How a Lithium Mine Works and Impacts Local Communities (2024)

As the global demand for clean energy intensifies, lithium has emerged as a critical player in the quest for sustainable technology. This invaluable resource, often dubbed "white gold," is essential for powering electric vehicles, renewable energy storage and advanced electronics.

However, the rush to extract lithium from the earth has sparked a new wave of lithium mines, such as the Silver Peak lithium mine in Nevada.

This particular site has made headlines for its environmental impact, including concerns over excessive water usage in a region already plagued by drought. Such issues raise broader questions about the environmental and ethical ramifications of the lithium mining boom.

Contents

1. What Is Lithium?
2. How Mining Lithium Works
3. Importance of Lithium Mines
4. South America's Lithium Giants
5. Australia's Lithium Mines
6. Asia's Lithium Powerhouse
7. North America's Key Lithium Projects
8. Environmental Impacts and Concerns

Lithium is a soft, silvery-white metal and the lightest and least dense solid element in the alkali metal group. It is highly reactive and flammable, which contributes to its diverse range of applications. Lithium is essential for producing rechargeable batteries, which are found in mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles and other electronics.

Beyond its technological applications, lithium is used to make psychiatric medications for bipolar disorder, such as lithium carbonate.

A lithium mine is a site where lithium is extracted from the earth in two primary forms: spodumene and brine.

Exploration

The mining process begins with exploration, where geological surveys and sampling are conducted to identify and evaluate potential lithium deposits. This process is similar to testing different soil samples to find the best spot for a garden.

Spodumene, a lithium-bearing mineral, is found in hard rock formations and extracted using traditional mining techniques. The ore is crushed, roasted and leached in a process similar to baking a cake, which involves mixing and heating ingredients.

Brine, a solution rich in dissolved salts and lithium compounds, is found in salt flats or dried lake beds. In this extraction method, lithium-rich brine is pumped to the surface and transferred to large evaporation ponds, where natural evaporation concentrates the lithium, akin to evaporating saltwater to leave behind salt.

Processing

The processing phase varies by source. For spodumene, the mineral is heated in a kiln to enhance its reactivity and then treated with acid to produce lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide. For brine, after evaporation, the concentrated solution undergoes chemical treatments to isolate and purify the lithium compounds.

The extracted lithium is then processed into compounds like lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, which are used in everything from electric car batteries to glass production.

Refining and Manufacturing

The refining and manufacturing stages involve additional purification steps to ensure the lithium meets the quality standards required for batteries and other applications.

Ensuring environmental and regulatory compliance throughout this process is crucial for mining companies. This includes managing water usage, reducing emissions and rehabilitating mined land to minimize ecological impact.

Lithium mines are essential due to the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are valued for their high charge capacity and lightweight structure, which enable electric vehicles (EVs) to travel longer ranges between charges.

A 2019 report forecasts that global lithium demand will grow annually by about 28 percent through 2030. This surge in demand is driven by the growth in EVs and the expanding use of lithium-ion batteries in renewable energy storage systems, which are crucial for integrating solar and wind energy into the grid.

The need for lithium also extends to industrial applications, such as electric forklifts, trucks and mining equipment, which help reduce operating costs and lower carbon footprints.

A substantial portion of the world's lithium is sourced from the "Lithium Triangle," a region in South America that includes Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.

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This area is renowned for its substantial lithium brine deposits, making it a crucial source for meeting global lithium demand. The industry creates jobs in mining, processing and related sectors, supporting local economies and providing essential employment opportunities.

South America has some of the largest and most productive lithium reserves. Salar de Atacama in Chile has one of the highest lithium concentrations globally, making it one of the most productive and cost-effective extraction sites. The brine is rich in lithium chloride, which is processed into lithium carbonate, a critical component for battery production.

Olaroz Lithium Facility in Argentina produces high-quality lithium carbonate, significantly contributing to the country's position in the global lithium market.

Australia is a leading lithium producer, with several large mines contributing to its dominance in the market. Greenbushes Lithium Mine in Western Australia is the world's largest hard rock lithium mine. It produces high-grade spodumene ore, a primary source of lithium for batteries.

Mount Marion Lithium Project, also in Western Australia, produces significant quantities of spodumene concentrate. It is a joint venture, highlighting its importance in the lithium supply chain.

The Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project is known for its large reserves of both lithium and tantalum, which are used in electronic components, making the mine particularly valuable.

In Asia, particularly China, lithium extraction plays a crucial role in the global supply chain due to the region's substantial lithium resources.

One of the most notable sources is the Zhabuye Salt Lake, located in Tibet, China. This salt lake is a key player in China's lithium industry, known for its rich lithium brine deposits.

China's dominance in lithium extraction is underscored by its strategic investments and developments in lithium processing and technology. The country has become a critical player in the global lithium market, vital for producing high-performance batteries and other technologies central to modern advancements.

Lithium mining is progressing in North America, with significant projects in Canada and the United States, although some face legal and regulatory hurdles.

The Whabouchi Lithium Project in Quebec, Canada, is one of the continent’s largest spodumene deposits. This project is expected to significantly enhance North America's lithium supply, supporting the transition to clean energy technologies.

The Silver Peak lithium mine in Nevada is the only operational lithium mine in the United States. This long-established, open-pit mine extracts lithium from brine and remains vital to the domestic supply chain. With the growing demand for lithium, the federal government is backing the development of new projects to expand production.

However, one notable project is facing a major legal hurdle.

A Proposed Lithium Mine in the U.S. Faces Legal Troubles

The Thacker Pass Project in northern Nevada, one of the largest lithium deposits in the United States, has encountered significant legal challenges. In 2023, environmental groups and local Indigenous communities — including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, the Burns Paiute Tribe and the People of Red Mountain — filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The lawsuit contends that the BLM did not conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment before approving the proposed mine. The plaintiffs raise concerns about potential damage to wildlife habitats, contamination of water sources and the disruption of sacred Indigenous lands.

The Thacker Pass area holds historical and cultural significance for these tribes, and the proposed mining activities are viewed as a threat to their heritage.

This legal dispute highlights the ongoing conflict between the urgent need for sustainable energy resources and the critical importance of safeguarding environmental and Indigenous rights. The case also exemplifies the broader challenge of balancing resource extraction with environmental preservation and respect for Indigenous cultural heritage.

Despite these challenges, construction for the Thacker Pass Project is expected to commence in the second half of 2024. The project is supported by a $2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy and is projected to create substantial economic opportunities, including 1,800 jobs during construction and 500 jobs during operations​.

Lithium mining presents several significant environmental challenges. Brine extraction consumes vast amounts of water, potentially depleting local aquifers and impacting agriculture and drinking water supplies for nearby communities, which can lead to considerable ecological stress.

Hard rock mining, such as at Australia's Greenbushes mine, also poses severe environmental issues. This type of mining results in deforestation and soil erosion, which destroy natural habitats and endanger local wildlife.

The lithium extraction process frequently uses chemicals like sulfuric acid, which, if not managed carefully, can contaminate soil and water sources and cause long-term environmental damage.

Lithium mining also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The extraction and refining processes are energy-intensive and often depend on fossil fuels, leading to increased carbon dioxide emissions and exacerbating climate change.

Efforts to mitigate these impacts include advancements in recycling lithium from used batteries and developing more efficient and less environmentally harmful extraction methods.

However, balancing the rising demand for lithium with the need to protect the environment remains a significant challenge, requiring ongoing improvements in both technology and regulatory practices.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.