The transition to electromobility is one of the fundamental pillars for a cleaner and more sustainable future. In this context, lithium emerges as the undisputed star, being the main raw material for the manufacture of batteries used in electric vehicles and other energy storage devices. However, the question we must ask ourselves is: what is the environmental cost we are willing to pay to obtain it? Lithium extraction, either from hard rock or through gigantic evaporation pools in salt flats, has been shown to have a significant environmental impact. According to a recent study by the bank J.P. Morgan , Australia currently produces 354 thousand tons of lithium carbonate equivalent per year, followed by China with 229 thousand tons and Chile with 215 thousand. Between the three countries, they dominate practically all the world's lithium production, and in all of them the extraction process is, at the very least, unfriendly to nature. Delicate ecosystems, especially in regions such as the Salar de Atacama in Chile, are severely affected by the extraction methods that are used. A study by the Directorate of Scientific and Technological Research of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) (Dictuc) estimates that the production of one ton of lithium carbonate generates up to four tons of greenhouse gases. In addition, the massive extraction of brine, which is not replenished to the salt flat after lithium separation, adds one more layer of concern. Everything evaporates. Nothing comes back. The solution is not to abandon lithium production, as its role in reducing carbon emissions is undeniable. However, it is critical that both public and private actors understand and prioritize the development of projects that use more sustainable technologies. It is possible to produce more lithium with a lower environmental impact, and that is the key to a truly sustainable future. That is why we need to approach lithium extraction with a sustainable vision. Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology is presented as a viable and realistic solution, because it means more efficient production, with less consumption of resources and with the reinjection of a large percentage of the remaining brine into the salt flats from which the lithium was extracted, which means returning water and microorganisms to the ecosystem. President Gabriel Boric, in his speech on April 20, 2023, highlighted the challenge for Chile to become the world's largest lithium producer by 2030, stressing the importance of advancing in "the use of new lithium extraction technologies, which minimize the impact on the ecosystems of the salt flats." Science and technology, as crucial tools, will allow the development of the best extraction techniques. Lithium extraction must be as environmentally friendly as its fruits are expected to be: more sustainable energy production and storage. The urgency is real, and the path towards responsible electromobility involves adopting and promoting technologies that allow a balance between development and environmental preservation
Bullish
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