Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported on the "lithium triangle" – a region spanning Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia – where native communities sit upon an estimated trillion dollars in lithium reserves. This valuable metal is crucial for producing electric car batteries and advancing solar and wind energy technologies, making it essential in the global fight against climate change. However, extracting lithium requires significant water usage, threatening the very lifeline of these communities. 

Between 2021 and 2023, the price of lithium surged, reaching as high as $76,000 per ton in China. This increase drew global attention, with leaders and companies looking to the lithium-rich deserts as a source of wealth and a means to combat climate change. 

The U.S. is aiming for half of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030—a goal heavily reliant on lithium. This underscores the importance of sustainable solutions in the fight against climate change and highlights Argentina's potential role in the global supply chain for critical minerals like lithium, further emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

In Tusaquillas, a small adobe town in northern Argentina, the community's water sources are intricately connected to the expansive white salt flats below, which hold substantial lithium reserves. During the rainy months, the surrounding salt flats, sacred to indigenous cultures for playing a vital role in their spiritual and cultural practices, brim with water. But in the dry months, families hike miles to ensure their livestock can drink. Due to the increasing global demand for lithium, this fragile balance is now under threat. 

Scientists warn that pumping brine water from the salt flats during the extraction process can contaminate freshwater sources and dry up the environment, exacerbating the effects of climate change.

Despite their efforts, mining companies are pressing forward. Over 30 companies seek permission to mine in the salt flats. The local government, enticed by potential profits, recently eased indigenous land rights and restricted protests, sparking widespread demonstrations.

In neighboring Chile, decades of lithium mining in the Atacama Desert have had severe environmental impacts, with reports of groundwater depletion, soil contamination, and significant damage to local ecosystems. The indigenous Atacama people have seen their lands and traditions suffer. 

Lithium mining has brought economic benefits, creating jobs and infrastructure, but has also divided communities. Younger generations are increasingly drawn to the mining industry, leaving behind traditional ways of life. In Argentina, the election of a right-wing president who favors deregulation and reduced costs for mining companies is likely to complicate further indigenous efforts to protect their lands.

The fate of indigenous communities in the lithium triangle is a powerful reminder of the complex interplay between economic development and environmental preservation, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions that respect both people and the planet. 

These communities remain determined to defend their homes, fearing that while mining might bring short-term financial gains, it will ultimately devastate the environment and their way of life. The struggle continues as they fight to preserve their fields, their waters, and their cultural heritage.

To learn more, visit "Native groups sit on a treasure trove of lithium. Now mines threaten their water, culture and wealth."

Related stories:

• Lessons from abroad: the environmental and social costs to lithium mining in Argentina, Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, January 25, 2024
• How is lithium mined? Ask MIT Climate, February 12, 2024