Not all green energy is good. Ask the Atacama Desert flamingos and they’ll tell you another story. They live on tiny shrimp in a briny lagoon in a desert surrounded by the Andes Mountains in Chile. However this extremely dry place is paying the penalty for its vast salt lakes. One of the most advanced pre-columbian societies once lived here. On December 23, 2018 Bloomberg reported how lithium mining is disturbing the natural balance.
Making Peace with the God of the Atacama Desert Flamingos
A long time ago, the people of the desert became fearful of the Spirit of Licancabur Volcano erupting. Legend records they climbed the 19,685-foot peak with a trimmed stone on their backs. Then they used it as an altar to pacify the spirit with offerings.
Since then the volcano has become dormant. Peace had returned to this driest non polar place in the world. Until the hunt began for lithium for electric vehicle batteries, that is. A mining company has taken over a massive salt flats mine in the desert. Now Bloomberg reports it is “pumping scarce briny water through dried-out salt marshes and lagoons to extract the prized mineral,“ lithium salts. This is happening a dozen miles away from the Atacama Desert flamingos.
Not So Fast, Warn the Chilean Authorities
The authorities are refusing additional permits requested for further expansion. They say the mining company has “ignored … requests to adequately detail its expansion plans”. Moreover the water table is falling causing environmental concerns over the future of the Atacama Desert flamingos.
Of course, there are two sides to the story. The mining company has previously said it believes “very strongly” in the legality of its position. However there are wheels within wheels in this instance. A 2016 agreement with the government obliges the mining company to give ‘up to 25% discounts’ to local battery companies.
The government agency claims, “In the end, the problem is that they are not ready to lose one single peso – that’s the issue.” The matter is going to arbitration to determine what ‘up to 25%’ means.
Related
Batteries from Tears of a Weeping Volcano
Lithium Li So Where Does it Come From
Preview Image: Andean Flamingos in Salar de Atacama
