenous people in decision-making and not treat their community as a bargaining chip.

The Atacama salt flats highlight a global dilemma: climate change is causing droughts, but mining for lithium to fight climate change is also harming the environment. Some argue that mining brings jobs and money, but others say it disrupts traditional ways of life and raises housing costs. Many locals do not want more money; they want to protect their land and water. They question why their community must bear the cost of clean energy that benefits people far away. Faviola points out that developed countries use much more energy than indigenous communities in South America, yet it is their water and wildlife that are disappearing. The story of the Atacama salt flats is a reminder that solutions to climate change must consider the impact on local communities and the environment.