Oh the Irony! Lithium Mining for EVs Is Far Worse Than Fracking
We’re moving to electrification, particularly in cars, at Breakneck speed. The idea is to save the planet from fossil fuels. The only problem is who will save the planet from lithium mining. Lithium is needed for electric car batteries.
Lithium mining is a relatively new industry, but it’s booming due to Western policies on climate change. That’s ironic since the mining of lithium for electric car batteries is having a negative impact on the environment.
According to OSVehicle, one concern is that large-scale lithium mining uses several extraction methods, all of which have a high potential to pollute water resources. Also, the mining takes place in countries with very little environmental regulation. There’s very little oversight. Companies can operate without many environmental consequences for their actions. Most of the mining will take place in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile.
There will allegedly be 125 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. And Lithium mining is causing untold destruction to the world’s deserts. It depletes water reserves, which means local residents are forced to rely on their water supply. Local communities could be poisoned if the mining takes place in the area’s water supply. The other problem is there is not enough lithium in the world to power all the electric vehicle batteries it will run out of it.
Compared with fracking, mining, and lithium processing are far more environmentally destructive. Consider that irony.
“According to a recent report, Joe Biden intends to replace conventional transportation with electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries. In contrast to fracking, mining, and lithium processing are far more environmentally destructive,” writes OSVehicle.
Euro News Green also reports on the harmful chemical effects on the environment.
Stunning, high-definition aerial photos of Lithium fields are breathtaking but also quite concerning.
Lithium is supposed to get us away from fossil fuels. It’s used in mobile phones, laptops, cars and aircraft. Electric cars, or electric vehicles in general, are set to account for up to 60% of new car sales by 2030. They are allegedly the key to lightweight rechargeable power. However, it comes with a cost, a cost worse than fracking.
The photographer of the lithium fields or ponds said the vivid hues are caused by different concentrations of lithium carbonate. The colors range from pinky white to turquoise to a highly concentrated, canary yellow. Unfortunately, Lithium falls under the same umbrella as fossil fuels when it comes to extraction. Removing the materials can result in soil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss, damage to ecosystem functions, and an increase in global warming.
Oh, the irony.
According to a report by Friends of the Earth, lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination. As demand rises, the impact of mining will affect communities more and more.
This is what we’re in for, and it’s not a pretty picture.
