Sane ThinkerLithium Americas is a Canadian company with mining projects in the Lithium Triangle of S. America. A judge just lifted an injunction against them at Thacker Pass, NV that will run over Native Americans there, and compete with drinking and agricultural water. One metric ton of lithium requires up to 500,000 gallons of water. There is nothing green about lithium. I hope you will remember this during all those glitzy EV ads. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/showdown-at-thacker-pass
Thank you for the boost. This is a heartbreaking situation. The Native Americans in this community are appallingly poor, and mining is always a filthy business. I researched this article for weeks. "...30 billion gallons per year. Also, per Lithium Nevada, the mine life is expected to be 46 years. 30 billion x 46 comes to an incomprehensible 1.38 trillion gallons of water. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/showdown-at-thacker-pass
Thank you Icy. This mine is cultural injustice, environmental injustice, and insane when one considers the water usage in a region imperiled by historic drought.
Eva Chanda@gdeihl We need to encourage recycling/recuperation of lithium from old batteries. But of course, companies complain that it's too expensive, compared to mining. Maybe banning new mines would provide an incentive? #lithiumnevada #bannewmines
@erchanda Recycling will undoubtably increase. The problem is the direct impact on the earth & water. Lithium America’s projected estimate of producing 60,000 tons of lithium a year means mining 20 to 30 million tons of earth annually... mine life estimated at 46 years. One metric ton of lithium requires up to 500,000 gallons of water. Lithium Nevada’s own estimate of 60,000 TPA, the water requirement for one year of mining and creating commercial grade lithium comes to 30 billion gallons/year
@erchanda As usual, these mining operations come at the expense of the poorest, most vulnerable and historically persecuted as well.
Christian Klüber-Demir 🏈@gdeihl
I agree that lithium mining seems to be just as ruthless as any other business.
But at least the metals used in EV batteries can be reused or recycled later on, which is so much more than can be said about gas or diesel fuel made from oil...
I agree that lithium mining seems to be just as ruthless as any other business.
But at least the metals used in EV batteries can be reused or recycled later on, which is so much more than can be said about gas or diesel fuel made from oil...
@ckd I would encourage you to read my article about the real impact of lithium mining.