Lithium fields: Stunning from the air, hassle on the bottom
Tom Hegen
Photographer Tom Hegen
THE vivid swathes of minerals on this lithium extraction discipline make for a stunning sight, but additionally characterize a troubling facet of our quickly electrifying world.
Taken by photographer Tom Hegen, this picture of the Soquimich lithium mine within the Atacama desert, run by main mining operator SQM, is a part of his new challenge, The Lithium Collection I, which paperwork lithium extraction in Chile.
The aspect is a important part within the lithium-ion batteries used to energy electrical automobiles, that are projected to account for as much as 60 per cent of latest automotive gross sales by 2030. The continuing demand for lithium is unprecedented.
Greater than half of the world’s provide of this aspect is assumed to reside within the “Lithium Triangle” the place Chile, Argentina and Bolivia meet, with roughly 1 / 4 contained within the Salar de Atacama salt flats in northern Chile.
The rush for lithium is remodeling landscapes throughout South America. The various hues of the ponds on this extraction discipline on the salt flats are brought on by completely different concentrations of lithium carbonate, starting from the dilute, turquoise, to the extremely concentrated, yellow.
Though fairly from a distance, lithium mines are environmentally damaging and use loads water and vitality.
They'll additionally hurt native communities. The Lithium Triangle is without doubt one of the driest areas on Earth, and the mining is decreasing entry to recent water for Indigenous communities, in addition to disrupting wildlife habitats – results which are solely exacerbated by local weather change.
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